Glycol Moieties Research Articles

Synthesis of a stable and orally bioavailable englerin analogue

Synthesis of analogues of englerin A with a reduced propensity for hydrolysis of the glycolate moiety led to a compound which possessed the renal cancer cell selectivity of the parent and was orally bioavailable in mice.

Doxorubicin loaded 17β-estradiol based SWNT dispersions for target specific killing of cancer cells

The present work reports the synthesis of a 17β-estradiol based amphiphiles comprising of polyethylene glycol (PEG) moiety linked through succinic acid that non-covalently dispersed (76%) the single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in water. The superior exfoliation of carbon nanotubes was characterized by microscopic and spectroscopic studies. Significant stability of these SWNT dispersions was observed in the presence of protein in cell culture media and the nanohybrids were highly biocompatible toward mammalian cells. Anticancer drug doxorubicin loaded on these nanohybrids was selectively delivered within estrogen receptor rich cancer cells, MCF7 (breast cancer cell) and A549 (lung cancer cell). Microscopic studies showed the localization of doxorubicin within the cancer cell nucleus whereas no such localization was observed in ER negative cells. Both these ER positive cancer cells were killed by ∼3 fold higher efficiency than that of ER negative MDA-MB-231 (advanced breast cancer cell) and HeLa cells that are deprived of estrogen receptors. Thus, judiciously designed estradiol based nanohybrids proved to be excellent tool for SWNT dispersion and also for selectively killing of ER positive cancer cells. To the best of our knowledge, for the first time non-covalently modified SWNTs by estradiol based amphiphilic dispersing agent have been used for selective killing of ER positive cancer cells by doxorubicin loaded on dispersed SWNTs. It holds immense promise to be exploited as a cancer therapeutic agent.

Novel Insights into Structure-Activity Relationships of N-Terminally Modified PACE4 Inhibitors.

PACE4 plays important roles in prostate cancer cell proliferation. The inhibition of this enzyme has been shown to slow prostate cancer progression and is emerging as a promising therapeutic strategy. In previous work, we developed a highly potent and selective PACE4 inhibitor, the multi-Leu (ML) peptide, an octapeptide with the sequence Ac-LLLLRVKR-NH2 . Here, with the objective of developing a useful compound for in vivo administration, we investigate the effect of N-terminal modifications. The inhibitory activity, toxicity, stability, and cell penetration properties of the resulting analogues were studied and compared to the unmodified inhibitor. Our results show that the incorporation of a polyethylene glycol (PEG) moiety leads to a loss of antiproliferative activity, whereas the attachment of a lipid chain preserves or improves it. However, the lipidated peptides are significantly more toxic when compared with their unmodified counterparts. Therefore, the best results were achieved not by the N-terminal extension but by the protection of both ends with the d-Leu residue and 4-amidinobenzylamide, which yielded the most stable inhibitor, with an excellent activity and toxicity profile.

Surface Modification of Polymers by Reaction of Alkyl Radicals.

The surfaces of poly(methyl methacrylate) and polyethylene are modified either (i) by a two-step process including the thermal reaction of alkyl radicals derived from bromohexanoic acid in a mixture of 2,6-dimethylbenzene diazonium salt and neat isopentyl nitrite at 60 °C, followed by reaction with p-nitroaniline, anthraquinone, neutral red, and polyethylene glycol moieties, or (ii) by reaction of a previously anthraquinone-modified bromohexanoic acid. The modified surfaces are characterized by IR, XPS, UV, and water contact angles. A mechanism is proposed to rationalize the results. This approach is an efficient way to modify and pattern polymer surfaces with different organic groups and chemical functionalities under mild conditions.

Hydrophilic Organic Electrodes on Flexible Hydrogels.

