Chain-breaking antioxidant and cytoprotective action of nitric oxide on photodynamically stressed tumor cells

Nitric oxide (.NO) has a multitude of physiological roles, including the ability to protect cells against oxidant-induced killing, e.g. by inhibiting caspase-mediated apoptosis or by intercepting damaging free radicals derived from membrane lipids. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that low flux .NO acting in the latter fashion can enhance tumor-cell resistance to photodynamic killing, specifically that sensitized by 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA)-derived protoporphyrin IX (PpIX). Preliminary model experiments with iron-ascorbate-treated, PpIX-sensitized liposomes showed that spermine NONOate (SPER/NO)-derived .NO had no effect on photoinduced accumulation of primary singlet oxygen adducts, e.g. the cholesterol hydroperoxide 5 alpha-OOH, but dose-dependently inhibited the buildup of free radical-generated oxidation products arising from one-electron turnover of primary peroxides. In subsequent studies, breast tumor COH-BR1 cells in serum-free medium were treated with 1 mM ALA for 15 min and then without ALA for 3.75 h, allowing biogenerated PpIX to diffuse to extramitochondrial sites, including plasma membrane. Cells were irradiated in the absence or presence of SPER/NO and compared for peroxidative damage and Hoechst-assessed viability after 5 h in the dark. Iron-stimulated necrotic photo-killing and accumulation of chain lipid peroxidation products were observed, and this was inhibited strongly by SPER/NO, but not by decomposed SPER/NO, confirming that .NO was the active agent. When introduced after irradiation, .NO became progressively less inhibitory, consistent with ongoing but waning free-radical activity. These findings provide new insights into the possible role of .NO in tumor resistance to ALA-photodynamic therapy and other photo-dynamic treatments.     

Bis-β-diketones as lonophores for Mg2+ in solvent polymeric membranes

Lipophilic bis--diketones have been prepared by covalently linking two-diketone subunits. Potentiometric studies on liquid membrane electrode cell assemblies showed no improvement of the ion selectivities induced by the bridged systems in comparison to unbridged-diketones. The dissociation constants of the enol functions in the bis--diketones indicate that under the conditions of the EMF measurement probably only one-diketone unit is deprotonated in the liquid membrane phase. The complexation of these-diketones with Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺ was studied by¹³C NMR-monitored titrations in a homogeneous organic phase.On leave from the Chemistry Department, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland     

Studies on thermoplastic polyurethanes based on new diphenylethane-derivative diols. II. Synthesis and characterization of segmented polyurethanes from HDI and MDI

Various new thermoplastic segmented polyurethanes were synthesized by a one-step melt polymerization from aliphatic-aromatic α,ω-diols containing sulfur in the aliphatic chain, including 4,4′-(ethane-1,2-diyl)bis(benzenethioethanol), 4,4′-(ethane-1,2-diyl)bis(benzenethiopropanol) and 4,4′-(ethane-1,2-diyl)bis(benzenethiodecanol) as chain extenders, hexane-1,6-diyl diisocyanate (HDI) or 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) and 20-80 mol% poly(oxytetramethylene)diol (PTMO) with molecular weight of 1000 g/mol as a soft segment. The reaction was conducted at the molar ratio of NCO/OH = 1 and 1.05, and in the case of the HDI-based polyurethanes in the presence of dibutyltin dilaurate as a catalyst. The effect of the diisocyanate used on the structure and some physicochemical, thermal and mechanical properties of the segmented polyurethanes were studied. The structures of these polyurethanes were examined by FTIR and X-ray diffraction analysis. The thermal properties were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. Shore hardness and tensile properties were also determined. All the synthesized polymers showed partially crystalline structures. The MDI-based polyurethanes were products with lower crystallinity, higher glass-transition temperature (T_g) and better thermal stability in comparison with the HDI-based ones. The MDI series polymers also exhibited higher tensile strength (up to ∼36 MPa vs. ∼23 MPa) and elongation at break (up to ∼3900% vs. ∼900%), but lower hardness than the analogous HDI series polyurethanes. In both series of the polymers an increase in PTMO soft-segment content was associated with decreased crystallinity, T_g, hardness and tensile strength. An increase in PTMO content also involved an increase in elongation at break.     

