Supramolecular assembly based on π-π stacking and π-cation interactions between thiacalix[6]arene and DMF

The molecular assembly of thiacalix[6]arene was formed by π-π stacking and π-DMF interactions between thiacalix[6]arene and adjoining thiacalix[6]arene and between thiacalix[6]arene and DMF, respectively. The X-ray crystal analysis also revealed that hydroxyl groups of thiacalix[6]arene adopted novel two sets of hydrogen bond with two DMF and intramolecular hydrogen bond between phenolic units, which cause to make 1,2,3-alternate configuration structure of thiacalix[6]arene.     

Prediction of 5-hydroxytryptamine transporter inhibitors based on machine learning

In patients with depression, the use of 5-HT reuptake inhibitors can improve the condition. Machine learning methods can be used in ligand-based activity prediction processes. In order to predict SERT inhibitors, the SERT inhibitor data from the ChEMBL database was screened and pre-processed. Then 4 machine learning methods (LR, SVM, RF, and KNN) and 4 molecular fingerprints (CDK, Graph, MACCS, and PubChem) were used to build 16 prediction models. The top 5 models of accuracy (Q) in the cross-validation of training set were used to build three different ensemble learning models. In the test1 set, the VOT_CLF3 model had the largest SP (0.871), Q (0.869), AUC (0.919), and MCC (0.728). In the unbalanced test2 set, VOT_CLF3 had the largest SE (0.857), SP (0.867), Q (0.865) and MCC (0.639). VOT_CLF3 was recommended for the virtual screening process of SERT inhibitors. In addition, 12 molecular structural alerts that frequently appear in SERT inhibitors were found (P < 0.05), which provided important reference value for the design work of SERT inhibitors.     

New Derivatives of 5-Substituted Uracils: Potential Agents with a Wide Spectrum of Biological Activity

Pyrimidine nucleoside analogues are widely used to treat infections caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and DNA viruses from the herpes family. It has been shown that 5-substituted uracil derivatives can inhibit HIV-1, herpes family viruses, mycobacteria and other pathogens through various mechanisms. Among the 5-substituted pyrimidine nucleosides, there are not only the classical nucleoside inhibitors of the herpes family viruses, 2′-deoxy-5-iodocytidine and 5-bromovinyl-2′-deoxyuridine, but also derivatives of 1-(benzyl)-5-(phenylamino)uracil, which proved to be non-nucleoside inhibitors of HIV-1 and EBV. It made this modification of nucleoside analogues very promising in connection with the emergence of new viruses and the crisis of drug resistance when the task of creating effective antiviral agents of new types that act on other targets or exhibit activity by other mechanisms is very urgent. In this paper, we present the design, synthesis and primary screening of the biological activity of new nucleoside analogues, namely, 5′-norcarbocyclic derivatives of substituted 5-arylamino- and 5-aryloxyuracils, against RNA viruses.     

The reaction of activated RNA species with aqueous fluoride ion: a convenient synthesis of nucleotide 5′-phosphorofluoridates and a note on the mechanism

The chemistry of 5′-phosphorimidazolides of ribonucleosides is extended to include their reaction with alkali metal fluorides in aqueous solution. High yields of 5′-phosphorofluoridates are formed, especially with potassium fluoride, but no detectable oligomerization products were formed. A combination of HPLC, mass spectrometry, synthesis, kinetics, and NMR confirms the identities of the products. Judicious control of pH leads to higher yields in shorter reaction times. This new methodology contrasts favorably with other synthetic routes involving non-aqueous chemistry or aqueous chemistry with a nucleotide triphosphate.     