Prompted by the rapidly developing field of wearable electronics, research into biocompatible substrates and coatings is intensifying. Acrylate-based hydrogel polymers have gained widespread use as biocompatible articles in applications such as contact and intraocular lenses. Surface treatments and/or coatings present one strategy to further enhance the performance of these hydrogels or even realize novel functionality. In this study, the conductive polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) is deposited from the vapor phase onto hydrated hydrogel substrates and blended with biocompatibilizing coconstituents incorporating polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS) moieties. Plasma pretreatment of the dehydrated hydrogel substrate modifies its surface topography and chemical composition to facilitate the attachment of conductive PEDOT-based surface layers. Manipulating the vapor phase polymerization process and constituent composition, the PEDOT-based coating is engineered to be both hydrophilic (i.e. to promote biocompatibility) and highly conductive. The fabrication of this conductively coated hydrogel has implications for the future of wearable electronic devices.

Controlling the Architecture, Coordination, and Reactivity of Nanoparticle Coating Utilizing an Amino Acid Central Scaffold.

We have developed a versatile strategy to prepare a series of multicoordinating and multifunctional ligands optimized for the surface-functionalization of luminescent quantum dots (QDs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) alike. Our chemical design relies on the modification of l-aspartic acid precursor to controllably combine, through simple peptide coupling chemistry, one or two lipoic acid (LA) groups and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) moieties in the same ligand. This route has provided two sets of modular ligands: (i) bis(LA)-PEG, which presents two lipoic acids (higher coordination) appended onto a single end-functionalized PEG, and (ii) LA-(PEG)2 made of two PEG moieties (higher branching, with various end reactive groups) appended onto a single lipoic acid. These ligands are combined with a new photoligation strategy to yield hydrophilic and reactive QDs that are colloidally stable over a broad range of conditions, including storage at nanomolar concentration and under ambient conditions. AuNPs capped with these ligands exhibit excellent stability in various biological conditions and improved resistance against NaCN digestion. This route also provides compact nanocrystals with tunable surface reactivity. As such, we have covalently coupled QDs capped with bis(LA)-PEG-COOH to transferrin to facilitate intracellular uptake. We have also characterized and quantified the coupling of dye-labeled peptides to QD surfaces using fluorescence resonance energy transfer interactions in QD-peptide-dye assemblies.

Aggregation behaviour of amphiphilic cyclodextrins: the nucleation stage by atomistic molecular dynamics simulations.

Amphiphilically modified cyclodextrins may form various supramolecular aggregates. Here we report a theoretical study of the aggregation of a few amphiphilic cyclodextrins carrying hydrophobic thioalkyl groups and hydrophilic ethylene glycol moieties at opposite rims, focusing on the initial nucleation stage in an apolar solvent and in water. The study is based on atomistic molecular dynamics methods with a “bottom up” approach that can provide important information about the initial aggregates of few molecules. The focus is on the interaction pattern of amphiphilic cyclodextrin (aCD), which may interact by mutual inclusion of the substituent groups in the hydrophobic cavity of neighbouring molecules or by dispersion interactions at their lateral surface. We suggest that these aggregates can also form the nucleation stage of larger systems as well as the building blocks of micelles, vesicle, membranes, or generally nanoparticles thus opening new perspectives in the design of aggregates correlating their structures with the pharmaceutical properties.

Comparison of Ensemble and Single Molecule Methods for Particle Characterization and Binding Analysis of a PEGylated Single-Domain Antibody

Domain antibodies (dAbs) are single immunoglobulin domains that form the smallest functional unit of an antibody. This study investigates the behavior of these small proteins when covalently attached to the polyethylene glycol (PEG) moiety that is necessary for extending the half-life of a dAb. The effect of the 40 kDa PEG on hydrodynamic properties, particle behavior, and receptor binding of the dAb has been compared by both ensemble solution and surface methods [light scattering, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), surface Plasmon resonance (SPR)] and single-molecule atomic force microscopy (AFM) methods (topography, recognition imaging, and force microscopy). The large PEG dominates the properties of the dAb-PEG conjugate such as a hydrodynamic radius that corresponds to a globular protein over four times its size and a much reduced association rate. We have used AFM single-molecule studies to determine the mechanism of PEG-dependent reductions in the effectiveness of the dAb observed by SPR kinetic studies. Recognition imaging showed that all of the PEGylated dAb molecules are active, suggesting that some may transiently become inactive if PEG sterically blocks binding. This helps explain the disconnect between the SPR, determined kinetically, and the force microscopy and ITC results that demonstrated that PEG does not change the binding energy.

