Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Hiroyuki Ohno.
Hexagonal columnar liquid-crystalline phases are induced for a new fan-shaped spiropyran compound as the result of an acidichromism effect of spiro-merocyanine isomerisation through protonation upon incorporation of 4-methylbenzenesulfonic acid.
Alkylimidazolium type ionic liquids have been prepared with acidic anions derived from multivalent anions with the expectation of excellent thermal properties and ionic conductivity, including proton conduction.
Hydrophobic ionic liquids composed of tetrabutylphosphonium cation and chiral anions derived from amino acids modified with trifluoromethane sulfonyl groups have been synthesized using a simple method.
A series of 4-(4-phenoxy)benzoylamino-4-methoxymethyloxymethyl butyric acid hydroxamates, which were derived from l-glutamic acid, were synthesized and evaluated as matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors. Most of the compounds listed in exhibited strong inhibitory activity against MMP-2 and MMP-9, as well as even stronger inhibitory activity against MMP-3, but showed relatively weak inhibition of MMP-1. Structure-activity relationships are discussed.
Although astrocytes express gamma-aminobutyric acid subtype-A (GABAA) receptors in the mature brain, GABAA receptor expression in a cultivation state remains controversial. In this study, we investigated the alteration of astrocytic GABAA receptor expression in in vitro and in vivo studies to elucidate the relevance of astrocytic activation to reductions of astrocytic GABAA receptors. The GABA-evoked Cl- current (GABAA response) in cultured astrocytes was determined by recording in the whole-cell mode using a conventional patch-clamp technique under voltage-clamp conditions. The respective amplitudes of GABAA responses on days in vitro 1, 3-5, 7-10, and 12-15 were 1019+/-97, 512+/-76, 84+/-21, and 22+/-9 pA, respectively, suggesting that the GABAA response subsequently diminished with in vitro aging. In immunohistochemical and biochemical analyses, the expression of GABAA receptor beta-subunit decreased, whereas expressions of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and S100B, hallmarks of astrocytic activation, increased dramatically in the cultured astrocytes with in vitro aging. With the use of [3H]SR95531, a GABAA-specific ligand, at 24 h after transient focal ischemia, binding was significantly reduced in the astrocytic fractions without affecting the synaptosomal fractions, and decreases in the mRNA expression level of GABAA receptor beta-subunits were concurrently observed. Interestingly, the loss of GABAA response in cultured astrocytes was mitigated by co-culturing with neurons or treatments with monoclonal S100B antibodies. These results indicate that astrocytic GABAA receptors are reduced with in vitro aging and cerebral ischemia, presumably through the overproduction of S100B in activated astrocytes.
We have prepared two types of one-dimensional ion-conductive polymer films containing ion nanochannels that are both perpendicular and parallel to the film surface. These films have been obtained by photopolymerization of aligned columnar liquid crystals of a fan-shaped imidazolium salt having acrylate groups at the periphery. In the columnar structure, the ionic part self-assembles into the inner part of the column. The column is oriented macroscopically in two directions by different methods: orientation perpendicular to the modified surfaces of glass and indium tin oxide with 3-(aminopropyl)triethoxysilane and orientation parallel to a glass surface by mechanical shearing. Ionic conductivities have been measured for the films with columnar orientation vertical and parallel to the surface. Anisotropic ionic conductivities are observed for the oriented films fixed by photopolymerization. The ionic conductivities parallel to the columnar axis are higher than those perpendicular to the columnar axis because the lipophilic part functions as an ion-insulating part. The film with the columns oriented vertically to the surface shows an anisotropy of ionic conductivities higher than that of the film with the columns aligned parallel to the surface.
Tetraalkylphosphonium-based amino-acid ionic liquids show lower viscosities and higher decomposition temperatures (>300 degrees C) than previously reported ammonium-based amino-acid ionic liquids.
A series of N-benzoyl 4-aminobutyric acid hydroxamate analogs were synthesized and evaluated as matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors. Synthetic work was focused on the chemical modification of the 4-aminobutyric acid part using easily available starting materials. As such, chemical modification was carried out using commercially available starting materials such as 4-aminobutyric acid, (+)- and (-)-malic acid, and D- and L-glutamic acid derivatives. Among the compounds tested, N-[4-(benzofuran-2-yl)benzoyl] 4-amino-4S-hydroxymethylbutyric acid hydroxamates derived from L-glutamic acid demonstrated more potent inhibitory activity against MMP-2 and MMP-9 compared with the corresponding 2S-hydroxy analogs or 3S-hydroxy analogs, respectively, which were derived from (-)-malic acid. Structure-activity relationship study is presented.
An organoborate zwitterion-lithium salt mixture, prepared via selective borate formation of N-ethylimidazolium salt, exhibited ionic conductivity of 3.0 x 10(-5) S cm(-1) at 50 degrees C and a lithium transference number of 0.69.
A series of N-benzoyl gamma-aminobutyric hydroxamic acids were synthesized and evaluated as matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors. First, we focused on chemical modification of the N-benzoyl residue. Introduction of electron-rich para-substituents was effective to increase the inhibitory activity. Especially, some of the analogs with relatively more planar N-acyl residues, such as 10 and 11, demonstrated more potent activity. Second, chemical modification of the gamma-aminobutyric hydroxamic acid moiety was carried out to optimize the three-dimensional arrangement of the two pharmacophores (hydroxamic acid and N-acyl residues). Among the tested, the gamma-aminobutyric hydroxamic acid moiety was found to be the best spacer for connecting the above-mentioned two pharmacophores. Synthesis and structure-activity relationships are discussed.
