The synthesis of DL-1-(hexadecanoyloxy)methyl- and 1-O-hexadecanoyl-inositols as potential inhibitors of phospholipase C

The synthesis of racemic analogues of phosphatidylinositol (PI) and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP₂) starting from myo-inositol is described. Inositol derivatives with and without homologalion at C(l) and with and without ionic groups (phosphate or sulfate) at C(4) and C(5) were prepared as well as homologated derivatives with deoxy composition at C(2) and/or C(6). In all these compounds, palmitate ester groups were introduced in place of the diacylglyceryl group of PI or PIP₂.     

Differential Hydrogen Exchange During Biosynthesis of Cytochalasins B and D

Sodium [2-¹³C,2-²H₃]acetate was incorporated into cytochalasin B( 1 ) by Phoma exigua and into cytochalasin D ( 2 ) by Zygosporium masonii. The ¹³C-NMR. and ²H-NMR. of the metabolites showed that most of the deuterium was lost except at carbon atoms which are in polyketide chain-initiating units.     

PEG-m-THPC-mediated photodynamic effects on normal rat tissues

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) of malignancies uses light to activate a photosensitizer preferentially accumulated in cancer cells. The first pegylated photosensitizer, tetrakis-(m-methoxypolyethylene glycol) derivative of 7,8-dihydro-5,10,15,20-tetrakis(3-hydroxyphenyl)-21-23-[H]-porphyrin (PEG-m-THPC), was evaluated in non-tumor-bearing rats. The aim of this study was to assess the photodynamic threshold for damage and its sequelae in normal rat tissue. Thirty-five Fischer rats were sensitized with 3, 9 or 30 mg/kg body weight PEG-m-THPC. Colon, vagina and perineum were irradiated with laser light of 652 nm wavelength and an optical dose of 50, 150 or 450 J/cm fiber length. Temperature in the pelvis was measured during PDT. Three days following PDT the effect on skin, vagina, colon, striated muscle, connective tissue, nerves and blood vessels was assessed by histology. The healing of the above-mentioned tissues was assessed on two rats 3 and 8 weeks after PDT using 9 mg/kg PEG-m-THPC activated with 450 J/cm laser light. No dark toxicity was observed. PDT using 30 mg/kg PEG-m-THPC induced severe necrosis irrespective of the optical dose. Body weight of 9 or 3 mg/kg activated with less than 450 J/cm induced moderate or no damage. No substantial increase in body temperature was seen during PDT. Tissues with severe PDT-induced damage seem to have a good tendency to regenerate. We conclude that within the dose required for tumor treatment PEG-m-THPC is a safe photosensitizer with promising properties. PDT of the colon mucosa below 9 mg/kg PEG-m-THPC and 150 J/cm seems to be safe. All other tissues can be exposed to 9 mg/kg PEG-m-THPC activated with less than 450 J/cm laser light with little side effects.     

Competition STD NMR for the detection of high-affinity ligands and NMR-based screening

The reported competition STD NMR method combines saturation transfer difference (STD) NMR with competition binding experiments to allow the detection of high-affinity ligands that undergo slow chemical exchange on the NMR time-scale. With this technique, the presence of a competing high-affinity ligand in the compound mixture can be detected by the disappearance or reduction of the STD signals of a low-affinity indicator ligand. This is demonstrated on a BACE1 (beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1) protein-inhibitor system. This method can also be used to derive an approximate value, or a lower limit, for the dissociation constant of the potential ligand based on the reduction of the signal intensity of the STD indicator, which is illustrated on an HSA (human serum albumin) model system. This leads to important applications of the competition STD NMR method for lead discovery: it can be used (i) for compound library screening against a broad range of drug targets to identify both high- and low-affinity ligands and (ii) to rank order analogs rapidly and derive structure-activity relationships, which are used to optimize these NMR hits into viable drug leads.     

Small-angle static light scattering of concentrated silica suspensions during in situ destabilization

The aggregation of concentrated aqueous silica suspensions is characterized by means of static light scattering. We use an in situ destabilization mechanism based on the enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis of urea. This method enables us to continuously and homogeneously change the interparticle potential from repulsive to attractive without disturbing the aggregation process. Moreover, our electrostatically stabilized suspensions can be destabilized by two different methods. In the first method, the pH is shifted toward the isoelectric point of the particles ( Delta pH method), thereby leading to a decrease of their surface charge. In the second method, the ionic strength is continuously increased at constant pH ( Delta I method), leading to a compression of the electrical double layer around the charged particles. A laboratory-built flat-cell light-scattering instrument is used, which allows fast data acquisition and an adjustment of the sample cell thickness. To circumvent multiple scattering effects, we use a very small sample thickness ( approximately 13 microm). In addition, the refractive index difference between the aqueous phase and the particles is reduced by adding sucrose to the liquid phase of our suspensions. We are able to characterize the structural changes at the very early stages of the destabilization process, where no significant effects are yet detected in macroscopic rheological measurements. While during the Delta pH destabilization, the scattering curve shows significant changes only after some characteristic delay time, it changes continuously during the Delta I destabilization. The latter is attributed to the formation of a weak pre-gel structure in the suspensions, as a shallow secondary minimum appears in the interparticle potential. Data are evaluated by using a HMSA square-well structure factor model. Results are in good agreement with those predicted from DLVO theory.     

Synthesis of heparin saccharides III. Synthesis of derivatives of D-glucosamine as starting materials for disaccharides.

Derivatives of benzyl 2-[1-(benzyloxy)formamido]-2-deoxy-α-D-glucopyranoside with various protecting groups at C(3) (benzoyl, benzyl and N-phenylcarbamoyl) and C(6) (benzoyl, benzylsulfonyl, N-phenylcarbamoyl and tosyl) have been synthesized as starting materials for disaccharides. The C(4) and C(6) hydroxyl groups of the amino sugar were initially blocked by an acetal group. After introduction of the protecting group at C(3), the acetal group was removed by acid hydrolysis, and the C(6) hydroxyl group was selectively acylated or sulfonylated. The 3,6-di-O-benzoate has also been prepared by dimolar benzoylation of the amino sugar, whereby the 4,6-isomer was obtained as a by-product.     

Fractional noise

Fractional noiseN(t),t 0, is a stochastic process for every , and is defined as the fractional derivative or fractional integral of white noise. For = 1 we recover Brownian motion and for = 1/2 we findf ^–1-noise. For 1/2 1, a superposition of fractional noise is related to the fractional diffusion equation.     

Dichotomous Hamiltonians with unbounded entries and solutions of Riccati equations

An operator Riccati equation from systems theory is considered in the case that all entries of the associated Hamiltonian are unbounded. Using a certain dichotomy property of the Hamiltonian and its symmetry with respect to two different indefinite inner products, we prove the existence of nonnegative and nonpositive solutions of the Riccati equation. Moreover, conditions for the boundedness and uniqueness of these solutions are established.