Activation profiles of opioid ligands in HEK cells expressing δ opioid receptors

Background  

The aim of the present study was to characterize the activation profiles of 15 opioid ligands in transfected human embryonic kidney cells expressing only δ opioid receptors. Activation profiles of most of these ligands at δ opioid receptors had not been previously characterized in vitro. Receptor activation was assessed by measuring the inhibition of forskolin-stimulated cAMP production.     

Synthesis and properties of alkylated imidazoles

Alkylation of 4(5)-nitroimidazole-5(4)-sulfonamide with benzyl bromide occurred on both ring nitrogens. The structures of the products could be assigned by comparison of the chemical shifts of the sulfonamide hydrogens in the nmr spectra with those of the isomeric methyl derivatives, which were prepared by differing routes. Uv and nmr spectral data are reported for a number of bromo-, nitro-, mercapto-, sulfamyl- and amino- substituted imidazoles as well as for both of the isomeric methylated derivatives of the series.     

Purine N-oxides—XLI : The 3-acyloxypurine 8-substitution reaction: On the mechanism of the reaction

The 3-acyloxypurine 8-substitution reaction involves elimination of the 3-acyloxy group and nucleophilic substitution at C-8 to yield 8-substituted xanthines or guanines. In aqueous solutions the reaction of 3-acetoxyxanthine proceeds slowly below pH 2, but is greatly accelerated with an increase of the pH from 3 to 7. It is proposed that the slow reaction involves heterolytic cleavage of the 3-acetoxy moiety from 3-acetoxyxanthine to yield a nitrenium ion at N-3 followed by intermolecular nucleophilic substitution of the incipient carbonium ion at the allylic C-8 position, also the most probable mechanism in polar aprotic solvents. The beginning of the fast reaction coincides with the beginning of ionization of the imidazole hydrogen of 3-acetoxyxanthine. It is proposed that this ionization induces a similar but more rapid departure of the 3-acetoxy group from the anion of 3-acetoxyxanthine to produce dehydroxanthine. The latter, upon protonation, yields the same reactive carbonium ion at C-8 that is formed in the slow reaction. Some reduction of 3-acetoxyxanthine to xanthine accompanies the fast reaction. That reduction has the characteristics of a free-radical mediated reaction. It is proposed that reduction results from a homolytic cleavage of the NO bond in the 3-acetoxyxanthine anion to produce a radical-anion, which abstracts hydrogen from water to yield xanthine. These reaction mechanisms and possible alternatives are evaluated.     

Spectrofluorometric study of thallium (I) complexes with several macrocyclic ligands in methanol solution

The fluorescent signal of T1(+) was employed as a sensitive probe to study the complexation reactions between this cation and several macrocyclic ligands in methanol solution at 20 degrees C. The stability constants of the resulting 1:1 complexes were determined and found to vary in the order C222 > C221 > 18C6 > DC18C6 > DB30C10 > DB18C6 > 15C5 > DA18C6 > B15C5 > DA15C5. The influence of a number of members in the macrocycle the nature of substituents on the polyether ring and of the dimensionality of the ligands on the stability and selectivity of the complexes is discussed.     

Synthesis of 2-amino-6-chloro- and 2,6-diammopunne 3-oxides

N-Oxidation of 2-amino-6-chloropurine to the 3-oxide provided a convenient intermediate for the synthesis of 2-amino-6-substituted purine 3-oxides, including the previously unavailable 2,6-diaminopurine 3-oxide. Thiation of the 6-halogen was accompanied by reduction of the N-oxide. The properties of the 1- and 3-oxides of 2,6-diaminopurine are compared.     

