• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.1042-1046
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• 2005

Two known modified dipeptides, trichodermamide A (1) and aspergillazine A (2), were isolated from an ethyl acetate extract of the metabolite of a marine-derived fungus Spicaria elegans, and were found to have a weak cytotoxic effect on three cancer cell lines P388, A-549, and HL-60 agreed. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the isolation of compounds 1 and 2 from the fungus Spicaria elegans and their cytotoxic effect.

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.125-129
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• 2007

Neurofilament-L (NF-L) is a major element of the neuronal cytoskeleton and is essential for neuronal survival. Moreover, abnormalities in NF-L result in neurodegenerative disorders. Carnosine and the related endogeneous histidine dipeptides prevent protein modifications such as oxidation and glycation. In the present study, we investigated whether histidine dipeptides, carnosine, homocarnosine, or anserine protect NF-L against oxidative modification during reaction between cytochrome c and $H_2O_2$. Carnosine, homocarnosine and anserine all prevented cytochrome c/$H_2O_2$-mediated NF-L aggregation. In addition, these compounds also effectively inhibited the formation of dityrosine, and this inhibition was found to be associated with the reduced formations of oxidatively modified proteins. Our results suggest that carnosine and histidine dipeptides have antioxidant effects on brain proteins under pathophysiological conditions leading to degenerative damage, such as, those caused by neurodegenerative disorders.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.501-508
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• 2013

The effects of amino acids and dipeptides on in vitro production of porcine embryos and accumulation of ammonia in culture medium during developmental stages were examined in this study. The maturation, fertilization and development of embryonic cultures were performed in modified Tissue culture medium (mTCM)-199 supplemented with 10% (v/v) porcine follicular fluid, modified Tyrode's albumin lactate pyruvate (mTALP) medium, and modified North Carolina State University (mNCSU)-23 medium, respectively. In addition, amino acids and dipeptides of different concentrations and combinations were used to treat the embryos. The addition of L-alanyl-L-glutamine (AlnGln)+L-glycyl-L-glutamine (GlyGln) significantly (p<0.05) improved oocyte maturation, fertilization and the incorporation and oxidation of 14C(U)-glucose when compared to the control group and other treatment groups. Additionally, 2-4 cell, 8-16 cell, morula and blastocyst development increased significantly (p<0.05) following treatment with AlnGln+GlyGln when compared to the control group and other treatment groups, while this treatment reduced the accumulation of ammonia. Taken together, these findings suggest that treatment with AlnGln+GlyGln may play an important role in increasing the rate of porcine oocyte maturation, fertilization and embryonic development by reducing the level of accumulated ammonia measured in the culture media.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.1732-1736
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• 2008

The endogenous dipeptides, carnosine and related compounds, are the naturally occurring dipeptides with multiple neuroprotective properties. We have examined the protective effects of carnosine, homocarnosine and anserine on the aggregation of neurofilament-L (NF-L) induced by neurotoxin, acrolein. When NF-L was incubated with acrolein in the presence of carnosine, homocarnosine or anserine, protein aggregation was inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner. These compounds inhibited the formation of protein carbonyl compounds and dityrosine in acrolein-mediated NF-L aggregates. The aggregates of NF-L displayed thioflavin T reactivity, reminiscent of amyloid. This thioflavin T reactivity was inhibited by carnosine and related compounds. This effect was associated with decreased formation of oxidatively modified proteins. Our results suggested that carnosine and related compounds might have protective effects to brain proteins under pathophysiological conditions leading to degenerative damage such as neurodegenerative disorders.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1997.04a
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• pp.119-119
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• 1997

Valacyclovir is a L-valyl ester prodrug of acyclovir which is a highly effective and selective antiviral agent in the treatment of herpes virus diseases. Valacyclovir is rapidly and almost completely converted to acyclovir and increases the oral bioavailability of acyclovir three to five fold. However, the intestinal absorption mechanism of valacyclovir is not clear. If the improved absorption mechanism of valacyclovir is fully understood, it will provide a rationale of designing the amino acid ester prodrugs of polar drugs containing hydroxyl group. The main objective of our present study is to characterize the membrane transport mechanism of valacyclovir. Methods : Intestinal absorption of valacyclovir was investigated by using in-situ rat perfusion study and its wall permeability was estimated by modified boundary layer model. The membrane transport mechanism was also investigated through the uptake study in Caco-2 cells and in CHO-hPepTl cells. Results : In the rat perfusion study, the wall permeability of valacyclovir was ten times higher than acyclovir and showed concentration dependency, Valacyclovir also demonstrated a D,L stereo-selectivity with L-isomer having an approximately five-fold higher permeability than D-isomer. Mixed dipeptides and cephalexin, which are transported by dipeptide carriers, strongly competed with valacyclovir for the intestinal absorption, while L-valine did not show any competition with valacyclovir. This indicated that the intestinal absorption of valacyclovir could be dipeptide carrier-mediated. In addition, the competitive uptake study in Caco-2 cells presented that dipeptides reduced the valacyclovir uptake but valine did not. Also, in IC$\sub$50/ study, valacyclovir showed strong inhibition on the $^3$H-gly-sar uptake in CHO-hPepTl cells over-expressing a human intestinal peptide transporter. Taken together, the result from our present study indicated that valacyclovir utilized the peptide transporter for the intestinal absorption.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.134-141
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• 1975

DL-1-aminoethylphosphonic acid(1-AEP) and DL-1-aminopropylphosphonic acid(1-APP) were synthesized from the propionic acid and butyric acid respectively using the modified cutius degradation. The following unreported derivatives containing peptide linkage were synthesized: N-phthalylglycyl-1-AEP, N-phthalyl-dl-alanyl-1-AEP, N-phthalyl-dl-phenylalanyl-1-AEP, N-phthalylglycyl-1-APP, N-tosylglycyl-1-AEP and N-tosyl-dl-alanyl-1-AEP These compounds were characterized and identified by means of elemental analysis, potentiometric titration, infrared spectroscopy and ninhydrin test.