A Theoretical Model for Release Dynamics of an Antifungal Agent Covalently Bonded to the Chitosan

The aim of the study was to create a mathematical model useful for monitoring the release of bioactive aldehydes covalently bonded to the chitosan by reversible imine linkage, considered as a polymer–drug system. For this purpose, two hydrogels were prepared by the acid condensation reaction of chitosan with the antifungal 2-formyl-phenyl-boronic acid and their particularities; influencing the release of the antifungal aldehyde by shifting the imination equilibrium to the reagents was considered, i.e., the supramolecular nature of the hydrogels was highlighted by polarized light microscopy, while scanning electron microscopy showed their microporous morphology. Furthermore, the in vitro fungicidal activity was investigated on two fungal strains and the in vitro release curves of the antifungal aldehyde triggered by the pH stimulus were drawn. The theoretical model was developed starting from the hypothesis that the imine-chitosan system, both structurally and functionally, can be assimilated, from a mathematical point of view, with a multifractal object, and its dynamics were analyzed in the framework of the Scale Relativity Theory. Thus, through Riccati-type gauges, two synchronous dynamics, one in the scale space, associated with the fungicidal activity, and the other in the usual space, associated with the antifungal aldehyde release, become operational. Their synchronicity, reducible to the isomorphism of two SL(2R)-type groups, implies, by means of its joint invariant functions, bioactive aldehyde compound release dynamics in the form of “kink–antikink pairs” dynamics of a multifractal type. Finally, the theoretical model was validated through the experimental data.     

A Unique Tryptophan C‐Prenyltransferase from the Kawaguchipeptin Biosynthetic Pathway

Cyanobactins are a rapidly growing family of linear and cyclic peptides produced by cyanobacteria. Kawaguchipeptins A and B, two macrocyclic undecapeptides reported earlier from Microcystis aeruginosa NIES‐88, are shown to be products of the cyanobactin biosynthetic pathway. The 9 kb kawaguchipeptin (kgp) gene cluster was identified in a 5.26 Mb draft genome of Microcystis aeruginosa NIES‐88. We verified that this gene cluster is responsible for the production of the kawaguchipeptins through heterologous expression of the kgp gene cluster in Escherichia coli. The KgpF prenyltransferase was overexpressed and was shown to prenylate C‐3 of Trp residues in both linear and cyclic peptides in vitro. Our findings serve to further enhance the structural diversity of cyanobactins to include tryptophan‐prenylated cyclic peptides.     

Ex Vivo and In Vitro Studies on the Cytotoxicity and Immunomodulative Properties of Poly(2‐isopropenyl‐2‐oxazoline) as a New Type of Biomedical Polymer

Poly(2‐alkenyl‐2‐oxazoline)s are promising functional polymers for a variety of biomedical applications, such as drug delivery systems, peptide conjugates, or gene delivery. In this study, poly(2‐isopropenyl‐2‐oxazoline) (PIPOx) is prepared through free‐radical polymerization initiated with azobisisobutyronitrile. Reactive 2‐oxazoline units in the side chain support an addition reaction with different compounds containing a carboxylic group, which facilitates the preparation of polymers labeled with two different fluorescent dyes. The cytotoxicities of 2‐oxazoline monomers, PIPOx, and fluorescently labeled PIPOx are evaluated in vitro using an 3‐(4,5‐Dimethyldiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay and ex vivo using a cell proliferation assay with adenosine triphosphate bioluminescence. The cell uptake of labeled PIPOx is used to determine the colocalization of PIPOx with cell organelles that are part of the endocytic pathway. For the first time, it is shown that poly(2‐isopropenyl‐2‐oxazoline) is a biocompatible material and is suitable for biomedical applications; further, its immunomodulative properties are evaluated.

