Disease correction in mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIB mice by intraparenchymal or cisternal delivery of a capsid modified AAV8 codon-optimized NAGLU vector.

Mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIB (MPS IIIB) is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disease caused by mutations in the gene that encodes the protein N-acetyl-glucosaminidase (NAGLU). Defective NAGLU activity results in aberrant retention of heparan sulfate within lysosomes leading to progressive central nervous system (CNS) degeneration. Intravenous treatment options are limited by the need to overcome the blood-brain barrier and gain successful entry into the CNS. Additionally, we have demonstrated that AAV8 provides a broader transduction area in the MPS IIIB mouse brain compared with AAV5, 9 or rh10. A triple-capsid mutant (tcm) modification of AAV8 further enhanced GFP reporter expression and distribution. Using the MPS IIIB mouse model, we performed a study using either intracranial six site or intracisterna magna injection of AAVtcm8-codon-optimized (co)-NAGLU using untreated MPS IIIB mice as controls to assess disease correction. Disease correction was evaluated based on enzyme activity, heparan sulfate storage levels, CNS lysosomal signal intensity, coordination, activity level, hearing and survival. Both histologic and enzymatic assessments show that each injection method results in supranormal levels of NAGLU expression in the brain. In this study, we have shown correction of lifespan and auditory deficits, increased CNS NAGLU activity and reduced lysosomal storage levels of heparan sulfate following AAVtcm8-coNAGLU administration and partial correction of NAGLU activity in several peripheral organs in the murine model of MPS IIIB.

In Utero Enzyme-Replacement Therapy for Infantile-Onset Pompe's Disease.

Patients with early-onset lysosomal storage diseases are ideal candidates for prenatal therapy because organ damage starts in utero. We report the safety and efficacy results of in utero enzyme-replacement therapy (ERT) in a fetus with CRIM (cross-reactive immunologic material)-negative infantile-onset Pompe's disease. The family history was positive for infantile-onset Pompe's disease with cardiomyopathy in two previously affected deceased siblings. After receiving in utero ERT and standard postnatal therapy, the current patient had normal cardiac and age-appropriate motor function postnatally, was meeting developmental milestones, had normal biomarker levels, and was feeding and growing well at 13 months of age.

Perinatal loss of galactosylceramidase in both oligodendrocytes and microglia is crucial for the pathogenesis of Krabbe disease in mice.

Lysosomal galactosylceramidase (GALC) is expressed in all brain cells, including oligodendrocytes (OLs), microglia, and astrocytes, although the cell-specific function of GALC is largely unknown. Mutations in GALC cause Krabbe disease (KD), a fatal neurological lysosomal disorder that usually affects infants. To study how Galc ablation in each glial cell type contributes to Krabbe pathogenesis, we used conditional Galc-floxed mice. Here, we found that OL-specific Galc conditional knockout (CKO) in mice results in a phenotype that includes wasting, psychosine accumulation, and neuroinflammation. Microglia- or astrocyte-specific Galc deletion alone in mice did not show specific phenotypes. Interestingly, mice with CKO of Galc from both OLs and microglia have a more severe neuroinflammation with an increase in globoid cell accumulation than OL-specific CKO alone. Moreover, the enhanced phenotype occurred without additional accumulation of psychosine. Further studies revealed that Galc knockout (Galc-KO) microglia cocultured with Galc-KO OLs elicits globoid cell formation and the overexpression of osteopontin and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, both proteins that are known to recruit immune cells and promote engulfment of debris and damaged cells. We conclude that OLs are the primary cells that initiate KD with an elevated psychosine level and microglia are required for the progression of neuroinflammation in a psychosine-independent manner.

Tandem mass spectrometric enzyme assay for simultaneous detection of Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff diseases in dried blood spots for newborn screening.

GM2 gangliosidosis is a group of rare lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs) including Tay-Sachs disease (TSD) and Sandhoff disease (SD), caused by deficiency in activity of either ß-hexosaminidase A (HexA) or both ß-hexosaminidase A and ß-hexosaminidase B (HexB). Methods for screening and diagnosis of TSD and SD include measurement and comparison of the activity of these two enzymes. Here we report a novel method for duplex screening of dried blood spots (DBS) for TSD and SD by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The method requires incubation of a single 3 mm DBS punch with the assay cocktail followed by the injection into the LC-MS/MS. The performance of the method was evaluated by comparing the confirmed TSD and SD patient DBS to random healthy newborn DBS which showed easy discrimination between the three cohorts. The method is multiplexable with other LSD MS/MS enzyme assays which is critical to the continued expansion of the NBS panels.

