Molecular modelling and enzymatic studies of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase recognition with paraquat and related compounds

The potent herbicide paraquat and three other analogues MPP+, MPDP+ and MPTP have a known toxicological profile linked to the ability to damage dopaminergic neurons. Other biological effects were recently addressed to this class of compounds, including the ability to interact with enzymatic targets involved in the Central Nervous System, such as the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and the butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE). A combined molecular modelling and enzymatic study focusing onto their interaction against the AChE and BuChE is reported. The former study was performed by docking techniques using target known co-crystallographic models. The latter study was carried out by the widely adopted Ellman's method. In both studies the anti-Alzheimer FDA approved drug tacrine was used as reference inhibitor. Our results indicate that paraquat, MPTP, MPDP+ and MPP+ recognize both enzymatic cleft in a similar fashion compared to the reference inhibitor. A structure-activity correlation was found with the net charge of the ligands, indicating a major role of the electrostatic term in the recognition and inhibition of these compounds. Our data completed their enzymatic profile, added new information on the molecular mechanisms underlying their neurotoxicity useful for the rational design of new cholinesterase inhibitors.     

Biosensors containing acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase as recognition tools for detection of various compounds

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) are enzymes expressed in the human body under physiological conditions. AChE is an important part of the cholinergic nerves where it hydrolyses neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Both cholinesterases are sensitive to inhibitors acting as neurotoxic compounds. In analytical applications, the enzymes can serve as a biorecognition element in biosensors as well as simple disposable sensors (dipsticks) and be used for assaying the neurotoxic compounds. In the present review, the mechanism of AChE and BChE inhibition by disparate compounds is explained and methods for assaying the enzymes activity are shown. Optical, electrochemical, and piezoelectric biosensors are described. Attention is also given to the application of sol-gel techniques and quantum dots in the biosensors’ construction. Examples of the biosensors are provided and the pros and cons are discussed.     

Molecular orbital studies on nicotinic acid,nicotinamide and related compounds

Electronic structures of nicotinic, isonicotinic and 2-picolinic acids and their amides have been investigated, using the variable-α Pariser-Parr-Pople (PPP), iterative extended Hückel and MINDO/2 methods. In addition, PPP and MINDO/2 treatments have also been applied to 3-acetylpyridine and protonated nicotinamide. Based on these calculations, dipole moments, electronic transitions, chemical and biological activity are discussed. Comparison is made with experimental results where available.     

Molecular modelling studies and the chromatographic behaviour of oxiracetam and some closely related molecules

Summary Modelling studies have been carried out on the cellulose-based chiral stationary phase used to separate the enantiomers of three simple lactams. These studies have helped in understanding differences in the chromatographic behaviour of these molecules.     

Molecular recognition studies with a simple dipyrrinone

We present our investigations of 2-ethyl-3-methyl-(10H)-dipyrrin-1-one, its self-association, and anion binding properties. This receptor is easily accessible in a facile single step synthesis with a straightforward workup. An examination of the concentration dependence of the dipyrrinone NH chemical shifts in CDCl₃ and (CDCl₂)₂ over the temperature range from −20 °C to 100 °C determined the self-association constant to be 3850 M⁻¹. Molecular recognition studies have shown that it has a preference for guests with an OH moiety, such as hydrogen sulfate (HSO₄⁻) and carboxylic acids (RCO₂H).     

Molecular complexes of paraquat with anilines

The U V-VIS spectra of molecular complexes of paraquat with ring and N-substituted anilines have been recorded in methanol and 50% v/v aqueous methanol. All the complexes exhibited well-resolved charge transfer bands in the wavelength region where neither of the components have any absorption. The energies of charge transfer bands of the substituted aniline-paraquat complexes bear linear relationships with the ionization potentials obtained from the substituted aniline-TCNE complexes, indicating π - π interaction between paraquat and the donors. Both ring and N-substituents have effects on the positions of the CT bands as well as on the stabilities of the complexes. The positions of the CT bands are shifted to shorter wavelengths and the stabilities of the complexes decrease on going from methanol to aqueous. methanol.     

