Effect of the type of N-substituent in the benzo-18-azacrown-6 compound on copper(II) chelation: complexation, radiolabeling, stability in vitro, and biodistribution in vivo.

In this work, we synthesized two new benzo-18-azacrown-6 ethers bearing picolinate and pyridine pendant arms and studied the copper complexes of these ligands, as well as those of an acetate analog. All considered ligands were capable of forming mono- and dinuclear complexes due to their large size and large number of donor sites. Among all forms of complexes, the coordination of cations inside the macrocycle has only been shown for the mononuclear form of the acetate complex, while out-cage coordination has been observed for other forms. Electrochemical studies have shown the instability of the mononuclear form of the complex with the pyridine ligand to the reduction in the range of redox potentials of bioreductants. The stabilities of labeled acetate complexes with "in-cage" coordination of the cation and picolinate with "out-cage" coordination were compared in an excess of serum and superoxide dismutase; while the former turned out to be unstable to transchelation, the latter was stable throughout the experiment. Additional studies in biologically relevant media were performed for the picolinate complex and demonstrated its stability in vitro. The biodistribution of this complex in mice after 6 hours post-injection demonstrates a slow excretion from the body; however, the accumulation is noticeably lower than that of free copper cations.

The Role of ERBB2/HER2 Tyrosine Kinase Receptor in the Regulation of Cell Death.

HER2 (Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2), also known as ERBB2, CD340, and Neu protooncogene, is a member of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGRF) family. Members of the ERBB family, including HER2, activate molecular cascades that stimulate proliferation and migration of cancer cells, as well as their resistance to the anticancer therapy. These proteins are often overexpressed and/or mutated in various cancer types and represent promising targets for the anti-cancer therapy. Currently, anti-HER2 drugs have been approved for the treatment of several types of solid tumors. HER2-specific therapy includes monoclonal antibodies and low-molecular weight inhibitors of tyrosine kinase receptors, such as lapatinib, neratinib, and pyrotinib. In addition to the activation of molecular pathways responsible for cell proliferation and survival under stress conditions, HER2 directly regulates programmed cell death. Here, we review the studies focused on the involvement of HER2 in various signaling pathways and its role in the regulation of apoptosis.

Wee1 inhibition potentiates Wip1-dependent p53-negative tumor cell death during chemotherapy.

Inactivation of p53 found in more than half of human cancers is often associated with increased tumor resistance to anti-cancer therapy. We have previously shown that overexpression of the phosphatase Wip1 in p53-negative tumors sensitizes them to chemotherapeutic agents, while protecting normal tissues from the side effects of anti-cancer treatment. In this study, we decided to search for kinases that prevent Wip1-mediated sensitization of cancer cells, thereby interfering with efficacy of genotoxic anti-cancer drugs. To this end, we performed a flow cytometry-based screening in order to identify kinases that regulated the levels of γH2AX, which were used as readout. Another criterion of the screen was increased sensitivity of p53-negative tumor cells to cisplatin (CDDP) in a Wip1-dependent manner. We have found that a treatment with a low dose (75 nM) of MK-1775, a recently described specific chemical inhibitor of Wee1, decreases CDDP-induced H2AX phosphorylation in p53-negative cells and enhances the Wip1-sensitization of p53-negative tumors. We were able to reduce CDDP effective concentration by 40% with a combination of Wip1 overexpression and Wee1 kinase inhibition. We have observed that Wee1 inhibition potentiates Wip1-dependent tumor sensitization effect by reducing levels of Hipk2 kinase, a negative regulator of Wip1 pathway. In addition, during CDDP treatment, the combination of Wee1 inhibition and Wip1 overexpression has a mild but significant protective effect in normal cells and tissues. Our results indicate that inhibition of the negative regulators of Wip1 pathway, Wee1 and Hipk2, in p53-negative tumors could potentiate efficiency of chemotherapeutic agents without concomitant increase of cytotoxicity in normal tissues. The development and clinical use of Wee1 and Hipk1 kinase chemical inhibitors might be a promising strategy to improve anti-cancer therapy.

[NEGATIVE REGULATORS OF TUMOR SUPPRESSOR P53 IN THE CONTEXT OF ANTICANCER THERAPY].

P53 protein is considered to be the major tumor suppressor in human cells. Cancer cells do not survive if the p53-mediated signaling pathways function properly. However, about half of all malignancies still express wild type p53. One of the explanations to this is that p53 is suppressed by overexpression of p53-specific E3-ubiquitin ligases: Mdm2, MdmX, Pirh2 and Cop1. Pharmacological inhibition of protein-protein interactions between p53 and these negative regulators is a promising therapeutic approach to treat cancers retaining wild type p53. To date, a series of chemical inhibitors of p53 interactions with Mdm2 and MdmX E3-ubiquitin ligases have been discovered and characterized. Several of them are in the early stages of clinical trials. Despite this fact, their clinical efficacy may be hampered by a number of reasons, including tumor-specific expression of multiple isoforms of the target E3-ligases, which become inert to treatment with small molecules. This and other biochemical mechanisms of possible resistance of tumor cells with wild type p53 to small molecules against its negative regulators will be discussed in this review.