Oligomers with four 3,4-quinolinediyl units and α,ω-bis (4-chloro-3-quinolinylthio)alkanes

Starting from the reaction of thioquinanthrene 1 with sodium methoxide followed by the reaction with α,ω-dihalogenoalkanes, title bis-methoxy oligomers 4a-c with four 3,4-quinolinediyl units were prepared (40–91%). Acid catalysed hydrolysis of methoxy groups in 4a-c gave tetramers 5a-c (46–94%) with two 4(1H)-quinolinone functions. The reactions of bis-quinolinones 5a-c with phosphoryl chloride in DMF run as deoxo-chlorination and afforded tide dichlorotetramers 6a-c (51–66%) with 4-chloroquinolinyl groups. The treatment of bis-methoxy tetramers 4a -c with boiling phosphoryl chloride led to title α,ω-bis(4-chloro-3-quinolinylthio)alkanes 7a-c (52–56%) and thioquinanthrene (65–70%).     

A benzopyran derivative substituted at position 3

In (E)‐3‐{[(di­phenoxy­phospho­ryl)­methyl­hydrazono]­methyl}‐4H‐1‐benzo­pyran‐4‐one, C₂₃H₁₉N₂O₅P, the benzo­pyran–methyl­hydrazone moiety is planar and the two phenoxy phenyl rings are inclined at angles of 21.29 (6) and 89.33 (5)°. Weak C—H?O and C—H?N intramolecular interactions exert some influence on the planarity and orientation of that moiety.     

(N,N-diethylamino)alkoxy derivatives of phenanthrolines asDNA binding agents

The interaction of the tricyclic angular azaaromatic system having positive charged side chains withDNA, influence of molecular structure of the ligand on the mode of noncovalent binding, and stability of the complex formed were established. Several (N,N-diethylamino)alkoxy derivatives of 1,7-, 1,8-, 1,10- and 4,7-phenanthroline in the protonated form were used as ligand. The electronic and steric factors were shown as responsible for the electrostatic and intercalative interactions of the ligand withDNA. The syntheses of (N,N-diethylamino)alkoxy derivatives from parent phenanthrolines were elaborated.

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(N,N-Diethylamino)alkoxy-phenanthrolinverbindungen als DNA Bindungsagentien

Zusammenfassung Die Wechselwirkung von trizyklischen, azaaromatischen Systemen mit positiver Ladung an Seitenketten mitDNA, der Einfluß der molekularen Struktur des Liganden bei nonkovalenter Bindung und die Stabilität des gebildeten Komplexes wurde bestimmt. Als Liganden wurden mehrere (N,N-diethylamino)alkoxy-Verbindungen von 1,7-, 1,8-, 1,10- und 4,7-Phenanthrolin in protonierter Form benutzt. Es wurde gezeigt, daß die elektronischen und sterischen Faktoren für elektrostatische und intercalative Wechselwirkungen des Ligand undDNA verantwortlich sind. Es wurden Synthesen von (N,N-diethylamino)alkoxy-phenanthrolinen aus entsprechenden Chlorverbindungen ausgearbeitet.

     

Electrochemical and spectral properties of some tantalocene derivatives with one pentamethylated cyclopentadienyl ligand: Cp*(Cp-R)TaCl2 , R = H, SiMe3 or (CH2)3NC4H4