Synthesis,crystal structure,and BSA interaction with a new Co(II) complex based on 5-(trifluoromethyl)pyridine-2-carboxylic acid

Abstract

A new complex, Co(Htpc)₂(H₂O)₂ (1) (Htpc = 5-(trifluoromethyl)pyridine-2-carboxylic acid), has been synthesized and characterized by X-ray single-crystal diffraction, elemental analysis, infrared spectral analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis. Meanwhile, the optimized geometric structure of the ligand was determined using the M06-2X functional of density functional theory (DFT) with the 6-311?+?G(d, p) basis set. The gap energies ΔE between the frontier molecular orbitals were computed in different solvent media (water, methanol and ethanol) using the time dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT)/M06-2X by applying the Polarizable Continuum Model (PCM). The coordination sphere around Co(II) is distorted octahedral with two chelating tpc^- ligands and two coordinated water molecules. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) binding properties of the ligand, CoCl₂·6H₂O and 1 were investigated by fluorescence and UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy, revealing 1 exhibits higher binding affinity with BSA than free ligand and CoCl₂·6H₂O. ΔG, ΔH and ΔS at 298 and 308?K manifested that van der Waals interactions and hydrogen bonds were the main forces in the binding process.     

Transition metal complexes with thiosemicarbazide-based ligands,IV: Synthesis and molecular structure of 5-nitrosalicylaldehyde S-methylisothiosemicarbazonato-piperidine-copper(II)

Summary The reaction of warmDMF solutions of Cu(II) perchlorate, 5-nitrosalicylaldehyde S-methylisothiosemicarbazone (H₂ L) and piperidine (Pip) yielded the paramagnetic (_eff=2.19 B.M.) Cu(L)Pip complex, whereL is the dianionic form of H₂ L, formed as a result of deprotonation of the phenolic hydroxyl and NH₂ group. Crystal data of the complex are: monoclinic P2₁,a=11.902(4),b=6.765(3),c=11.343(4)Å; =112.92°,V=841.20(8)ų,M=400.9,Z=2,d ₀=1.60 gcm^–3,d _c =1.58 gcm^–3,F(000)=424. The structure was refined to a residualR=0.047. The copper(II) ion is coordinated in a square-planar arrangement by the piperidine nitrogen and the NNO set of donor atoms ofL.

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Komplexe der Übergangsmetalle mit Thiosemicarbazid-Liganden, IV. Synthese und molekulare Struktur von 5-Nitrosalicylaldehyd-S-methylisothiosemicarbazonato-piperidin-kupfer(II)

Zusammenfassung Durch die Reaktion in warmenDMF-Lösungen von Cu(II) Perchlorat, 5-Nitrosalicylaldehyd-S-methylisothiosemicarbazon (H₂ L) und Piperidin (Pip) wurde ein paramagnetischer Komplex (_eff=2.19 B.M.) Cu(L)Pip erhalten, wobeiL nach doppelter Deprotonierung (NH₂- und Phenolhydroxyl-Gruppe) als dianionische Form von H₂ L vorliegt. Die kristallographischen Daten des Komplexes sind: monokline Raumgruppe P2₁,a=11.902(4),b=6.765(3),c=11.343(4)Å, =112.92°;V=841.20ų,M=400.9,Z=2,d ₀=1.60 gcm^–3,d _c =1.58 gcm^–3,F(000)=424. Die struktur wurde bis zu einemR-Wert von 0.047 verfeinert. Die Koordination des Kupfers wird quadratisch-planar über den Piperidin-Stickstoff und die NNO-Donorhülle der Chelatliganden gebildet.

     

A new coordination compound based on 4-amino-3-(tetrazol-5-yl)-furazan (HAFT): preparation,crystal structure,and thermal properties

Abstract

The green nitrogen-rich coordination compound Cd(SCZ)₂(AFT)₂ (1) (AFT =4-amino-3-(5-tetrazolate)-furazan and SCZ?=?semicarbazide) was first synthesized and characterized by EA and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR). The single crystal was cultivated and determined with X-ray diffraction. It revealed that 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/c. A Cd²⁺ ion is coordinated by four N atoms and two O atoms to form a distorted octahedral structure. Among them, two nitrogen atoms are from the two AFT ions and the other four atoms are from two SCZ molecules. The thermal decomposition behavior of 1 was studied with DSC and TG-DTG methods. The apparent activation energy (E), thermal stability, and safety parameters (T_SADT, T_TIT, and T_b) were calculated for 1. Moreover, entropy of activation (ΔS^≠), enthalpy of activation (ΔH^≠), free energy of activation (ΔG^≠), specific heat capacity (C_p), and impact sensitivity were also discussed in detail.     

