富勒烯与β淀粉样肽低聚体结合的分子动力学模拟

本文通过分子动力学模拟研究富勒烯在Aβ42低聚体表面的结合过程.在结合过程中,C60在Aβ表面经历一系列尝试过程,最终找到某个稳定的结合位点.根据结合的残基不同,这些结合位点可以分为六类,其中核心疏水区域(CHC)位点(17LVFFA21)及Turn 27-31位点(27NKGAI31)具有最强的结合稳定性.二者的结合主要通过范德华作用稳定,而溶剂化效应则起相反作用.在这六类位点中的两个位点,观察到C60会对Aβ二级结构起破坏作用.其一位于核心疏水区域,C60有挤入多肽β片层中间的趋势;另外一位点位于N端,C60能够破坏外侧Aβ的3-5号残基的主链氢键,瓦解其末端的β片结构.这两个过程对理解富勒烯抑制Aβ聚集的微观机制提供了帮助.此外,在Turn 27-31位点以及Y10-H14位点,发现了富勒烯与Aβ纤维样聚集体结合的沟槽滚动机制,即富勒烯能够在淀粉样低聚体表面形成的特定沟槽内滚动.这一特征有助于预测富勒烯在其它淀粉样多肽表面的结合位点及结合行为.     

富勒烯离子Jahn-Teller畸变和光谱研究进展

M_xC₆₀ (M= K、Cs、Rb) 具有的超导性启发人们对C₆₀^n- 和C₇₀^n- 展开了深入研究。本文综述了富勒烯离子C₆₀^n±、C₇₀^n±、C₇₆^n±、C₇₈^n±及C₈₀^n±的结构畸变和光谱研究进展,介绍了国内外近十几年来众多研究小组的有关工作,从实验检测到理论计算, 从结构探讨到谱学性质研究, 并结合作者在此方面的理论研究成果,进一步探索富勒烯离子Jahn-Teller 畸变的特点和产生原因以及其电子光谱的规律性。     

N-甲基-2-(4''-N-乙基咔唑基)-[60]富勒烯吡咯烷及其衍生物的合成, 电荷分离态特征

通过1,3-偶极环加成方法在微波照射下合成了N-甲基-2-(4'-N-乙基咔唑基)-富勒烯吡咯烷(C₆₀-Cz)和N-甲基-2- (4'-N,N-二苯基氨基)-富勒烯吡咯烷(C₆₀-TPA), 用质谱, ¹H NMR, IR等对其结构进行了表征. 用激光光解时间分辨瞬态谱研究了N-甲基-2-(4'-N-乙基咔唑基)-富勒烯吡咯烷的分子内电荷转移过程, 在近红外区观测到了长寿命电荷分离态C₆₀^•--C_Z^•+的存在, 其寿命为0.28 μs. 运用Gaussian 98量子化学程序包, 利用密度泛函的方法对N-甲基-2-(4'-N,N-二苯基氨基)-富勒烯吡咯烷几何构型进行了优化, 并在优化基础上用ZINDO方法计算了化合物C₆₀-TPA的电子光谱, 计算结果表明, 光谱吸收峰在440 nm, 与实验值433 nm基本一致.     

N-甲基-2-(4'-N-乙基咔唑基)-[60]富勒烯吡咯烷及其衍生物的合成, 电荷分离态特征

通过1,3-偶极环加成方法在微波照射下合成了N-甲基-2-(4'-N-乙基咔唑基)-富勒烯吡咯烷(C₆₀-Cz)和N-甲基-2- (4'-N,N-二苯基氨基)-富勒烯吡咯烷(C₆₀-TPA), 用质谱, ¹H NMR, IR等对其结构进行了表征. 用激光光解时间分辨瞬态谱研究了N-甲基-2-(4'-N-乙基咔唑基)-富勒烯吡咯烷的分子内电荷转移过程, 在近红外区观测到了长寿命电荷分离态C₆₀^•--C_Z^•+的存在, 其寿命为0.28 μs. 运用Gaussian 98量子化学程序包, 利用密度泛函的方法对N-甲基-2-(4'-N,N-二苯基氨基)-富勒烯吡咯烷几何构型进行了优化, 并在优化基础上用ZINDO方法计算了化合物C₆₀-TPA的电子光谱, 计算结果表明, 光谱吸收峰在440 nm, 与实验值433 nm基本一致.     

