Incorporating photoisomerizable moieties within drugs offers the possibility of rapid and reversible light-dependent switching between active and inactive configurations. Here, we developed a photoswitchable adenosine A receptor (AR) agonist that confers optical control on this G protein-coupled receptor through noninvasive topical skin irradiation in an animal model of psoriasis. This was achieved by covalently bonding an adenosine-5'-methyluronamide moiety to a diazocine photochrome, whose singular photoswitching properties facilitated repeated interconversion between a thermally stable, biologically inactive agonist form and a photoinduced, pharmacologically active configuration.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe reversible modulation of acidity using molecular photoswitches enables the remote control of a variety of (bio)chemical processes with light. Herein we investigated the structural features that allow amplifying photoinduced p variation in phenol-diarylethene conjugates, which toggle between low- and high-acidity states by switching the conjugation between the ionizable moiety and electron-withdrawing groups upon photoisomerization. By tuning the structure of these conjugates, high p modulation amplitudes were accomplished that surpass those previously reported.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe CA1 region of the hippocampus is one of the most studied regions of the rodent brain, thought to play an important role in cognitive functions such as memory and spatial navigation. Despite a wealth of experimental data on its structure and function, it has been challenging to integrate information obtained from diverse experimental approaches. To address this challenge, we present a community-based, full-scale in silico model of the rat CA1 that integrates a broad range of experimental data, from synapse to network, including the reconstruction of its principal afferents, the Schaffer collaterals, and a model of the effects that acetylcholine has on the system.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study presents the successful synthesis of two perylenediimide (PDI)-based -carborane (-carborane) derivatives, PDI-CB1 and PDI-CB2, through the insertion of decaborane into alkyne-terminated PDIs (PDI1 and PDI2). The introduction of -carborane groups did not alter the optical properties of the PDI units in solution compared to their carborane-free counterparts, maintaining excellent fluorescence quantum yields of around 100% in various solvents. This was achieved by using a methylene linker to minimize electronic interaction between PDI and -carborane, and by incorporating bulky -carborane groups at imide- position to enhance solubility and prevent π-π stacking-induced aggregation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThyroid cancer (TC) represents 3% of global cancer incidence. Recent changes have optimized treatment decisions based on risk assessment, molecular profiling, and imaging assessment, leading the development of targeted agents that have modified the natural history of this disease. This increasing complexity on treatment options requires careful assessment at the different stages of the disease to provide the most suitable approach from diagnosis to long-term follow-up.
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