基于N-乙酸基-5-氧烟酸的两个Pb(II)配位聚合物的合成、晶体结构与荧光性质

采用水热法合成了2个以N-乙酸基-5-氧烟酸（H₂L）为配体的铅金属-有机配位聚合物：[Pb₄（μ₃-O）₂L₂]_n（1）和[Pb₃（μ₄-O）₂L]_n（2）。通过元素分析、红外光谱和X射线单晶衍射进行了结构表征。结构分析表明,聚合物₁属单斜晶系,C2/c空间群,其由[Pb₄（μ₃-O）₂]_n构成的刚性无机链通过配体L^2-连接成三维网络结构。聚合物₂属正交晶系,P2₁2₁2₁空间群,其三维结构由[Pb₃（μ₄-O）₂]_n构成的无机金属链与配体L^2-相互连接形成。研究了2的热稳定性及其在室温下的固体荧光性质。     

A twofold interpenetrated 3-D Cu(II) coordination polymer based on 5-(pyridin-4-yl)isophthalic acid: synthesis,crystal structure,and magnetic properties

A new copper(II) coordination polymer, [Cu(PIA)·2H₂O]_n (1) [H₂PIA = 5-(pyridin-4-yl)isophthalic acid], has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, TGA, powder, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Structural analysis shows that each PIA^2? in 1 bridges three Cu(II) ions, and likewise each Cu(II) ion connects to three PIA^2? ligands, giving a 3-D framework with utp topology and left-/right-handed helical channels. Interestingly, two such identical frameworks interlock with each other to generate a twofold interpenetrated structure that is stabilized by hydrogen bonding and π–π interactions. In addition, the thermal stability and the magnetic properties of 1 have been investigated.     

SpecPad: device‐independent NMR data visualization and processing based on the novel DART programming language and Html5 Web technology

SpecPad is a new device‐independent software program for the visualization and processing of one‐dimensional and two‐dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) time domain (FID) and frequency domain (spectrum) data. It is the result of a project to investigate whether the novel programming language DART, in combination with Html5 Web technology, forms a suitable base to write an NMR data evaluation software which runs on modern computing devices such as Android, iOS, and Windows tablets as well as on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X desktop PCs and notebooks. Another topic of interest is whether this technique also effectively supports the required sophisticated graphical and computational algorithms. SpecPad is device‐independent because DART's compiled executable code is JavaScript and can, therefore, be run by the browsers of PCs and tablets. Because of Html5 browser cache technology, SpecPad may be operated off‐line. Network access is only required during data import or export, e.g. via a Cloud service, or for software updates. A professional and easy to use graphical user interface consistent across all hardware platforms supports touch screen features on mobile devices for zooming and panning and for NMR‐related interactive operations such as phasing, integration, peak picking, or atom assignment. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

3D semiconducting Co–MOFs based on 5‐(hydroxymethyl)isophthalic acid and imidazole derivatives: syntheses and crystal structures

