Cannabis-Derived Compounds Cannabichromene and Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Interact and Exhibit Cytotoxic Activity against Urothelial Cell Carcinoma Correlated with Inhibition of Cell Migration and Cytoskeleton Organization

Cannabis sativa contains more than 500 constituents, yet the anticancer properties of the vast majority of cannabis compounds remains unknown. We aimed to identify cannabis compounds and their combinations presenting cytotoxicity against bladder urothelial carcinoma (UC), the most common urinary system cancer. An XTT assay was used to determine cytotoxic activity of C. sativa extracts on T24 and HBT-9 cell lines. Extract chemical content was identified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) was used to determine apoptosis and cell cycle, using stained F-actin and nuclei. Scratch and transwell assays were used to determine cell migration and invasion, respectively. Gene expression was determined by quantitative Polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The most active decarboxylated extract fraction (F7) of high-cannabidiol (CBD) C. sativa was found to contain cannabichromene (CBC) and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Synergistic interaction was demonstrated between CBC + THC whereas cannabinoid receptor (CB) type 1 and type 2 inverse agonists reduced cytotoxic activity. Treatments with CBC + THC or CBD led to cell cycle arrest and cell apoptosis. CBC + THC or CBD treatments inhibited cell migration and affected F-actin integrity. Identification of active plant ingredients (API) from cannabis that induce apoptosis and affect cell migration in UC cell lines forms a basis for pre-clinical trials for UC treatment.     

Cation-binding to biomolecules

Ab initio SCF MO computations are performed on the binding of the Na⁺ ion to the purine and pyrimidine bases of the nucleic acids. The results are compared in particular with those of previous studies on proton affinities. The computations indicate two principal differences between these two types of interactions: 1) the increased significance in cation binding of the individual oxygen binding sites in bases containing both oxygen and nitrogen; 2) the appearance in cytosine and guanine of bridged positions between a nitrogen and a carbonyl oxygen as the preferred binding sites. The theoretical results are compared with the available experimental data. Their general significance for cation binding is discussed.     

Flow pattern characterization in two phase flow by electrical conductance probe

An improved system of conductance probes is used to identify the flow patterns in two phase horizontal, near horizontal and upward flows. The results show that this system is very well suited to distinguish among flow patterns consistent with visual observations.     

A film model for the prediction of flooding and flow reversal for gas-liquid flow in vertical tubes

A model is presented which demonstrates that the process of flooding and flow reversal can be explained on the basis of a film mechanism. The model predicts well the gas flow rate at which flooding and flow reversal begins and ends for a given liquid flow rate and the presence of a hysteresis loop between flooding and flow reversal. The predictions of the theory are in satisfactory agreement with experimental flooding data.     

On searching neighbors in computer simulations of macromolecular systems

Various algorithms for evaluating nonbonded interactions in molecular dynamics (MD ) simulations of macromolecular systems are considered, and a combination of two techniques using a space grid for finding neighbor atoms is proposed. The application of grid search techniques to nonrectangular periodic systems is discussed. Finally, the computing time required by different algorithms is compared on a Cray-1 vector processing computer as well as on a CDC Cyber 170/760 sequential computer. Neighbor list techniques turn out to be faster than the grid search techniques for the systems considered here. However, storage requirements may exclude the use of neighbor list techniques for large systems. Finally, MD of complex macromolecular systems turned out to be about 4–14 times faster on a Cray-1 than on a Cyber 170/760.     

Facile acetal dynamic combinatorial library

We herein report our first results on the use of simple acetalation chemistry in the service of dynamic combinatorial libraries (DCLs); the reaction between triethylene glycol and 4-nitrobenzaldehyde afforded a DCL of more than 15 cyclic and acyclic species; all of which were separated and characterized; the smaller macrocyclic compounds were successfully amplified by the use of ammonium ions.     

