Cholic acid derivatives as 1,2,4,5-tetraoxane carriers: structure and antimalarial and antiproliferative activity.

Cholic acid-derived 1,2,4,5-tetraoxanes were synthesized in order to explore the influence of steroid carrier on its antimalarial and antiproliferative activity in vitro. Starting with chiral ketones, cis and trans series of diastereomeric tetraoxanes were obtained, and the cis series was found to be approximately 2 times as active as the trans against Plasmodium falciparum D6 and W2 clones. The same tendency was observed against human melanoma (Fem-X) and human cervix carcinoma (HeLa) cell lines. The amide C(24) termini, for the first time introduced into the carrier molecule of a tetraoxane pharmacophore, significantly enhanced both antimalarial and antiproliferative activity, as compared to the corresponding methyl esters, with cis-bis(N-propylamide) being most efficient against the chloroquine-susceptible D6 clone (IC(50) = 9.29 nM). cis- and trans-bis(N-propylamides) were also screened against PBMC, and PHA-stimulated PBMC, showing a cytotoxicity/antimalarial potency ratio of 1/10 000.

The synthesis and in vitro activity of some delta 7,9(11)-lanostadienes.

The synthesis of delta 7,9(11)-lanostadiene derivatives functionalized at C(32) starting from 3 beta-acetoxy-7 alpha,32-epoxylanostan-11-one has been presented. The delta 7,9(11) moiety was efficiently introduced in three steps in 71% yield by the regioselective abstraction of allylic 8 beta hydrogen. The formyl group of the key intermediate, 3 beta-benzoyloxylanosta-7,9(11)-dien-32-al, has been stereoselectively alkylated into (32S) derivative, whereas its oxidation unexpectedly afforded 3 beta-benzoyloxy-7-oxolanost-8-ene-32,11 alpha-lactone and not the corresponding acid. delta 7,9(11)-lanostadienes possessing HC(32)=O, C(32) [symbol: see text] N, HC(32S)CH3OH, H2C(32)OH, as well as some 11-keto lanostenes, were tested in vitro against several purified cholesterogenic enzymes showing moderate activity, with most the active aldehyde 16 having IC50 = 86 microM.

Steroidal geminal dihydroperoxides and 1,2,4,5-tetraoxanes: structure determination and their antimalarial activity.

Cholestane-derived gem-dihydroperoxides and tetraoxanes were synthesized starting from 5 alpha- and 5 beta-cholestan-3-ones by acid-catalyzed addition of hydrogen peroxide to the ketone. They were characterized by IR, NMR, and mass spectroscopy analysis aided by molecular mechanics calculations, and, in the instance of 5 beta-cholestane-3 alpha,3 beta-dihydroperoxide (6), by x-ray analysis. The synthesized compounds were tested in vitro against Plasmodium falciparum Sierra Leone (D6) and Indochina (W2) malaria clones. All compounds were inactive to both clones, with the exception of tetraoxane 7a, which exhibited modest activity toward D6 clone with IC50 = 155 nM.

X-ray structure of a new crystal form of pike 4.10 beta parvalbumin.

A new crystal form of pike (pI 4.10) parvalbumin has been crystallized in presence of EDTA at pH 8.0. The crystals are orthorhombic, space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with a = 51.84, b = 49.95, c = 34.96 A. Diffractometer data were collected to 1.75 A. The structure was solved by molecular replacement and refined to R = 0.168 for 7774 observed reflections [I>/= 2sigma(I)] in the range 8.0-1.75 A. In spite of the presence of EDTA, calcium ions are present in both primary binding sites. As compared to the previously reported structures, the main differences concern the conformation of the N-terminal residues and the packing in the unit cell.

Crystal structure of the unique parvalbumin component from muscle of the leopard shark (Triakis semifasciata). The first X-ray study of an alpha-parvalbumin.

The three-dimensional structure of parvalbumin from leopard shark (Triakis semifasciata) with 109 amino acid residues (alpha-series) is described at 1.54 A resolution. Crystals were grown at 20 degrees C from 2.9 M-potassium/sodium phosphate solutions at pH 5.6. The space group is P3(1)21 and unit cell dimensions are a = b = 32.12 A and c = 149.0 A. The structure has been solved by the molecular replacement method using pike 4.10 parvalbumin as a model. The final structure refinement resulted in an R-factor of 17.3% for 11,363 independent reflections at 1.54 A resolution. The shark parvalbumin shows the main features of all parvalbumins: the folding of the chain including six alpha-helices, the salt bridge between Arg75 and Glu81, and the hydrophobic core. Compared to the structure of beta-parvalbumins from pike and carp, one main difference is observed: the chain is one residue longer and this additional residue, which extends the F helix, is involved through its C-terminal carboxylate group in a network of electrostatic contacts with two basic residues, His31 in the B helix and Lys36 in the BC segment. Furthermore, hydrogen bonds exist between the side-chains of Gln108 (F helix) and Tyr26 (B helix). There is therefore a "locking" of the tertiary structure through contacts between two sequentially distant regions in the protein and this is likely to contribute to making the stability of an alpha-parvalbumin higher in comparison to that of a beta-parvalbumin. The lengthening of the C-terminal F helix by one residue appears to be a major feature of alpha-parvalbumins in general, owing to the homologies of the amino acid sequences. Besides the lengthening of the C-terminal helix, the classification of the leopard shark parvalbumin in the alpha-series rests upon the observation of Lys13, Leu32, Glu61 and Val66. As this is the first crystal structure description of a parvalbumin from the alpha-phylogenetic lineage, it was hoped that it would clearly determine the presence or absence of a third cation binding site in parvalbumins belonging to the alpha-lineage. In beta-pike pI 4.10 parvalbumin, Asp61 participates as a direct ligand of a third site, the satellite of the CD site. In shark parvalbumin, as in nearly all alpha-parvalbumins, one finds Glu at position 61. Unfortunately, the conformation of the polar head of Glu61 cannot be inferred from the X-ray data.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Ionic interactions with parvalbumins. Crystal structure determination of pike 4.10 parvalbumin in four different ionic environments.

