Experimental and computational study of intermolecular migration of N,N-dimethylcarbamoyl group from N(7) to N(1) on a 7-azaindoline derivative

N,N-Dimethylcarbamoylation of the anilinic nitrogen atom N(1) on the spiro 7-azaindoline consists of two steps. The first step is N,N-dimethylcarbamoylation of the pyridyl nitrogen atom N(7), leading to the formation of an isolable intermediate. The second step is intermolecular migration of the N,N-dimethylcarbamoyl group from the pyridyl nitrogen atom N(7) to the anilinic nitrogen atom N(1). We accomplished optimization of the reaction conditions based on the revealed reaction mechanism and a large scale synthesis of compound 3 in quantitative yield.     

Sonochemical synthesis and crystal structure of indium(III) complex as a modifier for electrochemical simultaneous determination of dopamine and acetylcholine

A novel mixed-ligand complex of [In(Me-phen)Cl₃(DMSO)] (1) was acquired and specified via spectral approaches (IR, UV–Vis, ¹H-NMR, and luminescence), thermal evaluation such as thermogravimetric, differential thermal analyses, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. In this study, we have also reported the nanosize of [In(Me-phen)Cl₃(DMSO)] (1) that has been synthesized via the sonochemical process. Characterization of nanoparticle (1) was carried out via X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The sample size assembled via the sonochemical approach was approximately 20 nm. Also, a novel screen-printed electrode modified with indium nanocomplex (In NC/SPE) was developed. An electrochemical examination of the adjusted electrode in addition to its efficiency in dopamine electro-oxidation is explained. It was proven that dopamine oxidation at adjusted electrode surface takes place at 150 mV potential less positive compared to an unadjusted screen-printed electrode. The relevant detection limit for dopamine was 2.0 × 10⁻⁷ M via differential pulse voltammetry. Moreover, the adjusted electrode was utilized to simultaneously determine dopamine and acetylcholine. Lastly, the adjusted electrode was utilized to determine dopamine and acetylcholine within real specimens.     

Untargeted Phytochemical Profile,Antioxidant Capacity and Enzyme Inhibitory Activity of Cultivated and Wild Lupin Seeds from Tunisia

Lupin seeds can represent a valuable source of phenolics and other antioxidant compounds. In this work, a comprehensive analysis of the phytochemical profile was performed on seeds from three Lupinus species, including one cultivar (Lupinus albus) and two wild accessions (Lupinus cossentinii and Lupinus luteus), collected from the northern region of Tunisia. Untargeted metabolomic profiling allowed to identify 249 compounds, with a great abundance of phenolics and alkaloids. In this regard, the species L. cossentinii showed the highest phenolic content, being 6.54 mg/g DW, followed by L. luteus (1.60 mg/g DW) and L. albus (1.14 mg/g DW). The in vitro antioxidant capacity measured by the ABTS assay on seed extracts ranged from 4.67 to 17.58 mg trolox equivalents (TE)/g, recording the highest values for L. albus and the lowest for L. luteus. The DPPH radical scavenging activity ranged from 0.39 to 3.50 mg TE/g. FRAP values varied between 4.11 and 5.75 mg TE/g. CUPRAC values for lupin seeds ranged from 7.20 to 8.95 mg TE/g, recording the highest for L. cossentinii. The results of phosphomolybdenum assay and metal chelation showed similarity between the three species of Lupinus. The acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition activity was detected in each methanolic extract analyzed with similar results. Regarding the butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) enzyme, it was weakly inhibited by the Lupinus extracts; in particular, the highest activity values were recorded for L. albus (1.74 mg GALAE/g). Overall, our results showed that L. cossentinii was the most abundant source of polyphenols, consisting mainly in tyrosol equivalents (5.82 mg/g DW). Finally, significant correlations were outlined between the phenolic compounds and the in vitro biological activity measured, particularly when considering flavones, phenolic acids and lower-molecular-weight phenolics.     

α-芋螺毒素构效关系与分子设计

α-芋螺毒素(α-conotoxins)是从芋螺毒液中提取到的一类活性多肽. 与其它家族的芋螺毒素相比, 它们含二硫键少, 结构相对简单, 由于作用于神经肌肉接头的N-乙酰胆碱受体(nAChRs)的不同亚型, 拮抗乙酰胆碱, 可作为鉴定nAChRs亚型及其亚基的有效工具, 已成为芋螺毒素结构改造的最佳先导化合物. 利用HyperChem软件包的量子化学半经验方法AM1对8个具有代表性的α-芋螺毒素进行了量子化学计算, 研究了它们的电子结构及构效关系. 结果表明, 空间结构的相似性使它们作用于同一受体, 局部结构差异而导致的电子结构的较大差别是它们能作用于不同受体亚型的重要原因. 在此基础上, 以α-芋螺毒素GI为模型设计了7个类似物并进行了量子化学计算, 比较了类似物与GI在空间结构及电子结构方面的特征.     

