Near-infrared pH-switchable BODIPY photosensitizers for dual biotin/cRGD targeted photodynamic therapy.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a clinically-approved cancer treatment that is based on production of cytotoxic reactive oxygen species to induce cell death. However, its efficiency depends on distribution of photosensitizer (PS) and depth of light penetration through the tissues. Tendency of pathological cancer tissues to exhibit lower pH than healthy tissues inspired us to explore dual-targeted pH-activatable photosensitizers based on tunable near-infrared (NIR) boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) dyes.

Novel Peptide-Based Fluorescent Probe for Simultaneous Sensing of Chymotrypsin and Hydrogen Peroxide.

The developed multifunctional fluorescent probe enables the simultaneous detection of chymotrypsin as a model protease and hydrogen peroxide as a representative of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in biologically relevant concentration ranges. The chymotrypsin sensing is based on the cleavage of its selectively recognizable peptide sequence and the consequent disruption of FRET between coumarin (DEAC) and fluorescein (FL). Analogously, the presence of hydrogen peroxide causes the gradual degradation of the HO-labile benzopyrylium-coumarin (BC) dye.

Population Pharmacokinetic Analysis Proves Superiority of Continuous Infusion in PK/PD Target Attainment with Oxacillin in Staphylococcal Infections.

Considering its very short elimination half-life, the approved oxacillin dosage might not be sufficient to maintain the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) target of time-dependent antibiotics. This study aimed to describe the population pharmacokinetics of oxacillin and to explore the probability of PK/PD target attainment by using various dosing regimens with oxacillin in staphylococcal infections. Both total and unbound oxacillin plasma concentrations retrieved as a part of routine therapeutic drug-monitoring practice were analyzed using nonlinear mixed-effects modeling.

Triple-FRET multi-purpose fluorescent probe for three-protease detection.

A new, robust and reliable methodology for three-protease screening in a single-enzyme mode has been developed and verified, employing a multi-purpose peptide probe with three selectively cleavable sites furnished with four fluorophores. A triple-FRET-based single-excitation quadruple-emission concept for unambiguous sensing of trypsin, chymotrypsin and caspase-8 in the lowest detectable concentrations of 0.5 ng mL, 0.

Meropenem population pharmacokinetics and model-based dosing optimisation in patients with serious bacterial infection.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to develop a population pharmacokinetic model of meropenem in a heterogeneous population of patients with a serious bacterial infection in order to propose dosing optimisation leading to improved achievement of the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) target.

Methods: A total of 174 meropenem serum levels obtained from 144 patients during therapeutic drug monitoring were analysed using a non-linear mixed-effects modelling approach and Monte Carlo simulation was then used to compare various dosing regimens in order to optimise PK/PD target attainment.

Results: The meropenem volume of distribution of the patient population was 54.

Development of fluorescent dual-FRET probe for simultaneous detection of caspase-8 and caspase-9 activities and their relative quantification.

A multi-FRET three-fluorophore probe containing coumarin, fluorescein and rhodamine B with two enzymatically cleavable linkers has been synthesized and optimized for the simultaneous activity detection and relative quantification of two proteases - caspase-8 and caspase-9. The probe designed as a ratiometric single-excitation triple-emission system shows specific change in fluorescence intensities upon enzymatic cleavage of individual linkers in model mixtures as well as in a cell lysate. The activation of caspase-8 and caspase-9 is responsible for initiation of extrinsic or intrinsic apoptotic pathway, respectively, and the probe was proposed as a single chemical tool which could help to decipher a mechanism of cell death induced by various stimuli.

Drug-like Inhibitors of DC-SIGN Based on a Quinolone Scaffold.

DC-SIGN (dendritic cell-specific intercellular adhesion molecule-3-grabbing non-integrin) is a pattern recognition receptor expressed on immune cells and involved in the recognition of carbohydrate signatures present on various pathogens, including HIV, Ebola, and SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, developing inhibitors blocking the carbohydrate-binding site of DC-SIGN could generate a valuable tool to investigate the role of this receptor in several infectious diseases. Herein, we performed a fragment-based ligand design using 4-quinolone as a scaffold.

Polymer-supported synthesis of -substituted anthranilates as the building blocks for preparation of -arylated 3-hydroxyquinolin-4(1)-ones.

Fast and simple access to -arylated 3-hydroxyquinolin-4(1)-ones starting from easily available 1-methyl-2-iodoterephthalate and variously substituted anilines is presented. -Alkylated anthranilic acid derivatives represent important intermediates. They can be advantageously prepared by solid-phase synthesis, by Buchwald-Hartwig amination or reductive amination with wide substrate scope and with excellent crude purities.

