Mutagenicity assessment of two potential impurities in preparations of 5-amino-2,4,6 triiodoisophthalic acid, a key intermediate in the synthesis of the iodinated contrast agent iopamidol.

5-Aminoisophthalic acid and 5-nitroisophthalic acid (5-NIPA) are potential impurities in preparations of 5-amino-2,4,6-triiodoisophthalic acid, which is a key intermediate in the synthesis of the iodinated contrast agent iopamidol. We have studied their mutagenicity in silico (quantitative structure-activity relationships, QSAR) and by the bacterial reverse mutation assay (Ames test). First, the compounds were screened with the tools Derek Nexus™ and Leadscope®.

Improved synthesis of DA364, an NIR fluorescence RGD probe targeting αβ integrin.

Optical imaging (OI) is gaining increasing attention in medicine as a non-invasive diagnostic imaging technology and as a useful tool for image-guided surgery. OI exploits the light emitted in the near-infrared region by fluorescent molecules able to penetrate living tissues. Cyanines are an important class of fluorescent molecules and by their conjugation to peptides it is possible to achieve optical imaging of tumours by selective targeting.

Photoacoustic imaging of integrin-overexpressing tumors using a novel ICG-based contrast agent in mice.

PhotoAcoustic Imaging (PAI) is a biomedical imaging modality currently under evaluation in preclinical and clinical settings. In this work, ICG is coupled to an integrin binding vector (ICG-RGD) to combine the good photoacoustic properties of ICG and the favourable αβ-binding capabilities of a small RGD cyclic peptidomimetic. ICG-RGD is characterized in terms of physicochemical properties, biodistribution and imaging performance.

Synthesis of Gd and (68)Ga complexes in conjugation with a conformationally optimized RGD sequence as potential MRI and PET tumor-imaging probes.

We report the synthesis of novel chelates of Gd and (68)Ga with DPTA, DOTA, HP-DOA3, as well as with AAZTA, a novel chelating agent developed by our research group. These chelating agents were appropriately conjugated, prior to metal complexation, with DB58, an RGD peptidomimetic, conformationally constrained on an azabicycloalkane scaffold and endowed with high affinity for integrin α(ν)β(3) . Because α(ν)β(3) is involved in neo-angiogenesis in solid tumors and is also directly expressed in cancer cells (e.

Synthesis, physicochemical characterization, and biological activities of new carnosine derivatives stable in human serum as potential neuroprotective agents.

The synthesis and the physicochemical and biological characterization of a series of carnosine amides bearing on the amido group alkyl substituents endowed with different lipophilicity are described. All synthesized products display carnosine-like properties differentiating from the lead for their high serum stability. They are able to complex Cu(2+) ions at physiological pH with the same stoichiometry as carnosine.

Nitric oxide donor beta2-agonists: furoxan derivatives containing the fenoterol moiety and related furazans.

The structure of fenoterol, a beta2-adrenoceptor agonist used in therapy, has been joined with furoxan NO-donor moieties to give new NO-donor beta2-agonists. The furazan analogues, devoid of the property to release NO, were also synthesized for comparison. All the compounds retained beta2-agonistic activity at micromolar or submicromolar concentration when tested on guinea pig tracheal rings precontracted with carbachol.