基于高维特征非线性筛选的HLA-A*0201限制性CTL表位预测

高活性细胞毒T细胞(CTL)表位鉴定是设计肿瘤疫苗的关键内容.采用天然氨基酸的531个物理化学性质参数表征HLA-A^*0201限制性表位9肽, 从531×9个初始描述子出发, 经二元矩阵重排过滤器粗筛和多轮末尾淘汰精细筛选, 获得18个物理化学意义明确的保留描述子. 18个保留描述子主要涉及除1位、5位外各位置残基的疏水性和空间结构特征, 3位残基疏水性对活性影响最大, 且2位、4位、9位残基共占10个保留描述子,支持2位和9位残基为锚点、3位为关键位点以及4位残基为标志链的现有认知. 对18个保留描述子以支持向量回归构建定量序效模型,其拟合、留一法交叉验证决定系数R²、Q_cv²分别为0.957、0.708; 独立预测决定系数及均方根误差Q_ext² 、RMSE_ext分别为0.818、0.366, 明显优于文献报道. 通过对全组合虚拟9肽的预测, 得到了多条预测活性高于已知表位肽的9肽, 可供实验验证. 较全面阐明了特定位置残基对多肽亲和性的影响规律, 为高活性多肽疫苗分子设计提供了切实指导.     

富勒吡咯及其N-氧化物对双卟啉荧光的萃灭研究

本文合成了新型的亚苯基桥连双卟啉化合物（1~4）和富勒吡咯化合物(C₆₀-m, C₆₀-h) 以及它们的N-氧化物(C₆₀-mo, C₆₀-ho)。通过稳态荧光光谱研究了在甲苯溶液中富勒吡咯及其N-氧化物对双卟啉化合物的荧光萃灭作用。通过稳态荧光光谱滴定法测定了双卟啉化合物和富勒烯衍生物之间的荧光萃灭常数并发现：富勒吡咯化合物的荧光萃灭能力随引入富勒烯表面功能基团数目的减少而降低: C₆₀-h>C₆₀-m > C₆₀，并且发现富勒吡咯烷-N-氧化物对双卟啉的荧光萃灭能力比相应的富勒吡咯化合物增长了大约1.3~7.4倍。这些结果都说明通过改变富勒烯表面的功能基团可以调控双卟啉和富勒烯衍生物之间的光电子转移效率。     

人血清白蛋白与季铵盐双子表面活性剂的相互作用

在298.15 K下, 应用等温滴定量热法研究了人血清白蛋白(HSA)与两种季铵盐双子表面活性剂[(C_nN)₂Cl₂, n＝12, 14]在缓冲溶液(pH＝7.0)中相互作用的热力学性质. 实验结果表明, HSA对这两种表面活性剂有两类结合位点, 分别为结合时需要吸收热量的强结合位点和可放出热量的弱结合位点. 两种表面活性剂对应的第一类结合——强结合为熵驱动过程, 且该结合位点对应的结合位点数、结合常数和热力学参数差别不大. 至于第二类结合——弱结合位点, 由于 (C₁₄N)₂Cl₂ 疏水链过长, 只有部分进入HSA的疏水空腔内, 因此相应的的结合位点数和放热量减小, 而熵变增加, 为焓和熵共同驱动的反应. 圆二色研究表明(C_nN)₂Cl₂的加入使HSA的二级结构发生变化, 这说明(C_nN)₂Cl₂与HSA的相互作用既包含结合反应也包含(C_nN)₂Cl₂诱导该蛋白部分结构改变的过程.     

