An integrated approach for the systematic evaluation of polymeric nanoparticles in healthy and diseased organisms

Innovative strategies that utilize nanoparticles (NPs) for a better delivery of drugs and to improve their therapeutic efficacy have been widely studied in many clinical fields, including oncology. To develop safe and reliable devices able to reach their therapeutic target, a hierarchical characterization of NP interactions with biological fluids, cells, and whole organisms is fundamental. Unfortunately, this aspect is often neglected and the development of standardized characterization methods would be of fundamental help to better elucidate the potentials of nanomaterials, even before the loading of the drugs. Here, we propose a multimodal in vitro/in vivo/ex vivo platform aimed at evaluating these interactions for the selection of the most promising NPs among a wide series of materials. To set the system, we used non-degradable fluorescent poly(methyl-methacrylate) NPs of different sizes (50, 100, and 200 nm) and surface charges (positive and negative). First we studied NP stability in biological fluids. Then, we evaluated NP interaction with two cell lines of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), 4T1, and MDA-MB231.1833, respectively. We found that NPs internalize in TNBC cells depending on their physico-chemical properties without toxic effects. Finally, we studied NP biodistribution in terms of tissue migration and progressive clearance in breast-cancer bearing mice. The use of highly stable poly(methyl-methacrylate) NPs enabled us to track them for a long time in cells and animals. The application of this platform to other nanomaterials could provide innovative suggestions for the development of a systematic method of characterization to select the most reliable nanodrug candidates for biomedical applications.     

Synthesis of S-glycosyl amino acids and S-glycopeptides via photoinduced click thiol-ene coupling

We report on the photoinduced addition of glycosyl thiols to alkenyl glycines (thiol-ene coupling) to give S-glycosyl amino acids in high yields (53-90%). One of the amino acids thus prepared was used in the construction of a tripeptide via solution phase chemistry. Moreover, a one-pot two-step approach to an S-glycopeptide was developed using glutathione (GSH) as model starting material. This approach involved GSH S-alkenylation followed by photoinduced hydrothiolation by a glycosyl thiol.     

Fruits Vinegar: Quality Characteristics,Phytochemistry, and Functionality

The popularity of fruits vinegar (FsV) has been increased recently as a healthy drink wealthy in bioactive compounds that provide several beneficial properties. This review was designed in the frame of valorization of fruits vinegar as a by-product with high value added by providing overall information on its biochemical constituents and beneficial potencies. It contains a cocktail of bioactive ingredients including polyphenolic acids, organic acids, tetramethylperazine, and melanoidins. Acetic acid is the most abundant organic acid and chlorogenic acid is the major phenol in apple vinegar. The administration of fruits vinegar could prevent diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, oxidative stress, cancer, and boost immunity as well as provide a remarkable antioxidant ability. The production techniques influence the quality of vinegar, and consequently, its health benefits.     

Early Optimization Stages of Agave lechuguilla Bagasse Processing toward Biorefinement: Drying Procedure and Enzymatic Hydrolysis for Flavonoid Extraction

Agave lechuguilla agro-waste is a promising renewable material for biorefining purposes. The procurement of added-value co-products, such as bioactive phytochemicals, is required to improve bioprocesses and promote the bio-based economy of the productive areas of Mexico. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of post-harvest management and enzymatic pretreatment as the first stages of the A. lechuguilla valorization process. Four drying methods were compared, and enzymatic hydrolysis was optimized to obtain a flavonoid-enriched extract applying ultrasound-assisted extraction. In both experiments, the total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid (TFC) contents, HPLC-UV flavonoid profiles, and radical scavenging capacity (DPPH) were considered as response variables. The results demonstrated that light exposure during the drying process particularly affected the flavonoid content, whereas oven-dehydration at 40 °C in the dark preserved the flavonoid diversity and antioxidant functionality of the extracts. Flavonoid glycoside recovery, particularly anthocyanidins, was 1.5–1.4-fold enhanced by enzymatic hydrolysis using the commercial mix Ultraflo© under optimized conditions (pH 4, 40 °C, 180 rpm, and 2.5 h) compared to the unpretreated biomass. The extraction of flavonoids from A. lechuguilla bagasse can be carried out using a scalable drying method and enzymatic pretreatment. This study confirmed the potential of this agro-waste as a source of marketable natural products.     

