Evaluation of the “radical sink” hypothesis from a chemical-kinetic viewpoint

Radicals produced in cellular systems are frequently “repaired” by thiols, but the sulphur-centred (thiyl) radical resulting has to “sink” its unpaired electron in other reactions. It has been suggested that superoxide is the major radical sink, via thiyl conjugation with thiolate and electron transfer to oxygen. It is argued here, from chemical kinetic data largely obtained by pulse radiolysis methods, that ascorbate probably provides the major radical sink when radicals are produced in most mammalian tissues at typical physiological pH.     

Synthesis and fluorescence of N-substituted-1,8-naphthalimides

A number of novel N-substituted-1,8-naphthalimides have been prepared and their fluorescence yields measured in water at pH 7.4. The type of substitutent and the substitution pattern on the naphthalimide nucleus produce markedly different fluorescence yields, (quantum efficiencies, ø varying from ø = 0-0037 for N-(3-N'-morpholino-1-propyl)-4-amino-3-methoxy-1,8-naphthalirnide (7) to ø = 0–77 for N-(3-bromopropyl)-4-acetamido-1,8-naphthalimide (31).     

Pitfalls in the Use of Common Luminescent Probes for Oxidative and Nitrosative Stress

Lucigenin (LC²⁺, bis-N-methylacridinium) and 2,7-dichlorofluorescin (DCFH₂) are widely used as chemiluminescent or fluorescent probes for cellular oxidative stress, to reflect levels of superoxide (O₂ ^·–) and hydrogen peroxide, respectively. We report mechanistic studies that add to the growing evidence for the unsuitability of either probe except in very well-defined circumstances. The ability for lucigenin to generate superoxide via reduction of LC²⁺ to LC^·+ and redox cycling with oxygen depends on the reduction potential of the LC²⁺/LC^·+ couple. Redox equilibrium between LC^·+ and the redox indicator benzyl viologen is established in microseconds after generation of the radicals by pulse radiolysis and indicated E(LC²⁺/LC^·+) –0.28 V vs. NHE. Reaction of LC^·+ with O₂ to generate O₂ ^·– was also observed directly similarly, occurring in milliseconds, with a rate constant k 3 × 10⁶ M ^–1 s^–1. Quinones act as redox mediators in LC^·+/O₂ redox cycling. Oxidation of DCFH₂ to fluorescent DCF is not achieved by O₂ ^·– or H₂O₂, but NO₂ ^·) reacts rapidly: k 1 × 10⁷ M ^–1 s^–1. Oxidation by H₂O₂ requires a catalyst: cytochrome c (released into the cytosol in apoptosis) is very effective (even 10 nM). Fluorescence reflects catalyst level as much as O₂ ^·–) production.     

Redox-active cobalt complexes as promising antitumor agents

Cobalt(iii) complexes with tetradentate aliphatic Schiff"s bases containing also compounds of the vitamin PP series or their analogs as axial ligands were synthesized as potential antitumor agents. The behavior of these redox-active complexes in chemical processes that presumably govern their biological action was studied. These processes include aquation and subsequent decomposition, electrode and homogeneous redox reactions, and catalytic activity in autooxidation of biosubstrates, especially at the stages of generation and consumption of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The antitumor action of these complexes in vivo was studied. Changes in the organisms of laboratory animals characteristic of processes involving ROS were followed at the cellular and molecular levels. The tumor-selective action of the complexes is due to specific features of microenvironment of tumor cells. Some of them exhibit a strong antimetastatic effect, which exceeds that for a number of drugs used in clinical practice. A complex with nicotinamide was recommended for preclinical studies. The scope of application of the redox-active transition metal complexes in oncology is discussed.     

1-Methyl­indole-3-carbox­aldehyde oxime derivatives

1-Methyl­indole-3-carbox­aldehyde oxime, C₁₀H₁₀N₂O, (I),and (E)-5-methoxy-1-methyl­indole-3-carbox­aldehyde oxime, C₁₁H₁₂N₂O₂, (II), were ex­amined structurally to ascertain the geometry of the hydroxy­imino function relative to the indole core. Oxime (I) exhibits cis geometry and there are two mol­ecules in the asymmetric unit. In contrast, oxime (II) exhibits trans geometry and has four mol­ecules in the asymmetric unit, with the geometry of the 5-methoxy group in one mol­ecule differing from that in the other three. Both crystal structures are maintained by hydrogen bonding with no π-stacking of the indole moiety present.     