双亲性C60衍生物水相聚集行为

富勒烯C₆₀几乎不溶于水中,从而阻碍了对富勒烯的进一步研究和潜在应用。双亲性C₆₀衍生物在水相中自组装形成聚集体,在水相具有一定的溶解度,其特殊的结构及性能引起了科学家的广泛关注。本文对双亲性C₆₀衍生物在水相中聚集行为的研究现状及研究进展进行了详细系统的介绍。本文第一部分主要阐述了双亲性C₆₀衍生物的结构,根据修饰到C₆₀表面的功能基类型对双亲性C₆₀衍生物进行了分类。第二部分主要阐述了双亲性C₆₀衍生物在水相的聚集行为以及pH值、溶剂极性、浓度、温度和抗衡离子等因素对聚集行为的影响。     

二维层状Ti3C2Tx-MXene@VS2用于高性能锂离子电池负极

为探索一种高性能的锂离子电池负极材料,采用酸刻蚀法制备了高导电性、高稳定性的二维层状Ti₃C₂T_x,通过溶剂热法制备了具有高理论比容量的花瓣状VS₂纳米片,再经过简单的液相混合得到了二维层状Ti₃C₂T_x-MXene@VS₂复合物。通过扫描电子显微镜、透射电子显微镜、X射线光电子能谱、X射线衍射和能谱分析对复合材料的形貌和结构进行了表征,采用循环伏安、恒流充放电、长循环和交流阻抗谱对复合材料的电化学性能进行了研究。结果表明：VS₂纳米片均匀地分布在Ti₃C₂T_x的层间及表面,该复合物具有高的可逆容量(电流密度为0.1A·g^-1时,比容量为610.5mAh·g^-1)、良好的倍率性能(电流密度为2A·g^-1时,比容量为197.1mAh·g^-1)和良好的循环稳定性(电流密度为0.2 A·g^-1时,循环600圈后比容量为874.9 mAh·g^-1;电流密度为2 A·g^-1时,循环1 500圈后比容量为115.9mAh·g^-1)。     

6-氨基己酸及2-氨基乙磺酸C60加成物的合成及溶解性

水溶性Fullerenes (C₆₀)衍生物的制备对于C₆₀的生物学研究具有十分重要的意义. 氨基酸与C₆₀的胺化反应可得到水溶性的氨基酸C₆₀衍生物. 以C₆₀与过量6-氨基己酸或2-氨基乙磺酸(摩尔比为1∶10)于80 ℃搅拌反应24 h, 分别得到加成度为5和4的氨基酸C₆₀主产物, 产率按加入的C₆₀计算分别为30%, 28%. 氨基酸碳链的长度及加成产物在反应体系中能否及时沉淀析出影响和控制着加成度的大小. C₆₀[NH(CH₂)₅COOH]₅H₅ (3a), C₆₀(NHCH₂CH₂SO₃H)₄H₄ (6a)用柱层析进一步纯化, 其结构组成经元素分析, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, IR所证实. 6a的水溶性受溶液pH的影响较小, 3a在不同pH缓冲溶液中的溶解性用光谱法测定, 分别为: pH＝10.25时为71.81 mg•mL^－1, pH＝7时为23.68 mg•mL^－1, pH＝3.36时为10.12 mg•mL^－1. 在波长273 nm处, 3a的摩尔消光系数为ε＝3.43×10⁴ L•mol^－1•cm^－1.     