Discovery and Characterization of a Potent Interleukin-6 Binding Peptide with Neutralizing Activity In Vivo

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is an important member of the cytokine superfamily, exerting pleiotropic actions on many physiological processes. Over-production of IL-6 is a hallmark of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases such as Castleman’s Disease (CD) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Antagonism of the interleukin IL-6/IL-6 receptor (IL-6R)/gp130 signaling complex continues to show promise as a therapeutic target. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) directed against components of this complex have been approved as therapeutics for both CD and RA. To potentially provide an additional modality to antagonize IL-6 induced pathophysiology, a peptide-based antagonist approach was undertaken. Using a combination of molecular design, phage-display, and medicinal chemistry, disulfide-rich peptides (DRPs) directed against IL-6 were developed with low nanomolar potency in inhibiting IL-6-induced pSTAT3 in U937 monocytic cells. Targeted PEGylation of IL-6 binding peptides resulted in molecules that retained their potency against IL-6 and had a prolongation of their pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles in rodents and monkeys. One such peptide, PN-2921, contained a 40 kDa polyethylene glycol (PEG) moiety and inhibited IL-6-induced pSTAT3 in U937 cells with sub-nM potency and possessed 23, 36, and 59 h PK half-life values in mice, rats, and cynomolgus monkeys, respectively. Parenteral administration of PN-2921 to mice and cynomolgus monkeys potently inhibited IL-6-induced biomarker responses, with significant reductions in the acute inflammatory phase proteins, serum amyloid A (SAA) and C-reactive protein (CRP). This potent, PEGylated IL-6 binding peptide offers a new approach to antagonize IL-6-induced signaling and associated pathophysiology.

Immunobiological properties of sesquiterpene lactones obtained by chemically transformed structural modifications of trilobolide

Our previous research on immunostimulatory properties of trilobolide and its structurally related natural analogues isolated from Laser trilobum (L.) Borkh., encouraged us to investigate structurally related guaianolides belonging to a specific group of sesquiterpene lactones with characteristic glycol moiety attached to the lactone ring. Ever increasing attention has been paid to certain guaianolides such as thapsigargin and trilobolide for their promising anti-inflammatory, anticancer, anti-infectious and SERCA inhibitory activities. However, due to their alkylation capabilities, they might be cytotoxic. Search for compounds with preserved immunobiological properties and decreased cytotoxicity led us to transform some of their structural features, particularly those related to their side chain functionality. For this reason, we prepared a series of over 20 various deacylated, acyl modified, or relactonized derivatives of trilobolide.The immunobiological effects were screened in vitro using the rat peritoneal cells primed with lipopolysaccharide. Secretion of interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukins (IL) IL-1β, IL-6 and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were determined by ELISA, and nitric oxide (NO) production by Griess reagent. Relation between the molecular structure and immunobiological activity was investigated. Acetylation at 7-OH and 11-OH positions of the lactone ring, or acyl modification of the guaianolide functionalities (including relactonization) of trilobolide, led to inability to stimulate secretion of cytokines and production of NO. Interestingly, minor structural changes achieved by catalytic hydrogenation or hydrogenolysis retained the original immunoactivity of trilobolide. It can be concluded that several new chemically transformed sesquiterpene lactones resembling the immunobiological properties of trilobolide or thapsigargin were prepared and identified. The implication of the lactone vicinal diol (glycol) moiety, combined with other structure functionality, was confirmed as essential for immune properties of the trilobolide or thapsigargin type of guaianolides.

