Regioselective deiodination of thyroxine by iodothyronine deiodinase mimics: an unusual mechanistic pathway involving cooperative chalcogen and halogen bonding

Iodothyronine deiodinases (IDs) are mammalian selenoenzymes that catalyze the conversion of thyroxine (T4) to 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) and 3,3',5'-triiodothyronine (rT3) by the outer- and inner-ring deiodination pathways, respectively. These enzymes also catalyze further deiodination of T3 and rT3 to produce a variety of di- and monoiodo derivatives. In this paper, the deiodinase activity of a series of peri-substituted naphthalenes having different amino groups is described. These compounds remove iodine selectively from the inner-ring of T4 and T3 to produce rT3 and 3,3'-diiodothyronine (3,3'-T2), respectively. The naphthyl-based compounds having two selenols in the peri-positions exhibit much higher deiodinase activity than those having two thiols or a thiol-selenol pair. Mechanistic investigations reveal that the formation of a halogen bond between the iodine and chalcogen (S or Se) and the peri-interaction between two chalcogen atoms (chalcogen bond) are important for the deiodination reactions. Although the formation of a halogen bond leads to elongation of the C-I bond, the chalcogen bond facilitates the transfer of more electron density to the C-I σ* orbitals, leading to a complete cleavage of the C-I bond. The higher activity of amino-substituted selenium compounds can be ascribed to the deprotonation of thiol/selenol moiety by the amino group, which not only increases the strength of halogen bond but also facilitates the chalcogen-chalcogen interactions.     

Halogen Bonding Controls the Regioselectivity of the Deiodination of Thyroid Hormones and their Sulfate Analogues

The type 1 iodothyronine deiodinase (1D‐1) in liver and kidney converts the L ‐thyroxine ( T4 ), a prohormone, by outer‐ring (5′) deiodination to biologically active 3,3′,5‐triiodothyronine ( T3 ) or by inner‐ring (5) deiodination to inactive 3,3′,5′‐triiodothronine ( rT3 ). Sulfate conjugation is an important step in the irreversible inactivation of thyroid hormones. While sulfate conjugation of the phenolic hydroxyl group stimulates the 5‐deiodination of T4 and T3 , it blocks the 5′‐deiodination of T4 . We show that thyroxine sulfate ( T4S ) undergoes faster deiodination as compared to the parent thyroid hormone T4 by synthetic selenium compounds. It is also shown that ID‐3 mimics, which are remarkably selective to the inner‐ring deiodination of T4 and T3 , changes the selectivity completely when T4S is used as a substrate. From the theoretical investigations, it is observed that the strength of halogen bonding increases upon sulfate conjugation, which leads to a change in the regioselectivity of ID‐3 mimics towards the deiodination of T4S . It has been shown that these mimics perform both the 5′‐ and 5‐ring deiodinations by an identical mechanism.     

Mechanism of Thyroxine Deiodination by Naphthyl‐Based Iodothyronine Deiodinase Mimics and the Halogen Bonding Role: A DFT Investigation

This paper deals with a systematic density functional theory (DFT) study aiming to unravel the mechanism of the thyroxine (T4) conversion into 3,3′,5‐triiodothyronine (rT3) by using different bio‐inspired naphthyl‐based models, which are able to reproduce the catalytic functions of the type‐3 deiodinase ID‐3. Such naphthalenes, having two selenols, two thiols, and a selenol–thiol pair in peri positions, which were previously synthesized and tested in their deiodinase activity, are able to remove iodine selectively from the inner ring of T4 to produce rT3. Calculations were performed including also an imidazole ring that, mimicking the role of the His residue, plays an essential role deprotonating the selenol/thiol moiety. For all the used complexes, the calculated potential energy surfaces show that the reaction proceeds via an intermediate, characterized by the presence of a X?I?C (X=Se, S) halogen bond, whose transformation into a subsequent intermediate in which the C?I bond is definitively cleaved and the incipient X?I bond is formed represents the rate‐determining step of the whole process. The calculated trend in the barrier heights of the corresponding transition states allows us to rationalize the experimentally observed superior deiodinase activity of the naphthyl‐based compound with two selenol groups. The role of the peri interactions between chalcogen atoms appears to be less prominent in determining the deiodination activity.     

