Co-operative intra-protein structural response due to protein–protein complexation revealed through thermodynamic quantification: study of MDM2-p53 binding

The p53 protein activation protects the organism from propagation of cells with damaged DNA having oncogenic mutations. In normal cells, activity of p53 is controlled by interaction with MDM2. The well understood p53-MDM2 interaction facilitates design of ligands that could potentially disrupt or prevent the complexation owing to its emergence as an important objective for cancer therapy. However, thermodynamic quantification of the p53-peptide induced structural changes of the MDM2-protein remains an area to be explored. This study attempts to understand the conformational free energy and entropy costs due to this complex formation from the histograms of dihedral angles generated from molecular dynamics simulations. Residue-specific quantification illustrates that, hydrophobic residues of the protein contribute maximum to the conformational thermodynamic changes. Thermodynamic quantification of structural changes of the protein unfold the fact that, p53 binding provides a source of inter-element cooperativity among the protein secondary structural elements, where the highest affected structural elements (α2 and α4) found at the binding site of the protein affects faraway structural elements (β1 and Loop1) of the protein. The communication perhaps involves water mediated hydrogen bonded network formation. Further, we infer that in inhibitory F19A mutation of P53, though Phe19 is important in the recognition process, it has less prominent contribution in the stability of the complex. Collectively, this study provides vivid microscopic understanding of the interaction within the protein complex along with exploring mutation sites, which will contribute further to engineer the protein function and binding affinity.     

Computational design of bio-inspired carnosine-based HOBr antioxidants

During a respiratory burst the enzyme myeloperoxidase generates significant amounts of hypohalous acids (HOX, X?=?Cl and Br) in order to inflict oxidative damage upon invading pathogens. However, excessive production of these potent oxidants is associated with numerous inflammatory diseases. It has been suggested that the endogenous antioxidant carnosine is an effective HOCl scavenger. Recent computational and experimental studies suggested that an intramolecular Cl⁺ transfer from the imidazole ring to the terminal amine might play an important role in the antioxidant activity of carnosine. Based on high-level ab initio calculations, we propose a similar reaction mechanism for the intramolecular Br⁺ transfer in carnosine. These results suggest that carnosine may be an effective HOBr scavenger. On the basis of the proposed reaction mechanism, we proceed to design systems that share similar structural features to carnosine but with enhanced HOX scavenging capabilities for X?=?Cl and Br. We find that (i) elongating the β-alanyl-glycyl side chain by one carbon reduces the reaction barriers by up to 44%, and (ii) substituting the imidazole ring with strong electron-donating groups reduces the reaction barriers by similar amounts. We also show that the above structural and electronic effects are largely additive. In an antioxidant candidate that involves both of these effects the reaction barriers are reduced by 71%.     

An investigation of the complexation of host <Emphasis Type="Italic">N,N′</Emphasis>-bis(9-phenyl-9-thioxanthenyl)ethylenediamine with dihaloalkane guests

In this study, the formation of supramolecular inclusion complex of doxorubicin (DOX), a high loading and pH-dependent delivery of DOX on β-CD dendrimer was studied. β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) dendrimer having β-CD in both periphery and core was prepared with entrapment efficiency using click reaction. The encapsulation property of the β-CD-dendrimer was investigated by DOX as model drug. The chemical construction of β-CD-dendrimer was described by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and FTIR and its inclusion complex construction was studied by FTIR, DSC, SEM, and DLS techniques. It was confirmed that β-CD dendrimer able to encapsulate DOX in solution; as a result, the designed complex revealed pH-dependent sustained release of DOX, in vitro. Also, the in vitro outcomes on T47D cells displayed that complexation of DOX with β-CD dendrimer involved an improvement of in vitro cytotoxicity and anticancer activity and this data appeared to be as a result of the developed solubility of the DOX.     

