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Biomedical subjects

G Fronza

Publications and source records attributed to G Fronza.

66 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Extent of helix perturbation associated with DNA modification by the o-acetyl derivative of the carcinogen 4-hydroxyaminoquinoline-1-oxide.

Duplex unwinding associated with DNA modification by 4-acetoxyaminoquinoline-1-oxide, a model ultimate carcinogen of 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide, has been determined by the agarose gel electrophoresis band-shift method. An average unwinding angle per stable adduct of -15.1 degrees +/- 1.5 degrees for negatively supercoiled topoisomers and -6.5 degrees +/- 1.4 degrees for positively supercoiled topoisomers was obtained. Because of the different proportion of stable adducts (dGuo-N2-AQO, dGuo-C8-AQO, dAdo-N6-AQO) between negatively (8:1.5:0.5) and positively (5:2.5:1) supercoiled topoisomers, the difference in unwinding angles is suggestive of a diverse contribution of the various adducts to the overall conformational change. Since the largest unwinding angle was coupled with the highest proportion of dGuo-N2-AQO adduct, it is likely that this adduct is the most distortive lesion. A contribution of sites of base loss to DNA unwinding was also observed.

Aminoquinolines↗

Sobrerol enantiomers and racemates: solid-state spectroscopy, thermal behavior, and phase diagrams.

The characterization of the solid state of sobrerol enantiomers and racemates has been accomplished by a number of techniques on solid phase such as thermal analysis (DSC) and spectroscopy (IR, 13C NMR, and X-ray diffraction both on powders and on single crystal). Experimental and theoretical binary phase diagrams of cis- and trans-sobrerol enantiomers and their mixtures have been drawn and are discussed. Thermal analysis allowed, moreover, the detection of cis racemate polymorphism. Finally, the quantitative analysis of the cis racemate as an impurity of the trans racemate by means of microcalorimetric determinations is reported.

Calorimetry, Differential Scanning↗

Synthesis, structure, and conformation of the dilactone derivative of GD1b ganglioside.

Treatment of DG1b, beta-Gal-(1----3)-beta-GalNAc-(1---- 4)-[alpha-Neu5Ac-(2----8)-alpha-Neu5Ac-(2---- 3)]-beta-Gal-(1----4)-beta-Glc-(1----1)-Cer, with dicyclohexylcarbodi-imide in anhydrous methyl sulfoxide affords 95-98% of GD1b-dilactone. The carboxyl groups of the two sialic acid units are involved in ester linkages, as proved by ammoniolysis and reduction which gave derivatives containing the amide of sialic acid and N-acetylneuraminulose, respectively. 1H-N.m.r. spectroscopy showed that the lactone rings involved position 9 of the inner sialic acid and position 2 of the inner galactose and that the disialosyl chain is extended toward the -beta-Gal-(1 ----4)-beta-Glc- portion of the ganglioside moiety.

Carbohydrate Conformation↗

In vitro DNA modification by the ultimate carcinogen of 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide: influence of superhelicity.

The effect of DNA tertiary structure on in vitro modification by 4-acetoxy-aminoquinoline-1-oxide (Ac-4-HAQO) was investigated. The reactivity of pAT153 plasmid DNA depended on the conformational state of the molecule: it progressively decreased according to the decrease of the superhelical tension, being negatively supercoiled DNA about two times more susceptible than singly-nicked relaxed DNA. HPLC of the three main Ac-4-HAQO adducts showed that 3-(deoxyguanosin-N2-yl)-4-aminoquinoline-1-oxide, N-(deoxyguanosin-C8-yl)-4-aminoquinoline-1-oxide and 3-(deoxyadenosin-N6-yl)-4-aminoquinoline-1-oxide accounted for 50, 25 and 10% of total quinoline DNA base adducts in all DNA conformations tested, except in the negatively supercoiled topoisomers where they accounted for 80, 15 and 5% respectively. DNA modification by Ac-4-HAQO resulted also in the formation of apurinic/apyrimidinic sites and in strand scissions. The quantification of these damages revealed that they represent an important fraction of all damaging events and that their yield is also influenced by DNA superstructure. Thus, these lesions must be considered as important DNA damage induced by Ac-4-HAQO.

4-Nitroquinoline-1-oxide↗

Differences in the Anaerobic Lactate-Succinate Production and in the Changes of Cell Sap pH for Plants with High and Low Resistance to Anoxia.

Anaerobically treated seedlings of Oryza sativa L. var arborio accumulated in their shoots more succinate than lactate and cell sap became alkaline. Conversely, in Triticum aestivum L. var MEK 86 lactate accumulation was far higher than that of succinate and cell sap was acidified. Anoxia clearly induced proton consumption in both species as an important means to prevent or counteract acidosis. Other species studied were: Echinochloa crus-galli L. Beauv., Zea mays L. var De Kalb XL75, Secale cereale L. var primizia and Hordeum vulgare L. var rondo. Changes in cell sap pH and succinate to lactate ratios distinguished resistant from nonresistant species.

Journal Article↗

Perturbation of DNA tertiary structure by physical and chemical carcinogens: effects on DNA repair processes.

