Methods and Applications of In Silico Aptamer Design and Modeling.

Aptamers are nucleic acid analogues of antibodies with high affinity to different targets, such as cells, viruses, proteins, inorganic materials, and coenzymes. Empirical approaches allow the design of in vitro aptamers that bind particularly to a target molecule with high affinity and selectivity. Theoretical methods allow significant expansion of the possibilities of aptamer design. In this study, we review theoretical and joint theoretical-experimental studies dedicated to aptamer design and modeling. We consider aptamers with different targets, such as proteins, antibiotics, organophosphates, nucleobases, amino acids, and drugs. During nucleic acid modeling and in silico design, a full set of in silico methods can be applied, such as docking, molecular dynamics (MD), and statistical analysis. The typical modeling workflow starts with structure prediction. Then, docking of target and aptamer is performed. Next, MD simulations are performed, which allows for an evaluation of the stability of aptamer/ligand complexes and determination of the binding energies with higher accuracy. Then, aptamer/ligand interactions are analyzed, and mutations of studied aptamers made. Subsequently, the whole procedure of molecular modeling can be reiterated. Thus, the interactions between aptamers and their ligands are complex and difficult to understand using only experimental approaches. Docking and MD are irreplaceable when aptamers are studied in silico.

Binding affinity and decontamination of dermal decontamination gel to model chemical warfare agent simulants.

Six chemical warfare agent simulants (trimethyl phosphate, dimethyl adipate, 2-chloroethyl methyl sulfide, diethyl adipate, chloroethyl phenyl sulfide and diethyl sebacate) were studied in in vitro human skin to explore relationship between dermal penetration/absorption and the mechanisms of simulant partitioning between stratum corneum (SC) and water as well as between dermal decontamination gel (DDGel) and water. Both binding affinity to and decontamination of simulants using DDGel were studied. Partition coefficients of six simulants between SC and water (Log PSC/w ) and between DDGel and water (Log PDDGel/w ) were determined. Results showed that DDGel has a similar or higher binding affinity to each simulant compared to SC. The relationship between Log P octanol/water and Log PSC/w as well as between Log P octanol/water and Log PDDGel/w demonstrated that partition coefficient of simulants correlated to their lipophilicity or hydrophilicity. Decontamination efficiency results with DDGel for these simulants were consistent with binding affinity results. Amounts of percentage dose of chemicals in DDGel of trimethyl phosphate, dimethyl adipate, 2-chloroethyl methyl sulfide, diethyl adipate, chloroethyl phenyl sulfide and diethyl sebacate were determined to be 61.15, 85.67, 75.91, 53.53, 89.89 and 76.58, with corresponding amounts absorbed in skin of 0.96, 0.65, 1.68, 0.72, 0.57 and 1.38, respectively. In vitro skin decontamination experiments coupled with a dermal absorption study demonstrated that DDGel can efficiently remove chemicals from skin surface, back-extract from the SC, and significantly reduced chemical penetration into skin or systemic absorption for all six simulants tested. Therefore, DDGel offers a great potential as a NextGen skin Decon platform technology for both military and civilian use.

Exploring the physicochemical properties of oxime-reactivation therapeutics for cyclosarin, sarin, tabun, and VX inactivated acetylcholinesterase.

The inactivation of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) by organophosphorus agent (OP) compounds is a serious problem regardless of how the individual was exposed. The reactivation of OP-inactivated AChE is dependent on the OP conjugate, and commonly a specific oxime is better at reactivating a specific OP conjugate than several diverse OP conjugates. The presented research explores the physicochemical properties needed for the reactivation of OP-inactivated AChE. Four different OPs, cyclosarin, sarin, tabun, and VX, were analyzed using the same set of oxime reactivators. A trial descriptor pool of semiempirical, traditional, and molecular interaction field descriptors was used to construct an ensemble of QSAR models for each OP-conjugate pair. Based on the molecular information and the cross-validation ability, individual QSAR models were selected to be part of an OP-conjugate consensus model. The OP-conjugate specific models provide important insight into the physicochemical properties required to reactivate the OP conjugates of interest. The reactivation of AChE inactivated with either cyclosarin or tabun requires the oxime therapeutic to possess an overall polar-positive surface area. Oxime therapeutics for the reactivation of sarin-inactivated AChE are conformationally dependent while oxime reverse therapeutics for VX require a compact region with a highly hydrophilic region and two positively charged pyridine rings.

