[Clinical significance of hyaline casts in the new CKD risk classification (KDIGO 2009)].

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) significantly contributes to the increased number of dialysis patients with end stage renal disease. A new CKD risk classification (KDIGO 2009) established in 2011, which is defined by albuminuria and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) values, demonstrates the relative risks of CKD in great detail. In this study, we evaluated the clinical significance of urinary casts by categorizing a risk Group 1 to 5 according to the KDIGO 2009 classification. In the high risk CKD group (risk group 3 and over), we found a significantly higher number of patients who had > 100 hyaline casts/whole field (WF) in their urine than those that had < 100 hyaline casts/WF. Further, we determined the diagnostic accuracy for the high risk CKD group when the cutoff value for the number of hyaline casts was set at > or = 100 hyaline casts/WF (sensitivity: 44.7%, specificity: 96.5%). The eGFR value was significantly lower in the group with > or = 100 hyaline casts/WF, particularly in hypertensive patients, than that in the group with < 100 hyaline casts/ WF. Of interest is that the eGFR value was significantly lower in patients with 100-999 hyaline casts/WF and > or = 1,000 hyaline casts/WF than that in patients with < 100 hyaline casts/WF in A1 stage. Thus, our present study suggests that the presence of > or = 100 hyaline casts/WF indicates decreased eGFR, and the urinary casts counting may be important and useful for the screening and early detection of high-risk CKD.

Anti-angiogenic effect of triterpenoidal saponins from Polygala senega.

Senegasaponins [senegin II (1), senegin III (2), senegin IV (3), senegasaponin a (4), and senegasaponin b (5)] from Polygala senega were re-discovered as selective anti-proliferative substances against human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Senegasaponins (1-5) showed anti-proliferative activity against HUVECs with IC(50) values in the range 0.6-6.2 µM, and the selective index was 7-100-fold in comparison with those for several cancer cell lines, while the desacyl mixture of senegasaponins (6) and tenuifolin (7) lost anti-proliferative activity, indicating that the 28-O-glycoside moiety and methoxycinnamoyl group were essential for the HUVEC-selective growth inhibition of senegasaponins. Senegin III (2) inhibited the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced in vitro tubular formation of HUVECs and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)-induced in vivo neovascularization in the mouse Matrigel plug assay. Moreover, senegin III (2) suppressed tumor growth in the ddY mice s.c.-inoculated murine sarcoma S180 cells. The analysis of the action mechanism of senegin III (2) suggested that the induction of pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) would contribute to the anti-angiogenic effects of senegasaponins.

Pyripyropenes, fungal sesquiterpenes conjugated with alpha-pyrone and pyridine moieties, exhibits anti-angiogenic activity against human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

In the course of our search for anti-angiogenic substances, pyripyropenes A (1), B (2), and D (3) were re-discovered as selective anti-proliferative substances against human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) from a marine-derived fungus of Aspergillus sp. Pyripyropenes showed potent anti-proliferative activity against HUVECs with IC(50) values of the range of 0.1-1.8 muM, which were cytostatic at 0.05 to 20 muM. The selective index was more than 55-fold in comparison with those of several tumor cell lines. Compound 1 inhibited vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced migration and tubular formation of HUVECs, while 1 showed no effect on the VEGF-induced phosphorylations of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2, p38, and Akt. Pyripyropenes were originally isolated as an inhibitor of acyl-CoA: cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT-2). While, the expression level of ACATs between HUVECs and other tumor cell lines did not correspond to the selective index of the anti-proliferative activity of compound 1. Moreover, ACATs inhibitor, 2,2-dimethyl-N-(2,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl)dodecanamide (CI-976), showed growth inhibitory activity with only poor selectivity (2.4-fold) between HUVECs and human epidermoid carcinoma KB3-1 cells.

Dysideamine, a new sesquiterpene aminoquinone, protects hippocampal neuronal cells against iodoacetic acid-induced cell death.

