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On page 1 showing 1 ~ 20 papers out of 60 papers

Biopterin metabolism and eNOS expression during hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in mice.

  • Mathilde Dubois‎ et al.
  • PloS one‎
  • 2013‎

Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), which fosters the formation of and stabilizes endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) as an active dimer, tightly regulates eNOS coupling / uncoupling. Moreover, studies conducted in genetically-modified models demonstrate that BH4 pulmonary deficiency is a key determinant in the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension. The present study thus investigates biopterin metabolism and eNOS expression, as well as the effect of sepiapterin (a precursor of BH4) and eNOS gene deletion, in a mice model of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension. In lungs, chronic hypoxia increased BH4 levels and eNOS expression, without modifying dihydrobiopterin (BH2, the oxidation product of BH4) levels, GTP cyclohydrolase-1 or dihydrofolate reductase expression (two key enzymes regulating BH4 availability). In intrapulmonary arteries, chronic hypoxia also increased expression of eNOS, but did not induce destabilisation of eNOS dimers into monomers. In hypoxic mice, sepiapterin prevented increase in right ventricular systolic pressure and right ventricular hypertrophy, whereas it modified neither remodelling nor alteration in vasomotor responses (hyper-responsiveness to phenylephrine, decrease in endothelium-dependent relaxation to acetylcholine) in intrapulmonary arteries. Finally, deletion of eNOS gene partially prevented hypoxia-induced increase in right ventricular systolic pressure, right ventricular hypertrophy and remodelling of intrapulmonary arteries. Collectively, these data demonstrate the absence of BH4/BH2 changes and eNOS dimer destabilisation, which may induce eNOS uncoupling during hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension. Thus, even though eNOS gene deletion and sepiapterin treatment exert protective effects on hypoxia-induced pulmonary vascular remodelling, increase on right ventricular pressure and / or right ventricular hypertrophy, these effects appear unrelated to biopterin-dependent eNOS uncoupling within pulmonary vasculature of hypoxic wild-type mice.


Elevated biopterin and homovanillic acid levels in cerebrospinal fluid from children with aseptic meningitis.

  • H Komori‎ et al.
  • Journal of child neurology‎
  • 1994‎

To examine biopterin fractions and biogenic amine metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid in aseptic meningitis, the concentrations of homovanillic acid, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, and the total, the oxidized form, and the reduced form of biopterin were determined in cerebrospinal fluid specimens from 15 children with aseptic meningitis in the acute phase, 15 children with aseptic meningitis in the recovery phase, and six other children as controls. The concentration of each substance was significantly higher in the acute phase than in the recovery phase. Homovanillic acid in the acute phase was significantly increased compared to that in the control group. The concentrations of the total, the oxidized form, and the reduced form of biopterin, and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid were higher in the acute phase than those in the controls; however, the differences were not significant. The concentration of each substance in the recovery phase was not significantly different from that in the controls. There was no difference in the 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid/homovanillic acid ratio or in the reduced form/total biopterin ratio among the patients in acute and recovery phases and the controls. These results suggested that levels of biopterin and biogenic amine metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid are increased in the acute phase of aseptic meningitis and return to normal during the recovery phase. This is the first report of increased concentrations of biopterin fractions and biogenic amine metabolites in aseptic meningitis.


Tepidopterin, 1-O-(L-threo-biopterin-2'-yl)-beta-N-acetylglucosamine from Chlorobium tepidum.

  • S H Cho‎ et al.
  • Biochimica et biophysica acta‎
  • 1998‎

A novel pterin compound, designated as tepidopterin, was detected from a thermophilic photosynthetic green sulphur bacterium, Chlorobium tepidum. The amount of tepidopterin inside the cell was estimated to be 2-5 micromol g(-1) dry weight of cell. This compound was purified through a high performance liquid chromatography using preparative DeltaPak C18 column. This compound was characterized by chromatographic behavior and by absorption and fluorescence properties. Its structure was determined to be 1-O-(L-threo-biopterin-2'-yl)-beta-N-acetylglucosamine by 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and CD. The relative amount of tetrahydrotepidopterin was estimated to be 96.7% inside the cell, that of dihydrotepidopterin 2.9%, and that of fully oxidized tepidopterin 0.4%. The amount of tepidopterin within the cell increased continuously until the beginning of the stationary phase of the cell growth.


