Seiichi Tanida

Dnacin A1 and dnacin B1 are antitumor antibiotics that inhibit cdc25B phosphatase activity

The p80cdc25 protein is a protein phosphatase directly involved in p34cdc2 protein kinase activation by dephosphorylation. The cdc25B gene is one of three human cdc25 homologs which can complement the temperature-sensitive cdc25 mutation of Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and is expressed a high levels in human cell lines, particularly in some cancer cells. A fusion protein of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and the catalytic domain of cdc25B protein was constructed and found to retain phosphatase activity in the manner of a p80cdc25 phosphatase by using a chromogenic substrate, p-nitrophenylphosphate. Two benzoquinoid antitumor compounds, dnacin A1 and dnacin B1, inhibited phosphatase activity in a non-competitive manner.

STRUCTURE DETERMINATION OF INDOLOCARBAZOLE ALKALOIDS BY NMR SPECTROSCOPY

Abstract The structures of two indolocarbazole alkaloids with macrophage-activating properties, TAN-1030 A and TAN-999, were determined based on NMR spectral analysis.

Motile Actinomycetes: Actinosynnema pretiosum subsp. pretiosum sp. nov., subsp. nov., and Actinosynnema pretiosum subsp. auranticum subsp. nov.

Three strains of motile nocardioform actinomycetes were isolated from sedge blades. The characteristics of these isolates led us to assign them to the genus Actinosynnema. Accordingly, we propose the following new taxa of Actinosynnema: Actinosynnema pretiosum subsp. pretiosum sp. nov., subsp. nov., containing type strain C-15003(N-1) (= IFO 13726 = FERM-P 3992 = ATCC 31281) and strain C-14919(N-2001) (= IFO 13723 = FERM-P 3991 = ATCC 31280); and Actinosynnema pretiosum subsp. auranticum subsp. nov., with type strain C-14482(N-1001) (= IFO 13725 = FERM-P 4130 = ATCC 31309).

Mechanism of action of dnacin B1, a new benzoquinoid antibiotic with antitumor properties.

Dnacin B1 preferentially inhibited the incorporation of [3H]thymidine into acid-insoluble fractions in Escherichia coli. At a sublethal concentration, dnacin B1 caused filamentous growth in E. coli and induced prophage lambda. The antibiotic also showed potent bactericidal activity against repair-deficient E. coli strains, such as recA, recB, and polA strains, In in vitro studies, dnacin Ba raised the melting temperatures of various double-stranded DNAs. In addition, the antibiotic showed DNA-cleaving activity against PM2 DNA in the presence of reducing agents, and the activity was suppressed by scavengers for oxygen free radicals and an iron-specific chelator, desferrioxamine E. The stimulation of the generation of superoxide radical by dnacin B1 was confirmed by measuring the reduction of neotetrazolium. Therefore, it can be presumed that the primary cellular target of dnacin B1 is DNA in susceptible cells, and the autooxidation of DNA-bound dnacin B1 causes the generation of oxygen-free radicals that result in the damage of DNA and the inhibition of its synthesis. Images

Two sulfur-containing ansamycin antibiotics fromStreptomyces albolongus

Two sulfur-containing ansamycin antibiotics were isolated from the culture broth ofStreptomyces albolongus C-46366; the major one was identical with awamycin and the minor one was a new ansamycin antibiotic, ansathiazin. Their structures were elucidated from their reactions and spectroscopic analyses. These antibiotics were active against gram-positive bacteria, acid-fast bacteria and a protozoan.

