Substituent Effects in Chain-Breaking Aryltellurophenol Antioxidants.

2-Aryltellurophenols substituted in the aryltelluro or phenolic parts of the molecule were prepared by lithiation of the corresponding tetrahydropyran-protected 2-bromophenol, followed by reaction with a suitable diaryl ditelluride then deprotection. In a two-phase system containing N-acetylcysteine as a co-antioxidant in the aqueous phase, all of the compounds quenched lipid peroxyl radicals more efficiently than α-tocopherol, with three to five-fold longer inhibition times. Thus, these compounds offer better and longer-lasting antioxidant protection than recently prepared alkyltellurophenols. Compounds with electron-donating para substituents in the aryltelluro or phenolic part of the molecule showed the best results. The mechanism for quenching peroxyl radicals was considered and discussed with respect to the calculated O-H bond-dissociation energies, deuterium-labelling experiments and studies of thiol consumption in the aqueous phase.

Ebselen and analogs as inhibitors of Bacillus anthracis thioredoxin reductase and bactericidal antibacterials targeting Bacillus species, Staphylococcus aureus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND: Bacillus anthracis is the causative agent of anthrax, a disease associated with a very high mortality rate in its invasive forms. METHODS: We studied a number of ebselen analogs as inhibitors of B. anthracis thioredoxin reductase and their antibacterial activity on Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. RESULTS: The most potent compounds in the series gave IC(50) values down to 70 nM for the pure enzyme and minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) down to 0.4 µM (0.12 µg/ml) for B. subtilis, 1.5 µM (0.64 µg/ml) for S. aureus, 2 µM (0.86 µg/ml) for B. cereus and 10 µg/ml for M. tuberculosis. Minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) were found at 1-1.5 times the MIC, indicating a general, class-dependent, bactericidal mode of action. The combined bacteriological and enzymological data were used to construct a preliminary structure-activity-relationship for the benzoisoselenazol class of compounds. When S. aureus and B. subtilis were exposed to ebselen, we were unable to isolate resistant mutants on both solid and in liquid medium suggesting a high resistance barrier. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that ebselen and analogs thereof could be developed into a novel antibiotic class, useful for the treatment of infections caused by B. anthracis, S. aureus, M. tuberculosis and other clinically important bacteria. Furthermore, the high barrier against resistance development is encouraging for further drug development. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE: We have characterized the thioredoxin system from B. anthracis as a novel drug target and ebselen and analogs thereof as a potential new class of antibiotics targeting several important human pathogens.

Chain-Breaking Phenolic 2,3-Dihydrobenzo[b]selenophene Antioxidants: Proximity Effects and Regeneration Studies.

Phenolic 2,3-dihydrobenzo[b]selenophene antioxidants bearing an OH-group ortho (9), meta (10, 11) and para (8) to the Se were prepared by seleno-Claisen rearrangement/intramolecular hydroselenation. meta-Isomer (11) was studied by X-ray crystallography. The radical-trapping activity and regenerability of compounds 8-11 were evaluated using a two-phase system in which linoleic acid was undergoing peroxidation in the lipid phase while regeneration of the antioxidant by co-antioxidants (N-acetylcysteine, glutathione, dithiothreitol, ascorbic acid, tris(carboxyethyl)phosphine hydrochloride) was ongoing in the aqueous layer. Compound 9 quenched peroxyl radicals more efficiently than α-tocopherol. It also provided the most long-lasting antioxidant protection. With thiol co-antioxidants it could inhibit peroxidation for more than five-fold longer than the natural product. Regeneration was more efficient when the aqueous phase pH was slightly acidic. Since calculated O-H bond dissociation energies for 8-11 were substantially larger than for α-tocopherol, an antioxidant mechanism involving O-atom transfer from peroxyl to selenium was proposed. The resulting phenolic selenoxide/alkoxyl radical would then exchange a hydrogen atom in a solvent cage before antioxidant regeneration at the aqueous lipid interphase.

Nitro-, Azo-, and Amino Derivatives of Ebselen: Synthesis, Structure, and Cytoprotective Effects.