Determination of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase activity without dilution of biological samples

Two cholinesterases: acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), are known. The enzymes are important in the body and alteration of their activity has significant use in the diagnosis of poisoning, liver function, etc. Currently available methods for the determination of cholinesterases have some major drawbacks including various interferences and the inability to be used for decreasing the enzyme activity in the presence of reversible inhibitors due to sample dilution; hence, a method for dilution free assay of cholinesterases is desired. Here, microplates were modified with indoxylacetate (100 µL of 10 mmol L^?1 solution) and used for cholinesterases assay after drying at 37°C. The fact that indoxylacetate remains stable in dry state and serves simultaneously as a chromogen and substrate provide good prerequisites for the method. The limit of detection for BChE was 0.71 U while that for AChE was 2.8 U per a 100 µL sample (solution of enzyme or plasma sample). The limit of detection is low enough to allow standard examination of cholinesterasemia. The two cholinesterases can be distinguished from each other using selective inhibitors such as donepezil and iso-OMPA. The new method was also successfully validated for the standard Ellman’s assay using plasma samples with BChE activity adjusted by carbofuran. The new method based on indoxylacetate seems promising for routine tests.     

Synthesis and studies of tris-indolobenzenes and related compounds

The unsymmetrical N,N,N-trimethyl tris-indolobenzene 3 has been synthesized by several routes, including cyclotrimerization of the O-acetate of indoxyl. This condensation involves a 3→2 rearrangement of the precursor formed in situ. Similar Wagner-Meerwein rearrangements were also prevalent in LAH reductions of some 3,3-diindolyl oxindoles.Treatment of the 3,3-diindolyl indolines with strong acid resulted in a cleavage yielding 3,3'-biindolyls.     

环孢霉素A与小分子化合物的超分子识别作用

环孢霉素A(Cyclosporin A)是一种20世纪80年代引入临床的新的十一环多肽抗生素.因其毒性小,有较高的选择性,在临床上将其用于脏器移植中抗排异反应的首选免疫抑制剂.     

The synthetic and biological studies of discorhabdins and related compounds

Various analogues of the marine alkaloids, discorhabdins, have been synthesized. The strategy contains spirocyclization with phenyliodine(III) bis(trifluoroacetate) (PIFA), oxidative fragmentation of the β-amino alcohols with the hypervalent iodine reagent C(6)F(5)I(OCOCF(3))(2), the detosylation and dehydrogenation reaction of the pyrroloiminoquinone unit in the presence of a catalytic amount of NaN(3) and the bridged ether synthesis with HBr-AcOH as the key reactions. All the synthesized compounds were evaluated by in vitro MTT assay for cytotoxic activity against the human colon cancer cell line HCT-116. Furthermore, the discorhabdin A oxa analogues were also evaluated against four kinds of tumor model cells, a human colon cancer cell line (WiDr), a human prostate cancer cell line (DU-145) and murine leukemia cell lines (P388 and L1210). For the identification of the target, discorhabdin A and the discorhabdin A oxa analogue were evaluated by an HCC panel assay. In the test, discorhabdins could have a novel mode of action with the tumor cells.     

Synthetic and biological studies of pyrazolines and related heterocyclic compounds

This review provides a comprehensive survey relating to the synthesis and biological applications of pyrazolines and related heterocycles in the last five years (2007–2011). These compounds are usually prepared from the cyclization of chalcones with hydrazine and its derivatives under the alcoholic conditions. The major incentive behind the synthesis of these compounds was the immense biological activities associated to these heterocyclic derivatives. The aim of this review is to find out different methods for the synthesis of pyrazoline derivatives.     

Molecular modelling experiments on chiral recognition in GC with specially derivatized cyclodextrins as selectors

The results of gas chromatographic enantiomeric separations of selected non-polar and polar test solutes (limonene and 1-phenylethanol) using two different derivatives of β-cyclodextrin, permethyl-β-CD and 2,3-dimethyl-tert-butyldimethylsilyl-β-CD (PMCD and TBCD) are interpreted in combination with the conclusions from molecular modelling calculations based on docking experiments. A comparison of the two selectors which were used as solution in a polysiloxane matrix (OV 1701) indicated that the less flexible TBCD which is blocked on one side by the bulky tert-butyldimethylsilyl groups seems to possess advantages for certain chiral separations, especially of the non-polar type. The special properties of TBCD as selector are also demonstrated by chiral separations of other compounds.     

