Development and validation of a sensitive liquid‐chromatography tandem mass spectrometry assay for mycophenolic acid and metabolites in HepaRG cell culture: Characterization of metabolism interactions between p‐cresol and mycophenolic acid

Mycophenolic acid (MPA), a frequently used immunosuppressant, exhibits large inter‐patient pharmacokinetic variability. This study (a) developed and validated a sensitive liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) assay for MPA and metabolites [MPA glucuronide (MPAG) and acyl‐glucuronide (AcMPAG)] in the culture medium of HepaRG cells; and (b) characterized the metabolism interaction between MPA and p‐cresol (a common uremic toxin) in this in vitro model as a potential mechanism of pharmacokinetic variability. Chromatographic separation was achieved with a C₁₈ column (4.6 × 250 mm,5 μm) using a gradient elution with water and methanol (with 0.1% formic acid and 2 mm ammonium acetate). A dual ion source ionization mode with positive multiple reaction monitoring was utilized. Multiple reaction monitoring mass transitions (m/z) were: MPA (320.95 → 207.05), MPAG (514.10 → 303.20) and AcMPAG (514.10 → 207.05). MPA‐d₃ (323.95 → 210.15) and MPAG‐d₃ (517.00 → 306.10) were utilized as internal standards. The calibration curves were linear from 0.00467 to 3.2 μg/mL for MPA/MPAG and from 0.00467 to 0.1 μg/mL for AcMPAG. The assay was validated based on industry standards. p‐Cresol inhibited MPA glucuronidation (IC₅₀ ≈ 55 μm ) and increased MPA concentration (up to >2‐fold) at physiologically relevant substrate‐inhibitor concentrations (n = 3). Our findings suggested that fluctuations in p‐cresol concentrations might be in part responsible for the large pharmacokinetic variability observed for MPA in the clinic.     

Superlinear (p(z), q(z))-equations

We consider Dirichlet boundary value problems for equations involving the (p(z), q(z))-Laplacian operator in the principal part and prove the existence of one and three nontrivial weak solutions, respectively. Here, the nonlinearity in the reaction term is allowed to depend on the solution, but does not satisfy the Ambrosetti–Rabinowitz condition. The hypotheses on the reaction term ensure that the Euler–Lagrange functional, associated to the problem, satisfies both the pan class="NLM_disp-formula-image inline-formula">pt>pe":"image","src":"/na101/home/literatum/publisher/tandf/journals/content/gcov20/2019/gcov20.v064.i01/17476933.2017.1409743/20181207/images/gcov_a_1409743_ilm0001.gif"} />pt>p;quot;type" : "image", "src" : "/na101/home/literatum/publisher/tandf/journals/content/gcov20/2019/gcov20.v064.i01/17476933.2017.1409743/20181207/images/gcov_a_1409743_ilm0001.gif"}" />pan class="no-mml-formula">pan>pan>-condition and a mountain pass geometry.     

Highly sensitive and selective detect of p‐arsanilic acid with a new water‐stable europium metal–organic framework

The p‐arsanilic acid (p‐ASA), as an aromatic organoarsenic compounds, had received considerable concerns for their potential toxicity and carcinogenic properties. It was essential to detect p‐ASA with a facile method. In this paper, an europium based fluorescent metal–organic framework (MOF) [Eu₂(clhex)·2H₂O)]·H₂O ( BUC‐69 ) was successfully prepared under hydrothermal conditions with 1,2,3,4,5,6‐cyclohexanehexacarboxylic acid (H₆clhex) as organic linker. BUC‐69 displayed superior fluorescence capability to achieve selective and sensitive detection toward p‐ASA in water, which presented the first example of a MOF‐based sensor to detect p‐ASA. BUC‐69 showed excellent chemical stability in solutions under pH ranging from 4 to 12, which makes it be a potential sensor both in acidity and alkalinity condition. Significantly, BUC‐69 performed well in fluorescent sensing of p‐ASA at a low concentration (10p>?6p> M) in the simulated wastewater prepared with real lake water, and the results were comparable to the values detected by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP‐OES). The corresponding mechanism of fluorescent sensing toward p‐ASA with BUC‐69 was proposed and affirmed.     

