Correlative organelle fluorescence microscopy and synchrotron X-ray chemical element imaging in single cells

X-ray chemical element imaging has the potential to enable fundamental breakthroughs in the understanding of biological systems because chemical element interactions with organelles can be studied at the sub-cellular level. What is the distribution of trace metals in cells? Do some elements accumulate within sub-cellular organelles? What are the chemical species of the elements in these organelles? These are some of the fundamental questions that can be addressed by use of X-ray chemical element imaging with synchrotron radiation beams. For precise location of the distribution of the elements, identification of cellular organelles is required; this can be achieved, after appropriate labelling, by use of fluorescence microscopy. As will be discussed, this approach imposes some limitations on sample preparation. For example, standard immunolabelling procedures strongly modify the distribution of the elements in cells as a result of the chemical fixation and permeabilization steps. Organelle location can, however, be performed, by use of a variety of specific fluorescent dyes or fluorescent proteins, on living cells before cryogenic fixation, enabling preservation of element distribution. This article reviews the methods used for fluorescent organelle labelling and X-ray chemical element imaging and speciation of single cells. Selected cases from our work and from other research groups are presented to illustrate the potential of the combination of the two techniques. Figure

Synchrotron X-ray fluorescence distribution maps of Ca, P and S in yeast cells. Elemental distribution maps (green color scale) were combined with the image of vacuoles labeled with Arg-CMAC (red color scale). The yellow signal of superposed images shows that Ca and P are preferentially located within the vacuole.     

Tunneling and classical paths for proton transfer in an enzyme reaction dominated by tunneling: oxidation of tryptamine by aromatic amine dehydrogenase

Proton tunneling dominates the oxidative deamination of tryptamine catalyzed by the enzyme aromatic amine dehydrogenase. For reaction with the fast substrate tryptamine, a H/D kinetic isotope effect (KIE) of 55 +/- 6 has been reported-one of the largest observed in an enzyme reaction. We present here a computational analysis of this proton-transfer reaction, applying combined quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) methods (PM3-SRP//PM3/CHARMM22). In particular, we extend our previous computational study (Masgrau et al. Science 2006, 312, 237) by using improved energy corrections, high-level QM/MM methods, and an ensemble of paths to estimate the tunneling contributions. We have carried out QM/MM molecular dynamics simulations and variational transition state theory calculations with small-curvature tunneling corrections. The results provide detailed insight into the processes involved in the reaction. Transfer to the O2 oxygen of the catalytic base, Asp128beta, is found to be the favored reaction both thermodynamically and kinetically, even though O1 is closer in the reactant complex. Comparison of quantum and classical models of proton transfer allows estimation of the contribution of hydrogen tunneling in lowering the barrier to reaction in the enzyme. A reduction of the activation free energy due to tunneling of 3.1 kcal mol-1 is found, which represents a rate enhancement due to tunneling by 2 orders of magnitude. The calculated KIE of 30 is significantly elevated over the semiclassical limit, in agreement with the experimental observations; a semiclassical value of 6 is obtained when tunneling is omitted. A polarization of the C-H bond to be broken is observed due to the close proximity of the catalytic aspartate and the (formally) positively charged imine nitrogen. A comparison is also made with the related quinoprotein methylamine dehydrogenase (MADH)-the much lower KIE of 11 that we obtain for the MADH/methylamine system is found to arise from a more endothermic potential energy surface for the MADH reaction.     

Protective effects of Commiphora erythraea resin constituents against cellular oxidative damage

By bioguided fractionation of the hexane extract of Commiphora erythraea resin we isolated four furanosesquiterpenoids that were tested for their protective activity against oxidative stress. Furanodienone and 1,10(15)-furanogermacra-dien-6-ones showed to be potent inhibitors of lipid peroxidation (IC(50) of -0.087 μM), being more active than the methoxylated analogues. Furthermore, using BV2 microglial cells, we found that furanodienone from C. erythraea is able to counteract LPS-induced cell death and decrease LPS-induced NO generation thus protecting microglial cells from LPS-induced cytotoxicity. Finally, docking studies were undertaken to gain insight into the possible binding mode of the isolated compounds at 5-LOX binding site.     

Cathepsin‐B Induced Controlled Release from Peptide‐Capped Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles

New capped silica mesoporous nanoparticles for intracellular controlled cargo release within cathepsin B expressing cells are described. Nanometric mesoporous MCM‐41 supports loaded with safranin O ( S1‐P ) or doxorubicin ( S2‐P ) containing a molecular gate based on a cathepsin B target peptidic sequence were synthesized. Solids were designed to show “zero delivery” and to display cargo release in the presence of cathepsin B enzyme, which selectively hydrolyzed in vitro the capping peptide sequence. Controlled delivery in HeLa, MEFs WT, and MEFs lacking cathepsin B cell lines were also tested. Release of safranin O and doxorubicin in these cells took place when cathepsin B was active or present. Cells treated with S2‐P showed a fall in cell viability due to nanoparticles internalization, cathepsin B hydrolysis of the capping peptide, and cytotoxic agent delivery, proving the possible use of these nanodevices as new therapeutic tools for cancer treatment.     

Fast Cyclization of a Proline‐Derived Self‐Immolative Spacer Improves the Efficacy of Carbamate Prodrugs

Self‐immolative (SI) spacers are sophisticated chemical constructs designed for molecular delivery or material degradation. We describe herein a (S)‐2‐(aminomethyl)pyrrolidine SI spacer that is able to release different types of anticancer drugs (possessing either a phenolic or secondary and tertiary hydroxyl groups) through a fast cyclization mechanism involving carbamate cleavage. The high efficiency of drug release obtained with this spacer was found to be beneficial for the in vitro cytotoxic activity of protease‐sensitive prodrugs, compared with a commonly used spacer of the same class. These findings expand the repertoire of degradation machineries and are instrumental for the future development of highly efficient delivery platforms.     