Two three‐dimensional cobalt‐based metal–organic frameworks with 5‐(hydroxymethyl)isophthalic acid (H₂HIPA), namely poly[[μ₂‐1,4‐bis(2‐methyl‐1H‐imidazol‐1‐yl)benzene‐κ²N³:N^3′][μ₂‐5‐(hydroxymethyl)isophthalato‐κ²O¹:O³]cobalt(II)], [Co(C₉H₆O₅)(C₁₄H₁₄N₄)]_n ( 1 ), and poly[tris[μ₂‐1,4‐bis(1H‐imidazol‐1‐yl)benzene‐κ²N³:N^3′]bis[μ₃‐5‐(hydroxymethyl)isophthalato‐κ²O¹:O³:O⁵]dicobalt(II)], [Co₂(C₉H₆O₅)₂(C₁₂H₁₀N₄)₃]_n ( 2 ), were synthesized under similar hydrothermal conditions. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analyses revealed that 5‐(hydroxymethyl)isophthalate (HIPA^2?) and 1,4‐bis(2‐methyl‐1H‐imidazol‐1‐yl)benzene (1,4‐BMIB) are simple linkers connecting cobalt centres to build a fourfold interpenetration dia framework in complex 1 . However, complex 2 is a pillared‐layer framework with a (3,6)‐connected network constructed by 1,4‐bis(1H‐imidazol‐1‐yl)benzene (1,4‐DIB) linkers, 3‐connected HIPA^2? ligands and 6‐connected Co^II centres. The above significant structural differences can be ascribed to the introduction of the different auxiliary N‐donor ligands. Moreover, UV–Vis spectroscopy and Mott–Schottky measurements confirmed that complexes 1 and 2 are typical n‐type semiconductors.     

A two‐dimensional cadmium(II) coordination polymer based on 5‐(pyridin‐4‐yl)isophthalic acid: poly[[tetraaquabis[μ3‐5‐(pyridin‐4‐yl)isophthalato]dicadmium(II)] pentahydrate]

The title Cd^II compound, {[Cd₂(C₁₃H₇NO₄)₂(H₂O)₄]·5H₂O}_n, was synthesized by the hydrothermal reaction of Cd(NO₃)₂·4H₂O and 5‐(pyridin‐4‐yl)isophthalic acid (H₂L). The asymmetric unit contains two crystallographically independent Cd^II cations, two deprotonated L²⁻ ligands, four coordinated water molecules and five isolated water molecules. One of the Cd^II cations adopts a six‐coordinate octahedral coordination geometry involving three O atoms from one bidentate chelating and one monodentate carboxylate group of two different L²⁻ ligands, one N atom of another L²⁻ ligand and two coordinated water molecules. The second Cd^II cation adopts a seven‐coordinate pentagonal–bipyramidal coordination geometry involving four O atoms from two bidentate chelating carboxylate groups of two different L²⁻ ligands, one N atom of another L²⁻ ligand and two coordinated water molecules. Each L²⁻ ligand bridges three Cd^II cations and, likewise, each Cd^II cation connects to three L²⁻ ligands, giving rise to a two‐dimensional graphite‐like 6³ layer structure. These two‐dimensional layers are further linked by O—H...O hydrogen‐bonding interactions to form a three‐dimensional supramolecular architecture. The photoluminescence properties of the title compound were also investigated.     

1D Structure Sodium Coordination Anion based on [5‐(Dinitromethylene)‐4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐tetrazole]: Syntheses,Structures, and Thermal Behavior

The ten‐coordinate complex, (HATr)[Na(DNMz)] · H₂O ( 1 ) was synthesized by reaction of 5‐(dinitromethylene)‐4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐tetrazole (DNMz), sodium hydroxide, and 3‐hydrazinium‐4‐amino‐1,2,4‐1H‐triazolium dichloride (HATr) in aqueous solution and characterized by various physico‐chemical techniques. Complex 1 is an energetic material with a nitrogen content of 51.2 % and a decomposition temperature of 128.9 °C. The molecular structure of complex 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic system with P2(1)/c group and shows an infinite 1D chain structure. The heat of formation was determined as –122.27 kJ · mol^–1 by using bomb calorimetry. In addition, the kinetic parameters were studied by Kissinger's and Ozawa‐Doyle's methods.     

