Adipose tissue is an important storage depot for retinol, but there are no data regarding retinol mobilization from adipose stores. To address this, dibutyryl cAMP was provided to murine BFC-1␤ adipocytes and its effects on retinol efflux assessed. High performance liquid chromatography analysis of retinol and retinyl esters in adipocytes and media indicated that cAMP stimulated, in a time-and dose-dependent manner, retinol accumulation in the culture media and decreased cellular retinyl ester concentrations. Study of adipocyte retinolbinding protein synthesis and secretion indicated that cAMP-stimulated retinol efflux into the media did not result from increased retinol-retinol-binding protein secretion but was dependent on the presence of fetal bovine serum in the culture media. Since our data suggested that retinyl esters can be hydrolyzed by a cAMPdependent enzyme like hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL), in separate studies, we purified a HSL-containing fraction from BFC-1␤ adipocytes and demonstrated that it catalyzed retinyl palmitate hydrolysis. Homogenates of Chinese hamster ovary cells overexpressing HSL catalyzed retinyl palmitate hydrolysis in a time-, protein-, and substrate-dependent manner, with an apparent K m for retinyl palmitate of 161 M, whereas homogenates from control Chinese hamster ovary cells did not.

The transformation of a normal cell into a cancer cell has been correlated with alterations in gene regulation and protein expression. To identify altered proteins and link them to the tumorigenesis of breast cancer, we have distinguished normal breast cells (MCF-10A) from noninvasive breast cancer cells (MCF-7) and invasive breast cancer cells (MB-MDA-231) to identify potential breast cancer markers in transformed breast cells. Using the 2D-DIGE and MALDI-TOF MS techniques, we quantified and identified differentially expressed extracellular secreted proteins and total cellular proteins across MCF-7, MB-MDA-231 and MCF-10A. The proteomic analysis of the secreted proteins identified 50 unique differentially expressed proteins from three different media. In addition, 133 unique differentially expressed proteins from total cellular proteins were also identified. Note that 14 of the secreted proteins and 51 of the total cellular proteins have not been previously reported in breast cancer research. Some of these unreported proteins have been examined in other breast cancer cell lines and have shown positive correlations with 2D-DIGE data. In summary, this study identifies numerous putative breast cancer markers from various stages of breast cancer. The results of this study may aid in developing proteins identified as useful diagnostic and therapeutic candidates in research on cancer and proteomics.

The halo and aryl substituents of the 1,2-disubstituted styryl group of aromatic enynes undergo a 1,2-shift in the aromatization reaction catalyzed by TpRuPPh3(CH3CN)2PF6 (10 mol %) in toluene (110 degrees C, 6-8 h). The aryl group shifts to the neighboring olefin carbon, and the iodo (or bromo) substituent migrates to the terminal alkyne carbon. The mechanisms of these two migrations have been elucidated by isotope labeling experiments. It indicates that the 1,2-aryl shift arises from 5-endo-dig electrocyclization of a ruthenium-vinylidene species, whereas the 1,2-iodo shift follows a 6-endo-dig pathway.

TpRuPPh 3 (CH 3 CN) 2 PF 6 (3 mol %) was very active in catalytic benzannulation of 1-phenyl-2-ethynylbenzenes in dichloroethane (60 °C, 36 h) to afford phenanthrene in 95% yield. This method is applicable to the synthesis of various polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons via two-and four-fold benzannulations, including various substituted coronene derivatives (53-86% yields) using this catalyst at a moderate loading (10 mol %).