Hydration scheme of uracil and cytosine

The comparison of a pure electrostatic approximation and complete supermolecule SCF ab initio computations on the hydration scheme of uracil and cytosine shows that the electrostatic procedure is capable to reproduce the general aspects of the results of the supermolecule treatment provided that different distances of shortest approach be adopted for the distances between the oxygen of water and the nitrogen of NH₂ or NH groups or the oxygen of C-O groups on the one hand and the oxygen of water and pyridine-type nitrogens on the other hand.     

Capillary-channeled polymer fibers as stationary phases in liquid chromatography separations

A method utilizing capillary-channeled polymer (C-CP) fibers as stationary phases in high-performance liquid chromatographic separations has been investigated. Polymeric fibers of differing backbones (polypropylene and polyester) having nominal diameters of approximately 50 and approximately 35 microm and a channeled structure on their periphery were packed into stainless steel tubing (305 x 4.6 mm I.D.) for use in reversed-phase separations of various mixtures. The fibers have eight channels running continuously along the axis which exhibit very high surface activity. As such, solvent transport is affected through the channels through wicking action. Bundles of 1000-3000 fibers are loaded co-linearly into the tubing, providing flow channels extending the entire length of the columns. As a result, backing pressures are significantly lowered (approximately 50% reduction) in comparison to packed-sphere columns. In addition, the capital costs of the fiber material (< US$0.25 per column) are very attractive. Flow-rates of up to 5 ml/min can be used to achieve near baseline separation of related compounds in reasonable run times, indicating very fast mobile phase mass transfer (C-terms). The polymer stationary phases demonstrate high selectivity for a wide variety of analytes with gradient elution employed successfully in many instances. Specifically, separations of three polyaromatic hydrocarbons (benzo[a]pyrene, chrysene, pyrene), mixtures of both organic and inorganic lead compounds [chlorotriethyllead, chlorotriphenyllead, lead nitrate, lead(II) phthalocyanine], and a lipid standard of triglycerides were accomplished on the polymeric stationary phases. Other species of biological interest, including groups of aliphatic and aromatic amino acids have also been effectively separated. The reversed-phase nature of the fiber surfaces is supported through atomic force microscopy measurements using hydrophilic and hydrophobic functionalized polystyrene beads as the probe tips. Separations of the various analytes demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing C-CP fibers as stationary phases in reversed-phase LC. It is envisioned that columns of this nature would be particularly useful in prep-scale separations as well as for immobilization matrices for organic constituents in aqueous environments.     

Molecular orbital calculations on the conformation of nucleic acids and their constituents

The conformational properties of the furanose ring of purine- and pyrimidine--nucleosides and-nucleotides are studied quantum-mechanically with the help of the PCILO method, using the pseudorotational concept. The computations point to the existence of two stable conformational zones centered around the C(3)-endo and C(2)-endo conformations which in the isolated furanose ring are separated by barriers of the order of 4 kcal/mole. In nucleosides one of the barriers (the one running through the O(1)-exo-C(2)-exo path) becomes very high. A detailed study is made of the relation between the phase angle of pseudorotation, P, and the torsion angle about the glycosyl bond, _CN. A very satisfactory agreement with the available experimental data is observed.

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Zusammenfassung Die Konformationseigenschaften des Furanoserings in -Nucleosiden und Nucleotiden von Purin und Pyrimidin werden nach der PCILO-Methode unter Berücksichtigung der pseudorotatorischen Betrachtungsweise studiert. Die Rechnung läßt auf die Existenz zweier stabiler Konformationszonen schließen, die in der Umgebung der C(2)-endo und der C(3)-endo Konformationen liegen, und die im isolierten Furanosering durch Energiebarrieren der Größenordnung von 4 kcal/mol voneinander getrennt sind. In Nucleosiden wird eine der Barrieren (die durch den Weg O(1)-exo-C(2)-exo gekennzeichnete) sehr hoch. Die Relation zwischen dem Phasenwinkel der Pseudorotation, P, und dem Drehwinkel um die Glycosylbindung, _CN, wird einer eingehenden Untersuchung unterworfen. Man beobachtet eine sehr zufriedenstellende Übereinstimmung mit den verfügbaren experimentellen Daten.

