Inverted micelle formation of cell-penetrating peptide studied by coarse-grained simulation: importance of attractive force between cell-penetrating peptides and lipid head group

Arginine-rich peptide and Antennapedia are cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) which have the ability to permeate plasma membrane. Deformation of the plasma membrane with CPPs is the key to understand permeation mechanism. We investigate the dynamics of CPP and the lipid bilayer membrane by coarse-grained simulation. We found that the peptide makes inverted micelle in the lipid bilayer membrane, when the attractive potential between the peptide and lipid heads is strong. The inverted micelle is formed to minimize potential energy of the peptide. For vesicle membrane, the peptide moves from the outer vesicle to the inner vesicle through the membrane. The translocation of the peptide suggests inverted micelle model as a possible mechanism of CPPs.     

The synthetic and biological studies of discorhabdins and related compounds

Various analogues of the marine alkaloids, discorhabdins, have been synthesized. The strategy contains spirocyclization with phenyliodine(III) bis(trifluoroacetate) (PIFA), oxidative fragmentation of the β-amino alcohols with the hypervalent iodine reagent C(6)F(5)I(OCOCF(3))(2), the detosylation and dehydrogenation reaction of the pyrroloiminoquinone unit in the presence of a catalytic amount of NaN(3) and the bridged ether synthesis with HBr-AcOH as the key reactions. All the synthesized compounds were evaluated by in vitro MTT assay for cytotoxic activity against the human colon cancer cell line HCT-116. Furthermore, the discorhabdin A oxa analogues were also evaluated against four kinds of tumor model cells, a human colon cancer cell line (WiDr), a human prostate cancer cell line (DU-145) and murine leukemia cell lines (P388 and L1210). For the identification of the target, discorhabdin A and the discorhabdin A oxa analogue were evaluated by an HCC panel assay. In the test, discorhabdins could have a novel mode of action with the tumor cells.     

Vapour-adsorption and chromic behaviours of luminescent coordination polymers composed of a Pt(II)-diimine metalloligand and alkaline-earth metal ions

Four new bimetallic coordination polymers (CPs), {M[Pt(CN)(2)(5,5'-dcbpy)]·4H(2)O}(n) (M = Mg(2+), Ca(2+), Sr(2+), Ba(2+); 5,5'-H(2)dcbpy = 5,5'-dicarboxy-2,2'-bipyridine) were synthesized using four alkaline-earth metal ions and a Pt(II)-diimine metalloligand [Pt(CN)(2)(5,5'-H(2)dcbpy)]. All four CPs are isomorphous with the Zn complex, {Zn[Pt(CN)(2)(5,5'-dcbpy)]·4H(2)O}(n), which exhibits effective metallophilic interactions between Pt(II) ions. These CPs exhibited colourful thermochromic behaviour and solid-state solvatochromic-like behaviours when suspended in various solvents. Thermogravimetric analysis and vapour-adsorption measurements revealed that the CPs can reversibly adsorb water and MeOH vapours. The emission energy of the triplet metal-metal-to-ligand charge-transfer ((3)MMLCT) state varied markedly upon guest adsorption/desorption. The chromic and vapour-adsorption properties of these CPs depend strongly on the cross-linking M(2+) ions.     

Determination of cyanide in blood by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry after direct injection of dicyanogold

An electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric (ESI-MS-MS) method has been developed for the determination of cyanide (CN^–) in blood. Five microliters of blood was hemolyzed with 50 μL of water, then 5 μL of 1 M tetramethylammonium hydroxide solution was added to raise the pH of the hemolysate and to liberate CN^– from methemoglobin. CN^– was then reacted with NaAuCl₄ to produce dicyanogold, Au(CN)₂^–, that was extracted with 75 μL of methyl isobutyl ketone. Ten microliters of the extract was injected directly into an ESI-MS-MS instrument and quantification of CN^– was performed by selected reaction monitoring of the product ion CN^– at m/z 26, derived from the precursor ion Au(CN)₂^– at m/z 249. CN^– could be measured in the quantification range of 2.60 to 260 μg/L with the limit of detection at 0.56 μg/L in blood. This method was applied to the analysis of clinical samples and the concentrations of CN^– in the blood were as follows: 7.13 ± 2.41 μg/L for six healthy non-smokers, 3.08 ± 1.12 μg/L for six CO gas victims, 730 ± 867 μg for 21 house fire victims, and 3,030 ± 97 μg/L for a victim who ingested NaCN. The increase of CN^– in the blood of a victim who ingested NaN₃ was confirmed using MS-MS for the first time, and the concentrations of CN^– in the blood, gastric content and urine were 78.5 ± 5.5, 11.8 ± 0.5, and 11.4 ± 0.8 μg/L, respectively.     

