Ultrasensitive small molecule fluorogenic probe for human heparanase

Heparanase (HPA) is a critical enzyme involved in the remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM), and its elevated expression has been linked with diseases such as various types of cancer and inflammation. The detection of heparanase enzymatic activity holds tremendous value in the study of the cellular microenvironment, and search of molecular therapeutics targeting heparanase, however, no structurally defined probes are available for the detection of heparanase activity. Here we present the development of the first ultrasensitive fluorogenic small-molecule probe for heparanase enzymatic activity via tuning the electronic effect of the substrate. The probe exhibits a 756-fold fluorescence turn-on response in the presence of human heparanase, allowing one-step detection of heparanase activity in real-time with a picomolar detection limit. The high sensitivity and robustness of the probe are exemplified in a high-throughput screening assay for heparanase inhibitors.

Heparanase, a critical enzyme involved in the remodeling of the extracellular matrix, activates a disaccharide probe HADP to give a strong fluorescence signal.     

A Quantum Chemical Study of N14 Cluster

Ab initio molecular orbital theory and density functional theory have been employed to study N₁₄ cluster with low spin at the HF/6-31G*, B3LYP/6-31G*, B3PW91/6-31G*, BP86/6-31G*, and BHLYP/6-31G* levels of theory. Twelve isomers were studied, including one previously investigated cage molecule. The most stable isomer of N₁₄ is a C _2h -symmetric molecule that contains two separated five-membered nitrogen rings connected by a —N=N—N=N— bridge. The second, third, and fifth most stable isomers each have one five-membered nitrogen ring. The theoretical results suggest that the five-membered nitrogen ring gives rise to a particularly stable structural unit, and the more side chains that the five-membered nitrogen ring links with, the less stable the structure will become.     

One—Pot Synthese of 3,4—Dihydropyrimidine—2（1H）—thiones Catalyzed by La（OTf）3

A general and practical procedure for the syntheses of 3,4-di-hydropyrimidine-2(1H)-thiones by a one-pot condensation of aldehyde,β-ketoester or β-diketone and thiourea using La(OTf)3 as the catalyst is described.Mild reaction conditions,excellent yields as well as the environmentally friendly character of La(OTf)3 make it an important alternative to the classic acid-catalyzed Biginelli‘s reaction.     

Synthesis of comb‐shaped poly(methyl methacrylate)‐b‐poly(polytetrahydrofuran acrylate) under 60Co γ‐ray irradiation

Comb‐shaped graft copolymers with poly(methyl methacrylate) as a handle were synthesized by the macromonomer technique in two steps. First, polytetrahydrofuran acrylate (A‐PTHF), prepared by the living cationic ring‐opening polymerization of tetrahydrofuran, underwent homopolymerization with 1‐(ethoxycarbonyl)prop‐1‐yl dithiobenzoate as an initiator under ⁶⁰Co γ irradiation at room temperature; Second, the handle of the comb‐shaped copolymers was prepared by the block copolymerization of methyl methacrylate with P(A‐PTHF) as a macroinitiator under ⁶⁰Co γ irradiation. The two‐step polymerizations were proved to be controlled with the following evidence: the straight line of ln[M]₀/[M] versus the polymerization time, the linear increase in the number‐average molecular weight with the conversion, and the relatively narrow molecular weight distribution. The structures of the P(A‐PTHF) and final comb‐shaped copolymers were characterized by ¹H NMR spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 3367–3378, 2002     

Terpenoids from the Roots of Ligularia muliensis

Three new eremophilane‐type sesquiterpenes, (6β,8α)‐6‐(acetyloxy)‐8‐hydroxyeremophil‐7(11)‐en‐12,8‐olide ( 1 ), (6α,8α)‐6‐hydroxyeremophil‐7(11)‐en‐12,8‐olide ( 2 ), and (6α,8α)‐6‐(acetyloxy)eremophil‐7(11)‐en‐12,8‐olide ( 3 ) ((8α)‐eremophil‐7(11)‐en‐12,8‐olide = (4aR,5S,8aR,9aS)‐4a,5,6,7,8,8a,9,9a‐octahydro‐3,4a,5‐trimethylnaphtho[2,3‐b]furan‐2(4H)‐one), besides the recently elucidated eremoligularin ( 4 ) and bieremoligularolide ( 5 ), as well as a new highly oxygenated monoterpene, rel‐(1R,2R,3R,4S,5S)‐p‐menthane‐1,2,3,5‐tetrol ( 12 ), together with six known constituents, i.e., the sesquiterpenes 6 and 7 , the norsesquiterpenes 8 – 10 , and the monoterpene 13 , were isolated from the roots of Ligularia muliensis. In addition, an attempt to dimerize 1 to a bieremophilenolide (Scheme) resulted in the generation of the new derivative (6β,8β)‐6‐(acetyloxy)‐8‐chloroeremophil‐7(11)‐en‐12,8‐olide ( 11 ). The new structures were established by means of detailed spectroscopic analysis (IR, FAB‐, EI‐, or HR‐ESI‐MS as well as 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR experiments). Compounds 4 and 5 were evaluated for their antitumor effects in vitro (Table 3).     

