Characterization of the structure of human skin substitutes by infrared microspectroscopy

The skin acts mainly as a protective barrier from the external environment, thanks to the stratum corneum which is the outermost layer of the skin. As in vitro tests on skin are essential to elaborate new drugs, the development of skin models closer to reality becomes essential. It is now possible to produce in vitro human skin substitutes through tissue engineering by using the self-assembly method developed by the Laboratoire d’Organogénèse Expérimentale. In the present work, infrared microspectroscopy imaging analyses were performed to get in-depth morpho-spectral characterization of the three characteristic layers of human skin substitutes and normal human skin, namely the stratum corneum, living epidermis, and dermis. An infrared spectral analysis of the skin is a powerful tool to gain information on the order and conformation of the lipid chains and the secondary structure of proteins. On one hand, the symmetric stretching mode of the lipid methylene groups (2,850 cm^?1) is sensitive to the acyl chain conformational order. The evolution profile of the frequency of this vibrational mode throughout the epidermis suggests that lipids in the stratum corneum are more ordered than those in the living epidermis. On the other hand, the frequencies of the infrared components underneath the envelop of the amide I band provide information about the overall protein conformation. The analysis of this mode establishes that the proteins essentially adopt an α-helix conformation in the epidermis, probably associated with the presence of keratin, while modifications of the protein content are observed in the dermis (extracellular matrix made of collagen). Finally, the lipid organization, as well as the protein composition in the different layers, is similar for human skin substitutes and normal human skin, confirming that the substitutes reproduce essential features of real skin and are appropriate biomimetics.     

Design and synthesis of new C-nucleosides as potential adenosine deaminase inhibitors

A number of new pyrazolo[3,4-c] and [4,3-b]pyridine C-nucleosides, which can be viewed as 4- or 6-deazaformycin analogues were synthesized and examined as potential adenosine deaminase (ADA) inhibitors. The compounds were prepared through the condensation of a suitably substituted, lithiated 2- or 4-methylpyridine with tri-O-benzyl-d-ribonolactone, followed by borohydride reduction of the resulting hemiacetals, intramolecular Mitsunobu cyclisation of the derived diols, formation of the pyrazolopyridine ring system and subsequent removal of the protecting groups. These derivatives were designed on the structural basis provided by docking simulations performed within the enzyme catalytic site, however they demonstrated weak ADA inhibitory activity. Theoretical calculations assisted in the interpretation of the obtained biological data, thus providing guidance for rational structural modifications within this molecular scaffold.     

Energy transfer between conjugated polyelectrolytes in layer-by-layer assembled films

We present a study of Fo?rster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between two emissive conjugated polyelectrolytes (CPEs) in layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembled films as a means of examining their organization and architecture. The two CPEs are a carboxylic acid functionalized polyfluorene (PFl-CO(2)) and thienylene linked poly(phenylene ethynylene) (PPE-Th-CO(2)). The PFl-CO(2) presents a maximum emission at 418 nm, while the PPE-Th-CO(2) has an absorption λ(max) centered at 431 nm, in sufficient proximity for effective FRET. Several LbL films have been constructed using varied concentrations of the deposition solutions and identity of the buffer layers separating the two emissive layers, using a system of either weak polyelectrolytes, poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH)/poly(sodium methacrylate) (PMA), or strong polyelectrolytes, poly(diallylammonium chloride) (PDDA)/poly(styrene sulfonate) sodium (PSS). The efficiency of FRET has been monitored using fluorescence spectroscopy. Initially, the fluorescence of the PFl-CO(2) (E(g) ～ 3.0 eV), which emits at 420 nm, is quenched by the lower band gap PPE-Th-CO(2) (E(g) ～ 2.5 eV). For films using the PAH/PMA system as buffer bilayers and deposited from 1 mM solutions, the PFl-CO(2) fluorescence is progressively recovered as the number of intervening buffer bilayers is increased. Ellipsometry measurements indicate that energy transfer between the two emissive layers is efficient to a distance of ca. 7 nm.     

