Self‐Assembled Aptamer‐Based Drug Carriers for Bispecific Cytotoxicity to Cancer Cells

Monovalent aptamers can deliver drugs to target cells by specific recognition. However, different cancer subtypes are distinguished by heterogeneous biomarkers and one single aptamer is unable to recognize all clinical samples from different patients with even the same type of cancers. To address heterogeneity among cancer subtypes for targeted drug delivery, as a model, we developed a drug carrier with a broader recognition range of cancer subtypes. This carrier, sgc8c‐sgd5a (SD), was self‐assembled from two modified monovalent aptamers. It showed bispecific recognition abilities to target cells in cell mixtures; thus broadening the recognition capabilities of its parent aptamers. The self‐assembly of SD simultaneously formed multiple drug loading sites for the anticancer drug doxorubicin (Dox). The Dox‐loaded SD (SD–Dox) also showed bispecific abilities for target cell binding and drug delivery. Most importantly, SD–Dox induced bispecific cytotoxicity in target cells in cell mixtures. Therefore, by broadening the otherwise limited recognition capabilities of monovalent aptamers, bispecific aptamer‐based drug carriers would facilitate aptamer applications for clinically heterogeneous cancer subtypes that respond to the same cancer therapy.     

A common theory for phase-modulated homonuclear decoupling in solid-state NMR

We propose a new framework for homonuclear dipolar decoupling in solid-state NMR that provides a theoretical link between the FSLG, PMLG and DUMBO families. We show that through the use of a Legendre polynomial basis, the phase modulation of these decoupling schemes can be described by the same set of parameters, permitting for the first time a direct theoretical comparison between these methods. Use of this common basis reveals that the central decoupling mechanism is the same for DUMBO and FSLG/PMLG and that a similar vector picture can be used to describe both methods. In addition to the common root of decoupling efficiency, this new analysis highlights two major points of difference between the methods. First, the DUMBO phase modulation consists not only of a linear change in phase with time à la PMLG but also smaller high-order oscillations, which act to improve line-narrowing performance. Second, we show how the DUMBO phase waveforms are generated from a four-step permutation of a single asymmetric unit, in contrast to the two-step permutation of PMLG. Numerical simulations and experimental results suggest that this latter point of difference is responsible for the superior performance of DUMBO in the presence of significant RF inhomogeneity.     

Overtone spectra of 2-mercaptoethanol and 1,2-ethanedithiol

Vibrational spectra of vapor-phase 1,2-ethanedithiol and 2-mercaptoethanol were recorded to investigate weak intramolecular interactions. The spectra were recorded with conventional absorption spectroscopy and laser photoacoustic spectroscopy in the 2000-11,000 cm(-1) region. The room temperature spectra of each molecule are complicated by contributions from several conformers. Anharmonic oscillator local-mode calculations of the OH- and SH-stretching transitions have been performed to facilitate assignment of the different conformers in the spectra. We observe evidence of hydrogen-bond-like interactions from OH to S, but not from SH to O or S. The OH to S intramolecular interaction in 2-mercaptoethanol is weak and comparable to that found in the OH to O interaction in ethylene glycol.     

New Strategies to Phosphino–Phosphonium Cations and Zwitterions

By employing strategies based on frustrated Lewis pair chemistry, new routes to phosphino‐phosphonium cations and zwitterions have been developed. B(C₆F₅)₃ is shown to react with H₂ and P₂tBu₄ to effect heterolytic hydrogen activation yielding the phosphino‐phosphonium borate salt [(tBu₂P)PHtBu₂] [HB(C₆F₅)₃] ( 1 ). Alternatively, alkenylphosphino‐phosphonium borate zwitterions are accessible by reaction of B(C₆F₅)₃ and PhC?CH with P₂Ph₄, P₄Cy₄, or P₅Ph₅ affording the species [(Ph₂P)P(Ph)₂C(Ph)?C(H)B(C₆F₅)₃] ( 2 ), [(P₃Cy₃)P(Cy)C(Ph)?C(H)B(C₆F₅)₃] ( 3 ), and [(P₄Ph₄)P(Ph)C(Ph)?C(H)B(C₆F₅)₃] ( 4 ). A related phosphino‐phosphonium borate species—[(Ph₄P₄)P(Ph)C₆F₄B(F)(C₆F₅)₂] ( 5 ) is also isolated from the thermolysis of B(C₆F₅)₃ and P₅Ph₅.     

Intercepted Decarboxylative Allylations of Nitroalkanoates

Using palladium-catalyzed decarboxylation, several cascade reactions of allyl and prenyl nitroalkanoates that lead to nitro-containing chemical building blocks are described. A nitronate Michael addition/Tsuji-Trost allylation cascade was developed, leading to functionally dense chemical building blocks. Likewise, a Tsuji-Trost/decarboxylative protonation sequence was developed for the synthesis of orthogonally functionalized 2° nitroalkanes. The latter method provides rapid access to the indolizidine core.     

