Targeting cell surface receptors with ligand-conjugated nanocrystals

To explore the potential for use of ligand-conjugated nanocrystals to target cell surface receptors, ion channels, and transporters, we explored the ability of serotonin-labeled CdSe nanocrystals (SNACs) to interact with antidepressant-sensitive, human and Drosophila serotonin transporters (hSERT, dSERT) expressed in HeLa and HEK-293 cells. Unlike unconjugated nanocrystals, SNACs were found to dose-dependently inhibit transport of radiolabeled serotonin by hSERT and dSERT, with an estimated half-maximal activity (EC(50)) of 33 (dSERT) and 99 microM (hSERT). When serotonin was conjugated to the nanocrystal through a linker arm (LSNACs), the EC(50) for hSERT was determined to be 115 microM. Electrophysiology measurements indicated that LSNACs did not elicit currents from the serotonin-3 (5HT(3)) receptor but did produce currents when exposed to the transporter, which are similar to those elicited by antagonists. Moreover, fluorescent LSNACs were found to label SERT-transfected cells but did not label either nontransfected cells or transfected cells coincubated with the high-affinity SERT antagonist paroxetine. These findings support further consideration of ligand-conjugated nanocrystals as versatile probes of membrane proteins in living cells.     

International Measurement Evaluation Programme: IMEP-9, trace elements in water

The International Measurement Evaluation Programme (IMEP) is an interlaboratory comparison scheme, founded, owned and coordinated by the Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM) since 1988. IMEP-9 is the third round of trace elements in water evaluation following IMEP-3 and IMEP-6. Reference values for 15 elements stating total concentrations and combined uncertainties (according to GUM) were established. The reference values were established mainly by isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) as a primary method of measurement, and values traceable to the SI were obtained. The four elements that could not be certified by IDMS were assigned values by means of other measurement techniques. Results from 201 laboratories from 35 countries and four continents were evaluated against the reference values and the comparability between the laboratories is presented graphically.     

Investigation of the interactions in emulsions stabilized by a polymeric surfactant and its mixtures with an anionic surfactant

 The interaction of a nonionic polymeric surfactant with an anionic surfactant at the oil–water interface has been studied by its effects on the droplet size, stability and rheology of emulsions. Oil-in-water (o/w) emulsions were prepared using isoparaffinic oil and mixtures of a nonionic polymeric surfactant with an anionic surfactant. The macro-molecular surfactant was a graft copolymer with a backbone of polymethyl methacrylate and grafted polyethylene oxide (a graft copolymer with PEO chains of MW=750). The anionic surfactant was sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The stabiliza-tion of the emulsion droplets was found to be different when using one or the other surfactant. The mechanism of stabilization of emulsion droplets by the macro-molecular surfactant is of the steric type while the stabilization by anionic surfactant is of the electrostatic repulsion type. Emulsions stabilized with mixtures present both types of stabilization. Other effects on the preparation and stabilization of emulsions were found to be dependent on properties associated with the surfactant molecular weight such as the Marangoni effect and Gibbs elasticity. The initial droplet size of the emulsions showed a synergistic effect of the surfactant combination, showing a minimum for the mixtures compared to the pure components. Emulsion stability also shows a synergistic interaction of both surfactants. Rheological measurements allow for the estimation of the interparticle interaction when measured as a function of volume fraction. Most of the effects observed can be attributed to the differences in interfacial tension and droplet radius produced by both surfactants and their mixtures. The elastic moduli are well explained on the basis of droplet deformation. Ionic versus steric stabilization produce little difference in the observed rheology, the only important differences observed concerned the extent of the linear viscoelasticity region. Received: 22 November 1996 Accepted: 24 March 1997     

Pyridine N-alkylation by lithium, magnesium, and zinc alkyl reagents: synthetic, structural, and mechanistic studies on the bis(imino)pyridine system

The 2,6-bis(alpha-iminoalkyl)pyridines 2,6-[ArNC(CR(3))](2)C(5)H(3)N [R = H, D; Ar = 2,6-i-Pr(2)C(6)H(3) (DIPP), 2,6-Me(2)C(6)H(3) (DMP)] react with MeLi in Et(2)O to give a binary mixture of products: the pyridine N-methylated species 2,6-[ArNC(CR(3))](2)C(5)H(3)N(Me)Li(OEt(2)) and the deprotonated/dedeuterated species 2-[ArNC(CR(3))],6-[ArNC(=CR(2))]C(5)H(3)NLi(OEt(2)). For R = D, the product ratio is 2:1 in favor of the N-methylated product, while, for R = H, the deprotonated product is favored by 5:1, increasing to 8:1 in toluene solvent. Warming solutions of the N-methylated species leads to clean conversion to the thermodynamically preferred deprotonated species. Crossover experiments show that MeLi is re-formed and dissociates from the terdentate ligand before deprotonating the ketimine methyl unit. For MgR(2) (R = Et, i-Pr) and ZnR(2) (R = Et) reagents, N-alkylation products are formed exclusively, but derivatives containing bulky aryl substituents are found to undergo further rearrangement to 2-alkylated species, arising by migration of the alkyl group of the N-alkyl moiety to the adjacent ring carbon atom. The reversibility of the N-alkylation process has been probed using deuterio-labeled Mg alkyl reagents and mixed alkyl zinc species. A cationic zinc derivative is shown to undergo "reverse" alkyl migration, from the heterocycle nitrogen atom to the zinc center. EPR spectroscopy reveals a paramagnetic intermediate in which the unpaired electron is delocalized over the heterocycle and di-imine moieties of the ligand, indicating that the N-alkylation reactions proceed via single electron-transfer processes.     