Halogen Bonding Interactions of Polychlorinated Biphenyls and the Potential for Thyroid Disruption

Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) flame retardants are persistent pollutants and inhibit neurodevelopment, particularly in the early stages of life. Halogen bonding (XB) to the iodothyronine deiodinases (Dio) that modulate thyroid hormones (THs) is a potential mechanism for endocrine disruption. Cl⋅⋅⋅Se XB interactions of PCBs with SeMe⁻, a small model of the Dio active site selenocysteine, are compared with previous results on polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) and THs using density functional theory. PCBs generally display weaker XB interactions compared to PBDEs and THs, consistent with the dependence of XB strength on the size of the halogen (I>Br>Cl). PCBs also do not meet a proposed energy threshold for substrates to undergo dehalogenation, suggesting they may behave as competitive inhibitors of Dio in addition to other mechanisms of endocrine disruption. XB interactions in PCBs are position-dependent, with ortho interactions slightly more favorable than meta and para interactions, suggesting that PCBs may have a greater effect on certain classes of Dio. Flexibility of PCBs around the biphenyl C−C bond is limited by ortho substitutions relative to the biphenyl linkage, which may contribute to the ability to inhibit Dio and other TH-related proteins.     

Remarkable Effect of Chalcogen Substitution on an Enzyme Mimetic for Deiodination of Thyroid Hormones

Iodothyronine deiodinases are selenoenzymes which regulate the thyroid hormone homeostasis by catalyzing the regioselective deiodination of thyroxine (T4). Synthetic deiodinase mimetics are important not only to understand the mechanism of enzyme catalysis, but also to develop therapeutic agents as abnormal thyroid hormone levels have implications in different diseases, such as hypoxia, myocardial infarction, critical illness, neuronal ischemia, tissue injury, and cancer. Described herein is that the replacement of sulfur/selenium atoms in a series of deiodinase mimetics by tellurium remarkably alters the reactivity as well as regioselectivity toward T4. The tellurium compounds reported in this paper represent the first examples of deiodinase mimetics which mediate sequential deiodination of T4 to produce all the hormone derivatives including T0 under physiologically relevant conditions.     

Synthesis and deprotonation of 2-(halophenyl)pyridines and 1-(halophenyl)isoquinolines

The ability of the 2-pyridyl and 1-isoquinolyl groups to direct metalation was studied in the benzene series. For this purpose, 2-(halophenyl)pyridines and 1-(halophenyl)isoquinolines were prepared. Interestingly, nucleophilic addition reactions on the azine ring were not observed under kinetic control using butyllithium, and the substrates were cleanly deprotonated on the benzene ring: the azine ring acidifies the adjacent hydrogen H2' (N-H2' interaction through space and/or inductive electron-withdrawing effect) and probably favors the approach of butyllithium (chelation). Under thermodynamic conditions using lithium dialkylamides, the presence of the azine group makes the lithio derivative at C2' more stable (chelation and/or inductive electron-withdrawing effect). This was evidenced in two ways: (1) syntheses of 2-halophenyllithiums (F, Cl, Br) substituted at C6 by a 2-pyridyl or 1-isoquinolyl group without elimination of lithium halide and (2) iodine migration from C2' to C4' when treating 2-(3-halo-2-iodophenyl)pyridines or 1-(3-fluoro-2-iodophenyl)isoquinoline with LTMP. Comparisons between the 2-pyridyl and fluoro units showed the latter was the stronger directing group for deprotonation.     

In Situ Reprogramming of Tumor-Associated Macrophages with Internally and Externally Engineered Exosomes

The reprogramming of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) has emerged as an efficient strategy for immunotherapy. However, most of the approaches did not allow the in situ reprogramming of TAM because their low efficiency, non-specificity, or potential side effects. Herein, we produced exosomes with the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats interference (CRISPRi) internally engineered and the TAM specific peptide externally engineered onto the exosome membrane. The i nternally and e xternally e ngineered e xosomes ( IEEE , also named as I3E ) allowed the selective homing to tumor tissue and targeted to M2-like TAMs, which nearly repressed the expression of PI-3 kinase gamma (PI3Kγ) completely, and induced the TAMs polarizing to M1 both in vitro and in vivo. The polarized M1 macrophages awakened the “hot” tumor-immunity, causing the increase of T lymphocyte infiltration and the decrease of myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and inhibiting the tumor growth significantly. I3E reprogramed TAMs in situ precisely and efficiently.     