Novel azo-bis-ebselen compounds 7 were prepared by reduction of 7-nitro-2-aryl-1,2-benzisoselenazol-3(2H)-ones 3 and 6 with sodium benzenetellurolate, NaTeC6H5, and by reaction of 2-bromo-3-nitrobenzamides with Na2Se2. The X-ray structure of 7b showed that the molecule, due to strong intramolecular secondary Se···N interactions, is completely planar. Azo-compounds 7 upon further reaction with NaTeC6H5 were reductively cleaved to provide 2 equiv of the corresponding aromatic amine. The weak Se-N bond was not stable enough to survive the reaction conditions, and diselenides 8 were isolated after workup. Whereas azo-bis-ebselens 7 were poor mimics of the glutathione peroxidase (GPx)-enzymes, nitroebselens 3, 6, and 11b and diselenides 8 were 3-6-fold more active than ebselen. Based on 77Se NMR spectroscopy, a catalytic cycle for diselenide 8b, involving aminoebselen 14, was proposed. As assessed by chemiluminescence measurements, the good GPx-mimics could reduce production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in stimulated human mononuclear cells more efficiently than Trolox. No toxic effects of the compounds were seen in MC3T3-cells at 25 µM.

Alkyltelluro Substitution Improves the Radical-Trapping Capacity of Aromatic Amines.

The synthesis of a variety of aromatic amines carrying an ortho-alkyltelluro group is described. The new antioxidants quenched lipidperoxyl radicals much more efficiently than α-tocopherol and were regenerable by aqueous-phase N-acetylcysteine in a two-phase peroxidation system. The inhibition time for diaryl amine 9 b was four-fold longer than recorded with α-tocopherol. Thiol consumption in the aqueous phase was found to correlate inversely to the inhibition time and the availability of thiol is the limiting factor for the duration of antioxidant protection. The proposed mechanism for quenching of peroxyl radicals involves O-atom transfer from peroxyl to Te followed by H-atom transfer from amine to alkoxyl radical in a solvent cage.

Regenerable Radical-Trapping Tellurobistocopherol Antioxidants.

Tellurobistocopherols 9-11 were prepared by lithiation of the corresponding bromotocopherols, reaction with tellurium tetrachloride and reductive workup. Compounds 9-11 quenched linoleic-acid-derived peroxyl radicals much more efficiently than α-tocopherol in a chlorobenzene/water two-phase system. N-Acetylcysteine or tris(2-carboxylethyl)phosphine as co-antioxidants in the aqueous phase could regenerate the tellurobistocopherols and increase their inhibition times. Antioxidant 11 inhibited peroxidation for 7-fold longer than that recorded with α-tocopherol. Thiol consumption in the aqueous phase was monitored and found to be inversely related to the inhibition time.

Multifunctional Antioxidants: Regenerable Radical-Trapping and Hydroperoxide-Decomposing Ebselenols.

Regenerable, multifunctional ebselenol antioxidants were prepared that could quench peroxyl radicals more efficiently than α-tocopherol. These compounds act as better mimics of the glutathione peroxidase enzymes than ebselen. Production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) in human mononuclear cells was considerably decreased upon exposure to the organoselenium compounds. At a concentration of 25 µm, the ebselenol derivatives showed minimal toxicity in pre-osteoblast MC3T3 cells.

Regenerable antioxidants-introduction of chalcogen substituents into tocopherols.

To improve the radical-trapping capacity of the natural antioxidants, alkylthio-, alkylseleno-, and alkyltelluro groups were introduced into all vacant aromatic positions in ß-, γ- and δ-tocopherol. Reaction of the tocopherols with electrophilic chalcogen reagents generated by persulfate oxidation of dialkyl dichalcogenides provided convenient but low-yielding access to many sulfur and selenium derivatives, but failed in the case of tellurium. An approach based on lithiation of the appropriate bromo-tocopherol, insertion of chalcogen into the carbon-lithium bond, air-oxidation to a dichalcogenide, and final borohydride reduction/alkylation turned out to be generally applicable to the synthesis of all chalcogen derivatives. Whereas alkylthio- and alkylseleno analogues were generally poorer quenchers of lipid peroxyl radicals than the corresponding parents, all tellurium compounds showed a substantially improved radical-trapping activity. Introduction of alkyltelluro groups into the tocopherol scaffold also caused a dramatic increase in the regenerability of the antioxidant. In a two-phase lipid peroxidation system containing N-acetylcysteine as a water-soluble co-antioxidant the inhibition time was up to six-fold higher than that recorded for the natural antioxidants.

