COPRO

In 2002, Munro et al. reported the isolation of coproverdine (271) from a New Zealand Ascidian. The name of this isolate was derived from the descriptor attached to the voucher specimen (green sheep-shit-like in appearance), hence coproverdine copro Greek dung, ovis Latin sheep, verde Latin green). This alkaloid was isolated from Nature in optically active form [a]p — 8.0 (c 0.36, EtOH). However, the absolute configuration was not assigned. Coproverdine showed cytotoxic activity against a variety of murine and human tumor cell lines (240). 

Table 1 provides a fairly comprehensive listing of trivial names still in regular use in the porphyrin and chlorophyll area. The uro-, copro- and etio-porphyrins are examples of primary type isomer systems, while proto-, meso-, deutero- and hemato-porphyrins derive from the situation where 15 isomers exist. Phyllo-, pyrro- and rhodo-porphyrins, all being chlorophyll degradation products, are examples of the situation where there are four different kinds of porphyrin substituent. It transpires that, in biologically important porphyrin derivatives, the isomer chosen by Nature is Type-Ill (for the primary system), Type-IX (with three types of substituent) and Type-XV (with four). As can be seen in Schemes 1 and 2, primary type-III is related to type-IX in Scheme 2, and type-IX is in turn related to type-XV in the yet more complicated four-substituent system. 

Abbasi, I., Branzburg, A., Campos-Ponce, M., Abdel Hafez, S.K., Raoul, F., Craig, P.S. and Hamburger, J. (2003) Copro-diagnosis of Echinococcus granulosus infection in dogs by amplification of a newly identified repeated DNA sequence. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 69, 324-330. 

Two approaches for diagnosis of intestinal Echinococcus infection, the detection of E. mul-tilocularis-/E. granulosus-specific coproantigens in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (EFISA) and of copro-DNA by PCR, have been successfully implemented. These methods are valuable for the post-mortem and the intravitam diagnosis of Echinococcus infection in definitive hosts (Dinkel et al., 1998 Cabrera et al., 2002 Mathis and Deplazes, 2002 Abbasi et al., 2003 ... 

Simultaneous oxfendazole treatment and vaccination of all weanling piglets Serological surveillance in humans and pigs use of sentinal pigs copro antigen detection... 

Figure 7.13 The heme biosynthesis pathway. ALA, 5-aminolevulinic acid PBG, porphobilinogen uro gen, uroporphyrinogen copro gen, coproporphyrinogen prot gen, protoporphyrinogen Ac, acetate Pr, propionate vi, vinyl. (Reproduced by permission from Preface. Enzyme 28 91-93, 1982.)...

Keto compounds. I. Cholestane-3-one. II. Copro-etane-3-one. III. A4 6-Coprostene-3-one ( cholestenone ). IV. Oxime of cholestenone. V. Cholestenone on 0 1 per cent, neutral KMn04 solution. 

Alternatively, enzymes may be used to convert cholesterol into other products (Boudreau and Arul, 1993). Enzyme systems that have been examined include (1) cholesterol reductase, which converts cholesterol to copros-tanol, a product that is poorly adsorbed by the body, and (2) cholesterol oxidase, which oxidises cholesterol to non-steroid compounds. In the latter case, the oxidised products are toxic (see Chapter 18). When enzymes are used, it is necessary to demonstrate both the efficient conversion of the cholesterol as well as the safety of the reaction products. 

The hematopoietic system is affected by both short- and long-term arsenic exposure. Arsenic is known to cause a wide variety of hematological abnormalities like anemia, absolute neutropenia, leucopenia, thrombocytopenia, and relative eosinophilia - more common than absolute esino-philia, basophilic stippling, increased bone marrow vascularity, and rouleau formation (Rezuke et al, 1991). These effects may be due to a direct hemolytic or cytotoxic effect on the blood cells and a suppression of erythropoiesis. The mechanism of hemolysis involves depletion of intracellular GSH, resulting in the oxidation of hemoglobin (Saha et al, 1999). Arsenic exposure is also known to influence the activity of several enzymes of heme biosynthesis. Arsenic produces a decrease in ferrochelatase, and decrease in COPRO-OX and increase in hepatic 5-aminolevulinic acid synthetase activity (Woods and Southern, 1989). Subchronic... 

This decarboxylation reaction occurs in the mitochondria and thus requires the translocation of coproporphyrinogen 111 from the cytosol into this organelle. Hereditary coproporphyria, the disorder in humans that is caused by mutations in the copro-porphyrinogen oxidase gene, is treated by the administration of hematin. 

VP PBG > ALA Copro III, uroporphyrin from PBG Proto IX > Copro III, X-porphyrin Not increased 624-628 nm... 

Fecal copro isomer I/Iilratio Plasma porphyrin fluorescence... 

Jacob K, Doss M. Excretion pattern of faecal copro-porphyrm isomers I-IV in human porphyrias. Eur J Chn Chem Clin Biochem 1995 33 893-901. 

Z3. Zijlstra, W. G., and Muller, C. J., Spectrophotometiy of solutions containing three components, with special reference to the simultaneous determination of carboxy-hemoglobin and methemoglobin in human blood. Clin. Chim. Acta 2, 237 (1957). Z4. Zondag, H. A., and van Kampen, E. J., Determination of copro- and uroporphyrin in urine. Clin. Chim. Acta 1, 127 (1956). 

URO decarboxylase (UROD) Cytosolic enzyme that catalyzes the removal of the carboxyl groups from the side chains of both URO isoforms converting them to their respective coproporphyrinogens (i.e., COPRO I and COPRO IE). 

Reddi, E., Jori, G., Rodgers, M.A.J., and Spikes, J.D. (1983) Flash photolysis studies of hemato- and copro-porphyrins in homogeneous and microheterogeneous aqueous dispersions, Photochem. Photobiol., 38, 639-648. 

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