Preparations,solution conformations and molecular structures of N,N′-ethylene-bridged dipeptides and their derivatives

The solution conformations of novel dipeptides, methyl (2S, 3′S)-3-methyl-2-(2′-oxo-3′-isopropyl-1′-piperazinyl)-butanoate (EVV-OCH₃), methyl (2S, 3′S)-3-phenyl-2-(2′-oxo-3′-benzyl-1′-piperazinyl) propionate (EFF-OCH₃), and their derivatives (Boc-Gly-EW-OH, Boc-Gly-EVV-Gly-OH, and Boc-Gly-EFF-OH), were studied by ‘H NMR measurements and molecular mechanics calculations (1). The molecular structures of Boc-Gly-EVV-OH, Boc-Gly-EFF-OH, and the hydrochloride of EVV-OCH₃ were determined by X-ray analyses. The conformations of the piperazinone rings and the side chains of these oligopeptides were clarified.     

甲醛挥发抑制剂及其效果研究

[目的 ]寻找一种能减轻甲醛挥发作用的物质。 [方法 ]将甘氨酸钠 (SG)溶液喷淋于解剖教学标本表面 ,同时测定空气中甲醛的浓度。 [结果 ]SG液可明显抑制甲醛的挥发 ,降低空气中甲醛的浓度 (P <0 0 1)。 [结论 ]SG液可作为甲醛挥发的抑制剂 ,从而减轻甲醛对人体健康的危害。     

Identification and evaluation of [11C]GSK931145 as a novel ligand for imaging the type 1 glycine transporter with positron emission tomography

The type‐1 glycine transporter (GlyT1) is an important target for the development of new medications for schizophrenia. A specific and selective positron emission tomography (PET) GlyT1 ligand would facilitate drug development studies to determine whether a drug reaches this target and help establish suitable doses for clinical trials. This article describes the evaluation of three candidate GlyT1 PET radioligands (GSK931145, GSK565710, and GSK991022) selected from a library of compounds based on favorable physicochemical and pharmacological properties. Each candidate was successfully labeled using [¹¹C]methyl iodide or [¹¹C]methyl triflate and administered to a pig pre‐ and postadministration with a pharmacological dose of a GlyT1 inhibitor to determine their suitability as PET ligands in the porcine brain in vivo. All three candidate ligands were analyzed quantitatively with compartment analyses employing a plasma input function. [¹¹C]GSK931145 showed good brain penetration and a heterogeneous distribution in agreement with reported GlyT1 localization. Following pretreatment with GSK565710, uptake of [¹¹C]GSK931145 was reduced to homogeneous levels. Although [¹¹C]GSK565710 also showed good brain penetration and a heterogeneous distribution, the apparent level of specific binding was reduced compared to [¹¹C]GSK931145. In contrast, [¹¹C]GSK991022 showed a much lower brain penetration and resultant signal following pretreatment with GSK565710. Based on these findings [¹¹C]GSK931145 was identified as the most promising ligand for imaging GlyT1 in the porcine brain, possessing good brain penetration, specific signal, and reversible kinetics. [¹¹C]GSK931145 is now being progressed into higher species. Synapse 64:542–549, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

前体氨基酸对维生素B12发酵合成的影响

谷氨酸、苏氨酸、甘氨酸和甲硫氨酸是维生素B12合成的重要前体。在脱氮假单胞菌（Pseudomonas denitrifican）发酵的产物合成期以补加的方式考察了这4种氨基酸对维生素B12合成的影响。在合成培养基的基础上,通过单因素添加试验分别考察了这些氨基酸对维生素B12合成的影响,发现谷氨酸、甘氨酸和苏氨酸影响显著;并进一步利用三因素三水平的正交试验设计考察了氨基酸混合添加对菌体生长和维生素B12合成的影响,结果表明谷氨酸是最主要的影响因素,并且发现同时添加多种氨基酸更有利。当添加量为谷氨酸0.45 g/L、苏氨酸0.20 g/L、甘氨酸0.15 g/L时,得到的菌体量和维生素B12产量分别比对照组提高了13.1%和46.0%。     

Glycine Transporter Inhibitor Attenuates the Psychotomimetic Effects of Ketamine in Healthy Males: Preliminary Evidence

