2-(Glucosylthio)ethyl Groups as Potential Biolabile Phosphate- Protecting Groups of Mononucleotides

The in vitro anti-HIV effects and the stability studies of mononucleoside phosphotriester derivatives 1 – 3 of 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine (AZT) containing 2-(glucosylthio)ethyl moieties as potential biolabile phosphate-protecting groups are reported. The results of the anti-HIV evaluation demonstrate that the described compounds act via the release of the free nucleoside analogue and cannot be considered as mononucleotide prodrugs (pronucleotides). These data can be related to the lack of substrate affinity of these derivatives towards target-enzymes as corroborated by decomposition studies in various media and experiments with a purified β-D glucosidase.     

Substituted thiazolamide coupled to a redox delivery system: a new gamma-secretase inhibitor with enhanced pharmacokinetic profile

Inhibition of gamma-secretase, one of the enzymes responsible for the cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) to produce pathogenic A beta peptides, is an attractive approach for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. We have designed a new gamma-secretase thiazolamide inhibitor bearing a dihydronicotinoyl moiety as Redox Delivery System which allows specific delivery of the drug to the brain. Through, on the one hand, A beta peptide production measurements by specific in vitro assays (gamma-secretase Cell Free assay and Cell Based assay on HEK 293 APP transfected cells) and, on the other hand, pharmacokinetic studies on animal models, the new inhibitor shows a good pharmacokinetic profile as well as a potent gamma-secretase inhibitory activity in vitro. From the obtained results, it is expected that drug will be mainly delivered to the CNS with low diffusion in the peripheral tissues. Consequently the side effects of this gamma-secretase inhibitor on the immune cells could be reduced.     

Assignment of the EPR spectrum of 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) superoxide spin adduct

[structure: see text] Spin trapping consists of using a nitrone or a nitroso compound to "trap" an unstable free radical as a long-lived nitroxide that can be characterized by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The formation of DMPO-OOH, the spin adduct resulting from trapping superoxide (O(2)(*)(-)) with 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO), has been exploited to detect the generation of superoxide in a wide variety of biological and chemical systems. The 12-line EPR spectrum of DMPO-OOH has been either reported or mentioned in more than a thousand papers. It has been interpreted as resulting from the following couplings: A(N) approximately 1.42 mT, A(H)beta approximately 1.134 mT, and A(H)gamma(1H) approximately 0.125 mT. However, the DMPO-OOH EPR spectrum has an asymmetry that cannot be reproduced when the spectrum is calculated considering a single species. Recently, it was proposed that the 0.125 mT splitting was misassigned and actually results from the superimposition of two individual EPR spectra associated with different conformers of DMPO-OOH. We have prepared 5,5-dimethyl-[3,3-(2)H(2)]-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO-d(2)), and we showed that the EPR spectrum of the corresponding superoxide spin adduct is composed of only six lines, in agreement with the assignment of the 0.125 mT splitting to a gamma-splitting from a hydrogen atom bonded to carbon 3 of DMPO. This result was supported by DFT calculations including water solvation, and the asymmetry of the DMPO-OOH EPR spectrum was nicely reproduced assuming a chemical exchange between two conformers.     

Fluorescent P-Hydroxyphosphole for Peptide Labeling through P-N Bond Formation

Synthesis of fluorescent P-hydroxybinaphtylphosphole-oxide or -sulfide was achieved by trapping a binaphtyl dianion with methyl dichlorophosphite or P-(N,N-diethylamino)dichlorophosphine, followed by oxidation or sulfuration of the P-center. After saponification or acid hydrolysis, the P-hydroxyphospholes were coupled to peptides using the coupling agent BOP, under the conditions required for the synthesis in solution or on a solid support. This new method was illustrated by the labeling of the JMV2959, a potent antagonist of the Growth Hormone Secretagogue Receptor type 1a (GHS−R1a). The labeled conjugates were used to characterize GHSR ligands by competition assays, based on Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET). Such P-hydroxyphosphole-oxide or -sulfide constitute a promising new class of compact fluorophores with large Stokes shift, for labeling biomolecules by grafting through the phosphorus atom.     

Determination of added sulfites in dried garlic with a modified version of the optimized Monier-Williams method

The optimized Monier-Williams method is slightly modified so that it could be applied for determining sulfite content in dried garlic. Dried garlic sample is directly acidified in a reactor at a pH below 3. At this pH level, the alliinase enzyme activity is irreversibly blocked, and the sulfur-containing amino acids such as alliin (the most abundant) present in dried garlic cannot be transformed into corresponding thiosulfinates such as allicin, which is absent in dried garlic. This prevents allicin from reacting with added sulfites and being probably converted to S-allyl thiosulfate, which is not volatile and has no taste. It is found that at a pH below 2.4 and at boiling water temperature, allicin produces sulfur dioxide in adequate quantity to explain the false-positive results when utilizing the optimized Monier-Williams method with allicin suppression for unsulfited dried garlic samples. Finally, when garlic samples are stabilized in a phosphoric acid buffer at a final pH around 2.4, no sulfite is produced during the Monier-Williams distillation, which is further proof there are no naturally occurring sulfites in unsulfited dried garlic under these mild conditions.     

Chemical modification of acetylcholinesterase with methoxypolyethylene glycol

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) (EC 3.1.1.7) was modified with activated monomethoxypolyethylene glycol (mPEG). A decrease of 50% in the catalytic activity was measured during the coupling reaction and the change in the surface properties of AChE was used to separate by hydrophobic interaction chromatography the native and the modified enzyme. The native and the modified enzymes were found to have the same optimalcatalytic conditions. Moreover, the Michaelis constant of both enzymes were similar, whereas theV _m and the bimolecular-velocity constant calculated for organophosphorus inhibitors were slightly higher for the modified AChE. Finally, the modification with mPEG did not improve the thermal stability, whereas the stability in a few organic solvents increased.     

DNA G-四链体的结构完整性对催化性质的影响

DNA酶中的G-四链体-血红素(G4-hemin)DNA酶结构具有较高的设计性和化学稳定性,因此格外受研究者关注.G-平面作为辅酶因子hemin的结合位点,不仅提供大π平面与hemin结合,而且其平面上的G碱基还可以充当近端配位基团与hemin进行配位.因此,研究G-平面完整性在G4-DNA酶体系中的作用具有重要意义....     

Nucléosides de synthése XXII: Obtention,comme synthons oligoxylonucléotidiques,de d-xylofurannosyl adenines spécifiquement substitués

This work describes the synthesis of certain nucleoside synthons which are necessary in order to obtain oligoxylonucleotides. The utilization of a non-symmetrically substituted xyloside substituted at the 2-position permits one to obtain, in satisfactory yields, the described nucleoside which is conveniently protected. All of the compounds described have been fully characterized using the usual analytical methods.