Reactivation kinetics of a homologous series of bispyridinium bis-oximes with nerve agent-inhibited human acetylcholinesterase.

The reactivation of organophosphorus compound (OP)-inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE) by oximes is inadequate in case of different OP nerve agents. This fact led to the synthesis of numerous novel oximes by different research groups in order to identify more effective reactivators. In the present study, we investigated the reactivation kinetics of a homologous series of bispyridinium bis-oximes bearing a (E)-but-2-ene linker with tabun-, sarin-, and cyclosarin-inhibited human AChE. In part, marked differences in affinity and reactivity of the investigated oximes toward OP-inhibited human AChE were recorded. These properties depended on the position of the oxime groups and the inhibitor. None of the tested oximes was equally effective against all used OPs. In addition, the data indicate that a (E)-but-2-ene linker decreased in most cases the reactivating potency in comparison to oximes bearing an oxybismethylene linker, e.g., obidoxime and HI-6. The results of this study give further insight into structural requirements for oxime reactivators, underline the necessity to investigate the kinetic interactions of oximes and AChE with structurally different OP inhibitors, and point to the difficulty to develop an oxime reactivator which is efficient against a broad spectrum of OPs.

A comparison of tabun-inhibited rat brain acetylcholinesterase reactivation by three oximes (HI-6, obidoxime, and K048) in vivo detected by biochemical and histochemical techniques.

Tabun belongs to the most toxic nerve agents. Its mechanism of action is based on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition at the peripheral and central nervous systems. Therapeutic countermeasures comprise administration of atropine with cholinesterase reactivators able to reactivate the inhibited enzyme. Reactivation of AChE is determined mostly biochemically without specification of different brain structures. Histochemical determination allows a fine search for different structures but is performed mostly without quantitative evaluation. In rats intoxicated with tabun and treated with a combination of atropine and HI-6, obidoxime, or new oxime K048, AChE activities in different brain structures were determined using biochemical and quantitative histochemical methods. Inhibition of AChE following untreated tabun intoxication was different in the various brain structures, having the highest degree in the frontal cortex and reticular formation and lowest in the basal ganglia and substantia nigra. Treatment resulted in an increase of AChE activity detected by both methods. The highest increase was observed in the frontal cortex. This reactivation was increased in the order HI-6 < K048 < obidoxime; however, this order was not uniform for all brain parts studied. A correlation between AChE activity detected by histochemical and biochemical methods was demonstrated. The results suggest that for the mechanism of action of the nerve agent tabun, reactivation in various parts of the brain is not of the same physiological importance. AChE activity in the pontomedullar area and frontal cortex seems to be the most important for the therapeutic effect of the reactivators. HI-6 was not a good reactivator for the treatment of tabun intoxication.

A comparison of the reactivating and therapeutic efficacy of newly developed oximes (K347, K628) with commonly used oximes (obidoxime, HI-6) against tabun in rats and mice.

The potency of newly developed reactivators of nerve agent-inhibited acetylcholinesterase (K347, K628) in reactivating tabun-inhibited acetylcholinesterase and reducing tabun-induced lethal toxic effects was compared with currently available oximes (obidoxime, the oxime HI-6), using in vivo methods. Studies that determined the percentage of reactivation of tabun-inhibited blood and tissue acetycholinesterase in poisoned rats showed that the reactivating efficacy of both newly developed oximes is comparable with the oxime HI-6, but it is significantly lower than the reactivating effects of obidoxime. The monopyridinium oxime, K347, was also found to be able to reduce lethal toxic effects in tabun-poisoned mice, while the therapeutic efficacy of another newly developed bispyridinium oxime, K628, was negligible. The therapeutic efficacy of K347 was higher than the potency of the oxime, HI-6, but it was lower than the therapeutic effects of obidoxime. Thus, the reactivating and therapeutic potency of both newly developed oximes (K347, K628) was not more effective then currently available oximes, and therefore, they are not suitable for the replacement of commonly used oximes (especially obidoxime) for the treatment of acute tabun poisoning.