Electrochemical investigations into Tau protein phosphorylations

Hyperphosphorylation of Tau, a protein that stabilizes microtubules, leads to the breakdown of the microtubular structure and ultimately to the formation of neurofibrillar tangles within neurons. Here, we report monitoring of Tau phosphorylations electrochemically, using Tau protein films chemically linked to gold surfaces and 5'-γ-ferrocenyl (Fc) adenosine triphosphate (Fc-ATP) as a co-substrate. Fc-phosphorylation reactions of Tau are explored using the three protein kinases, glycogen synthase kinase (GSK-3β), sarcoma (Src)-related kinase, and protein kinase A (PKA), which catalyze Fc-phosphorylation of different residues and regions within Tau. The kinetic parameters of the biochemical process (K(M) and V(max)) were determined.     

Centric scan SPRITE for spin density imaging of short relaxation time porous materials

The single-point ramped imaging with T1 enhancement (SPRITE) imaging technique has proven to be a very robust and flexible method for the study of a wide range of systems with short signal lifetimes. As a pure phase encoding technique, SPRITE is largely immune to image distortions generated by susceptibility variations, chemical shift and paramagnetic impurities. In addition, it avoids the line width restrictions on resolution common to time-based sampling, frequency encoding methods. The standard SPRITE technique is however a longitudinal steady-state imaging method; the image intensity is related to the longitudinal steady state, which not only decreases the signal-to-noise ratio, but also introduces many parameters into the image signal equation. A centric scan strategy for SPRITE removes the longitudinal steady state from the image intensity equation and increases the inherent image intensity. Two centric scan SPRITE methods, that is, Spiral-SPRITE and Conical-SPRITE, with fast acquisition and greatly reduced gradient duty cycle, are outlined. Multiple free induction decay (FID) points may be acquired during SPRITE sampling for signal averaging to increase signal-to-noise ratio or for T2* and spin density mapping without an increase in acquisition time. Experimental results show that most porous sedimentary rock and concrete samples have a single exponential T2* decay due to susceptibility difference-induced field distortion. Inhomogeneous broadening thus dominates, which suggests that spin density imaging can be easily obtained by SPRITE.     

Matrix metalloproteinase-1 is the major collagenolytic enzyme responsible for collagen damage in UV-irradiated human skin

Punch biopsies of human skin were obtained 1 day after irradiation with two minimal-erythema doses (MED) from either a UVB light source or a Solar Simulator and incubated in organ culture for 72 h. Organ culture fluids obtained at 24, 48 and 72 h were analyzed for collagenolytic activity and for reactivity with antibodies to matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1; interstitial collagenase) and MMP-13 (collagenase-3). High levels of collagenolytic activity were seen in organ culture fluid from skin exposed to either light source. MMP-1 was strongly induced in parallel, increasing from less than 100 ng/ml in organ culture fluid from control skin to approximately 1.1 microg/ml in culture fluid from UV-treated skin. Whereas most of the detectable MMP-1 in control culture fluid was represented by the latent form of the enzyme, approximately 50% of the enzyme was present as the active form in organ culture fluid of UV-exposed skin. In contrast, there was no detectable MMP-13 in control organ culture fluid and very little change after UV exposure (less than 100 ng/ml in both cases). Finally, neutralization studies with a blocking antibody to MMP-1 removed 95 +/- 4% of the collagenolytic activity in the organ culture fluid from UV-treated skin. These findings strongly implicate MMP-1 rather than MMP-13 as the major collagenolytic enzyme responsible for collagen damage in photoaging.     

Role of carboxylate bridges in modulating nonheme diiron(II)/O(2) reactivity

A series of diiron(II) complexes of the dinucleating ligand HPTP (N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)-2-hydroxy-1,3-diaminopropane) with one or two supporting carboxylate bridges has been synthesized and characterized. The crystal structure of one member of each subset has been obtained to reveal for subset A a (micro-alkoxo)(micro-carboxylato)diiron(II) center with one five- and one six-coordinate metal ion and for subset B a coordinatively saturated (micro-alkoxo)bis(micro-carboxylato)diiron(II) center. These complexes react with O(2) in second-order processes to form adducts characterized as (micro-1,2-peroxo)diiron(III) complexes. Stopped-flow kinetic studies show that the oxygenation step is sensitive to the availability of an O(2) binding site on the diiron(II) center, as subset B reacts more slowly by an order of magnitude. The lifetimes of the O(2) adducts are also distinct and can be modulated by the addition of oxygen donor ligands. The O(2) adduct of a monocarboxylate complex decays by a fast second-order process that must be monitored by stopped-flow methods, but becomes stabilized in CH(2)Cl(2)/DMSO (9:1 v/v) and decomposes by a much slower first-order process. The O(2) adduct of a dicarboxylate complex is even more stable in pure CH(2)Cl(2) and decays by a first-order process. These differences in adduct stability are reflected in the observation that only the O(2) adducts of monocarboxylate complexes can oxidize substrates, and only those substrates that can bind to the diiron center. Thus, the much greater stability of the O(2) adducts of dicarboxylate complexes can be rationalized by the formation of a (micro-alkoxo)(micro-1,2-peroxo)diiron(III) complex wherein the carboxylate bridges in the diiron(II) complex become terminal ligands in the O(2) adduct, occupy the remaining coordination sites on the diiron center, and prevent binding of potential substrates. Implications for the oxidation mechanisms of nonheme diiron enzymes are discussed.