Probing metabolic alterations in breast cancer in response to molecular inhibitors with Raman spectroscopy and validated with mass spectrometry

Rapid and accurate response to targeted therapies is critical to differentiate tumors that are resistant to treatment early in the regimen. In this work, we demonstrate a rapid, noninvasive, and label-free approach to evaluate treatment response to molecular inhibitors in breast cancer (BC) cells with Raman spectroscopy (RS). Metabolic reprogramming in BC was probed with RS and multivariate analysis was applied to classify the cells into responsive or nonresponsive groups as a function of drug dosage, drug type, and cell type. Metabolites identified with RS were then validated with mass spectrometry (MS). We treated triple-negative BC cells with Trametinib, an inhibitor of the extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway. Changes measured with both RS and MS corresponding to membrane phospholipids, amino acids, lipids and fatty acids indicated that these BC cells were responsive to treatment. Comparatively, minimal metabolic changes were observed post-treatment with Alpelisib, an inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, indicating treatment resistance. These findings were corroborated with cell viability assay and immunoblotting. We also showed estrogen receptor-positive MCF-7 cells were nonresponsive to Trametinib with minimal metabolic and viability changes. Our findings support that oncometabolites identified with RS will ultimately enable rapid drug screening in patients ensuring patients receive the most effective treatment at the earliest time point.

Rapid and accurate response to targeted therapies is critical to differentiate tumors that are resistant to treatment early in the regimen.     

Synthesis of 1-(5-phenyl-2H-tetrazol-2-ylacetyl)-4-substituted thiosemicarbazides as possible antiinflammatory agents

A series of 1-(5-phenyl-2H-tetrazol-2-ylacetyl)-4-substituted thiosemicarbazids were prepared as possible antiinflammatory agents. Their antiproteolytic activity was reported.     

Molecular simulation study of effect of molecular association on vapor-liquid interfacial properties

Vapor-liquid interfacial properties of square-well associating fluids are studied via transition-matrix Monte Carlo simulation. Results for one-site and two-site association models are presented. Coexistence properties, surface tension, cluster distribution, density profile, and orientation profile are presented. Molecular association affects the interfacial properties and cluster fractions more than it affects the bulk densities. We observe that the surface tension exhibits a maximum with respect to association strength. This behavior is in agreement with the recent study of Peery and Evans for one site system using a square-gradient approach.     

A mild and practical method for the regioselective synthesis of N-acylated 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2-ones. New acyl transfer reagents

The treatment of 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2-ones with n-BuLi at −78 °C, followed by quenching with various electrophiles furnished N3-substituted derivatives, regioselectively. Further, N1,N3-diacyl derivatives were found to transfer N1-acyl groups to nucleophilic sites.     

Molecular simulation study of the effect of pressure on the vapor-liquid interface of the square-well fluid

We examine a model system to study the effect of pressure on the surface tension of a vapor-liquid interface. The system is a two-component mixture of spheres interacting with the square-well (A-A) and hard-sphere (B-B) potentials and with unlike (A-B) interactions ranging (for different cases) from hard sphere to strongly attractive square well. The bulk-phase and interfacial properties are measured by molecular dynamics simulation for coexisting vapor-liquid phases for various mixture compositions, pressures, and temperatures. The variation of the surface tension with pressure compares well to values given by surface-excess formulas derived from thermodynamic considerations. We find that surface tension increases with pressure only for the case of an inert solute (hard-sphere A-B interactions) and that the presence of A-B attractions strongly promotes a decrease of surface tension with pressure. An examination of density and composition profiles is made to explain these effects in terms of surface-adsorption arguments.     

Environmental pollution study by multielemental neutron activation analysis of garden soil samples from Nagpur City, India

A multielemental instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) method has been employed for the determination of 30 elements in seven garden soil samples from Nagpur City and two intercomparison soil standards from IAEA, Vienna and Institute of Radioecology and Applied Nuclear Techniques (IRANT), Slovak Republic. Environmental implications of elemental concentrations in different soils have been discussed.     

A new macrocyclic polystyrene-based sensor for chromium (III) ions

A new tetradentate dihydrogen perchlorate macrocyclic ligand (2,4,9,11-tetraphenyl-1,5,8,12-tetraazacyclotetradeca-1,4,8,11-tetraene dihydrogen perchlorate) was prepared and characterised. The macrocycle behaves as a selective chelating ion-exchanger for some metal ions. The polystyrene-based membrane electrode is found to exhibit quite promising selectivity for Cr3+ ions. It can be used to estimate chromium concentrations in the range 3.16x 10(-6)-1.00x10(-1) M with a near-Nernstian slope of 17.5 mV per decade of concentration between pH 3.0 to 6.5. The electrode is found to possess a fast response time of 15 s and was used over a period of three months with good reproducibility (s = +/- 0.3 mV). The selectivity coefficient values for mono-, di- and trivalent cations indicate excellent selectivity for Cr3+ ions over a large number of other cations. Anions such as Cl- and SO4(2-) do not interfere and the electrode also works satisfactorily in a mixed organic-water solution. The sensor has been used as an indicator electrode for the potentiometric titration of Cr3+ with EDTA. The practical utility of the membrane sensor has also been demonstrated in solutions contaminated with detergents (CTAB and SDS). Above all, the membrane sensor has been very successfully used to determine Cr3+ in some foods.     

Bivalent 3d-metal complexes of malonyl- and succinyldihydrazide based macrocyclic ligands. Synthesis and characterization

Summary The macrocycles 2,10-dimethyl-3,4,8,9,15-pentaazabicyclo-[9.3.1]-pentadeca-1 (15),2,9,11,13-penta-ene-5,7-dione (L) and 2,11-dimethyl-3,4,8,9,10,16-pentaazabicyclo[10.3.1]-hexadeca-1 (16),2,10,12,14-penta-ene-5,8-dione (L) were prepared and characterized by elemental, i.r. and mass spectral data. The macrocycles react with various metal(II) chlorides to yield complexes of the types [MLCl₂H₂O] (M = Mn, Co, Ni, Cu or Zn), [MLCl₂H₂O] (M = Mn, Ni, Cu or Zn) and [Co₃L₂Cl₄]Cl₂. The complexes were characterized by physico-chemical and spectroscopic methods.     

Quantification of Valerenic Acid in Valeriana jatamansi and Valeriana officinalis by HPTLC

A simple, rapid, cost-effective and accurate high performance thin layer chromatographic method has been developed for quantification of valerenic acid in Valeriana jatamansi and Valeriana officinalis which is one of the stable compounds of Valeriana officinalis and designated as a key marker compound. Valerenic acid makes substantial contribution to the sedative and spasmolytic activity of the essential oil and extract of Valeriana officinalis. Separation and quantification was achieved by HPTLC using ternary mobile phase of hexane: ethyl acetate: acetic acid (80:20:0.5 v/v) on precoated silica gel 60F₂₅₄ aluminium plates and densitometric determination was carried out after derivatization with anisaldehyde-sulphuric acid reagent at 700 nm, in absorption-reflectance mode. The calibration curves were linear in the range of (500 ng–2.5 μg). This is the first HPTLC report for the identification and quantification of valerenic acid in Valeriana jatamansi and Valeriana officinalis.     

Total synthesis of (-)- and (+)-lentiginosine

Total synthesis of (-)-lentiginosine was achieved from D-mannitol using highly stereoselective reactions. Similarly, (+)-lentiginosine was synthesized from L-tartaric acid.