In vivo administration of BL-3050: highly stable engineered PON1-HDL complexes.

BACKGROUND: Serum paraoxonase (PON1) is a high density lipoprotein (HDL)-associated enzyme involved in organophosphate (OP) degradation and prevention of atherosclerosis. PON1 comprises a potential candidate for in vivo therapeutics, as an anti-atherogenic agent, and for detoxification of pesticides and nerve agents. Because human PON1 exhibits limited stability, engineered, recombinant PON1 (rePON1) variants that were designed for higher reactivity, solubility, stability, and bacterial expression, are candidates for treatment. This work addresses the feasibility of in vivo administration of rePON1, and its HDL complex, as a potentially therapeutic agent dubbed BL-3050. METHODS: For stability studies we applied different challenges related to the in vivo disfunctionalization of HDL and PON1 and tested for inactivation of PON1's activity. We applied acute, repetitive administrations of BL-3050 in mice to assess its toxicity and adverse immune responses. The in vivo efficacy of recombinant PON1 and BL-3050 were tested with an animal model of chlorpyrifos-oxon poisoning. RESULTS: Inactivation studies show significantly improved in vitro lifespan of the engineered rePON1 relative to human PON1. Significant sequence changes relative to human PON1 might hamper the in vivo applicability of BL-3050 due to adverse immune responses. However, we observed no toxic effects in mice subjected to repetitive administration of BL-3050, suggesting that BL-3050 could be safely used. To further evaluate the activity of BL-3050 in vivo, we applied an animal model that mimics human organophosphate poisoning. In these studies, a significant advantages of rePON1 and BL-3050 (>87.5% survival versus <37.5% in the control groups) was observed. Furthermore, BL-3050 and rePON1 were superior to the conventional treatment of atropine-2-PAM as a prophylactic treatment for OP poisoning. CONCLUSION: In vitro and in vivo data described here demonstrate the potential advantages of rePON1 and BL-3050 for treatment of OP toxicity and chronic cardiovascular diseases like atherosclerosis. The in vivo data also suggest that rePON1 and BL-3050 are stable and safe, and could be used for acute, and possibly repeated treatments, with no adverse effects.

Pharmacokinetics of K117 and K127, two novel antidote candidates to treat Tabun poisoning.

AIMS: K117 and K127 are bis-pyridinium aldoximes but K117 is a bis-pyridinium bis-aldoxime while K127 has only one single aldoxime in addition to its amide substituent. Is there any difference in pharmacokinetics in these compounds that otherwise have the same chemical structure? Both K117 and K127 are developed as antidotes in acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase poisoning in terrorist attacks or intoxication with other organophosphorous compounds. Their distributions have been scouted in the bodies of rats. MAIN METHODS: White male Wistar rats were intramuscularly injected. The animals were sacrificed, tissue samples were homogenized, and either K117 or K127 concentrations were determined using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. KEY FINDINGS: Both K117 and K127 were present in all tissues that were analyzed including blood (serum), the brains, cerebrospinal fluid, the eyes, livers, kidneys, lungs and testes. Their pharmacokinetics and body distributions are similar. SIGNIFICANCE: Either K117 or K127 meets the essential requirements for antidotes. Dose dependence and kinetics of their distribution were compared to that of other pyridinium aldoximes.

Therapy against organophosphate poisoning: the importance of anticholinergic drugs with antiglutamatergic properties.