Cucurbit[<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>]uril-based host–guest-metal ion chemistry: an emerging branch in cucurbit[<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>]uril chemistry

The unique pumpkin-shape macrocyclic structure with inherent cavities renders cucurbituril (CB) a type of versatile supramolecular container. On account of their good biocompatibility and low toxicity, the applications of CB to encapsulate drug molecules provide promising candidates and the pharmacological activities have been investigated currently. How to control over the uptake and release of the guest at will is significant for practical applications of drug delivery. The noncovalent nature of supramolecular interactions offers variety of options to control the release of guest molecules from CB under external stimuli, including pH, temperature, metal cations, competing guests, light, redox and so on. Moreover, CB containers are capable of assembling into higher ordered supramolecular structures such as polymers, nanoparticles, hydrogels, and colloids, which greatly enrich the scope of CB-type inclusion materials. Those results provide useful principles and guidelines for controlled release from supramolecular containers.     

Spectral and electrochemical investigation of 1,8-diaminonaphthalene upon encapsulation of p-sulfonatocalix[4]arene

The ligand salt, Me₆[14]diene·2HClO₄ (L·2HClO₄) was prepared by condensation of acetone and ethylene diamine in the presence of perchloric acid. On reduction of this diene ligand salt, L·2HClO₄ with sodium borohydride, the two isomeric ligands, ‘tet-a’ and ‘tet-b’ were produced. The ligands, on reaction with ZnX₂ (X=Cl, ClO₄, NO₃ or CH₃COO) and ZnSO₄ produced the corresponding complexes. These complexes have been characterized on the basis of elemental analyses; IR, UV–Vis and ¹H-NMR spectroscopies; magnetic and conductance data. Based on these data, all of the complexes of the diene ligand L, as well as the perchlorate complexes of all of the ligands attained a square-pyramidal arrangement, whereas the complexes of ‘tet-a’ and ‘tet-b’, with X=NO₃, Cl or CH₃COO and with ZnSO₄ salt, were octahedral. Moreover, all complexes were monometallic except the nitrato complex, [(ZnL)₂(µ-NO₃)](ClO₄)₃ which is bimetallic. The structure of [(ZnL)₂(µ-NO₃)](ClO₄)₃ has been confirmed by X-ray crystallography. In this complex the zinc centres lie within a N₄O donor set, with the four nitrogen donors from L and one of the oxygen atom stemming from the bridging NO₃. The complexes show different electrolytic behavior in different solvents. The antibacterial activities of the ligands and complexes towards different phytopathogenic bacteria have been investigated.     

Kohzo Ito,Kazuaki Kato and Koichi Mayumi: Monographs in supramolecular chemistry No 15: Polyrotaxane and Slide-Ring Materials

Objective

Colony stimulating factors (CSFs) are endogenous cytokines that have key roles in proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic progenitor cells and in regulation of mature blood cells performance. The CSFs families members are widely used for therapeutic purposes in many field include microbial infections, in cancer chemotherapy, alzheimer disease, hematopoiesis process, and for some neutropenia- related pathologies. Crown ethers are chemical compounds with therapeutic application that can affect the colony formation in vitro. The primary objective of the present study is to evaluate the effect of TDN (novel crown ether) on colony formation of red bone marrow cells in incubation with lung tissues cells.

Method

In this study, bone marrow cells and lung tissue cells of Balb/C were used as a source of hematopoietic stem cells and a source to production colony-stimulating factors, respectively. These cells were incubated with TDN separately and together.

Results

Briefly, the results of this study show that the effects of TDN has excitatory in concentrations lower than 50 µg/ml on colony formation and greater than 50 µg/ml is toxic to cells and it was inhibited the colony formation. Maximum stimulatory and inhibitory effects are shown in 50 and 400 µg/ml of crown ether and no colony was observed in the latter concentration.

Conclusion

The results from this study indicate that TDN significantly able to stimulate the colon formation while increased concentrations of TDN is inhibited colony formation by induction toxic effects due to excessive production of free radicals.

