Biomedical subjects

Andreas Herrmann

Publications and source records attributed to Andreas Herrmann.

65 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

PubMed2002

Ammonia induces MK-801-sensitive nitration and phosphorylation of protein tyrosine residues in rat astrocytes.

Astrocytes play a key role in the pathogenesis of ammonia-induced neurotoxicity and hepatic encephalopathy. As shown here, ammonia induces protein tyrosine nitration in cultured rat astrocytes, which is sensitive to the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist MK-801. A similar pattern of nitrated proteins is produced by NMDA. Ammonia-induced tyrosine nitration depends on a rise in [Ca2+]i, IkB degradation, and NO synthase (iNOS) induction, which are prevented by MK-801 and the intracellular Ca2+ chelator 1,2-bis(o-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA-AM). Moreover, the increase in tyrosine nitration is blunted by L-NMMA, 1400W, uric acid, Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase/catalase treatment, and methionine-sulfoximine, which indicate the involvement of reactive nitrogen intermediates and intracellular glutamine accumulation. Such reactive nitrogen intermediates additionally mediate ammonia-induced phosphorylation of the MAP-kinases Erk-1/Erk-2 and p38MAPK. Among the proteins, which are tyrosine -nitrated by ammonia, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, the peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor, Erk-1, and glutamine synthetase are identified. Ammonia-induced nitration of glutamine synthetase is associated with a loss of enzymatic activity. Astroglial protein tyrosine nitration is found in brains from rats after acute ammonia-intoxication or after portacaval anastomosis, indicating the in vivo relevance of the present findings. The production of reactive nitrogen intermediates and protein tyrosine nitration may alter astrocyte function and contribute to ammonia neurotoxicity.

Ammonia↗

PubMed2002

Waste-free chemistry of diazonium salts and benign separation of coupling products in solid salt reactions.

Gas-solid and solid-solid techniques allow for waste-free and quantitative syntheses in the chemistry of diazonium salts. Five techniques for diazotations with the reactive gases NO(2), NO and NOCl are studied. Two types are mechanistically investigated with atomic force microscopy (AFM) and are interpreted on the basis of known crystal packings. The same principles apply to the cascade reactions that had been derived from one-step reactions. Solid diazonium salts couple quantitatively with solid diphenylamine and anilines to give the triazenes. Azo couplings are achieved with quantitative yields by cautious co-grinding of solid diazonium salts with beta-naphthol and C-H acidic heterocycles, such as barbituric acids or pyrazolinones. Solid diazonium salts may be more easily applied in a stoichiometric ratio for couplings in solution. Co-grinding of solid diazonium salts with KI gives quantitative yields of various solid aryl iodides. The unavoidable coupling products in salt reactions are completely separated from the insoluble products in a highly benign manner. The solid-state reactions compare favourably with similar solution reactions that produce much waste. The structures of the products are elucidated with IR and NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, while the tautomeric properties of the compounds are studied with density functional calculations at the B3LYP/6-31G* and BLYP/6-31G** levels.

Crystallization↗

PubMed2002

Rapid transbilayer movement of the fluorescent sterol dehydroergosterol in lipid membranes.

This study establishes a new assay for measuring the transbilayer movement of dehydroergosterol (DHE) in lipid membranes. The assay is based on the rapid extraction of DHE by methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (M-CD) from liposomes. The concentration of DHE in the liposomal membrane was measured by using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) from DHE to dansyl-phosphatidylethanolamine, which is not extracted from liposomes by M-CD. The method was applied to small (SUV) and large (LUV) unilamellar vesicles of different compositions and at various temperatures. From the kinetics of FRET changes upon extraction of DHE from membranes, rates of M-CD mediated extraction and flip-flop of DHE could be deduced and were found to be dependent on the physical state of the lipid phase. For egg phosphocholine and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine in the liquid-crystalline state, halftimes of extraction and transbilayer movement were <5 s and approximately 20-50 s, respectively, at 10 degrees C. For 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine-SUV being in the gel state at 10 degrees C, the respective halftimes were 28 s and 5-8 min. Surprisingly, DHE could not be extracted from LUV consisting of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine. This might be an indication of specific interactions between DHE molecules in membranes depending on the phospholipid composition of the membrane.

Biophysical Phenomena↗

PubMed2002

Transbilayer movement of phospholipids at the main phase transition of lipid membranes: implications for rapid flip-flop in biological membranes.