Spirulina platensis and its ingredient biopterin glucoside improved insulin sensitivity in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis model.

  • Yuri Fujihara‎ et al.
  • Journal of clinical biochemistry and nutrition‎
  • 2021‎

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis is the chronic liver disease leading to cirrhosis and cancer and its prevalence is increasing. Some agents are under clinical trials for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis treatment. We previously reported Spirulina (Arthrospira) platensis effectively prevented non-alcoholic steatohepatitis progression in our model rats. The contribution of phycocyanin, an ingredient of Spirulina (Arthrospira) platensis, was limited. We, therefore, have looked for more active components of Spirulina (Arthrospira) platensis. In this study, we pursued the effect of biopterin glucoside, another bioactive ingredient of Spirulina (Arthrospira) platensis. We found Spirulina (Arthrospira) platensis and biopterin glucoside oral administrations effectively alleviated oxidative stress, inflammation and insulin signal failure, and prevented fibroblast growth factor 21 gene overexpression in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis rat livers. We concluded biopterin glucoside is a major component of Spirulina (Arthrospira) platensis action.


Functional analysis and complex gene rearrangements of the folate/biopterin transporter (FBT) gene family in the protozoan parasite Leishmania.

  • Amin Ahmed Ouameur‎ et al.
  • Molecular and biochemical parasitology‎
  • 2008‎

The protozoan parasite Leishmania is a folic acid auxotroph. Previous work has led to the characterization of the main folate transporter FT1. FT1 is part of the folate/biopterin transporter (FBT) family and Leishmania with its 14 members is, of all sequenced organisms, the one with the most FBTs. We developed a real-time TaqMan RT-PCR assay to follow the expression of these FBT genes during growth phases, life cycles and in methotrexate-resistant mutants of Leishmania infantum. FT1 is expressed preferentially in the logarithmic phase which is consistent with the higher accumulation of folate in that stage. FT1 RNA levels even seemed to be related to folate concentration in the medium. Surprisingly, several of the FBT genes were expressed preferentially in the stationary phase of growth, a stage with minimal folate accumulation. It suggests that these FBT members may transport other related substrates. Resistance to methotrexate is associated with FT1 inactivation and upregulation of other FBT genes. Inactivation of FT1 is due either to a gene deletion mediated by homologous recombination between conserved FBT sequences or by segmental gene conversion. This study highlighted the multiplicity of FBT genes in Leishmania, their complex RNA expression, and novel gene rearrangements associated with FT1 inactivation and antifolate resistance.


Protective effects of (6R)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-l-biopterin on local ischemia/reperfusion-induced suppression of reactive hyperemia in rat gingiva.

  • Yusaku Tanaka‎ et al.
  • Journal of clinical biochemistry and nutrition‎
  • 2016‎