Monodisperse CuPt alloy nanoparticles assembled on reduced graphene oxide as catalysts in the transfer hydrogenation of various functional organic groups

We present herein a new nanocatalyst, namely binary CuPt alloy nanoparticles (NPs) supported on reduced graphene oxide (CuPt‐rGO), as a highly active heterogeneous catalyst for the transfer hydrogenation (TH) protocol that is demonstrated to be applicable over the reduction of various unsaturated organic compounds (olefins, aldehydes/ketones and nitroarenes) in aqueous solutions at room temperature. CuPt alloy NPs were synthesized by the co‐reduction of metal (II) acetylacetonates by borane‐tert‐butylamine (BTB) complex in hot oleylamine (OAm) solution and then assembled on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) via ultrasonic‐assisted liquid phase self‐assembly method. The structure of yielded CuPt NPs and CuPt‐rGO nanocatalyst were characterized by TEM, XRD and ICP‐MS. The activity of Cu₇Pt₃‐rGO nanocatalysts were then tested for the THs that were conducted in a commercially available high‐pressure tube using water as sole solvent and ammonia borane as a hydrogen donor at room temperature. The presented catalytic TH protocol was successfully applied over nitroarenes, olefines and aldehydes/ketones, and all the tested compounds were converted to corresponding reduction products with the yields reaching up to 99% under ambient conditions. Moreover, the Cu₇Pt₃‐rGO nanocatalyst was also reusable in the TH by providing 99% yield after five consecutive runs in TH of nitrobenzene as an example.     

Tirandamycins from Streptomyces sp. 17944 inhibiting the parasite Brugia malayi asparagine tRNA synthetase

Lymphatic filariasis is caused by the parasitic nematodes Brugia malayi and Wuchereria bancrofti, and asparaginyl-tRNA synthetase (AsnRS) is considered an excellent antifilarial target. The discovery of three new tirandamycins (TAMs), TAM E (1), F (2), and G (3), along with TAM A (4) and B (5), from Streptomyces sp. 17944 was reported. Remarkably, 5 selectively inhibits the B. malayi AsnRS and efficiently kills the adult B. malayi parasite, representing a new lead scaffold to discover and develop antifilarial drugs.     

Simultaneous quantification of T4, T3, rT3, 3,5‐T2 and 3,3′‐T2 in larval zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model to study exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls

Environmental toxicants that interfere with thyroid hormone (TH) signaling can impact growth and development in animals and humans. Zebrafish represent a model to study chemically induced TH disruption, prompting the need for sensitive detection of THs. Simultaneous quantification of 3,3′,5‐triiodo‐l ‐thyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), 3,3′,5′‐triiodo‐l ‐thyronine (rT3), 3,5‐diiodo‐l ‐thyronine (3,5‐T2) and 3,3′‐diiodo‐l ‐thyronine (3,3′‐T2) in zebrafish larvae was achieved by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry in positive ion mode. Solid‐phase extraction with SampliQ cartridges and derivatization with 3 m hydrochloric acid in n‐butanol reduced matrix effects. Derivatized compounds were separated on an Acquity UPLC BEH C₁₈ column with mobile phases consisting of 0.1% acetic acid in deionized water and 0.1% acetic acid in methanol. The limits of detection ranged from 0.5 to 0.6 pg injected on column. The method was validated by evaluating recovery (77.1–117.2%), accuracy (87.3–123.9%) and precision (0.5–12.4%) using diluted homogenized zebrafish embryos spiked with all target compounds. This method was then applied to zebrafish larvae collected after 114 h of exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), including PCB 28, PCB 66 and PCB 95, or the technical mixture Aroclor 1254. Exposure to PCB 28 and PCB 95 increased the T4:T3 ratio and decreased the T3:rT3 ratio, demonstrating that this method can effectively detect PCB‐induced alterations in THs.     

Method for the quantitation of iodothyronines in body tissues and fluids using high-performance liquid chromatography.

The separation and quantitation of iodotyrosines and iodothyronines [3-monoiodo-L-tyrosine, 3,5-diiodo-L-tyrosine, 3,5-, 3,3' and 3',5'-diiodo-L-tyronines, 3,5,3'-triiodo-L-thyronine (T3), reverse 3,3',5'-triiodo-L-thyronine and 3,3',5,5'-tetraiodo-L-thyronine (T4)] from animal tissues (brain, liver and serum) by a new high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method is described. Rats were infused with iso-osmotic sodium chloride containing 100 microM phloretin to block deiodination. The tissues were extracted using differential pH values to separate other amines from the amine containing iodothyroid hormones. Aliquots of tissue extracts (25-100 microliters) were reacted overnight with 5-dimethylaminonaphthalene-1-sulfonyl chloride and their iodotyrosine and iodothyronine content determined by HPLC utilizing fluorimetric detection. Resolution of the individual compound peaks was achieved by gradient elution with a 3.0 mM H3PO4 buffer. Greater sensitivity has been achieved (less than 1.0 pmol/g) utilizing fluorescence rather than ultraviolet absorbance for the quantitation of these iodinated compounds. The method is superior also to other methods in that recoveries, based on those of 125I-labelled T4 and T3, were 89-97%.     

