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D N Kirk

Publications and source records attributed to D N Kirk.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

Structure of 6 beta,6'beta-bi(7 alpha-allyl-3-oxo-4-estren-17 beta-yl acetate).

C46H62O6, Mr = 711.0, orthorhombic, P2(1)2(1)2(1), a = 20.187 (3), b = 22.004 (3), c = 9.180 (1) A, V = 4078 (2) A3, Z = 4, Dx = 1.16 g cm-3, lambda (Mo K alpha) = 0.71069 A, mu = 0.7 cm-1, F(000) = 1544, T = 295 K, R = 0.096 for 3894 unique observed reflections with Fo greater than 2 sigma(Fo). The title compound is a dimer connected by a single bound between C6 and C6' [bond length 1.560 (7) A]. The two steroid moieties are oriented beta-face to beta-face, head to head and lie in almost parallel planes (7.6 degrees), rotated by 45 degrees to one another. The two conformations of the identical portions of the dimer differ chiefly in the orientation of the allyl and acetate groups. C23' (acetate) and O3' form the shortest intermolecular contact less than 3.5 A; C...O = 3.35 (1) A.

Allyl Compounds↗
PubMed1991

Structure of 6 alpha-methylprogesteron-17 alpha-yl pivalate.

C27H40O4, Mr = 428.6, orthorhombic, P2(1)2(1)2(1), a = 9.821(3), b = 25.766(6), c = 9.802(3) A, V = 2480(2) A3, Z = 4, Dx = 1.15 g cm-3, lambda(Mo K alpha) = 0.71073 A, mu = 0.70 cm-1, F(000) = 936, T = 295 K, final R = 0.063 for 2778 observed reflections. The A ring assumes a normal 1 alpha,2 beta-half-chair conformation. The progesterone side chain has a conformation typical of 17 alpha-ester steroids; the C(16)-C(17)-C(20)-O(20) torsion angle is -17.9(5) degrees.

Molecular Structure↗
PubMed1991

Omega 1-decoupled 1H homonuclear shift-correlated nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (COSYDEC) applied to steroids.

Problems of cross-peak overlap in two-dimensional 1H homonuclear shift-correlated (COSY) spectra of steroids can often be avoided by use of the omega 1-decoupled COSY (COSYDEC) method. The selection of experimental parameters is discussed, and COSYDEC spectra are illustrated for 17a-oxa-D-homoandrost-4-ene-3,17-dione (testololactone), testosterone, and 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone. In a good case, a COSYDEC spectrum obtained at 250 MHz allows cross-peak recognition and assignment with facility comparable to that available only at 500 MHz for normal COSY spectra.

17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone↗
PubMed1991

Microbial transformation of steroids--VII. Hydroxylation of progesterone by extracts of Phycomyces blakesleeanus.

Post mitochondrial supernatants (S-12 extracts) were prepared from Phycomyces blakesleeanus by grinding washed and frozen mycelial cakes in fine sand and extracting the paste produced with buffer containing Tris-HCl pH 7.8 (0.1 M), EDTA (0.01 M), dithiothreitol (5 mM) and glycerol (10% v/v). The S-12 extracts, obtained in this way, reproducibly hydroxylated progesterone, producing 7 alpha- and 15 beta-hydroxyprogesterone the major products of whole-cell transformation. Cell-free progesterone hydroxylation was found to be approximately linearly dependent on extract concentration, to require reduced NADP (partly replaceable by NADH), and to be dependent on progesterone (apparent Km calculated to be 4 mM). K+ and Mg2+ were found not to be required. Maximum progesterone hydroxylation occurred after 2 h at pH 7.8 and at 24 degrees C. Using optimum conditions S-12 extracts were capable of hydroxylating between 5 and 15% of added progesterone (0.2 mM). Hydroxylation was found to be partially inhibited by carbon monoxide (ca 40%) and almost completely inhibited by azoles, ketoconazole and diconazole. The NADPH and molecular oxygen requirements were replaceable by NaIO4. These findings strongly suggest that hydroxylation was being catalyzed by cytochrome P-450. This was confirmed by preparing progesterone-hydroxylating microsomes and Triton N-101-solubilized microsome extracts, and by obtaining a dithionite-reduced carbon monoxide-difference absorption spectrum peak at 455 nm in the solubilized microsome extracts.

Carbon Monoxide↗
PubMed1990

Microbial transformations of steroids--VI. Transformation of testosterone and androstenedione by Botryosphaerica obtusa.