We herein investigated the regulatory mechanism in the circulation responsible for rat gingival reactive hyperemia (RH) associated with ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). RH was analyzed using a laser Doppler flowmeter. RH and I/R were elicited by gingival compression and release with a laser Doppler probe. RH increased in a time-dependent manner when the duration of compression was between 30 s and 20 min. This increase was significantly suppressed by N (ω)-nitro-l-arginine-methyl-ester (l-NAME), 7-nitroindazole (7-NI), and 2,4-diamino-6-hydroxypyrimidine (DAHP). However, RH was markedly inhibited following 60 min of compression. This inhibition was significantly decreased by treatments with superoxide dismutase (SOD), (6R)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-l-biopterin (BH4), and sepiapterin. The luminescent intensity of superoxide anion (O2 (•-))-induced 2-methyl-6-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3,7-dihydroimidazo-[1,2-a] pyrazine-3-one (MCLA) was markedly decreased by SOD and BH4, but only slightly by sepiapterin. BH4 significantly decreased O2 (•-) scavenging activity in a time-dependent manner. These results suggested that nitric oxide (NO) secreted by the nitrergic nerve played a role in regulating local circulation in rat gingiva. This NO-related regulation of local circulation was temporarily inhibited in the gingiva by the I/R treatment. The decrease observed in the production of NO, which was caused by suppression of NO synthase (NOS) activity subsequent to depletion of the NOS co-factor BH4 by O2 (•-), played a partial role in this inhibition.


Data enabled prediction analysis assigns folate/biopterin transporter (BT1) family to 36 hypothetical membrane proteins in Leishmania donovani.

  • Nithin Ravooru‎ et al.
  • Bioinformation‎
  • 2019‎

Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by the pathogenic protozoan Leishmania donovani and it is transmitted by an infected sand fly. Approximately 0.4 million cases of Visceral Leishmaniasis are reported across the globe every year, of which 67% is from the Indian subcontinent. The currently available drugs have not been effective owing to their high toxicity levels, inadequate specificity, drug resistance, extended treatment periods and/or prohibitive prices. For this reason, hypothetical proteins in this pathogen, which constitute about 67% of its proteome, must be distinctly characterized and studied for their potential role as drug targets for Leishmaniasis. Domain information from PFAM and functional information from GO has been used to assign putative functions to 36 hypothetical membrane proteins in this protozoan. Furthermore, as a case study, we have performed a thorough sequence level characterization of a hypothetical protein E9BPD7 from the BT1 family of membrane proteins that transports folate/biopterin. Phylogenetic analyses of E9BPD7 have revealed interesting evolutionary correlations to BT1 family and MFS superfamily, which have significant roles in a number of diseases and drug resistance pathways.


Dopamine or biopterin deficiency potentiates phosphorylation at (40)Ser and ubiquitination of tyrosine hydroxylase to be degraded by the ubiquitin proteasome system.

  • Ichiro Kawahata‎ et al.
  • Biochemical and biophysical research communications‎
  • 2015‎

The protein amount of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), that is the rate-limiting enzyme for the biosynthesis of dopamine (DA), should be tightly regulated, whereas its degradation pathway is largely unknown. In this study, we analyzed how the TH protein is chemically modified and subsequently degraded under deficiencies of DA and tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), a cofactor for TH, by using pharmacological agents in PC12D cells and cultured mesencephalic neurons. When inhibition of DA- or BH4-synthesizing enzymes greatly reduced the DA contents in PC12D cells, a marked and persistent increase in phosphorylated TH at (40)Ser (p40-TH) was concomitantly observed. This phosphorylation was mediated by D2 dopamine auto-receptor and cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). Our immunoprecipitation experiments showed that the increase in the p40-TH level was accompanied with its poly-ubiquitination. Treatment of PC12D cells with cycloheximide showed that total-TH protein level was reduced by the DA- or BH4-depletion. Notably, this reduction in the total-TH protein level was sensitive not only to a 26S proteasomal inhibitor, MG-132, but also to a PKA inhibitor, H-89. These data demonstrated that DA deficiency should induce compensatory activation of TH via phosphorylation at (40)Ser through D2-autoreceptor and PKA-mediated pathways, which in turn give a rise to its degradation through an ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, resulting in a negative spiral of DA production when DA deficiency persists.


Organic anion transporters, OAT1 and OAT3, are crucial biopterin transporters involved in bodily distribution of tetrahydrobiopterin and exclusion of its excess.