The transbilayer movement of fluorescent phospholipid analogs in liposomes was studied at the lipid phase transition of phospholipid membranes. Two NBD-labeled analogs were used, one bearing the fluorescent moiety at a short fatty acid chain in the sn-2 position (C(6)-NBD-PC) and one headgroup-labeled analog having two long fatty acyl chains (N-NBD-PE). The transbilayer redistribution of the analogs was assessed by a dithionite-based assay. We observed a drastic increase of the transbilayer movement of both analogs at the lipid phase transition of DPPC (T(c) = 41 degrees C) and DMPC (T(c) = 23 degrees C). The flip-flop of analogs was fast at the T(c) of DPPC with a half-time (t(1/2)) of ~6-10 min and even faster at the T(c) of DMPC with t(1/2) on the order of <2 min, as shown for C(6)-NBD-PC. Suppressing the phase transition by the addition of cholesterol, the rapid transbilayer movement was abolished. Molecular packing defects at the phase transition are assumed to be responsible for the rapid transbilayer movement. The relevance of those defects for understanding of the activity of flippases is discussed.

1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine↗

PubMed2002

Protonation and stability of the globular domain of influenza virus hemagglutinin.

A partial dissociation of the HA1 subunits of influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) is considered to be the initial step of conformational changes of the HA ectodomain leading to a membrane fusion active conformation (L. Godley, J. Pfeifer, D. Steinhauer, B. Ely, G. Shaw, R. Kaufman, E. Suchanek, C. Pabo, J.J. Skehel, D.C. Wiley, and S. Wharton, 1992, Cell 68:635-645; G.W. Kemble, D.L.Bodian, J. Rose, I.A. Wilson, and J.M. White, 1992, J. Virol. 66:4940-4950). Here, we explore a mechanism that provides an understanding of the physical and chemical basis for such dissociation and relies on two essential observations. First, based on the x-ray structure of HA from X31 (I.A. Wilson, J.J. Skehel, and D.C. Wiley, 1981, Nature 289:366-373), and by employing techniques of molecular modeling, we show that the protonation of the HA1 subunits is enhanced at the conditions known to trigger conformational changes of the HA ectodomain. Second, we found that the dependence of the calculated relative degree of protonation of the HA1 domain on temperature and pH is similar to that observed experimentally for the conformational change of HA assessed by proteinase K sensitivity. We suggest that at the pH-temperature conditions typical for the conformational change of HA and membrane fusion, dissociation of the HA1 subunits is caused by the enhanced protonation of the HA1 subunits leading to an increase in the positive net charge of these subunits and, in turn, to a weakened attraction between them.

Amino Acid Motifs↗

PubMed2002

Rapid transbilayer movement of spin-labeled steroids in human erythrocytes and in liposomes.

The transbilayer movement and distribution of spin-labeled analogs of the steroids androstane (SLA) and cholestane (SLC) were investigated in the human erythrocyte and in liposomes. Membranes were labeled with SLA or SLC, and the analogs in the outer leaflet were selectively reduced at 4C using 6-O-phenylascorbic acid. As shown previously, 6-O-phenylascorbic acid reduces rapidly nitroxides exposed on the outer leaflet, but its permeation of membranes is comparatively slow and thus does not interfere with the assay. From the reduction kinetics, we infer that transbilayer movement of SLA in erythrocytes is rapid at 4C with a half-time of approximately 4.3 min and that the probe distributes almost symmetrically between both halves of the plasma membrane. We have no indication that a protein-mediated transport is involved in the rapid transbilayer movement of SLA because 1) pretreatment of erythrocytes with N-ethyl maleimide affected neither flip-flop nor transbilayer distribution of SLA and 2) flip-flop of SLA was also rapid in pure lipid membranes. The transbilayer dynamics of SLC in erythrocyte membranes could not be resolved by our assay. Thus, the rate of SLC flip-flop must be on the order of, or even faster than, that of probe reduction rate on the exoplasmic leaflet (half-time approximately 0.5 min). The results are discussed with regard to the transbilayer dynamics of cholesterol.

Androstanes↗

PubMed2002

Light induced controlled release of fragrances by Norrish type II photofragmentation of alkyl phenyl ketones.

