Lipoxygenase inhibitory activity of anacardic acids

6[8'(Z)-pentadecenyl]salicylic acid, otherwise known as anacardic acid (C15:1), inhibited the linoleic acid peroxidation catalyzed by soybean lipoxygenase-1 (EC 1.13.11.12, type 1) with an IC50 of 6.8 microM. The inhibition of the enzyme by anacardic acid (C15:1) is a slow and reversible reaction without residual activity. The inhibition kinetics analyzed by Dixon plots indicates that anacardic acid (C15:1) is a competitive inhibitor and the inhibition constant, KI, was obtained as 2.8 microM. Although anacardic acid (C15:1) inhibited the linoleic acid peroxidation without being oxidized, 6[8'(Z),11'(Z)-pentadecadienyl]salicylic acid, otherwise known as anacardic acid (C15:2), was dioxygenated at low concentrations as a substrate. In addition, anacardic acid (C15:2) was also found to exhibit time-dependent inhibition of lipoxygenase-1. The alk(en)yl side chain of anacardic acids is essential to elicit the inhibitory activity. However, the hydrophobic interaction alone is not enough because cardanol (C15:1), which possesses the same side chain as anacardic acid (C15:1), acted neither as a substrate nor as an inhibitor.     

Lipoxygenase inhibitory activity of octyl gallate

Octyl gallate inhibited soybean lipoxygenase-1 (EC 1.13.11.12, type I) with an IC(50) of 1.3 microM. The inhibition of the enzyme by octyl gallate is a slow and reversible reaction without residual activity. The inhibition kinetics analyzed by Lineweaver-Burk plots indicates that octyl gallate is a competitive inhibitor, and the inhibition constant, K(I), was obtained as 0.54 microM. One molecule of octyl gallate scavenged six molecules of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and inhibited autoxidative lipid peroxidation. In addition, octyl gallate was effective in preventing lipid peroxidation.     

Isolation and characterization of a new compound from Prunus mume fruit that inhibits cancer cells

An active compound that inhibits cancer cells was isolated from the fruit of Prunus mume, and its structure and in vitro activities were characterized. The n-hexane fraction obtained from methanol extracts exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect on the growth of cancer cells. From the n-hexane fraction, a new compound named B-1 was purified through preparative thin-layer chromatography, ODS column chromatography, and reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography and its structure was analyzed by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry and 1H and 13C NMR. The molecular formula of B-1 was C19H22O6 {2-hydroxy-1-[(7-hydroxy-2-oxo-2H-chromen-6-yl)methyl]-2-methylpropyl-(2Z)-3-methyl-but-e-enoate:prunate}, and the IC50 value was in the range of 39-58 microg/mL in descending order of the cancer cell lines Hep-2, SW-156, HEC-1-B, and SK-OV-3. B-1 exhibited 81-96% inhibition at a concentration level of 100 microg/mL against all cells, based on an 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. However, B-1 showed little effect against normal cells with only 23% or less growth inhibition at 100 microg/mL. Thus, B-1 has a highly specific inhibitory effect against cancer cells but little effect against normal cells. When the cancer cell lines Hep-2 and SK-OV-3 were incubated with B-1 for 72 h, most of the tested cells suffered strong growth inhibition. The compound has the potential to be developed as a nutraceutical.     

Two-dimensional nanosheets produced by liquid exfoliation of layered materials

If they could be easily exfoliated, layered materials would become a diverse source of two-dimensional crystals whose properties would be useful in applications ranging from electronics to energy storage. We show that layered compounds such as MoS(2), WS(2), MoSe(2), MoTe(2), TaSe(2), NbSe(2), NiTe(2), BN, and Bi(2)Te(3) can be efficiently dispersed in common solvents and can be deposited as individual flakes or formed into films. Electron microscopy strongly suggests that the material is exfoliated into individual layers. By blending this material with suspensions of other nanomaterials or polymer solutions, we can prepare hybrid dispersions or composites, which can be cast into films. We show that WS(2) and MoS(2) effectively reinforce polymers, whereas WS(2)/carbon nanotube hybrid films have high conductivity, leading to promising thermoelectric properties.     

A magnetic nanoprobe technology for detecting molecular interactions in live cells

Technologies to assess the molecular targets of biomolecules in living cells are lacking. We have developed a technology called magnetism-based interaction capture (MAGIC) that identifies molecular targets on the basis of induced movement of superparamagnetic nanoparticles inside living cells. Efficient intracellular uptake of superparamagnetic nanoparticles (coated with a small molecule of interest) was mediated by a transducible fusogenic peptide. These nanoprobes captured the small molecule's labeled target protein and were translocated in a direction specified by the magnetic field. Use of MAGIC in genome-wide expression screening identified multiple protein targets of a drug. MAGIC was also used to monitor signal-dependent modification and multiple interactions of proteins.     

Development of a multiplex PCR assay to detect Edwardsiella tarda,Streptococcus parauberis,and Streptococcus iniae in olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus)

A multiplex PCR protocol was established to simultaneously detect major bacterial pathogens in olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) including Edwardsiella (E.) tarda, Streptococcus (S.) parauberis, and S. iniae. The PCR assay was able to detect 0.01 ng of E. tarda, 0.1 ng of S. parauberis, and 1 ng of S. iniae genomic DNA. Furthermore, this technique was found to have high specificity when tested with related bacterial species. This method represents a cheaper, faster, and reliable alternative for identifying major bacterial pathogens in olive flounder, the most important farmed fish in Korea.     

A new Brucella canis species-specific PCR assay for the diagnosis of canine brucellosis

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease that is transmitted from animals to humans, and the development of a rapid, accurate, and widely available identification method is essential for diagnosing this disease. In this study, we developed a new Brucella canis species-specific (BcSS) PCR assay and evaluated its specificity and sensitivity. A specific PCR primer set was designed based on the BCAN_B0548-0549 region in chromosome II of B. canis. The PCR detection for B. canis included amplification of a 300-bp product that is, not found on other Brucella species or, genetically or serologically related bacteria. The detection limit of BcSS-PCR assay was 6 pg/μl by DNA dilution, or 3 × 10³ colony-forming units (CFU) in the buffy coats separated from whole blood experimentally inoculated with B. canis. Using the buffy coat in this PCR assay resulted in approximately 100-times higher sensitivity for B. canis as compared to detect directly from whole blood. This is the first report of a species-specific PCR assay to detect B. canis, and the new assay will provide a valuable tool for the diagnosis of B. canis infection.