  • Akiko Ohashi‎ et al.
  • Molecular and cellular biochemistry‎
  • 2017‎

Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) is a common coenzyme of phenylalanine-, tyrosine-, and tryptophan hydroxylases, alkylglycerol monooxygenase, and NO synthases (NOS). Synthetic BH4 is used medicinally for BH4-responsive phenylketonuria and inherited BH4 deficiency. BH4 supplementation has also drawn attention as a therapy for various NOS-related cardio-vascular diseases, but its use has met with limited success in decreasing BH2, the oxidized form of BH4. An increase in the BH2/BH4 ratio leads to NOS dysfunction. Previous studies revealed that BH4 supplementation caused a rapid urinary loss of BH4 accompanied by an increase in the blood BH2/BH4 ratio and an involvement of probenecid-sensitive but unknown transporters was strongly suggested in these processes. Here we show that OAT1 and OAT3 enabled cells to take up BP (BH4 and/or BH2) in a probenecid-sensitive manner using rat kidney slices and transporter-expressing cell systems, LLC-PK1 cells and Xenopus oocytes. Both OAT1 and OAT3 preferred BH2 and sepiapterin as their substrate roughly 5- to 10-fold more than BH4. Administration of probenecid acutely reduced the urinary exclusion of endogenous BP accompanied by a rise in blood BP in vivo. These results indicated that OAT1 and OAT3 played crucial roles: (1) in determining baseline levels of blood BP by excluding endogenous BP through the urine, (2) in the rapid distribution to organs of exogenous BH4 and the exclusion to urine of a BH4 excess, particularly when BH4 was administered, and (3) in scavenging blood BH2 by cellular uptake as the gateway to the salvage pathway of BH4, which reduces BH2 back to BH4.


Intestinal microbiota as a tetrahydrobiopterin exogenous source in hph-1 mice.

  • Jaques Belik‎ et al.
  • Scientific reports‎
  • 2017‎

Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) is a cofactor of a number of regulatory enzymes. Although there are no known BH4 exogenous sources, the tissue content of this biopterin increases with age in GTP cyclohydrolase 1-deficient hyperphenylalaninemia-1 (hph-1) mice. Since certain bacteria are known to generate BH4, we hypothesize that generation of this biopterin by the intestinal microbiota contributes to its tissue increase in hph-1 adult mice. The goal of this study was to comparatively evaluate hph-1 mice and wild-type C57Bl/6 controls for the presence of intestinal BH4-producing bacteria. Newborn and adult mice fecal material was screened for 6-pyruvoyltetrahydropterin synthase (PTPS-2) an enzyme only present in BH4-generating bacteria. Adult, but not newborn, wild-type control and hph-1 mouse fecal material contained PTPS-2 mRNA indicative of the presence of BH4-generating bacteria. Utilizing chemostat-cultured human fecal bacteria, we identified the PTPS-2-producing bacteria as belonging to the Actinobacteria phylum. We further confirmed that at least two PTPS-2-producing species, Aldercreutzia equolifaciens and Microbacterium schleiferi, generate BH4 and are present in hph-1 fecal material. In conclusion, intestinal Actinobacteria generate BH4. This finding has important translational significance, since manipulation of the intestinal flora in individuals with congenital biopterin deficiency may allow for an increase in total body BH4 content.


Endothelial cell superoxide anion radical generation is not dependent on endothelial nitric oxide synthase-serine 1179 phosphorylation and endothelial nitric oxide synthase dimer/monomer distribution.