Cytotoxicity of Amino-BODIPY Modulated via Conjugation with 2-Phenyl-3-Hydroxy-4(1H)-Quinolinones.

The combination of cytotoxic amino-BODIPY dye and 2-phenyl-3-hydroxy-4(1H)-quinolinone (3-HQ) derivatives into one molecule gave rise to selective activity against lymphoblastic or myeloid leukemia and the simultaneous disappearance of the cytotoxicity against normal cells. Both species' conjugation can be realized via a disulfide linker cleavable in the presence of glutathione characteristic for cancer cells. The cleavage liberating the free amino-BODIPY dye and 3-HQ derivative can be monitored by ratiometric fluorescence or by the OFF-ON effect of the amino-BODIPY dye.

AminoBODIPY Conjugates for Targeted Drug Delivery Systems and Real-Time Monitoring of Drug Release.

In this work, we report two concepts of drug delivery based on small-molecule drug conjugates with the ability of specific targeting and drug release monitoring via ratiometric fluorescence. The functionality of these concepts has been verified by two model systems consisting of three parts: (i) fluorescent aminoBODIPY for real-time detection of conjugate cleavage, (ii) a c(RGDfK) peptide specific for αβ integrin receptors targeting angiogenesis in most solid tumors or redBODIPY for conjugate cleavage monitoring via FRET, and (iii) pegylated-2-phenyl-3-hydroxy-4(1)-quinolinone (3HQ) as a model drug. The model drug release is based on a self-immolative disulfide linker sensitive to environments containing thiols, especially glutathione, which is overexpressed in cancer cells.

Bis-Rhodamine B System as a Tin Detector or Molecular Electronics Device.

In this report, fluorescent systems consisting of two Rhodamine B moieties were designed and synthesized employing the solid-phase synthetic approach. The compounds were tested for their chemosensing behavior upon the addition of various metal ions over UV-vis absorption and fluorescence spectra. Two probes, and , exhibited the best affinity to Sn(IV) ions, resulting in strong fluorescence as well as absorbance enhancement with the low detection limits (2.

Fluorinated derivatives of 2-phenyl-3-hydroxy-4(1H)-quinolinone as tubulin polymerization inhibitors.

We have synthesized a series of 2-phenyl-3-hydroxy-4(1H)-quinolinone derivatives substituted with one or more fluorine atoms on the quinolone backbone as well as on phenyl ring. The derivatives bearing more fluorine atoms were subjected to modification by nucleophilic substitutions by thiophenol, morpholine, and piperazine derivative. We have tested the prepared compounds in cytotoxic activity assay against cancer cell lines.

Amino-BODIPY as the ratiometric fluorescent sensor for monitoring drug release or "power supply" selector for molecular electronics.

The glutathione cleavable conjugates of amino-BODIPY dye with model drugs have been tested for monitoring the drug release ratiometric fluorescence based on two excitation and one emission wavelength. As a self-immolative linker was used for the construction of conjugates, free amino-BODIPY was released with the drug. Different excitation profiles of the dye before and after conjugate cleavage and similar emission wavelengths that enabled monitoring the release of the drug the OFF-ON effect were successfully tested inside the cancer cells.

Genetic diversity and population structure of African village dogs based on microsatellite and immunity-related molecular markers.

The village and street dogs represent a unique model of canine populations. In the absence of selective breeding and veterinary care, they are subject mostly to natural selection. Their analyses contribute to understanding general mechanisms governing the genetic diversity, evolution and adaptation.

A novel three-fluorophore system as a ratiometric sensor for multiple protease detection.

A synthetic three-fluorophore system with two enzymatically cleavable linkers has been developed for the simultaneous detection of two proteases in a mixture. The probe was designed to afford single excitation/triple emission ratiometric detection through a fluorescence change during the cleavage of a peptide linker. The developed assays were verified for trypsin and chymotrypsin as the model enzymes.

Identification of Eukaryotic Translation Elongation Factor 1-α 1 Gamendazole-Binding Site for Binding of 3-Hydroxy-4(1 H)-quinolinones as Novel Ligands with Anticancer Activity.

Here, we have identified the interaction site of the contraceptive drug gamendazole using computational modeling. The drug was previously described as a ligand for eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1-α 1 (eEF1A1) and found to be a potential target site for derivatives of 2-phenyl-3-hydroxy-4(1 H)-quinolinones (3-HQs), which exhibit anticancer activity. The interaction of this class of derivatives of 3-HQs with eEF1A1 inside cancer cells was confirmed via pull-down assay.

