Impact of carbamylation on type I collagen conformational structure and its ability to activate human polymorphonuclear neutrophils

Carbamylation by urea-derived cyanate is a posttranslational modification of proteins increasing during chronic renal insufficiency, which alters structural and functional properties of proteins and modifies their interactions with cells. We report here the major structural alterations of type I collagen induced by carbamylation. Biophysical methods revealed that carbamylated collagen retained its triple-helical structure, but that slight changes destabilized some regions within the triple helix and decreased its ability to polymerize into normal fibrils. These changes were associated with the incapacity of carbamylated collagen to stimulate polymorphonuclear neutrophil oxidative functions. This process involved their interaction with LFA-1 integrin, but no subsequent p(125)FAK phosphorylation. Carbamylation of collagen might alter interactions between collagen and inflammatory cells in vivo and interfere with the normal remodeling of extracellular matrix, thus participating in the pathophysiological processes occurring during renal insufficiency.     

Synthesis of pyrido[2,3-d]pyridazines and pyrazino[2,3-d]-pyridazines—novel classes of GABAA receptor benzodiazepine binding site ligands

Novel syntheses of 2,3,8-trisubstituted pyrido[2,3-d]pyridazines and 2,3,5-trisubstituted pyrazino[2,3-d]pyridazines are described. Two complementary routes to pyrido[2,3-d]pyridazines were developed, the first of which began by constructing the pyridine ring, and the second of which started by constructing the pyridazine ring. Pyrazino[2,3-d]pyridazines were prepared in a route employing an aza-Wadsworth-Emmons cyclization as the key step. The resulting compounds were found to be high affinity ligands for the GABA_A receptor benzodiazepine binding site.     

Thermodynamics of hydrophobic interaction chromatography of acetyl amino acid methyl esters

Thermodynamic analysis of hydrophobic interaction chromatography of amino acid methyl esters showed entropy-driven adsorption, consistent with solvophobic theory, except for phenyl ester on the Toyopearl resins. All esters adsorbed more strongly to the Toyopearl resins, including the polymethacrylate base matrix, than to Butyl Sepharose. Enthalpy changes were more favorable with the former, explaining the retention difference between Toyopearl Butyl and Butyl Sepharose. An enthalpy change versus heat capacity change plot showed Van der Waals interactions predominantly with the resin matrix. Literature data revealed the same effect for dansylamino acids, shown by isothermodynamic temperature analysis to adsorb more entropically than the esters.     

UV-A induced oxidative stress is more prominent in naturally pigmented aged human RPE cells compared to non-pigmented human RPE cells independent of zinc treatment

To investigate the effects of zinc supplementation on human amelanotic (ARPE-19) and native pigmented retinal pigment epithelial cells (hRPE) under normal light conditions and after ultraviolet A light exposure. hRPE cells, containing both melanin and lipofuscin granules, were prepared from human donor eyes of 60-70 year old patients. Cells of the amelanotic ARPE-19 cell line and pigmented hRPE cells were treated with zinc chloride and subjected to oxidative stress by UV-A irradiation. Intracellular H(2)O(2) formation was measured using a fluorescence oxidation assay. Additionally, apoptosis and viability assays were performed. Control cells were treated identically except for irradiation and zinc supplementation. Under normal light conditions, zinc treated hRPE cells produced less H(2)O(2) than unsupplemented hRPE cells. Viability and apoptosis events did not change. After UV-A irradiation, ARPE and hRPE cells were greatly impaired in all tests performed compared to the non-irradiated controls. No differences were found after zinc supplementation. hRPE cells showed a higher apoptosis and mortality rate than non-pigmented cells when stressed by UV-A light. ARPE cells never showed any zinc related effects. In contrast, without irradiation, zinc supplementation reduced H(2)O(2) production in pigmented hRPE cells slightly. We did not find any zinc effect in irradiated hRPE cells. After UV light exposure, pigmented cells showed a higher apoptosis and mortality than cells lacking any pigmentation. We conclude that cells with pigmentation consisting of melanin and lipofuscin granules have more prooxidative than antioxidative capacity when stressed by UV light exposure compared to cells lacking any pigmentation.     