Square-wave voltammetric (SWV) determination of Captopril in reconstituted serum and pharmaceutical formulations

A simple, fast and sensitive square-wave voltammetric (SWV) method for the determination of trace amounts of Captopril in pharmaceutical formulation and reconstituted serum is reported. A three-electrode system containing the static mercury drop electrode (SMDE) working electrode, Pt auxiliary electrode and Ag/AgCl reference electrode was used throughout. Sodium sulfite was used as both supporting electrolyte and oxygen removing agent. No nitrogen purging is needed for oxygen removal from sample solution. Calibration graph showed good linearity in the concentration range of 0.5-50.0 μg mL⁻¹ of Captopril and regression coefficient of 0.9957 is obtained. R.S.D. for eight replicate measurements and LOD of the proposed method are 1.2% and 6.28 × 10⁻³ μg mL⁻¹, respectively. The effect of various parameters (equilibration time, scan increment, pulse height, drop size, frequency and sodium sulfite concentration) on the determination were investigated. The procedure was successfully applied to the determination of Captopril in pharmaceutical formulation and reconstituted serum.     

Chloroplast Biogenesis 77: Two Novel Monovinyl and Divinyl Light-Dark Greening Groups of Plants and Their Relationship to the Chlorophyll a Biosynthetic Heterogeneity of Green Plants

Abstract— On the basis of the steady-state accumulation of divinyl (DV) or monovinyl (MV) protochlorophyllide (Pchlide) a in darkness (D) or in the light (L), green plants have been classified into three different greening groups namely dark divinyl-light divinyl (DDV-LDV), dark monovinyl-light divinyl (DMV-LDV) and dark monovinyl-light monovinyl (DMV-LMV) (Ionannides et al., Biochem. Syst. Ecol. 22, 211-220,1994). Interruption of the L phase of the photoperiod by a brief period of darkness (LD condition) revealed a predominance of different chlorophyll (Chl) a biosynthetic routes, depending upon the greening group affiliation of the plant species. For example, in DMV-LDV and DMV-LMV plants, the predominant Chl a biosynthetic routes under the LD condition appear to be the MV Chi a biosynthetic route and/or a mixed DV-MV Chi a biosynthetic route that bifurcates at the level of DV Pchlide a. On the basis of DV and MV Pchlide a accumulation rates after re-darkening, this greening group is designated as a light-dark MV (LDMV) subgroup. In DDV-LDV plants, the predominant LD Chi a biosynthetic routes appear to be the DV Chi a biosynthetic route and/or a mixed DV-MV Chi a biosynthetic route that bifurcates at the level of DV Chlide a. This greening group is designated as a light-dark DV (LDDV) subgroup. It is proposed that upon inhibiting the conversion of Pchlide a to Chi a by interruption of the L phase of the photoperiod by a brief period of D, the rates of DV and MV Pchlide a regeneration may reflect the carryover rates of DV and MV Pchlide a biosynthesis in L instead of reflecting a differential use of DV and MV carboxylic biosynthetic rates in D. It is also shown that in LDMV plants, MV Chlide a and MV Chi a are formed without the participation of [4-vinyl] Chlide a reductase. On the basis of recently published evidence, it is also argued that Pchlide oxidoreductase-A (POR-A) may be active in LDDV plants, while POR-B may predominate in LDMV plant species. The evolutionary significance of the LDDV and LDMV greening subgroups is discussed.     

Synthesis and design of polyurethane and its nanocomposites derived from canola-castor oil: Mechanical,thermal and shape memory properties

The recent global pandemic and its tremendous effect on the price fluctuations of crude oil illustrates the side effects of petroleum dependency more evident than ever. Over the past decades, both academic and industrial communities spared endless efforts in order to replace petroleum-based materials with bio-derived resources. In the current study, a series of shape memory polymer composites (SMPC's) was synthesized from epoxidized vegetable oils, namely canola oil and castor oil fatty acids (COFA's) as a 100% bio-based polyol and isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) as an isocyanate using a solvent/catalyst-free method in order to eventuate polyurethanes (PU's). Thereafter, graphene oxide (GO) nanoplatelets were synthesized and embedded in the neat PU in order to overcome the thermomechanical drawbacks of the neat matrix. The chemical structure of the synthesized components, as well as the dispersion and distribution levels of the nanoparticles, was characterized. In the following, thermal and mechanical properties as well as shape memory behavior of the specimens were comprehensively investigated. Likewise, the thermal conductivity was determined. This study proves that synthesized PU's based on vegetable oil polyols, including graphene nanoparticles, exhibit proper thermal and mechanical properties, which make them stand as a potential candidate to compete with traditional petroleum-based SMPC's.