Molecular dynamics simulation of cocaine binding with human butyrylcholinesterase and its mutants

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were carried out to study cocaine binding with wild-type human butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and its mutants based on a recently reported X-ray crystal structure of human BChE. For each BChE-cocaine system, we simulated both the nonprereactive and prereactive complexes in water. Despite the significant difference found at the acyl binding pocket, the simulated structures confirm the fundamental structural and mechanistic insights obtained from earlier computational studies of wild-type BChE with cocaine based on a homology model, e.g. the rate-determining step for BChE-catalyzed hydrolysis of biologically active (-)-cocaine is the (-)-cocaine rotation in the active site from the nonprereactive BChE-(-)-cocaine complex to the prereactive complex. It has been demonstrated that the MD simulations on both the nonprereactive and prereactive BChE-cocaine complexes can clearly reveal whether specific mutations produce the desired BChE-(-)-cocaine binding structures in which the (-)-cocaine rotation is less hindered while the required prereactive BChE-(-)-cocaine binding is maintained. Based on the MD simulations, both A328W/Y332A and A328W/Y332G BChE's are expected to have catalytic activity for (-)-cocaine hydrolysis higher than that of wild-type BChE and the activity of A328W/Y332G BChE should be slightly higher than that of A328W/Y332A BChE due to the less-hindered (-)-cocaine rotation in the mutant BChE's. However, the less-hindered (-)-cocaine rotation is only a necessary condition for a higher activity mutant BChE. The (-)-cocaine rotation is also less hindered in A328W/Y332A/Y419S BChE, but (-)-cocaine binds with A328W/Y332A/Y419S BChE in a way that is not suitable for the catalysis. Thus, A328W/Y332A/Y419S BChE is expected to lose the catalytic activity. The computational predictions were confirmed by our experimental kinetic data, demonstrating that the MD simulation-based computational protocol used in this study is reliable in prediction of the catalytic activity of BChE mutants for (-)-cocaine hydrolysis.     

Molecular orbital studies of dinitrogen tetroxide and related molecules

Hartree-Fock LCAO MO calculations for N₂O₄ have been performed in a basis of symmetry orbitals formed from a minimal Slater basis set. Effects of rounding and truncation errors were minimized by the use of the symmetry basis, which also allowed the order or tilling of molecular orbitals to be specified independently of orbital energies. Convergence difficulties were overcome by combined use of the conjugate gradients method and Roothaan's iterative procedure; the method of steepest descents was less effective than either of these. Multicentre ‘non-NDDO’ two-electron integrals were evaluated by the gaussian expansion technique. The wavefunction obtained for the lowest state is NN antibonding, largely as a result of the filling of the 6b_1u antibonding sigma orbital in preference to the 6a_g bonding sigma orbital. There is only a small amount of NN pi-bonding. A bond energy analysis shows that the lowest state is markedly stabilized by NNO three-centre interactions.     

Molecular mechanics studies of ketene derivatives and related structures

The MM2 and MM3 force fields have now been parameterized for ketene and its various derivatives. With the addition of the C_sp ? O bond stretching and C?C_sp?O bond bending parameters, calculations were performed on ketene and six substituted ketene compounds. The MM2 results are quite good with only minimal errors in the calculation of C? H bond lengths and H-C-H bond angles. Additionally, C? F bond parameters in MM2 have been re-adjusted to give better results in monofluorinated species, but, unfortunately, resulting in greater error in the polyfluorinated compounds. The results of geometry calculations by MM3 are similar to those obtained by MM2 with the exception of a significant improvement in the geometry of dimethylketene. The MM3 vibrational frequencies calculated in this study are also in good agreement with available experimental and ab initio results with the exception of a few low frequency in-and out-of-plane bending modes. © 1992 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

13C NMR studies of some hydroxycoumarins and related compounds

The ¹³C chemical shifts and one-bond carbon-hydrogen coupling constants have been obtained for some hydroxycoumarins and their corresponding acetoxy and methoxy derivatives. The changes in the one-bond carbon-hydrogen coupling constants resulting from the conversion of a hydroxy group to an acetoxy group represent a simple method of assignment of the ¹³C NMR signals in coumarins which contain one or more hydroxy groups in the benzenoid ring.