二面角动力学分析结合Zn2+的淀粉样蛋白Aβ40和Aβ42的多态性特征

淀粉样蛋白β(Aβ)和金属离子与阿尔茨海默病的发病机理密切相关,金属离子与Aβ的相互作用如何导致Aβ动力学行为的变化是从分子水平上理解金属离子调控Aβ聚集生成具有细胞毒性的寡聚体的关键问题之一.利用二面角动力学分析策略,即结合粗粒度模型分析结合Zn2+的Aβ40(Aβ40-Zn2+)和Aβ42(Aβ42-Zn2+)单个二面角的势能分布,利用二面角主成分分析刻画Aβ40-Zn2+和Aβ42-Zn2+的二维势能面,以及应用马尔科夫模型建立Aβ40-Zn2+和Aβ42-Zn2+构象转变的动态网络.结果表明:Aβ40-Zn2+和Aβ42-Zn2+单个二面角的势能分布具有很大的相似程度,其中由Val24-Gly25-Ser26-Asn27构成的二面角差异最大;Aβ40-Zn2+和Aβ42-Zn2+的势能面均很平坦,反映了结合Zn2+的Aβ构象转变需要克服的能垒较低,不同构象处于动态平衡,呈现多态性的特征;马尔科夫模型进一步揭示了Aβ40-Zn2+和Aβ42-Zn2+构象转变的动态特征,由一定相似程度的构象聚类而成的微观状态均处于折叠网络的中转节点,从动力学上反映了结合Zn2+的Aβ构象转变容易发生.特别的,与实验结果一致,发现β折叠结构在含Zn2+的Aβ构象中作用微小.     

Aβ-binding molecules: Possible application as imaging probes and as anti-aggregation agents

As amyloid β (Aβ) is at the centre of pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), Aβ aggregate-specific probes for in vivo studies of Aβ are potentially important for the early diagnosis and the assessment of new treatment strategies in the AD brain by noninvasive imaging. Several series of compounds derived from Congo red (CR) and Thioflavin T (ThT) have been evaluated as potential probes for the Aβ imaging. They include a diversity of core structures contributing to their affinities to Aβ. Small-molecule inhibi- tors were known to inhibit the formation of Aβ oligomers and fibrils. This inhibition has to be performed in such a way that these inhibitors bind to Aβ in the binding channel where Aβ-binding probes should sit. Therefore, several of them were used as novel core structures to develop Aβ probes, with their de- rivatives exhibiting good Aβ affinities. This approach will facilitate the design of a variety of candidates for Aβ probe molecules and anti-aggregation-therapeutic drugs. Moreover, the finding of Aβ probes with diverse core structures recognized by binding sites on Aβs will likely provide a promising per- spective for the design of 99mTc-labeled probe-derived molecules.     

High‐spin silicon fullerene Si60 and its oligomers

High‐spin states of the Si₆₀ fullerene and its oligomers are considered semiempirically by using sequential and parallel implementations of the AM1 codes. The states are energetically favorable and nearly degenerated over triplet, quintet, and septet spins. All atoms of the Si₆₀ fullerene are in sp³‐configuration, which is supported by atomic spin density in addition to electron density, the latter to be responsible for the formation of chemical bonds. Spotted distribution of spin density over atoms provides molecular magnetism of the molecule. A similar picture is disclosed for oligomers {Si₆₀}_n with n up to 8, which according to computational results should be magnetic with a fractal‐like distribution of spin density over atoms. Opposite the latter, composites Si₆₀C₆₀ and Si₆₀H₆₀ behave conventionally and are nonmagnetic. A way of the Si₆₀ fullerene synthesizing is suggested via the above composite product as intermediates. The considered oligomers are proposed as a model of silicon nanofibers observed recently. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2002     

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to compare the affinity of chemical compounds for β-amyloid peptide as a monomer