Enhancing glutamate function by stimulating the glycine site of the NMDA receptor with glycine, -serine, or with drugs that inhibit glycine reuptake may have therapeutic potential in schizophrenia. The effects of a single oral dose of cis-N-methyl-N-(6-methoxy-1-phenyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalen-2-ylmethyl) amino-methylcarboxylic acid hydrochloride (Org 25935), a glycine transporter-1 (GlyT1) inhibitor, and placebo pretreatment on ketamine-induced schizophrenia-like psychotic symptoms, perceptual alterations, and subjective effects were evaluated in 12 healthy male subjects in a randomized, counter-balanced, within-subjects, crossover design. At 2.5 h after administration of the Org 25935 or placebo, subjects received a ketamine bolus and constant infusion lasting 100 min. Psychotic symptoms, perceptual, and a number of subjective effects were assessed repeatedly before, several times during, and after completion of ketamine administration. A cognitive battery was administered once per test day. Ketamine produced behavioral, subjective, and cognitive effects consistent with its known effects. Org 25935 reduced the ketamine-induced increases in measures of psychosis (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS)) and perceptual alterations (Clinician Administered Dissociative Symptoms Scale (CADSS)). The magnitude of the effect of Org 25935 on ketamine-induced increases in Total PANSS and CADSS Clinician-rated scores was 0.71 and 0.98 (SD units), respectively. None of the behavioral effects of ketamine were increased by Org 25935 pretreatment. Org 25935 worsened some aspects of learning and delayed recall, and trended to improve choice reaction time. This study demonstrates for the first time in humans that a GlyT1 inhibitor reduces the effects induced by NMDA receptor antagonism. These findings provide preliminary support for further study of the antipsychotic potential of GlyT1 inhibitors.     

Evidence from gene knockout studies implicates Asc-1 as the primary transporter mediating d-serine reuptake in the mouse CNS

In the mammalian central nervous system, transporter-mediated reuptake may be critical for terminating the neurotransmitter action of D-serine at the strychnine insensitive glycine site of the NMDA receptor. The Na(+) independent amino acid transporter alanine-serine-cysteine transporter 1 (Asc-1) has been proposed to account for synaptosomal d-serine uptake by virtue of its high affinity for D-serine and widespread neuronal expression throughout the brain. Here, we sought to validate the contribution of Asc-1 to D-serine uptake in mouse brain synaptosomes using Asc-1 gene knockout (KO) mice. Total [(3)H]D-serine uptake in forebrain and cerebellar synaptosomes from Asc-1 knockout mice was reduced to 34 +/- 5% and 22 +/- 3% of that observed in wildtype (WT) mice, respectively. When the Na(+) dependent transport components were removed by omission of Na(+) ions in the assay buffer, D-serine uptake in knockout mice was reduced to 8 +/- 1% and 3 +/- 1% of that measured in wildtype mice in forebrain and cerebellum, respectively, suggesting Asc-1 plays a major role in the Na(+) independent transport of D-serine. Potency determination of D-serine uptake showed that Asc-1 mediated rapid high affinity Na(+) independent uptake with an IC(50) of 19 +/- 1 microm. The remaining uptake was mediated predominantly via a low affinity Na(+) dependent transporter with an IC(50) of 670 +/- 300 microm that we propose is the glial alanine-serine-cysteine transporter 2 (ASCT2) transporter. The results presented reveal that Asc-1 is the only high affinity D-serine transporter in the mouse CNS and is the predominant mechanism for D-serine reuptake.     

Group I mGluRs increase locomotor network excitability in Xenopus tadpoles via presynaptic inhibition of glycinergic neurotransmission

The group I metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist (S)-3,5-dihyroxyphenylglycine (DHPG) increases the frequency of rhythmic swimming activity in Xenopus tadpoles. This study explores the possibility that group I receptor modulation occurs in part via depression of inhibitory synaptic transmission. Applications of the glycine receptor antagonist strychnine occluded the effects of DHPG, providing preliminary evidence that group I receptors affect motor network output by reducing glycinergic transmission. This evidence was supported further by intracellular and whole-cell patch-clamp recordings from presumed motorneurons. DHPG applications produced two prominent effects: (i) during swimming activity, glycinergic mid-cycle IPSPs were reduced in amplitude; and (ii) during quiescent periods, the frequency of spontaneous miniature IPSPs was also reduced. No change in membrane potential or input resistance following group I receptor activation was detected. The reduction in fast synaptic inhibition provides a plausible explanation for the increased excitability of the locomotor network, although other contributory mechanisms activated in parallel by group I receptors cannot be discounted. Aspects of this work have been published previously in abstract form [ R. J. Chapman & K. T. Sillar (2003) SFN Abstracts 277.8].     

Infantile onset CMT2D/dSMA V in monozygotic twins due to a mutation in the anticodon-binding domain of GARS

Mutations in the GARS gene cause Charcot-Marie-Tooth 2D and distal spinal muscular atrophy type V - allelic disorders characterized by predominantly distal upper extremity weakness and atrophy, typically beginning during the second decade of life. We report monozygotic twin girls with onset of weakness in infancy and a previously reported GARS mutation within the anticodon-binding domain. The severity and remarkable similarity in phenotypes of these girls and the reported case suggest that mutations within the anticodon-binding domain are more damaging to aminoacyl tRNA synthetase function than those within other domains of GARS.