Identification and Quantification by NMR Spectroscopy of the 22R and 22S Epimers in Budesonide Pharmaceutical Forms.

The authors developed four variants of the qNMR technique (1H or 13C nucleus, DMSO-d6 or CDCl3 solvent) for identification and quantification by NMR of 22R and 22S epimers in budesonide active pharmaceutical ingredient and budesonide drugs (sprays, capsules, tablets). The choice of the qNMR technique version depends on the drug excipients. The correlation of 1H and 13C spectra signals to molecules of different budesonide epimers was carried out on the basis of a comprehensive analysis of experimental spectral NMR data (1H-1H gCOSY, 1H-13C gHSQC, 1H-13C gHMBC, 1H-1H ROESY). This technique makes it possible to identify budesonide epimers and determine their weight ratio directly, without constructing a calibration curve and using any standards. The results of measuring the 22S epimer content by qNMR are comparable with the results of measurements using the reference HPLC method.

Acute NelfA knockdown restricts compensatory gene expression and precipitates ventricular dysfunction during cardiac hypertrophy.

Coordinated functional balance of negative and positive transcription complexes maintain and accommodate gene expression in hearts during quiescent and hypertrophic conditions, respectively. Negative elongation factor (Nelf) complex has been implicated in RNA polymerase II (pol II) pausing, a widespread regulatory transcriptional phenomenon observed across the cardiac genome. Here, we examine the role of NelfA aka, Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome candidate 2 (Whsc2), a critical component of the negative elongation complex in hearts undergoing pressure-overload induced hypertrophy. Alignment of high-resolution genome-wide occupancy data of NelfA, Pol II, TFIIB and H3k9ac from control and hypertrophied hearts reveal that NelfA associates with active gene promoters. High NelfA occupancy is seen at promoters of essential and cardiac-enriched genes, expressed under both quiescent and hypertrophic conditions. Conversely, de novo NelfA recruitment is observed at inducible gene promoters with pressure overload, accompanied by significant increase in expression of these genes with hypertrophy. Interestingly, change in promoter NelfA levels correlates with the transcript output in hypertrophied hearts compared to Sham, suggesting NelfA might be playing a critical role in the regulation of gene transcription during cardiac hypertrophy. In vivo knockdown of NelfA (siNelfA) in hearts subjected to pressure-overload results in early ventricular dilatation and dysfunction, associated with decrease in expression of inducible and cardiac-enriched genes in siNelfA hypertrophied compared to control hypertrophied hearts. In accordance, in vitro knockdown of NelfA in cardiomyocytes showed no change in promoter pol II, however significant decrease in in-gene and downstream pol II occupancy was observed. These data suggest an inhibited pol II progression in transcribing and inducible genes, which reflects as a decrease in transcript abundance of these genes. These results indicate that promoter NelfA occupancy is essential for pol II -dependent transcription. Therefore, we conclude that NelfA is required for active transcription and gene expression during cardiac hypertrophy.

Glucocorticoid Receptor-Binding and Transcriptome Signature in Cardiomyocytes.

Background An increase in serum cortisol has been identified as a risk factor for cardiac failure, which highlights the impact of glucocorticoid signaling in cardiomyocytes and its influence in the progression of failure. Dexamethasone, a synthetic glucocorticoid, is sufficient for induction of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, but little is known of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) genome-binding and -dependent transcriptional changes that mediate this phenotype. Methods and Results In this study using high-resolution sequencing, we identified genomic targets of GR and associated change in the transcriptome after 1 and 24 hours of dexamethasone treatment. We showed that GR associates with 6482 genes in the cardiac genome, with differential regulation of 738 genes. Interestingly, alignment of the chromatin immunoprecipitation and RNA sequencing data show that, after 1 hour, 69% of differentially regulated genes are associated with GR and identify as regulators of RNA pol II-dependent transcription. Conversely, after 24 hours only 45% of regulated genes are associated with GR and involved in dilated and hypertrophic cardiomyopathies as well as other growth-related pathways. In addition, our data also reveal that a majority of genes (76.42%) associated with GR show incremental changes in transcript abundance and are genes involved in basic cellular processes that might be regulated by the dynamics of promoter-paused RNA pol II, as seen in hearts undergoing hypertrophy. In vivo administration of dexamethasone resulted in similar changes in the cardiac transcriptome, as seen in isolated cardiomyocytes. Conclusions Our data reveal genome-wide GR binding sites in cardiomyocytes, identify novel targets and GR-dependent change in the transcriptome that induces and contributes to cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.