Ln-Co-based rock-salt-type porous coordination polymers: vapor response controlled by changing the lanthanide ion

We synthesized new porous coordination polymers (PCPs) {Ln(III)[Co(III)(dcbpy)(3)]·nH(2)O} (Ln = La(3+), Nd(3+), Gd(3+); H(2)dcbpy = 4,4'-dicarboxy-2,2'-bipyridine) and characterized them by X-ray diffraction and vapor-adsorption measurements. These three Ln-Co-based PCPs have similar rock-salt types and highly symmetrical porous structure and show a reversible structural collapse-regeneration accompanied by water-vapor desorption-adsorption. Similar structural regeneration was also observed for the Gd-Co PCP upon exposure to MeOH and CH(3)CN vapors, whereas the remaining two PCPs barely responded to organic vapors.     

Metal-dependent and redox-selective coordination behaviors of metalloligand [MoV(1,2-benzenedithiolato)3]- with CuI/AgI ions

The synthesis and characterization of two coordination polymers, {Cu(I)[Mo(V)(bdt)(3)]·0.5Et(2)O}(n) (1·0.5Et(2)O, bdt: o-benzenedithiolato) and {Ag(I)[Mo(V)(bdt)(3)]}(n) (2), composed of redox-active [Mo(V)(bdt)(3)](-) metalloligand with Cu(I) and Ag(I) ions are reported. The complexation reactions of [Mo(V)(bdt)(3)](-) with Cu(II)(ClO(4))(2) or Ag(I)ClO(4) commonly lead to the formation of one-dimensional (1-D) coordination polymers. The presence of Cu(I) in 1·0.5Et(2)O strongly indicates that the Cu(II) ion is reduced during the complexation reaction with [Mo(V)(bdt)(3)](-), which acts as an electron donor. The total dimensionalities of the assembled structures of 1·0.5Et(2)O and 2 are significantly different and related to the type of additional metal ions, Cu(I) and Ag(I). In contrast to the isolated 1-D chain structure of 1·0.5Et(2)O, complex 2 has a three-dimensional (3-D) assembled structure constructed from additional π-π stacking interactions between adjacent [Mo(V)(bdt)(3)](-) moieties. These structural differences influence the solubility of the complexes in organic solvents; complex 1·0.5Et(2)O is soluble as origomeric species in highly polar solvents, while 2 is insoluble in organic solvents and water. Coordination polymers 1·0.5Et(2)O and 2 were investigated by UV-vis spectroscopy in the solid state, and that in solution together with their electrochemical properties were also investigated for 1 because of its higher solubility in polar organic solvents. Complex 1·0.5Et(2)O dissolved in CH(3)CN demonstrates concentration-dependent UV-vis spectra supporting the presence of coordinative interactions between [Mo(V)(bdt)(3)](-) moieties and Cu(I) ions to create the origomeric species even in solutions, an observation that is supported also by electrochemical experiments.     

Detection limit estimated from slope of calibration curve: an application to competitive ELISA.

This paper theoretically derives a general rule that while the slope of the semi-logarithmic plot (Y vs. log X) of a calibration curve varies depending on analyte concentration, X, the slope takes a specific value at the detection limit (L(D)). This rule holds good irrespective of the shape of the calibration curve (linear or non-linear) and in this paper, is applied to competitive ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay). The following relationship is deduced: slope of log-dose B/B0 at L(D) = [relative standard deviation (RSD) of blank responses] / 0.13. The L(D) obtained from the above-mentioned slope corresponds to the dose at which the RSD of dose estimates is 0.3 (= 30%). A commercial kit for 17alpha-hydroxyprogesterone is taken as an example.     

A design of fluorescent probes for superoxide based on a nonredox mechanism

Fluorometric detection of O2-* is performed based on desulfonylation of 3 to the corresponding fluoresceins 4 through nucleophilic substitution, and this fluorescing process is quite specific toward O2-* over H2O2, t-BuOOH, NaOCl, 1O2, HO*, NO*, and ONOO-. Furthermore, effects of glutathione, cytochrome P450 reductase/NADPH, and diaphorase/NADH are relatively small on the fluorescing process of probe 3 with X = Y = F, which is useful to detect O2-* released from neutrophils stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate with satisfactory sensitivity.