In vitro and in vivo metabolism of N-adamantyl substituted urea-based soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitors

N,N′-disubstituted urea-based soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) inhibitors are promising therapeutics for hypertension, inflammation, and pain in multiple animal models. The drug absorption and pharmacological efficacy of these inhibitors have been reported extensively. However, the drug metabolism of these inhibitors is not well described. Here we reported the metabolic profile and associated biochemical studies of an N-adamantyl urea-based sEH inhibitor 1-adamantan-1-yl-3-(5-(2-(2-ethoxyethoxy)ethoxy)pentyl)urea (AEPU) in vitro and in vivo. The metabolites of AEPU were identified by interpretation of liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS), liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) and/or NMR. In vitro, AEPU had three major positions for phase I metabolism including oxidations on the adamantyl moiety, urea nitrogen atoms, and cleavage of the polyethylene glycol chain. In a rodent model, the metabolites from the hydroxylation on the adamantyl group and nitrogen atom were existed in blood while the metabolites from cleavage of polyethylene glycol chain were not found in urine. The major metabolite found in rodent urine was 3-(3-adamantyl-ureido)-propanoic acid, a presumably from cleavage and oxidation of the polyethylene glycol moiety. All the metabolites found were active but less potent than AEPU at inhibiting human sEH. Furthermore, cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 was found to be a major enzyme mediating AEPU metabolism. In conclusion, the metabolism of AEPU resulted from oxidation by CYP could be shared with other N-adamantyl-urea-based compounds. These findings suggest possible therapeutic roles for AEPU and new strategies for drug design in this series of possible drugs.

Preparation and properties of hydrogels based on PEG and isosorbide building blocks with phosphate linkages

Novel hydrogel polymers were prepared by the crosslinking reaction between polyethylene glycol monophosphate ester (PEGP) and isosorbide diglycidyl ether (IDE). The crosslinking reaction involved no solvents and occurred at room temperature without catalyst. Curing kinetics was studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and chemorheometry. Because the three-dimensional network structure of the hydrogel polymers were based on the phosphate linkages, the hydrogels exhibited characteristic degradable properties. Molecular weight of the polyethylene glycol moiety and molar ratios of IDE to PEGP were found to significantly influence swelling and degradation rates of the hydrogels. Results suggest that the obtained hydrogels are potential materials for drug delivery and other biomedical applications.

Asymmetric ZnPc–TEG photosensitizers: the effect of Pc substitution on phototoxicity

Asymmetric zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) isomers with triethylene glycol (TEG) moieties in the peripheral (1a) and non-peripheral (1b) substitution were designed, synthesized, characterized, and their phototoxicity on colon-26 cells evaluated. TEG moieties as water solubilizing groups were incorporated at peripheral or non-peripheral positions to investigate the effect of their position on the Pc on the photodynamic activity. UV/vis analyses indicated a small red-shifting of the Q band of the non-peripheral ZnPc–TEG 1b (ca. 4nm) relative to 1a in dichloromethane and THF. n-Octanol/pH 7.4 buffer partition coefficients revealed that 1b was marginally more hydrophilic than 1a with logD7.4 values of 2.44 and 2.46, respectively. Fluorescence emission aggregation studies indicate that 1b is ca. 61% (DMSO) and 32% (phosphate buffer) less aggregated than the peripherally substituted ZnPc 1a suggesting that non-peripheral substitution decreased overall aggregation of the photosensitizers. Singlet oxygen generation studies are reported. Both ZnPc–TEGs showed negligible dark toxicity on colon 26 cells with 10μM 1a and 1b. Irradiation (690nm, 45J/cm2) of the cells produced an IC50 value >25μM for 1a and an IC50 value between 1 and 5μM for 1b. Overall, the non-peripheral isomer 1b was found to be more photodynamically active.