A pillared framework coordination polymer based on the Cd3(μ3‐OH) unit: poly[[(μ4‐5‐aminotetrazolato‐κ4N1:N2:N3:N4)chlorido‐μ3‐hydroxido‐(μ3‐isonicotinato‐κ3N:O:O′)dicadmium(II)] 0.14‐hydrate]

The title coordination polymer, {[Cd₂(CH₂N₅)(C₆H₄NO₂)Cl(OH)]·0.14H₂O}_n, (I), was synthesized by the reaction of cadmium acetate and N‐(1H‐tetrazol‐5‐yl)isonicotinamide in aqueous ammonia, using hydrochloric acid to adjust the pH. Under hydrothermal conditions, N‐(1H‐tetrazol‐5‐yl)isonicotinamide slowly hydrolyzes to form isonicotinic acid (Hisonic) and 5‐aminotetrazole (Hatz). The deprotonated form of isonicotinic acid (denoted isonic) acts as a bridging ligand in the structure. The polymer crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/m. In the structure, there is one Cd₃(μ₃‐OH) unit of C_s symmetry, with one of the Cd^II atoms and the O and H atoms located on a mirror plane. The other crystallographically independent Cd^II cation is located on an inversion centre. Each edge of the Cd₃(μ₃‐OH) isosceles triangle is bridged by an atz ligand in a μ_1,2 or μ_2,3/μ_3,4 mode. The Cd₃(μ₃‐OH) units are laced around with a belt of chloride ligands. The belts are further connected into undulating layers via weak inter‐belt Cd—Cl bonds. The two organic ligands reside across mirror planes. The construction of a three‐dimensional framework is completed by the pillaring isonic ligand. Water molecules partially occupy the voids of the framework.     

Purine 3′:5′‐cyclic nucleotides with the nucleobase in a syn orientation: cAMP,cGMP and cIMP

Purine 3′:5′‐cyclic nucleotides are very well known for their role as the secondary messengers in hormone action and cellular signal transduction. Nonetheless, their solid‐state conformational details still require investigation. Five crystals containing purine 3′:5′‐cyclic nucleotides have been obtained and structurally characterized, namely adenosine 3′:5′‐cyclic phosphate dihydrate, C₁₀H₁₂N₅O₆P·2H₂O or cAMP·2H₂O, (I), adenosine 3′:5′‐cyclic phosphate 0.3‐hydrate, C₁₀H₁₂N₅O₆P·0.3H₂O or cAMP·0.3H₂O, (II), guanosine 3′:5′‐cyclic phosphate pentahydrate, C₁₀H₁₂N₅O₇P·5H₂O or cGMP·5H₂O, (III), sodium guanosine 3′:5′‐cyclic phosphate tetrahydrate, Na⁺·C₁₀H₁₁N₅O₇P⁻·4H₂O or Na(cGMP)·4H₂O, (IV), and sodium inosine 3′:5′‐cyclic phosphate tetrahydrate, Na⁺·C₁₀H₁₀N₄O₇P⁻·4H₂O or Na(cIMP)·4H₂O, (V). Most of the cyclic nucleotide zwitterions/anions [two from four cAMP present in total in (I) and (II), cGMP in (III), cGMP⁻ in (IV) and cIMP⁻ in (V)] are syn conformers about the N‐glycosidic bond, and this nucleobase arrangement is accompanied by C_rib—H…N_pur hydrogen bonds (rib = ribose and pur = purine). The base orientation is tuned by the ribose pucker. An analysis of data obtained from the Cambridge Structural Database made in the context of syn–anti conformational preferences has revealed that among the syn conformers of various purine nucleotides, cyclic nucleotides and dinucleotides predominate significantly. The interactions stabilizing the syn conformation have been indicated. The inter‐nucleotide contacts in (I)–(V) have been systematized in terms of the chemical groups involved. All five structures display three‐dimensional hydrogen‐bonded networks.     