Effect of a Bromo Substituent on the Glutathione Peroxidase Activity of a Pyridoxine-like Diselenide.

In search for better mimics of the glutathione peroxidase enzymes, pyridoxine-like diselenides 6 and 11, carrying a 6-bromo substituent, were prepared. Reaction of 2,6-dibromo-3-pyridinol 5 with sodium diselenide provided 6 via aromatic nucleophilic substitution of the 2-bromo substituent. LiAlH4 caused reduction of all four ester groups and returned 11 after acidic workup. The X-ray structure of 6 showed that the dipyridyl diselenide moiety was kept in an almost planar, transoid conformation. According to NBO-analysis, this was due to weak intramolecular Se···O (1.1 kcal/mol) and Se···N-interactions (2.5 kcal/mol). That the 6-bromo substituent increased the positive charge on selenium was confirmed by NPA-analysis and seen in calculated and observed (77)Se NMR-shifts. Diselenide 6 showed a more than 3-fold higher reactivity than the corresponding des-bromo compound 3a and ebselen when evaluated in the coupled reductase assay. Experiments followed for longer time (2 h) confirmed that diselenide 6 is a better GPx-catalyst than 11. On the basis of (77)Se-NMR experiments, a catalytic mechanism for diselenide 6 was proposed involving selenol, selenosulfide and seleninic acid intermediates. At low concentration (10 µM) where it showed only minimal toxicity, it could scavenge ROS produced by MNC- and PMNC-cells more efficiently than Trolox.

Ebsulfur is a benzisothiazolone cytocidal inhibitor targeting the trypanothione reductase of Trypanosoma brucei.

Trypanosoma brucei is the causing agent of African trypanosomiasis. These parasites possess a unique thiol redox system required for DNA synthesis and defense against oxidative stress. It includes trypanothione and trypanothione reductase (TryR) instead of the thioredoxin and glutaredoxin systems of mammalian hosts. Here, we show that the benzisothiazolone compound ebsulfur (EbS), a sulfur analogue of ebselen, is a potent inhibitor of T. brucei growth with a favorable selectivity index over mammalian cells. EbS inhibited the TryR activity and decreased non-protein thiol levels in cultured parasites. The inhibition of TryR by EbS was irreversible and NADPH-dependent. EbS formed a complex with TryR and caused oxidation and inactivation of the enzyme. EbS was more toxic for T. brucei than for Trypanosoma cruzi, probably due to lower levels of TryR and trypanothione in T. brucei. Furthermore, inhibition of TryR produced high intracellular reactive oxygen species. Hydrogen peroxide, known to be constitutively high in T. brucei, enhanced the EbS inhibition of TryR. The elevation of reactive oxygen species production in parasites caused by EbS induced a programmed cell death. Soluble EbS analogues were synthesized and cured T. brucei brucei infection in mice when used together with nifurtimox. Altogether, EbS and EbS analogues disrupt the trypanothione system, hampering the defense against oxidative stress. Thus, EbS is a promising lead for development of drugs against African trypanosomiasis.

Pyridoxine-derived organoselenium compounds with glutathione peroxidase-like and chain-breaking antioxidant activity.

One of the vitamin B6 vitamers, pyridoxine, was modified to incorporate selenium in various oxidation states in place of the methyl group in position 2. Such compounds were conveniently accessed by treatment of bis-4,5-(carboethoxy)-2-iodo-3-pyridinol with disodium diselenide and LiAlH4 -reduction. After work-up, selone 7 was isolated in good yield as an air-stable crystalline material. Hydrogen bonding to the neighboring hydroxyl group, as revealed by the short intramolecular Se⋅⋅⋅H distance in the crystal structure is likely to provide extra stabilization to the compound. Computational studies showed that selone 7 is more stable than the corresponding selenol tautomer by 12.2 kcal mol(-1) . Hydrogen peroxide oxidation of the selone 7 afforded diselenide 12, and, on further oxidation, seleninic acid 13. Treatment of the seleninic acid with thiophenol provided an isolable selenosulfide 14. The glutathione peroxidase-like properties of the pyridoxine-derived compounds were assessed by using the coupled reductase method. Seleninic acid 13 was found to be twofold more active than ebselen. The chain-breaking capacity of the pyridoxine compounds were studied in a water/chlorobenzene membrane model containing linoleic acid as an oxidizable substrate and N-acetylcysteine as a thiol reducing agent. Diselenide 15 could match α-tocopherol when it comes to reactivity towards peroxyl radicals and inhibition time.