Aβ_1–42 is the proteolytic cleavage product of cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein by β- and γ-secretases. The aggregation of Aβ_1–42 plays a causative role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. To lock Aβ_1–42 in a homogenous state, we embedded the Aβ_1–42 sequence in an unstructured region of Bcl-x_L. Both the N-terminus and the C-terminus of Aβ_1–42 were constrained in the disordered region, whereas the conjunction did not introduce any folding to Aβ_1–42 but maintained the sequence as a monomer in solution. With Bcl-x_L-Aβ₄₂, we developed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to compare the affinity of compounds for monomeric Aβ_1–42. Bcl-x_L-Aβ₄₂ was coated on a microplate and this was followed by incubation with different concentrations of compounds. Compounds binding to Leu17-Val24 of Aβ_1–42 inhibited the interaction between Bcl-x_L-Aβ₄₂ and antibody 4G8. The method can not only reproduce the activities of the reported Aβ_1–42 inhibitors such as dopamine, tannin, and morin but can also differentiate decoy compounds that do not bind to Aβ_1–42. Remarkably, using this method, we discovered a new inhibitor that binds to monomeric Aβ_1–42 and inhibits Aβ_1–42 fibril formation. As the structure of Bcl-x_L-Aβ₄₂ monomer is stable in solution, the assay could be adapted for high-throughput screening with a series of antibodies that bind the different epitopes of Aβ_1–42. In addition, the monomeric form of the Aβ_1–42 sequence in Bcl-x_L-Aβ₄₂ would also facilitate the identification of Aβ_1–42 binding partners by coimmunoprecipitation, cocrystallization, surface plasmon resonance technology, or the assay as described here.     

Potential Anti-Alzheimer Agents from Guanidinyl Tryptophan Derivatives with Activities of Membrane Adhesion and Conformational Transition Inhibitions

Guanidinyl tryptophan derivatives TGN1, TGN2, TGN3, and TGN4 were synthesized, and these compounds were shown to possess in vitro inhibitory activity for amyloid aggregation in a previous study. Nevertheless, the influence of the TGN series of compounds on the binding and permeation behaviors of an Aβ monomer to the cell membranes was not elucidated. In this study, we investigated the effect of compounds in the TGN series on the behavior of an Aβ monomer regarding its toxicity toward the bilayer lipid membrane using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. MD simulations suggest that TGN4 is a potential agent that can interfere with the movement of the Aβ monomer into the membrane. The MM-GBSA result demonstrated that TGN4 exhibits the highest affinity to the Aβ_1–42 monomer but has the lowest affinity to the bilayer. Moreover, TGN4 also contributes to a decrease in the binding affinity between the Aβ_1–42 monomer and the POPC membrane. Regarding the results of the binding mode and conformational analyses, a high number of amino-acid residues were shown to provide the binding interactions between TGN4 and the Aβ_1–42 monomer. TGN4 also reduces the conformational transition of the Aβ_1–42 monomer by means of interacting with the monomer. The present study presents molecular-level insights into how the TGN series of compounds affect the membrane adsorption and the conformational transition of the Aβ_1–42 monomer, which could be valuable for the further development of new anti-Alzheimer agents.     

Construction of Insulin 18‐mer Nanoassemblies Driven by Coordination to Iron(II) and Zinc(II) Ions at Distinct Sites

Controlled self‐assembly (SA) of proteins offers the possibility to tune their properties or to create new materials. Herein, we present the synthesis of a modified human insulin (HI) with two distinct metal‐ion binding sites, one native, the other abiotic, enabling hierarchical SA through coordination with two different metal ions. Selective attachment of an abiotic 2,2′‐bipyridine (bipy) ligand to HI, yielding HI–bipy, enabled Zn^II‐binding hexamers to SA into trimers of hexamers, [[HI–bipy]₆]₃, driven by octahedral coordination to a Fe^II ion. The structures were studied in solution by small‐angle X‐ray scattering and on surfaces with AFM. The abiotic metal ligand had a higher affinity for Fe^II than Zn^II ions, enabling control of the hexamer formation with Zn^II and the formation of trimers of hexamers with Fe^II ions. This precise control of protein SA to give oligomers of oligomers provides nanoscale structures with potential applications in nanomedicine.     