5-氨基双四唑富氮配位化合物的合成、结构及其对高氯酸铵的热分解影响

水热条件下合成了两个5-氨基双四唑配位化合物Cu(bta)(bpy)(H2O)(1)和Pb2(bta)2(en)2.4H2O(2)(H2bta=5-氨基双四唑,bpy=2,2′-联吡啶,en=乙二胺),并借助单晶X-射线衍射技术对其结构进行了表征。在配合物1中,5-氨基双四唑配体以双齿螯合模式与铜离子配位形成离散的分子,并通过H键作用进一步形成了三维的超分子结构。在配合物2中,强的R22(8)氢键环作用将双核的Pb2(bta)2(en)2单元连接成一维的链,这些链通过与水分子氢键作用被进一步组装成三维的超分子结构。另外,通过DSC技术探究了它们作为添加剂对高氯酸铵的热分解催化影响。研究发现,铅基化合物2的催化效果较铜基化合物1要好。     

Inherent instabilities of some W5Si3-type binary phases with large electropositive metal atoms: Six examples in the Ba-Pb, Ca-Sn-Mg,Cu,Zn, and La-Ga-Al,Zn systems

A particular pathology of certain W₅Si₃-type A₅B₃ structures (I4/mcm) appears to arise because of unduly close approaches of the A1-type atoms on the cell faces at , 0, () that occur with the larger and more electropositive A and/or in the presence of smaller B atoms. A structure refinement of binary Ba_4.81Pb₃ indicates such a marginal stability in that the Ba atoms in the facial Ba_0.81 chains exhibit an extreme displacement ellipsoid along . Although Ca₅Sn₃ and La₅Ga₃ binaries are unknown in this structure type, five stable ternary derivatives of these have been synthesized via substitution reactions and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction means: Ca₄Sn_3.223(4)Mg_0.777, Ca₄Sn₃Cu_1.30(4), Ca_4.66(6)Sn₃Zn_0.704(4), La_4.81(1)Ga_1.38(2)Al_1.62, and La_4.762(5)Ga_1.5(1)Zn_1.5. Only the Ca-Sn-Zn phase exhibits lower symmetry, P4/mbm. The problematic A1 sites exhibit diverse changes in these, whereas the surrounding B2 tetrahedra are largely unaltered. The Ca-Sn results are, respectively: direct Mg/Sn substitution at the Ca1 site; mixed fractional distribution of the smaller Cu at two sites around the A1 position with an unresolved disorder; a pair of apparently independent modes, fractional Ca in the normal position and fractional Zn rectangles thereabout. The two La-Sn phases contain normal Ga,Al (Ga,Zn) tetrahedral chains with pairs of fractional disordered La atoms along , 0, z. Each can be rationalized in terms of a reasonable incommensurate structure. Electronic effects may also be operable.     

Synthesis,structure and characterization of two new metal–organic coordination polymers based on the ligand 5‐iodobenzene‐1,3‐dicarboxylate

Two new coordination polymers (CPs) formed from 5‐iodobenzene‐1,3‐dicarboxylic acid (H₂iip) in the presence of the flexible 1,4‐bis(1H‐imidazol‐1‐yl)butane (bimb) auxiliary ligand, namely poly[[μ₂‐1,4‐bis(1H‐imidazol‐1‐yl)butane‐κ²N³:N^3′](μ₃‐5‐iodobenzene‐1,3‐dicarboxylato‐κ⁴O¹,O^1′:O³:O^3′)cobalt(II)], [Co(C₈H₃IO₄)(C₁₀H₁₄N₄)]_n or [Co(iip)(bimb)]_n, (1), and poly[[[μ₂‐1,4‐bis(1H‐imidazol‐1‐yl)butane‐κ²N³:N^3′](μ₂‐5‐iodobenzene‐1,3‐dicarboxylato‐κ²O¹:O³)zinc(II)] trihydrate], {[Zn(C₈H₃IO₄)(C₁₀H₁₄N₄)]·3H₂O}_n or {[Zn(iip)(bimb)]·3H₂O}_n, (2), were synthesized and characterized by FT–IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), solid‐state UV–Vis spectroscopy, single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis and powder X‐ray diffraction analysis (PXRD). The iip²⁻ ligand in (1) adopts the (κ¹,κ¹‐μ₂)(κ¹, κ¹‐μ₁)‐μ₃ coordination mode, linking adjacent secondary building units into a ladder‐like chain. These chains are further connected by the flexible bimb ligand in a trans–trans–trans conformation. As a result, a twofold three‐dimensional interpenetrating α‐Po network is formed. Complex (2) exhibits a two‐dimensional (4,4) topological network architecture in which the iip²⁻ ligand shows the (κ¹)(κ¹)‐μ₂ coordination mode. The solid‐state UV–Vis spectra of (1) and (2) were investigated, together with the fluorescence properties of (2) in the solid state.     