Potent cholinesterase inhibitors (e.g., soman, sarin), induce a wide range of deleterious effects including convulsions, behavioral impairments and ultimately, death. Due to the likelihood of various scenarios of military or terrorist attacks by these and other chemical weapons, research has to be aimed at finding optimal therapies. Early accumulation of acetylcholine in synaptic clefts was suggested to trigger an array of toxic events including an excessive release of glutamate, culminating in the activation of its receptors. Stimulation of the N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) subtype of these receptors was associated with the neuronal injury that initiates organophosphate-induced brain damage. The notion of a stepwise mechanism yielded treatments based on a combination of an immediate administration of enzyme reactivators and anticholinergic drugs. This strategy dramatically increased survival rates but did not abolish convulsions and failed to prevent the ensuing cognitive dysfunction. Efforts to improve this paradigm by adding anticonvulsants or antiglutamatergic drugs with anti-epileptic characteristics produced dubious results. Under these conditions, benactyzine and caramiphen, agents with anticholinergic and antiglutamatergic properties, provided improved protection when introduced as adjunct agents to oximes, reversible cholinesterase inhibitors and/or specific antimuscarinic drugs such as atropine. In contrast, the specific antimuscarinic drug scopolamine failed to block soman-induced changes in glutamatergic and behavioral parameters even when given prophylactically. These findings along with a large number of additional reports led towards the conclusion that the therapeutic advantage of drugs such as benactyzine and caramiphen could derive from their ability to modulate central cholinergic and glutamate neurotransmission.

The development of new oximes and the evaluation of their reactivating, therapeutic and neuroprotective efficacy against tabun.

Tabun (O-ethyl-N,N-dimethyl phosphoramidocyanidate) belongs to highly toxic organophosphorus compounds misused as chemical warfare agents for military as well as terroristic purposes. The antidotal treatment of tabun acute poisonings still represents a serious problem and the development of new, more effective AChE reactivators to achieve the satisfactorily effective antidotal treatment of acute poisonings with tabun still represents very important goal. Since 2003, we have prepared around 200 new AChE reactivators. Their potency to reactivate tabun-inhibited acetylcholinesterase has been subsequently evaluated using our in vitro screening test. Afterwards, promising compounds were selected and kinetic parameters and reactivation constants were determined. Then, the best reactivators were subjected to the in vivo studies (toxicity test, the evaluation of therapeutic, reactivating and neuroprotective efficacy) and their potency to counteract the acute toxicity of tabun is compared to the therapeutic, reactivating and neuroprotective efficacy of commonly used oximes - obidoxime and the oxime HI-6. According to the results obtained, the newly synthesized oxime K075 showed the highest potency to reduce tabun-induced acute lethal toxicity while the therapeutic potency of obidoxime and the oxime HI-6 was significantly lower. The therapeutic efficacy of oximes studied corresponds to their reactivating efficacy in vivo as well as in vitro. The potency of all newly synthesized oximes to reactivate tabun-inhibited AChE is comparable with obidoxime with the exception of K074 that is significantly more efficacious in the brain. In addition, all newly synthesized oximes combined with atropine seem to be effective antidotes for a decrease in tabun-induced acute neurotoxicity. While the neuroprotective efficacy of obidoxime in combination with atropine is similar to the potency of newly synthesized oximes, the ability of the oxime HI-6 combined with atropine to counteract tabun-induced acute neurotoxicity is significantly lower. Due to their therapeutic, reactivating and neuroprotective efficacy, all newly synthesized oximes appear to be suitable oximes for the antidotal treatment of acute tabun poisonings.

Monoquaternary pyridinium salts with modified side chain-synthesis and evaluation on model of tabun- and paraoxon-inhibited acetylcholinesterase.

