Department of Biochemical Sciences, University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy.

Many plants express enzymes which specifically remove an adenine residue from the skeleton of the 28 S RNA in the major subunit of the eukaryotic ribosome (ribosome inactivating proteins, RIPs). The site of action of RIPs (A4324 in the rRNA from rat liver) is in a loop structure whose nucleotide sequence all around the target adenine is also conserved in those species which are completely or partially insensitive to RIPs. In this paper we identify a covalent complex between saporin (the RIP extracted from Saponaria officinalis) and ribosomal proteins from yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), by means of chemical crosslinking and immunological or avidin-biotin detection. The main complex (mol. wt. congruent to 60 kDa) is formed only with a protein from the 60 S subunit of yeast ribosomes, and is not detected with ribosomes from E. coli, a resistant species. This observation supports the hypothesis for a molecular recognition mechanism involving one or more ribosomal proteins, which could provide a 'receptor' site for the toxin and favour optimal binding of the target adenine A4324 to the active site of the RIP.

Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hiroshima University School of Medicine, Japan.

Tubeimosides I, II and III (cyclic bisdesmosides) have been isolated from Chinese cucurbitaceous crude drug Tu-bei-mu, a tuber of Bolbostemma paniculatum (Maxim.) Franquet. Solubilizing effects of these cyclic bisdesmosides on water insoluble or less-soluble compounds were examined. It was revealed that cyclic bisdesmosides were effective on increasing the solubility of Yellow OB, dl-alpha-tocopherol and saponin A from Sapindus mukurossi. The critical micell concentration (cmc) and association number as well as diameter of micell of tubeimoside I in water were also measured. The interaction of tubeimoside I with 1-anilino-8-naphthalene-sulfonate (ANS) in aqueous solution was investigated photometrically. It was observed that tubeimoside I strongly enhanced the intensity of fluorescence of ANS, suggesting the significant formation of inclusion complex.

Monodesmoside, saponin A, B and C, isolated from pericarps of Sapindus mukurossi (Enmei-hi) have been shown to promote absorption of poorly absorbed beta-lactam antibiotics by the small intestine using an in situ loop method. Monodesmosides were solubilized with ginseng crude saponin extract, a mixture of bisdesmosides, saponin X, Y1 and Y2 which were isolated also from Sapindus mukurossi. These solubilizing agents were demonstrated not to influence the absorption promoting effect of monodesmosides. Among the monodesmosides, saponin B showed the greatest effect. No influence of osmolarity of the administered solution on the absorption promoting action was observed. The promoting functions of the three monodesmosides for the small intestinal absorption of antibiotics were suppressed by Ca2+ ion coexisting in the administered solution.

Cambridge Biotech Corporation, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605-2376, USA.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the utility of a purified, semisynthetic saponin, DS-1, prepared by deacylation of a naturally occurring saponin from the bark of the Quillaja saponaria Molina tree, as a permeation enhancer for mucosal delivery of the aminoglycosides, gentamicin and tobramycin.

METHODS: Gentamicin or tobramycin formulations, with and without DS-1, were administered to rats nasally, ocularly, and rectally. Serum aminoglycoside levels following mucosal application were compared with those administered intramuscularly. Gentamicin formulations, with and without DS-1, were administered intranasally to mice 60 minutes after a lethal bacterial challenge. To ascertain nasal irritation potential, DS-1 nosedrops were administered to rats twice daily for 7 days in the right nostril only. Comparison of the left (internal control) and right nostril was made with a control group that received only buffer.

RESULTS: Significant transport across mucous membranes was only observed in formulations containing DS-1. This effect on drug delivery was transient. Administration of an intranasal gentamicin/DS-1 formulation reversed the lethal bacterial challenge in mice, demonstrating that biological activity was retained after absorption. Nasal irritation was not observed in groups receiving DS-1 nosedrops, which were identical to control groups.

CONCLUSIONS: DS-1 has potential as a transmucosal delivery agent for the aminoglycoside antibiotics.

Cambridge Biotech Corporation, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.

Naturally occurring triterpene glycosides (saponins) from Quillaja saponaria have considerable adjuvant activity. Adjuvant functions include stimulation of high levels of antibody to T-dependent and T-independent antigens, induction of mouse IgG1, IgG2b, and IgG2a isotypes, and induction of cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses. This article reviews responses due to specific saponins of saponin preparations, effect of formulation, structure/function studies, and use in different preclinical and clinical vaccine applications.

Santanché S, Bellelli A, Brunori M.

Dipartimento di Scienze Biochimiche Alessandro Rossi Fanelli, Universitá di Roma La Sapienza, Italy.

Saporin, a monomeric protein extracted from the seeds of Saponaria officinalis, is an enzyme capable of specific depurination of the eukaryotic ribosomes. Because of its toxicity, saporin proved useful for the synthesis of immunotoxins, chimeric conjugates of a toxin and an antibody specifically directed against cancer cells or other targets. In this paper we report a study of the structural properties of saporin in the presence of denaturing agents and/or proteolytic enzymes. We found that saporin is extremely resistant to denaturation by urea or guanidine (up to 4 M), even at relatively high temperature (up to 55 degrees C). Moreover a structural change detected as a reduction of the fluorescence emission of the single Trp residue is reversible and is not paralleled by changes of the far UV CD spectrum, suggesting that even under harsh experimental conditions unfolding is limited. In good agreement with these results, guanidine-treated saporin is not attacked by proteolytic enzymes. The remarkable resistance of saporin to denaturation and proteolysis suggests this protein as an ideal candidate for biotechnological applications.

[Article in Russian]

The immunostimulating activity of saponin-containing extract of Saponaria officinalis has been studied. Use of an S. officinalis extract in a concentration close to the critical concentration of saponin micella formation increased the immunogenicity of viral glycoproteins. The immunogenicity of glycoprotein complexes with S. officinalis was higher than the immunogenicity of intact virus and micellae of purified glycoproteins and was comparable to that of glycoprotein complexes with Quil A glycoside.

[Article in Chinese]

Shanghai White Cat Co. Ltd., Shanghai 200231, China. wcat@public.sta.net.cn

A high performance liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry method has been developed for the analysis of surface-active substances (hederagenin saponins and sesquiterpene oligoglycosides) in the extracts of the pericarp of Sapindus mukurossi. The method consists of the separation of surface-active substances using C18 HPLC column, followed by detection using a diode-array detector at 210 nm and then on-line mass spectrometry. Hederagenin saponins and sesquiterpene oligoglycosides were characterized as [M - H]- or [M + Na]+. Based on the relative molecular mass, established by mass spectrometry and the structure induced by in-source CID technology, three components that had not been reported in Sapindus mukurossi before were identified. Several surface-active substances were obtained by means of semi-preparative HPLC. Their structures were further confirmed by NMR spectrometry as mukurozi-saponin Y2, mukurozi-saponin X, mukurozioside I a and mukurozioside II a.