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Ponatinib is a multi-targeted third generation BCR-ABL1 tyrosine-kinase inhibitor approved for specific types of leukemia. A bioanalytical assay for this drug and its N-desmethyl metabolite in mouse plasma was developed and validated using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) with liquid-liquid extraction as sample pre-treatment procedure. After extraction with tert-butyl methyl ether of both analytes with their isotopically labeled internal standards and evaporation and reconstitution of the extract, compounds were separated by reversed-phase liquid chromatography under alkaline conditions. After electrospray ionization, both compounds were quantified in the selected reaction monitoring mode of a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. The linear assay was validated in the ranges 5-5000ng/ml for ponatinib and 1-1000ng/ml for N-desmethyl ponatinib. Within-run (n=18) and between-run (3 runs; n=18) precisions were 10% and 12% at the lower limit of quantification for the metabolite, all other precisions were ≤8% for the metabolite and ≤6% for ponatinib. Accuracies were between 92 and 108% for both compounds in the whole calibration range. The drug was sufficiently stable under most relevant analytical conditions, only ponatinib showed more than 15% hydrolytic degradation after storage for 6h and longer at ambient temperature in mouse plasma. Finally, the assay was successfully applied to determine plasma drug levels and study pharmacokinetics after oral administration of ponatinib to female FVB mice.

A quantitative bioanalytical liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) assay for GSK2126458, a dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor, was developed and validated. Plasma and tumor homogenate samples were pre-treated using protein precipitation with acetonitrile containing dabrafenib as internal standard. After dilution with water, the extract was directly injected into the reversed-phase liquid chromatographic system. The eluate was transferred into the electrospray interface with positive ionization and compounds were detected in the selected reaction monitoring mode of a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. The assay was completely validated for plasma in a 4–4000 ng/ml calibration range with r 2 = 0.9996 ± 0.0003 using double logarithmic calibration ( n = 5). Within-run precisions ( n = 6) were 2.0–5.3% and between-run (3 runs; n = 18) precisions 2.7–5.8%. Accuracies were between 101 and 105% for the whole calibration range. The drug was sufficiently stable under all relevant analytical conditions. Finally, the assay was successfully applied to determine plasma and tumor drug levels after oral administration of GSK2126458 to mice with AMC711T neuroblastoma xenografts.

A new divalent highly potent inhibitor of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa lectin and virulence factor LecA was prepared. It contains two thiourea linkages which were found to be in the Z,Z isomeric form. This brings the spacer into an elongated conformation required to bridge the two binding sites, which results in the chelating binding mode responsible for the high potency.

A synthetic approach for the preparation of a new class of highly conjugated unnatural α-amino acids bearing a 5-arylpyrazole side-chain has been developed. Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction of an aspartic acid derived β-keto phosphonate ester with a range of aromatic aldehydes gave β-aryl α,β-unsaturated ketones. Treatment of these with phenyl hydrazine followed by oxidation allowed the regioselective synthesis of pyrazole derived α-amino acids. As well as evaluating the fluorescent properties of the α-amino acids, their synthetic utility was also explored with the preparation of a sulfonyl fluoride derivative, a potential probe for serine proteases.

A method for the quantitative analysis by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry of the highly selective irreversible covalent inhibitor of EGFR-TK, osimertinib in human plasma was developed and validated, using pazopanib as an internal standard. The validation was performed in a range from 1 to 1000ng/ml, with the lowest level corresponding to the lower limit of quantitation. Gradient elution was performed on a 1.8μm particle trifunctional bonded C18 column by 1% (v/v) formic acid in water, and acetonitrile as mobile phase. The analyte was detected in the selected reaction monitoring mode of a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer after positive ionization with the heated electrospray interface. Within-day precisions ranged from 3.4 to 10.3%, and between-day precisions from 3.8 to 10.4%, accuracies were 95.5-102.8%. Plasma (either lithium heparin or sodium EDTA) pretreatment was performed by salting-out assisted liquid-liquid extraction using acetonitrile and magnesium sulfate. This method was used to analyze the osimertinib blood plasma levels of five adult patients with metastatic T790M mutated non-small cellular lung carcinoma for therapeutic drug monitoring purposes.

