title: Organogermanium compound, Ge-132, forms complexes with adrenaline, ATP and other physiological cis-diol compounds.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In mammals, adrenaline and ATP are life-essential vicinal diol and cis-diol functional groups. Here, we show that interactions between a safe organogermanium compound and these cis-diol compounds have the potential to regulate physiological functions. In addition, we represent a possible new druggable target for controlling the action of cis-diol compounds.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We analyzed a single crystal structure of organogermanium 3-(trihydroxygermyl)propanoic acid (THGPA), a hydrolysate of safe Ge-132, in complex with catecholamine (adrenaline and noradrenaline), and evaluated the affinity between several cis-diol compounds and THGPA by NMR. An in vitro study using normal human epidermal keratinocytes was performed to investigate the inhibition of cis-diol compound-stimulated receptors by THGPA. At high concentration, THGPA inhibited the calcium influx caused by adrenaline and ATP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that THGPA can modify cis-diol-mediated cell-to-cell signaling.
authors.affiliation: Asai Germanium Research Institute Co., Ltd. Suzuranoka, Hakodate, Hokkaido 042-0958, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.affiliation: Asai Germanium Research Institute Co., Ltd. Suzuranoka, Hakodate, Hokkaido 042-0958, Japan.|The United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Iwate University, Morioka, Iwate 020-8550, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.affiliation: Asai Germanium Research Institute Co., Ltd. Suzuranoka, Hakodate, Hokkaido 042-0958, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.affiliation: Asai Germanium Research Institute Co., Ltd. Suzuranoka, Hakodate, Hokkaido 042-0958, Japan.
authors.forename: Katsuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.affiliation: Tokyo University of Pharmacy & Life Sciences, Horinouchi, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0392, Japan.
authors.forename: Mitsuo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akiba
authors.affiliation: Tokyo University of Pharmacy & Life Sciences, Horinouchi, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0392, Japan.
authors.forename: Haruhiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fukaya
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism*; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000378:metabolism*; D005857:Germanium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D006868:Hydrolysis; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011422:Propionates
chemical_list: C000601533:3-(trihydroxygermyl)propanoic acid; D002395:Catecholamines; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D011422:Propionates; D005857:Germanium; C066750:propagermanium; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D004837:Epinephrine