Polycationic Amphiphilic Cyclodextrins for Gene Delivery: Synthesis and Effect of Structural Modifications on Plasmid DNA Complex Stability,Cytotoxicity, and Gene Expression

A molecular‐diversity‐oriented approach for the preparation of well‐defined polycationic amphiphilic cyclodextrins (paCDs) as gene‐delivery systems is reported. The synthetic strategy takes advantage of the differential reactivity of primary versus secondary hydroxyl groups on the CD torus to regioselectively decorate each rim with cationic elements and lipophilic tails, respectively. Both the charge density and the hydrophobic–hydrophilic balance can be finely tuned in a highly symmetrical architecture that is reminiscent of both cationic lipids and cationic polymers, the two most prominent types of nonviral gene vectors. The monodisperse nature of paCDs and the modularity of the synthetic scheme are particularly well suited for structure–activity relationship studies. Gel electrophoresis revealed that paCDs self‐assemble in the presence of plasmid DNA (pDNA) to provide homogeneous, stable nanoparticles (CDplexes) of 70–150 nm that fully protect pDNA from the environment. The transfection efficiency of the resulting CDplexes has been investigated in vitro on BNL‐CL2 and COS‐7 cell lines in the absence and presence of serum and found to be intimately dependent on architectural features. Facial amphiphilicity and the presence of a cluster of cationic and hydrogen‐bonding centers for cooperative and reversible complexation of the polyanionic DNA chain is crucial to attain high transgene expression levels with very low toxicity profiles. Further enhancement of gene expression, eventually overcoming that of polyplexes from commercial polyethyleneimine (PEI) polymers (22 kDa), is achieved by building up space‐oriented dendritic polycationic constructs.     

Superlinear photovoltaic currents in proton-exchanged LiNbO<Subscript>3</Subscript> waveguides

Photovoltaic currents along the c axis have been measured in α-phase LiNbO₃ proton-exchanged waveguides at several visible wavelengths for a guided-beam configuration. The light-intensity dependence is superlinear and all experimental curves are very well fitted by computer simulations using a two-centre model, with Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ as primary and Nb_Li ⁴⁺/Nb_Li ⁵⁺ as secondary photovoltaic centres. The superlinear behaviour arises from a much higher effective photovoltaic length of Nb_Li ⁴⁺ (small polaron) compared with that of Fe²⁺. In β₁-phase guides, the photocurrents are much smaller than in α-phase guides and apparently do not show superlinear behaviour. Received: 22 October 2002 / Revised version: 6 January 2003 / Published online: 12 May 2003 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author. Fax: +34-91/3978-579, E-mail: m.carrascosa@uam.es     

Determination of Mo(VI) in tap-water and sea-water by differential-pulse polarography and co-flotation

A new method is described for the microdetermination of Mo(VI) in natural waters and sea-water by differential-pulse polarography based on the catalytic wave caused by Mo(VI) in nitrate medium following preconcentration by co-flotation on Fe(III) hydroxide. In the case of sea-water samples, hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HTAB) was used together with octadecylamine as the surfactant. For the analysis of natural water samples only HTAB is needed. Molybdenum in the range 0.7-5.7 ng/ml has been determined.     

Improved anti-inflammatory and pharmacokinetic properties for superoxide dismutase by chemical glycosidation with carboxymethylchitin

O-carboxymethylchitin (molecular weight = 1.07 x 10(5), degree of carboxymethylation = 80%, degree of N-acetylation = 91%) was chemically attached to superoxide dismutase by the formation of amide linkages through a carbodiimide catalyzed reaction. The glycosidated enzyme contained about 1.8 mole of polysaccharide per mole of protein and retained 57% of the initial catalytic activity. The anti-inflammatory activity of the enzyme was 2.4 times increased after conjugation with the polysaccharide. The modified superoxide dismutase preparation was remarkably more resistant to inactivation with H(2)O(2) and its plasma half-life time was prolonged from 4.8 min to 69 h.     

Simultaneous separation of copper, cadmium and cobalt from sea-water by co-flotation with octadecylamine and ferric hydroxide as collectors

A method is proposed for the simultaneous quantitative separation of traces ofCu(II), Cd(II) and Co(II) from sea-water samples by means of the co-flotation (adsorbing colloid flotation) technique with ferric hydroxide as co-precipitant and octadecylamine as collector. The experimental parameters have been studied and optimized. The drawbacks arising from the low solubility of octadecylamine and the corresponding sublates in water have been avoided by use of a 6M hydrochloric acid-MIBK-ethanol (1:2:2 v v ) mixture. The results obtained by means of the proposed method have been compared with those given by the usual ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate/MIBK extraction method.     

New tetra- and pentacoordinate nickel(I) complexes

Summary The reduction of nickel(II) halides with NaBH₄ in ethanol has been studied in the presence of various tertiary phosphines and arsines. Complexes of the type XNiL₃ have been isolated in this way when X = Cl, Br, I and L = PPh₃, AsPh₃, no reaction being observed when L = PEt₃, PBu₃ and Ph₂P(CH₂)₂PPh₂.The reaction of XNiL₃ with CO gas at room temperature produces pentacoordinate carbonyl complexes XNi(CO)₂L₂ when L is triphenylphosphine. The lack of stability prevents the isolation of similar complexes when L is trip henylarsine.Structural data obtained by i.r. spectroscopy and susceptibility measurements as well as chemical behaviour of the new complexes are described.     

Copper-catalyzed addition of ethyl diazoacetate to furans: an alternative to dirhodium(II) tetraacetate

The complexes Tp(x)Cu (Tp(x) = homoscorpionate ligand) catalyze the high yield addition of the carbene fragment :CHCO(2)Et, from ethyl diazoacetate, to furans under mild conditions to give different cyclopropanes and dienes with ratios that depend on the Tp(x) ligand employed, therefore inducing the control of the selectivity in this transformation.     

Novel photoreactions of 2-aza-1,4-dienes in the triplet excited state and via radical-cation intermediates. 2-aza-di-pi-methane rearrangements yielding cyclopropylimines and N-vinylaziridines

Triplet-sensitized irradiation of 2-aza-1,4-dienes affords N-cyclopropylimines via 2-aza-di-pi-methane (2-ADPM) rearrangement pathways. In the case of the pentaphenyl-substituted azadiene 1, irradiation leads to formation of cyclopropylimine 2 as well as N-vinylaziridine 3. The transformations represent the first examples of di-pi-methane rearrangement reactions that yield three-membered heterocyclic products. SET-sensitized irradiation of 2-aza-1,4-dienes, by using 9,10-dicyanoanthracene (DCA) as an electron-acceptor sensitizer and biphenyl as cosensitizer, brings about regioselective formation of N-vinylaziridines. Under these conditions, azadiene 1 also affords cyclopropylimine 37, resulting from an aryl-di-pi-methane rearrangement. This result demonstrates that di-pi-methane reactions can also take place via radical-cation intermediates. In some instances, imine and olefin centered cation-radical intermediates, generated by SET-sensitized irradiation, undergo alternative reactions to produce isoquinoline and benzoazepine products.