Rescue of Schizosaccharomyces pombe from camptothecin-mediated death by a DNA topoisomerase I inhibitor, TAN-1518 A

TAN-1518 A is a cytotoxic agent with suppressive activity against Meth A fibrosarcoma in vivo. This compound inhibits calf thymus DNA topoisomerase I (Topo I) but does not stimulate cleavable complex formation in the nuclei of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)-K1 cells, suggesting that it inhibits Topo I in a manner different from that of camptothecin (CPT). To clarify the mode of action of TAN-1518 A, we examined its effects on the eukaryotic microorganism Schizosaccharomyces pombe (S. pombe), which does not require Topo I as an essential factor for growth. TAN-1518 A inhibited purified S. pombe Topo I as potently as did CPT. TAN-1518 A, unlike CPT, did not stimulate Topo I-induced DNA cleavage; instead, it inhibited CPT-induced cleavable complex formation. We constructed a S. pombe strain, IR9, that produced excess Topo I. IR9 was hypersensitive to CPT, but its growth was not affected by TAN-1518 A. The CPT-mediated death of IR9 cells was reduced dramatically in the presence of TAN-1518 A. These findings clearly demonstrate that TAN-1518 A is a specific inhibitor of Topo I in eukaryotic cells and also suggest that this agent inhibits some earlier step(s) that occurs before the formation of cleavable complex on DNA strands in the catalytic cycle of this enzyme.

Thermomonospora formosensis sp. nov.

A new mesophilc species of bacteria, for which the name Thermomonospora formosensis is proposed, is described. This organism is characterized by a white aerial mycelium, single, heat-sensitive warty spores on both aerial and vegetative mycelia, and chemotype III/B cell walls. The type strain of Thermomonospora formosensis is strain C-36820 (= IFO 14204).

Inhibition of Cilia Regeneration of Tetrahymena by Ansamitocins, New Antitumor Antibiotics

Ansamitocins inhibited cilia regeneration of partially deciliated Tetrahymena pyriformis W, and the activity depended on the acyl groups at the C3 position.

BTZO-2, an antioxidant response element-activator, provides protection against lethal endotoxic shock in mice.

We recently reported a unique antioxidant response element (ARE)-activator, BTZO-1, which induced expression of cytoprotective proteins such as heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and suppressed oxidative stress-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis via binding to macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF). HO-1 induction and apoptosis inhibition have been reported to improve the outcomes following experimental sepsis by protecting the organs. Therefore, we investigated the potential of BTZO-2, an active BTZO-1 derivative, as a drug for sepsis. BTZO-2 significantly protected mice from the endotoxic shock induced by 5mg/kg lipopolysaccharide (LPS); survival rates increased from 42% to 100%. In contrast, BTZO-2 did not provide significant protection to mice from the shock induced by 10 μg/kg LPS together with d-galactosamine (d-GalN, hepatocyte-specific transcription inhibitor) (LPS/d-GalN). Hepatic HO-1 protein was up-regulated by BTZO-2 in mice injected with 5mg/kg LPS, but not in those injected with 10 μg/kg LPS/d-GalN. Interestingly, BTZO-2 showed little or no effect on LPS-induced up-regulation of plasma cytokine levels in mice. Thus, the organ protection mediated by HO-1 may have a pivotal role in the pharmacological effect of BTZO-2. These results suggest that BTZO-2 is a promising compound for a novel drug for sepsis.

Augmentation of host defense mechanisms against tumor by sperabillin polymers, new basic peptidyl biopolymers, in mice.

Sperabillin polymers, which have been shown recently to have antitumor activity, are new basic peptidyl polymers composed of a pseudo-peptide antibiotic, sperabillin A. The polymers, HP-2 (MW 9990), AP-2 (MW 20,100) and AB-2 (MW 35,000), were found to potently activate murine peritoneal macrophages. The phagocytosis-dependent respiratory burst and Fc gamma receptor expression of peritoneal macrophages from C57BL/6 mice were enhanced after in vitro cultivation with these polymers. When HP-2, a representative of these polymers, was intraperitoneally injected into mice, the number of peritoneal exudate cells increased and phagocytosis-dependent respiratory burst and class II (I-A) antigen expression of peritoneal macrophages were augmented. These macrophages showed strong inhibitory activity against the growth of murine tumor cell lines such as EL4 lymphoma and B16 melanoma. Nitrogen oxide, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin 1 (IL-1) might be required for this inhibitory activity. Moreover, in mice treated with HP-2, splenocyte counts also increased and non-specific killer activity of the splenocytes was augmented. These results indicate that sperabillin polymers are new macrophage activators.