Lipid-PEG conjugates sterically stabilize and reduce the toxicity of phytantriol-based lyotropic liquid crystalline nanoparticles.

Lyotropic liquid crystalline nanoparticle dispersions are of interest as delivery vectors for biomedicine. Aqueous dispersions of liposomes, cubosomes, and hexosomes are commonly stabilized by nonionic amphiphilic block copolymers to prevent flocculation and phase separation. Pluronic stabilizers such as F127 are commonly used; however, there is increasing interest in using chemically reactive stabilizers for enhanced functionalization and specificity in therapeutic delivery applications. This study has explored the ability of 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine conjugated with poly(ethylene glycol) (DSPE-PEGMW) (2000 Da ≤ MW ≤ 5000 Da) to engineer and stabilize phytantriol-based lyotropic liquid crystalline dispersions. The poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) moiety provides a tunable handle to the headgroup hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity to allow access to a range of nanoarchitectures in these systems. Specifically, it was observed that increasing PEG molecular weight promotes greater interfacial curvature of the dispersions, with liposomes (Lα) present at lower PEG molecular weight (MW 2000 Da), and a propensity for cubosomes (QII(P) or QII(D) phase) at MW 3400 Da or 5000 Da. In comparison to Pluronic F127-stabilized cubosomes, those made using DSPE-PEG3400 or DSPE-PEG5000 had enlarged internal water channels. The toxicity of these cubosomes was assessed in vitro using A549 and CHO cell lines, with cubosomes prepared using DSPE-PEG5000 having reduced cytotoxicity relative to their Pluronic F127-stabilized analogues.

The metabolism of the dual endothelin receptor antagonist macitentan in rat and dog

1. The metabolism of the endothelin receptor antagonist macitentan has been characterized in bile duct-cannulated rats and dogs.2. In both species, macitentan was metabolized along five primary pathways, i.e. conjugation with glucose (M9), oxidative depropylation (M6), aliphatic hydroxylation (M7), oxidative cleavage of the ethylene glycol linker (M4) and hydrolysis of the sulfamide moiety (M3). Most of the primary metabolites underwent subsequent biotransformation including conjugation with glucuronic acid or glucose, hydrolysis of the sulfamide group or secondary oxidation of the ethylene glycol moiety.3. Though there were species differences in their relative importance, all metabolic pathways were present in rat and dog. The depropylated M6 was the only metabolite present in plasma of both species.4. Metabolism was a prerequisite for macitentan excretion as relevant amounts of parent drug were neither detected in bile nor urine. Biliary excretion was the major elimination pathway, while renal elimination was of little importance.

Homogenous Phase Enrichment of Cysteine-Containing Peptides for Improved Proteome Coverage.

We describe a proteomic reactor-based homogeneous phase enrichment of cysteine-containing peptides in a filter aided sample preparation (FASP) format. In this approach thiol-reduced proteins are derivatized with thiol-activated polyethylene glycol (TAPEG) before protein cleavage. Consecutive digestion with endoproteinase LysC and trypsin allows isolation of two fractions of nonderivatized peptides. After reduction of disulfide bonds between cysteine-containing peptides and the polyethylene glycol moieties, a third fraction of peptides is collected. LC-MS/MS analyses revealed that on average this fraction consists of 95% cysteine-containing peptides. Since 85-93% of all peptides are unique to a single subfraction, the combination of TAPEG and FASP offers an efficient peptide separation strategy. Analysis of whole cell lysates of mouse brain, liver, red muscle fibers, and CaCo-2 cells using the TAPEG FASP approach allowed identification of 6,900, 5,800, 4,200 and 7,900 proteins, 10-30% more than were identified using two-step digestion without isolation of Cys-containing peptides. The fractionation also increased the protein sequence coverage by 10-30%.