[ReIII(thiourea-S)6]Cl3 · 4 H2O and [ReIII(N-methylthiourea-S)6]Cl3 as Precursors to other ReIII Complexes: a Kinetic Study in Aqueous Media. Crystal Structure of [ReIII(N-methylthiourea-S)6](PF6)3 · H2O

Capability of [Re^III(tu-S)₆]Cl₃, where tu = thiourea, as a precursor to other Re^III complexes by ligand substitution in aqueous medium is studied. For the decomposition of [Re(tu-S)₆]Cl₃, experiments suggest pseudo first order kinetics and observed rate constants vary from 1.3 × 10^–2 to 9.6 × 10^–2 min^–1 in the pH range 2.80–5.04. Experiments in presence of incoming ligand (ethylendiaminetetraacetic acid or diethylentriaminepentaacetic acid) show that ligand substitution is significantly slower than decomposition of the precursor, even when pH and temperature are modified. Similar results were obtained working with [Re^III(Metu-S)₆]Cl₃, where Metu = N-methylthiourea. Molecular structure of [Re^III(Metu-S)₆](PF₆)₃ · H₂O was determined by single crystal X-ray diffractometry. The coordination polyhedron around the Re ion is a distorted octahedron. The six methylthiourea ligands are bonded to the metal through the sulfur atoms [bond lengths range from 2.409(2) to 2.451(2) Å].     

Synthesis,Characterization, and Crystal Structure of [ReO(Me4tu)4](PF6)3 (tu = thiourea)

A new Re^V oxo complex with tetramethylthiourea, [ReO(Me₄tu)₄](PF₆)₃, has been synthesized by reduction of perrhenate with tin(II) chloride in strongly acidic solution in the presence of excess tetramethylthiourea. The complex has been characterized by elemental analysis and electronic and FTIR spectroscopy. The molecular structure of the compound was determined by X‐ray diffraction methods. The coordination polyhedron is a regular square pyramid with the substituted thiourea sulfur atoms in the equatorial positions [d(Re–S) = 2.339(3) Å] and the oxo ligand located in the summit [d(Re–O) = 1.63(2) Å]. Computational methods were employed to analyze the geometric and electronic structures of tetramethylthiourea and thiourea. Quantum mechanical studies suggest steric hindrance as the reason for the stabilization of the ReO³⁺ center instead of the Re^III one.     

Design and Synthesis of Arylpiperazine Serotonergic/Dopaminergic Ligands with Neuroprotective Properties

Long-chain arylpiperazine scaffold is a versatile template to design central nervous system (CNS) drugs that target serotonin and dopamine receptors. Here we describe the synthesis and biological evaluation of ten new arylpiperazine derivatives designed to obtain an affinity profile at serotonin 5-HT_1A, 5-HT_2A, 5-HT₇ receptor, and dopamine D₂ receptor of prospective drugs to treat the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or psychosis. Besides the structural features required for affinity at the target receptors, the new compounds incorporated structural fragments with antioxidant properties to counteract oxidative stress connected with ASD and psychosis. All the new compounds showed CNS MultiParameter Optimization score predictive of desirable ADMET properties and cross the blood–brain barrier. We identified compound 12a that combines an affinity profile compatible with antipsychotic activity (5-HT_1A K_i = 41.5 nM, 5-HT_2A K_i = 315 nM, 5-HT₇ K_i = 42.5 nM, D₂ K_i = 300 nM), and compound 9b that has an affinity profile consistent with studies in the context of ASD (5-HT_1A K_i = 23.9 nM, 5-HT_2A K_i = 39.4 nM, 5-HT₇ K_i = 45.0 nM). Both compounds also had antioxidant properties. All compounds showed low in vitro metabolic stability, the only exception being compound 9b, which might be suitable for studies in vivo.     

New Radical Route and Insight for the Highly Efficient Synthesis of Benzimidazoles Integrated with Hydrogen Evolution

Benzimidazoles are a versatile class of scaffolds with important biological activities, whereas their synthesis in a lower-cost and more efficient manner remains a challenge. Here, we demonstrate a conceptually new radical route for the high-performance photoredox coupling of alcohols and diamines to synthesize benzimidazoles along with stoichiometric hydrogen (H₂) over Pd-decorated ultrathin ZnO nanosheets (Pd/ZnO NSs). The mechanistic study reveals the unique advantage of ZnO NSs over other supports and particularly that the features of Pd nanoparticles in facilitating the cleavage of the α-C−H bond of alcohols and adsorbing subsequently-generated C-centered radicals hold the key to turning on the reaction. This work highlights a new insight into radical-induced efficient benzimidazole synthesis pairing with H₂ evolution by rationally designing semiconductor-based photoredox systems.