The preservation of in vivo phosphorylated and activated uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3) in isolated skeletal muscle mitochondria following administration of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA aka ecstasy) to rats/mice.

Previous researchers have demonstrated that 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) induced hyperthermia, in skeletal muscle of animals, is uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3) dependent. In light of our investigations that in vivo phosphorylation of UCP1 is augmented under conditions of cold-acclimation, we set out to investigate whether (a) UCP3 was phosphorylated in vivo and (b) whether in vivo phosphorylation of UCP3 resulted in increased proton leak following MDMA administration to animals. Our data demonstrate that MDMA treatment (but not PBS treatment) of animals results in both in vivo serine and tyrosine phosphorylation of UCP3 in skeletal muscle mitochondria, isolated in the presence of phosphatase inhibitors to preserve in vivo phosphorylation.

Synthesis and serotonin transporter activity of 1,3-bis(aryl)-2-nitro-1-propenes as a new class of anticancer agents.

Structural derivatives of 4-MTA, an illegal amphetamine analogue have been previously shown to have anticancer effects in vitro. In this study we report the synthesis of a series of novel 1,3-bis(aryl)-2-nitro-1-propene derivatives related in structure to 4-MTA. A number of these compounds containing a classic nitrostyrene structure are shown to have antiproliferative activities in vitro in a range of malignant cell lines, particularly against Burkitt's lymphoma derived cell lines, whilst having no effect on 'normal' peripheral blood mononuclear cells.