TEOS-MTES基SiO2溶胶微结构的SAXS研究

正硅酸乙酯(TEOS)为前驱体,在碱性条件下制备含有无定形SiO2颗粒的溶胶,以甲基三乙氧基硅烷(MTES)在酸性条件下获得聚甲基硅氧链,二者混合后应用同步辐射X射线进行混合溶胶的SAXS散射强度测定,计算了溶胶的平均回转半径、平均粒径、两相界面层厚度、散射体体积分数、两相间比表面积等参数,辅以光子相关光谱法(PCS)和透射电子显微镜(TEM)观测溶胶粒度,证实SiO2颗粒被MTES混合物连接成族团.实验发现所测混合溶胶样品均表现出对Porod定理的负偏离,说明溶胶中颗粒与溶剂之间存在很明显的两相间界面层.     

Synthesis and Crystal Structure of Complex of Sodium Perrhenate with Tetraethyl p-tert-Butylcalix[4]arene Tetraacetate

Recently,theconformationofthecalixarenehasbeenshowntobeimportantincontrollingtheseIectivityofthereceptor.Forexample,sodiumioncouldbeboundverystronglybyesterderivativesofcalix[4]areneintheconeconformationl.Wehavefoundthatinthepresenceofcertainamountofsodiumion,microamountofReO4-canbequantitativelyextractedintol,2-dichloroethanebytheligandtetraethylp-tert-butylcalix[4]arenetetraacetate(L).ItshowsthatthepresenceofNa inaqueoussolutioncanpromotetheformationofhydrophobiccomplex[NaL] .ReO'-whichc…     

A kinetic stability study of <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis>N<Subscript>5</Subscript> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis>=Li,Na, K,and Rb)

A structure and kinetic stability study on some complexes with the general formula MN₅, where M are the alkali-metal atoms, Li, Na, K, and Rb, has been carried by using hybrid density functional methods. Complex B (C_2v) with two points of attachment to the N₅ ring is the most energetically favored for all metals considered here. Pyramidal structures A (C_5v) are kinetically unstable and they rapidly rearrange to the most stable planar structures B. At the QCISD(T)/6-311 + G*//B3LYP/6-311 + G* + ZPE (B3LYP/6-311 + G*) level, the decomposition barrier heights of LiN₅-B, NaN₅–B, KN₅-B, and RbN₅-B are predicted to be 19.9, 22.0, 22.5, and 23.0 kcal/mol, respectively. In addition, the rate constants of the decomposition reaction MN₅-B MN₃ + N₂ (M + Li, Na, K, and Rb) are also predicted using conventional transition state theory and canonical variational transition state theory, respectively.     

Electrochemical determination of dopamine and ascorbic acid at a novel gold nanoparticles distributed poly(4-aminothiophenol) modified electrode

A modified electrode is fabricated by embedding gold nanoparticles into a layer of electroactive polymer, poly(4-aminothiophenol) (PAT) on the surface of glassy carbon (GC) electrode. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) is performed to deposit PAT and concomitantly deposit Au nanoparticles. Field emission transmission electron microscopic image of the modified electrode, PAT-Au_nano-ME, indicates the presence of uniformly distributed Au nanoparticles having the sizes of 8-10 nm. Electrochemical behavior of the PAT-Au_nano-ME towards detection of ascorbic acid (AA) and dopamine (DA) is studied using CV. Electrocatalytic determination of DA in the presence of fixed concentration of AA and vice versa, are studied using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). PAT-Au_nano-ME exhibits two well defined anodic peaks at the potential of 75 and 400 mV for the oxidation of AA and DA, respectively with a potential difference of 325 mV. Further, the simultaneous determination of AA and DA is studied by varying the concentration of AA and DA. PAT-Au_nano-ME exhibits selectivity and sensitivity for the simultaneous determination of AA and DA without fouling by the oxidation products of AA or DA. PAT and Au nanoparticles provide synergic influence on the accurate electrochemical determination of AA or DA from a mixture having any one of the component (AA or DA) in excess. The practical analytical utilities of the PAT-Au_nano-ME are demonstrated by the determination of DA and AA in dopamine hydrochloride injection and human blood serum samples.     

Enantio- and diastereoselective additions to aldehydes using the bifunctional reagent 2-(chloromethyl)-3-(tributylstannyl)propene: application to a synthesis of the C16-C27 segment of bryostatin 1

[reaction: see text] Reactions of the bifunctional allylstannane 2-(chloromethyl)-3-(tributylstannyl)propene with aldehydes have been examined. These generally occur in high yields using Lewis acid promoters and the products can be isolated and purified without incident. Good yields and high enantioselectivities are also realized in catalytic asymmetric allylations (CAA reactions) using the previously described BITIP catalyst system. Protection of the free hydroxyl can be accomplished without cyclization to the derived tetrahydrofuran, although this transformation is also facile. The utility of the incorporated allyl chloride functionality allows for the obvious use of such products in reactions with nucleophiles. Use of these products in a less obvious connective strategy is demonstrated in the synthesis of the C12-C27 segment of bryostatin 1 where a connective, or "lynchpin", double-allylation process was employed. The beta-hydroxy allyl chloride obtained from an initial chelation-controlled allylation of aldehyde 16 was converted to allylstannane 19 and applied in a second allylation reaction, thus allowing for a highly convergent synthesis of the bryostatin C ring backbone in a stereoselective fashion.