Ruby Laser Irradiation (694 nm) of Human Skin Biopsies: Assessment by Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy of Free Radical Production and Oxidative Stress during Laser Depilation

Human skin biopsies (hair-bearing scalp skin and non-hair-bearing breast skin) were treated with t-butylhydroperoxide, irradiated with UV light (UVR) or irradiated with 694 nm ruby laser red light. Free-radical production and oxidative stress were assessed with electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR) using the ascorbate radical as a marker. In comparison with both UVR and t-butyl-hydroperoxide (which readily induce the ascorbate radical in hair-bearing and hairless skin), 694 nm red light does not result in the formation of the ascorbate radical in detectable concentrations. Spin-trapping experiments with the spin trap 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) showed that while free radicals could be detected after treatment of skin with t-butylhydroperoxide, radicals could not be trapped after laser treatment. Treatment of lasered skin (containing DMPO) with t-butylhydroperoxide produced radical adducts as well as the ascorbate radical, demonstrating that the laser neither depletes endogenous ascorbate nor the preadministered spin trap. It is concluded that 694 nm red light does not induce oxidative stress in human skin in levels comparable either to t-butyl hydroperoxide or UV light.     

Vinyl Halide-Modified Unsaturated Cyclitols are Mechanism-Based Glycosidase Inhibitors

Suitably configured allyl ethers of unsaturated cyclitols act as substrates of β-glycosidases, reacting via allylic cation transition states. Incorporation of halogens at the vinylic position of these carbasugars, along with an activated leaving group, generates potent inactivators of β-glycosidases. Enzymatic turnover of these halogenated cyclitols (F, Cl, Br) displayed a counter-intuitive trend wherein the most electronegative substituents yielded the most labile pseudo-glycosidic linkages. Structures of complexes with the Sulfolobus β-glucosidase revealed similar enzyme-ligand interactions to those seen in complexes with a 2-fluorosugar inhibitor, the lone exception being displacement of tyrosine 322 from the active site by the halogen. Mutation of Y322 to Y322F largely abolished glycosidase activity, consistent with lost interactions at O5, but minimally affected (7-fold) rates of carbasugar hydrolysis, yielding a more selective enzyme for unsaturated cyclitol ether hydrolysis.     

RADIOSENSITISING NITROIMIDAZOLE DRUGS: TRIPLET STATE ENERGY AND REACTIVITY

Abstract— Although the radiosensitising drugs metronidazole 1 and misonidazole 2 neither phosphoresce nor yield triplet-triplet absorption in the region 350–700 nm, it is, nevertheless, possible to determine their triplet state energies E_T by kinetic quenching methods using laser flash photolysis, and also by a steady-state method due to Ullman depending on sensitisation of a colour reaction. Both approaches give acceptable concordance, with figures of 244±4 kJ mol^-1 for both 1 and 2. These lead to estimates of triplet excited state one-electron reduction potentials for 1 and 2 in water of 2.04 and 2.14 V vs NHE, enabling an assessment of the possible role of excited 1 and 2 in radiosensitisation.     

High-performance ion chromatography applied to free-radical mechanisms in drug design the problem of ion analysis at high ionic strengths

Putative free-radical intermediates in drug action can be studied by radiolysis of model systems containing low concentrations of drug and much higher concentrations of other solutes to scavenge the primary water radicals and convert them into appropriate oxidants or reductants. The need to employ high ionic solute concentrations (typically >10 mmol dm⁻³) represents a challenge for the high-performance ion chromatographic detection of drug-derived ions (typically, <50 μmol dm⁻³). Constraints on the chromatographic method chosen are illustrated with examples of the application of high-performance ion chromatography (HPIC) to radiation chemistry studies in the oxidative decar☐ylation of the anti-tumour drugs flavone-8- and xanthenone-4-acetic acids and structurally related aromatic car☐ylic acids (CO₂ in the form of CO₃²⁻), the oxidative denitrification of nitric oxide precursor molecules (NO in the form NO₂⁻/NO₃⁻) and the generation of SO₄²⁻ from novel thiol-based (perthiol) drugs.     

Forecasting travel demand: a comparison of logit and artificial neural network methods

This paper describes the use of backpropagation artificial neural networks to forecast travel demand from disaggregate discrete choice data and compares them with logit models. Three data sets are used; synthetic data which fulfils the underlying logit assumptions, snythetic data which breaches the underlying logit assumptions and real data. It is found that neural networks with no hidden layers exhibit almost identical performance to logit models in all three cases. For the synthetic data which breaches the underlying logit assumptions and with real data, backpropagation neural networks with a hidden layer can achieve a better fit than logit. However, careful choice of the number of hidden units and training iterations is needed to avoid overfitting and consequent degradation of performance.