Synthesis of Bimetallic Copper‐Rich Nanoclusters Encapsulating a Linear Palladium Dihydride Unit

The structurally precise Cu‐rich hydride nanoclusters [PdCu₁₄H₂(dtc/dtp)₆(C≡CPh)₆] (dtc: di‐butyldithiocarbamate ( 1 ); dtp: di‐isopropyl dithiophosphate ( 2 )) were synthesized from the reaction of polyhydrido copper clusters [Cu₂₈H₁₅(S₂CNⁿBu₂)₁₂]⁺ or [Cu₂₀H₁₁{S₂P(OⁱPr)₂}₉] with phenyl acetylene in the presence of Pd(PPh₃)₂Cl₂. Their structures and compositions were determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction and the results supported by ESI‐mass spectrometry. Hydride positions in 1 were confirmed by single‐crystal neutron diffraction. Each hydride is connected to one Pd⁰ and four Cu^I atoms in slightly distorted trigonalbipyramidal geometry. The anatomies of clusters 1 and 2 are very similar and DFT calculations allow rationalizing the interactions between the encapsulated [PdH₂]^2? unit and its Cu₁₄ bicapped icosahedral cage. As a result, Pd has the highest coordination number (14) so far recorded.     

Nanopore Sequencing Accurately Identifies the Mutagenic DNA Lesion O6‐Carboxymethyl Guanine and Reveals Its Behavior in Replication

O⁶‐carboxymethylguanine (O⁶‐CMG) is a highly mutagenic alkylation product of DNA, triggering transition mutations relevant to gastrointestinal cancer. However, precise localization of a single O⁶‐CMG with conventional sequencing platforms is challenging. Here nanopore sequencing (NPS), which directly senses single DNA bases according to their physiochemical properties, was employed to detect O⁶‐CMG. A unique O⁶‐CMG signal was observed during NPS and a single‐event call accuracy of >95 % was achieved. Moreover, O⁶‐CMG was found to be a replication obstacle for Phi29 DNA polymerase (Phi29 DNAP), suggesting this lesion could cause DNA sequencing biases in next generation sequencing (NGS) approaches.     

Simultaneous quantification of ondansetron and tariquidar in rat and human plasma using a high performance liquid chromatography‐ultraviolet method

Ondansetron, a widely used antiemetic agent, is a P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) substrate and therefore expression of P‐gp at the blood–brain barrier limits its distribution to the central nervous system (CNS), which was observed to be reversed by coadministration with P‐gp inhibitors. Tariquidar is a potent and selective third‐generation P‐gp inhibitor, and coadministration with ondansetron has shown improved ondansetron distribution to the CNS. There is currently no reported bioanalytical method for simultaneously quantifying ondansetron with a third‐generation P‐gp inhibitor. Therefore, we aimed to develop and validate a method for ondansetron and tariquidar in rat and human plasma samples. A full validation was performed for both ondansetron and tariquidar, and sample stability was tested under various storage conditions. To demonstrate its utility, the method was applied to a preclinical pharmacokinetic study following coadministration of ondansetron and tariquidar in rats. The presented method will be valuable in pharmacokinetic studies of ondansetron and tariquidar in which simultaneous determination may be required. In addition, this is the first report of a bioanalytical method validated for quantification of tariquidar in plasma samples.     

Novel inhibitor discovery through virtual screening against multiple protein conformations generated via ligand-directed modeling: a maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase example

Kinase targets have been demonstrated to undergo major conformational reorganization upon ligand binding. Such protein conformational plasticity remains a significant challenge in structure-based virtual screening methodology and may be approximated by screening against an ensemble of diverse protein conformations. Maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK), a member of serine-threonine kinase family, has been recently found to be involved in the tumerogenic state of glioblastoma, breast, ovarian, and colon cancers. We therefore modeled several conformers of MELK utilizing the available chemogenomic and crystallographic data of homologous kinases. We carried out docking pose prediction and virtual screening enrichment studies with these conformers. The performances of the ensembles were evaluated by their ability to reproduce known inhibitor bioactive conformations and to efficiently recover known active compounds early in the virtual screen when seeded with decoy sets. A few of the individual MELK conformers performed satisfactorily in reproducing the native protein-ligand pharmacophoric interactions up to 50% of the cases. By selecting an ensemble of a few representative conformational states, most of the known inhibitor binding poses could be rationalized. For example, a four conformer ensemble is able to recover 95% of the studied actives, especially with imperfect scoring function(s). The virtual screening enrichment varied considerably among different MELK conformers. Enrichment appears to improve by selection of a proper protein conformation. For example, several holo and unliganded active conformations are better to accommodate diverse chemotypes than ATP-bound conformer. These results prove that using an ensemble of diverse conformations could give a better performance. Applying this approach, we were able to screen a commercially available library of half a million compounds against three conformers to discover three novel inhibitors of MELK, one from each template. Among the three compounds validated via experimental enzyme inhibition assays, one is relatively potent (15; K(d) = 0.37 μM), one moderately active (12; K(d) = 3.2 μM), and one weak but very selective (9; K(d) = 18 μM). These novel hits may be utilized to assist in the development of small molecule therapeutic agents useful in diseases caused by deregulated MELK, and perhaps more importantly, the approach demonstrates the advantages of choosing an appropriate ensemble of a few conformers in pursuing compound potency, selectivity, and novel chemotypes over using single target conformation for structure-based drug design in general.     