Acetylcholinesterase reactivators are crucial antidotes for the treatment of organophosphate intoxication. Eighteen monoquaternary reactivators of acetylcholinesterase with modified side chain were developed in an effort to extend the properties of pralidoxime. The known reactivators (pralidoxime, HI-6, obidoxime, trimedoxime, methoxime) and the prepared compounds were tested in vitro on a model of tabun- and paraoxon-inhibited AChE. Monoquaternary reactivators were not able to exceed the best known compounds for tabun poisoning, but some of them did show reactivation better or comparable with pralidoxime for paraoxon poisoning. However, extensive differences were found by a SAR study for various side chains on the non-oxime part of the reactivator molecule.

Novel nerve-agent antidote design based on crystallographic and mass spectrometric analyses of tabun-conjugated acetylcholinesterase in complex with antidotes.

Organophosphorus compound-based nerve agents inhibit the essential enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) causing acute toxicity and death. Clinical treatment of nerve-agent poisoning is to use oxime-based antidotes to reactivate the inhibited AChE. However, the nerve agent tabun is resistant to oximes. To design improved oximes, crystal structures of a tabun-conjugated AChE in complex with different oximes are needed to guide the structural modifications of known antidotes. However, this type of structure is extremely challenging to obtain because both deamidation of the tabun conjugate and reactivation of AChE occur during crystallographic experiments. Here we report, for the first time, the crystal structures of Ortho-7 and HLö-7 in complex with AChE that is conjugated to an intact tabun. These structures were determined by our new strategy of combining crystallographic and mass spectrometric analyses of AChE crystals. The results explain the relative reactivation potencies of the two oximes and offer insights into improving known medical antidotes.

Comparison of reactivating and therapeutic efficacy of two salts of the oxime HI-6 against tabun, soman and cyclosarin in rats.

The reactivating and therapeutic efficacy of two salts of the oxime HI-6 (dichloride and dimethanesulphonate) against chosen nerve agents (tabun, soman and cyclosarin) was compared in rats. The potency of both salts of HI-6 to decrease the acute toxicity of tabun, soman and cyclosarin was similar in nerve agent-poisoned rats. While the potency of HI-6 dichloride and HI-6 dimethanesulphonate to counteract acute toxic effects of tabun is rather low, both salts of HI-6 were able to decrease the acute toxicity of soman two times and acute toxicity of cyclosarin more than three times. The therapeutic efficacy of both salts of the oxime HI-6 corresponds to their reactivating potency. While the reactivating efficacy of HI-6 dichloride as well as HI-6 dimethanesulphonate against tabun was negligible, their potency to reactivate soman-inhibited acetylcholinesterase and cyclosarin-inhibited acetylcholinesterase in peripheral (blood) and central (brain) compartment was relatively high. HI-6 dichloride showed a somewhat higher potency to reactivate tabun-inhibited acetylcholinesterase in brain, and soman-inhibited acetylcholinesterase in blood and brain than HI-6 dimethanesulphonate but the differences were not significant. Thus, the replacement of dichloride anion by dimethanesulphonate anion in the oxime HI-6 does not influence the therapeutic and reactivating efficacy of the oxime HI-6 against nerve agents. In addition, the higher solubility and stability of HI-6 dimethanesulphonate in comparison with HI-6 dichloride makes it possible to increase the dose and thus, the effectiveness of the oxime HI-6 in the antidotal treatment of acute nerve agent poisonings.

Targeted synthesis of 1-(4-hydroxyiminomethylpyridinium)-3-pyridiniumpropane dibromide--a new nerve agent reactivator.

Preparation of 1-(4-hydroxy-iminomethylpyridinium)-3-pyridiniumpropane dibromide is described. This compound represents a new acetylcholinesterase (AChE) reactivator, which has no substituents on the second pyridinium ring as found in other commonly used AChE reactivators. The reactivation ability of this reactivator was tested on tabun- and cyclosarin-inhibited AChE. According to the results obtained, the new compound (without substitution and with decreased molecule size) showed increased reactivation potency in case of cyclosarin inhibited AChE. A potent oxime for treatment of tabun and cyclosarin-caused intoxications was thus obtained via slight modification of the reactivator structure (compared to trimedoxime and K027).

