An azo dye for photodynamic therapy that is activated selectively by two-photon excitation

Two-photon photodynamic therapy (TP-PDT) is a promising approach for the treatment of cancer because of its better penetration depth and superior spatial selectivity. Here, we describe an azo group containing cyclized-cyanine derivatives (ACC1 and ACC2) as a two-photon activated, type I based photosensitizer (PS). These small-molecule and heavy atom-free organic dyes showed marked reactive oxygen species (ROS)-generating ability under physiological conditions, as well as fast loading ability into the cells and negligible dark toxicity. Live cell analyses with one- and two-photon microscopy revealed that these dyes showed higher ROS generation ability upon two-photon excitation than upon one-photon excitation via the type I process. The PSs have superior PDT properties compared to conventional Visudyne and 5-ALA under mild conditions. These characteristics allowed for precise PDT at the target region in mimic tumor spheroids, demonstrating that the developed TP PS could be useful in efficient PDT applications and in designing various PSs.

Azo containing dyes as a two-photon selective and type I based photosensitizers (PSs) were developed that exhibit excellent photodynamic therapy properties under mild condition.     

CHIP-mediated hyperubiquitylation of tau promotes its self-assembly into the insoluble tau filaments

The tau protein is a highly soluble and natively unfolded protein. Under pathological conditions, tau undergoes multiple post-translational modifications (PTMs) and conformational changes to form insoluble filaments, which are the proteinaceous signatures of tauopathies. To dissect the crosstalk among tau PTMs during the aggregation process, we phosphorylated and ubiquitylated recombinant tau in vitro using GSK3β and CHIP, respectively. The resulting phospho–ub-tau contained conventional polyubiquitin chains with lysine 48 linkages, sufficient for proteasomal degradation, whereas unphosphorylated ub-tau species retained only one–three ubiquitin moieties. Mass-spectrometric analysis of in vitro reconstituted phospho–ub-tau revealed seven additional ubiquitylation sites, some of which are known to stabilize tau protofilament stacking in the human brain with tauopathy. When the ubiquitylation reaction was prolonged, phospho–ub-tau transformed into insoluble hyperubiquitylated tau species featuring fibrillar morphology and in vitro seeding activity. We developed a small-molecule inhibitor of CHIP through biophysical screening; this effectively suppressed tau ubiquitylation in vitro and delayed its aggregation in cultured cells including primary cultured neurons. Our biochemical findings point to a “multiple-hit model,” where sequential events of tau phosphorylation and hyperubiquitylation function as a key driver of the fibrillization process, thus indicating that targeting tau ubiquitylation may be an effective strategy to alleviate the course of tauopathies.

Multiple-hit model for tau aggregation, where sequential events of tau phosphorylation and hyperubiquitylation function as a key driver of the fibrillization process.     

Voltammetric studies of microcrystalline C60 adhered to a carbon electrode surface and placed in contact with aqueous electrolyte containing potassium ions

The reduction of microcrystalline C₆₀ fullerene, adhered at a carbon electrode and immersed in aqueous electrolyte, has been studied under various voltammetric conditions. This work reports mainly the voltammetric studies carried out principally in electrolyte containing potassium ions. Comparison of adherence techniques, such as solvent casting and mechanical transfer methods, are made to assess if the type of adhered techniques has any significant influence on the observed electrochemistry. The solvent casting method is found to produce three peaks in the potential for C₆₀^0/n- redox couple as compared to a single and large peak produced when a mechanical transfer technique is employed. When the reduction potential of microcrystalline C₆₀ in the presence of K⁺ is compared with other cations, such as Li, Na, Rb and Cs, it is observed that the shift of reduction potential follows the change in the hydration energy in the order Cs>Rb>K>Na>Li. In a mixed electrolyte study of CsCl/KCl, the reduction potential and peak shape of C₆₀^0/n- redox couple during cyclic voltammetry is observed to change with concentration of the cations and the observed electrochemistry can be attributed to a cation-exchange mechanism. The reduction of C₆₀ is irreversible in aqueous electrolyte containing alkaline cations as the re-oxidation process does not produce any observed electro-activity. Evidence of the formation of a passive coating of K _n C₆₀ fulleride, which does not appear to undergo dissolution is obtained under cyclic voltametric conditions. This coating remains electrochemically active in the presence of tetrabutylammonium ions in acetonitrile. Scan rate, chronocoulometric, and scanning electron microscopic studies provide evidence of the presence of a surface process involving solid–solid transformation.     

Fluorescence-based nitric oxide detection by ruthenium porphyrin fluorophore complexes

The ruthenium(II) porphyrin fluorophore complexes [Ru(TPP)(CO)(Ds-R)] (TPP = tetraphenylporphinato dianion; Ds = dansyl; R = imidazole (im), 1, or thiomorpholine (tm), 2) were synthesized and investigated for their ability to detect nitric oxide (NO) based on fluorescence. The X-ray crystal structures of 1 and 2 were determined. The Ds-im or Ds-tm ligand coordinates to an axial site of the ruthenium(II) center through a nitrogen or sulfur atom, respectively. Both exhibit quenched fluorescence when excited at 368 or 345 nm. Displacement of the metal-coordinated fluorophore by NO restores fluorescence within minutes. These observations demonstrate fluorescence-based NO detection using ruthenium porphyrin fluorophore conjugates.     

