In this work, we have investigated the structural role of cation-pi interactions in sugar-binding proteins (SBPs). We observed 212 cation-pi interactions in 53 proteins out of 59 SBPs in dataset. There is an average one energetically significant cation-pi interaction for every 66 residues in SBPs. In addition, Arg is highly preferred to form cation-pi interactions, and the average energy of Arg-Trp is high among six pairs. Long-range interactions are predominant in the analyzed cation-pi interactions. Comparatively, all interaction pairs favor to accommodate

in strand conformations. The analysis of solvent accessible area indicates that most of the aromatic residues are found on buried or partially buried whereas cationic residues were found mostly on the exposed Semaxanib clinical trial Selleckchem IWR 1 regions

of protein. The cation-pi interactions forming residues were found that around 43% of cation-pi residues had highly conserved with the conservation score a parts per thousand yen6. Almost cationic and pi-residues equally share in the stabilization center. Sugar-binding site analysis in available complexes showed that the frequency of Trp and Arg is high, suggesting the potential role of these two residues in the interactions between proteins and sugar molecules. Our observations in this study could help to further understand the structural stability of SBPs.”
“Recent studies indicated that angiotensin II (Ang II) receptor blockers could reduce neurotoxins-induced dopaminergic (DA) cell death, but the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Given that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress plays a major role in rotenone-induced neuronal apoptosis, we investigated whether candesartan cilexetil, a selective and high-affinity Ang II receptor antagonist, could protect the DA neuron via reducing

ER stress in a chronic rotenone rat model for Parkinson’s disease (PD). Our data showed that candesartan cilexetil could ameliorate the descent latency in catalepsy tests, and decrease rotenone-induced DA neuron apoptosis. Moreover, candesartan cilexetil has been found to play a protective Suplatast tosilate role via down-regulating the expression of activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4), the CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) homologous protein (CHOP), and p53 upregulated modulator of apoptosis (Puma). Thus, our experiments strongly suggest that administration of candesartan cilexetil protects DA neuron involving blocking ER stress, possibly via inhibiting activation of the ATF4-CHOP-Puma pathway, which could provide new insight into clinical therapeutics for PD. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Past studies have demonstrated that older adults used less emotional suppression to regulate their emotions than did younger adults, but the effectiveness of using this emotion regulatory strategy on psychosocial well-being across age remains largely unexplored.