Quantal size increase induced by the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol requires activation of CGRP receptors in mouse motor synapses.

In mouse motor synapses, the exogenous application of the endocannabinoid (EC) 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) increases acetylcholine (ACh) quantal size due to the activation of CB1 receptors and the stimulation of ACh vesicular uptake. In the present study, microelectrode recordings of miniature endplate potentials (MEPP) revealed that this effect of 2-AG is independent of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling but involves the activation of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptors along with CB1 receptors. Potentiation of MEPP amplitude in the presence of 2-AG was prevented by blockers of CGRP receptors and ryanodine receptors (RyR) and by inhibitors of phospholipase C (PLC) and Ca2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII). Therefore, we suggest a hypothetical chain of events, which starts from the activation of presynaptic CB1 receptors, involves PLC, RyR, and CaMKII, and results in CGRP release with the subsequent activation of presynaptic CGRP receptors. Activation of CGRP receptors is probably a part of a complex molecular cascade leading to the 2-AG-induced increase in ACh quantal size and MEPP amplitude. We propose that the same chain of events may also take place if 2-AG is endogenously produced in mouse motor synapses, because the increase in MEPP amplitude that follows after prolonged tetanic muscle contractions (30 Hz, 2 min) was prevented by the blocking of CB1 receptors. This work may help to unveil the previously unknown aspects of the functional interaction between ECs and peptide modulators aimed at the regulation of quantal size and synaptic transmission.

The effects of intramolecular and intermolecular coordination on (31)P nuclear shielding: phosphorylated azoles.

The effects of intramolecular and intermolecular coordination on (31)P nuclear shielding have been investigated in the series of tetracoordinated, pentacoordinated and hexacoordinated N-vinylpyrazoles and intermolecular complexes of N-vinylimidazole and 1-allyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazole with phosphorous pentachloride both experimentally and theoretically. It was shown that either intramolecular or intermolecular coordination involving phosphorous results in a dramatic (31)P nuclear shielding amounting to approximately 150 ppm on changing the phosphorous coordination number by one. A major importance of solvent effects on (31)P nuclear shielding of intramolecular and intermolecular complexes involving N → P coordination bond has been demonstrated. It was found that the zeroth-order regular approximation-gauge-including atomic orbital-B1PW91/DZP method was sufficiently accurate for the calculation of (31)P NMR chemical shifts, provided relativistic corrections are taken into account, the latter being of crucial importance in the description of (31)P nuclear shielding.

A novel regiospecific cascade synthesis of sulfonamide derivatives from N-(2-polychloroethyl)sulfonamides via chloroaziridine intermediates in the presence of mercaptoethanol.

N-(1-Aryl-2-polychloroethyl)arenesulfonamides obtained on the basis of N,N-dichlorosulfoamides and polychloroethenes or phenylacetylene undergo a reaction cascade in the presence of mercaptoethanol. The reaction cascade opens a new route to the series of cyclic or open-chain sulfonamide derivatives. The process includes cyclization to aziridine intermediates, their further recyclization, and isomerization to imidoylchlorides or chloroimines, followed by substitution or reduction under the action of mercaptoethanol or hydrolysis. The final sulfonamide structures depend on the starting N-(polychloroethyl)sulfonamides. N-(2,2-Dichloroethyl)sulfonamides were transformed into sulfonamide-containing 1,4-oxathians while N-(2,2,2-trichloroethyl)sulfonamides were converted to N-(2-arylacetyl)arenesulfonamides. N-(2-Phenyl-2,2-dichloroethyl)sulfonamides form enamide derivatives that were transformed into aromatic ketones.

Configurational assignment of N-arylsulfonylimines of alpha-polychloroaldehydes.

Configurational assignment of seven synthesized N-arylsulfonylimines of alpha-polychloroaldehydes has been carried out by means of experimental measurements and high-level ab initio calculations of their (13)C--(13)C, (13)C--(1)H and (15)N--(1)H spin-spin coupling constants. The title compounds were shown to exist in solution solely in the form of E isomers, in line with thermodynamic reasoning.

Configurational assignment of carbon, silicon and germanium containing propynal oximes by means of 13C-1H, 13C-13C and 15N-1H spin-spin coupling constants.

Configurational assignment of five carbon, silicon and germanium containing propynal oximes has been carried out by means of experimental measurements and high-level ab initio calculations of their 13C-1H, 13C-13C and 15N-1H spin-spin coupling constants. The title compounds were shown to exist in the nonequilibrium mixture of E and Z isomers with the energy difference of less than 0.3 kcal/mol calculated at the MP2/6-311G** level.

Nonempirical calculations of NMR indirect spin-spin coupling constants. Part 14: azomethines of the alpha, beta-unsaturated aldehydes.

Configurational assignment of seven azomethines obtained from the alpha-functionally substituted and nonsubstituted alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes has been performed on the basis of experimental measurements and the high-level ab initio calculations of their 1J(C,C) and 1J(C,H), involving the alpha-imino carbon that demonstrated the marked stereochemical dependence of both coupling constants upon the orientation of the nitrogen lone pair in the diverse isomers of the title azomethines.

Non-empirical calculations of NMR indirect spin-spin coupling constants. Part 13: configurational assignment of aminosulfonylamidines.

Carbon-carbon coupling constants have been experimentally measured using the INADEQUATE pulse sequence in the series of N-[1,2-bis(dialkylamino)-2-arylethylidene]arylsulfonamides obtained from N-(1-aryl-2,2,2-trichloroethyl)amides of arylsulfonic acids. Comparison of the experimental J(C,C) in this series with those calculated at the SOPPA (Second-Order Polarization Propagator Approach) level in the model aminosulfonylamidine provided an unambiguous assignment at the C=N bond of the eight-title aminosulfonylamidines to E-configuration, while the unknown J(C,C) couplings in their inaccessible diverse Z isomers have been predicted with high reliability. The established marked difference between J(C,C) of the corresponding carbon-carbon bonds in cis and trans orientations to the nitrogen lone pair in aminosulfonylamidines provides a powerful tool in the configurational assignment at the C=N bond in a wide series of the related systems containing the C=N-SO2R moiety.