Understanding the mode of action of antibiotics is becoming more and more important in the time that microorganisms start to develop resistance. One very well validated target of several classes of antibiotics is the peptidoglycan precursor lipid II. In this review different classes of lipid II targeting antibiotics will be discussed in detail, including the lantibiotics, human invertebrate defensins and the recently discovered teixobactin. By hitting bacteria where it hurts, at the level of lipid II, we expect to be able to develop efficient antibacterial agents in the future. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Antimicrobial peptides edited by Karl Lohner and Kai Hilpert.

Laspartomycin C is a lipopeptide antibiotic with activity against a range of Gram-positive bacteria including drug-resistant pathogens. We report the first total synthesis of laspartomycin C as well as a series of structural variants. Laspartomycin C was found to specifically bind undecaprenyl phosphate (C55-P) and inhibit formation of the bacterial cell wall precursor lipid II. While several clinically used antibiotics target the lipid II pathway, there are no approved drugs that act on its C55-P precursor.

A validated simple, fast and sensitive bio-analytical assay for ibrutinib and its dihydrodiol metabolite in human and mouse plasma was set up. Sample preparation was performed by protein precipitation, and addition of the respective deuterated internal standards, followed by LC-MS/MS analysis. Separation was performed on a 3.5. μm particle-size, bridged ethylene hybrid column with gradient elution by 0.1% v/v formic acid and acetonitrile. The full eluate was transferred to an electrospray interface in positive ionization mode, and subsequently analyzed by a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer by selected reaction monitoring. The assay was validated in a 5-5000 ng/ml calibration range. Both ibrutinib and dihydrodiol-ibrutinib were deemed stable under refrigerated or frozen storage conditions. At room temperature, ibrutinib showed a not earlier described instability, and revealed rapid degradation at 37. °C. Finally, the assay was used for a pharmacokinetic study of plasma levels in treated FVB mice.

The lysosomal cell death (LCD) pathway is a caspase 3-independent cell death pathway that has been suggested as a possible target for cancer therapy, making the development of sensitive and specific high-throughput (HT) assays to identify LCD inducers highly desirable. In this study, we report a two-step HT screening platform to reliably identify such molecules. First, using a robust HT primary screen based on propidium iodide uptake, we identified compounds that kill through nonapoptotic pathways. A phenotypic image-based assay using a galectin-3 (Gal-3) reporter was then used to further classify hits based on lysosomal permeabilization, a hallmark of LCD. The identification of permeabilized lysosomes in our image-based assay is not affected by changes in the lysosomal pH, thus resolving an important limitation in currently used methods. We have validated our platform in a screen by identifying 24 LCD inducers, some previously known to induce LCD. Although most LCD inducers were cationic amphiphilic drugs (CADs), we have also identified a non-CAD LCD inducer, which is of great interest in the field. Our data also gave new insights into the biology of LCD, suggesting that lysosomal accumulation and acid sphingomyelinase inhibition are not sufficient or necessary for the induction of LCD. Overall, our results demonstrate a robust HT platform to identify novel LCD inducers that will also be very useful for gaining deeper insights into the molecular mechanism of LCD induction.

Nisin is the preeminent lantibiotic, and to date its antibacterial mechanism has been investigated using a variety of techniques. While nisin's lipid II-mediated mode of action is well-established, a detailed analysis of the thermodynamic parameters governing this interaction has not been previously reported. We here describe an approach employing isothermal titration calorimetry to directly measure the affinity of nisin for lipid II and a number of synthetic lipid II precursors and analogues. Our measurements confirm the pyrophosphate unit of lipid II as the primary site of nisin binding and also indicate that the complete MurNAc moiety is required for a high-affinity interaction. Additionally, we find that while the pentapeptide unit of the lipid II molecule is not required for strong binding by nisin, it does play an important role in stabilizing the subsequently formed nisin-lipid II pore complex, albeit at an entropic cost. The anchoring of lipid II in a membrane environment was also found to play a significant role in enhancing nisin binding and is required in order to achieve a high-affinity interaction.

Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) is one of the most abundant small molecule methyltransferases in the human body and is primarily responsible for the N-methylation of the nicotinamide (vitamin B3). Employing the cofactor S-adenosyl-l-methionine, NNMT transfers a methyl group to the pyridine nitrogen of nicotinamide to generate N-methylnicotinamide. Interestingly, NNMT is also able to N-methylate a variety of other pyridine-containing small molecules, suggesting a secondary role for the enzyme in the detoxification of xenobiotics. A number of recent studies have also revealed links between NNMT overexpression and a variety of diseases, including multiple cancers, Parkinson's disease, diabetes, and obesity. To facilitate further study of both the substrate scope and potential for inhibitor development, we here describe the development of a new NNMT activity assay. The assay makes use of ultra-high-performance hydrophilic interaction chromatography, allowing for rapid separation of the reaction products, coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometric detection, providing for enhanced sensitivity and enabling high-throughput sample analysis. We successfully demonstrated the general applicability of the method by performing kinetic analyses of NNMT-mediated methylation for a range of pyridine-based substrates. These findings also provide new insight into the diversity of substrate recognition by NNMT in a quantitative manner. In addition, we further established the suitability of the assay for the identification and characterization of small molecule inhibitors of NNMT. To do so, we investigated the inhibition of NNMT by the nonspecific methyltransferase inhibitors sinefungin and S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine, revealing IC50 values in the low micromolar range. The results of these inhibition studies are particularly noteworthy as they will permit future efforts toward the development of new NNMT-specific inhibitors.

Inflammation is an important therapeutic target. Due to their potency, steroidal drugs dominate the current treatment of inflammatory disorders. However, steroidal drugs can also exert a broad range of side effects and appear not always effective. This calls for the development of alternative drugs with a different mechanism of action, which are likely to be found in the field of natural products (NPs). For many NPs strong anti-inflammatory effects have been described, but usually investigating a single compound in a single assay. In this study, eight promising NPs were selected and tested against the strong anti-inflammatory drug prednisolone. For this head-to-head comparison, in vitro assays were used which represent different pathways of the inflammatory response: TNF-α and IL-6 expression by macrophages, IL-8 expression by colon epithelial cells, ROS production in polymorphonuclear leukocytes and platelet activation in whole blood. Performance profiles were established which allowed us to identify curcumin, berberine chloride and epigallocatechin gallate as potential alternatives for prednisolone or other glucocorticoids in inflammation.

The synthesis of a new triazacyclophane scaffold (TACO scaffold) containing three selectively deprotectable amines is described. The TACO scaffold is conformationally more constrained than our frequently used TAC scaffold, due to introduction of a substituent on the para position of the benzoic acid hinge, which prevents ring flipping and makes it more attractive than the TAC scaffold for preparation of artificial receptor molecules or for mimicking discontinuous epitopes toward protein mimics when more preorganization is required.

In the cell the second messenger cyclic nucleotides cAMP and cGMP mediate a wide variety of external signals. Both signaling molecules are degraded by the superfamily of phosphodiesterases (PDEs) consisting of more than 50 different isoforms. Several of these PDEs are implicated in disease processes inspiring the quest for and synthesis of selective PDE inhibitors, that unfortunately have led to very mixed successes in clinical trials. This may be partially caused by their pharmacological action. Accumulating data suggests that small differences between different PDE isoforms may already result in specific tissue distributions, cellular localization and different involvement in higher order signal protein complexes. The role of PDEs in these higher order signal protein complexes has only been marginally addressed, as no screening methodology is available to address this in a more comprehensive way. Affinity based chemical proteomics is a relatively new tool to identify specific protein-protein interactions. Here, to study the interactome of PDEs, we synthesized a broad spectrum PDE-capturing resin based on the non-selective PDE inhibitor 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX). Chemical proteomics characterization of this resin in HeLa cell lysates led to the capture of several different PDEs. Combining the IBMX-resin with in-solution competition with the available more selective PDE inhibitors, cilostamide and papaverine, allowed us to selectively probe the interactome of PDE3A in HeLa cells. Besides known interactors such as the family of 14-3-3 proteins, PDE3A was found to associate with a PP2A complex composed of a regulatory, scaffold and catalytic subunit.