[TUMOR SUPPRESSOR p63 REGULATES EXPRESSION OF UBIQUITIN LIGASE Pirh2].

Transcription factor p63 is a member of the p53 protein family. Due to the high degree of structural similarity p53, p63, and p73 are known to have overlapping functions relating to cell cycle regulation, apoptosis and tumor transformation. Furthermore, p63 plays crucial role in epidermal tissue development and differentiation. Pirh2 (product of RCHY1 gene) is an E3 ubiquitin ligase modifying all three members of the p53 family resulting in their subsequent proteasomal degradation. Our results demonstrate that p63, similar to p53, is able to regulate expression levels of Pirh2. Importantly, Pirh2 expression is activated only by transcriptionally active isoform of p63--TAp63, but not the N-terminally truncated ΔNp63.

Complexes of amino acids with a crown-ether derivative of 4-styrylpyridine. Monotopic or ditopic?

An E-4-styrylpyridine derivative endowed with 18-crown-6 as a substituent (E-1) was prepared and evaluated in acetonitrile as a potential ditopic ligand for protonated amino acids. The interactions of E-1 with the protonated amino acid perchlorates, ClO(4)(-) H(3)N(+)(CH(2))(n)COOH (n = 2, 5 and 10, A2, A5 and A10, respectively), were studied by optical methods, (1)H NMR and mass spectroscopy. Complex formation involves coordination of the ammonium ion at the crown ether moiety of E-1. The spectral changes were evaluated by comparison with results obtained on protonation of E-1 with HClO(4) and on association with ammonium perchlorate. Protonation by the protonated amino acid perchlorates was thwarted due to reversal of carboxyl/pyridinium pK(A) order in acetonitrile relative to water. Evidence for ditopic hydrogen bonding complex formation was especially sought for A10 because its CH(2) chain is sufficiently long to bridge the distance between the crown ether and pyridyl N sites of E-1. Despite some subtle hints to the contrary, the absence of NOE interaction between the pyridyl protons of E-1 and the methylene protons of A10 indicates that the E-1·A10 complex is in the main monotopic, as is the case for A2 and A5. The photophysical and photochemical behaviour of the complexes change significantly on protonation by HClO(4). The optical response of E-1 on binding the amino acids as ammonium salts allows convenient monitoring of complex formation.

[Recombinant proteasomal alpha-type subunits exhibit endoribonuclease activity].

26S proteasome is a multi-subunit protein complex that consists of the regulatory 19S and the catalytic 20S subcomplexes. The major cellular function of the proteasome is protein degradation. It has been found recently that the 20S particle, besides its proteolytic activity, also possesses endoribonuclease activity. The latter is mediated by two alpha-type subunits (alpha1 and alpha5). In this report we have analyzed the remaining alpha-type subunits for their ability to hydrolyze RNA. We found that all of the recombinant subunits tested exhibited endoribonuclease activity which depended on the origin of RNA and the presence of bivalent ions in the reaction. These results indicate that the endoribonuclease activity of proteasomes may play an important role in cellular metabolism of RNA.

Supramolecular assemblies of crown-containing 2-styrylbenzothiazole with amino acids.

Assemblies of 2-styrylbenzothiazole containing an 18-crown-6 ether fragment with perchlorates of amino acids ClO4-NH3+(CH2)nCOOH (n = 2, 10) were studied by UV, NMR spectroscopy, time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy and quantum-chemical calculations. The obtained data showed that complex formation of the crown-containing 2-styrylbenzothiazole with amino acids occurs through mono- or ditopic coordination. The formation of a ditopic complex influences the E-Z photoisomerization reaction of 2-styrylbenzothiazole.

Antimutagenic and antioxidant activities of crown compounds in comparison with the effects of garlic extract.

Antimutagenic activity of N-carboxyalkyl derivatives of aza- and benzoazacrown compounds was revealed and antimutagenic activity of garlic extract was confirmed. Specific genoprotective effect of crown compounds towards the effects of various mutagens was demonstrated. The antimutagenic effect of these compounds was not realized via antioxidant mechanisms, while the protective effect of garlic extract was associated with its antioxidant and reparative activities.

[Monitoring of arterial pressure in the efficacy assessment of combined drug therapy selection for hypotension]. / Monitoring arterial'nogo davleniia v otsenke effektivnosti vybora kombinirovannoi terapii gipotenzivnymi sredstvami.

A study was made of indices for a long-term monitoring of arterial pressure in patients presenting with moderately severe essential hypertension prior to treatment and against the background of administration of a combined pharmacotherapy. There was an improvement in male subjects with hyperkinetic type circulation on a combination of two drug preparations (atenolol and enalapril maleate) while female subjects derived benefit from three drugs (atenolol and enalapril maleate, hydrochlorothiazide) irrespective of the hemodynamic type of circulation.