Quinazolines and 1,4-benzodiazepines. XCV. Synthesis of 1,4-benzodiazepines by ring expansion of 2-chloromethylquinazolines with carbanions

1,4-Benzodiazepines bearing a carbon substituent at the 2-position were obtained by reaction of 2-chloromethylquinazoline 3-oxides with stabilized carbanions. The carbanions of alkyl acetates, N,N-disubstituted acetamides, acetonitrile, dimethylsulfone, N,N-dimethyl methanesulfonamide and 2-methylpyridine were successfully applied. The conversion of some of the 2-carbon substituted 1,4-benzodiazepines to imidazo[1,5-a][1,4]benzodiazepines and [1,2,5]oxadiazino[5,4-a][1,4]benzodiazepines is described.     

Surface passivation of luminescent colloidal quantum dots with poly(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) through a ligand exchange process

Polydimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (PDMAEMA) was used as a multidentate ligand to modify the surface of CdSe/ZnS core-shell colloidal quantum dots in toluene with trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO) as the surface ligand. Adsorption of PDMAEMA was accompanied by release of TOPO. The process is free of agglomeration, and the modified nanocrystals become soluble in methanol. The photoluminescence properties are well-preserved in either toluene or methanol.     

Study of the major fragmentation pathways of cypermethrin and related synthetic insecticides using tandem mass spectrometry

Fragmentation pathways of the synthetic pyrethroid cypermethrin and four structurally related insecticides were investigated using a tandem quadrupole mass spectrometer incorporating a hexapole collision cell under positive-ion electron impact ionization conditions. Conventional mass spectrometry using the first quadrupole analyser only and tandem mass spectrometry on selected precursor ions and product ions, and also constant neutral loss scan experiments, were used. Mechanisms and fragmentation pathways are proposed to explain the inherent stability of ions associated with the benzylphenoxy portion of this class of insecticide.     

The action of a benzotriazole light stabilizer in wool. I. A diffuse reflectance analysis of UV screening

A procedure based on diffuse reflectance spectroscopy was developed to determine the UV screening effect of a benzotriazole light stabilizer in wool fabric. Expressions that enable the protective effect of the stabilizer to be calculated directly from reflectance data were derived. The dependence of the screening effect on additive concentration was deduced from measurements of fabric reflectivity in the wavelength range of 300–400 nm. Two reflectometers with quite different optical geometries were used to measure the reflectance spectra and the merits of the two systems are discussed. A theoretical expression for the optical screening phenomenon in highly scattering materials was evaluated for substrates of different reflectivity and the general implications of this relationship are considered.     

Epitope promiscuity of human monoclonal autoantibodies to T-cell receptor-combining site determinants

To characterize the binding specificity and light- and heavy-chain variable region usage in monoclonal human autoantibodies (mAAbs) to T-cell receptors, we constructed heterohybridomas from peripheral blood B cells of three rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. From a panel of more than 200 heterohybridomas secreting IgM autoantibodies binding to T-cell receptor Vbeta chain first complementarity determining segments (CDR1), we characterized two IgM/lambda molecules from a single patient in detail. These bound to both CDR1 peptide epitopes and intact TCR of recombinant single-chain T-cell receptor constructs, and to T-cell surface TCR. Spectratype analysis using epitopes mimicking a set of 24 Vbeta genes indicated that one molecule bound only a few members of the set, whereas the second showed considerable epitope promiscuity by binding to more than half of the tested CDR1 peptides. Both mAAbs used variants of a Vlambda3 gene that were very similar to one another and to the germline gene. The epitope-promiscuous autoantibody used a V(H)4 gene identical to a germline prototype, while the other incorporated a V(H)3 sequence differing in only a single residue from its germline prototype. The CDR3s of both were large and distinct from each other as well as from the corresponding segments of rheumatoid factors and "cold agglutinins" using the same or related V(H) germline genes. These mAAbs offer models for deciphering the basis of epitope promiscuity, and serve as candidates for direct use in immunomodulation because they are of intrinsic human origin and do not require molecular engineering to adapt them for use in therapy.     

Photolysis of p-benzoquinone in N2 matrices at 12K: a novel decomposition pathway

Photolysis of _p-benzoquinone in N₂ matrices at 12K has been found to give acetylene and CO; 1,4-naphthoquinone and 9,10-anthraquinone, however, are inert under similar conditions.