A dual fluorophore system for simultaneous bioassays

A detection scheme for the simultaneous evaluation of two bioassays based on fluorescence spectroscopy is presented. For the determination of hydrogen peroxide-generating enzymes or peroxidases, the non-fluorescent 4-(N-methylhydrazino)-7-nitro-2,1,3-benzooxadiazole (MNBDH) is converted to the strongly fluorescent 4-(N-methylamino)-7-nitro-2,1,3-benzooxadiazole (MNBDA). Phosphatases are detected based on the cleavage of the non-fluorescent 5-fluorosalicyl phosphate (5-FSAP) under formation of the fluorescent 5-fluorosalicylic acid (5-FSA). While excitation of the fluorophores may be carried out at the same wavelength, their emission spectra differ significantly. This allows the read-out of both assays using commercially available microplate readers without additional chemometric tools. Compared with individual assays, limits of detection are similar, and linearity of the calibration functions for both enzymes is observed over 2-3 concentration decades starting at the limit of quantification. The simultaneous determination of glucose oxidase and acid phosphatase in honey is presented as example for the application of the detection scheme.     

Combined first-principles computational and experimental multinuclear solid-state NMR investigation of amino acids

13C, 14N, 15N, 17O, and 35Cl NMR parameters, including chemical shift tensors and quadrupolar tensors for 14N, 17O, and 35Cl, are calculated for the crystalline forms of various amino acids under periodic boundary conditions and complemented by experiment where necessary. The 13C shift tensors and 14N electric field gradient (EFG) tensors are in excellent agreement with experiment. Similarly, static 17O NMR spectra could be precisely simulated using the calculation of the full chemical shift (CS) tensors and their relative orientation with the EFG tensors. This study allows correlations to be found between hydrogen bonding in the crystal structures and the 17O NMR shielding parameters and the 35Cl quadrupolar parameters, respectively. Calculations using the two experimental structures for L-alanine have shown that, while the calculated isotropic chemical shift values of 13C and 15N are relatively insensitive to small differences in the experimental structure, the 17O shift is markedly affected.     

Synthesis of a New Bivalent Hirudin Analog (hirufos), which includes a stable 4′-phosphono-L-phenylalanine mimic of (L-tyrosine O4-sulfate)-63

The synthesis on solid phase of a new derivative of the anticoagulant protein hirudin is described (see Scheme and Fig.1, I ). The henicosapeptide is a bivalent conjugate of the C-terminus of hirudin and of the active-site-binding tetrapeptide D -Phe-Pro-Arg-Pro linked via a tetraglycine spacer. The peptide, for which the name hirufos was coined, incorporates a stable phosphono derivative of L -phenylalanine which, combined with the other structural modifications, leads to a potent anticoagulant agent. Synthesis was readily achieved by the (9H-fluoren-9-yl)-methoxycarbonyl (Fmoc) strategy followed by acidolytic cleavage from the resin and deprotection, including the liberation of the crucial phosphonic group on L -phenylalanine.     

Vibronic effects accelerate the intersystem crossing processes of the through-space charge transfer states in the triptycene bridged acridine–triazine donor–acceptor molecule TpAT-tFFO

Quantum chemical studies employing combined density functional and multireference configuration interaction methods suggest five excited electronic states to be involved in the prompt and delayed fluorescence emission of TpAT-tFFO. Three of them, a pair of singlet and triplet charge transfer (CT) states (S₁ and T₁) and a locally excited (LE) triplet state (T₃), can be associated with the (Me → N) conformer, the other two CT-type states (S₂ and T₂) form the lowest excited singlet and triplet states of the (Me → Ph) conformer. The two conformers, which differ in essence by the shearing angle of the face-to-face aligned donor and acceptor moieties, are easily interconverted in the electronic ground state whereas the reorganization energy is substantial in the excited singlet state, thus explaining the two experimentally observed time constants of prompt fluorescence emission. Forward and reverse intersystem crossing between the singlet and triplet CT states is mediated by vibronic spin–orbit interactions involving the LE T₃ state. Low-frequency vibrational modes altering the distance and alignment of the donor and acceptor π-systems tune the S₁ and T₃ states (likewise S₂ and T₃) into and out of resonance. The enhancement of intersystem crossing due to the interplay of vibronic and spin–orbit coupling is considered a general feature of organic through-space charge-transfer thermally activated delayed fluorescence emitters.

DFT/MRCI quantum chemical studies suggest five excited electronic states to be involved in the prompt and delayed fluorescence emission of TpAT-tFFO.     

