Development of small-molecule Tau-SH3 interaction inhibitors that prevent amyloid-β toxicity and network hyperexcitability.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia and lacks highly effective treatments. Tau-based therapies hold promise. Tau reduction prevents amyloid-β-induced dysfunction in preclinical models of AD and also prevents amyloid-β-independent dysfunction in diverse disease models, especially those with network hyperexcitability, suggesting that strategies exploiting the mechanisms underlying Tau reduction may extend beyond AD.

Patients with sporadic FTLD exhibit similar increases in lysosomal proteins and storage material as patients with FTD due to GRN mutations.

Loss of function progranulin (GRN) mutations are a major autosomal dominant cause of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Patients with FTD due to GRN mutations (FTD-GRN) develop frontotemporal lobar degeneration with TDP-43 pathology type A (FTLD-TDP type A) and exhibit elevated levels of lysosomal proteins and storage material in frontal cortex, perhaps indicating lysosomal dysfunction as a mechanism of disease. To investigate whether patients with sporadic FTLD exhibit similar signs of lysosomal dysfunction, we compared lysosomal protein levels, transcript levels, and storage material in patients with FTD-GRN or sporadic FTLD-TDP type A.

Longer-term outcomes of gastroesophageal reflux disease treated with magnetic sphincter augmentation.

Surgical intervention for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has historically been limited to fundoplication. Magnetic sphincter augmentation (MSA) is a less invasive alternative that was introduced 15 years ago, and it may have a superior side-effect profile. To date, however, there has been just a single published study reporting outcomes in a UK population.

Management of paraesophageal hiatus hernia: recommendations following a European expert Delphi consensus.

Aims: There is considerable controversy regarding optimal management of patients with paraesophageal hiatus hernia (pHH). This survey aims at identifying recommended strategies for work-up, surgical therapy, and postoperative follow-up using Delphi methodology.

Methods: We conducted a 2-round, 33-question, web-based Delphi survey on perioperative management (preoperative work-up, surgical procedure and follow-up) of non-revisional, elective pHH among European surgeons with expertise in upper-GI.

Preclinical Interventions in Mouse Models of Frontotemporal Dementia Due to Progranulin Mutations.

Heterozygous loss-of-function mutations in progranulin (GRN) cause frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a leading cause of early-onset dementia characterized clinically by behavioral, social, and language deficits. There are currently no FDA-approved therapeutics for FTD-GRN, but this has been an active area of investigation, and several approaches are now in clinical trials. Here, we review preclinical development of therapies for FTD-GRN with a focus on testing in mouse models.

Impaired β-glucocerebrosidase activity and processing in frontotemporal dementia due to progranulin mutations.

Loss-of-function mutations in progranulin (GRN) are a major autosomal dominant cause of frontotemporal dementia. Most pathogenic GRN mutations result in progranulin haploinsufficiency, which is thought to cause frontotemporal dementia in GRN mutation carriers. Progranulin haploinsufficiency may drive frontotemporal dementia pathogenesis by disrupting lysosomal function, as patients with GRN mutations on both alleles develop the lysosomal storage disorder neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis, and frontotemporal dementia patients with GRN mutations (FTD-GRN) also accumulate lipofuscin.

Reduction of microglial progranulin does not exacerbate pathology or behavioral deficits in neuronal progranulin-insufficient mice.

Loss-of-function mutations in progranulin (GRN), most of which cause progranulin haploinsufficiency, are a major autosomal dominant cause of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Individuals with loss-of-function mutations on both GRN alleles develop neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL), a lysosomal storage disorder. Progranulin is a secreted glycoprotein expressed by a variety of cell types throughout the body, including neurons and microglia in the brain.

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors. Interaction of 2-N,N-dimethylamino-1,3,4-thiadiazole-5-methanesulfonamide with 12 mammalian isoforms: kinetic and X-ray crystallographic studies.

2-N,N-Dimethylamino-1,3,4-thiadiazole-5-methanesulfonamide was tested for its interaction with the 12 catalytically active mammalian carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.

X-ray crystallographic studies reveal that the incorporation of spacer groups in carbonic anhydrase inhibitors causes alternate binding modes.

Human carbonic anhydrases (CAs) are well studied targets for the development of inhibitors for pharmaceutical applications. The crystal structure of human CA II has been determined in complex with two CA inhibitors (CAIs) containing conventional sulfonamide and thiadiazole moieties separated by a -CF2- or -CHNH2- spacer group. The structures presented here reveal that these spacer groups allow novel binding modes for the thiadiazole moiety compared with conventional CAIs.