  • Jennifer Whitsett‎ et al.
  • Free radical biology & medicine‎
  • 2006‎

Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) and heat shock protein 90 (hsp90) have been anticipated to regulate endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)-dependent superoxide anion radical (O2*-) generation in endothelial cells. It is not known, however, whether hsp90 and BH4 increase O2*- in a synergistic manner, or whether this increase is a consequence of downstream changes in eNOS phosphorylation on serine 1179 (eNOS-S1179) and changes in dimer/monomer distribution. Here O2*- production from purified BH4 -free eNOS and eNOS:hsp90 complexes determined by spin-trapping methodology showed that hsp90 neither inhibits O2*- nor alters the requirement of BH4 to inhibit radical release from eNOS. In endothelial cells, O2*- detection with the novel high-performance liquid chromatography assay of 2-hydroxyethidium showed that inhibition of hsp90 did not increase O2*-, while a significant increase in O2*- was detected in BH4 -depleted cells. Radicicol, a hsp90 inhibitor, disrupted eNOS:hsp90 association, decreased eNOS-S1179, but increased biopterin production in a dose-dependent fashion. These changes were followed by an increase in eNOS activity, demonstrating that high biopterin levels offset inhibition of eNOS phosphorylation and diminished interaction with hsp90. In contrast, depletion of biopterin did not affect hsp90 levels or interaction with eNOS or eNOS dimer/monomer ratio in bovine aorta endothelial cells (BAECs). We conclude that low BH4 but not inhibition of hsp90 increases O2*- in BAECs by mechanism(s) that unlikely involve phosphorylation to eNOS-S1179 or eNOS monomerization.


Rapid clearance of supplemented tetrahydrobiopterin is driven by high-capacity transporters in the kidney.

  • Akiko Ohashi‎ et al.
  • Molecular genetics and metabolism‎
  • 2012‎

Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH(4)) is an essential cofactor of aromatic amino acid hydroxylases and NO synthase. Supplementation of BH(4) potentially targets cardiovascular dysfunction as well as inherited BH(4) deficiencies and BH(4)-responsive phenylketonuria. However, the high cost/effect ratio of the recommended daily dose of BH(4) supplementation acts against further popularization of this therapy. The aim of this study was to attenuate urinary excretion with the intention of improving efficacy of BH(4) supplementation. The rapid excretion of BH(4) in the urine was confirmed to be the major route of supplemented BH(4) loss. In addition to glomerular filtration into the urine, a dominant rapid exclusion by renal secretion was observed in rats (T((1/2))=16 min) when the plasma BH(4) was higher than about 1 nmol/mL (more than 10 times higher than normal), due to BH(4) supplementation. The rapidity of the process was slowed by prior administration of cyclosporin A, a representative anti-excretory drug, and the excretion decelerated to a moderate rate (T((1/2))=53 min). By the combined administration of BH(4) plus cyclosporin A, the blood BH(4) levels were dramatically elevated. It was hypothesized that the drug interfered with kidney excretion of BH(4) rather than by attenuating organ tissue distribution by inhibiting biopterin uptake from the plasma. Consistent with this hypothesis, biopterin levels after BH(4) administration were elevated in major organs in the presence of anti-excretory drugs without notable change in their BH(4) fraction which was consistently 95% or higher regardless of combined administration with the drugs. Targeting these putative transporters would be a promising approach for improving the efficiency of BH(4) supplementation therapy.


Gene regulation of pteridine reductase 1 in leishmania promastigotes and amastigotes using a full-length antisense construct.

  • F Kheirandish‎ et al.
  • Iranian journal of parasitology‎
  • 2013‎

Pteridine metabolic pathway is unusual features of Leishmania, which is necessary for the growth of parasite. Leishmania has evolved a complex and versatile pteridine salvage network which has the ability of scavenging a wide area of the conjugated and unconjugated pteridines especially folate and biopterin. In this study, we focus on the inhibition of ptr1 gene expression.


Differential heterocyclic substrate recognition by, and pteridine inhibition of E. coli and human tRNA-guanine transglycosylases.

