64 research outputs found
Triplet exciton diffusion and phosphorescence quenching in Iridium(III)-Centered dendrimers
A study of triplet-triplet exciton annihilation and nonradiative decay in films of iridium(III)-centered phosphorescent dendrimers is reported. The average separation of the chromophore was tuned by the molecular structure and also by blending with a host material. It was found that triplet exciton hopping is controlled by electron exchange interactions and can be over 600 times faster than phosphorescence quenching. Nonradiative decay occurs by weak dipole-dipole interactions and is independent of exciton diffusion, except in very thin films
Structural Basis for Distinct Binding Properties of the Human Galectins to Thomsen-Friedenreich Antigen
The Thomsen-Friedenreich (TF or T) antigen, Galβ1-3GalNAcα1-O-Ser/Thr, is the core 1 structure of O-linked mucin type glycans appearing in tumor-associated glycosylation. The TF antigen occurs in about 90% of human cancer cells and is a potential ligand for the human endogenous galectins. It has been reported that human galectin-1 (Gal-1) and galectin-3 (Gal-3) can perform their cancer-related functions via specifically recognizing TF antigen. However, the detailed binding properties have not been clarified and structurally characterized. In this work, first we identified the distinct TF-binding abilities of Gal-1 and Gal-3. The affinity to TF antigen for Gal-3 is two orders of magnitude higher than that for Gal-1. The structures of Gal-3 carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD) complexed with TF antigen and derivatives, TFN and GM1, were then determined. These structures show a unique Glu-water-Arg-water motif-based mode as previously observed in the mushroom galectin AAL. The observation demonstrates that this recognition mode is commonly adopted by TF-binding galectins, either as endogenous or exogenous ones. The detailed structural comparisons between Gal-1 and Gal-3 CRD and mutagenesis experiments reveal that a pentad residue motif (51AHGDA55) at the loop (g1-L4) connecting β-strands 4 and 5 of Gal-1 produces a serious steric hindrance for TF binding. This motif is the main structural basis for Gal-1 with the low affinity to TF antigen. These findings provide the intrinsic structural elements for regulating the TF-binding activity of Gal-1 in some special conditions and also show certain target and approach for mediating some tumor-related bioactivities of human galectins
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Physiological responses during ascent to high altitude and the incidence of acute mountain sickness.
Acute mountain sickness (AMS) occurs when there is failure of acclimatisation to high altitude. The aim of this study was to describe the relationship between physiological variables and the incidence of AMS during ascent to 5300 m. A total of 332 lowland-dwelling volunteers followed an identical ascent profile on staggered treks. Self-reported symptoms of AMS were recorded daily using the Lake Louise score (mild 3-4; moderate-severe ≥5), alongside measurements of physiological variables (heart rate, respiratory rate (RR), peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2 ) and blood pressure) before and after a standardised Xtreme Everest Step-Test (XEST). The overall occurrence of AMS among participants was 73.5% (23.2% mild, 50.3% moderate-severe). There was no difference in gender, age, previous AMS, weight or body mass index between participants who developed AMS and those who did not. Participants who had not previously ascended >5000 m were more likely to get moderate-to-severe AMS. Participants who suffered moderate-to-severe AMS had a lower resting SpO2 at 3500 m (88.5 vs. 89.6%, p = 0.02), while participants who suffered mild or moderate-to-severe AMS had a lower end-exercise SpO2 at 3500 m (82.2 vs. 83.8%, p = 0.027; 81.5 vs. 83.8%, p 5000 m (OR 2.740, p-value 0.003) predicted the development of moderate-to-severe AMS. The Xtreme Everest Step-Test offers a simple, reproducible field test to help predict AMS, albeit with relatively limited predictive precision
Carbasugar-thioether pseudodisaccharides related to N-glycan biosynthesis.
Analogues of the alpha-Glcp-(1-->3)-alpha-Glcp and alpha-Glcp-(1-->3)-alpha-Manp disaccharides (representing the two alpha-gluco linkages cleaved by alpha-Glucosidase II in N-glycan biosynthesis) in which the non-reducing-end sugar is replaced by a carbasugar and the inter-glycosidic oxygen by a sulfur were synthesised. The key coupling step was an S(N)2 displacement of an equatorial triflate at C-1 of the carbasugar by C-3 gluco or manno thiolates with inversion of configuration to give thioether pseudodisaccharides with axial substitution at C-1 of the carbasugar. The deprotected pseudodisaccharides failed to inhibit the action of alpha-Glucosidase II as measured both by an in vitro assay and by free oligosaccharide (FOS) analysis from cell studies
Fluorescence labelling of carbohydrates with 2-aminobenzamide (2AB)
2-Aminobenzamide (2AB) is a common fluorescence label attached to reducing oligosaccharides by a reductive amination procedure. Chemical investigation of the published literature procedure reveals labelling occurs by the expected mechanism for both protected and unprotected glucose derivatives to yield open-chain carbohydrates rather than result in the formation of any heterocyclic materials. Pentenyl glucosides may also be readily attached to the 2AB label by a sequence of dihydroxylation, periodate cleavage and subsequent reductive amination of the resulting aldehyde. 2AB labelling is compatible with deprotection of both acetate and benzyl protecting groups. © 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd
Synthesis and α-Glucosidase II inhibitory activity of valienamine pseudodisaccharides relevant to N-glycan biosynthesis.
Valienol-derived allylic C-1 bromides have been used as carbaglycosyl donors for α-xylo configured valienamine pseudodisaccharide synthesis. We synthesised valienamine analogues of the Glc(α1→3)Glc and Glc(α1→3)Man disaccharides representing the linkages cleaved by α-Glucosidase II in N-glycan biosynthesis. These (N1→3)-linked pseudodisaccharides were found to have some α-Glucosidase II inhibitory activity, while two other (N1→6)-linked valienamine pseudodisaccharides failed to inhibit the enzyme
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