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Résumé Les propriétés conformationnelles du noyau furanose des -nucleosides et nucleotides des purines et pyrimidines sont étudiées par la méthode PCILO en faisant appel au concept de la pseudorotation. Les calculs indiquent l'existence de deux zones de conformations stables, centrées autour des conformations C(2)-endo et C(3)-endo, qui sont dans le sucre isolé séparées par des barrières de l'ordre de 4 kcal/mole. Dans les nucleosides, l'une de ces barrières (celle qui passe par le chemin O(1)-exo-C(2)-exo) devient très élevée. Une étude détaillée est effectuée sur la relation entre l'angle de phase de la pseudorotation P et l'angle de torsion autour de la liaison glycosylique, _CN. Un excellent accord avec les données expérimentales disponibles est observé.

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This research was supported by the R.C.P. 173 and the A.T.P. A 655-2303 of the C.N.R.S.     

Molecular orbital calculations on the conformation of polypeptides and proteins

The conformational energy maps are computed for the lysyl and the arginyl residues with the help of the quantum-mechanical method PCILO. Because of the relatively very large number of the possible combinations of the side chain rotational angles, sub-maps are constructed only for the most common such combinations as indicated from the X-rays study of ten globular proteins. These submaps are then combined for the construction of the general conformational energy map. The comparison of the theoretically allowed and experimentally observed values of backbone dihedral angles and for the lysyl and arginyl residues in the globular proteins indicates a very satisfactory agreement among the two. These results confirm that the contour of the stable zone on the conformational energy map depends primarily on ¹ but indicate also that its fine structure is sensitive to the remaining 's in particular to ².

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Zusammenfassung Diagramme der Konformationsenergie werden für den Lysyl- sowie den Arginylrest mit Hilfe der quantenmechanischen PCILO-Methode berechnet. Wegen der großen Zahl möglicher Kombinationen der Rotationswinkel der Seitenketten werden Teildiagramme nur für die wichtigsten derartigen Kombinationen, die bei Untersuchungen nach der Röntgenstrahlmethode an zehn globulären Proteinen gefunden wurden, konstruiert. Diese Teildiagramme werden dann zum Gesamtdiagramm der Konformationsenergie kombiniert. Die Übereinstimmung zwischen experimentellen und theoretisch erlaubten Winkeln und der Hauptkette und den Lysyl- und Arginylresten ist sehr zufriedenstellend. Diese Ergebnisse bestätigen, daß der stabile Bereich des Diagramms der Konformationsenergie hauptsächlich von ¹ abhängt; sie zeigen aber auch, daß seine genaue Struktur von den übrigen -Werten beeinflußt wird, insbesondere von ².

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Résumé Les cartes d'énergie conformationelle des résidus lysyle et arginyle sont construites à l'aide de la méthode PCILO de la Chimie Quantique. A cause du nombre très élevé des combinaisons possibles des angles rotationnels de la chaîne latérale, des sous-cartes sont construites pour les plus fréquentes seulement de ces combinaisons (selon les indications de l'étude aux rayons X de dix protéines globulaires). Ces sous-cartes sont ensuite combinées pour la construction de la carte générale d'énergie conformationnelle. La comparaison des valeurs théoriques et expérimentales des angles et de la chaîne principale pour les résidus lysyle et arginyle des protéines indique un accord très satisfaisant entre les deux. Ces résultats confirment que le contour de la zone stable sur la carte d'énergie conformationnelle est déterminé principalement par la valeur de ₁ mais indiquent aussi que la structure fine de cette zone est sensible aux valeurs des supérieurs, en particulier de ².

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This work was supported by grant n 67-00-532 of the Délégation Générale à la Recherche Scientifique et Technique (Comité de Biologie Moléculaire).