Three tantalocene dichloride complexes, Cp*(Cp-R)Ta(IV)Cl₂, with one pentamethylated cyclopentadienyl ligand, Cp* = η⁵–C₅Me₅, Me = CH₃, and one monosubstituted cyclopentadienyl ligand, Cp-R, Cp = η⁵–C₅H₅, R = H, SiMe₃ or (CH₂)₃NC₄H₄, have been studied in acetonitrile solutions with cyclic voltammetry in the ranges of the Ta(IV) oxidation to Ta(V) or of its reduction to Ta(III). The former transition is reversible, while the latter one gives an irreversible wave due to the dissociation of the reduced complex with the loss of one chloride ligand. The redox transformation from the initial state of complex Cp*CpSiMe₃TaCl₂ to its oxidized state, Cp*CpSiMe₃TaCl₂ ⁺, and back was monitored by spectroelectrochemical measurements in a thin-layer acetonitrile solution. Kinetic data for the evolution of the UV-visible spectrum of the system in the course of the double potential step experiment were treated on the basis of two theoretical models as the reactant diffusion across the solution layer without or with taking into account ohmic losses. The values of the diffusion coefficients of the complex in its initial and oxidized (cationic) states have been estimated. It was demonstrated that this complex in each of two oxidation states, Ta(IV) or Ta(V), is represented by a single molecular form. An attempt to deposit a conducting polymer film by oxidation of the tantalocene complex containing a pyrrole group attached to the Cp ring, Cp*Cp(CH₂)₃PyTaCl₂, led to a thin insulating layer at the electrode surface because of an inhibiting effect of chloride anions.

Multidisciplinary Studies of Folk Medicine “Five Thieves’ Oil” (Olejek Pięciu Złodziei) Components

To meet the growing interest in natural antibacterial agents, we evaluated the physicochemical and biological properties of the folk medicine known as “five thieves’ oil” (Polish name: olejek pięciu złodziei). Five thieves’ oil consists of a mixture of five oils: rosemary, lemon, clove, eucalyptus, and cinnamon. In this study, we performed gas chromatography, FTIR, and UV–vis spectroscopic analysis, as well as L-a-b color tests, contact angle determination, and surface tension determination. To verify its antibacterial activity, the metabolic activity and changes in cell membrane permeability of bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas were studied. As a result, it was found that among the constituent oils, the oils of clove and cinnamon were the least volatile and, at the same time, had the strongest antibacterial activity. However, a mix of all the oils also showed comparable activity, which was even more pronounced for the oils after 4 weeks of aging. This effect can be linked to the high content of terpene derivatives such as eugenol and cinnamaldehyde, which can cause changes in bacterial membrane permeability, affecting cell activity and survival. This study is the first to characterize the constituents of the popular folk medicine five thieves’ oil, confirming and explaining its strong antibacterial activity, thus constituting a significant contribution to contemporary health education.     

Polymorphism and Conformational Equilibrium of Nitro-Acetophenone in Solid State and under Matrix Conditions

Conformational and polymorphic states in the nitro-derivative of o-hydroxy acetophenone have been studied by experimental and theoretical methods. The potential energy curves for the rotation of the nitro group and isomerization of the hydroxyl group have been calculated by density functional theory (DFT) to estimate the barriers of the conformational changes. Two polymorphic forms of the studied compound were obtained by the slow and fast evaporation of polar and non-polar solutions, respectively. Both of the polymorphs were investigated by Infrared-Red (IR) and Raman spectroscopy, Incoherent Inelastic Neutron Scattering (IINS), X-ray diffraction, nuclear quadrupole resonance spectroscopy (NQR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and density functional theory (DFT) methods. In one of the polymorphs, the existence of a phase transition was shown. The position of the nitro group and its impact on the crystal cell of the studied compound were analyzed. The conformational equilibrium determined by the reorientation of the hydroxyl group was observed under argon matrix isolation. An analysis of vibrational spectra was achieved for the interpretation of conformational equilibrium. The infrared spectra were measured in a wide temperature range to reveal the spectral bands that were the most sensitive to the phase transition and conformational equilibrium. The results showed the interrelations between intramolecular processes and macroscopic phenomena in the studied compound.     

Vibrational Spectra of Zeolite Y as a Function of Ion Exchange

Zeolite Y is one of the earliest known and most widely used synthetic zeolites. Many experimental investigations verify the valuable ion exchange capability of this zeolite. In this study, we assessed the effects of ion exchange on its vibrational spectra. We applied classical lattice dynamics methods for IR and Raman intensity calculations. Computed spectra of optimized zeolite Y structures with different cations were compared with experimental data. The spectra obtained in this study are in agreement with previous experimental and computational studies on zeolites from the faujasite group.