The modification of liposomal surfaces is of interest for many different applications and a variety of chemistries are available that makes this possible. A major disadvantage of commonly used coupling chemistries (e.g. maleimide-thiol coupling) is the limited control over the site of conjugation in cases where multiple reactive functionalities are present, leading to heterogeneous products and in some cases dysfunctional conjugates. Bioorthogonal coupling approaches such as the well-established copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) "click" reaction are attractive alternatives as the reaction kinetics are favorable and azide-containing reagents are widely available. In the work described here, we prepared lipids containing a reactive cyclooctyne group and, after incorporation into liposomes, demonstrated successful conjugation of both a small molecule dye (5′-TAMRA-azide) as well as a larger azide-containing model protein based upon a designed ankyrin repeat protein (azido-DARPin). By applying the strain-promoted azido-alkyne cycloaddition (SPAAC) the use of Cu(I) as a catalyst is avoided, an important advantage considering the known deleterious effects associated with copper in cell and protein studies. We demonstrate complete control over the number of ligands coupled per liposome when using a small molecule azide with conjugation occurring at a reasonable reaction rate. By comparison, the conjugation of a larger azide-modified protein occurs more slowly, however the number of protein ligands coupled was found to be sufficient for liposome targeting to cells. Importantly, these results provide a strong proof of concept for the site-specific conjugation of protein ligands to liposomal surfaces via SPAAC. Unlike conventional approaches, this strategy provides for the homogeneous coupling of proteins bearing a single site-specific azide modification and eliminates the chance of forming dysfunctional ligands on the liposome. Furthermore, the absence of copper in the reaction process should also make this approach much more compatible with cell-based and in vivo applications.

A series of 2-(arylmethylthio)-3-phenylquinazolin-4-one derivatives have been synthesized and their antiplatelet aggregation activities were assessed against ADP and arachidonic acid-induced platelet aggregation in human plasma. Among the tested thioethers, derivative 2, 3, 5 and 16 were the most potent compounds with satisfactory IC50 for inhibition of platelet aggregation induced by ADP. Analysis of global physicochemical parameters shows some correlations between activities and molecular volume and also surface area of the studied derivatives.

A series of novel thiocarbohydrazones of substituted indoles and their corresponding thiadiazole derivatives were prepared, and their structures were confirmed by different analytical and spectroscopic methods. The derivatives were prepared by a sequential synthetic strategy including substitution at N-1 position of indole ring by various aliphatic and benzylic substituents, followed by condensation with thiocarbohydrazide, and finally cyclization by triethyl orthoformate. The derivatives were tested for their antimycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium bovis BCG, and the results revealed that among the synthesized compounds, thiadiazole derivatives 4e, 4f, 4n, 4p, 4q, and 4t exhibited the highest activity with IC₅₀ value of 3.91 μg/mL. The results indicate that the thiadiazole moiety plays a vital role in exerting antimycobacterial activity.

Influenza A virus (IAV) hemagglutinins recognize sialic acids on the cell surface as functional receptors to gain entry into cells. Wild waterfowl are the natural reservoir for IAV, but IAV can cross the species barrier to poultry, swine, horses and humans. Avian viruses recognize sialic acid attached to a penultimate galactose by a α2-3 linkage (avian-type receptors) whereas human viruses preferentially recognize sialic acid with a α2-6 linkage (human-type receptors). To monitor if avian viruses are adapting to human type receptors, several methods can be used. Glycan microarrays with diverse libraries of synthetic sialosides are increasingly used to evaluate receptor specificity. However, this technique is not used for measuring avidities. Measurement of avidity is typically achieved by evaluating the binding of serially diluted hemagglutinin or virus to glycans adsorbed to conventional polypropylene 96-well plates. In this assay, glycans with α2-3 or α2-6 sialic acids are coupled to biotin and adsorbed to streptavidin plates, or are coupled to polyacrylamide (PAA) which directly adsorb to the plastic. We have significantly miniaturized this assay by directly printing PAA-linked sialosides and their non PAA-linked counterparts on micro-well glass slides. This set-up, with 48 arrays on a single slide, enables simultaneous assays of 6 glycan binding proteins at 8 dilutions, interrogating 6 different glycans, including two non-sialylated controls. This is equivalent to 18x 96-well plates in the traditional plate assay. The glycan array format decreases consumption of compounds and biologicals and thus greatly enhances efficiency.

The lipophilic amino acid, (S)-2-aminoundecanoic acid, was synthesized and incorporated at a number of specific positions within the peptide sequence of anoplin. These lipophilic anoplin analogs showed to be more active against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus compared to native anoplin, while the EC50-value of hemolysis was at least one order of magnitude lower than the MIC values. This was in sharp contrast to the N-acylated anoplin derivative, where a gain in activity also led to a complete loss of selectivity. Thus, the incorporation of a lipophilic amino acid residue into anoplin enhanced the antimicrobial activity, while selectivity towards microbial membranes was retained.