A rapid and non-invasive proteomic analysis using DBS and buccal swab for multiplexed second-tier screening of Pompe disease and Mucopolysaccharidosis type I.

PURPOSE: Current newborn screening programs for Pompe disease (PD) and mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I) suffer from a high false positive rate and long turnaround time for clinical follow up. This study aimed to develop a novel proteomics-based assay for rapid and accurate second-tier screening of PD and MPS I. A fast turnaround assay would enable the identification of severe cases who need immediate clinical follow up and treatment. METHODS: We developed an immunocapture coupled with mass spectrometry-based proteomics (Immuno-SRM) assay to quantify GAA and IDUA proteins in dried blood spots (DBS) and buccal swabs. Sensitivity, linearity, reproducibility, and protein concentration range in healthy control samples were determined. Clinical performance was evaluated in known PD and MPS I patients as well as pseudodeficiency and carrier cases. RESULTS: Using three 3.2 mm punches (~13.1 µL of blood) of DBS, the assay showed reproducible and sensitive quantification of GAA and IDUA. Both proteins can also be quantified in buccal swabs with high reproducibility and sensitivity. Infantile onset Pompe disease (IOPD) and severe MPS I cases are readily identifiable due to the absence of GAA and IDUA, respectively. In addition, late onset Pompe disease (LOPD) and attenuated MPS I patients showed much reduced levels of the target protein. By contrast, pseudodeficiency and carrier cases exhibited significant higher target protein levels compared to true patients. CONCLUSION: Direct quantification of endogenous GAA and IDUA peptides in DBS by Immuno-SRM can be used for second-tier screening to rapidly identify severe PD and MPS I patients with a turnaround time of <1 week. Such patients could benefit from immediate clinical follow up and possibly earlier treatment.

Detection of GM1-gangliosidosis in newborn dried blood spots by enzyme activity and biomarker assays using tandem mass spectrometry.

GM1-gangliosidosis is a rare autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disease caused by deficiency of ß-galactosidase (GLB1). Newborn screening (NBS) may be warranted in the near future given the initiation of a number of gene therapy clinical trials. Here, we report a tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) enzymatic assay of GLB1 using dried blood spots (DBS), and the demonstration that GLB1 activities in newborn DBS from seven GM1-gangliosidosis patients are well below those measured in random newborn DBS. MS/MS analysis of two glycan biomarkers, dp5 and A2G2, shows high elevation in newborn DBS from GM1-gangliosidosis compared to the levels in the nonaffected reference range.

Tandem Mass Spectrometry Enzyme Assays for Multiplex Detection of 10-Mucopolysaccharidoses in Dried Blood Spots and Fibroblasts.

The mucopolysaccharidoses (MPSs) are a class of inborn errors of metabolism caused by deficiency of each of the enzymes involved in the lysosomal degradation of mucopolysaccharides. Newborn screening panels worldwide have been recently expanded to include one or more MPS disorders, as treatments are available and are most efficacious if initiated early in life. Here we report the first multiplex assay of 10 enzymatic activities in dried blood spots and fibroblast lysates that allow newborn screening and diagnosis of all MPS disorders except the ultrarare MPS-IX. The assay consists of incubation of enzyme-specific substrates with dried blood spot punches or fibroblast lysate followed by quantification of enzymatic products using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) together with internal standards. Assay of all MPS enzymes using fluorimetric or other methods has not been possible. The steps of the LC-MS/MS assay are sufficiently simple and rapid to be used in newborn screening and diagnostic laboratories. Assays showed acceptable precision, and enzymatic activities measured in confirmed MPS samples are well below the reference range.

Detection of Infantile Batten Disease by Tandem Mass Spectrometry Assay of PPT1 Enzyme Activity in Dried Blood Spots.