Inhibition of bacterial thioredoxin reductase: an antibiotic mechanism targeting bacteria lacking glutathione.

Increasing antibiotic resistance makes the identification of new antibacterial principles an urgent task. The thioredoxin system including thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), thioredoxin (Trx), and NADPH plays critical roles in cellular DNA synthesis and defense against oxidative stress. Notably, TrxR is very different in structure and mechanism in mammals and bacteria. Ebselen [2-phenyl-1,2 benzisoselenazol-3(2H)-one], a well-known antioxidant and a substrate for mammalian TrxR and Trx, is rapidly bacteriocidal for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus by an unknown mechanism. We have discovered that ebselen is a competitive inhibitor of Escherichia coli TrxR with a Ki of 0.52 ± 0.13 µM, through reaction with the active site dithiol of the enzyme. Bacteria lacking glutathione (GSH) and glutaredoxin, in which TrxR and Trx are essential for DNA synthesis, were particularly sensitive to ebselen. In growth-inhibited E. coli strains, Trx1 and Trx2 were oxidized, demonstrating that electron transfer via thioredoxin was blocked. Ebselen and its sulfur analog ebsulfur were bactericidal for GSH-negative pathogens. Ebsulfur inhibited a clinically isolated Helicobacter pylori strain with a minimum inhibitory concentration value as low as 0.39 µg/ml. These results demonstrate that bacterial Trx and TrxR are viable antibacterial drug targets using benzisoselenazol and benzisothiazol derivates.

Multi-faceted reactivity of alkyltellurophenols towards peroxyl radicals: catalytic antioxidant versus thiol-depletion effect.

Hydroxyaryl alkyl tellurides are effective antioxidants both in organic solution and aqueous biphasic systems. They react by an unconventional mechanism with ROO(·) radicals with rate constants as high as 10(7) M(-1) s(-1) at 303 K, outperforming common phenols. The reactions proceed by oxygen atom transfer to tellurium followed by hydrogen atom transfer to the resulting RO(·) radical from the phenolic OH. The reaction rates do not reflect the electronic properties of the ring substituents and, because the reactions occur in a solvent cage, quenching is more efficient when the OH and TeR groups have an ortho arrangement. In the presence of thiols, hydroxyaryl alkyl tellurides act as catalytic antioxidants towards both hydroperoxides (mimicking the glutathione peroxidases) and peroxyl radicals. The high efficiency of the quenching of the peroxyl radicals and hydroperoxides could be advantageous under normal cellular conditions, but pro-oxidative (thiol depletion) when thiol concentrations are low.

Turning pyridoxine into a catalytic chain-breaking and hydroperoxide-decomposing antioxidant.

Vitamin B6 is involved in a variety of enzymatic transformations. Some recent findings also indicate an antioxidant role of the vitamin in biological systems. We set out to turn pyridoxine (1a) into a catalytic chain-breaking and hydroperoxide-decomposing antioxidant by replacing the 2-methyl substituent with an alkyltelluro group. Target molecules 12 and derivatives 14, 17, 18, and 20 thereof were accessed by subjecting suitably substituted 2-halopyridin-3-ols to aromatic substitution using sodium alkanetellurolates as nucleophiles and then LAH-reduction of ester groups. The novel pyridoxine compounds were found to inhibit azo-initiated peroxidation of linoleic acid an order of magnitude more efficiently than α-tocopherol in a water/chlorobenzene two-phase system containing N-acetylcysteine as a reducing agent in the aqueous phase. The most lipid-soluble pyridoxine derivative 20c was regenerable and could inhibit peroxidation for substantially longer time (>410 min) than α-tocopherol (87 min). The chalcogen-containing pyridoxines could also mimic the action of the glutathione peroxidase enzymes. Thus, compound 20a catalyzed reduction of hydrogen peroxide three times more efficiently than Ebselen in the presence of glutathione as a stoichiometric reducing agent.

