Computational identification of novel piperidine derivatives as potential HDM2 inhibitors designed by fragment-based QSAR,molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations

Tumor suppressor protein p53 maintains integrity of genome and regulates the genes responsible for DNA repair mechanism, apoptosis as well as cell cycle and growth arrest. As with murine double minute 2 (MDM2), the human homolog HDM2 is a principal cellular antagonist of p53. In unstressed cells, cellular levels of p53 and HDM2 are maintained in an autoregulatory manner in which both mutually control cellular levels of each other. About half of the human cancers express wild-type p53 protein that is antagonized by over-expressed HDM2. Restoring p53 function via HDM2 antagonists is a leading therapeutic approach for treating a variety of tumors. In this study, we have developed a novel statistically sound group-based QSAR (GQSAR) model using piperidine-derived compounds that have been validated experimentally to inhibit p53–HDM2 interaction. On the basis of developed GQSAR model, a combinatorial library of molecules was prepared and its activity was predicted. These molecules were then docked to HDM2, and two top-scoring molecules possessing a binding energy of ?6.639 and ?6.305 kcal/mol were selected for further study. These molecules and their binding poses were analyzed further via molecular dynamic simulations. In this study, we report two lead compounds as potent HDM2 inhibitors and also provide an insight into mechanism of interaction of the lead compounds to HDM2 target.

     

Experimental investigation of statistical density function of decaying radioactive sources

The validity of the Poisson and theP(k) modified Poisson statistical density functions of observing k events in a short time interval t=T/n, proposed previously by others, is investigated experimentally in radioactive decay detection for various measuring times, T. The experiments to measure radioactive decay were performed with 89my (T_1/2=16.06 s), using a multichannel analyzer operating in the multiscaling mode. According to the results, Poisson statistics adequately describes the counting experiment for short measuring times (up to T<0.5 T_1/2) and its application is recommended. However, analysis of the data demonstrated, with confidence, that for long measurements (T>1 T_1/2) Poisson distribution is not valid and the modified Poisson function is preferable.     

A sequential injection method for the determination of piroxicam in pharmaceutical formulations using europium sensitized fluorescence

A simple, selective and sensitive luminescence method for the assay of piroxicam (PX) in pharmaceutical formulation is developed. The method is based on the luminescence sensitization of europium (Eu³⁺) by complexation with PX. The signal for PX–EU is monitored at λ_ex=358 nm and λ_em=615 nm. Optimum conditions for the formation of the complex in methanol were 0.01 M TRIS buffer and 0.2 mM of Eu³⁺ which allows the determination of 100–2000 ppb of pX in batch method and 100–1000 ppb with limit of detection (LOD) = 23.0 ppb using sequential injection analysis (SIA). The relative standard deviations of the method range between 2 and 3% indicating excellent reproducibility of the method. The proposed method was successfully applied for he assay of PX in pharmaceutical formulations (Feldene capsules and tablets). Average recoveries of 101.0±0.3 and 98.8±2.7% were obtained for capsules in methanol using batch and sequential injection (SI) methods, respectively.     

Micellization of monomeric and dimeric (gemini) surfactants in polar nonaqueous-water-mixed solvents

Dimeric or gemini surfactants are novel surfactants that are finding a great deal of discussion in the academic and industrial arena. They consist of two hydrophobic chains and two polar head groups covalently linked by a spacer. Data on critical micelle concentration (cmc) and degree of counterion dissociation (α) are reported on bis-cationic C₁₆H₃₃N⁺(CH₃)₂–(CH₂)_s–N⁺(CH₃)₂C₁₆H₃₃, 2Br⁻, referred to as 16-s-16, for spacer lengths s=4, 5, 6 in aqueous and in polar nonaqueous (1-propanol, 2-methoxyethanol or methyl cellosolve, dimethyl sulfoxide, acetonitrile)-water-mixed solvents. The behavior is compared with conventional monomeric surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Thermodynamic parameters are obtained from the temperature dependence of the cmc values. It is observed that micellization tendency of the surfactants decreases in the presence of polar nonaqueous solvents. However, detailed studies with dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) show that the geminis nearly outclass the micellization-arresting property of this solvent. Also, within geminis, higher spacer length is found suitable for showing micellization even with high DMSO content (50% v/v). The implications of these results of gemini micellization may be useful in micellar catalysis in polar nonaqueous solvents.     

Stingless Bee-Collected Pollen (Bee Bread): Chemical and Microbiology Properties and Health Benefits

Stingless bee-collected pollen (bee bread) is a mixture of bee pollen, bee salivary enzymes, and regurgitated honey, fermented by indigenous microbes during storage in the cerumen pot. Current literature data for bee bread is overshadowed by bee pollen, particularly of honeybee Apis. In regions such as South America, Australia, and Southeast Asia, information on stingless bee bee bread is mainly sought to promote the meliponiculture industry for socioeconomic development. This review aims to highlight the physicochemical properties and health benefits of bee bread from the stingless bee. In addition, it describes the current progress on identification of beneficial microbes associated with bee bread and its relation to the bee gut. This review provides the basis for promoting research on stingless bee bee bread, its nutrients, and microbes for application in the food and pharmaceutical industries.     

