Chemistry of the neopolyoxins,pyrimidine and imidazoline nucleoside peptide antibiotics

New chitin synthetase inhibitors, neopolyoxins A, B, and C were isolated from the culture filtrate of Streptomyces cacaoi subsp. asoensis. Their absolute structures have been established on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidence. They are structural analogs of the polyoxins. As a nucleobase, neopolyoxin C possesses uracil, while neopolyoxins A and B contain the imidazoline moiety. A ring contraction reaction of pyrimidine nucleoside into imidazoline nucleoside played a key role in the structure determination of the nucleoside moiety. A similar transformation was suggested for the biosynthesis of neopolyoxins A and B.     

Solubilization of C60 by micellization with a thermoresponsive block copolymer in water: Characterization,singlet oxygen generation,and DNA photocleavage

Water‐soluble diblock copolymer, poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide)‐block‐poly(N‐vinyl‐2‐pyrroridone) (PNIPAM_m‐b‐PNVP_n), was found to associate with fullerene (C₆₀), and thus C₆₀ can be solubilized in water. The 63C₆₀/PNIPAM_m‐b‐PNVP_n micelle formed a core‐shell micelle‐like aggregate comprising a C₆₀/PNVP hydrophobic core and a thermoresponsive PNIPAM shell. The C₆₀‐containing polymer micelle formation and its thermoresponsive behavior were characterized using light scattering and ¹H NMR techniques. The hydrodynamic radius (R_h) of the C₆₀‐bound polymer micelle increased with increasing temperature, which was ascribed to the hydrophobic association between dehydrated PNIPAM shells above lower critical solution temperature (LCST). ¹H NMR data suggest that the motion of the PNIPAM block is restricted above LCST due to the dehydration of the PNIPAM shell in water. The generation of singlet oxygen by photosensitization by the C₆₀‐bound polymer micelle was confirmed from photooxidation of 9,10‐anthracenedipropionic acid. Furthermore, DNA was found to be cleaved by visible light irradiation in the presence of the C₆₀‐bound polymer micelle. Therefore, there may be a hope for a pharmaceutical application of the C₆₀‐bound polymer micelle to cancer photodynamic therapy. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011.     

Validated method using liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry for the determination of contamination of the exterior surface of vials containing platinum anticancer drugs

Contamination of the exterior surface of vials of cytostatic drugs by the drugs themselves is a potential hazard to human health. This study developed a validated method using liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) for the determination of contamination of the exteriors of vials of cisplatin and carboplatin. Large Alpha^® sampling swabs were employed to wipe the vial exterior. Cisplatin or carboplatin and gold(III) as an internal standard were derivatized by N,N-diethyldithiocarbamate (DDTC). Pt(DDTC)₃⁺ and Au(DDTC)₂⁺ were monitored by the respective transitions of m/z 639.3-490.9 and 493.0-345.0, respectively. Each separation was completed within 9 min using a 3 μm particle ODS-column. Calibration curves for cisplatin and carboplatin were linear over concentration ranges of 30-10,000 and 30-30,000 pg vial⁻¹, respectively. The accuracies and precisions were 96.1-102.5% and within 8.2% for intra-assay and 99.6-103.3% and within 7.6% for inter-assay, respectively. Their lower limit of quantification was 30 pg vial⁻¹. Amounts of 0.17-17.0 ng vial⁻¹ as cisplatin and 0.48-794 ng vial⁻¹ as carboplatin were detected from the exterior surface of the vials. This validated method using LC-ESI-MS/MS for the determination of platinum anticancer drugs is helpful for monitoring contamination of the exterior surface of drug vials.     

Self-modeling curve resolution (SMCR) analysis of near-infrared (NIR) imaging data of pharmaceutical tablets

The idea of quality by design (QbD) has been proposed in pharmaceutical field. QbD is a systematic approach to control the product performance based on the scientific understanding of the product quality and its manufacturing process. In the present study, near-infrared (NIR) imaging is utilized as a tool to achieve this concept. A practical use of a chemometrics technique called self-modeling curve resolution (SMCR) is demonstrated with NIR imaging analysis of pharmaceutical tablets containing two ingredients, a soluble active ingredient, pentoxifylline (PTX), and an insoluble excipient, palmitic acid. Concentration profiles obtained by SMCR reveal that the homogenous distribution of chemical ingredients strongly depends on the grinding time and that its process plays a central role in quantitative control, say sustained-release of PTX. In addition, pure component spectra by SMCR indicate a sequential change of specific NIR peak intensities following the increase of the grinding time. The spectra change shows a molecular structure change related to its crystallinity during grinding process. Accordingly, this study clearly demonstrates that NIR imaging combined with SMCR can be a powerful tool to reveal chemical or physical mechanism induced by the manufacturing process of pharmaceutical products and that it may be a solid solution for QbD of pharmaceutical products.     

Structure and reactivity of a novel parallel thiosulfito (SSO2-S:S') rhodium dinuclear complex

The parallel thiosulfite ligand (SSO2) in a rhodium complex, which is formed by oxygenation of a bridging disulfide, is converted to a bridging hydrocarbyl thiolate ligand and sulfur dioxide gas by the reaction with hydrocarbyl halides.     

Synthesis and development of biologically active fluorescent-labeled vitamin K analogues and monitoring of their subcellular distribution

New fluorescent analogues of menaquinone-4 and phylloquinone were prepared and their subcellular distribution monitored using a confocal laser scanning microscope. These analogues incorporate an FITC group anchored to the naphthoquinone skeleton through an amide bond expected to be resistant to metabolism. On their addition to the culture medium, fluorescence was readily observed inside a human osteosarcoma cell line. This result indicates that the fluorescent analogues penetrate into cells the same as vitamin K, and therefore, would be useful for achieving insight into the action mechanism of vitamin K.     

An analytical method for irinotecan (CPT-11) and its metabolites using a high-performance liquid chromatography: parallel detection with fluorescence and mass spectrometry

Irinotecan or 7-ethyl-10-[4-(1-piperidino)-1-piperidino]carbonyloxycamptothecin (CPT-11) is an anticancer pro-drug used in the treatment of many types of cancer. We describe here the validation of an analytical method for CPT-11 and its metabolites, including an active metabolite, 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin (SN-38), its glucuronidated form, SN-38G, and several cytochrome P450 3A-mediated products such as 7-ethyl-10-[4-N-(5-aminopentanoic acid)-1-piperidino]carbonyloxycamptothecin (APC) using a high-performance liquid chromatography connected to parallel fluorescence and mass spectrometry detection systems. This method is characterized as follows: (1) simple extraction of the analytes from biomaterials with perchloric acid/methanol; (2) sensitive quantitation of major metabolites (SN-38G, SN-38 and APC) with a fluorescence detector (FLD), where the limits of quantitation by FLD were 2.5 ng/mL for SN-38G and APC, 5 ng/mL for CPT-11 and 1 ng/mL for SN-38, respectively; (3) parallel selective monitoring of the metabolites including minor metabolites with a mass selected detector (MSD). There was no observed interference by other drugs expected to be co-administered. This method showed its usefulness by identifying a novel metabolite produced in human hepatic microsomes. The results indicate that this combination of FLD and MSD enables a highly selective analysis of CPT-11 and its metabolites, and is useful for studies both in vivo and in vitro.