In search of catalytic antioxidants--(alkyltelluro)phenols, (alkyltelluro)resorcinols, and bis(alkyltelluro)phenols.

The quenching of peroxyl radicals by ortho-(alkyltelluro)phenols occurs by a more complex mechanism than formal H-atom transfer. In an effort to improve on this concept, we have prepared (alkyltelluro)resorcinols and bis(alkyltelluro)phenols and evaluated their catalytic chain-breaking and preventive antioxidative properties. The in situ formed trianion produced from 2-bromophenol and 3 equiv of tert-butyllithium was allowed to react with dialkyl ditellurides to provide ortho-(alkyltelluro)phenols in low yields. 2-Bromoresorcinols after treatment with 4 equiv of tert-butyllithium similarly afforded 2-(alkyltelluro)resorcinols. Bis(alkyltelluro)phenols were accessed by allowing the trianion produced from the reaction of 2,6-dibromophenol with 5 equiv of tert-butyllithium to react with dialkyl ditellurides. The novel phenolic compounds were found to inhibit azo-initiated peroxidation of linoleic acid much more efficiently than α-tocopherol in a two-phase peroxidation system containing excess N-acetylcysteine as a stoichiometric thiol reducing agent in the aqueous phase. Whereas most of the (alkyltelluro)phenols and resorcinols could inhibit peroxidation for only 89-228 min, some of the bis(alkyltelluro)phenols were more regenerable and offered protection for >410 min. The novel (alkyltelluro)phenols were also evaluated for their capacity to catalyze reduction of hydrogen peroxide in the presence of thiophenol (glutathione peroxidase-like activity). (Alkyltelluro)resorcinols 7a-c were the most efficient catalysts with activities circa 65 times higher than those recorded for diphenyl diselenide.

Extraction of antioxidants from spruce (Picea abies) bark using eco-friendly solvents.

INTRODUCTION: Antioxidants are known to avert oxidation processes and they are found in trees and other plant materials. Tree bark is a major waste product from paper pulp industries; hence it is worthwhile to develop an extraction technique to extract the antioxidants. OBJECTIVE: To develop a fast and environmentally sustainable extraction technique for the extraction of antioxidants from bark of spruce (Picea abies) and also to identify the extracted antioxidants that are abundant in spruce bark. METHODOLOGY: A screening experiment that involved three different techniques was conducted to determine the best technique to extract antioxidants. The antioxidant capacity of the extracts was determined with DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) assay. Pressurised fluid extraction (PFE) turned out to be the best technique and a response surface design was therefore utilised to optimise PFE. Furthermore, NMR and HPLC-DAD-MS/MS were applied to identify the extracted antioxidants. RESULTS: PFE using water and ethanol as solvent at 160 and 180°C, respectively, gave extracts of the highest antioxidant capacity. Stilbene glucosides such as isorhapontin, piceid and astringin were identified in the extracts. CONCLUSION: The study has shown that PFE is a fast and environmentally sustainable technique, using water and ethanol as solvent for the extraction of antioxidants from spruce bark.

Long-lasting antioxidant protection: a regenerable BHA analogue.

Introduction of an octyltelluro group ortho to the phenolic moiety in 3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole (BHA) was found to significantly improve the antioxidant characteristics of the material. In contrast to BHA and the corresponding ortho-substituted octylthio- (9c) and octylseleno (9b) derivatives, the organotellurium 9a was regenerable when assayed for its capacity to inhibit azo-initiated peroxidation of linoleic acid in a chlorobenzene/water two-phase system containing N-acetylcysteine as a stoichiometric reducing agent, and peroxyl radicals were quenched more efficiently than with α-tocopherol. In the homogeneous phase, inhibition of styrene autoxidation occurred with a rate constant kinh as large as 1 × 10(7) M(-1) s(-1) but with a low (n = 0.4) stoichiometric factor. Evans-Polanij plots of log (kinh) versus BDE(O-H), which are usually linear for phenols with similar steric crowding reacting by H-atom transfer, revealed that compound 9a was more than 2 orders of magnitude more reactive than expected. Although further mechanistic investigations are needed, it seems that the ortho-arrangement of an alkyltelluro group and hydroxyl should be considered a privileged structure for phenolic antioxidants.