A new tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS)-based approach for measurement of the enzymatic activity of palmitoyl protein thioesterase I (PPT1) in dried blood spots (DBS) is presented. Deficiency in this enzyme leads to infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (INCL, Infantile Batten disease, CLN1). The assay could distinguish between 80 healthy newborns and three previously diagnosed INCL patients. Unlike the fluorimetric PPT1 assay, the MS/MS assay does not require recombinant ß-glucosidase. Furthermore, the assay could be easily combined with a TPP1 enzyme assay (for CLN2 disease) and can be potentially multiplexed with a large panel of additional lysosomal enzyme assays by MS/MS for newborn screening and postscreening analysis.

Computational studies of a paramagnetic planar dibenzotetraaza[14]annulene Ni(II) complex.

A square-planar Ni(II) dibenzotetraaza[14]annulene complex substituted with two 3,3-dimethylindolenine groups in the meso positions has recently been synthesized and characterized experimentally. In the solid-state, the Ni(II) complex forms linear π-interacting stacks with Ni···Ni separations of 3.448(2) Å. Measurements of the temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility revealed a drastic change in the magnetic properties at a temperature of 13 K, indicating a transition from low-to-high spin states. The molecular structures of the free-base ligand, the lowest singlet, and triplet states of the monomer and the dimer of the Ni complex have been studied computationally using density functional theory (DFT) and ab initio correlation levels of theory. In calculations at the second-order Møller-Plesset (MP2) perturbation theory level, a large energy of 260 kcal mol(-1) was obtained for the singlet-triplet splitting, suggesting that an alternative explanation of the observed magnetic properties is needed. The large energy splitting between the singlet and triplet states suggests that the observed change in the magnetism at very low temperatures is due to spin-orbit coupling effects originating from weak interactions between the fine-structure states of the Ni cations in the complex. The lowest electronic excitation energies of the dibenzotetraaza[14]annulene Ni(II) complex calculated at the time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) levels are in good agreement with values deduced from the experimental UV-vis spectrum. Calculations at the second-order algebraic-diagrammatic construction (ADC(2)) level on the dimer of the meso-substituted 3,3-dimethylindolenine dibenzotetraaza[14] annulene Ni(II) complex yielded Stokes shifts of 85-100 nm for the lowest excited singlet states. Calculations of the strength of the magnetically induced ring current for the free-base 3,3-dimethylindolenine-substituted dibenzotetraaza[14]annulene show that the annulene ring is very weakly antiaromatic, sustaining a paratropic ring-current strength of only -1.7 nA/T.

Heterometallic Pd(II)-Ni(II) complexes with meso-substituted dibenzotetraaza[14]annulene: double C-H bond activation and formation of a rectangular tetradibenzotetraaza[14]annulene.

Three isomeric 2[Pd(II)-Ni(II)] metal complexes, derived from indoleninyl meso-substituted dibenzotetraaza[14]annulene, were synthesized. The resulting dimers feature Ni···Ni or, alternatively, Ni···π interactions in staggered or slipped cofacial structures. A remarkable insertion of palladium into two different C-H bonds yielded a 4[Pd(II)-Ni(II)] rectangular complex with dimensions of 8.73 × 10.38 Å.

Indolenine meso-substituted dibenzotetraaza[14]annulene and its coordination chemistry toward the transition metal ions Mn(III), Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), and Pd(II).

A new dibenzotetraaza[14]annulene bearing two 3,3-dimethylindolenine fragments at the meso positions (LH(2)), has been synthesized through a nontemplate method. X-ray crystallography shows that the whole molecule is planar. The basicity of the indolenine ring permits the macrocycle to be protonated external to the core and form LH(4)(2+)·2Cl(-). Yet another structural modification having strong C-H···π interactions was found in the chloroform solvate of LH(2). The latter two modifications are accompanied by a degree of nonplanar distortion. The antiaromatic core of the macrocycle can accommodate a number of metal ions, Mn(III), Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II), to form complexes of [Mn(L)Br], [Mn(L)Cl], [Fe(LH(2))Cl(2)](+)·Cl(-), [Co(L)], [Ni(L)], and [Cu(L)]. In addition, the reaction of LH(2) with the larger Pd(II) ion leads to the formation of [Pd(2)(LH(2))(2)(OAc)(4)] wherein the macrocycle acts as a semiflexible ditopic ligand to coordinate pairs of metal ions via its indolenine N atoms into dinuclear metallocycles. The compounds LH(2), [Co(L)], and [Ni(L)] are isostructural and feature close π-stacking as well as linear chain arrangements in the case of the metal complexes. Variable temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements showed thermally induced paramagnetism in [Ni(L)].