The use of alkyl phenyl ketones as delivery systems for the controlled release of fragrances was investigated by photoirradiation of undegassed solutions with a xenon lamp as well as natural sunlight. A large variety of precursor compounds was prepared efficiently in a few reaction steps from commercially available starting materials. The Norrish type II photofragmentation was found to be the predominant reaction pathway to yield the desired perfumery alkenes and acetophenones in polar and apolar solution. Systematic GC-MS analysis of the irradiated solutions allowed identification of a series of side products that are due to the presence of oxygen. A detailed analysis of the product distribution after irradiation was carried out for a series of 4-alkoxy-1-phenylbutanone derivatives. Besides the expected acetophenones, vinyl ethers and phenylcyclobutanols, the formation of alkyl formates, alcohols and 4-oxo-4-phenylbutanoates was observed. The product distribution as influenced by solvent polarity, precursor concentration and substituent effects was investigated. The utility of alkyl phenyl ketones as precursors for the light induced controlled release of fragrances under natural daylight conditions was also demonstrated.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2001

Influence of Structural and Rotational Isomerism on the Triplet Blinking of Individual Dendrimer Molecules J.H. thanks the FWO for a post-doctoral fellowship. T.V. wishes to thank the I.W.T. for a doctoral fellowship. Financial support by the FWO, the DWTC (through IUAP-4-11), and the Flemish Ministry of Education (through GOA/1/2001) is gratefully acknowledged. The EC (through TMR Sisitomas), ESF (through Smarton), and the Volkswagen-Stiftung are also thanked for financial support. Dr. L. Latterini is thanked for the triplet absorption measurements.

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Journal Article↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Polyphenylene dendrimers as scaffolds for shape-persistent multiple peptide conjugates.

The present work describes synthetic concepts for the coupling of peptides to polyphenylene dendrimers (PPDs). Novel functionalized cyclopentadienones have been synthesized whose Diels-Alder cycloaddition with various core molecules leads to polyphenylene dendrimers possessing (protected) amino or carboxyl groups. In addition, the resulting functionalized molecules exhibit the characteristic shape-persistence and monodispersity of PPDs. Their functions have been used for the attachment of polylysine to the dendritic scaffold. Three different methods for the decoration of dendrimers with polypeptides are presented. First, polylysine segments are grafted from the surface of the dendrimers employing alpha-amino acid N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) polymerization. Second, the C-terminal carboxyl groups of protected polypeptides are activated and then coupled to the amino groups on the surface of the PPD. Finally, cysteine terminated, unprotected peptide sequences are attached to polyphenylene dendrimers utilizing the addition of the sulfhydryl group of a cysteine to the maleimide functions on the dendrimer surface. Moreover, Diels-Alder cycloaddition of suitably functionalized cyclopentadienons to a desymmetized core molecule allows the design of a dendritic scaffold with a specific number of different anchor groups on its periphery. These approaches are important for the tailoring of new, shape-persistent, polyfunctional multiple antigen conjugates.

Antigens↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Delivery of antisense oligonucleotides using cholesterol-modified sense dendrimers and cationic lipids.

Cholesterol modified mono-, di-, and tetrameric oligonucleotides were synthesized and hybridized with antisense oligonucleotides to study their incorporation in cationic liposomes together with the influence of this dendrimeric delivery system on biological activity. Electrostatic interactions seem to play the most important role during complexation with cationic lipids. This oligonucleotide formulation gives a small but significant increase in the inhibition of P-glycoprotein expression in a cellular system.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Intracellular interaction between syntaxin and Munc 18-1 revealed by fluorescence resonance energy transfer.

Neurosecretion is catalyzed by assembly of a soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein attachment protein receptor (SNARE)-complex composed of SNAP-25, synaptobrevin and syntaxin. Munc 18-1 is known to bind to syntaxin in vitro. This interaction prevents assembly of the SNARE-complex, but might also affect intracellular targeting of the proteins. We have fused syntaxin and Munc 18 to the yellow- (YFP) or cyan-fluorescence-protein (CFP) and expressed the constructs in CHO- and MDCK-cells. We have studied their localization with confocal microscopy and a possible protein-protein interaction with fluorescence-resonance energy transfer (FRET). YFP-syntaxin localizes to intracellular membranes. CFP-Munc 18 is present in the cytoplasm as expected for a protein lacking membrane targeting domains. However, Munc 18 is redirected to internal membranes when syntaxin is coexpressed, but only limited transport of the proteins to the plasma membrane was observed. An interaction between Munc 18 and syntaxin could be demonstrated by FRET using two methods, sensitized acceptor fluorescence and acceptor photobleaching. A mutation in syntaxin (L165A, E166A), which is known to inhibit binding to Munc 18 in vitro, prevents colocalization of the proteins and also the FRET signal. Thus, a protein-protein interaction between Munc 18 and syntaxin occurs on intracellular membranes, which is required but not sufficient for quantitative transport of both proteins to the plasma membrane.

Animals↗