Catalytic chain-breaking pyridinol antioxidants.

The synthesis of 3-pyridinols carrying alkyltelluro, alkylseleno, and alkylthio groups is described together with a detailed kinetic, thermodynamic, and mechanistic study of their antioxidant activity. When assayed for their capacity to inhibit azo-initiated peroxidation of linoleic acid in a water/chlorobenzene two-phase system, tellurium-containing 3-pyridinols were readily regenerable by N-acetylcysteine contained in the aqueous phase. The best inhibitors quenched peroxyl radicals more efficiently than alpha-tocopherol, and the duration of inhibition was limited only by the availability of the thiol reducing agent. In homogeneous phase, inhibition of styrene autoxidation absolute rate constants k(inh) for quenching of peroxyl radical were as large as 1 x 10(7) M(-1) s(-1), thus outperforming the best phenolic antioxidants including alpha-tocopherol. Tellurium-containing 3-pyridinols could be quantitatively regenerated in homogeneous phase by N-tert-butoxycarbonyl cysteine methyl ester, a lipid-soluble analogue of N-acetylcysteine. In the presence of an excess of the thiol, a catalytic mode of action was observed, similar to the one in the two-phase system. Overall, compounds bearing the alkyltelluro moiety ortho to the OH group were much more effective antioxidants than the corresponding para isomers. The origin of the high reactivity of these compounds was explored using pulse-radiolysis thermodynamic measurements, and a mechanism for their unusual antioxidant activity was proposed. The tellurium-containing 3-pyridinols were also found to catalyze reduction of hydrogen peroxide in the presence of thiol reducing agents, thereby acting as multifunctional (preventive and chain-breaking) catalytic antioxidants.

Exploring a synthetic organoselenium compound for antioxidant pharmacotherapy--toxicity and effects on ROS-production.

The organoselenium antioxidant 1 was previously found to act as a catalytic antioxidant in a two-phase lipid peroxidation system. In aqueous environment, selenide 1 quenched ABTS-radicals more efficiently than Trolox and ascorbic acid. The selenide dose-dependently scavenged reactive oxygen and nitrogen species more efficiently than Trolox for neutrophils and PMA-stimulated macrophages, with 50% inhibitory concentrations in the low micromolar range. In addition no sign of toxicity or effect on cell viability was seen when culturing five human cell lines in concentrations up to 200 microM of selenide 1 for up to seven days. We therefore feel that the compound would be a good candidate for future drug development for prevention or treatment of disorders caused by or involving free radical-mediated or oxidative tissue damage.

Selenium- and Tellurium-Based Antioxidants for Modulating Inflammation and Effects on Osteoblastic Activity.

Increased oxidative stress plays a significant role in the etiology of bone diseases. Heightened levels of H2O2 disrupt bone homeostasis, leading to greater bone resorption than bone formation. Organochalcogen compounds could act as free radical trapping agents or glutathione peroxidase mimetics, reducing oxidative stress in inflammatory diseases. In this report, we synthesized and screened a library of organoselenium and organotellurium compounds for hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity, using macrophagic cell lines RAW264.7 and THP-1, as well as human mono- and poly-nuclear cells. These cells were stimulated to release H2O2, using phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, with and without organochalogens. Released H2O2 was then measured using a chemiluminescent assay over a period of 2 h. The screening identified an organoselenium compound which scavenged H2O2 more effectively than the vitamin E analog, Trolox. We also found that this organoselenium compound protected MC3T3 cells against H2O2-induced toxicity, whereas Trolox did not. The organoselenium compound exhibited no cytotoxicity to the cells and had no deleterious effects on cell proliferation, viability, or alkaline phosphatase activity. The rapidity of H2O2 scavenging and protection suggests that the mechanism of protection is due to the direct scavenging of extracellular H2O2. This compound is a promising modulators of inflammation and could potentially treat diseases involving high levels of oxidative stress.