The 7 beta progesterone-hydroxylating microorganism Botryosphaerica obtusa was tested for its ability to hydroxylate at this site the C-19 androstene-based compounds, androstenedione (androst-4-ene-3,17-dione) and testosterone (17 beta-hydroxyandrost-4-en-3-one). Only very limited 7 beta hydroxylation of both substrates was observed. The products included traces of 7 beta-monohydroxytestosterone and 6 beta,7 beta-dihydroxyandrostenedione from testosterone, and of 6 beta,7 beta-dihydroxyandrostenedione from androstenedione. 6 beta,7 beta-Dihydroxyandrostenedione does not appear to have been reported previously as a microbial transformation product. Both substrates were monohydroxylated in significant amounts at the isomeric 7 alpha site and at the 6 beta site. Testosterone was also significantly monohydroxylated at the 15 alpha site and in minor amounts at the 11 alpha and 12 beta sites. Some monohydroxytestosterones had also been oxidised at their 17-OH group, converting them into the corresponding monohydroxy androstenediones. The 7 alpha-hydroxy metabolites and 15 alpha-hydroxytestosterone being chemically demanding to synthesis are valuable microbial transformation products.

Androstenedione↗
PubMed1990

Stable isotope-labeled vitamin D, metabolites and chemical analogs: synthesis and use in mass spectrometric studies.

Methods for the measurement of vitamin D and its metabolites using stable isotope-labeled internal standards and mass spectrometry are reviewed. The synthesis of both labeled and unlabeled standards is illustrated, and details of the synthesis of (26,26,27,27,27(-2)H5)-25,26-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and (28,28,28(-2)H3)-24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D2 are given. The use of in vitro biologic systems for the production of further metabolites of deuterated 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 is discussed. Use of deuterated 25-hydroxydihydrotachysterol3 as a substrate in the isolated perfused rat kidney has provided valuable data for the assignment of structure to a number of metabolites of 25-hydroxydihydrotachysterol3 formed in this system.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Synthesis of [11,11,12,12-2H4]progesterone for mass spectral investigations of peripheral metabolism.

Hecogenin has been transformed into [11,11,12,12-2H4]progesterone via base-catalyzed isotope exchange with D2O (at C-11), carbenic decomposition of the 12-tosylhydrazone formed by the use of [N,N,N'-2H3]toluene-p-sulfonylhydrazine, and reduction with [2H2]diimide to give [11,11,12,12-2H4]tigogenin, followed by standard degradation of the spiroketal side chain and dehydrogenation in ring A.

Desoxycorticosterone↗
PubMed1990

Synthesis of 6 beta-hydroxyaldosterone by A6 (toad kidney) cells in culture.

Incubation of aldosterone with confluent layers of A6 (toad kidney) cells leads to its hydroxylation at the 6 beta-position. 6 beta-Hydroxyaldosterone is the major metabolite when the incubation is carried out at pH 6.8, whereas the product comprises 6 beta-hydroxy-17-isoaldosterone accompanied by some 6 beta-hydroxyapoaldosterone at pH 7.4. All products were identified by high-field 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Control experiments indicated that the side-chain isomerization to form the 17-iso and apo derivatives occurs after the cytochrome P 450-dependent synthesis of 6 beta-hydroxyaldosterone.

Aldosterone↗
PubMed1989

Measurement of 25-hydroxyvitamin D2, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D2 and 25,26-dihydroxyvitamin D2 in a single plasma sample by mass fragmentography.

A specific and sensitive assay for the measurement of the concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D2, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D2 and 25,26-dihydroxyvitamin D2 in a single plasma sample is described, using stable isotope dilution mass fragmentography. After addition of appropriate deuterium-labelled internal standards, plasma samples were treated with acetonitrile to precipitate protein, and vitamin D metabolites were extracted on prepacked microparticulate reverse-phase cartridges. Further purification was achieved using straight-phase cartridges and high-performance liquid chromatography. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was carried out after appropriate derivatisation of samples and standards. The method has been evaluated in terms of specificity, recovery of added standards, and reproducibility.

Calcifediol↗
PubMed1989

Microbial transformation of steroids--II. Transformations of progesterone, testosterone and androstenedione by Phycomyces blakesleeanus.

Phycomyces blakesleeanus transformed progesterone, testosterone and androstenedione into mixtures of products. Five monohydroxylated metabolites were obtained in reasonable yields from the progesterone transformation. Only 7 alpha- and 15 beta-hydroxyprogesterone have been reported previously from this organism. We find that it gives these two metabolites and also 6 beta-, 14 alpha- and 15 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone as major products. Five compounds were also purified from testosterone transformation mixtures. Two of these were monohydroxylated, two were ring A dehydrogenation products, and two were oxidised at C-17. The products were identified as 6 beta-hydroxytestosterone, 7 alpha-hydroxytestosterone, androsta-1,4-diene-3,17-dione (1-dehydroandrostenedione), 17 beta-hydroxyandrosta-1,4-diene-3-one (1-dehydrotestosterone) and androstenedione. All five metabolites were produced in reasonable yields, although hydroxylation was the minor transformation in this case. Only two significant products were formed from androstenedione. Both were reduced at C-17; one was also monohydroxylated. They were testosterone and 14 alpha-hydroxytestosterone. The testosterone and androstenedione transformation products have not been reported previously for this organism. We also report for the first time the preparation of P. blakesleeanus cell-free extracts which transformed progesterone reasonably efficiently and faithfully in vitro, although the proportions of each product varied from one extract to another.

