In vivo lipid diffusion coefficient measurements in rat bone marrow

The diffusion coefficient of lipids, D_l, within bone marrow, fat deposits and metabolically active intracellular lipids in vivo will depend on several factors including the precise chemical composition of the lipid distribution (chain lengths, degree of unsaturation, etc.) as well as the temperature. As such, D_l may ultimately prove of value in assessing abnormal fatty acid distributions linked to diseases such as cystic fibrosis, diabetes and coronary heart disease. A sensitive temperature dependence of D_l may also prove of value for MR-guided thermal therapies for bone tumors or disease within other fatty tissues like the breast. Measuring diffusion coefficients of high molecular weight lipids in vivo is, however, technically difficult for a number of reasons. For instance, due to the much lower diffusion coefficients compared to water, much higher b factors than those used for central nervous system applications are needed. In addition, the pulse sequence design must incorporate, as much as possible, immunity to motion, susceptibility and chemical shift effects present whenever body imaging is performed. In this work, high b-factor line scan diffusion imaging sequences were designed, implemented and tested for D_l measurement using a 4.7-T horizontal bore animal scanner. The gradient set available allowed for b factors as high as 0.03 μs/nm² (30,000 s/mm²) at echo times as short as 42 ms. The methods were used to measure lipid diffusion coefficients within the marrow of rat paws in vivo, yielding lipid diffusion coefficients approximately two orders of magnitude smaller than typical tissue water diffusion coefficients. Phantom experiments that demonstrate the sensitivity of lipid diffusion coefficients to chain length and temperature were also performed.     

FNDC5/Irisin: Physiology and Pathophysiology

A sedentary lifestyle or lack of physical activity increases the risk of different diseases, including obesity, diabetes, heart diseases, certain types of cancers, and some neurological diseases. Physical exercise helps improve quality of life and reduces the risk of many diseases. Irisin, a hormone induced by exercise, is a fragmented product of FNDC5 (a cell membrane protein) and acts as a linkage between muscles and other tissues. Over the past decade, it has become clear that irisin is a molecular mimic of exercise and shows various beneficial effects, such as browning of adipocytes, modulation of metabolic processes, regulation of bone metabolism, and functioning of the nervous system. Irisin has a role in carcinogenesis; numerous studies have shown its impact on migration, invasion, and proliferation of cancer cells. The receptor of irisin is not completely known; however, in some tissues it probably acts via a specific class of integrin receptors. Here, we review research from the past decade that has identified irisin as a potential therapeutic agent in the prevention or treatment of various metabolic-related and other diseases. This article delineates structural and biochemical aspects of irisin and provides an insight into the role of irisin in different pathological conditions.     

Mechanistic Insight into Binding of Huperzine A with Human Serum Albumin: Computational and Spectroscopic Approaches

Human serum albumin (HSA) is the most abundant protein in plasma synthesized by the liver and the main modulator of fluid distribution between body compartments. It has an amazing capacity to bind with multiple ligands, offering a store and transporter for various endogenous and exogenous compounds. Huperzine A (HpzA) is a natural sesquiterpene alkaloid found in Huperzia serrata and used in various neurological conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This study elucidated the binding of HpzA with HSA using advanced computational approaches such as molecular docking and molecular dynamic (MD) simulation followed by fluorescence-based binding assays. The molecular docking result showed plausible interaction between HpzA and HSA. The MD simulation and principal component analysis (PCA) results supported the stable interactions of the protein–ligand complex. The fluorescence assay further validated the in silico study, revealing significant binding affinity between HpzA and HSA. This study advocated that HpzA acts as a latent HSA binding partner, which may be investigated further in AD therapy in experimental settings.     