Quantification of retinoid concentrations in human serum and brain tumor tissues

Retinoic acid signaling is essential for central nervous system (CNS) differentiation and appears to be impaired in tumors. Thus far, there are no established methods to quantify relevant retinoids (all-trans-retinoic acid, 9-cis-retinoic acid, 13-cis retinoic acid, and retinol) in human brain tumors. We developed a single step extraction and quantification procedure for polar and apolar retinoids in normal tissue, lipid-rich brain tumor tissues, and serum. This quantification procedure is based on high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with diode-array detection (DAD) using all-trans-acitretin as an internal standard and extraction by liquid–liquid partition with ethyl acetate and borate buffer at pH 9. Recovery with this extraction procedure was higher than earlier (two-step) liquid–liquid extraction procedures based on hexane, NaOH, and HCl. The overall quantification procedure was validated according to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines and fulfilled all criteria of accuracy, precision, selectivity, recovery, and stability. The overall method accuracy varied between −5.6% and +5.4% for serum and −3.8% and +6.2% for tissues, and overall precision ranged from 3.1% to 6.9% for serum and 2.1% to 8.3% for tissues (%CV batch-to-batch). The lower limit of quantification for all compounds in tumor tissue (and serum) was 3.9 ng g⁻¹ (ng mL⁻¹). Using this assay, photodegradation of the retinoids was evaluated and endogenous polar and apolar retinoids were quantified in sera and brain tumor tissues of patients and compared with serum and tonsil tissue concentrations of controls. It may thus serve as a suitable method for the characterization of retinoid uptake and metabolism in the respective compartments.     

Computational and experimental analysis of wound healing processes

Wound healing in epidermis is a complex physiological process in which new cells are created to repair the damaged tissue. The timing of cell division and growth mechanisms in wound healing are influenced by biological, mechanical and medical factors. In this work we aim to provide a numerical model based on the observations realised in in-vitro experiments for the understanding of wound healing. (© 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Moisturizing emulsion systems based on the novel long-chain alkyl polyglucoside emulsifier

Mesomorphic behavior of the novel long-chain alkyl polyglucoside emulsifier comprising arachidyl alcohol (C₂₀), behenyl alcohol (C₂₂), and arachidyl glucoside was investigated in order to determine the prevalent stabilization mechanism and moisturizing capacity of emulsion systems based on it. For this to be accomplished thermoanalytical methods (differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis) coupled with microscopy, rheological, X-ray diffraction methods and a short-term in vivo study of skin hydration level were performed. Obtained results have proved that C₂₀/C₂₂ alkyl polyglucoside mixed emulsifier is able to provide the synergism between the two main types of lamellar phases, the liquid-crystalline (Lα), and the gel crystalline (Lβ) one, building the emulsion systems of different stability and performance. Formation of lamellar structures influenced for more than one half of water within the system to be entrapped. Conducted investigation of hydration potential in real-time conditions provided valuable information on the investigated emulsion vehicles’ moisturizing potential as well as their contribution to the skin barrier improvement. Therefore, it could be expected that emulsions based on this alkyl polyglucoside emulsifier could influence the delivery of active ingredients of both the lipophilic and hydrophilic type. The employment of thermoanalytical methods in our work suggests the possibility for thermal methods to be used more frequently in the characterization of both the novel raw materials and the belonging emulsion systems.     

Boronate Ligands in Materials: Determining Their Local Environment by Using a Combination of IR/Solid‐State NMR Spectroscopies and DFT Calculations

Boronic acids (R‐B(OH)₂) are a family of molecules that have found a large number of applications in materials science. In contrast, boronate anions (R‐B(OH)₃^?) have hardly been used so far for the preparation of novel materials. Here, a new crystalline phase involving a boronate ligand is described, Ca[C₄H₉‐B(OH)₃]₂, which is then used as a basis for the establishment of the spectroscopic signatures of boronates in the solid state. The phase was characterized by IR and multinuclear solid‐state NMR spectroscopy (¹H, ¹³C, ¹¹B and ⁴³Ca), and then modeled by periodic DFT calculations. Anharmonic OH vibration frequencies were calculated as well as NMR parameters (by using the Gauge Including Projector Augmented Wave—GIPAW—method). These data allow relationships between the geometry around the OH groups in boronates and the IR and ¹H NMR spectroscopic data to be established, which will be key to the future interpretation of the spectra of more complex organic–inorganic materials containing boronate building blocks.