The concurrent formation of furan-2,5- and furan-2,4-dicarboxylic acid under solvent free conditions via a disproportionation reaction is described. By reacting potassium-2-furoate at 260 degrees C in the presence of 22 mol% of (Lewis acidic) catalysts like CdI2 or ZnCl2, potassium-2-furoate is disproportionated to furan and furandicarboxylic acids. Besides furan and furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid (2,5-FDCA) as the main products, furan-2,4-dicarboxylic acid (2,4-FDCA) is also formed as a by-product. Experimental evidence has been obtained that, under the reaction conditions applied, 2,5-FDCA and 2,4-FDCA are formed by separate reaction pathways. Selectivity towards the different FDCA isomers is affected by the type of catalyst used. Single-crystal X-ray analysis shows that 2,4-FDCA has a more 'linear' character compared to 2,5-FDCA and hence is structurally more comparable to terephthalic acid (TA), making it an interesting monomer for synthetic polyesters.

Herein the synthesis of two nisin AB dicarba analogs is described, focusing on amino acid modifications at positions 2 and 5. The nisin mimics were synthesized by a combination of solid phase synthesis of the linear peptides, followed by macrocyclization via ring-closing metathesis and fragment assembly by means of solution phase chemistry. The two N-terminal nisin AB-fragment mimics contain either the native dehydrobutyrine (Dhb)/dehydroalanine (Dha) amino acid residues or alanine at position 2 and 5, respectively. The native dehydrobutyrine at position 2 and dehydroalanine at position 5 were introduced as their precursors, namely threonine and serine, respectively, and subsequent dehydration was carried out by EDCI/CuCl as the condensing agent. Both AB-fragment mimics were analyzed in a lipid II binding assay and it was found that the Ala2/Ala5 AB-mimic (2) showed a reduced activity, while the Dhb2/Dha5 AB-mimic (3) was as active as the native AB-fragment (1).

A series of bicyclic isourea derivatives were prepared from 1-deoxynojirimycin using a concise synthetic protocol proceeding via a guanidino intermediate. Inhibition assays with a panel of glycosidases revealed that these deoxynojirimycin-derived bicyclic isoureas display very potent inhibition against human recombinant β-glucocerebrosidase with IC50 values in the low nanomolar range.

We present experimental proof that so-called "flowerlike micelles" exist and that they have some distinctly different properties compared to their "starlike" counterparts. Amphiphilic AB diblock and BAB triblock copolymers consisting of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) as hydrophilic A block and thermosensitive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAm) B block(s) were synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). In aqueous solutions, both block copolymer types form micelles above the cloud point of pNIPAm. Static and dynamic light scattering measurements in combination with NMR relaxation experiments proved the existence of flowerlike micelles based on pNIPAm(16kDa)-PEG(4kDa)-pNIPAm(16kDa) which had a smaller radius and lower mass and aggregation number than starlike micelles based on mPEG(2kDa)-pNIPAm(16kDa). Furthermore, the PEG surface density was much lower for the flowerlike micelles, which we attribute to the looped configuration of the hydrophilic PEG block. (1)H NMR relaxation measurements showed biphasic T(2) relaxation for PEG, indicating rigid PEG segments close to the micelle core and more flexible distal segments. Even the flexible distal segments were shown to have a lower mobility in the flowerlike micelles compared to the starlike micelles, indicating strain due to loop formation. Taken together, it is demonstrated that self-assemblies of BAB triblock copolymers have their hydrophilic block in a looped conformation and thus indeed adopt a flowerlike conformation.