     

Synthesis of β-cyclodextrin-lysozyme conjugates and their physicochemical and biochemical properties

Recently a great interest in the field of protein engineering and the design of innovative drug delivery systems employing specific ligands such as cyclodextrins is observed. The paper reports the solid state, thermal method for protein coupling with β-cyclodextrin and the physicochemical and biological properties of the obtained conjugates. The structure of the obtained conjugates was investigated via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, dynamic light scattering and circular dichroism analysis. The presented conjugates were biologically active and covalently bound β-cyclodextrin preserved the ability to form inclusion complexes with the model compound. This report demonstrates the great potential of cyclodextrin as a modifying unit that can be used to modulate the properties of therapeutic proteins, additionally giving such conjugates the possibility to transport many therapeutic substances in the form of inclusion complexes. In addition, the paper presents the potential of protein-cyclodextrin conjugates to construct innovative bioactive molecules for biological and medical applications.     

Cisplatin cyclodextrin complexes as potential free radical chemoradiosensitizers for enhanced cisplatin treatment of cancers: a quantum mechanical study

It has been shown in this study that {CisPt@[n]CD} complexes formed from the anti-cancer drug cisplatin (CisPt) and cyclodextrins ([n]CD) can be a source of Pt based free radicals such as (H₃N)₂PtCl· and (H₃N)₂Pt·· species in water within a radiation environment which can produce hydrated electrons. Encapsulating CisPt within the [n]CD host takes advantage of the previously described drug delivery and reduced side effect advantages of CDs. Based on quantum mechanical modelling and literature results from other studies, it is predicted that {CisPt@[γ]CD} and the analogous 2-hydroxypropyl[β]cyclodextrin (HPBCD) complex {CisPt@HPBCD} may interact with serum albumin and engage in an enhanced permeation and retention mechanism in solid tumours, offering further synergistic advantages for radiation-{CisPt@[γ]CD} or -{CisPt@HPBCD} regimens over that of the conventional radiation-CisPt regimens in current use in anti-cancer chemoradiotherapies. Comparisons and possible advantages are made with the previously documented chemoradiosensitizing properties of the analogous cucurbit[7]uril based{CisPt@[7]CB} complex with the {CisPt@[γ]CD} and {CisPt@HPBCD} complexes suggest that all three complexes may have different and tailorable anti-tumour uses for a range of different chemotherapeutic environments or protocols.     

Four Mixed 3d-4f 12-Metallacrown-4 Complexes: Syntheses,Structures and Magnetic Properties

The incorporation of Ln^III ions into the 12-metallacrown-4 topology affords the formation of four mixed 3d-4f pentanuclear complexes of compositions [NH(C₂H₅)₃]{[Ln(OAc)₄] [12-MC _Mn ^III _(N)shi-4]}·xH₂O (Ln = Sm (1), Gd (2), Tb (3), Dy (4); x = 0.5 for 1 and 3, x = 0.25 for 2, x = 0 for 4; H₃shi = salicylhydroxamic acid). Compounds 1–4 were obtained from the reactions of H₃shi with Mn(CH₃COO)₂·4H₂O and Ln(NO₃)₃·6H₂O, in the presence of N(C₂H₅)₃. They all contain a crown-like [Mn₄Ln(μ-NO)₄]¹¹⁺ core with four Mn^III atoms being at the rim of the crown and an Ln^III ion occupying the dome of the crown. The peripheral ligation about the core is provided by four η¹:η¹:µ acetate groups. The identity of the Ln^III ions slightly affects the 12-metallacrown-4 frameworks, as demonstrated by the gradual decrease of the distances between the Ln^III ions and the centres of the Mn₄ planes (1.85 Å for 1, 1.81 Å for 2, 1.80 Å for 3, and 1.77 Å for 4). Variable-temperature dc magnetic susceptibility studies were carried out on polycrystalline samples of 1–4. Antiferromagnetic interactions are determined for complexes 1–4.