Novel library of selenocompounds as kinase modulators

Although the causes of cancer lie in mutations or epigenic changes at the genetic level, their molecular manifestation is the dysfunction of biochemical pathways at the protein level. The 518 protein kinases encoded by the human genome play a central role in various diseases, a fact that has encouraged extensive investigations on their biological function and three dimensional structures. Selenium (Se) is an important nutritional trace element involved in different physiological functions with antioxidative, antitumoral and chemopreventive properties. The mechanisms of action for selenocompounds as anticancer agents are not fully understood, but kinase modulation seems to be a possible pathway. Various organosulfur compounds have shown antitumoral and kinase inhibition effects but, in many cases, the replacement of sulfur by selenium improves the antitumoral effect of compounds. Although Se atom possesses a larger atomic volume and nucleophilic character than sulfur, Se can also formed interactions with aminoacids of the catalytic centers of proteins. So, we propose a novel chemical library that includes organoselenium compounds as kinase modulators. In this study thirteen selenocompounds have been evaluated at a concentration of 3 or 10 μM in a 24 kinase panel using a Caliper LabChip 3000 Drug Discover Platform. Several receptor (EGFR, IGFR1, FGFR1…) and non-receptor (Abl) kinases have been selected, as well as serine/threonine/lipid kinases (AurA, Akt, CDKs, MAPKs…) implicated in main cancer pathways: cell cycle regulation, signal transduction, angiogenesis regulation among them. The obtained results showed that two compounds presented inhibition values higher than 50% in at least four kinases and seven derivatives selectively inhibited one or two kinases. Furthermore, three compounds selectively activated IGF-1R kinase with values ranging from -98% to -211%. In conclusion, we propose that the replacement of sulfur by selenium seems to be a potential and useful strategy in the search of novel chemical compound libraries against cancer as kinase modulators.     

Characterization of grape seed procyanidins by comprehensive two-dimensional hydrophilic interaction × reversed phase liquid chromatography coupled to diode array detection and tandem mass spectrometry

In this work, the development and optimization of a new methodology to analyze grape seed procyanidins based on the application of two-dimensional comprehensive LC is presented. This two-dimensional method involves the use of a microbore column containing a diol stationary phase in the first dimension coupled to either a C₁₈ partially porous short column or a C₁₈ monolithic column in the second dimension. The orthogonal hydrophilic interaction?×?reversed phase liquid chromatography (HILIC×RP-LC) system is interfaced through a ten-port two-position switching valve. The optimized HILIC×RP-LC separation followed by diode array and tandem mass spectrometry detection (HILIC×RP-LC-DAD-MS/MS) made possible the direct analysis of a complex grape seed extract and allowed the tentative identification of 43 flavan-3-ols, including monomers and procyanidin oligomers till a polymerization degree of 7 units with different galloylation degrees. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that this powerful analytical technique is employed to characterize complex procyanidin samples. This work successfully demonstrates the great capabilities of the HILIC×RP-LC-DAD-MS/MS coupling for the direct analysis of very complex natural samples like grape seeds.

Comparison of ethanol-soluble proteins from different rye (Secale cereale) varieties by two-dimensional electrophoresis

The major storage proteins from six rye varieties, grown under the same conditions in 1997 and 1998 in Rønhave, Denmark, were analyzed by two‐dimensional (2‐D) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The proteins were extracted from ground rye kernels with 70% ethanol and separated by 2‐D electrophoresis. The gels were scanned, compared using ImageMaster® software and the data sets were analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA) using THE UNSCRAMBLER software. Afterwards MATLAB was used to make a cluster analysis of the varieties based on PCA. The analysis of the gels showed, that the protein patterns (number of different proteins and their isoelectric points and molecular weights) from the six rye varieties were different. Based on the presence of unique cultivar‐specific spots it was possible to differentiate between all six varieties if the two harvest years were investigated separately. When the results were combined from the two years five varieties could be differentiated. The results from the PCA confirmed the finding of the unique spots and cluster analysis was made in order to illustrate the results. The combination of the results from 2‐D electrophoresis and other grain characteristics showed that one protein spot was located close to the parameters bread volume and bread height.     

Spin Symmetry Requirements in Density Functional Theory: The Proper Way to Predict Magnetic Coupling Constants in Molecules and Solids

In this paper it is argued that the use of density functional theory (DFT) to solve the exact, non-relativistic, many-electron problem, for magnetic systems requires imposing space and spin symmetry constraints exactly in the same way as it is currently done in ab initio wave function theory. This strong statement is supported on pertinent calculations for selected systems representative of organic diradicals, molecular magnets and antiferromagnetic solids. These calculations include several wave function methods of increasing accuracy and different forms of the exchange- correlation functional. The comparisons of numerical results carried out always within the same standard Gaussian Type Orbital atomic basis set show that imposing or not the spin and space constraints (restricted or unrestricted formalisms) leads to contradictory results. Therefore, it appears that, in the case of the Heisenberg magnetic constant, the present exchange-correlation functionals may provide reasonable numerical results although for the wrong physical reasons thus evidencing the failure of the current DFT methods to properly describe magnetic systems.     