We successfully prepared low viscosity, polar, and halogen-free ionic liquids as potential solvents for a wide range of polysaccharides. A series of 1,3-dialkylimidazolium formates were produced as liquids having strong hydrogen bond acceptability. These formates had significantly lower viscosity than previously reported polar ionic liquids, in particular 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium formate (viscosity 66cP at 25 degrees C) and 1-allyl-3-ethylimidazolium formate (67cP at 25 degrees C). Because of their strong hydrogen bond ability, various polysaccharides including amylose and (scarcely soluble) cellulose were dissolved in high concentrations under mild condition.
Nanostructures can be used for the fabrication of highly functional materials transporting ions and charges. We demonstrate a new design strategy for polymeric higher ion-conductors. Phase-segregated layers of alternating mobile tetra(ethylene oxide)s (TEOs) and rigid aromatic cores where the TEO moieties are grafted from aromatic layers have been shown to be efficient to transport lithium triflate. Such segregated structures at the nanometer scale (nano-segregated structures) were prepared by in-situ photopolymerization of an aligned methacrylate liquid crystalline monomer comprising a terphenyl rigid rod mesogen having a TEO terminal chain. The ion-conductive TEO moiety remains in the highly mobile state even after polymerization, which is indicated by its low glass transition temperature (-45 degrees C). This nanostructured film exhibits an ionic conductivity parallel to the layer of 10(-3) S cm(-1) at room temperature. The highest ionic conductivity is in the level of 10(-2) S cm(-1) observed at 150 degrees C. The anisotropic ionic conductivities have been observed for the nano-segregated film.
Physical properties of liquid imidazole-borane complex were investigated to demonstrate their utility as aprotic polar solvents or liquid electrolytes appropriate for selective ion transport.
Generation of structurally new matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors was successfully carried out using an in silico technique. In order to identify the small fragment interacting with residues in the S1' pocket of MMP-1 through hydrogen bonds, we performed in silico screening using the LUDI program. As a result, acetyl-L-alanyl-(N-methyl)amide (Ac-L-Ala-NHMe) was selected to link with another fragment, hydroxamic acid that interacted with catalytic zinc. By this approach, the L-glutamic acid derivative 2b was discovered to be a new type of matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor. Further transformation to reduce its peptidic nature and improve activity yielded nonpeptidic lead compounds as inhibitors of MMP-1, -2, -3, and -9.
We first succeeded in synthesizing ionic liquids from 20 natural amino acids. Amino acid ionic liquids dissolved native amino acids, despite water-free conditions. Furthermore, these ionic liquids are soluble in various organic solvents, such as chloroform. Effects of acidity, hydrogen bonding ability, and steric factors on the properties of these ionic liquids were analyzed as the function of side groups.
Two types of thermotropic smectic phase and of anisotropic ion conduction were observed in an amphiphilic ionic liquid, N-ethyl-N'-dodecylimidazolium dodecyl sulfonate/lithium tetrafluoroborate mixture.
An ionic liquid domain was successfully prepared outside double-stranded DNA by fixing 1-alkyl-3-methyl-imidazolium (C(n)MI) cations on the phosphate groups of DNA. First, four species of ionic liquid were made using phosphoric acid di-n-butyl ester and C(n)MI (n=2,4,8, and 12) as a low molecular weight model. They were obtained as liquid salts, and their ionic conductivity ranged up to 10(-5)Scm(-1) at 50 degrees C. Based on this model study, counter cations of the phosphate groups of DNA were exchanged for four kinds of imidazolium cations. The resulting ionic liquid-robed DNA (IL-robed DNA) was soluble in ordinary organic solvents such as methanol or ethanol. Ionic conductivity was low, because the ion density was insufficient to form a continuous ionic liquid domain around the DNA strands. When 11mol% 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMIBF(4)), which is a typical ionic liquid, was mixed with the IL-robed DNA, an ionic conductivity of 5.4 x 10(-5) S cm(-1) at 30 degrees C was observed because a continuous ionic liquid domain was successfully formed.
Cellobiose dehydrogenase (CDH) is an extracellular flavocytochrome containing flavin and b-type heme, and plays a key role in cellulose degradation by filamentous fungi. To investigate intermolecular electron transfer from CDH to cytochrome c, Phe166, which is located in the cytochrome domain and approaches one of propionates of heme, was mutated to Tyr, and the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of the mutant (F166Y) were compared with those of the wild-type (WT) enzyme. The mid-point potential of heme in F166Y was measured by cyclic voltammetry, and was estimated to be 25 mV lower than that of WT at pH 4.0. Although presteady-state reduction of flavin was not affected by the mutation, the rate of subsequent electron transfer from flavin to heme was halved in F166Y. When WT or F166Y was reduced with cellobiose and then mixed with cytochrome c, heme re-oxidation and cytochrome c reduction occurred synchronously, suggesting that the initial electron is transferred from reduced heme to cytochrome c. Moreover, in both enzymes the observed rate of the initial phase of cytochrome c reduction was concentration dependent, whereas the second phase of cytochrome c reduction was dependent on the rate of electron transfer from flavin to heme, but not on the cytochrome c concentration. In addition, the electron transfer rate from flavin to heme was identical to the steady-state reduction rate of cytochrome c in both WT and F166Y. These results clearly indicate that the first and second electrons of two-electron-reduced CDH are both transferred via heme, and that the redox reaction of CDH involves an electron-transfer chain mechanism in cytochrome c reduction.