  • C Eric Thomas‎ et al.
  • Biochemical and biophysical research communications‎
  • 2011‎

tRNA-guanine transglycosylases (TGTs) are responsible for incorporating 7-deazaguanine-modified bases into certain tRNAs in eubacteria (preQ(1)), eukarya (queuine) and archaea (preQ(0)). In each kingdom, the specific modified base is different. We have found that the eubacterial and eukaryal TGTs have evolved to be quite specific for their cognate heterocyclic base and that Cys145 (Escherichia coli) is important in recognizing the amino methyl side chain of preQ(1) (Chen et al., Nuc. Acids Res. 39 (2011) 2834 [15]). A series of mutants of the E. coli TGT have been constructed to probe the role of three other active site amino acids in the differential recognition of heterocyclic substrates. These mutants have also been used to probe the differential inhibition of E. coli versus human TGTs by pteridines. The results indicate that mutation of these active site amino acids can "open up" the active site, allowing for the binding of competitive pteridine inhibitors. However, even the "best" of these mutants still does not recognize queuine at concentrations up to 50μM, suggesting that other changes are necessary to adapt the eubacterial TGT to incorporate queuine into RNA. The pteridine inhibition results are consistent with an earlier hypothesis that pteridines may regulate eukaryal TGT activity (Jacobson et al., Nuc. Acids Res. 9 (1981) 2351 [8]).


Role of endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs) Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) in determining ECFCs functionality in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients.

  • Atanu Sen‎ et al.
  • Scientific reports‎
  • 2022‎

Nitric oxide (NO.) is critical for functionality of endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs). Dimerization of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is must to produce NO. and tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) plays a crucial role in stabilizing this state. We investigated BH4 level in ECFCs and its effect on ECFCs functionality in CAD patients. Intracellular biopterin levels and ECFCs functionality in terms of cell viability, adhesion, proliferation, in vitro wound healing and angiogenesis were assessed. Guanosine Triphosphate Cyclohydrolase-1 (GTPCH-1) expression was studied in ECFCs. Serum total reactive oxygen/nitrogen species was measured and effect of nitrosative stress on ECFC's biopterins level and functionality were evaluated by treating with 3-morpholino sydnonimine (SIN-1). BH4 level was significantly lower in ECFCs from CAD patients. Cell proliferation, wound closure reflecting cellular migration as well as in vitro angiogenesis were impaired in ECFCs from CAD patients. Wound healing capacity and angiogenesis were positively correlated with ECFC's BH4. A negative effect of nitrosative stress on biopterins level and cell functionality was observed in SIN-1 treated ECFCs. ECFCs from CAD exhibited impaired functionality and lower BH4 level. Association of BH4 with wound healing capacity and angiogenesis suggest its role in maintaining ECFC's functionality. Oxidative stress may be a determinant of intracellular biopterin levels.


Pterins as sensors of response to the application of Fe3+ -dextran in piglets.

  • Miriam Smutna‎ et al.
  • Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)‎
  • 2010‎

The aim of the presented study was to assess the effect of a single administration of Fe(3+)-dextran on immune cell counts and pterin biomolecule production as novel sensors of the piglets' immune system activation, and to determine concentrations of cortisol, a traditional hormonal biosensor of the stress response. Pterins (neopterin and biopterin) in the piglets' blood serum were analyzed by separation using reversed-phase HPLC. A single dose of Fe(3+)-dextran produced a special stress situation in the piglets' organism which manifested itself by an increased production of neopterin (p < 0.05) and biopterin (p < 0.01) in the experimental piglets. Changes in cortisol concentrations and leukocyte counts were influenced by handling stress and were not specifically correlated to iron dextran application. Iron concentrations in the internal environment of the experimental piglets' group were higher by an order of magnitude compared with the controls, and the highest serum concentrations of iron (p < 0.01) were reached 24 h following Fe(3+)-dextran administration. The data presented offer a new perspective on the evaluation of stress situations in the animal organism and, not least importantly, extends the rather modest current list of references on the role of pterins in livestock animals.


Quantitative proteomic analysis of amphotericin B resistance in Leishmania infantum.