In the course of our search for neuroprotective agents, dysideamine (1), a new sesquiterpene aminoquinone, was isolated along with bolinaquinone (2) from Indonesian marine sponge of Dysidea sp. Compounds 1 and 2 showed neuroprotective effect against iodoacetic acid (IAA)-induced cell death at 10 microM concentration in mouse HT22 hippocampal neuronal cells. Dysideamine (1) inhibited production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by IAA treatment, whereas it exhibited no effect on depletion of intracellular ATP of the IAA-treated HT22 cells. Moreover, 1 induced neurite outgrowth against mouse neuroblastoma Neuro 2A cells with increase of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, which is a marker of neuronal differentiation.

Synthesis of BC-ring model of globostellatic acid X methyl ester, an anti-angiogenic substance from marine sponge.

Concise synthesis of BC-ring model compounds of 13E,17E-globostellatic acid X methyl ester, an anti-angiogenic triterpene derivative from Indonesian marine sponge, was achieved through ynolate olefination and allylic oxidation as key steps. The model compound 5, which was synthesized within 10 reaction steps from commercially available Hajos-Parrish ketone, showed anti-proliferative activity against HUVECs with moderate selectivity.

Prenylterphenyllin and its dehydroxyl analogs, new cytotoxic substances from a marine-derived Fungus Aspergillus candidus IF10.

Three novel cytotoxic substances named prenylterphenyllin (1), 4''-deoxyprenylterphenyllin (2), and 4''-deoxyisoterprenin (3) were isolated from a cultured marine-derived fungus of Aspergillus candidus IF10 together with 4''-deoxyterprenin (4). Their chemical structures were elucidated on the basis of 2D NMR analysis. These compounds 1 approximately 4 showed cytotoxic activity against human epidermoid carcinoma KB cells (KB3-1) with IC(50) of 8.5, 3.0, 2.5, and 4.5 microg/ml, respectively.

Fumiquinones A and B, nematicidal quinones produced by Aspergillus fumigatus.

New nematicides named fumiquinones A (1) and B (2), together with spinulosin (3), LL-S490beta (4), and pseurotin A (5), were isolated from Aspergillus fumigatus and their structures were established by spectroscopic methods including 2D-NMR. Compound 1 showed effective nematicidal activities against Bursaphelenchus xylophilus and Pratylenchus penetrans without inhibiting plant growth except for lettuce seedlings. Compound 2 showed effective nematicidal activity against B. xylophilus, but had no inhibitory activity against P. penetrans. Compounds 3-5 showed effective nematicidal activities against B. xylophilus without any plant growth inhibition. Compounds 1-5 had no nematicidal activity against Caenorhabditis elegans. This is the first report of the nematicidal activities of compounds 3-5.

Nematicidal activity of 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furoic acid against plant-parasitic nematodes.

A nematicide, 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furoic acid (1), was isolated from cultures of the fungus Aspergillus sp. and its structure was identified by spectroscopic analysis. Compound 1 showed effective nematicidal activities against the pine wood nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus and the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans without inhibitory activity against plant growth, but 1 did not show any effective nematicidal activity against Pratylenchus penetrans.

Biochemical and immunohistochemical characterization of Mimosa annexin.

To characterize the biochemical properties of plant annexin, we isolated annexin from Mimosa pudica L. and analyzed the biochemical properties conserved between Mimosa annexin and animal annexins, e.g. the ability to bind phospholipid and F-actin in the presence of calcium. We show that Mimosa annexin is distributed in a wide variety of tissues. Immunoblot analysis also revealed that the amount of annexin is developmentally regulated. To identify novel functions of Mimosa annexin, we examined the pattern of distribution and the regulation of its expression in the pulvinus. The amount of annexin in the pulvinus increased at night and was sensitive to abscisic acid; however, there was no detectable induction of annexin by cold or mechanical stimulus. Annexin distribution in the cell periphery during the daytime was changed to a cytoplasmic distribution at night, indicating that Mimosa annexin may contribute to the nyctinastic movement in the pulvinus.