Actinomycin D binds to single stranded DNA oligomers which contain double GTC triplets

The present work carried out a study on the interactions between Actinomycin D (ActD) and some single-stranded DNA oligomers, which contain double GTC triplets separated by TTT sequence. The interactions of drugs with DNA oligomers were investigated by UV, circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). The results indicate that ActD binds to the single stranded DNA oligomers in the fold back binding model as supported by added A/T base at DNA strand terminal which facilitates the formation of hairpin. The apparent binding constant K_b, the apparent binding molar enthalpy ΔH⁰ and other thermodynamic data were obtained. The binding affinities are sequence dependent and related to the length of DNA strand. And the higher molar binding enthalpy indicates that the binding process is enthalpy driven.     

Beta-Amyloid (Aβ1-42) Increases the Expression of NKCC1 in the Mouse Hippocampus

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder with an increasing need for developing disease-modifying treatments as current therapies only provide marginal symptomatic relief. Recent evidence suggests the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmitter system undergoes remodeling in AD, disrupting the excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) balance in the brain. Altered expression levels of K-Cl-2 (KCC2) and N-K-Cl-1 (NKCC1), which are cation–chloride cotransporters (CCCs), have been implicated in disrupting GABAergic activity by regulating GABA_A receptor signaling polarity in several neurological disorders, but these have not yet been explored in AD. NKCC1 and KCC2 regulate intracellular chloride [Cl⁻]_i by accumulating and extruding Cl⁻, respectively. Increased NKCC1 expression in mature neurons has been reported in these disease conditions, and bumetanide, an NKCC1 inhibitor, is suggested to show potential therapeutic benefits. This study used primary mouse hippocampal neurons to explore if KCC2 and NKCC1 expression levels are altered following beta-amyloid (Aβ_1-42) treatment and the potential neuroprotective effects of bumetanide. KCC2 and NKCC1 expression levels were also examined in 18-months-old male C57BL/6 mice following bilateral hippocampal Aβ_1-42 stereotaxic injection. No change in KCC2 and NKCC1 expression levels were observed in mouse hippocampal neurons treated with 1 nM Aβ_1-42, but NKCC1 expression increased 30-days post-Aβ_1-42-injection in the CA1 region of the mouse hippocampus. Primary mouse hippocampal cultures were treated with 1 nM Aβ_1-42 alone or with various concentrations of bumetanide (1 µM, 10 µM, 100 µM, 1 mM) to investigate the effect of the drug on cell viability. Aβ_1-42 produced 53.1 ± 1.4% cell death after 5 days, and the addition of bumetanide did not reduce this. However, the drug at all concentrations significantly reduced cell viability, suggesting bumetanide is highly neurotoxic. In summary, these results suggest that chronic exposure to Aβ_1-42 alters the balance of KCC2 and NKCC1 expression in a region-and layer-specific manner in mouse hippocampal tissue; therefore, this process most likely contributes to altered hippocampal E/I balance in this model. Furthermore, bumetanide induces hippocampal neurotoxicity, thus questioning its suitability for AD therapy. Further investigations are required to examine the effects of Aβ_1-42 on KCC2 and NKCC1 expression and whether targeting CCCs might offer a therapeutic approach for AD.     

Porphyrin–Fullerene Dyad Based on Indium(III) Complex. Donor–Acceptor Complex Formation Equilibrium

Formation kinetics and spectral properties of the donor–acceptor complexes of (5,10,15,20- tetra(2-methoxyphenyl)porphinato)chloroindium(III) with 2′-(pyridin-4-yl)-5′-(pyridin-2-yl)-1′-(pyridin- 2-yl)methylpyrrolidinyl[3′,4′:1,2][60]fullerene were studied. The formation of the donor–acceptor dyad [(Py₃F)InTPP(2-OCH₃)₄]⁺Cl^– occurs as a two-step reaction, including fast reversible coordination of the fullerene base molecule and slow irreversible displacement of the axial chloride ion to the second coordination sphere. Quantitative characteristics for the reaction rate and equilibrium were obtained. The reaction products were identified by IR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The most important electron optical and stability parameters of the porphyrin–fullerene dyads with inner- and outer-sphere chloride ions were determined. These results are important for studies of the photophysics of porphyrin–fullerene dyads and development of photoconverters based on them.