[Use of the acoustic startle response in the mouse to evaluate the pharmacodynamic action of ethanol]. / Vykorystannia reaktsiï akustychnoho zdryhannia myshei dlia farmakodynamichnoï otsinky diï etanolu.

A method of the pharmacological screening of psychotropic drugs that is based on the estimation of the peak amplitude and latency of the acoustic startle response (ASR) is suggested. A linear relationship between the changes of the ASR parameters induced by acute i.p. 14C-ethanol administration and its contents in brain is demonstrated. It is proposed that changes of the ASR parameters are strictly dependent upon the concentration of a modulatory drug in the biophase of action (brain, serum) and therefore can be utilised for the effector analysis of pharmacokinetics and preliminary screening of psychotropic drugs.

[Synthesis of amphiphilic photochromic benzo-15(18)-crown-5(6)-ethers and their properties in monolayers]. / Sintez amfifil'nykh fotokhromnykh benzo-15(18)-kraun-5(6)-éfirov i ikh issledovaniie v monosloiakh.

New amphiphilic photochromic benzo-15(18)-crown-5(6) ethers (APC) differing in the position of the octadecyl substituent and the size of the crown cavity were synthesized. The compounds form stable monolayers in the air/water and air/alkaline metal salt solution interfaces. The results of the pressure isotherm measurements, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and electronic spectroscopy show that the structure of the monolayers formed depends on the structure of the parent APC and the nature of the cation in salt solutions. The area per molecule of APC in the monolayer (specific area) is the smallest on the water surface and increases by 20-40% on the aqueous subphase surface with an increasing concentration of salts therein to indicate the formation of APC complexes with the metal cations. When the hydrophobic aliphatic substituent is displaced from position 3 to position 5 of the benzothiazole ring, the specific area on the surface of water and subphases decreases twofold, which indicates the compactization of the monolayer on this modification. A reversible E-Z-photoisomerization of APC was found in the monolayers formed in the salt solution/air interface. The features of the reaction are defined by the specific organization of the amphiphilic molecules in the monolayer and by the nature of the cation.

Restriction endonucleases can be used to confirm a structure of unusual DNA duplexes.

Cyclic and polycyclic oligonucleotides were synthesized using chemical ligation. Two types of catenanes with one and several intertwinings were produced. The yield of these molecules depended on the ligation conditions and nucleotide sequence of the ligated oligonucleotide and its template. Structure of ligation products was investigated and confirmed using restriction endonuclease MvaI. Interaction of the synthesized molecules with restriction endonucleases SsoII, EcoRII and HindIII was also studied.

[Cyclic oligonucleotides. II. Regularities in the formation of polycyclic structures]. / Tsiklicheskie oligonukleotidy. II. Izuchenie zakonomernostei obrazovaniia politsiklicheskikh soedinenii.

Cyclization of a 38-mer oligodeoxyribonucleotide on a cyclic template was studied by the chemical and enzymic ligation methods. Both structures and yields of the reaction products depended on the ligation method and the nucleotide and template sequences. The chemical ligations resulted in the formation of catenanes, whose structures were confirmed by hydrolysis with the MvaI restriction endonuclease. Presence of G/C-rich clusters near the formed internucleotide bond favored the catenane formation.

Derivatization and template-guided ligation of oligodeoxyribonucleotides using cyanogen bromide and N-substituted morpholines.

Cyanogen bromide has been found to induce the template-guided condensation of oligonucleotides only in the presence of N-substituted morpholines. Based on 31P, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy data, the mechanism of the phosphomonoester group activation by cyanogen bromide in N-substituted morpholine buffers is suggested. It has also been shown that BrCN can be used for the synthesis of oligonucleotide derivatives in aqueous solution.

NF-kappaB p50 subunit cross-linking to DNA duplexes, containing a monosubstituted pyrophosphate internucleotide bond.

The new express technique based on the use of BrCN to synthesize DNA duplexes, containing non-substituted or monosubstituted pyrophosphate internucleotide bonds has been proposed. Using this technique, DNA duplexes having modified internucleotide bonds between dT and dC residues in the human NF-kappaB transcription factor recognition sequence in HIV-1 (5'-GGAAAGTCCC-3') have been prepared. We demonstrate that these internucleotide bonds within the recognition site do not prevent the formation of NF-kappaB p50 subunit complex with the corresponding duplexes. The cross-linking of NF-kappaB p50 subunit to the DNA duplex containing a monosubstituted pyrophosphate internucleotide bond has been successfully performed.

[Study of the mechanism of chemical ligation of DNA by cyanogen bromide]. / Izuchenie mekhanizma khimicheskogo ligirovaniia DNK pod deistviem bromtsiana.

The mechanism of chemical ligation with cyanogen bromide in the presence of an N-substituted morpholine was studied. Addition of the cyano group to the tertiary nitrogen atom of the N-substituted morpholine with the formation of a quaternary ammonium cation is shown to be the first step of the reaction; it is this cation that activates the oligonucleotide phosphate group. This method of activation can be used to obtain phosphodiester derivatives of nucleotides without DNA duplex. Optimal conditions of the chemical ligation were selected.