Transport of acetylcholine in a membrane

A laminate model of the cleft-plus-postsynaptic membrane structure of the neuromuscular junction was studied. In order to prepare a model of the postsynaptic membrane, the properties of acetylcholine (Ach) receptor-rich vesicles purified from Torpedo fish were measured. Immobilization of vesicles was demonstrated by various methods, in particular, by investigating collagen and carrageenan matrices as models of the fluidfilled fibrous matrix of the cleft. It was found that a laminated system employing a liquid membrane-containing vesicle suspension, together with a swollen collagen membrane, is an appropriate model for examining important transport/reception aspects of the cleft-plus-postsynaptic membrane structure. Combined transport with immobilization of Ach in the liquid membrane system was elucidated and effective diffusivities in the vesicle suspension layer were calculated. Effective diffusivities of the composite system simulating the cleft and the postsynaptic membrane were evaluated as well. These data illustrate the importance of penetrant immobilization in retarding the diffusion process during neurotransmission.     

SDS抑制乙酰胆碱酯酶反应的热动力学研究

在37 ℃, pH＝7.4的Tris-HCl缓冲体系中, 利用热焓放大技术和热动力学初始速率法研究了近生理条件下的乙酰胆碱酯酶(AchE)催化溴化乙酰胆碱水解反应及十二烷基硫酸钠(SDS)对反应的抑制动力学. 通过测量实验条件下反应体系的总反应焓及相同条件下的Tris碱的质子化焓, 确定了酶反应的摩尔反应焓ΔH_m,1为0.63 kJ•mol^－1, 米氏常数K_m和底物抑制常数K_S分别为0.85～0.94 mmol•L^－1和0.74～0.83 mmol•L^－1. SDS能够显著地降低反应速率, 但对酶反应的生化常数的影响较小, SDS对AchE的抑制表现为不可逆抑制. 在一定浓度的SDS溶液中, AchE的失活符合一级反应动力学规律, 表观一级失活速率常数与作用时间及SDS浓度的四次方呈线性关系, 失活常数为(2.47～2.69)×10¹³ mol^－4•L⁴•min^－1.     

Sulfonium Ligands of the α7 nAChR

The α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) is an important target given its role in cognitive function as well as in the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway, where ligands that are effective at stabilizing desensitized states of the receptor are of particular interest. The typical structural element associated with a good desensitizer is the ammonium pharmacophore, but recent work has identified that a trivalent sulfur, in the positively charged sulfonium form, can substitute for the nitrogen in the ammonium pharmacophore. However, the breadth and scope of employing the sulfonium group is largely unexplored. In this work, we have surveyed a disparate group of sulfonium compounds for their functional activity with α7 as well as other nAChR subtypes. Amongst them, we found that there is a wide range of ability to induce α7 desensitization, with 4-hydroxyphenyldimethylsulfonium and suplatast sulfonium salts being the most desensitizing. The smallest sulfonium compound, trimethylsulfonium, was a partial agonist for α7 and other neuronal nAChR. Molecular docking into the α7 receptor extracellular domain revealed preferred poses in the orthosteric binding site for all but one compound, with typical cation–pi interactions as seen with traditional ammonium compounds. A number of the compounds tested may serve as useful platforms for further development of α7 desensitizing ability and for receptor subtype selectivity.     

纳米氧化钛与小鼠乙酰胆碱酯酶的作用关系

纳米TiO₂已在各领域得到广泛应用, 由于其小尺寸效应、表面效应、量子尺寸效应等性质因而具有很强的生物学效应, 易进入人体内, 因而担心对人的健康构成潜在危害作用, 但其作用机制不明朗. 通过体内和体外实验相结合的研究方法, 运用光谱学的手段, 研究了纳米TiO₂颗粒与乙酰胆碱酯酶(AChE)结构-功能的作用关系. 结果表明, 在体内, 随着纳米TiO₂颗粒处理剂量的增加, AChE活性明显增加. 在体外, 一定浓度范围内纳米TiO₂颗粒对AChE有显著的激活作用. 光谱学分析证实纳米TiO₂颗粒与AChE直接发生结合作用, 强结合位点数为1.6个, 结合常数为2.56×10⁷ L•mol^－1, 而弱结合位点的结合常数为3.06×10⁶ L•mol^－1. 过多纳米TiO₂颗粒的结合将导致AChE去折叠并破坏其二级结构. 提示纳米TiO₂颗粒处理引起小鼠体内AChE活性的变化可能与纳米TiO₂颗粒结合后引起AChE的结构变化有密切关系.