On the structure of carotenoid iodine complexes

Previous work on carotenoid-iodine complexes is briefly reviewed. The formation of iodine complexes of beta,beta-carotene and of (3R,3' R )-beta,beta-carotene-3,3'-diol (zeaxanthin) has been studied by modern methods including UV/VIS/NIR, IR MS, EPR, ENDOR and NMR (1H, 1H-1H COSY, TOCSY, 2D ROESY, 1H-13C HSQC and 1H-13C HMBC) spectroscopy, and chemical reactions monitored by HPLC, TLC and spectral analysis (VIS, MS, 1H NMR). beta,beta-Carotene formed a solid complex C40H56 x 4I with iodine in hexane and a solvent complex with lambdamax 1010 nm in chlorinated solvents. Iodine was not covalently bound to the carotene. Spectroscopic and chemical evidence is consistent with the representation of the beta,beta-carotene-iodine complex containing iodine in a pi complex with cationic/radical cationic properties. Extensive E/Z isomerisation was noted for all quenching products obtained in acetone, with thiosulfate, by dilution, or by reaction with nucleophile (MeOH). Key products obtained from the beta,beta-carotene-iodine complex were 4',5'-didehydro-4,5'-retro-beta,beta-carotene (isocarotene) and 4-methoxy-beta,beta-carotene. The zeaxanthin-iodine complex was not suitable for a practical synthesis of (3S,3'S)-4',5'-didehydro-4,5'-retro-beta,beta-carotene-3,3'-diol (eschscholtzxanthin).     

Synthesis and characterization of amino derivatives of persistent trityl radicals as dual function pH and oxygen paramagnetic probes

Triarylmethyl radicals, TAMs, are useful soluble paramagnetic probes for EPR spectroscopic and imaging applications because of their extraordinary stability in living tissues, narrow line width, high analytical resolution at micromolar concentrations and enhanced sensitivity to molecular oxygen. Recently we proposed the concept of dual function pH and oxygen TAM probes based on the incorporation of ionizable groups into the TAM structure (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129 (23), 7240-7241). In this paper we report the synthesis of TAM derivatives containing amino groups. The synthesized TAMs combine stability with oxygen and pH sensitivity, in the range of pH from 6.8 to 9.0. To decrease the number of spectral components and improve probe solubility at physiological pH, asymmetric TAM derivatives containing both carboxyl and amino functions were synthesized. The presence of nitrogen and hydrogen atoms in direct proximity to protonatable amino groups resulted in strong pH-induced changes to the corresponding hyperfine splittings, Delta hfs approximately (300-1000) mG, comparable to the values of hfs themselves. Large pH-dependent line shifts of individual spectral components, with narrow linewidths of (160-280) mG, allow for easy discrimination between the pH effect and the observed oxygen-dependent line broadening of about (6 +/- 0.5) mG per % oxygen. The synthesized TAM derivatives represent the first dual function pH and oxygen paramagnetic probes with reasonably valuable properties for biomedical research.     

Transformations of 4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,7-nonafluoro-2-iodoheptyl glycidyl ether upon the action of nucleophiles and reducing agents

Selective substitution of the iodine atom for hydrogen in 4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,7-nonafluoro-2-iodoheptyl glycidyl ether has been performed upon the action of Bu₃SnH/Bz₂O₂, which led to the corresponding deiodination product in 82% yield. The epoxide ring opening in the title substrate was observed in its reaction with methanol and acetone in the presence of a Lewis acid, as well as upon the action of thiourea, morpholine, and sodium azide. In the last two cases, the formation of secondary alcohols is accompanied by dehydroiodination.     

Studies towards iodine-catalyzed dehydrative-cycloisomerization of pent-4-yne-1,2-diols to di- and tri-substituted furans

An efficient and single-step iodine catalyzed and metal-free synthesis of di and tri-substituted 2-methylfuran derivatives were achieved from 1-popargyl-1,2-diols. Stereospecific synthesis of starting 1,2-diols was achieved by indium mediated Barbier type propargylation on corresponding keto-alcohols or by sodium borohydride mediated reduction of 2-hydroxy-2-propargyl ketones. The furan synthesis proceeded through iodine mediated 5-exo-trig cyclization, dehydration and reductive deiodination. The method was applied to the synthesis of 2-methylfuran fused to phenanthrene, pyrene and acenaphthylene rings.     

