Covalent Polymerization Research Articles

Influence of the mu-chain C-terminal sequence on polymerization of immunoglobulin M.

Immunoglobulin (IgM) is found in various states of covalent polymerization (microL)n, where n is typically 8, 10, or 12. The usual form of IgM of bony fish is tetrameric (8 microL units) as compared to the pentameric form (10 microL units) observed in cartilaginous fish and mammals. Two hypotheses were tested in this study. First, that the length of the mu-chain C terminus following Cys575 determines whether an IgM polymerizes as a tetramer or as a pentamer. This was tested by examining the covalent polymerization state of mouse IgM mutated to contain a series of mu-chain C-termini from bony and cartilaginous fish. The results proved this hypothesis wrong: mouse IgM bearing the C-terminal sequence of shark, salmon and cod mu-chain behaved identically to native mouse IgM, forming predominantly (microL)10 and (microL)12 forms. The second hypothesis was that an additional Cys residue near the C terminus of the mu-chain is responsible for the multiple covalent structures seen in IgM of the channel catfish. The addition of a catfish C terminus to the mouse mu-chain resulted, as predicted, in the production of a series of covalently bonded forms, with the major species being (microL)4. When a Ser-Cys unit was removed from the catfish C terminus added to the mouse mu-chain, this resulted in production of IgM indistinguishable in structure from that of wild-type mouse IgM.

A photodynamic pathway to apoptosis and necrosis induced by dimethyl tetrahydroxyhelianthrone and hypericin in leukaemic cells: possible relevance to photodynamic therapy.

The mechanism of cell death induction by dimethyl tetrahydroxyhelianthrone (DTHe), a new second-generation photodynamic sensitizer, is analysed in human leukaemic cell lines in comparison with the structurally related hypericin. DTHe has a broad range of light spectrum absorption that enables effective utilization of polychromatic light. Photosensitization of HL-60 cells with low doses of DTHe (0.65 μM DTHe and 7.2 J cm−2 light energy) induced rapid apoptosis of ≥90% of the cells. At doses ≥2 μM, dying cells assumed morphological necrosis with perinucleolar condensation of chromatin in HL-60 and K-562 cell lines. Although nuclear fragmentation that is characteristic to apoptosis was prevented, DNA digestion to oligonucleosomes proceeded unhindered. Such incomplete apoptosis was more prevalent with the related analogue hypericin throughout most doses of photosensitization. Despite hypericin being a stronger photosensitizer, DTHe exhibited advantageous phototoxic properties to tumour cells, initiating apoptosis at concentrations about threefold lower than hypericin. Photosensitization of the cells induced dissociation of the nuclear envelope, releasing lamins into the cytosol. DTHe also differed from hypericin in effects exerted on the nuclear lamina, causing release of an 86-kDa lamin protein into the cytosol that was unique to DTHe. Within the nucleus, nuclear envelope lamin B underwent covalent polymerization, which did not affect apoptotic nuclear fragmentation at low doses of DTHe. At higher doses, polymerization may have been extensive enough to prevent nuclear collapse. Hut-78, CD4+ cells were resistant to the photodynamically activated apoptotic pathway. Beyond the tolerated levels of photodynamic damage, these cells died exclusively via necrosis. Hut-78 cells overexpress Bcl-XL as well as a truncated Bcl-XL tr isoform that could contribute to the observed resistance to apoptosis. © Cancer Research Campaign

Controlled polymerization of cyclic esters. structure of initiators and of active species related to the selectivity of initiation and propagation

AbstractThis paper reviews mostly the already published work of our own, complemented with some new data and related to the control (i.e. selectivity) in the anionic and covalent (pseudoanionic) polymerization of cyclic esters. Ionic and covalent growing species are briefly compared in terms of their susceptibility to undergo side reactions. Then, structures of covalent initiators (mostly multivalent metal alkoxides) are discussed from the view point of their behavior in initiation and formation of active species. R2AlOR', (RO)3Al, and other metal alkoxides are discussed.

Covalent Bonding in Pressure‐Induced Fish Protein Gels

ABSTRACTSurimi pastes were gelled by pressure, incubation at 25°C, cooking, or their combination. Differential scanning calorimetry and solubility measurements indicated that myosin denaturation and disulfide bond formation occurred during pressure‐induced gelation. Time of pressure treatment had little effect on gel fracture properties. Nondisulfide covalent polymerization of myosin did not appreciably occur during pressure‐induced gelation, but was prevalent in gels incubated at 25°C, even when such incubation followed pressure treatment. That combination treatment increased the stress value of cooked gels more than six times, indicating synergy of pressure with the endogenous enzyme transglutaminase, thought to be responsible for gelation of surimi pastes at 25°C.