Novel Copper(II) Thiodibenzoic Acid Coordination Polymers by in situ Extrusion of Sulfur from 2,2′‐Dithiodibenzoic Acid and the Unique Oxidation of Disulfide to Sulfate

Slow diffusion reaction of 2,2′‐dithiodibenzoic acid (dtdb) with CuCl₂ in the presence of N‐donor ligands results in the formation of different coordination polymers where both S–S and C–S scission and oxidation of S is observed. X‐ray diffraction analysis of [Cu(tdb)(phen)(H₂O)]₂ · 2H₂O.2DMF] ( 1 ), [Cu(tdb)(py)₂(H₂O)]₂ ( 3 ), and [Cu(tdb)(bipy)(H₂O)]₂ · 0.5H₂O ( 4 ) (tdb = thiodibenzoic acid, phen = phenanthroline, py = pyridine, bipy = 2,2′‐bipyridine) show that the metal ions are coordinated to the carboxylate oxygen atoms of the in situ generated tdb ligand in a monodenate fashion. In [Cu(phen)(SO₄)₂(H₂O)₂]_n ( 2 ) and [Cu(bipy)(SO₄)₂(H₂O)₂]_n ( 5 ), the sulfur is oxidized to sulfate ions prior to coordination with the metal. Complex 1 has a dimeric structure with π–π interactions between the phen ligands, whereas 3 and 4 form 1D polymeric chains.     

A versatile high-performance thin-layer chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of five antihypertensive drugs: method validation and application to different pharmaceutical formulations

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - A selective high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) densitometric method has been developed for the simultaneous...     

Speciation of arsenic in coarse and fine urban aerosols using sequential extraction combined with liquid chromatography and atomic fluorescence detection

An analytical procedure for speciation of As in urban aerosol samples was developed. The aerosols were collected by sequential filtration through membrane filters. Part of each filter was investigated by INAA for the total amount of As. Another part of the filters was treated by a sequential extraction procedure to differentiate between water-extractable, phosphate-extractable and refractory chemical forms. Water-extractable forms were further differentiated into anionic As species by HPLC-HGAFS. Extractability of As into water exhibited a clear dependency on the aerosol size fraction (12% in coarse fraction and 50% in fine fraction). Dependency of the phosphate extractable As on the aerosol size fraction seems not to be significant (10–15% in both size fractions). The remaining amount, i.e., about 78% of the coarse As and about 40% of the fine As was considered to be refractory or environmentally immobile As. Water-extractable As forms could only be attributed to arsenate.     

Biophysical,Biochemical, and Molecular Docking Investigations of Anti-Glycating,Antioxidant, and Protein Structural Stability Potential of Garlic

Garlic has been reported to inhibit protein glycation, a process that underlies several disease processes, including chronic complications of diabetes mellitus. Biophysical, biochemical, and molecular docking investigations were conducted to assess anti-glycating, antioxidant, and protein structural protection activities of garlic. Results from spectral (UV and fluorescence) and circular dichroism (CD) analysis helped ascertain protein conformation and secondary structure protection against glycation to a significant extent. Further, garlic showed heat-induced protein denaturation inhibition activity (52.17%). It also inhibited glycation, advanced glycation end products (AGEs) formation as well as lent human serum albumin (HSA) protein structural stability, as revealed by reduction in browning intensity (65.23%), decrease in protein aggregation index (67.77%), and overall reduction in cross amyloid structure formation (33.26%) compared with positive controls (100%). The significant antioxidant nature of garlic was revealed by FRAP assay (58.23%) and DPPH assay (66.18%). Using molecular docking analysis, some of the important garlic metabolites were investigated for their interactions with the HSA molecule. Molecular docking analysis showed quercetin, a phenolic compound present in garlic, appears to be the most promising inhibitor of glucose interaction with the HSA molecule. Our findings show that garlic can prevent oxidative stress and glycation-induced biomolecular damage and that it can potentially be used in the treatment of several health conditions, including diabetes and other inflammatory diseases.     

Anti-Cancer Activity of Buthus occitanus Venom on Hepatocellular Carcinoma in 3D Cell Culture

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most dominant primary liver cancer, which can be caused by chronic hepatitis virus infections and other environmental factors. Resection, liver transplantation, and local ablation are only a few of the highly effective and curative procedures presently accessible. However, other complementary treatments can reduce cancer treatment side effects. In this present work, we evaluated the activity of Moroccan scorpion venom Buthus occitanus and its fractions obtained by chromatography gel filtration against HCC cells using a 3D cell culture model. The venom was fractionated by gel filtration chromatography, each fraction and the crude venom was tested on normal hepatocytes (Fa2N-4 cells). Additionally, the fractions and the crude venom were tested on MCTSs (multicellular tumor spheroids), and this latter was generated by cultivate Huh7.5 cancer cell line with WI38 cells, LX2 cells, and human endothelial cells (HUVEC). Our results indicate that Buthus occitanus venom toxin has no cytotoxic effects on normal hepatocytes. Moreover, it is reported that F3 fraction could significantly inhibit the MCTS cells. Other Protein Separation Techniques (High-performance liquid chromatography) are needed in order to identify the most active molecule.