     

Tritopic NHC Precursors: Unusual Nickel Reactivity and Ethylene Insertion into a C(sp3)–H Bond

The imidazolium chloride [C₃H₃N(C₃H₆NMe₂)N{C(Me)(=NDipp)}]Cl ( 1 ; Dipp=2,6‐diisopropyl phenyl), a potential precursor to a tritopic N^imineC^NHCN^amine pincer‐type ligand, reacted with [Ni(cod)₂] to give the Ni^I‐Ni^I complex 2 , which contains a rare cod‐derived η³‐allyl‐type bridging ligand. The implied intermediate formation of a nickel hydride through oxidative addition of the imidazolium C−H bond did not occur with the symmetrical imidazolium chloride [C₃H₃N₂{C(Me)(=NDipp)}₂]Cl ( 3 ). Instead, a Ni−C(sp³) bond was formed, leading to the neutral N^imineCHN^imine pincer‐type complex Ni[C₃H₃N₂{C(Me)(=NDipp)}₂]Cl ( 4 ). Theoretical studies showed that this highly unusual feature in nickel NHC chemistry is due to steric constraints induced by the N substituents, which prevent Ni−H bond formation. Remarkably, ethylene inserted into the C(sp³)−H bond of 4 without nickel hydride formation, thus suggesting new pathways for the alkylation of non‐activated C−H bonds.     

Ultra-fast chromatographic micro-assay for quantification of diphenidol in plasma: application in an oral multi-dose switchability trial

Pharmacokinetics of diphenidol (DPN) is limited due to the lack of analytical methodology. Here, a micro-assay for DPN quantification was developed, by coupling ultra-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. The procedure involved plasma precipitation and injection of supernatant into UPLC with an Acquitytrade mark C18 column. Detection was in positive electrospray, following transitions of m/z 310.3 --> 292.3 and m/z 275.3 --> 230.2 for DPN and chlorphenamine (internal standard), respectively. The method was linear with a range of 4-400 ng/mL, and a 2 min run time. This method was applied in a switchability trial, where both formulations of DPN were bioequivalent.     

Coronaviruses Use ACE2 Monomers as Entry-Receptors

The angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) has been identified as entry receptor on cells enabling binding and infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) via trimeric spike (S) proteins protruding from the viral surface. It has been suggested that trimeric S proteins preferably bind to plasma membrane areas with high concentrations of possibly multimeric ACE2 receptors to achieve a higher binding and infection efficiency. Here we used direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM) in combination with different labeling approaches to visualize the distribution and quantify the expression of ACE2 on different cells. Our results reveal that endogenous ACE2 receptors are present as monomers in the plasma membrane with densities of only 1–2 receptors μm⁻². In addition, binding of trimeric S proteins does not induce the formation of ACE2 oligomers in the plasma membrane. Supported by infection studies using vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) particles bearing S proteins our data demonstrate that a single S protein interaction per virus particle with a monomeric ACE2 receptor is sufficient for infection, which provides SARS-CoV-2 a high infectivity.     

Synthesis,Structure, and Optical Properties of Terminally Sulfur‐Functionalized Core‐Substituted Naphthalene‐Bisimide Dyes

The synthesis, characterization, and optical properties of a series of new 2,6‐disubstituted naphthalene‐bisimide dyes as molecular rods comprising terminal AcS groups is reported. The first series of dyes ( 1 – 3 ), comprising phenylhetero (Ph‐X) core substituents, cover a broad range of the VIS spectrum, ranging from yellow ( 2 ) over red ( 3 ) to blue ( 1 ). The second series of dyes contains benzylhetero (Bn‐X) core substituents ( 4 – 7 ). For the same heteroatom connecting the substituent to the naphthalene core, both series were found to display comparable colors. For the second series, the colors were blue ( 4 ), red ( 5 ), and violet ( 6, 7 ). The Ph‐X‐substituted dyes 1 – 3 are nonfluorescent, in contrast to the Bn‐X‐substituted compounds 4 – 7 . This rich variety of optical features that can be adjusted by rather small alterations of the core substituents makes these structurally very comparable molecular rods ideal candidates for optically triggered molecular‐transport investigations. Also, thanks to the terminal AcS groups, these compounds can be placed between nobel‐metal electrodes for optically triggered transport experiments.