Convection enhanced delivery of panobinostat (LBH589)-loaded pluronic nano-micelles prolongs survival in the F98 rat glioma model.

BACKGROUND: The pan-histone deacetylase inhibitor panobinostat is a potential therapy for malignant glioma, but it is water insoluble and does not cross the blood-brain barrier when administered systemically. In this article, we describe the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of a novel water-soluble nano-micellar formulation of panobinostat designed for administration by convection enhanced delivery (CED). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The in vitro efficacy of panobinostat-loaded nano-micelles against rat F98, human U87-MG and M059K glioma cells and against patient-derived glioma stem cells was measured using a cell viability assay. Nano-micelle distribution in rat brain was analyzed following acute CED using rhodamine-labeled nano-micelles, and toxicity was assayed using immunofluorescent microscopy and synaptophysin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We compared the survival of the bioluminescent syngenic F98/Fischer344 rat glioblastoma model treated by acute CED of panobinostat-loaded nano-micelles with that of untreated and vehicle-only-treated controls. RESULTS: Nano-micellar panobinostat is cytotoxic to rat and human glioma cells in vitro in a dose-dependent manner following short-time exposure to drug. Fluorescent rhodamine-labelled nano-micelles distribute with a volume of infusion/volume of distribution (Vi/Vd) ratio of four and five respectively after administration by CED. Administration was not associated with any toxicity when compared to controls. CED of panobinostat-loaded nano-micelles was associated with significantly improved survival when compared to controls (n=8 per group; log-rank test, P<0.001). One hundred percent of treated animals survived the 60-day experimental period and had tumour response on post-mortem histological examination. CONCLUSION: CED of nano-micellar panobinostat represents a potential novel therapeutic option for malignant glioma and warrants translation into the clinic.

Rapid and safe ASAP acquisition with EXACT NMR.

The dangerously high power levels required for fast ASAP-HSQC and ASAP-HMQC experiments are mitigated by employing EXACT NMR. The utility of this technique is demonstrated by application of the EXACT ASAP-HSQC to chemical reaction monitoring, accelerating data acquisition by up to 2 orders of magnitude - providing evidence of it's value in fast quantitative NMR processes.

Subtle temperature-induced changes in small molecule conformer dynamics - observed and quantified by NOE spectroscopy.

NOE-distance relationships are shown to be sufficiently accurate to monitor very small changes in conformer populations in response to temperature (<0.5%/10 °C) - in good agreement with Boltzmann-predictions, illustrating the effectiveness of accurate NOE-distance measurements in obtaining high quality dynamics as well as structural information for small molecules.

Diastereoisomeric cationic pi-allylpalladium-(P,C)-MAP and MOP complexes and their relationship to streochemical memory effects in allylic alkylation.

The axially chiral ligands 2-(diphenylphosphanyl)-2'-methoxy-1,1'-binaphthalene (MOP; 6) and 2'-dimethylamino-2-(diphenylphosphanyl)-1,1'-binaphthalene (MAP; 7) coordinate to a cationic allylpalladium fragment in an unusual bidentate (P,C)-mode through the triarylphosphane and ipso-carbon atom (C1'). The readily prepared MAP and MOP complexes [Pd[(P,C)-(L)](n3-allyl)][OTf] (9 (L = 7) and 10 (L = 6)) have been characterised in solution (NMR), in which two diastereoisomeric rotamers are observed. The stereochemical identity of the rotamers is established by one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy experiments. In both the solid state and in solution, the allyl unit is shown to coordinate in a slightly distorted n3-mode that results in a more alkene-like character at the allyl terminus trans to phosphane ligand. The opposite allyl terminus, which is trans to the ipsocarbon atom (C1'), is more strongly bound and the dominant allyl stereodynamic process involves C-C bond rotation in an n'-allyl intermediate bound through this carbon. Palladium complexes of MAP and MOP are very efficient catalysts for allylic alkylation of racemic cyclopentenyl pivalate with [NaCH(CO2Me)2] in THF. Isotopic desymmetrisation revealed that the reaction occurs with powerful stereochemical memory effects and consequently with low global ee values. The memory effect is suggested to arise through selective generation of diastereoisomeric [Pd[(P,C)-L](n3-cyclopentenyl)]+ ions (L = MAP or MOP) and subsequent capture by nucleophile before ion-pair collapse or equilibration occurs.