The crystal structure of the Ca-loaded form of pike 4.10 parvalbumin (minor component from pike muscle belonging to the beta phylogenetic series), with both its primary sites CD and EF occupied by Ca2+ ions and its third site occupied by an ammonium ion, as previously determined at 1.93 A resolution, has now been refined to a resolution of 1.65 A. The crystallization of this parvalbumin in different ionic environments has allowed three novel non-isomorphous crystalline forms to be obtained: (1) a first form, crystallized in the presence of a mixture of ammonium sulphate and manganese sulphate, for which all the cation binding sites in the protein are occupied by Mn2+; (2) a second form crystallized in the presence of MgSO4 as the precipitating agent, only differs from the Ca/NH4 form by the occupation of the third site by Mg2+, whereas the primary sites remain occupied by Ca2+; (3) a third form, also crystallized in the presence of MgSO4, corresponds to a well-defined molecular species with both the primary EF site and the third site occupied by Mg2+, whereas the primary CD site remains occupied by CA2+. The corresponding molecular structures reported here have been determined at resolutions between 1.8 and 2.4 A. The comparison of the different crystal structures allows the structural modifications accompanying the substitution of the primary sites by cations differing significantly in their ionic radii (Ca2+, Mn2+, Mg2+) to be investigated in detail, and it also leads to a precise description of the third site in a typical beta parvalbumin. The substitution Ca2+ by Mg2+ within the primary site EF is characterized by a "contraction" of the co-ordination sphere, with a decrease of the mean oxygen-metal distance by a value of 0.25 A and a decrease of the co-ordination number from 7 to 6, as a consequence of the loss of a bidentate ligand (Glu101), which becomes a monodentate one. Such an adaptation of the co-ordination sphere around a cation of smaller size involves, among others, the transformation of the Glu101 side-chain from the stable gauche(+) form to the less stable gauche(-) form. The third site is clearly described as a satellite of the CD primary site, since both sites possess common protein ligands, such as Asp53 and Glu59. Furthermore, Asp61 appears as a specific ligand of the third site in the different environments investigated in this work. We finally discuss the relevance of the third site to parvalbumin phylogeny.

Structure of the cyclohexapeptide cleromyrine II trihydrate.

C29H40N6O7.3H2O, Mr = 638.7, trigonal, P3(1)21, a = 14.190 (2), c = 29.833 (4) A, V = 5202 (1) A3, Z = 6, Dx = 1.22 g cm-3, Cu K alpha, lambda = 1.54178 A, mu = 7.8 cm-1, F(000) = 2052, T = 291 K, R = 0.069 for 1942 observed reflections. The new cyclohexapeptide cleromyrine II was isolated from Clerodendrum myricoides. Its structure was established by spectroscopic and X-ray diffraction methods as cyclo(-Gly-Tyr-Gly-Pro-Leu-Pro-). The conformation essentially consists of two beta-turns including the Pro residues and one central very short antiparallel beta-sheet stabilized by two intramolecular hydrogen bonds: N(Tyr2)...O(Leu5) = 2.94 (2) A and N(Leu5)...O(Tyr2) = 3.02 (2) A.

Crystal structure determination and refinement of pike 4.10 parvalbumin (minor component from Esox lucius).

The crystal and molecular structure of the minor component of pike parvalbumins has been determined at 1.93 A resolution by molecular replacement (1 A = 0.1 nm). The crystals are orthorhombic, space group P2(1)2(1)2 with a = 59.62 A, b = 59.83 A and c = 26.35 A. A location of the secondary cation binding site is proposed for this parvalbumin of the beta phylogenetic series.

Conformational study of two polymorphs of spiperone: possible consequences on the interpretation of pharmacological activity.

A second polymorph of spiperone, 8-[3-(p-fluorobenzoyl)-propyl]-1-phenyl-1,3,8-triazaspiro[4,5] decan-4-one, has been isolated and characterized by thermal analysis and IR spectrometry. Its structure was solved by X-ray diffraction analysis. The results are compared with those previously obtained on spiperone, the main difference being in the conformation of the side chain and in the nature of the hydrogen bonding.