Contains fulltext : 89090.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access) Herein, we describe the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of a series of DOTA-conjugated monomeric, dimeric, and tetrameric [Tyr(3)]octreotide-based analogues as a tool for tumor imaging and/or radionuclide therapy. These compounds were synthesized using a Cu(I)-catalyzed 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition ("click" reaction) between peptidic azides and dendrimer-derived alkynes and a subsequent metal-free introduction of DOTA via the thio acid/sulfonyl azide amidation ("sulfo-click" reaction). In a competitive binding assay using rat pancreatic AR42J tumor cells, the monomeric [Tyr(3)]octreotide conjugate displayed the highest binding affinity (IC(50) = 1.32 nM) followed by dimeric [Tyr(3)]octreotide (2.45 nM), [DOTA(0),Tyr(3)]octreotide (2.45 nM), and tetrameric [Tyr(3)]octreotide (14.0 nM). Biodistribution studies with BALB/c nude mice with subcutaneous AR42J tumors showed that the (111)In-labeled monomeric [Tyr(3)]octreotide conjugate had the highest tumor uptake (42.3 +/- 2.8 %ID/g) at 2 h p.i., which was better than [(111)In-DOTA(0),Tyr(3)]octreotide (19.5 +/- 4.8 %ID/g). The (111)In-labeled dimeric [Tyr(3)]octreotide conjugate showed a long tumor retention (25.3 +/- 5.9 %ID/g at 2 h p.i. and 12.1 +/- 1.3 %ID/g at 24 h p.i.). These promising results can be exploited for therapeutic applications. 10 p.

Regorafenib is a novel multikinase inhibitor, currently approved for the treatment of metastasized colorectal cancer and advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors. We investigated whether regorafenib is a substrate for the multidrug efflux transporters ABCG2 and ABCB1 and whether oral availability, brain and testis accumulation of regorafenib and its active metabolites are influenced by these transporters. We used in vitro transport assays to assess human (h)ABCB1- or hABCG2- or murine (m)Abcg2-mediated active transport at high and low concentrations of regorafenib. To study the single and combined roles of Abcg2 and Abcb1a/1b in oral regorafenib disposition and the impact of Cyp3a-mediated metabolism, we used appropriate knockout mouse strains. Regorafenib was transported well by mAbcg2 and hABCG2 and modestly by hABCB1 in vitro. Abcg2 and to a lesser extent Abcb1a/1b limited brain and testis accumulation of regorafenib and metabolite M2 (brain only) in mice. Regorafenib oral availability was not increased in Abcg2 -/- ;Abcb1a/1b -/- mice. Up till 2 h, metabolite M5 was undetectable in plasma and organs. Brain and testis accumulation of regorafenib and brain accumulation of metabolite M2 are restricted by Abcg2 and Abcb1a/1b. Inhibition of these transporters may be of clinical relevance for patients with brain (micro)metastases positioned behind an intact blood–brain barrier.

A novel strategy to prepare bisubstrate based inhibitors for histone acetyltransferases is presented. To obtain these, azido peptides derived from histone H3 incorporating either a serine or a phosphoserine residue were connected to a propargyl coenzyme A derivative through copper catalyzed click chemistry. The resulting inhibitors were tested with therapeutically relevant acetyltransferase PCAF. Increased potency of the phosphoserine containing inhibitor was observed. The synthetic strategy presented may be used for developing bisubstrate based inhibitors against any acetyltransferase.

Functionalization of the lantibiotic nisin with fluorescent reporter molecules is highly important for the understanding of its mode of action as a potent antimicrobial peptide. In addition to this, multimerization of nisin to obtain multivalent peptide constructs and conjugation of nisin to bioactive molecules or grafting it on surfaces can be attractive methods for interference with bacterial growth. Here, we report a convenient method for the synthesis of such nisin conjugates and show that these nisin derivatives retain both their antimicrobial activity and their membrane permeabilizing properties. The synthesis is based on the Cu(I)-catalyzed alkyne-azide cycloaddition reaction (CuAAC) as a bioorthogonal ligation method for large and unprotected peptides in which nisin was C-terminally modified with propargylamine and subsequently efficiently conjugated to a series of functionalized azides. Two fluorescently labeled nisin conjugates together with a dimeric nisin construct were prepared while membrane insertion as well as antimicrobial activity were unaffected by these modifications. This study shows that C-terminal modification of nisin does not deteriorate biological activity in sharp contrast to N-terminal modification and therefore C-terminally modified nisin analogues are valuable tools to study the antibacterial mode of action of nisin. Furthermore, the ability to use stoichiometric amounts of the azide containing molecule opens up possibilities for surface tethering and more complex multivalent structures.