Phototoxic phytoalexins. Processes that compete with the photosensitized production of singlet oxygen by 9-phenylphenalenones

Experiments were performed to elucidate the excited-state behavior of 9-phenylphenalenones, which are phototoxic plant secondary metabolites involved in mechanisms of light-mediated plant defense. Using a combination of time-resolved and steady-state UV/visible spectroscopies, time-resolved IR absorption spectroscopy, time-resolved singlet oxygen phosphorescence measurements and cyclic voltammetry, we provide evidence of an intramolecular charge-transfer process in the excited singlet and the triplet states of 9-phenylphenalenones that modulates the photosensitized production of singlet oxygen.     

Transverse vibrations of thin,elastic plates with concentrated masses and internal elastic supports

The fundamental frequency of vibration of a plate carrying concentrated masses and with internal elastic supports is determined. The case of an orthotropic, rectangular plate elastically restrained against rotation along the four edges is tackled first by using simple polynomial approximations and the Galerkin method. Then, vibrations of clamped and simply supported isotropic plates of regular polygonal shape are studied by using the conformal mapping technique coupled with the variational method. Finally the case of a circular plate elastically restrained against translation and rotation is considered.     

Determination of Diclofenac in Urine Samples by Molecularly‐Imprinted Solid‐Phase Extraction and Adsorptive Differential Pulse Voltammetry

A molecularly imprinted polymer for diclofenac (DCF) was prepared by thermal polymerization over silica beads using 2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl‐methacrylate as functional monomer. After silica elimination by HF treatment, the polymer was applied to the selective solid‐phase extraction of the drug from urine followed by its quantification by adsorptive differential pulse voltammetry. Results indicate that the drug could be selectively extracted from the sample and quantified at clinically relevant concentrations (μg/mL).     

Using Room Temperature Phosphorescence of Gold(I) Complexes for PAHs Sensing

The synthesis of two new phosphane-gold(I)–napthalimide complexes has been performed and characterized. The compounds present luminescent properties with denoted room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) induced by the proximity of the gold(I) heavy atom that favors intersystem crossing and triplet state population. The emissive properties of the compounds together with the planarity of their chromophore were used to investigate their potential as hosts in the molecular recognition of different polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Naphthalene, anthracene, phenanthrene, and pyrene were chosen to evaluate how the size and electronic properties can affect the host:guest interactions. Stronger affinity has been detected through emission titrations for the PAHs with extended aromaticity (anthracene and pyrene) and the results have been supported by DFT calculation studies.     

Palladium(II) and platinum(II) organometallic complexes with 4,7-dihydro-5-methyl-7-oxo[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine. Antitumor activity of the platinum compounds

Palladium and platinum complexes with HmtpO (where HmtpO=4,7-dihydro-5-methyl-7-oxo[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine, an analogue of the natural occurring nucleobase hypoxanthine) of the types [M(dmba)(PPh3)(HmtpO)]ClO4[dmba=N,C-chelating 2-(dimethylaminomethyl)phenyl; M=Pd or Pt], [Pd(N-N)(C6F5)(HmtpO)]ClO4[N-N=2,2'-bipyridine (bpy), 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine (Me2bpy), or N, N, N', N'-tetramethylethylenediamine (tmeda)] and cis-[M(C6F5)2(HmtpO)2] (M=Pd or Pt) (head-to-head atropisomer in the solid state) have been obtained. Pd(II) and Pt(II) complexes with the anion of HmtpO of the types [Pd(tmeda)(C6F5)(mtpO)], [Pd(dmba)(micro-mtpO)] 2, and [NBu4]2[M(C6F5)2(micro-mtpO)]2(M=Pd or Pt) have been prepared starting from the corresponding hydroxometal complexes. Complexes containing simultaneously both the neutral HmtpO ligand and the anionic mtpO of the type [NBu4][M(C6F5)2(HmtpO)(mtpO)] (M=Pd or Pt) have been also obtained. In these mtpO-HmtpO metal complexes, for the first time, prototropic exchange is observed between the two heterocyclic ligands. The crystal structures of [Pd(dmba)(PPh 3)(HmtpO)]+, cis-[Pt(C6F5)2(HmtpO)2].acetone, [Pd(C6F5)(tmeda)(mtpO)].2H2O, [Pd(dmba)(micro-mtpO)]2, [NBu4]2[Pd(C6F5)2(micro-mtpO)]2.CH2Cl2.toluene, [NBu4]2[Pt(C6F5)2(micro-mtpO)](2).0.5(toluene), and [NBu4][Pt(C6F5)2(mtpO)(HmtpO)] have been established by X-ray diffraction. Values of IC50 were calculated for the new platinum complexes cis-[Pt(C6F5)2(HmtpO)2] and [Pt(dmba)(PPh3)(HmtpO)]ClO4 against a panel of human tumor cell lines representative of ovarian (A2780 and A2780 cisR), lung (NCI-H460), and breast cancers (T47D). At 48 h incubation time, both complexes were about 8-fold more active than cisplatin in T47D and show very low resistance factors against an A2780 cell line, which has acquired resistance to cisplatin. The DNA adduct formation of cis-[Pt(C6F5)2(HmtpO)2] and [Pt(dmba)(PPh3)(HmtpO)]ClO4 was followed by circular dichroism and electrophoretic mobility. Atomic force microscopy images of the modifications caused by these platinum complexes on plasmid DNA pB R322 were also obtained.