Biological and catalytic evaluation of Ru(II)‐p‐cymene complexes of Schiff base ligands: Impact of ligand appended moiety on photo‐induced DNA and protein cleavage,cytotoxicity and C‐H activation

Two organometallic Ru(II)‐p‐cymene complexes of the type [Ru(ηp>6p>‐p‐cymene)(L)Cl]PF₆ 1 and 2 , where L is N,N‐bis(4‐isopropylbenzylidene)ethane‐1,2‐diamine (bien, L1 ) or N,N‐bis (pyren‐2‐ylmethylene)ethane‐1,2‐diamine (bpen, L2 ) have been prepared and characterized well. Because of appended pyrenyl groups in coordinated bpen ligand, the complex 2 exhibits higher DNA and protein binding than complex 1 in which isopropylbenzyl groups are incorporated. Interestingly, the luminescent characteristic complex 2 is unique in displaying DNA cleavage after light activation by UVA light at 365 nm through oxygen dependent mechanism. AFM analysis attests the photo‐induced DNA fragmentation ability of complex 2 . Also, the complex 2 cleaves the protein after light exposure in a non‐specific manner suggesting that it can act as a protein photo cleaving agent. In contrast to the trend of DNA and protein interaction of complexes, the complex 1 exhibits cytotoxic activity against human breast carcinoma ( MCF‐7 ) and liver carcinoma ( HepG2 ) with potency higher than that of complex 2 due to enhanced hydrophobicity of isopropyl groups present in p‐cymene and bien ligands. Indeed, complex 2 is inactive against MCF‐7 and HepG2 cancer cell lines even up to 200 μM concentration. The AO/EB staining assay reveals that the complex 1 is able to induce late apoptotic mode of cell death in breast cancer cells, which is further confirmed by inter‐nucleosomal DNA cleavage. Furthermore, the complexes 1 and 2 are evaluated for their catalytic activities and found to be working well for the β‐carboline directed C–H arylation to afford the desired products in good yield (40–47%).     

Trichosanthes kirilowii ameliorates cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in both in vitro and in vivo

The aim of this study was to explore the protective effects of Trichosanthes kirilowii ethanol extract (TKE) against cisplatin-induced acute renal failure (ARF). In the in vitro study, TKE-pretreated porcine kidney cells (PK15) exhibited enhanced cell viability after cisplatin (15 μg mLp>? 1p>) treatment in both MTT and crystal violet assays. PK15 cells pretreated with TKE (50 μg mLp>? 1p>) exhibited increased glutathione content, decreased reactive oxygen species production and ameliorated p53 expression. In vivo study, rats were administered with TKE for 4 weeks before cisplatin (5 mg kgp>? 1p>) injection. TKE (100 mg kgp>? 1p>) decreased blood urea nitrogen and creatinine levels by 24% and 47%, respectively, in comparison with cisplatin-alone group. In addition, TKE pretreatment ameliorated cisplatin-induced oxidative stress, as evidenced by increased antioxidative enzyme levels and decreased lipid peroxidation levels. Moreover, TKE pretreatment reduced histopathological alterations in the kidney with decreased apoptotic cells. Taken together, TKE might be beneficial in treating cisplatin-induced ARF.     

Applications of ‐invariant distributions

In this sequel to the article 17 , a criterion for the regularity of fundamental solutions of differential operators with positive symbol is proved in analogy to Hörmander's criteria, see 9 , 12 . It implies that the temperate fundamental solution of the operator png"> is not regular. Furthermore, a formula for the convolution of two png">‐invariant distributions is presented, and, finally, L. Schwartz' question on the surjectivity of linear partial differential operators with constant coefficients on the space png"> is completely answered in the case of png">‐invariant differential operators.     

A Liouville theorem for weighted p−Laplace operator on smooth metric measure spaces

We prove that on a smooth metric measure space with m ?Bakry–Émery curvature bounded from below by ?(m ? 1)K for some constant K ≥0 (i.e., Ric_{f ,m} ≥?(m ? 1)K ), the following degenerate elliptic equation png" alt="urn:x-wiley:mma:media:mma4031:mma4031-math-0001" title="urn:x-wiley:mma:media:mma4031:mma4031-math-0001"> (0.1) has no nonconstant positive solution when p > 1 and constant λ _{f ,p} satisfies png" alt="urn:x-wiley:mma:media:mma4031:mma4031-math-0002" title="urn:x-wiley:mma:media:mma4031:mma4031-math-0002"> Our approach is based on the local Sobolev inequality and the Moser's iterative technique and is different from Cheng‐Yau's method, which was used by Wang‐Zhu in 2012 to derive a same Liouville theorem when 1 < p ≤2, Ric_{f ,m} ≥?(m ? 1)K and the sectional curvature is bounded from below. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Unusual 4‐arsonoanilinium cationic species in the hydrochloride salt of (4‐aminophenyl)arsonic acid and formed in the reaction of the acid with copper(II) sulfate,copper(II) chloride and cadmium chloride