Polymerizations with contribution of covalent and ionic species

AbstractThe similarities and dissimilarities between the ring‐opening and vinyl cationic polymerizations are discussed for systems with simultaneous presence of covalent and ionic species. The common denominator in comparing kinetics of polymerization of these systems is the comparison of the total times of polymerization with the time elapsing when a given macromolecule is active (i.e. ionic) and inactive (e.g. covalent in cationic vinyl and ring‐opening polymerization). In the cationic ring‐opening polymerization the reactivation of covalent species proceeds mostly by intramolecular nucleophilic dipole‐dipole reaction (conformationally assisted) involving the chain unit adjacent to growing ester chain end. This reaction is fast (e.g. in THF polymerization) and is responsible for covalent ion‐pair interconversion. In the cationic vinyl polymerization this path does not exist but covalent species (esters) can be faster ionized by using of the nucleophile, increasing thus the rate of exchange between esters and ions. This process provides one of the possible ways for converting the non‐living polymerization into the living‐dormant process. The cationic polymerizations are then compared with covalent (pseudoanionic) polymerization of cyclic esters, initiated with covalent metal alkoxides like R2AlOR' or Al(OR)3.

Kinetics and mechanisms in anionic ring‐opening polymerization

AbstractRecent advances in the anionic ring‐opening polymerization (AROP), including covalent (pseudoanionic) polymerization, are reviewed. Thermodynamics, kinetics, and mechanisms of AROP are discussed, covering mostly polymerization of oxiranes, lactones and cyclic siloxanes as monomers. The following general problems of AROP are discussed: anionic polymerizability, thermodynamics ‐ particularly of the monomers exhibiting low ring strain, chemistry of initiation, structures and reactivity of active species. New phenomena, particularly polymerization with reversibly aggregating species are analyzed in more detail. Chain transfer to polymer ‐ the major side reaction ‐ is analyzed quantitatively, by introducing the selectivity parameter β, expressed by the ratio kp/ktr. This parameter has been determined for the anionic and pseudoanionic polymerization of ϵ‐caprolactone.

Additive and synergistic pharmacologic inhibition of equine fibrinoligase (factor XIIIa*-like) biochemical activity

Summary A selected group of pharmaceutical compounds were evaluated for the ability to inhibit the biochemical activity of fibrinoligase (coagulation factor XIIIa*) in pooled equine plasma. Criteria for the pharmaceuticals selected were based on the mechanism of the transglutamination biochemical reaction mediated by coagulation factor XIIa*. These criteria were complemented by recognition of the molecular configuration and chemical composition of amino acid residue side chains involved in the process of covalent fibrin monomer polymerization (cross-linking, transglutamination) mediated by this enzyme. Each pharmaceutical was evaluated individually and in combination with other potential coagulation factor XIIIa* inhibitors in an effort to detect additive and synergistic phenomenon. In this context, pharmaceuticals with a carbonylamide (eg, cefuroxime, Girard's reagent-P, prolinamide) were applied in concert with compounds with a terminal amine (eg, d-arginine, l-lysine) functional group. In concept, this method theoretically served to competitively simulate glutamine and lysine amino acid residues within strands of fibrin monomer substrate involved in phase I (carbonylamide) and phase II (terminal amine) of the transglutamination reaction (covalent fibrin monomer cross-linking). Halogen-dinitro and ethylene compounds were also evaluated because of their reported ability to inactivate enzyme systems dependent on an intact sulfhydryl group located at their biochemically active site (eg, cystine amino acid residue). This group of pharmaceutical compounds failed to inhibit the biochemical activity mediated by coagulation factor XIIIa* in equine plasma.

Cytotoxicity of myeloperoxidase-activated catechols: oxidative injury to the red blood cell

The effects of two catechols (1,2-benzenediol and nordihydroguaiaretic acid) on the myeloperoxidase-Cl −-H 2O 2 antimicrobial/ cytotoxic system of the human neutrophil were investigated. To determine the cytotoxicity of myeloperoxidase-generated oxygen metabolites (mainly chlorinated oxidants such as hypochlorite) and catechol oxidation products, the well characterized erythrocyte was used as a target. At relatively low concentrations (< 10 μM), the catechols acted as redox catalysts by stimulating the generation of chlorinated oxidants. This is visualized as a promotion of haemolysis which reached a maximum and then decreased again with increasing concentrations of the catechol. In this respect, the dicatechol, nordihydroguaiaretic acid, was more potent. At higher concentrations, the catechols completed more effectively with Cl − as electron donors and the generation of chlorinated oxidants decreased with a consequent decrease in haemolysis. Above 200 μM nordihydroguaiaretic acid, complete haemolysis occurred which might be due to high membrane concentrations of the catechol due to its high lipid solubility. In contrast, high 1,2-benzenediol concentrations did not induce haemolysis. The catechols stimulated methaemoglobin formation in a concentration-dependent fashion with 1,2-benzenediol more potent than nordihydroguauaretic acid. There was some correlation between membrane microviscosity and haemolysis which in turn did not correlate with haemoglobin oxidation. No direct correlation existed between intracellular methaemoglobin formation and the precipitation of haemoglobin oxidation products on the membrane. Disulphide crosslinks were not involved in the covalent polymerization of haemoglobin subunits.

Polymerization side reactions during protein modifications with carbodiimide

A survey has been made of carbodiimide reactions with four typical proteins to reveal that covalent polymerization can be a significant artifact in carbodiimide related chemical modification studies on proteins.