Dimensional Matching versus Induced-Fit Distortions: Binding Affinities of Planar and Curved Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons with a Tetragold Metallorectangle

A tetragold(I) rectangle-like metallocage containing two pyrene-bis-imidazolylidene ligands and two carbazolyl-bis-alkynyl linkers is used for the encapsulation of a series of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), including corannulene. The binding affinities obtained for the encapsulation of the planar PAHs guests in CD₂Cl₂ are found to exponentially increase with the number of π-electrons of the guest (1.3 > logK >6.6). For the bowl-shaped molecule of corannulene, the association constant is much lower than the expected one according to its number of electrons. The molecular structure of the host–guest complex formed with corannulene shows that the molecule of the guest is compressed, while the host is expanded, thus showing an interesting case of artificial mutual induced-fit arrangement.     

Validation of a liquid chromatography method for the simultaneous quantification of ochratoxin A and its analogues in red wines

A validated high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with fluorescence detection for the simultaneous quantification of ochratoxin A (OTA) and its analogues (ochratoxin B (OTB), ochratoxin C (OTC) and methyl ochratoxin A (MeOTA)) in red wine at trace levels is described. Before their analysis by HPLC-FLD, ochratoxins were extracted and purified with immunoaffinity columns from 50 mL of red wine at pH 7.2. Validation of the analytical method was based on the following parameters: selectivity, linearity, robustness, limits of detection and quantification, precision (within-day and between-day variability), recovery and stability. The limits of detection (LOD) in red wine were established at 0.16, 0.32, 0.27 and 0.17 ng L(-1) for OTA, OTB, MeOTA and OTC, respectively. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was established as 0.50 ng L(-1) for all of the ochratoxins. The LOD and LOQ obtained are the lowest found for OTA in the reference literature up to now. Recovery values were 93.5, 81.7, 76.0 and 73.4% for OTA, OTB, MeOTA and OTC, respectively. For the first time, this validated method permits the investigation of the co-occurrence of ochratoxins A, B, C and methyl ochratoxin A in 20 red wine samples from Spain.     

Tuning the activity of Pt(111) for oxygen electroreduction by subsurface alloying

To enable the development of low temperature fuel cells, significant improvements are required to the efficiency of the Pt electrocatalysts at the cathode, where oxygen reduction takes place. Herein, we study the effect of subsurface solute metals on the reactivity of Pt, using a Cu/Pt(111) near-surface alloy. Our investigations incorporate electrochemical measurements, ultrahigh vacuum experiments, and density functional theory. Changes to the OH binding energy, ΔE(OH), were monitored in situ and adjusted continuously through the subsurface Cu coverage. The incorporation of submonolayer quantities of Cu into Pt(111) resulted in an 8-fold improvement in oxygen reduction activity. The most optimal catalyst for oxygen reduction has an ΔE(OH) ≈ 0.1 eV weaker than that of pure Pt, validating earlier theoretical predictions.     

Is metabolomics reachable? Different purification strategies of human colon cancer cells provide different CE-MS metabolite profiles

In this work, four different metabolite purification approaches are investigated prior to metabolomics of human HT29 colon cancer cells. Namely, methanol deproteinization, ultrafiltration and two SPE methods using C18 and polymer-based cartridges were studied. The extracts were characterized via a metabolomic approach based on the application of CE TOF MS (CE-MS). CE-MS analysis time was less than 20 min per sample and allowed the simultaneous and reproducible analysis of more than 80 metabolites in a single run with a minimum consumption of sample and reagents. Metabolome analysis revealed in some cases important differences among the studied metabolite purification procedures. No significant differences were observed in the metabolite profile using C18 and polymer-based cartridges, or between ultrafiltration and methanol deproteinization. However, important differences were observed in the metabolomic profiles obtained from SPE and methanol deproteinization samples. These results demonstrate the crucial role of the metabolite purification strategy in metabolomics since it can bias (and in some cases mislead) the conclusions achieved by the metabolomic study.     

Morphology evolution of Cu(2-x)S nanoparticles: from spheres to dodecahedrons

An oriented attachment and growth mechanism allows an accurate control of the size and morphology of Cu(2-x)S nanocrystals, from spheres and disks to tetradecahedrons and dodecahedrons. The synthesis conditions and the growth mechanism are detailed here.     

Comparison of different extraction procedures for the comprehensive characterization of bioactive phenolic compounds in Rosmarinus officinalis by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection coupled to electrospray time-of-flight mass spectrometry

In the present work, a comparative study between two environmentally friendly and selective extraction techniques, such as supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) have been carried out focusing in the bioactive phenolic compounds present in Rosmarinus officinalis. For the analysis of the SFE and PLE extracts, a new methodology for qualitative characterization has been developed, based on the use of reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), equipped with two different detection systems coupled in series: diode array detector (DAD) and time of flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS) detector connected via an electrospray ionization interface (ESI). The use of a small particle size C(18) column (1.8 μm) provided a great resolution and made possible the separation of several isomers. Moreover, UV-visible spectrophotometry is a valuable tool for identifying the class of phenolic compounds, whereas MS data enabled to structurally characterize the compounds present in the extracts. The applied methodology was useful for the determination of many well-known phenolic compounds present in R. officinalis, such as carnosol, carnosic acid, rosmadial, rosmanol, genkwanin, homoplantaginin, scutellarein, cirsimaritin and rosmarinic acid, as well as other phenolic compounds present in other species belonging to Lamiaceae family.