Supported lipid bilayers at skeletonized surfaces for the study of transmembrane proteins

Skeletonized zirconium phosphonate surfaces are used to support planar lipid bilayers and are shown to be viable substrates for studying transmembrane proteins. The skeletonized surfaces provide space between the bilayer and the solid support to enable protein insertion and avoid denaturation. The skeletonized zirconium octadecylphosphonate surfaces were prepared using Langmuir-Blodgett techniques by mixing octadecanol with octadecylphosphonic acid. After zirconation of the transferred monolayer, rinsing the coating with organic solvent removes the octadecanol, leaving holes in the film ranging from ～50 to ～500 nm in diameter, depending on the octadecanol content. Upon subsequent deposition of a lipid bilayer, either by vesicle fusion or by Langmuir-Blodgett/Langmuir-Schaefer techniques, the lipid assemblies span the holes providing reservoirs beneath the bilayer. The viability of the supported bilayers as model membranes for transmembrane proteins was demonstrated by examining two approaches for incorporating the proteins. The BK channel protein inserts directly into a preformed bilayer on the skeletonized surface, in contrast to a bilayer on a nonskeletonized film, for which the protein associates only weakly. As a second approach, the integrin α(5)β(1) was reconstituted in lipid vesicles, and its inclusion in supported bilayers on the skeletonized surface was achieved by vesicle fusion. The integrin retains its ability to recognize the extracellular matrix protein fibronectin when supported on the skeletonized film, again in contrast to the response if the bilayer is supported on a nonskeletonized film.     

Microwave-mediated synthesis and manipulation of a 2-substituted-5-aminooxazole-4-carbonitrile library

A 2-substituted-5-aminooxazole-4-carbonitrile library has been synthesised and modified via microwave-mediated and flow chemistries. One synthesised compound, 5-(1H-pyrrol-1-yl)-4-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)-2-(thien-2-yl)oxazole, contains three distinct heterocycles attached to the central oxazole core, highlighting the structural diversity of this approach. Three oxazoles had micromolar k_i values against cannabinoid (CB1/CB2) receptors.     

Convergence de l'estimateur spline cubique de lissage dans un modèle de régression longitudinale avec erreur de type processus

This Note deals with the estimation of a smooth regression function by natural cubic splines. A convergence rate is obtained for the estimate's mean discretized and integrated squared error (MDSE and MISE) with random process noise in the data. To cite this article: D. Degras, R. Jallet, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 340 (2005).     

Non-quadratic Kelvin modes based plasticity criteria for anisotropic materials

Novel (non-quadratic) plasticity criteria based on Kelvin modes are formulated here for anisotropic materials. As an example, such a macroscopic criterion is applied with success to the case of FCC nickel-base single crystals. Indeed, relying on the cubic symmetry of the material, the Kelvin decomposition of elasticity tensor easily allows for the definition of an objective and loading independent criterion. The criterion identification is performed from different loading cases for CMSX2 single crystal superalloy. Tension-torsion yield surfaces at room temperature and yield stress dependence on crystal orientation are modeled. The Kelvin modes based criterion is compared to experimental data, to Hill and Barlat and coworkers macroscopic criteria and to Schmid law predictions. The results show that a simple three-parameter yield function built thanks to von Mises equivalent Kelvin stresses accounts for a satisfying plasticity criterion for such alloys.Non-quadratic norm ∥·∥_a plasticity framework is addressed. Intrinsic generalizations of Hershey-Hosford criterion are proposed for cubic material symmetry.     

Microwave-assisted Pd/Cu-catalyzed C-8 direct alkenylation of purines and related azoles: an alternative access to 6,8,9-trisubstituted purines

An efficient microwave-assisted palladium/copper comediated C-8 direct alkenylation of purines with styryl bromides has been developed. The method is regioselective, functional group tolerant, rapid, and compatible with other related azoles. Combined with subsequent nucleophilic substitution, it provides an easy access to new 6,8,9-trisubstituted purines.     

Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory, and Anti-senescence Activities of a Phlorotannin-Rich Natural Extract from Brown Seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum

Aging at the cellular level is characterized by oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell senescence. An extract of the brown seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum rich in phlorotannins has been studied for its inhibitory activity against oxidative stress, inflammation, and senescence. A. nodosum extract at 0.2?% prevented tBHP-induced reactive oxygen species production (evaluated using the H2DCF-DA test in cytofluorometry) in epithelial cells and LPS-induced TNF-?? and IL-6 release (evaluated using ELISA technique) in macrophages. A. nodosum extract also increased nuclear SIRT1 activity in epithelial cells. Altogether, these beneficial cellular effects of phlorotannin-rich A. nodosum extract could be used in topical therapeutic formulations against aging.