Development of a Simple Cost Effective Oxygenation System for In Vivo Solution State NMR in 10 mm NMR Tubes.

In vivo NMR is evolving into an important tool to understand biological processes and environmental responses. Current approaches use flow systems to sustain the organisms with oxygenated water and food (e.g., algae) inside the NMR. However, such systems have the potential to leak and clog (potentially damaging costly hardware), require large volumes of media, and multiple expensive HPLC pumps. The proposed "oxygenation system", uses a simple "double slit" adapter and a single air/oxygen flow line into the NMR. The design is especially suited to larger diameter probes given that standard flow systems would require higher flow rates thus amplifying the potential and impact of leaks/clogs. Traditionally, in vivo NMR of small organisms (e.g., Daphnia) have required 2D NMR in combination with 13C enrichment to overcome susceptibility distortions and provide information rich metabolic profiles. Here Daphnia magna, Eisenia fetida and Artemia franciscana are used to demonstrate the potential of the oxygenation system. Survivability tests and 1H time-resolved monitoring were first performed on D. magna, while E. fetida contained enough biomass to permit 1H-13C HSQC, 13C-1H HETCOR and 31P NMR without isotopic enrichment. Finally, STOCSY of 1D 13C NMR was used to follow the growth of A. franciscana (without 13C enrichment) for 48 h after birth, which helps visualize trends across a series of 1D in vivo data. In summary, application of the oxygenation system toward larger diameter probes allows the collection of NMR data without enrichment, offering a promising solution to better understand processes in vivo.

Amyloid binding and beyond: a new approach for Alzheimer's disease drug discovery targeting Aßo-PrPC binding and downstream pathways.

Amyloid ß oligomers (Aßo) are the main toxic species in Alzheimer's disease, which have been targeted for single drug treatment with very little success. In this work we report a new approach for identifying functional Aßo binding compounds. A tailored library of 971 fluorine containing compounds was selected by a computational method, developed to generate molecular diversity. These compounds were screened for Aßo binding by a combined 19F and STD NMR technique. Six hits were evaluated in three parallel biochemical and functional assays. Two compounds disrupted Aßo binding to its receptor PrPC in HEK293 cells. They reduced the pFyn levels triggered by Aßo treatment in neuroprogenitor cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC). Inhibitory effects on pTau production in cortical neurons derived from hiPSC were also observed. These drug-like compounds connect three of the pillars in Alzheimer's disease pathology, i.e. prion, Aß and Tau, affecting three different pathways through specific binding to Aßo and are, indeed, promising candidates for further development.

Quantitative propagation of assembled human Tau from Alzheimer's disease brain in microfluidic neuronal cultures.

Tau aggregation and hyperphosphorylation is a key neuropathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and the temporospatial spread of Tau observed during clinical manifestation suggests that Tau pathology may spread along the axonal network and propagate between synaptically connected neurons. Here, we have developed a cellular model that allows the study of human AD-derived Tau propagation from neuron to neuron using microfluidic devices. We show by using high-content imaging techniques and an in-house developed interactive computer program that human AD-derived Tau seeds rodent Tau that propagates trans-neuronally in a quantifiable manner in a microfluidic culture model. Moreover, we were able to convert this model to a medium-throughput format allowing the user to handle 16 two-chamber devices simultaneously in the footprint of a standard 96-well plate. Furthermore, we show that a small molecule inhibitor of aggregation can block the trans-neuronal transfer of Tau aggregates, suggesting that the system can be used to evaluate mechanisms of Tau transfer and find therapeutic interventions.

A KNIME Workflow for Automated Structure Verification.

Adequate characterization of chemical entities made for biological screening in the drug discovery context is critical. Incorrectly characterized structures lead to mistakes in the interpretation of structure-activity relationships and confuse an already multidimensional optimization problem. Mistakes in the later use of these compounds waste money and valuable resources in a discovery process already under cost pressure. Left unidentified, these errors lead to problems in project data packages during quality review. At worst, they put intellectual property and patent integrity at risk. We describe a KNIME workflow for the early and automated identification of these errors during registration of a new chemical entity into the corporate screening catalog. This Automated Structure Verification workflow provides early identification (within 24 hours) of missing or inconsistent analytical data and therefore reduces any mistakes that inevitably get made. Automated identification removes the burden of work from the chemist submitting the compound into the registration system. No additional work is required unless a problem is identified and the submitter alerted. Before implementation, 14% of samples within the existing sample catalog were missing data on initial pass. A year after implementation, only 0.2% were missing data.

Janocchio--a Java applet for viewing 3D structures and calculating NMR couplings and NOEs.

We present a Java applet, based on the open source Jmol program, which allows the calculation of coupling constants and NOEs from a three-dimensional structure. The program has all the viewing features of Jmol, but adds the capability to calculate both H-H and H-C 3-bond couplings constants. In the case of H--H couplings, the Altona equation is used to perform this. The program also calculates NOEs using the full relaxation matrix approach. All these calculations are driven from a simple point and click interface. The program can calculate values for multi-structure files, and can produce input files for the conformational fitting program NAMFIS.

A quantitative application of the J-based configuration analysis method to a flexible small molecule.

An example of the use of the J-based configuration analysis method to determine relative stereochemistry of a small molecule related to reboxetine is described. This study was complicated by the fact that the molecule did not exhibit J-couplings and NOEs consistent with a single conformation, but rather an ensemble average. A quantitative fitting procedure using predicted couplings and NOEs from all possible conformers was used. This gave a clear indication of the stereochemistry, and the populations of the conformers involved.

Java applets for viewing one- and two-dimensional NMR spectra.

Two Java applets, which allow viewing and simple reprocessing operations of one- and two-dimensional NMR spectra from within a web page, are described. For the 1D viewer, phasing, integration, peak picking and referencing are supported. Bruker, Varian and JCAMP-DX processed data files can be opened. The 2D viewer allows f2 phasing and referencing, and can read native Bruker processed data. The compiled applets are available from the author on request.

1H and 13C NMR data to aid the identification and quantification of residual solvents by NMR spectroscopy.

We present reference data and a javascript web page which allow the rapid identification and quantification of residual solvents by NMR. The data encompass all of the ICH-prescribed solvents and were obtained for a number of NMR solvents. We also present an example of its application.

Automated structure elucidation of two unexpected products in a reaction of an alpha,beta-unsaturated pyruvate.

The reaction between an alpha,beta-unsaturated pyruvate and ethyl diazoacetate (EDA) yielded two unexpected products. The structures of these products were determined by automated elucidation of the chemical structures using spectroscopic inputs of a series of 1D and 2D NMR data using the computer program ACD/Structure Elucidator, StrucEluc. The formation of these products is rationalised. Their structures were also confirmed by x-ray crystallography.

The measurement of high enantiomeric excesses in chiral liquid crystals using 19F NMR and exchangeable protons in 2H NMR.

It is shown that the 19F spectrum and the 2H NMR spectrum of deuterated protons in a chiral liquid crystal medium can be used to measure high enantiomeric excesses.