Androstadienes↗
PubMed1989

Microbial transformations of steroids--V. Transformation of progesterone by whole cells and extracts of Botryosphaerica obtusa.

Members of the genus Botryosphaerica are reported 7 alpha steroid hydroxylators [1]. We found that the species B. obtusa efficiently hydroxylated progesterone in a 1-day transformation but it gave 7 beta-hydroxyprogesterone as the main product rather than the expected 7 alpha-hydroxy isomer, which was produced in only trace amounts. Also formed in minor amounts were 6 beta-, possibly 9 alpha- (see main text), 14 alpha- and 15 beta-monohydroxyprogesterones. The transformation mixtures included appreciable amounts of dihydroxylated progesterones which were mainly based on 7 beta-hydroxyprogesterone. The second hydroxyl group was at one of the minor monohydroxylation sites. The relative concentrations of the progesterone diols increased and those of the mono-alcohols concomitantly decreased when transformation was extended beyond 1 day. Monohydroxylated 6-dehydroprogesterones began to accumulate after about 3 days and these compounds seemed to have been formed by 6,7-dehydration of the dihydroxyprogesterones. We prepared mycelial cell-free extracts which were capable of transforming progesterone and retained the site-specificity of whole cells. These extracts converted 7 beta-hydroxyprogesterone to its 6-dehydro derivative, confirming that ring B desaturation occurs in this organism by dehydration. The dehydratase activity necessary for the conversion was separable from the hydroxylase activity by ultra-centrifugation. All hydroxylase activity co-sedimented with the membrane fraction, implying that steroid hydroxylation is effected by a membrane-bound enzyme(s). Dehydratase activity was present in both the pellet and the supernatant fractions, which suggests that it may involve a loosely bound, and easily removed, membrane-associated enzyme.

Biotransformation↗
PubMed1989

Microbial transformations of steroids--IV. 6,7-Dehydrogenation; a new class of fungal steroid transformation product.

Microbial steroid dehydrogenation is quite common. The reaction seems to occur mainly in bacteria and usually results in hydrogen abstraction from positions C(1)-C(2) and/or C(4)-C(5) with occasional aromatisation of ring A. We have screened large numbers of fungal cultures for their ability to monohydroxylate steroids at unusual sites and in the course of our investigations we have identified seven fungal strains capable of dehydrogenating ring B of progesterone and androstenedione at positions C(6)-C(7). Microbiological dehydrogenation at this site seems not to have been reported previously. The structures of the metabolites isolated from progesterone, and the producing fungi, are: 6-dehydroprogesterone (Botryodiplodia theobromae), 11 alpha-hydroxy-6-dehydroprogesterone (Botryosphaerica obtusa, Mucor racemosus and Nigrospora sphaerica), 12 alpha-, 15 beta- and 16 alpha-hydroxy-6-dehydroprogesterones (B. obtusa) and 14 alpha-hydroxy-6-dehydroprogesterone (Apiocrea chrysosperma) [1]. From androstenedione we isolated 6-dehydroandrostenedione (Absidia coerulea and Curvularia lunata) and 6-dehydrotestosterone (C. lunata).

Androstenedione↗
PubMed1989

Microbial transformations of steroids--III. Transformation of progesterone by Sepedonium ampullosporum.

The 16 alpha-steroid hydroxylating fungus Sepedonium ampullosporum (CMI strain 203 033) transformed progesterone into 16 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone and four other major metabolites which have not been reported previously for this organism, 6 beta-hydroxyprogesterone, 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone, 16 alpha-hydroxyandrostenedione and 16-oxotestosterone (16-ketotestosterone). Among the minor metabolites we have been able to identify 15 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone. This compound has not been reported for S. ampullosporum. The conditions used for transformation had comparatively little effect on the relative proportions of products formed, 16 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone always being the predominant metabolite, but had a major effect on the total yields of metabolites isolatable. These findings suggest that one or more constitutive enzyme systems were responsible for the transformations.

Biotransformation↗
PubMed1989

18-substituted steroids--Part 17. 2 alpha-hydroxylated liver metabolites of aldosterone identified by high-field [1H]NMR spectroscopy.

