A full understanding of biological phenomena involves sensitive and noninvasive detection. Herein, we report the optimization of a probe for intracellular proteins that combines the advantages of fluorescence and hyperpolarized Xe NMR spectroscopy detection. The fluorescence detection part is composed of six residues containing a tetracysteine tag (-CCXXCC-) genetically incorporated into the protein of interest and of a small organic molecule, CrAsH.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlthough Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) is one of the main causes of cancer death, very little improvement has been made in the last decades regarding diagnosis and outcomes. In this study, a bimodal fluorescence/Xe NMR probe containing a xenon host, a fluorescent moiety and a therapeutic antibody has been designed to target the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptors (EGFR) overexpressed in cancer cells. This biosensor shows high selectivity for the EGFR, and a biological activity similar to that of the antibody.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRecombinant proteins bearing a tag are crucial tools for assessing protein location or function. Small tags such as Cys4 tag (tetracysteine; Cys-Cys-X-X-Cys-Cys) are less likely disrupt protein function in the living cell than green fluorescent protein. Herein we report the first example of the design and synthesis of a dual fluorescence and hyperpolarized (129)Xe NMR-based sensor of Cys4-tagged proteins.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSynthesis of fluorocyclopropyl building blocks, which constitute the core of various therapeutic agents against the hepatitis C virus, is described. The relevant methyl α-amino-β-fluoro-β-vinylcyclopropanecarboxylate has been used as a key intermediate for the total synthesis of a fluorinated analogue of Simeprevir (TMC 435), a HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitor.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGaining an understanding of the nature of host-guest interactions in supramolecular complexes involving heavy atoms is a difficult task. Described herein is a robust simulation method applied to complexes between xenon and members of a cryptophane family. The calculated chemical shift of xenon caged in a H2O2 probe, as modeled by quantum chemistry with complementary-orbital, topological, and energy-decomposition analyses, is in excellent agreement with that observed in hyperpolarized (129)Xe NMR spectra.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe synthesis of highly functionalized monofluorinated cyclopropanes based on a Michael Initiated Ring Closure (MIRC) reaction has been developed. The addition of quaternary ammonium salts derived from ethyl bromofluoroacetate on a panel of electron deficient alkenes followed by cyclization gave rise to an efficient access to monofluorinated cyclopropanes with good yields and remarkable diastereoselectivity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA straightforward, easy, and practical access to various amino acid analogues (methionine, leucine, lysine, and arginine) from a unique fluorinated cyclopropane scaffold is described. Moreover, the synthesis, for the first time, of one tripeptide incorporating a fluorinated cyclopropane amino acid (FCAA) analogue is reported.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe combination of a fluorine atom and a cyclopropane ring, which both possess unique structural and chemical features, can generate new relevant building blocks for the discovery of efficient fluorinated biologically active agents. In this review, we report the different strategies to access monofluorocyclopropanes and highlight some of their attractive biological applications.
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