Modification of membrane heterogeneity by antipsychotic drugs: an X-ray diffraction comparative study

Lipid mixtures are used to mimic biological membranes as they allow characterization of lipid lateral domains defined by their specific lipid molecular organization. Therapeutic agents such as antipsychotic drugs (AP) that may interact with lipids arrangement are likely to modify membrane biological properties. The present study describes the effect of 2 typical and 5 atypical antipsychotic drugs on an aqueous co-dispersion of a lipid mixture made of egg phosphatidylcholine (PC)/brain sphingomyelin (SM)/cholesterol (1/1/1 mol/mol/mol). Lamellar liquid-ordered (Lo) and liquid-disordered (Ld) phase coexistence was identified in the control and antipsychotic-added mixtures at 37 degrees C using synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering methods (XRD). Intensity of the Bragg peaks was used to generate electron density profiles (EDP) allowing bilayer thickness calculation. All antipsychotic except from amisulpride induced a Lo phase bilayer thickness (d(pp)) decrease. Chlorpromazine, haloperidol, amisulpride and 9-0H-risperidone induced a Ld d(pp) increase while ziprazidone, risperidone and clozapine induced a Ld d(pp) decrease, indicating that antipsychotic atypicality is not associated with a specific d(pp) modification on our lipid model mixture. Results are discussed in terms of competition of antipsychotic compounds with cholesterol and mode of reorganization of lateral domains. A pharmacological relevance of these changes is also discussed.     

Asymmetric synthesis of the (S)-1,1-dioxido-isothiazolidin-3-one phosphotyrosine mimetic via reduction of a homochiral (R)-oxido-isothiazolidin-3-one

[structure: see text]. The first asymmetric synthesis of the (S)-1,1-dioxido-isothiazolidin-3-one ((S)-IZD) pTyr mimetic, which has been incorporated into the recently reported potent protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) inhibitors, is presented herein. The key reaction is the reduction of the (R)-oxido-isothiazolidin-3-one heterocycle with excellent regiochemical and stereochemical control (>98% ee; 82% yield).     

Extraction-spectrophotometric investigations on two ternary ion-association complexes of gallium(III)

Complex formation and liquid-liquid extraction were studied in systems containing Ga(III), azoderivative of resorcinol {4-(2-pyridylazo)resorcinol (PAR) or 4-(2-thiazolylazo)resorcinol (TAR)}, 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC), water and chloroform. The optimum conditions w.r.t. pH, extraction time, concentration of ADR and concentration of TTC for the extraction of Ga(III) as an ion-associate complex were found.. The composition of the extracted complexes, (TT⁺)[Ga(PAR)₂] (I), (TT⁺)[Ga(TAR)₂] (II) or (TT⁺)₂[Ga(OH)(TAR)₂] (III), and the constants of association (β) between 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium cation (TT⁺) with corresponding anionic chelates were established by several methods. The constants of distribution (K_D) and extraction (K_ex) of the principal species I and III were determined as well. The apparent molar absorptivities of the chloroform extract at the optimum extraction-spectrophotometric conditions were ɛ′₅₁₀=9.5×10⁴ L mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹ (I) and ɛ′₅₃₀=4.6×10⁴ L mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹ (III). The validity of Beer’s law was checked and analytical characteristics that were calculated are reported herein.      

Carbohydrate particles as protein carriers and scaffolds: physico-chemical characterization and collagen stability

We report a simple and effective supercritical fluid route to uniformly load ultrafine metal nanoparticles on the hydrophobic surfaces of graphene sheets. In the presence of supercritical carbon dioxide, PtRu alloy nanoparticles are decorated evenly on functionalized graphene sheets (FGSs) upon the reduction of organic platinum (II) and ruthenium (III) precursors, and its application as an electrocatalyst for methanol oxidation is studied. Transmission electron microscopy observation shows that highly dispersed PtRu metallic nanoparticles with an average size of about 3.11?nm are uniformly and densely distributed on the hydrophobic surface of FGSs. X-ray diffraction patterns demonstrate that the particles had a face-centered cubic crystal structure, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis indicates the existence of zero-valence metals. Compared with the widely used Vulcan XC-72 carbon black, the PtRu/FGS composites exhibit superior catalytic activity and stability for methanol oxidation. The huge surface area of graphene and uniform distribution of nanosized metal particles are two critical factors for the significantly enhanced electrocatalytic efficiency. The findings suggest that the supercritical fluid method is highly efficient in preparing graphene-supported metallic catalysts, and FGSs serve as a favorable electrocatalytic carrier for direct methanol fuel cells.     

Nodal domains statistics: a criterion for quantum chaos

We consider the distribution of the (properly normalized) numbers of nodal domains of wave functions in 2D quantum billiards. We show that these distributions distinguish clearly between systems with integrable (separable) or chaotic underlying classical dynamics, and for each case the limiting distribution is universal (system independent). Thus, a new criterion for quantum chaos is provided by the statistics of the wave functions, which complements the well-established criterion based on spectral statistics.     