11 beta,18-Epoxy-2 alpha,3 alpha,18,21-tetrahydroxy-5 alpha,17 alpha- pregnan-20-one (2 alpha-hydroxy-3 alpha,5 alpha-tetrahydro-17-isoaldosterone) and its apo isomer have been identified by high-field NMR studies, supported by thermospray HPLC/MS, to be among the major polar metabolites formed from incubation of aldosterone with rat liver microsomal fraction. Indications that unreduced 2 alpha-hydroxy-aldosterone is also present among the metabolites have still to be confirmed.

Aldosterone↗
PubMed1989

18-Substituted steroids. Part 15. 6 beta-Hydroxylation of aldosterone by liver.

6 beta-Hydroxyaldosterone and 6 beta-hydroxy-17-isoaldosterone, characterized by high-field NMR studies, are among the major polar metabolites formed from aldosterone by incubation with rat liver slices or microsomal fraction. It is uncertain at present whether the 17-iso product results from an enzymatic or a chemical inversion of configuration. Periodate degradation of the 6 beta-hydroxyaldosterone gave 6 beta-hydroxyaldosterone gamma-lactone, identical with a synthetic sample.

Aldosterone↗
PubMed1988

The measurement of vitamins D2 and D3 and seven major metabolites in a single sample of human plasma using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

Selected ion monitoring of vitamin D metabolites has previously been described but there has been only one detailed description of the measurement by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) of a number of metabolites in a single plasma sample. We describe here a GC/MS method, using stable isotope labelled internal standards, which allows the estimation of vitamins D2 and D3, and their 25-hydroxy, 24,25-dihydroxy and 25,26-dihydroxy metabolites in a single 2 ml sample of plasma, although more is needed for the measurement of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. Plasma was extracted on Bond Elut C18 cartridges and initial fractionation carried out on Sep-Pak SIL. Straight-phase high-performance liquid chromatography was required for separation of polyhydroxylated metabolites prior to GC/MS using an LKB 2091 mass spectrometer with conventional packed columns. n-Butylboronate esters were formed across vicinal hydroxyls, followed by formation of trimethylsilyl ethers using trimethylsilylimidazole. The [M - 90 - 15]+ ion for each compound was monitored. Deuterated internal standards were not available for all metabolites and it was necessary to use (2H6)D3 and (2H6)25OHD3 as standards for the measurement of D2 and D3, and 25OHD3 and 25OHD2, respectively, and (2H6)24,25(OH)2D3 as a standard for 24,25(OH)2D3 and 25,26(OH)2D2. Although the [M - 90 - 15]+ ion of 24,25(OH)2D and 25,26(OH)2D has the same mass: charge ratio, derivatives of these compounds are completely separated in the GC system used. The intra-assay precision for all these assays is usually less than 5%.

Cholecalciferol↗
PubMed1988

Microbial transformations of steroids--I. Rare transformations of progesterone by Apiocrea chrysosperma.

When Apiocrea chrysosperma is incubated with progesterone for 7 days in a peptone, yeast-extract medium, eight major metabolites are produced. Each compound has been purified and its structure determined by high-field 1D and 2D 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. A clear synthetic pattern is recognisable. The products have been formed by multiple transformation reactions, usually double hydroxylations. Seven compounds are tertiary alcohols in which the hydroxyl group is located on the underside of the progesterone skeleton at either the axial 9 alpha- or the axial 14 alpha-site. One compound has hydroxyl groups at both these sites. Five metabolites are also secondary progesterone alcohols, the hydroxyl groups being at the 6 beta-, 15 alpha- or 15 beta-sites. Two compounds are monohydroxy metabolites; one is dehydrogenated in ring B and the other has lost the pregnane side-chain. The structures of the eight metabolites are 6 beta, 9 alpha-dihydroxyprogesterone; 6 beta, 14 alpha-dihydroxyprogesterone; 9 alpha, 14 alpha-dihydroxyprogesterone; 9 alpha, 15 beta-dihydroxyprogesterone, 14 alpha, 15 alpha-dihydroxyprogesterone; 14 alpha, 15 beta-dihydroxyprogesterone; 14 alpha-hydroxypregna-4,6-diene-3,20-dione and 15 alpha-hydroxyandrostene-3,17-dione. All compounds, except the last one, are biologically rare because they are not products of mammalian progesterone or androstenedione metabolism. They would be difficult to synthesise chemically. We believe that the compounds, 9 alpha, 15 beta-dihydroxyprogesterone; 14 alpha, 15 alpha-dihydroxyprogesterone and 14 alpha-hydroxypregn-4,6-diene-3,20-dione, have not been reported previously as microbial transformation products of progesterone.

Basidiomycota↗