Treatment of Human Glioblastoma U251 Cells with Sulforaphane and a Peptide Nucleic Acid (PNA) Targeting miR-15b-5p: Synergistic Effects on Induction of Apoptosis

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a lethal malignant tumor accounting for 42% of the tumors of the central nervous system, the median survival being 15 months. At present, no curative treatment is available for GBM and new drugs and therapeutic protocols are urgently needed. In this context, combined therapy appears to be a very interesting approach. The isothiocyanate sulforaphane (SFN) has been previously shown to induce apoptosis and inhibit the growth and invasion of GBM cells. On the other hand, the microRNA miR-15b is involved in invasiveness and proliferation in GBM and its inhibition is associated with the induction of apoptosis. On the basis of these observations, the objective of the present study was to determine whether a combined treatment using SFN and a peptide nucleic acid interfering with miR-15b-5p (PNA-a15b) might be proposed for increasing the pro-apoptotic effects of the single agents. To verify this hypothesis, we have treated GMB U251 cells with SFN alone, PNA-a15b alone or their combination. The cell viability, apoptosis and combination index were, respectively, analyzed by calcein staining, annexin-V and caspase-3/7 assays, and RT-qPCR for genes involved in apoptosis. The efficacy of the PNA-a15b determined the miR-15b-5p content analyzed by RT-qPCR. The results obtained indicate that SFN and PNA-a15b synergistically act in inducing the apoptosis of U251 cells. Therefore, the PNA-a15b might be proposed in a “combo-therapy” associated with SFN. Overall, this study suggests the feasibility of using combined treatments based on PNAs targeting miRNA involved in GBM and nutraceuticals able to stimulate apoptosis.     

Extraction Equilibria between Benzene and Water of Uni- and Bivalent Metal Picrates with Lariat 16-Crown-5: Effect of the Side Arms on the Extraction Ability and Selectivity

The overall extraction constants (K_ex) of uni- andbivalent metal picrates with 15-(2,5-dioxahexyl)-15-methyl-16-crown-5(L16C5) were determined between benzene and water at 25°C. TheK_ex values were analyzed into the constituent equilibriumconstants, i.e., the extraction constant of picric acid, the distributionconstant of the crown ether, the stability constant of the metalion–crown ether complex in water, and the ion-pair extraction constantof the complex cation with the picrate anion. The K_ex valuedecreases in the orders Ag⁺ > Na⁺ >Tl⁺ > K⁺ > Li⁺ andPb²⁺ > Ba²⁺ > Sr²⁺ for theuni- and bivalent metals, respectively, which are the same as those observedfor 16C5. The extraction selectivity was found to be governed by theselectivity of the ion-pair extraction of the L16C5–metal picratecomplex rather than by that of the complex formation in water. Theextraction ability of L16C5 is smaller for all the metals than that of 16C5,which is mostly attributed to the higher lipophilicity of L16C5. Differencesin the extraction selectivity between L16C5 and 16C5 were observed for thebivalent metals but little for the univalent metals. The side-arm effect onthe extraction selectivity was interpreted on the basis of the negativecorrelation between the effect on the complex stability constant in waterand that on the ion-pair extraction constant.