  • Marie-Christine Brotherton‎ et al.
  • International journal for parasitology. Drugs and drug resistance‎
  • 2014‎

Amphotericin B (AmB) in its liposomal form is now considered as either first- or second-line treatment against Leishmania infections in different part of the world. Few cases of AmB resistance have been reported and resistance mechanisms toward AmB are still poorly understood. This paper reports a large-scale comparative proteomic study in the context of AmB resistance. Quantitative proteomics using stable isotope labeling of amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) was used to better characterize cytoplasmic and membrane-enriched (ME) proteomes of the in vitro generated Leishmania infantum AmB resistant mutant AmB1000.1. In total, 97 individual proteins were found as differentially expressed between the mutant and its parental sensitive strain (WT). More than half of these proteins were either metabolic enzymes or involved in transcription or translation processes. Key energetic pathways such as glycolysis and TCA cycle were up-regulated in the mutant. Interestingly, many proteins involved in reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging and heat-shock proteins were also up-regulated in the resistant mutant. This work provides a basis for further investigations to understand the roles of proteins differentially expressed in relation with AmB resistance.


Dopamine turnover and metabolism in the striatum of parkinsonian rats grafted with genetically-modified human astrocytes.

  • N Fitoussi‎ et al.
  • Neuroscience‎
  • 1998‎

The potential of a novel therapeutic approach for treating Parkinson's disease, which involves the transplantation of a transfected human astrocyte cell line SVG-TH, that stably expresses the rate-limiting enzyme for dopamine production, tyrosine hydroxylase, was examined. SVG-TH and untransfected parent cells were grafted into the diseased striatum of rats in which Parkinson's disease had been induced by the administration of 6-hydroxydopamine. The in situ production and spillover of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (the precursor of dopamine), dopamine and their metabolites in the striatal extracellular fluid of the grafted rats was determined in conscious animals using the microdialysis technique and a high pressure liquid chromatography apparatus. Alleviation of symptoms of Parkinson's disease (abnormal movements) was evaluated by rotation tests. Upon transplantation of the SVG-TH cells into the striatum of the parkinsonian rats, the levels of dopamine in extracellular fluid of the striatum reached those of the normal rats, and correlated well with the improvement (74%) in their rotating behaviour (behavioural deficit). The levels of the two main dopamine metabolites, dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and homovanillic acid, were low in the lesioned rats, even after SVG-TH transplantation. An alternative route of metabolism of dopamine may occur in the transplanted striatum, since the dopamine metabolite, 3-O-methoxy-4-hydroxy-phenylethylamine, appeared, which indicates activity of catechol-O-methyl transferase. Upon blockade of L-aromatic-amino acid decarboxylase, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine accumulated in extracellular fluid of the 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned and SVG-TH-grafted rats, which indicated that these cells produced active tyrosine hydroxylase in vivo. These findings indicate the potential of treating Parkinson's disease by the intrabrain grafting of human astrocyte cells transfected with the rate limiting enzyme for dopamine production.


Dissecting the metabolic roles of pteridine reductase 1 in Trypanosoma brucei and Leishmania major.

  • Han B Ong‎ et al.
  • The Journal of biological chemistry‎
  • 2011‎

Leishmania parasites are pteridine auxotrophs that use an NADPH-dependent pteridine reductase 1 (PTR1) and NADH-dependent quinonoid dihydropteridine reductase (QDPR) to salvage and maintain intracellular pools of tetrahydrobiopterin (H(4)B). However, the African trypanosome lacks a credible candidate QDPR in its genome despite maintaining apparent QDPR activity. Here we provide evidence that the NADH-dependent activity previously reported by others is an assay artifact. Using an HPLC-based enzyme assay, we demonstrate that there is an NADPH-dependent QDPR activity associated with both TbPTR1 and LmPTR1. The kinetic properties of recombinant PTR1s are reported at physiological pH and ionic strength and compared with LmQDPR. Specificity constants (k(cat)/K(m)) for LmPTR1 are similar with dihydrobiopterin (H(2)B) and quinonoid dihydrobiopterin (qH(2)B) as substrates and about 20-fold lower than LmQDPR with qH(2)B. In contrast, TbPTR1 shows a 10-fold higher k(cat)/K(m) for H(2)B over qH(2)B. Analysis of Trypanosoma brucei isolated from infected rats revealed that H(4)B (430 nM, 98% of total biopterin) was the predominant intracellular pterin, consistent with a dual role in the salvage and regeneration of H(4)B. Gene knock-out experiments confirmed this: PTR1-nulls could only be obtained from lines overexpressing LmQDPR with H(4)B as a medium supplement. These cells grew normally with H(4)B, which spontaneously oxidizes to qH(2)B, but were unable to survive in the absence of pterin or with either biopterin or H(2)B in the medium. These findings establish that PTR1 has an essential and dual role in pterin metabolism in African trypanosomes and underline its potential as a drug target.


