Azasugar inhibitors as pharmacological chaperones for Krabbe disease

Krabbe disease is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder characterized by rapid demyelination of nerve fibers. This disease is caused by defects in the lysosomal enzyme β-galactocerebrosidase (GALC), which hydrolyzes the terminal galactose from glycosphingolipids. These lipids are essential components of eukaryotic cell membranes: substrates of GALC include galactocerebroside, the primary lipid component of myelin, and psychosine, a cytotoxic metabolite. Mutations of GALC that cause misfolding of the protein may be responsive to pharmacological chaperone therapy (PCT), whereby small molecules are used to stabilize these mutant proteins, thus correcting trafficking defects and increasing residual catabolic activity in cells. Here we describe a new approach for the synthesis of galacto-configured azasugars and the characterization of their interaction with GALC using biophysical, biochemical and crystallographic methods. We identify that the global stabilization of GALC conferred by azasugar derivatives, measured by fluorescence-based thermal shift assays, is directly related to their binding affinity, measured by enzyme inhibition. X-ray crystal structures of these molecules bound in the GALC active site reveal which residues participate in stabilizing interactions, show how potency is achieved and illustrate the penalties of aza/iminosugar ring distortion. The structure–activity relationships described here identify the key physical properties required of pharmacological chaperones for Krabbe disease and highlight the potential of azasugars as stabilizing agents for future enzyme replacement therapies. This work lays the foundation for new drug-based treatments of Krabbe disease.     

Intramolecular cyclization of acyl radicals onto the azido group: a new radical approach to cyclized lactams

[reaction: see text] Aryl- and alkyl-derived azidoacyl radicals, generated from thiolesters by intramolecular homolytic substitution at the sulfur, can undergo five- and six-membered cyclization onto the azido moiety to give cyclized lactams.     

Derivatisation for liquid chromatography/electrospray mass spectrometry: synthesis of pyridinium compounds and their amine and carboxylic acid derivatives

A simple method has been developed for the pre-column derivatisation of low molecular weight primary and secondary amines and carboxylic acids using quaternary nitrogen compounds to enhance their detection by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS). The synthesis of seven novel quaternary nitrogen reagents is described. The derivatives are designed to be relatively small molecules to avoid some of the steric hindrance problems that may be associated with larger derivatisation reagents. The compounds have amine and carboxylic acid functional groups with which to derivatise carboxylic acids and amines, respectively. Two of the compounds contain a bromine atom in order to assess the advantages of a bromine isotope pattern in the mass spectra. This acts as a simple marker for derivatisation and enables data processing by cluster analysis.Activation of the carboxylic acid group was achieved by the use of either 1-chloro-4-methylpyridinium iodide (CMPI) or the more reactive 1-fluoro-4-methylpyridinium p-toluenesulphonate (FMP).1 Using both of these active reagents, the degree of nucleophilic substitution was investigated for the derivatisation of a variety of small molecules. Whilst giving some increase in the ESI-MS response for the derivatised compounds, the FMP itself acted as a derivatising reagent in a competing reaction. In the light of this finding, FMP was reacted with the test compounds separately and gave positive results as a derivatising reagent. Detection of the 'pre-charged' derivatives of amines and carboxylic acids by LC/ESI-MS was investigated with respect to their ESI response and chromatography.     

Simple tricyclohexylphosphine-palladium complexes as efficient catalysts for the Stille coupling of deactivated aryl chlorides

Simple, inexpensive tricyclohexylphosphine adducts of palladium show the highest activity yet observed in the Stille coupling of non-activated and deactivated aryl chlorides.     

FT-Raman spectroscopy of lichens on dolomitic rocks: an assessment of metal oxalate formation

The FT-Raman spectra of five epilithic lichen taxa growing on dolomite and magnesium-rich carbonate rocks have been analysed and interpreted for the key molecular marker bands associated with calcium oxalate monohydrate (whewellite), calcium oxalate dihydrate (weddelite) and magnesium oxalate dihydrate. From the results, it can be concluded that the biomineral product of lichen biodeterioration involves the calcareous part of the substratum only; no trace of magnesium oxalate has been found in the Raman spectra. Two of the species, Lecanora sulfurea and Aspicilia calcarea, produce calcium oxalate monohydrate exclusively, but Dirina massiliensis f. sorediata, D. massiliensis f. massiliensis and Tephromela atra produce significant quantities of the dihydrate. An explanation is advanced for the exclusive accumulation of calcium oxalate into the lichen thallus despite the significant presence of magnesium ions.     

Hydrophobic Molecular Similarity from MST Fractional Contributions to the Octanol/water Partition Coefficient

Summary The use of a recently proposed hydrophobic similarity index for the alignment of molecules and the prediction of their differences in biological activity is described. The hydrophobic similarity index exploits atomic contributions to the octanol/water transfer free energy, which are evaluated by means of the fractional partitioning scheme developed within the framework of the Miertus-Scrocco-Tomasi continuum model. Those contributions are used to define global and local measures of hydrophobic similarity. The suitability of this computational strategy is examined for two series of compounds (ACAT inhibitors and 5-HT₃ receptor agonists), which are aligned to maximize the global hydrophobic similarity using a Monte Carlo-simulated protocol. Indeed, the concept of local hydrophobic similarity is used to explore structure–activity relationships in a series of COX-2 inhibitors. Inspection of the 3D distribution of hydrophobic/hydrophilic contributions in the aligned molecules is valuable to identify regions of very similar hydrophobicity, which can define pharmacophoric recognition patterns. Moreover, low similar regions permit to identify structural elements that modulate the differences in activity between molecules. Finally, the quantitative relationships found between the pharmacological activity and the hydrophobic similarity index points out that not only the global hydrophobicity, but its 3D distribution, is important to gain insight into the activity of molecules. J.M.M. and S.P. have contributed equally to this study.