The bacterial adhesion lectin LecA is an attractive target for interference with the infectivity of its producer P.aeruginosa. Divalent ligands with two terminal galactoside moieties connected by an alternating glucose-triazole spacer were previously shown to be very potent inhibitors. In this study, we chose to prepare a series of derivatives with various new substituents in the spacer in hopes of further enhancing the LecA inhibitory potency of the molecules. Based on the binding mode, modifications were made to the spacer to enable additional spacer-protein interactions. The introduction of positively charged, negatively charged, and also lipophilic functional groups was successful. The compounds were good LecA ligands, but no improved binding was seen, even though altered thermodynamic parameters were observed by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). Linkers for lectin ligands! The P.aeruginosa lectin and virulence factor LecA can be efficiently blocked by divalent galactoside ligands containing a rigid spacer. Further functionalization of the spacer was explored in order to foster spacer-protein interactions. Positively and negatively charged groups as well as lipophilic groups were used for this purpose.

BACKGROUND: Rucaparib is a potent, orally available, small-molecule inhibitor of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) 1 and 2. Ongoing clinical trials are assessing the efficacy of rucaparib alone or in combination with other cytotoxic drugs, mainly in breast and ovarian cancer patients with mutations in the breast cancer associated (BRCA) genes. PURPOSE: We aimed to establish whether the multidrug efflux transporters ABCG2 (BCRP) and ABCB1 (P-gp, MDR1) affect the oral availability and brain penetration of rucaparib in mice. RESULTS: In vitro, rucaparib was efficiently transported by both human ABCB1 and ABCG2, and very efficiently by mouse Abcg2. Transport could be inhibited by the small-molecule ABCB1 and ABCG2 inhibitors zosuquidar and Ko143, respectively. In vivo, oral availability (plasma AUC0-1 and AUC0-24) and brain levels of rucaparib at 1 and 24 h were increased by the absence of both Abcg2 and Abcb1a/1b after oral administration of rucaparib at 10 mg/kg. CONCLUSIONS: Our data show to our knowledge for the first time that oral availability and brain accumulation of a PARP inhibitor are markedly and additively restricted by Abcg2 and Abcb1a/1b. This may have clinical relevance for improvement of rucaparib therapy in PARP inhibitor-resistant tumors with ABCB1 and/or ABCG2 expression and in patients with brain (micro)metastases positioned behind a functional blood-brain barrier.

A series of oseltamivir analogues bearing an N-substituted guanidine unit were prepared and evaluated as inhibitors of neuraminidases from four strains of influenza. The two most potent analogues identified contain relatively small N-guanidine substituents (N-methyl and N-hydroxyl) and display enhanced inhibition with IC50 values in the low nanomolar range against neuraminidases from wild-type and oseltamivir-resistant strains. Potential advantages of including the N-hydroxyguanidine moiety in neuraminidase inhibitors are also discussed.

Temperature-induced physical gelation was combined with native chemical ligation (NCL) as a chemical cross-linking mechanism to yield rapid network formation and mechanically strong hydrogels. To this end, a novel monomer N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide-cysteine (HPMA-Cys) was synthesized that copolymerizes with N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) to yield thermoresponsive polymers decorated with cysteine functionalities. Triblock copolymers consisting of a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) middle block flanked by random blocks of NIPAAm and HPMA-Cys were successfully synthesized and characterized. Additionally, thioester cross-linkers were synthesized based on PEG and hyaluronic acid, respectively. Upon mixing the thermoresponsive polymer with PEG or hyaluronic acid cross-linker, cysteine and thioester functionalities react under physiological conditions to generate a native peptide bond. An immediate physical network was formed after elevation of the temperature to 37 °C due to the self-assembly of the pNIPAAm chains. This network was stabilized in time by covalent cross-linking due to NCL reaction between thioester and cysteine functionalities, resulting in hydrogels with up to 10 times higher storage moduli than without chemical cross-links. Finally, a collagen mimicking peptide sequence was successfully ligated to this hydrogel using the same reaction mechanism, showing the potential of this hydrogel for tissue engineering applications. © 2014 American Chemical Society.

A galabiose disaccharide building block was synthesized by an efficient pectinase cleavage of polygalacturonic acid and subsequent chemical functional group transformations. Besides the disaccharide, the corresponding trisaccharide was also obtained and modified. The compounds were subsequently conjugated to dendrimers with up to eight end groups using 'click' chemistry. The compounds were evaluated as inhibitors of adhesion of the pathogen Streptococcus suis in a hemagglutination assay and strong inhibition was observed for the tetra- and octavalent galabiose compound with MIC values in the low nanomolar range. The corresponding octavalent trisaccharide was a ca. 20-fold weaker inhibitor.