Study of 2-aminoquinolin-4(1H)-one under Mannich and retro-Mannich reaction.

2-Aminoquinolin-4(1H)-one was reacted with various primary/secondary amines and paraformaldehyde under Mannich reaction conditions. In the case of secondary amines, the reaction in N,N-dimethylformamide yielded expected Mannich products accompanied with 3,3'-methylenebis(2-aminoquinolin-4(1H)-one). Except these main products, the pyrimido[4,5-b]quinolin-5-one derivative was also identified as co-product.

RP-HPLC determination of dissociation constant using solely aqueous mobile phase.

The proposed HPLC method using solely or nearly 100% aqueous mobile buffer as mobile phase offers fast determination of dissociation constant for compounds in relatively wide range of lipophilicity (log P from -2.26 to 2.26).

Solid-Phase Synthesis of ɤ-Lactone and 1,2-Oxazine Derivatives and Their Efficient Chiral Analysis.

Derivatives of 3-methyl-3,6-dihydro-2H-1,2-oxazine-6-carboxylic acid prepared by regioselective hetero Diels-Alder reaction of arylnitroso compounds with sorbic acid were used for solid-phase synthesis of a library of derivatives that included modification of carboxylic group, dihydroxylation of double bond and cleavage of N-O bond. Derivatives of 2,3,4-trihydroxyhexanoic acid obtained from 3,6-dihydro-2H-1,2-oxazines after double bond dihydroxylation and N-O cleavage were used for simple and stereoselective formation of chiral lactones derived from 3,4-dihydroxydihydrofuran-2(3H)-one. The final compounds obtained as a mixture of stereoisomers were analyzed with use of chiral HPLC and SFC.

Stereo- and regioselectivity of the hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of nitroso derivatives with conjugated dienes.

The hetero-Diels-Alder reaction between a nitroso dienophile and a conjugated diene to give the 3,6-dihydro-2-1,2-oxazine scaffold is useful for the synthesis of many biologically interesting molecules due to the diverse opportunities created by subsequent transformations of the resulting 1,2-oxazine ring. This review discusses the rationale for the observed regio- and stereoselectivity and the methods developed in recent years used to control and improve the stereo- and regioselectivity for the synthesis of 1,2-oxazine scaffolds.

MYD88 and functionally related genes are associated with multiple infections in a model population of Kenyan village dogs.

The purpose of this study was to seek associations between immunity-related molecular markers and endemic infections in a model population of African village dogs from Northern Kenya with no veterinary care and no selective breeding. A population of village dogs from Northern Kenya composed of three sub-populations from three different areas (84, 50 and 55 dogs) was studied. Canine distemper virus (CDV), Hepatozoon canis, Microfilariae (Acantocheilonema dracunculoides, Acantocheilonema reconditum) and Neospora caninum were the pathogens studied.

Efficient Route to Deuterated Aromatics by the Deamination of Anilines.

One-step replacement of NH2 groups in ring-substituted anilines by deuterium is reported. Approaches comprising both solid-phase and solution-phase syntheses can be used on a large variety of substrates. The method uses diazotization in a mixture of water and either dichloromethane or chloroform, which serve as a source of hydrogen.

New (green) methodology for efficient hydrazine cleavage.

An efficient method for removal of the hydrazine group from (hetero)aromatic substrates has been developed. It can be realized both on a solid support and in solution by synthesis employing a low concentration solution of trimethylsilanolate in tetrahydrofuran or N,N-dimethylformamide. For water-soluble substrates, the reaction can be performed in water, highlighting the eco-friendly attributes of this methodology.

Effects of Ginger Phenylpropanoids and Quercetin on Nrf2-ARE Pathway in Human BJ Fibroblasts and HaCaT Keratinocytes.

Quercetin and phenylpropanoids are well known chemoprotective compounds identified in many plants. This study was aimed at determining their effects on activation of Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) antioxidant response element (Nrf2-ARE) signalling pathway and expression of its important downstream effector phase II detoxification enzyme glutathione-S-transferase P1 (GSTP1) in BJ foreskin fibroblasts and skin HaCaT keratinocytes. Cell lines and their corresponding Nrf2-ARE luciferase reporter cells were treated by ginger phenylpropanoids and quercetin for 10 h and the level of Nrf2 activity was subsequently determined.