Structures having the unusual protonated 4‐arsonoanilinium species, namely in the hydrochloride salt, C₆H₉AsNO₃p>+p>·Clp>−p>, (I), and the complex salts formed from the reaction of (4‐aminophenyl)arsonic acid (p‐arsanilic acid) with copper(II) sulfate, i.e. hexaaquacopper(II) bis(4‐arsonoanilinium) disulfate dihydrate, (C₆H₉AsNO₃)₂[Cu(H₂O)₆](SO₄)₂·2H₂O, (II), with copper(II) chloride, i.e. poly[bis(4‐arsonoanilinium) [tetra‐μ‐chlorido‐cuprate(II)]], {(C₆H₉AsNO₃)₂[CuCl₄]}_n , (III), and with cadmium chloride, i.e. poly[bis(4‐arsonoanilinium) [tetra‐μ‐chlorido‐cadmate(II)]], {(C₆H₉AsNO₃)₂[CdCl₄]}_n , (IV), have been determined. In (II), the two 4‐arsonoanilinium cations are accompanied by [Cu(H₂O)₆]p>2+p> cations with sulfate anions. In the isotypic complex salts (III) and (IV), they act as counter‐cations to the {[CuCl₄]p>2−p>}_n or {[CdCl₄]p>2−p>}_n anionic polymer sheets, respectively. In (II), the [Cu(H₂O)₆]p>2+p> ion sits on a crystallographic centre of symmetry and displays a slightly distorted octahedral coordination geometry. The asymmetric unit for (II) contains, in addition to half the [Cu(H₂O)₆]p>2+p> ion, one 4‐arsonoanilinium cation, a sulfate dianion and a solvent water molecule. Extensive O—H…O and N—H…O hydrogen bonds link all the species, giving an overall three‐dimensional structure. In (III), four of the chloride ligands are related by inversion [Cu—Cl = 2.2826 (8) and 2.2990 (9) Å], with the other two sites of the tetragonally distorted octahedral CuCl₆ unit occupied by symmetry‐generated Cl‐atom donors [Cu—Cl = 2.9833 (9) Å], forming a two‐dimensional coordination polymer network substructure lying parallel to (001). In the crystal, the polymer layers are linked across [001] by a number of bridging hydrogen bonds involving N—H…Cl interactions from head‐to‐head‐linked As—O—H…O 4‐arsonoanilinium cations. A three‐dimensional network structure is formed. Cdp>IIp> compound (IV) is isotypic with Cup>IIp> complex (III), but with the central CdCl₆ complex repeat unit having a more regular M —Cl bond‐length range [2.5232 (12)–2.6931 (10) Å] compared to that in (III). This series of compounds represents the first reported crystal structures having the protonated 4‐arsonoanilinium species.     

Induction of senescence in cancer cells by 5′-Aza-2′-deoxycytidine: Bioinformatics and experimental insights to its targets

5′-Aza-2′-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-dC) is a demethylating drug that causes genome-wide hypomethylation resulting in the expression of several tumor suppressor genes causing growth arrest of cancer cells. Cancer is well established as a multifactorial disease and requires multi-module therapeutics. Search for new drugs and their approval by FDA takes a long time. Keeping this in view, research on new functions of FDA-approved anticancer drugs is desired to expand the list of multi-module functioning drugs for cancer therapy. In this study, we conducted an analysis for new functions of 5-Aza-dC by applying bio-chemo-informatics approach. The potential of 5-Aza-dC bioactivity was analyzed by PASS online and Molinspiration. Target proteins were predicted by SuperPred. The protein networks and biological processes were analyzed by Biological Networks using Gene Ontology tool, BINGO, based on BIOGRID database. Interactions between 5-Aza-dC and targeted proteins were examined by Autodoc Vina integrated into pyrx software. Induction of p53 by 5-Aza-dC was tested in vitro using cancer cells. Bioinformatics analyses predicted that 5-Aza-dC functions as a p53 inducer, radiosensitizer, and inhibitor of some enzymes. It was predicted to target proteins including MDM2, POLA1, POLB, and CXCR4 that are involved in the induction of DNA damage response and p53-HDM2-p21 signaling. In this study, we provide experimental evidence showing HDM2 is one of the targets of 5-AZA-dC leading to activation of p53 pathway and growth arrest of cells. Furthermore, we found that the combinatorial treatment of 5-AZA-dC with three other drugs caused drug resistance. We discuss that 5-Aza-dC-induced senescence is a multi-module drug that controls cell proliferation phenotype not only by proteins but also by noncoding miRNAs. Further studies are warranted to dissect these mechanisms and establish 5-Aza-dC as an effective multi-module anticancer reagent.     

A tensor product of the Steinberg module and a certain simple kG(pr)-module

Let G be a connected, semisimple, and simply connected algebraic group defined and split over the finite field of order p, and let G(q) be the corresponding finite Chevalley or twisted group, where q = pp>rp>. Recently, Anwar determines the direct sum decomposition of the tensor product of the rth Steinberg module and a simple G-module with a (p,r)-minuscule highest weight λ. In this paper, we determine that of the tensor product regarded as a module for G(q) under some weak assumptions for λ.