Detection of the complement fragment C5a in inflammatory exudates from the rabbit peritoneal cavity using radioimmunoassay.

We describe a radioimmunoassay for rabbit C5a and its use to obtain evidence of extravascular C5a generation in two inflammatory reactions in the peritoneal cavity. These observations, together with the potent activity of C5a in inducing increased microvascular permeability involving circulating PMN leukocytes, strengthen the case for considering C5a an important inflammatory mediator. These findings offer an explanation for the many different experimental inflammatory reactions where oedema formation can be suppressed either by systemic depletion of complement or by depletion of circulating PMN leukocytes

A peptide mimic of the chemotaxis inhibitory protein of Staphylococcus aureus: towards the development of novel anti-inflammatory compounds

Complement factor C5a is one of the most powerful pro-inflammatory agents involved in recruitment of leukocytes, activation of phagocytes and other inflammatory responses. C5a triggers inflammatory responses by binding to its G-protein-coupled C5a-receptor (C5aR). Excessive or erroneous activation of the C5aR has been implicated in numerous inflammatory diseases. The C5aR is therefore a key target in the development of specific anti-inflammatory compounds. A very potent natural inhibitor of the C5aR is the 121-residue chemotaxis inhibitory protein of Staphylococcus aureus (CHIPS). Although CHIPS effectively blocks C5aR activation by binding tightly to its extra-cellular N terminus, it is not suitable as a potential anti-inflammatory drug due to its immunogenic properties. As a first step in the development of an improved CHIPS mimic, we designed and synthesized a substantially shorter 50-residue adapted peptide, designated CHOPS. This peptide included all residues important for receptor binding as based on the recent structure of CHIPS in complex with the C5aR N terminus. Using isothermal titration calorimetry we demonstrate that CHOPS has micromolar affinity for a model peptide comprising residues 7–28 of the C5aR N terminus including two O-sulfated tyrosine residues at positions 11 and 14. CD and NMR spectroscopy showed that CHOPS is unstructured free in solution. Upon addition of the doubly sulfated model peptide, however, the NMR and CD spectra reveal the formation of structural elements in CHOPS reminiscent of native CHIPS

1,2-Dimethyl-4,5-diphenylbenzene determined on a Bruker SMART X2S benchtop crystallographic system

The title compound, C(20)H(18), has two crystallographically independent molecules in the asymmetric unit. The phenyl substituents of molecule A are twisted away from the plane defined by the central benzene ring by 131.8 (2) and -52.7 (3)degrees. The phenyl substituents of molecule B are twisted by -133.3 (2) and 50.9 (3)degrees. Each molecule is stabilized by a pair of intraMolecular C(aryl, sp(2))-H center dot center dot center dot pi interactions, as well as by several interMolecular C(methyl, sp(3))-H center dot center dot center dot pi interactions

Pertussis Toxin-sensitive Activation of Phospholipase C by the C5a and fMet-Leu-Phe Receptors

Signal transduction pathways that mediate C5a and fMet-Leu-Phe (fMLP)-induced pertussis toxin (PTx)-sensitive activation of phospholipase C (PLC) have been investigated using a cotransfection assay system in COS-7 cells. The abilities of the receptors for C5a and fMLP to activate PLC beta 2 and PLC beta 3 through the Gbeta gamma subunits of endogenous Gi proteins in COS-7 cells were tested because both PLC beta 2 and PLC beta 3 were shown to be activated by the beta gamma subunits of G proteins in in vitro reconstitution assays. Neither of the receptors can activate endogenous PLC beta 3 or recombinant PLC beta 3 in transfected COS-7 cells. However, both receptors can clearly activate PLC beta 2 in a PTx-sensitive manner, suggesting that the receptors may interact with endogenous PTx-sensitive G proteins and activate PLC beta 2 probably through the Gbeta gamma subunits. These findings were further corroborated by the results that PLC beta 3 could only be slightly activated by Gbeta 1gamma 1 or Gbeta 1gamma 5 in the cotransfection assay, whereas the Gbeta gamma subunits strongly activated PLC beta 2 under the same conditions. PLC beta 3 can be activated by Galpha q, Galpha 11, and Galpha 16 in the cotransfection assay. In addition, the Ggamma 2 and Ggamma 3 mutants with substitution of the C-terminal Cys residue by a Ser residue, which can inhibit wild type Gbeta gamma -mediated activation of PLC beta 2, were able to inhibit C5a or fMLP-mediated activation of PLC beta 2. These Ggamma mutants, however, showed little effect on m1-muscarinic receptor-mediated PLC activation, which is mediated by the Gq class of G proteins. These results all confirm that the Gbeta gamma subunits are involved in PLC beta 2 activation by the two chemoattractant receptors and suggest that in COS-7 cells activation of PLC beta 3 by Gbeta gamma may not be the primary pathway for the receptors

Synthesis of 2-Acylphenol and Flavene Derivatives from the Ruthenium-Catalyzed Oxidative C-H Acylation of Phenols with Aldehydes

The cationic ruthenium hydride complex [(C6H6)(PCy3)(CO)RuH]+BF4− has been found to be an effective catalyst for the oxidative C–H coupling reaction of phenols with aldehydes to give 2-acylphenol compounds. The coupling of phenols with α,β-unsaturated aldehydes selectively gives the flavene derivatives. The catalytic method mediates direct oxidative C–H coupling of phenol and aldehyde substrates without using any metal oxidants or forming wasteful byproducts

Macrophage centripetal migration drives spontaneous healing process after spinal cord injury.

Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) brings numerous inflammatory cells, including macrophages, from the circulating blood to lesions, but pathophysiological impact resulting from spatiotemporal dynamics of macrophages is unknown. Here, we show that macrophages centripetally migrate toward the lesion epicenter after infiltrating into the wide range of spinal cord, depending on the gradient of chemoattractant C5a. However, macrophages lacking interferon regulatory factor 8 (IRF8) cannot migrate toward the epicenter and remain widely scattered in the injured cord with profound axonal loss and little remyelination, resulting in a poor functional outcome after SCI. Time-lapse imaging and P2X/YRs blockade revealed that macrophage migration via IRF8 was caused by purinergic receptors involved in the C5a-directed migration. Conversely, pharmacological promotion of IRF8 activation facilitated macrophage centripetal movement, thereby improving the SCI recovery. Our findings reveal the importance of macrophage centripetal migration via IRF8, providing a novel therapeutic target for central nervous system injury

New insights for C5a and C5a receptors in sepsis

The complement system plays a central role in inflammation and immunity. Among the complement activation products, C5a is one of the most potent inflammatory peptides with a broad spectrum of functions. There is strong evidence for complement activation including elevated plasma level of C5a in humans and animals with sepsis. C5a exerts its effects through the C5a receptors. Of the two receptors that bind C5a, the C5aR (CD88) is known to mediate signaling activity, whereas the function of another C5a binding receptor, C5L2, remains largely unknown. Here, we review the critical role of C5a in sepsis and summarize evidence indicating that both C5aR and C5L2 act as regulating receptors for C5a during sepsis

Four related benzazepine derivatives in a reaction pathway leading to a benzazepine carboxylic acid : hydrogen-bonded assembly in zero, one, two and three dimensions

The authors thank ‘Centro de Instrumentacion Cientıfico-Tecnica of Universidad de Jaen’ and the staff for data collection. AP, SAG and CMS thank Colciencias for financial support (grant No. 1102–521–28229). JC thanks the Consejerıa de Innovacion, Ciencia y Empresa (Junta de Andalucıa, Spain) and the Universidad de Jaen for financial support.(2R*,4S*)-Methyl 2,3,4,5-tetra­hydro-1,4-ep­oxy-1H-benz[b]azepine-2-carboxyl­ate, C12H13NO3, (I), and its reduction product (2R*,4S*)-methyl 4-hy­droxy-2,3,4,5-tetra­hydro-1H-benz[b]azepine-2-carboxyl­ate, C12H15NO3, (II), both crystallize as single enanti­omers in the space group P212121, while the hydrolysis product (2RS,4SR)-4-hy­droxy-2,3,4,5-tetra­hydro-1H-benz[b]azepine-2-carb­oxy­lic acid, C11H13NO3, (III), and the lactone (2RS,5SR)-8-(trifluoromethoxy)-5,6-dihydro-1H-2,5-methanobenz[e][1,4]oxazocin-3(2H)-one, C12H10F3NO3, (IV), both crystallize as racemic mixtures in the space group P21/c. The mol­ecules of compound (IV) are linked into centrosymmetric R22(10) dimers by N-HO hydrogen bonds, and those of compound (I) are linked into chains by C-H(arene) hydrogen bonds. A combination of O-HO and O-HN hydrogen bonds links the mol­ecules of com­pound (III) into sheets containing equal numbers of R44(14) and R44(26) rings, and a combination of C-H(arene) hydrogen bonds and three-centre O-H(N,O) hydrogen bonds links the mol­ecules of compound (II) into a three-dimensional frame­work structure. Comparisons are made with some related compounds.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Rescue with an anti-inflammatory peptide of chickens infected H5N1 avian flu

Chickens suffering from avian flu caused by H5N1 influenza virus are destined to die within 2 days due to a systemic inflammatory response. Since HVJ infection (1,2) and influenza virus infection (3,4) cause infected cells to activate homologous serum complement, the systemic inflammatory response elicited could be attributed to the unlimited generation of C5a anaphylatoxin of the complement system, which is a causative peptide of serious inflammation. In monkeys inoculated with a lethal dose of LPS (4 mg/kg body weight), inhibition of C5a by an inhibitory peptide termed AcPepA (5) rescued these animals from serious septic shock which would have resulted in death within a day (6). Therefore, we tested whether AcPepA could also have a beneficial effect on chickens with bird flu. On another front, enhanced production of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and the activation of mast cells (MCs) have been implicated in granulocyte sequestration (7). An endothelin receptor derived antisense homology box peptide (8) designated ETR-P1/fl was shown to antagonize endothelin A receptor (ET-A receptor) (9) and reduce such inflammatory responses as endotoxin-shock (10) and hemorrhagic shock (11), thereby suppressing histamine release in the circulation (12). Thus, we also administered ETR-P1/fl to bird flu chickens expecting suppression of a systemic inflammatory response