Influence of optical constants in carbon-based dispersions for enhanced solar evaporation

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - Carbon-based nano- and microfluid dispersions show promise as effective media for solar-assisted desalination. They act as strong solar absorbers in...     

Inclusion complex formation of β-cyclodextrin and Naproxen: a study on exothermic complex formation by differential scanning calorimetry

Inclusion complex formation between β-cyclodextrin and Naproxen was investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) as a function of the β-cyclodextrin-to-Naproxen molar ratio, ranging from 0:5:1 to 5:1. When these mixtures are heated above the melting temperature of Naproxen, an exothermic peak is observed at a temperature slightly higher than the melting peak of Naproxen. This peak, which has not been previously reported, has been interpreted as an exothermic energy of inclusion complex formation. The magnitude of this complex formation peak was found to be dependent upon the composition of the β-cyclodextrin and Naproxen mixture and increased in magnitude to a maximum value at a β-cyclodextrin:Naproxen molar ratio of 2:1. In addition, Naproxen recrystallization and re-melting peaks seen in the cooling and re-heating scans, respectively, decreased in magnitude with increasing molar ratio and totally disappeared for the mixture with 5:1 of β-cyclodextrin to Naproxen ratio indicative of complete inclusion of Naproxen in the cyclodextrin cavities. Complete inclusion was further reflected by the disappearance of key Naproxen peaks in Fourier transform infrared spectra of samples recovered from DSC experiments. The large excess of β-cyclodextrin needed to fully complex the Naproxen was found to be due to slow kinetics. Increasing the hold time after the initial melting led to inclusion efficiencies up to 95 % even for the 2:1 mixture. These experiments suggest that ratios of β-cyclodextrin:Naproxen 2:1 or greater facilitate the process by increasing the presence of cyclodextrin molecules in the close proximity of the drug molecules and lead to high inclusion efficiencies.     

Design,Synthesis, and Biological Activity of New Bis-1,2,3-triazole Derivatives Bearing Thiophene-Chalcone Moiety

Russian Journal of General Chemistry - A series of novel 1,4-substituted bis-aralkyl and aryl 1,2,3-triazoles bearing thiophene chalcones are synthesized via the Claisen condensation of bis...     

Synthesis and Characterization of Novel 1‐Methyl‐3‐(4‐phenyl‐4H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐3‐yl)‐1H‐indazole Derivatives

A series of novel 1‐methyl‐3‐(4‐phenyl‐4H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐3‐yl)‐1H‐indazoles was synthesized in three steps from 5‐(1‐methyl‐1H‐indazol‐3‐yl)‐4‐phenyl‐2H‐1,2,4‐triazole‐3(4H)‐thiones. 5‐(1‐Methyl‐1H‐indazol‐3‐yl)‐4‐phenyl‐2H‐1,2,4‐triazole‐3(4H)‐thiones were converted into 1‐methyl‐3‐(5‐(methylsulfonyl)‐4‐phenyl‐4H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐3‐yl)‐1H‐indazoles upon methylation followed by treatment with aq. KMnO₄. The reaction of 1‐methyl‐3‐(5‐(methylsulfonyl)‐4‐phenyl‐4H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐3‐yl)‐1H‐indazoles with Raney nickel resulted in desulphonylation to afford corresponding 1‐methyl‐3‐(4‐phenyl‐4H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐3‐yl)‐1H‐indazoles. All the new synthesized compounds were characterized by spectral techniques.