2',3'-dideoxynucleoside 5'-beta, gamma-(difluoromethylene) triphosphates with alpha-P-thio or alpha-P-seleno modifications: synthesis and their inhibition of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase.

Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) are prodrugs which require three intracellular phosphorylation steps to yield their corresponding, biologically active, nucleoside triphosphate. In order to circumvent this often inefficient phosphorylation cascade, a plausible approach is to provide the active species directly in the form of a stabilized nucleoside triphosphate mimic. We have previously shown that such a mimic, namely 5'-alpha-Rp-borano-beta,gamma-(difluoromethylene)triphosphate (5'-alphaBCF2TP) is a generic triphosphate mimic that is biologically stable and can render antiviral ddNs with potent inhibitory activity against HIV-1 RT.

Difluoromethylenediphosphonate: a convenient, scalable, and high-yielding synthesis.

[reaction: see text] Since the first disclosure of difluoromethylenediphosphonate, 2, almost 40 years ago, interest in this compound has flourished in several research areas. In this paper, we present a convenient, high-yielding (99% overall) method for the preparation of milligram to multigram quantities of 2 (as the bis(tributylammonium salt, 2b) in a solid form that is easy to handle.

Leveraging human genomic information to identify nonhuman primate sequences for expression array development.

Background: Nonhuman primates (NHPs) are essential for biomedical research due to their similarities to humans. The utility of NHPs will be greatly increased by the application of genomics-based approaches such as gene expression profiling. Sequence information from the 3' end of genes is the key resource needed to create oligonucleotide expression arrays.

Synthesis of 2',3'-dideoxynucleoside 5'-alpha-P-borano-beta,gamma-(difluoromethylene)triphosphates and their inhibition of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase.

The triphosphates of antiviral 2',3'-dideoxynucleosides (ddNs) are the active chemical species that inhibit viral DNA synthesis. The inhibition involves incorporation of ddNMP into DNA and subsequent chain termination. A conceivable strategy for antiviral drugs is to employ nucleoside 5'-triphosphate mimics that can entirely bypass cellular phosphorylation.

A new synthesis of difluoromethanesulfonamides--a novel pharmacophore for carbonic anhydrase inhibition.

Preparation of the key intermediate carboxydifluoromethanesulfonamide provides direct synthetic access to a wide range of novel difluoromethanesulfonamides, including the acetazolamide analogue (2-ethanoylamino-1,3,4-thiadiazol-5-yl)-difluoromethanesulfonamide. Their water solubility and stability, ether partition coefficient, pK(a) and submicromolar dissociation constants for human carbonic anhydrase isozyme II (HCA II) make them promising candidates for topical glaucoma therapy.

Synthesis of AZT 5'-triphosphate mimics and their inhibitory effects on HIV-1 reverse transcriptase.

In search of active nucleoside 5'-triphosphate mimics, we have synthesized a series of AZT triphosphate mimics (AZT P3Ms) and evaluated their inhibitory effects on HIV-1 reverse transcriptase as well as their stability in fetal calf serum and in CEM cell extracts. Reaction of AZT with 2-chloro-4H-1,3,2-benzodioxaphosphorin-4-one, followed by treatment of the phosphite intermediate 2 with pyrophosphate analogues, yielded the cyclic triphosphate intermediates 4b-4f, which were subjected to boronation and subsequent hydrolysis to give AZT 5'-alpha-borano-beta,gamma-bridge-modified triphosphates 6b-6f in moderate to good yields. Reaction of the cyclic intermediate 4d with iodine, followed by treatment with a series of nucleophiles, afforded the AZT 5'-beta,gamma-difluoromethylene-gamma-substituted triphosphates (7b-7i).

Peptidomimetics and peptide backbone modifications.

The replacement of the amide bond in a peptide backbone is a widely used form of peptide mimicry. Several of the most common amide bond surrogates, including peptidomimetic work done in this laboratory, and their biological applications are presented in this review.

Formats for combinatorial synthesis: solid-phase, liquid-phase and surface.

Methods for combinatorial and parallel synthesis continue to evolve in order to meet the demands of modern synthetic organic chemistry. The nature of the support, while typically overlooked, is a key consideration for successful combinatorial organic synthesis. Developments in combinatorial synthesis technologies such as the 'lab-on-a-chip' concept and 96-well-plate-compatible resin plugs have been reported, which should contribute to meeting the increasing challenges of this field.