Direct Synthesis of Peptide-Containing Silicones: A New Way to Bioactive Materials

A simple and efficient way to synthesize peptide-containing silicone materials is described. Silicone oils containing a chosen ratio of bioactive peptide sequences were prepared by acid-catalyzed copolymerization of dichlorodimethylsilane, hybrid dichloromethyl peptidosilane, and Si(vinyl)- or SiH-functionalized monomers. Functionalized silicone oils were first obtained and then, after hydrosilylation cross-linking, bioactive polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based materials were straightforwardly obtained. The introduction of an antibacterial peptide yielded PDMS materials showing activity against Staphylococcus aureus. PDMS containing RGD ligands showed improved cell-adhesion properties. This generic method was fully compatible with the stability of peptides and thus opened the way to the synthesis of a wide range of biologically active silicones.     

EXAFS and IR structural study of platinum-based anticancer drugs' degradation by diethyl dithiocarbamate

Platinum compounds constitute a discrete class of DNA-damaging anticancer drug agents, including cisplatin, carboplatin, and oxaliplatin. The toxicity of such drugs raises the problem of waste detoxification. Diethyl dithiocarbamate (DDTC) is recommended by the World Heath Organization (WHO) for the destruction of cisplatin, but the degradation product has not been structurally characterized. This paper deals with the extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and IR structural study of the reaction products of DDTC with cisplatin, carboplatin, and oxaliplatin. Cisplatin and carboplatin give the same reaction product: Pt(DDTC)2. In the case of oxaliplatin, we observed the formation of [(diaminocyclohexane)(DDTC)Pt(II)]. In all cases, the replacement of labile ligands by strong ligands should lead to inactive compounds. Our results suggest that the WHO inactivation protocol might be extended to carboplatin and oxaliplatin. Nevertheless, this should be validated by toxicity tests of the degradation products.     

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha antagonism inhibits hepatitis C virus replication

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a global health problem and a leading cause of liver disease. Here, we demonstrate that the replication of HCV replicon RNA in Huh-7 cells is inhibited by a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) antagonist, 2-chloro-5-nitro-N-(pyridyl)benzamide (BA). Downregulation of PPARgamma with RNA interference approaches had no effect on HCV replication in Huh-7 cells, whereas PPARalpha downregulation inhibited HCV replication. Fluorescence and coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy demonstrate a clear buildup of lipids upon treatment with BA. These observations are consistent with the misregulation of lipid metabolism, phospholipid secretion, cholesterol catabolism, and triglyceride clearance events associated with the inhibition of PPARalpha. The inhibition of HCV replication by BA may result from disrupting lipidation of host proteins associated with the HCV replication complex or, more generally, by disrupting the membranous web where HCV replicates.     

Electrochemical alkyl transfer reaction from trialkylboranes to polyhalo compounds

Reduction of decyl dichloro- and trichloroacetate, under mild electrolysis conditions by using the sacrificial anode process, affords α-chlorocarbanions which readily react with trialkylboranes to give alkylated products in a one step reaction.     

Versatile functional poly(3‐hexylthiophene) for hybrid particles synthesis by the grafting onto technique: Core@shell ZnO nanorods

We demonstrate an efficient strategy to anchor poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT) onto zinc oxide (ZnO) surfaces. Synthesis of a novel triethoxysilane‐terminated regioregular P3HT is herein reported and supported by thorough characterization. Three triethoxysilane‐terminated P3HTs of different molar masses were prepared via a hydrosilylation reaction from allyl‐terminated P3HT. MALDI‐TOF and ¹H NMR were performed to characterize the polymer and show that around 80% of the chains are end‐functionalized. These polymers were then grafted onto the ZnO nanorods to create a macromolecular self‐assembled monolayer. This versatile technique could be subsequently applied to different metal oxide surfaces, such as silicon, titanium, or indium‐tin oxide, and represents a new one‐pot strategy based on triethoxysilane coupling reaction. Importantly, the influence of the molar mass on the grafting density and the polymer shell thickness was studied via thermo gravimetric analysis and transmission electron microscopy. The optical properties of the hybrid materials were determined by UV–visible absorption and photoluminescence to show a quenching effect of P3HT fluorescence by ZnO when grafted. This electronic transfer associated with an improved miscibility of the ZnO@P3HT, makes these hybrid materials suitable candidates for photovoltaic applications. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 30–38     

Palladium-catalyzed amination of aryl halides on solid support

[reaction: see text] The first examples of the Pd(0)-catalyzed amination of aryl halides using Rink-resins as nitrogen source are described. Pd(2)dba(3)/BINAP/NaO-t-Bu was found to be the most efficient catalyst/base system, while a solvent mixture of dioxane and tert-butyl alcohol was shown to enhance the selectivity toward the desired monoarylation. Moderate to good yields and excellent purities of the amination products were found with electron-poor aryl halides, while electon-rich aryl halides failed to react under these conditions.