Computational Studies on 6-Pyruvoyl Tetrahydropterin Synthase (6-PTPS) of Plasmodium falciparum.

  • Shalom N Chinedu‎ et al.
  • Bioinformatics and biology insights‎
  • 2024‎

6-Pyruvoyl tetrahydropterin synthase (6-PTPS) is a lyase involved in the synthesis of tetrahydrobiopterin. In Plasmodium species where dihydroneopterin aldolase (DHNA) is absent, it acts in the folate biosynthetic pathway necessary for the growth and survival of the parasite. The 6-pyruvoyl tetrahydropterin synthase of Plasmodium falciparum (PfPTPS) has been identified as a potential antimalarial drug target. This study identified potential inhibitors of PfPTPS using molecular docking techniques. Molecular docking and virtual screening of 62 compounds including the control to the deposited Protein Data Bank (PDB) structure was carried out using AutoDock Vina in PyRx. Five of the compounds, N,N-dimethyl-N'-[4-oxo-6-(2,2,5-trimethyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl)-3H-pteridin-2-yl]methanimidamide (140296439), 2-amino-6-[(1R)-3-cyclohexyl-1-hydroxypropyl]-3H-pteridin-4-one (140296495), 2-(2,3-dihydroxypropyl)-8,9-dihydro-6H-pyrimido[2,1-b]pteridine-7,11-dione (144380406), 2-(dimethylamino)-6-[(2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl)-hydroxymethyl]-3H-pteridin-4-one (135573878), and [1-acetyloxy-1-(2-methyl-4-oxo-3H-pteridin-6-yl)propan-2-yl] acetate (136075207), showed better binding affinity than the control ligand, biopterin (135449517), and were selected and screened. Three conformers of 140296439 with the binding energy of -7.2, -7.1, and -7.0 kcal/mol along with 140296495 were better than the control at -5.7 kcal/mol. In silico absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) studies predicted good pharmacokinetic properties of all the compounds while reporting a high risk of irritant toxicity in 140296439 and 144380406. The study highlights the five compounds, 140296439, 140296495, 144380406, 135573878 and 136075207, as potential inhibitors of PfPTPS and possible compounds for antimalarial drug development.


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    1. Use quotes around phrases you want to match exactly
    2. You can manually AND and OR terms to change how we search between words
    3. You can add "-" to terms to make sure no results return with that term in them (ex. Cerebellum -CA1)
    4. You can add "+" to terms to require they be in the data
    5. Using autocomplete specifies which branch of our semantics you with to search and can help refine your search
  5. Save Your Search

    You can save any searches you perform for quick access to later from here.

  6. Query Expansion

    We recognized your search term and included synonyms and inferred terms along side your term to help get the data you are looking for.

  7. Collections

    If you are logged into FDI Lab - SciCrunch.org you can add data records to your collections to create custom spreadsheets across multiple sources of data.

  8. Facets

    Here are the facets that you can filter your papers by.

  9. Options

    From here we'll present any options for the literature, such as exporting your current results.

  10. Further Questions

    If you have any further questions please check out our FAQs Page to ask questions and see our tutorials. Click this button to view this tutorial again.

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