Bioactive Phytoconstituents as Potent Inhibitors of Tyrosine-Protein Kinase Yes (YES1): Implications in Anticancer Therapeutics

Tyrosine-protein kinase Yes (YES1) belongs to the Tyrosine-protein kinase family and is involved in several biological activities, including cell survival, cell–cell adhesion, cell differentiation, and cytoskeleton remodeling. It is highly expressed in esophageal, lung, and bladder cancers, and thus considered as an attractive drug target for cancer therapy. In this study, we performed a virtual screening of phytoconstituents from the IMPPAT database to identify potential inhibitors of YES1. Initially, the molecules were retrieved on their physicochemical properties following the Lipinski rule of five. Then binding affinities calculation, PAINS filter, ADMET, and PASS analyses followed by an interaction analysis to select safe and clinically better hits. Finally, two compounds, Glabrene and Lupinisoflavone C (LIC), with appreciable affinities and a specific interaction towards the AlphaFold predicted structure of YES1, were identified. Their time-evolution analyses were carried out using an all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, principal component analysis, and free energy landscapes. Altogether, we propose that Glabrene and LIC can be further explored in clinical settings to develop anticancer therapeutics targeting YES1 kinase.     

Selective Transformation of Norbornadiene into Functionalized Azaheterocycles and β-Amino Esters with Stereo- and Regiocontrol

Novel functionalized azaheterocycles with multiple chiral centers have been accessed from readily available norbornene β-amino acids or β-lactams across a stereocontrolled synthetic route, based on ring-opening metathesis (ROM) of the staring unsaturated bicyclic amino esters, followed by selective cyclization through ring-closing metathesis (RCM). The RCM transformations have been studied under various experimental conditions to assess the scope of conversion, catalyst, yield, and substrate influence. The structure of the starting norbornene β-amino acids predetermined the structure of the new azaheterocycles, and the developed synthetic route took place with the conservation of the configuration of the chiral centers.     

The role of medium radiation dose on microbiological safety and shelf-life of some traditional soups

Irradiation at medium doses in combination with cryogenic condition along the process to ensure the safety, quality and to extend the shelf-life of prepared meals have been investigated. Semi-concentrated black, ox-tail, chicken vegetable and chicken sweet corn soups were individually packed in a dry laminate pouch of PET 12 μ/LDPE adh.2 μ/Al–foil 7 μ/LDPE adh/LLDPE (C₄) 50 μ under vacuum followed by freezing for 24 h at −18 °C prior to irradiation with doses of 1, 3, 5 and 7 kGy at cryogenic condition (−79 °C), respectively. Both the non-irradiated and irradiated prepared meals were then stored in refrigerator at 5±2 °C. Non-irradiated and the irradiated samples at 1 kGy were mostly damaged after a week of storage. Gamma irradiation at doses of 5–7 kGy for the soups could reduce microbial load by about 2–3 log cycles, respectively, without affecting the physical–chemical parameters and palatability within 2–3 months while the unirradiated samples could only withstand for 1 month storage time.     

Polymeric alkenoxy amino acid surfactants: III. Chiral separations of binaphthyl derivatives

Micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) was investigated for the enantiomeric separations of three binaphthyl derivatives ((+/-)-1,1'-bi-(2-naphthol) (BOH), (+/-)-1,1'-binaphthyl-2,2'-diyl hydrogenphosphate (BNP), and (+/-)-1,1'-binaphthyl-2,2'-diamine (BNA)) using two recently synthesized chiral polymeric surfactants (polysodium N-undecenoxy carbonyl-L-leucinate (poly-L-SUCL) and polysodium N-undecenoxy carbonyl-L-isoleucinate (poly-L-SUCIL)) in our laboratory. Enantiomeric separation (resolution and selectivity) of the binaphthyl derivatives was influenced by polymerization concentration of the monomeric surfactant, pH, type and concentration of the background electrolyte (BGE) as well as concentration of the polymeric surfactant. Two BGEs (dibasic phosphate and Tris-borate) were compared for this study. The use of dibasic phosphate as BGE in poly-L-SUCL provides baseline resolution of (+/-) BOH and (+/-) BNP, however, no resolution and selectivity at all was observed for (+/-) BNA. A similar approach was adopted with Tris-borate-poly-L-SUCL system at fixed pH 10.1, which resulted in baseline resolution of all three binaphthyl derivatives. Although R(s) of binaphthyl derivatives was always higher and electroosmotic flow (EOF) was always lower using Tris-borate than with dibasic phosphate, the selectivity values for the two buffer systems did not differ significantly. In addition, it was found that poly-L-SUCL provided better enantiomeric resolution and selectivity for (+/-) BOH and (+/-) BNA, while poly-L-SUCIL provided enhanced enantiomeric resolution but similar enantioselectivity for (+/-) BNP. This indicates that the depth of analyte penetration into the palisade layer and the micellar core are responsible for chiral recognition of hydrophobic analyte (e.g., (+/-) BOH, and (+/-) BNA) whereas for moderately hydrophobic analyte (e.g., (+/-) BNP) interaction with the polar head group seems to dictate chiral recognition. Simultaneous enantioresolution of all three binaphthyl derivatives was possible in a single electrophoretic run using either poly-L-SUCL or poly-L-SUCIL. Further comparison of the two polymeric surfactants showed that poly-L-SUCL provided slightly longer analysis time than poly-L-SUCIL but the use of the former polymeric surfactant should be preferred due to its ability to provide complete baseline resolution and higher selectivity of all the three atropisomers with a wider chiral window.     

Substituted iron selenocarboxylate complexes CpFe(CO)(EPh3)SeCOR (E = P,As, Sb)

Photolytic substitutions of iron selenocarboxylate complexes CpFe(CO)₂SeCOR with triphenylphosphine, triphenylarsine or triphenylantimony (EPh₃) gave exclusively the monosubstituted complexes CpFe(CO)(EPh₃)SeCOR [R = 3,5-C₆H₃(NO₂)₂ (1), 4-C₆H₄NO₂ (2), Ph (3), 2-C₆H₄Me (4), and E = P (a), As (b), Sb (c)] in high yields.     

Capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry: recent advances to the analysis of small achiral and chiral solutes

We describe here the state-of-the-art development of on-line capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry (CE-MS) over the last two years. Technological developments included are novel designs of new interfaces and ionization sources, new capillary coatings, buffers, and micelles as well as application of various modes of CE-MS published in the recent literature. The areas of CE-MS application in analysis of small achiral and chiral solutes are covered in sections that highlight the recent advances and possibilities of each mode of CE-MS. Application areas reviewed in this paper include achiral and chiral pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, carbohydrates, and small peptides. The separation of enantiomers using micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC)-MS with molecular micelles and capillary electrochromatography (CEC)-MS using pack tapered columns appears to provide good tolerance to electrospray stability for routine on-line CE-MS. These two modes seem to be very suitable for sensitive detection of chiral pharmaceuticals in biological samples, but their use will probably increase in the near future. Overall, it seems that one mode of CE-MS, in particular capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE)-MS, is now recognized as established technique for analysis of small charged solutes, but other modes, such as MEKC-MS and CEC-MS, are still within a period of development in terms of both MS-compatible pseudostationary phases and columns as well as applications.     

In situ formation of C-glycosides during electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry of a series of synthetic amphiphilic cholesteryl polyethoxy neoglycolipids containing <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-acetyl-D-glucosamine

In this communication, the structural analysis of six synthetic O-Linked amphiphilic cholesteryl polyethoxy neoglycolipids containing N-acetyl-D-glucosamine was performed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry in the positive ion mode, with a QqTOF-MS/MS hybrid instrument. The MS/MS analyses provided evidence for the "in situ" formation, in the collision cell of the tandem mass spectrometer, of an unexpected and unique [C-glycoside]+ product ion, resulting from an ion-molecule reaction between the N-acetyl-D-glucosamine oxonium ion and the neutral cholesta-3,5-diene molecule. Quasi MS3 analysis of this ion resulted in the dissociation of the precursor [C-glycoside]+ ion, which produced the expected third generation N-acetyl-D-glucosamine oxonium and the protonated cholesta-3,5-diene product ions.