DNA within the cell is organized into higher-order structures characterized by negative supercoiling. Supercoiling is a property of any DNA molecule lacking ends capable of rotation. Parameters defining the properties of supercoiled DNA are significant for the description of the reactive state of DNA molecules. We have investigated whether physical and chemical DNA modifying agents alter the parameters describing the DNA tertiary structure. The variations in DNA tertiary structure of partially relaxed topoisomers obtained from plasmid DNA have been studied by one dimensional agarose gel electrophoresis, a technique allowing the measurement of alterations in the degree of supercoiling equivalent to fractions of superhelical turns. Unwinding angles of 8.5 degrees for pyrimidine dimers and of 8.5 degrees for acetyl-4-hydroxyaminoquinoline-I-oxide (Ac-4-HAQO) adducts have been determined by titrating for each topoisomers the number of damaged sites necessary to reduce the superhelical turns by one. Analogous unwinding was observed for topoisomers obtained from in vivo irradiated plasmid DNA. We have also shown that local alterations in DNA structure caused by UV irradiation inhibit bacterial type I DNA topoisomerases. In addition, we have demonstrated that E. coli mutants lacking DNA topoisomerase I are sensitive to UV light. The pronounced inhibition of DNA synthesis as well as the chromosome instability observed after UV irradiation of this strain, suggest that DNA topoisomerase I might be involved in those cellular responses elicited by the proximity of damaged bases to sites of active replication.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Carcinogens↗

Synthesis and structural characterization of the dilactone derivative of GD1a ganglioside.

Treatment of GD1a [alpha-Neu5Ac-(2----3)-beta-GalNAc-(1----4)-[alpha- Neu5Ac-(2----3)]-beta-Gal-(1----4)-beta-Glc-(1----1)-Cer] with dicyclohexylcarbodi-imide in anhydrous methyl sulfoxide affords 94-98% of GD1a-dilactone. The involvement of the carboxyl groups of the two sialic acid residues in the lactone rings was proved by ammoniolysis and reduction experiments, which gave ganglioside derivatives containing the amide of sialic acid and N-acetylneuraminulose, respectively. 1H-N.m.r. spectroscopy showed that the lactone rings involved position 2 of each galactose residue in the ester linkages.

Chemical Phenomena↗

Semisynthetic preparation of N-glycolylneuraminic acid containing GM1 ganglioside: chemical characterization, physico-chemical properties and some biochemical features.

N-Glycolylneuraminic acid containing GM1, GM1(NeuGc), was prepared by semisynthetic procedure. The procedure makes use of GM1 ganglioside deacetylated at the level of sialic acid residue (deAc-GM1) and of 1,3-dioxalan-2,4-dione. DeAc-GM1 is prepared from GM1 by alkaline hydrolysis in the presence of tetramethylammonium hydroxide and the glycolylating compound by reaction of glycolic acid with phosgene in dioxane, followed by cyclization under vacuum. Mass spectrometric and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy analyses clearly indicated the presence, in the neosynthesized ganglioside of a glycolic group in the sialic acid residue. Laser-light scattering measurements show that GM1(NeuGc) aggregates in aqueous media being present in solution as micelles with a molecular weight of 576,000 and a hydrodynamic radius of 62.4 A as determined at 25 degrees C. GM1(NeuGc) promotes neurite outgrowth in N-2a cells to a similar degree as GM1(NeuAc), but shows different behaviour under treatment with sialidase from Arthrobacter ureafaciens.

Arthrobacter↗

A new chemical procedure for the preparation of gangliosides carrying fluorescent or paramagnetic probes on the lipid moiety.

A new chemical procedure is described for preparing labelled GM1 molecular species, carrying as acyl moiety pyrene-decanoic acid, 5-doxyl-stearic acid and 16-doxyl-stearic acid. It makes use of a mixed anhydride formed by ethylchloroformate and the labelled acyl chain, as the reagent for N-acylation of a deacetylated, deacylated GM1 ganglioside, which is prepared by alkaline hydrolysis of natural GM1. The reaction performed with a unitary GM1 derivative/mixed anhydride molar ratio, occurs with a yield of above 40%. The labelled deacetylated GM1 molecular species are then N-acetylated by means of acetic anhydride with quantitative yield. The chemical process of insertion of labelled fatty acid and reconstitution of GM1 ganglioside has been confirmed by GLC-MS and NMR analyses. Fluorescence and electron spin resonance experiments indicate that the labelled gangliosides behave similarly to natural GM1, in both the aggregation properties and the capability to be transferred from micelles to vesicular dispersions of phospholipids.

Animals↗

Study of 4-NQO induced mutations at the HPRT locus in CHO cell lines. Possible influences of preferential DNA-repair on the mutational spectrum.

In the attempt to determine the possible influence of excision repair processes on 4-NQO mutational spectra in mammalian cells, 4-NQO-induced mutants at the hprt locus were isolated in excision repair proficient (AA8) and deficient (UV5) CHO cell lines. DNA sequencing data on these mutants revealed that DNA repair may indeed modulate the induced mutational spectrum. In particular, more splice mutations were found in the repair proficient than in the repair deficient cells. This can be interpreted by a difference in repairability of the two principal 4-NQO G-adducts or by the existence of a transcription-coupled DNA preferential repair process.

4-Nitroquinoline-1-oxide↗