Structural organization of plasma membrane lipids isolated from cells cultured as a monolayer and in tissue-like conditions

In this paper, folate conjugated poly(ε-caprolactone-co-4-maleate-ε-caprolactone) (P(CL-co-MCL)-folate) was prepared by a carbodiimide coupling reaction, i.e., the vitamin folic acid (FA) was covalently linked to the main chain of the maleate-functionalized polymer, poly(ε-caprolactone-co-4-maleate-ε-caprolactone) (P(CL-co-MCL)). Then the 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) loaded nanoparticles of P(CL-co-MCL)-folate were achieved by solvent-evaporation method. Their properties were extensively studied by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and scan electron microscopy (SEM). DLS and SEM showed that the nanoparticles were in a well-defined spherical shape with a uniform size distribution. We also investigated the entrapment and in vitro release behavior, which indicated that the release speed of 5-FU could be well controlled and the release half-life period could reach 16.86h, which was 26.4 times longer than that of pure 5-FU. The in vitro targeting test displayed that the 5-FU loaded P(CL-co-MCL)-folate nanoparticles exhibited an enhanced cell inhibition because folate targeting increased the concentration of 5-FU loaded P(CL-co-MCL)-folate nanoparticles in the tumor cells with folate receptor overexpressed. Meanwhile, the tumor inhibition of 5-FU loaded P(CL-co-MCL)-folate nanoparticles was much higher than that of pure 5-FU and that of 5-FU loaded P(CL-co-MCL) nanoparticles. Therefore, P(CL-co-MCL)-folate nanoparticles would be highly beneficial for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications.     

Poly(amidoamine) dendrimers peripherally modified with 4-ethylamino-1,8-naphthalimide. Synthesis and photophysical properties

New fluorescent poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers, comprising 4-ethylamino-1,8-naphthalmide units on the periphery have been synthesized. Their photophysical properties in organic solvents of different polarity have been determined. The photodegradation of the dendrimers in organic solvents has been investigated. The effect of the coordination of the dendrimer with transition metal cations in N,N-dimethylformamide solution has been discussed.     

Tautomeric and conformational equilibrium of 2-nitrosophenol and 9,10-phenanthrenequinonemonooxime: ab initio and NMR study

The tautomeric and conformational equilibrium of 2-nitrosophenol and 9,10-phenanthrenequinonemonooxime was studied by ab initio methods. The geometry optimizations of the structures investigated were done without any geometrical restrictions at HF/6-31G** and MP2/6-31G** levels of theory. The transition structures for tautomeric and rotameric conversions were located. To correct for electron correlation, single-point calculations were carried out up to MP4/6-311G*//MP2/6-31G* level of theory.

Ab initio calculations for 2-nitrosophenol in agreement with the available experimental data define the nitroso form as more stable. It was found that the influence of the correlation energy on the relative stabilities is smaller for the rotamers of the nitroso tautomer but substantially (4–6 kcal/mol) for the oxime forms. It was found that the barrier height of tautomerization reaction is 10.24 kcal/mol.

The structure of the 9,10-phenanthrenequinonemonooxime was studied by solid and liquid state NMR spectroscopy. Ab initio calculations in agreement with our experimental data predict that the compound exists as oxime tautomer and the syn-oxime is most stable. It was found that the solvent influence on the relative stabilities of both isomers: syn- and anti-oxime. While in chloroform solution the syn-oxime is preferred but in DMSO anti-oxime is more stable in energy.

At the MP4/6-311G*//MP2/6-31G**+ZPE level of theory the barrier of tautomerization was predicted to be 10.96 kcal/mol and the rotational barrier around the single C–O bond in the syn-oxime was found to be 7.57 kcal/mol. The rotation is facile and this explains the absence of nitroso tautomers in solution.     

Ion channel formation from a calix[4]arene amide that binds HCl

The ion transport activity of calix[4]arene tetrabutylamide 1,3-alt 2 was studied in liposomes, planar lipid bilayers, and HEK-293 cells. These experiments, when considered together with (1)H NMR and X-ray crystallography data, indicate that calix[4]arene tetrabutylamide 2 (1) forms ion channels in bilayer membranes, (2) mediates ion transport across cell membranes at positive holding potential, (3) alters the pH inside liposomes experiencing a Cl(-) gradient, and (4) shows a significant Cl(-)/SO(4)(2)(-) transport selectivity. An analogue, calix[4]arene tetramethylamide 1, self-assembles in the presence of HCl to generate solid-state structures with chloride-filled and water-filled channels. Structureminus signactivity studies indicate that the hydrophobicity, amide substitution, and macrocyclic framework of the calixarene are essential for HCl binding and transport. Calix[4]arene tetrabutylamide 2 is a rare example of an anion-dependent, synthetic ion channel.     

Ab initio quantum chemical and NMR study of the symmetric monooximes of 1,2,3-phenalenetrione and 1,2,3-indantrione

The possibility for nitroso-oxime tautomerism in symmetric monooximes of 1,2,3-phenalenetrione and 1,2,3-indantrione is studied by means of ab initio quantum chemical methods and NMR spectroscopy. For both compounds, ab initio calculations with different basis sets predict the oxime tautomer as most stable in agreement with the ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR results in CDCl₃ and DMSO-d₆ solutions. A coalescence of the signals for the carbon atoms from carbonyl groups of 1,2,3-phenalenetrione monooxime in DMSO-d₆ solution at temperature 360 K is observed. This coalescence may be attributed to rotation of the hydrogen atom from the hydroxyl group around the N---O bond. The rotational transition structures for both compounds at different computational levels were located in the gas phase and in solution.