聚N—异丙基丙烯酰胺溶液的温度依赖关系

用自由基聚合法合成了聚Ｎ－异丙基丙烯酰胺（ＰＮＩＰＡＡＭ）样品，用乌氏粘度计考查了该聚合物的四氢呋喃（ＴＨＦ）溶液和水溶液的粘度与温度的依赖关系。发现ＰＮＩＰＡＡＭ－ＴＨＦ体系的特性粘数随温度升高而增大，ＰＮＩＰＡＡＭ－Ｈ２Ｏ体系的特性粘数－温度曲线表现出较为复杂的变化规律。并用实验确定的特性粘数对合成样品的分子量进行了表征Ｍｎ＝８．４４×１０＾５ｇ·ｍｏｌ＾－１。     

柑桔果皮中多甲氧基黄酮的LC-APCI-MS定性分析

黄酮化合物是具有多种生物活性的物质,广泛存在于自然界中。单纯为甲氧基取代的多甲氧基黄酮PMF是芸香科多种桔类所特有的,特别是在其果皮中有较高的含量。近年来有关桔皮PMF抗癌的研究取得了很大进展。PMF作为桔皮中的抗癌活性成分,对多种癌细胞有较强的抑制作用,受到国内外的广泛关注。由于桔皮中PMF的主要成分随柑桔种类和产地的不同而有较大差异,所以,筛选含有较强抗癌活性的PMF成分的桔皮种类,是一项非常有意义的工作。文献报道的PMF的分析检测方法主要有液相色谱法、气相色谱-质谱法等。本文利用液相色谱-大气压化学电离化质谱联用技术定性分析了3种柑桔果皮中PMF的主要成分,并结合紫外吸收光谱进一步确证。     

Photoactivation of pheophorbide a induces a mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis in Jurkat leukaemia cells

The mechanism of cell death by pheophorbide a (Pba) which has been established to be a potential photosensitizer was examined in experimental photodynamic therapy (PDT) on Jurkat cells, a human lymphoid tumor cell line. In 30-60 min after irradiation, Pba treated cells exhibited apoptotic features including membrane blebbing and DNA fragmentation. Pba/PDT caused a rapid release of cytochrome c from mitochondria into the cytosol. Sequentially, activation of caspase-3 and the cleavage of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) were followed. Meanwhile, no evidence of activation of caspase-8 was indicated in the cells. In experiments with caspase inhibitors, it was found that caspase-3 alone was sufficient initiator for the Pba-induced apoptosis of the cells. Pba specific emission spectra were confirmed in the mitochondrial fraction and the light irradiation caused a rapid change in its membrane potential. Thus, mitochondria were entailed as the crucial targets for Pba as well as a responsible component for the cytochrome c release to initiate apoptotic pathways. Taken together, it was concluded that the mode of Jurkat cell death by Pba/PDT is an apoptosis, which is initiated by mitochondrial cytochrome c release and caspase-3-pathways.     

聚苯乙烯免疫检测球珠的表层改性及其性能

<正> 随着免疫检测在生物医学研究及临床诊断中的发展和应用,七十年代后期由高聚物制成的乳胶或球珠作为免疫载体亦得到较快的发展;八十年代以来有多种产品问世,其中聚苯乙烯球珠及检测板、盒国外已有专厂生产。 由于聚苯乙烯球珠对免疫体、酶等的固定系物理吸附,在制备及检测过程中,这些蛋     

WxC-MCM-48催化剂的合成、表征及加氢脱硫催化性能

以正硅酸乙酯(TEOS)为硅源，十六烷基三甲基溴化铵(CTAB)为表面活性剂，仲钨酸铵为钨源，采用水热晶化法一步合成了不同钨含量(以Si、W物质的量比n_Si/n_W表示)的WO₃-MCM-48，然后经甲烷/氢气(V/V=1/4)混和气体程序升温还原碳化(TPC)，制备出了W_xC-MCM-48(x=1、2)催化剂，采用XRD、N₂吸附-脱附和NH₃-TPD对样品的结构进行了表征，用噻吩作为模型化合物，对W_xC-MCM-48催化剂的加氢脱硫催化活性进行了评价。结果表明，在一定钨含量的条件下，WO₃-MCM-48和W_xC-MCM-48样品仍然保持MCM-48的三维立方有序介孔结构，n_Si/n_W=30～15时，碳化钨的物相为W₂C；n_Si/n_W=7.5时，碳化钨为W₂C和WC物相，W_xC-MCM-48催化剂表现出了良好的加氢脱硫催化性能。     

桥联双β-环糊精对N-[4-(1-芘基)]丁酰-D/L-苯丙氨酸的手性识别及机理研究

利用紫外-可见吸收和荧光发射光谱, 结合非线性最小二乘法拟合曲线以及分子力学(MM2)模拟系统地研究了手性分子N-[4-(1-芘基)]丁酰-D/L-苯丙氨酸(PDP和PLP, 总称PPs)与β-环糊精(β-CD)、 2-位硒桥联双β-CD(2-SeCD)和2-位碲桥联双β-CD(2-TeCD)的包结能力大小及这3个环糊精对PPs手性识别能力的差异和识别机理. 研究结果表明, PPs不能与单疏水空腔的β-CD形成很好的包结复合物, 与具有较长桥联链的2-TeCD结合能力最强. 2-TeCD与PDP和PLP的结合常数分别为2.33×104和6.07×103 L/mol, 对PPs的手性识别比达到KD/KL=3.84, 高于2-SeCD(KD/KL=2.61). 用MM2模拟得出了PPs与这两个双环糊精形成复合物的三维结构: PPs的绝大部分位于双环糊精两个空腔之间, 但是在这两个复合物中, 苯环与芘环所成的二面角不同. 此外, PPs与这两个双环糊精作用时均存在明显的氢键相互作用, 且2-TeCD强于2-SeCD.