In vitro and in vivo evaluation of pyridinium oximes: mode of interaction with acetylcholinesterase, effect on tabun- and soman-poisoned mice and their cytotoxicity.

The increased concern about terrorist use of nerve agents prompted us to search for new more effective oximes against tabun and soman poisoning. We investigated the interactions of five bispyridinium oximes: K027 [1-(4-hydroxyiminomethylpyridinium)-3-(4-carbamoylpyridinium) propane dibromide], K048 [1-(4-hydroxyiminomethylpyridinium)-4-(4-carbamoylpyridinium) butane dibromide], K033 [1,4-bis(2-hydroxyiminomethylpyridinium) butane dibromide], TMB-4 [1,3-bis(4-hydroxyiminomethylpyridinium) propane dibromide] and HI-6 [(1-(2-hydroxyiminomethylpyridinium)-3-(4-carbamoylpyridinium)-2-oxapropane dichloride)] with human erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase (AChE; E.C. 3.1.1.7) and their effects on tabun- and soman-poisoned mice. All the oximes reversibly inhibited AChE, and the enzyme-oxime dissociation constants were between 17 and 180 microM. Tabun-inhibited AChE was completely reactivated by TMB-4, K027 and K048, with the overall reactivation rate constants of 306, 376 and 673 min(-1)M(-1), respectively. The reactivation of tabun-inhibited AChE by K033 reached 50% after 24h, while HI-6 failed to reactivate any AChE at all. Soman-inhibited AChE was resistant to reactivation by 1mM oximes. All studied oximes protected AChE from phosphorylation with both soman and tabun. In vivo experiments showed that the studied oximes were relatively toxic to mice; K033 was the most toxic (LD50=33.4 mg/kg), while K027 was the least toxic (LD50=672.8 mg/kg). The best antidotal efficacy was obtained with K048, K027 and TMB-4 for tabun poisoning, and HI-6 for soman poisoning. Moreover, all tested oximes showed no cytotoxic effect on several cell lines in concentrations up to 0.8mM. The potency of the oximes K048 and K027 to protect mice from five-fold LD50 of tabun and their low toxicity make these compounds leading in the therapy of tabun poisoning. The combination of HI-6 and atropine is the therapy of choice for soman poisoning.

The influence of oxime and anticholinergic drug selection on the potency of antidotal treatment to counteract acute toxic effects of tabun in mice.

The influence of newly developed oximes, K027 [1-(4-hydroxyiminomethylpyridinium)-3-(4-carbamoylpyridinium) propane dibromide] and K048 [1-(4-hydroxyiminomethylpyridinium)-3-(4-carbamoylpyridinium) butane dibromide], or currently used oximes (pralidoxime, obidoxime, trimedoxime, HI-6) and anticholinergic drugs (atropine, benactyzine) on the ability of antidotal treatment to eliminate tabun-induced acute toxic effects was studied in mice. The therapeutical efficacy of trimedoxime and both newly developed oximes (K027, K048) is significantly higher than the potency of pralidoxime (regardless of the choice of anticholinergic drug), obidoxime (in the case of its combination with atropine) and the oxime HI-6 (in the case of its combination with benactyzine). All studied oximes with the exception of pralidoxime and the oxime HI-6, when combined with benactyzine, appear to be more efficacious in the elimination of toxic effects of the lethal dose of tabun than their combination with atropine. The findings support the hypothesis that the choice of acetylcholinesterase reactivators as well as the anticholinergic drug selection are important for the effectiveness of an antidotal mixture in the case of antidotal treatment of tabun-induced acute poisonings.

Reactivation by imidazo-pyridinium oximes of acetylcholinesterase inhibited by organophosphates. A study with an immobilized enzyme method.