Unique synergistic formulation of curcumin, epicatechin gallate and resveratrol, tricurin, suppresses HPV E6, eliminates HPV+ cancer cells, and inhibits tumor progression.

Curcumin (from curry) (C) is highly potent against cervical cancer cells (CCC), but poor bioavailability has limited its clinical use. Similar natural polyphenols resveratrol (from grapes) (R), and epicatechin gallate (from green tea) (E) also display activity against CCC. By treating CCC (HeLa) with C, E, or R, or combinations of these compounds, we computed combination indices and observed a strong synergism among C, E, and R at the unique molar ratio 4:1:12.5. This combination, named as TriCurin, rapidly down regulated HPV18 E6 and NF-kB expression while concomitantly inducing the tumor suppressor protein p53 in HeLa cells. In the mouse c-Ha-ras and HPV16 E6, E7-expressing TC-1 CCC, both C and TriCurin elicited suppression of E6, induction of both p53 and acetyl-p53 (activated p53), and activation of caspase-3, but the TriCurin-evoked changes were several-fold greater than that produced by curcumin (4.7-fold for E6 inhibition, and 2-fold, 6-fold, and 1.7-fold for the induction of p53, acetyl-p53, and active caspase-3, respectively). Consequently, TriCurin was more potent in killing TC-1 and HeLa cells. Intralesional TriCurin treatment of tumors generated in mice by subcutaneously implanting the TC-1 CCC caused an 80-90% decrease in tumor growth. The ability of C to eliminate HeLa cells was significantly stabilized when delivered as TriCurin than when delivered alone. Topical application of TriCurin dispersed in a cream base afforded efficient transfer of C across the skin. Subcutaneous TriCurin injection yielded no adverse effect in tumor-naïve healthy mice. Thus, TriCurin is a safe and promising therapeutic agent against HPV-associated disease.

Localization of the Escherichia coli RNA polymerase beta' subunit residue phosphorylated by bacteriophage T7 kinase Gp0.7.

During bacteriophage T7 infection, the Escherichia coli RNA polymerase beta' subunit is phosphorylated by the phage-encoded kinase Gp0.7. Here, we used proteolytic degradation and mutational analysis to localize the phosphorylation site to a single amino acid, Thr(1068), in the evolutionarily hypervariable segment of beta'. Using a phosphomimetic substitution of Thr(1068), we show that phosphorylation of beta' leads to increased rho-dependent transcription termination, which may help to switch from host to viral RNA polymerase transcription during phage development.

Genome sequence and gene expression of Bacillus anthracis bacteriophage Fah.

Fah, a lytic bacteriophage of Bacillus anthracis, is used widely in the former Soviet Union to identify anthrax bacteria. Here, we present the analysis of a 37,974 bp sequence of the Fah genome and examine gene expression of the phage in a model host, Bacillus cereus. Half of the Fah genome contains genes coding for structural proteins and host lysis functions in an arrangement typical of Syphoviridae. The other half of the genome contains genes coding for enzymes of viral genome replication and for numerous predicted transcription factors that are likely to regulate viral gene expression. Primer extension, in vitro transcription assays, and gene array analysis identified temporal classes of Fah genes and allowed location of viral promoters. Fah does not execute host transcription shut-off and relies on host RNA polymerase (RNAP) sigma(A) holoenzyme for transcription of its early and late genes. In addition, Fah encodes a sigma factor, sigma(Fah), a close relative of Bacillus sporulation factor sigma(F) that directs bacterial RNAP to at least one late viral promoter. sigma(Fah) is negatively regulated by host SpoIIAB, an anti-sigma factor that controls sporulation. Thus, sigma(Fah) may link phage gene expression to sporulation of the host.