Assembly of oligo(ethylene glycol)- and amine-containing methacrylic esters in water and water–hexane mixtures

Abstract The monomer assembly in aqueous solutions of N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA), ethylene glycol methacrylate (EGMA), oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (OEGMA) and a series of methoxy oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylates (MOEGMAs) with a variable number of ethylene glycol moieties was investigated by viscosity, surface and interfacial tension measurements, IR and NMR spectroscopy. All monomers were shown to exhibit interfacial activity. The isotherms of the specific viscosity for OEGMA and MOEGMAs exhibit the exponential growth which indicates the presence of sufficiently strong intermolecular noncovalent interactions; for DMAEMA and EGMA the isotherms pass through maxima. It is associated with the formation of monomer complexes due to hydrogen bonding. A combination of computer simulations, IR data analysis and viscosity isotherms allowed one to distinguish three concentration ranges in aqueous solutions of MEG and MOEGMA. These ranges are characterized by predominant types of assemblies with the participation of oxygen-containing functional groups of the monomers.

Preparation and Performance of Amphiphilic Polyurethane Copolymers with Capsaicin-Mimic and PEG Moieties for Protein Resistance and Antibacteria

Antifouling (AF) coatings have been a research focus on effectively resisting biocontamination of equipment applied in the aquatic environments. The amphiphilic ternary copolymers P(H–P–A) composed of N-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzyl)acrylamide (HMBA), poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate, and 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate were synthesized by free-radical polymerization. Then the polyurethane (PU) copolymer coatings with capsaicin and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) moieties were prepared by cross-linking with polymeric phenyl methanediisocyanate. Fourier transform infrared and 1H NMR were employed for chemical structural analysis of the products. The surface composition and concentration of nitrogen atoms on the copolymer films were quantitatively analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The AF properties of the copolymers were assessed by static protein adsorption and antibacterial tests. The targeted copolymer film samples can achieve an average antibacterial efficiency of 93.3% and a protein-resista...

Dendritic near-IR absorbing zinc phthalocyanines for antimicrobial photodynamic therapy

Design, synthesis, characterization, and photodynamic activity of dendritic, water-soluble zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) isomers 1a and 1b are described. Bearing terminal triethylene glycol (TEG) moieties as water solubilizing groups that were attached to the Pc core using Cu(I) catalyzed alkyne–azide cycloaddition (CuAAC), 1a and 1b are readily soluble in H2O, polar aprotic, and protic organic solvents. UV/Vis analyses indicate that the Q band of the non-peripheral ZnPc 1b is ca. 80nm red-shifted relative to the peripheral one with absorption at 805nm (distilled water). 1a and 1b have logD7.4 values of 0.22 and 0.05, respectively, suggesting that the non-peripheral substitution improved the overall hydrophilicity. Aggregation studies indicate that non-peripherally substituted 1b is significantly less aggregated in aqueous media than peripherally substituted 1a. Singlet oxygen generation studies are reported. Both ZnPcs showed negligible dark toxicity on bacteria and yeast with 10μM 1a and 1b. Illumination (400–850nm) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa with 10μM of 1a produced a 90% cell inactivation while Acinetobacter baumannii with 10μM 1b showed detection limit (99.9999+%) cell inactivation, demonstrating the antimicrobial photoactivity of these dyes.

Catalytically-Active Palladium Nanoparticles Stabilized by Triazolylbiferrocenyl-Containing Polymers

Four different triazolylbiferrocenyl-containing polymers were used for the stabilization of palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) upon reducing triazole-coordinated Pd(II) both in organic solvents and in water. The resulting PdNPs were active in the Suzuki–Miyaura coupling of bromoaromatics even with down to only 20 ppm of Pd. The comparison between the four different polymer-stabilized PdNPs allows concluding that a flexible polyethylene glycol moiety in the linear triazolylbiferrocenyl polymer permits a better stabilization of the PdNPs than polymers containing triazolylbiferrocenyl side chains with a rigid styrene or succinimide moieties.