Ethyl 4-hy-droxy-1-methyl-5-oxo-2-phenyl-pyrrolidine-3-carboxyl-ate 1.25-hydrate.

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, C(14)H(17)NO(4)·1.25H(2)O, consists of four substituted pyrrolidone mol-ecules (two pairs of enanti-omers) and five water mol-ecules. The five-membered rings each have an envelope conformation, with the C atom bonded to the ester group as the flap. The mean planes of the five-membered rings of the four pyrrolidone mol-ecules make dihedral angles of 60.87 (5), 64.45 (5), 62.03 (5) and 65.79 (5)° with respect to the phenyl rings. In the crystal, the pyrrolidone and water mol-ecules are connected through O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming a layer parallel to the ab plane. The two-dimensional network is further stabilized by inter-molecular C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds.

Cytoprotective effect of benzyl N'-(5-chloro-indol-3-yl-methylidene)-hydrazinecarbodithioate against ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury in rats.

Indolic compounds have attracted a lot of attention due to their interesting biological properties. The present study was performed to evaluate the subacute toxicity and anti-ulcer activity of BClHC against ethanol-induced gastric ulcers. Experimental animal groups were orally pre-treated with different doses of BClHC (50, 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) in 10% Tween 20 solution (vehicle). Blank and ulcer control groups were pre-treated with vehicle. The positive group was orally pretreated with 20 mg/kg omeprazole. After one hour, all groups received absolute ethanol (5 mL/kg) to generate gastric mucosal injury except the blank control group which was administered the vehicle solution. After an additional hour, all rats were sacrificed, and the ulcer areas of the gastric walls determined. Grossly, the ulcer control group exhibited severe mucosal injury, whereas pre-treatment with either derivative or omeprazole resulted in significant protection of gastric mucosal injury. Flattening of gastric mucosal folds was also observed in rats pretreated with BClHC. Histological studies of the gastric wall of ulcer control group revealed severe damage of gastric mucosa, along with edema and leucocytes infiltration of the submucosal layer compared to rats pre-treated with either BClHC or omeprazole where there were marked gastric protection along with reduction or absence of edema and leucocytes infiltration of the submucosal layer. Subacute toxicity study with a higher dose of derivative (5 g/kg) did not manifest any toxicological signs in rats. In conclusions, the present finding suggests that benzyl N'-(5-chloroindol-3-ylmethylidene)hydrazinecarbodithioate promotes ulcer protection as ascertained by the comparative decreases in ulcer areas, reduction of edema and leucocytes infiltration of the submucosal layer.

Butylated hydroxytoluene analogs: synthesis and evaluation of their multipotent antioxidant activities.

A computer-aided predictions of antioxidant activities were performed with the Prediction Activity Spectra of Substances (PASS) program. Antioxidant activity of compounds 1, 3, 4 and 5 were studied using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and lipid peroxidation assays to verify the predictions obtained by the PASS program. Compounds 3 and 5 showed more inhibition of DPPH stable free radical at 10⁻4 M than the well-known standard antioxidant, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Compound 5 exhibited promising in vitro inhibition of Fe²âº-induced lipid peroxidation of the essential egg yolk as a lipid-rich medium (83.99%, IC50 16.07 ± 3.51 µM/mL) compared to α-tocopherol (α-TOH, 84.6%, IC50 5.6 ± 1.09 µM/mL). The parameters for drug-likeness of these BHT analogues were also evaluated according to the Lipinski's "rule-of-five" (RO5). All the BHT analogues were found to violate one of the Lipinski's parameters (LogP > 5), even though they have been found to be soluble in protic solvents. The predictive polar surface area (PSA) and absorption percent (% ABS) data allow us to conclude that they could have a good capacity for penetrating cell membranes. Therefore, one can propose these new multipotent antioxidants (MPAOs) as potential antioxidants for tackling oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation processes.