Δ(11,12) double bond formation in tirandamycin biosynthesis is atypically catalyzed by TrdE, a glycoside hydrolase family enzyme

The tirandamycins (TAMs) are a small group of Streptomyces-derived natural products that target bacterial RNA polymerase. Within the TAM biosynthetic cluster, trdE encodes a glycoside hydrolase whose role in TAM biosynthesis has been undefined until now. We report that in vivo trdE inactivation leads to accumulation of pre-tirandamycin, the earliest intermediate released from its mixed polyketide/nonribosomal peptide biosynthetic assembly line. In vitro and site-directed mutagenesis studies showed that TrdE, a putative glycoside hydrolase, catalyzes in a highly atypical fashion the installation of the Δ(11,12) double bond during TAM biosynthesis.     

Electrochemical reduction of the iodinated contrast medium iomeprol: iodine mass balance and identification of transformation products

Potentiostatic-controlled electrochemical reduction of iomeprol was used to deiodinate iomeprol (IMP), a representative of the iodinated X-ray contrast media. The reduction process was followed by product analysis with liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry and ion chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The identification is mainly based on the interpretation of the mass fragmentation. The product analysis showed a rather selective deiodination process with the successive occurrence of IMP-I, IMP-2I, IMP-3I, and a transformation product (TP), respectively. The TP was formed from IMP-3I by a further cleavage of an amide bond and release of a (C = O)CHOH group from the side chain of IMP. The iodine mass balance on the basis of IMP and iodide showed a gap of about 26% at the beginning of the electrolysis process which could be completely closed by taking the intermediates IMP-I and IMP-2I into consideration. This means that the major intermediates and the TPs were considered and that the reduction process is a rather selective one to remove organically bound iodine from X-ray contrast media. An attractive application area would be the electrochemical deiodination of X-ray contrast media in urine of patients or hospital effluents.      

Hypervalent iodine-mediated ring contraction reactions

Hypervalent iodine reagents constitute a powerful tool in modern synthetic organic chemistry, promoting several important reactions. One such reaction is the ring contraction of cycloalkenes and cycloalkanones promoted by iodine(III) compounds, such as iodobenzene diacetate, iodosylbenzene, iodotoluene difluoride, and [hydroxy(tosyloxy)- iodo]benzene (Koser' s reagent). This review covers all the literature related to the ring contraction of cyclic ketones and olefins promoted by iodine(III) species.     

Spectrophotometric study of the reaction of iodine and bromine with two new macrocycle diamides and di-ortho methoxybenzoyl thiourea in chloroform solution

The complex formation reactions of iodine and bromine with two new macrocycle diamides (1 and 2) and di-ortho methoxybenzoyl thiourea (DOMBT) (3) have been studied spectrophotometrically at various temperatures in chloroform solution. In all cases the resulting 1:2 (macrocycle to halogen) or (DOMBT to halogen) molecular complexes were formulated as (macrocycle...X(+))X(3)(-) or (DOMBT.... X(+))X(3)(-). The formation constants of the resulting molecular complexes were evaluated from computer fitting of the absorbance-mole ratio data. For iodine complexes we found that the values of K(f) vary in the order of 1 approximately 2>3. In the case of bromine complexes the values of K(f) are larger (>10(8)) and vary in the order of 1>2>3. The enthalpy and entropy of complexation reactions of iodine with 1, 2 and 3 were determined from the temperature dependence of the formation constants. In all cases it was found that the complexation reactions are enthalpy stabilized, but entropy destabilized.     

Density functional theory studies of negishi alkyl-alkyl cross-coupling reactions catalyzed by a methylterpyridyl-Ni(I) complex

Density functional theory calculations were done to examine the potential energy surfaces of Ni(I)-catalyzed Negishi alkyl-alkyl cross-coupling reactions by using propyl iodide and isopropyl iodide as model alkyl electrophiles and CH 3ZnI as a model alkyl nucleophile. A four-step catalytic cycle involving iodine transfer, radical addition, reductive elimination, and transmetalation steps were characterized structurally and energetically. The reaction mechanism for this catalytic cycle appears feasible based on the calculated free energy profiles for the reactions. The iodine transfer step is the rate-determining step for the Ni(tpy)-CH 3 (tpy = 2,2'6',2'-terpyridine) reactions with alkyl iodides. For secondary alkyl electrophiles, the oxidative addition intermediate, Ni(III), prefers to undergo decomposition over reductive elimination, whereas for the primary alkyl electrophiles, Ni(III) prefers to undergo reductive elimination over decomposition based on comparison of the relative reaction rates for these two types of steps. In addition, thermodynamic data were employed to help explain why the yield of the coupled product is very low from the Ni(II)-alkyl halide reactions with organozinc reagents.