A new procedure is described for studying inhibition and reactivation of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The enzyme, electric eel AChE, is immobilized on fiberglass and the enzymatic activity is continuously monitored in an open reactor by an assay adapted from the Ellman's method. The use of immobilized AChE permits independent inhibition and reactivation of the enzyme. Side-reactions between substrate, inhibitor and reactivator are avoided. This method is used to determine the reactivating efficiency of a new series of imidazo-pyridinium oximes for the enzyme inhibited by different organophosphorous compounds. Kinetic parameters of reactivation were determined after AChE inhibition by sarin, VX and paraoxon. The more efficient reactivators have a short methylene bridge (C3 to C6) between imidazolium and pyridinium rings. Against soman inhibition, the pyrimidoxime or 1-(1-methyl-imidazolinium) 3-(4-carbaldoxime-pyridinium) propane dibromide, introduced immediately after the inhibitor, gives the same result as TMB-4 (37% reactivation). 1-benzyl 2-carbaldoxime pyridinium bromide was found to be more potent in reactivating tabun inhibited AChE than pyrimidoxime. Imidazo-pyridinium oximes with a long methylene bridge (C8 to C10) are good reversible inhibitors of free AChE (Ki less than 1 microM).

The bispyridinium-dioxime HLö-7. A potent reactivator for acetylcholinesterase inhibited by the stereoisomers of tabun and soman.

Purification of (+)-tabun was accomplished by treatment with electric eel acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in order to bind contaminating (-)-tabun and with purified (+)-tabun shown similar properties in reactivation reactions with oximes (pH 7.5, 25 degrees). The bispyridinium-2,4-dioxime HLö-7 is a substantially active reactivator for these inhibited enzymes as well as for human erythrocyte AChE inhibited with (-)-tabun. In contrast, the corresponding bispyridinium-2-monooxime HI-6 does not show any activity at similar reaction conditions. HLö-7 is also much more active than HI-6 when used as a reactivator for electric eel AChE inhibited by some N-unsubstituted derivatives of tabun. Surprisingly, HLö-7 is highly active in reactivating human erythrocyte and rat diaphragm AChE inhibited by C(+)P(+/-)-and C(-)P(+/-)-soman, i.e. at least as active as HI-6, which is the most potent reactivator for soman-inhibited AChE reported so far. To our knowledge, HLö-7 is the first compound reported in literature that shows a potent reactivating activity towards both tabun-inhibited AChE and soman-inhibited AChE.

Protection against tabun toxicity in mice by prophylaxis with an enzyme hydrolyzing organophosphate esters.

We demonstrate here the correlation between protection afforded by pretreatment alone with parathion hydrolase purified from Pseudomonas sp. against tabun toxicity in mice and the kinetic parameters which are assumed to determine the in vivo detoxification of tabun by the same enzyme. Results show that 15 and 22 micrograms of parathion hydrolase per animal conferred a protective ratio of 3.94 and 5.65 respectively, against tabun toxicity, without post-exposure treatment.

Efficacy of an oximate-based skin decontaminant against organophosphate nerve agents determined in vivo and in vitro.

Recent Canadian research efforts have been directed towards the development of a reactive skin decontaminant (RSD) lotion active against classical nerve agents and mustard. The formulation presently under study consists of a 1.25 molal solution of potassium 2,3-butanedione monoximate (KBDO) in polyethylene glycol methylether 550. Although this formulation has shown good efficacy, concern has been expressed as to the potential toxicity of the reaction products of KBDO and organophosphate (OP) nerve agents. This report details the high efficacy of this lotion in inactivating OPs as measured by the systemic toxicity of the OP/RSD mixtures in rats. In addition, primary cultures of chick embryo neurons were also used to test the efficacy of the RSD. By relating the anticholinesterase activity in these cultures of the OP/RSD mixture to that of pure OP standards, a sensitive measure of the value of the RSD in inactivating tabun, sarin, soman and VX was obtained. Experiments with all four nerve agents in this in vitro system provided a good correlation with the in vivo data, and also indicated that the inactivation process was time- and agent-dependent and also related to the ratio of OP to RSD.