Antibacterial evaluation of some Schiff bases derived from 2-acetylpyridine and their metal complexes.

A series of Schiff bases derived from 2-acetylpyridne and their metal complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, NMR, FT-IR and UV-Vis spectral studies. The complexes were screened for anti-bacterial activity against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Acinetobacter baumanni (AC), Klebsiella pneumonie (KB) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) using the disc diffusion and micro broth dilution assays. Based on the overall results, the complexes showed the highest activities against MRSA while a weak antibacterial activity was observed against A. baumanii and P. aeruginosa.

Synthesis, characterization, X-ray crystallography, acetyl cholinesterase inhibition and antioxidant activities of some novel ketone derivatives of gallic hydrazide-derived Schiff bases.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia among older people and the pathogenesis of this disease is associated with oxidative stress. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors with antioxidant activities are considered potential treatments for AD. Some novel ketone derivatives of gallic hydrazide-derived Schiff bases were synthesized and examined for their antioxidant activities and in vitro and in silico acetyl cholinesterase inhibition. The compounds were characterized using spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. The ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays revealed that all the compounds have strong antioxidant activities. N-(1-(5-bromo-2-hydroxyphenyl)-ethylidene)-3,4,5-trihydroxybenzohydrazide (2) was the most potent inhibitor of human acetyl cholinesterase, giving an inhibition rate of 77% at 100 µM. Molecular docking simulation of the ligand-enzyme complex suggested that the ligand may be positioned in the enzyme's active-site gorge, interacting with residues in the peripheral anionic subsite (PAS) and acyl binding pocket (ABP). The current work warrants further preclinical studies to assess the potential for these novel compounds for the treatment of AD.

5-Methyl-1H-indole-3-carbaldehyde.

The title mol-ecule, C(10)H(9)NO, is almost planar with an r.m.s. deviation for all non-H atoms of 0.0115 Å. In the crystal, mol-ecules are connected through N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds into chains running along [021]. The chains are further connected via C-H⋯π inter-actions, forming layers in the bc plane.

1,5-Bis(2-oxoindolin-3-yl-idene)thio-carbonohydrazide tetra-hydro-furan monosolvate.

In the thio-carbonohydrazide mol-ecule of the title compound, C(17)H(12)N(6)O(2)S·C(4)H(8)O, the terminal indolin-2-one ring systems make a dihedral angle of 20.13 (6)° with each other. Two intra-molecular N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds are present, each of which generates an S(6) ring. In the crystal, N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds lead to a mol-ecular chain running along the b axis. The tetra-hydro-furan solvent mol-ecule is disordered over two orientations in a 0.561 (11):0.439 (11) ratio.

(3Z,3'E)-3,3'-[Cyclo-hexane-1,2-diylbis(aza-nylyl-idene)]bis-(indolin-2-one) N,N-dimethyl-formamide monosolvate dihydrate.

In the Schiff base mol-ecule of the title compound, C(22)H(20)N(4)O(2)·C(3)H(7)NO·2H(2)O, the cyclo-hexane ring adopts a chair conformation with the two imine groups linked at the equatorial positions. The two indolin-2-one ring systems make a dihedral angle of 65.63 (5)°. In the crystal, the Schiff base mol-ecules are connected through bifurcated N-H⋯(O,N) hydrogen bonds, forming inversion dimers. The water molecules link the dimers and the dimethylformamide molecules via O-H⋯O, O-H⋯N and N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds. Together with C-H⋯π and π-π [centroid-centroid distance = 3.3889 (10) Å] inter-actions a three-dimensional supra-molecular structure is formed.

5-Hy-droxy-6-[(E)-2-phenyl-ethen-yl]-5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-one isolated from Goniothalamus ridleyi.

In the title compound, C(13)H(12)O(3), the pyran ring adopts a half-chair conformation with a C atom deviating from the least-squares plane of the remaining ring atoms by 0.606 (2) Å. This plane and that of the benzene ring make a dihedral angle of 44.18 (6)°. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked through O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds into infinite chains along the b axis, and these chains are cross-linked by C-H⋯O hydrogen bonded into sheets lying parallel to the bc plane. The layers are further connected via C-H⋯π inter-actions to form a three-dimensional supra-molecular structure.