Engineered rHDL Nanoparticles as a Suitable Platform for Theranostic Applications.

Reconstituted high-density lipoproteins (rHDLs) can transport and specifically release drugs and imaging agents, mediated by the Scavenger Receptor Type B1 (SR-B1) present in a wide variety of tumor cells, providing convenient platforms for developing theranostic systems. Usually, phospholipids or Apo-A1 lipoproteins on the particle surfaces are the motifs used to conjugate molecules for the multifunctional purposes of the rHDL nanoparticles. Cholesterol has been less addressed as a region to bind molecules or functional groups to the rHDL surface. To maximize the efficacy and improve the radiolabeling of rHDL theranostic systems, we synthesized compounds with bifunctional agents covalently linked to cholesterol. This strategy means that the radionuclide was bound to the surface, while the therapeutic agent was encapsulated in the lipophilic core. In this research, HYNIC-S-(CH2)3-S-Cholesterol and DOTA-benzene-p-SC-NH-(CH2)2-NH-Cholesterol derivatives were synthesized to prepare nanoparticles (NPs) of HYNIC-rHDL and DOTA-rHDL, which can subsequently be linked to radionuclides for SPECT/PET imaging or targeted radiotherapy. HYNIC is used to complexing 99mTc and DOTA for labeling molecules with 111, 113mIn, 67, 68Ga, 177Lu, 161Tb, 225Ac, and 64Cu, among others. In vitro studies showed that the NPs of HYNIC-rHDL and DOTA-rHDL maintain specific recognition by SR-B1 and the ability to internalize and release, in the cytosol of cancer cells, the molecules carried in their core. The biodistribution in mice showed a similar behavior between rHDL (without surface modification) and HYNIC-rHDL, while DOTA-rHDL exhibited a different biodistribution pattern due to the significant reduction in the lipophilicity of the modified cholesterol molecule. Both systems demonstrated characteristics for the development of suitable theranostic platforms for personalized cancer treatment.

Chalcones, a Privileged Scaffold: Highly Versatile Molecules in [4+2] Cycloadditions.

Chalcones are aromatic ketones found in nature as the central core of many biological compounds. They have a wide range of biological activity and are biogenetic precursors of other important molecules such as flavonoids. Their pharmacological relevance makes them a privileged scaffold, advantageous for seeking alternative therapies in medicinal chemistry. Due to their structural diversity and ease of synthesis, they are often employed as building blocks for chemical transformations. Chalcones have a carbonyl conjugated system with two electrophilic centers that are commonly used for nucleophilic additions, as described in numerous articles. They can also participate in Diels-Alder reactions, which are [4+2] cycloadditions between a diene and a dienophile. This microreview presents a chronological survey of studies on chalcones as dienes and dienophiles in Diels-Alder cycloadditions. Although these reactions occur in nature, isolation of chalcones from plants yields very small quantities. Contrarily, synthesis leads to large quantities at a low cost. Hence, novel methodologies have been developed for [4+2] cycloadditions, with chalcones serving as a 2π or 4π electron system.

Enantiopure 4-oxazolin-2-ones and 4-methylene-2-oxazolidinones as chiral building blocks in a divergent asymmetric synthesis of heterocycles.

Enantiopure 3-((R)- and 3-((S)-1-phenylethyl)-4-oxazoline-2-ones were evaluated as chiral building blocks for the divergent construction of heterocycles with stereogenic quaternary centers. The N-(R)- or N-(S)-1-phenylethyl group of these compounds proved to be an efficient chiral auxiliary for the asymmetric induction of the 4- and 5-positions of the 4-oxazolin-2-one ring through thermal and MW-promoted nucleophilic conjugated addition to Michael acceptors and alkyl halides. The resulting adducts were transformed via a cascade process into fused six-membered carbo- and heterocycles. The structure of the reaction products depended on the electrophiles and reaction conditions used. Alternative isomeric 4-methylene-2-oxazolidinones served as chiral precursors for a versatile and divergent approach to highly substituted cyclic carbamates. DFT quantum calculations showed that the formation of bicyclic pyranyl compounds was generated by a diastereoselective concerted hetero-Diels-Alder cycloaddition.

Synthesis and antifungal activity of novel oxazolidin-2-one-linked 1,2,3-triazole derivatives.

Novel oxazolidin-2-one-linked 1,2,3-triazole derivatives (4a-k) were synthesized by straightforward and versatile azide-enolate (3 + 2) cycloaddition. The series of compounds was screened for antifungal activity against four filamentous fungi as well as six yeast species of Candida spp. According to their efficiency and breadth of scope, they can be ordered as 4k > 4d > 4h > 4a, especially in relation to the activity displayed against Candida glabrata ATCC-34138, Trichosporon cutaneum ATCC-28592 and Mucor hiemalis ATCC-8690, i.e. compounds 4d, 4h and 4k showed excellent activity against C. glabrata (MIC 0.12, 0.25 and 0.12 µg mL-1, respectively), better than that of itraconazole (MIC 1 µg ml-1). The activity of compound 4d (MIC = 2 µg mL-1) was higher than that observed for the standard antifungal drug (MIC = 8 µg mL-1) against Trichosporon cutaneum, while compound 4k displayed an excellent antimycotic activity against Mucor hiemalis (MIC = 2 µg mL-1vs. 4 µg mL-1 for itraconazole). In addition, we describe herein a novel mild and eco-friendly synthetic protocol for obtaining ß-ketosulfones (adducts to afford compounds 4a-k) from α-brominated carbonyls in an aqueous nanomicellar medium at room temperature.

Antifungal activity of 1'-homo-N-1,2,3-triazol-bicyclic carbonucleosides: A novel type of compound afforded by azide-enolate (3+2) cycloaddition.

The first report of 1'-homo-N-1,2,3-triazol-bicyclic carbonucleosides (7a and 7b) is described herein. Azide-enolate (3+2) cycloaddition afforded the synthesis of this novel type of compound. Antifungal activity was evaluated in vitro against four filamentous fungi (Aspergillus fumigatus, Trichosporon cutaneum, Rhizopus oryzae and Mucor hiemalis) as well as nine species of Candida spp. as yeast specimens. These pre-clinical studies suggest that compounds 7a and 7b are promising candidates for complementary biological studies due to their good activity against Candida spp.

Azide-enolate 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition in the synthesis of novel triazole-based miconazole analogues as promising antifungal agents.

Seven miconazole analogs involving 1,4,5-tri and 1,5-disubstituted triazole moieties were synthesized by azide-enolate 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition. The antifungal activity of these compounds was evaluated in vitro against four filamentous fungi, including Aspergillus fumigatus, Trichosporon cutaneum, Rhizopus oryzae, and Mucor hiemalis as well as three species of Candida spp. as yeast specimens. These pre-clinical studies suggest that compounds 4b, 4d and 7b can be considered as drug candidates for future complementary biological studies due to their good/excellent antifungal activities.

A facile synthesis of novel miconazole analogues and the evaluation of their antifungal activity.

Four novel miconazole analogues (8-11) were synthetized and evaluated for activity against four filamentous fungi (Mucor hiemalis, Aspergillus fumigatus, Trichosporon cutaneum, and Rhizopus oryzae) and eight species of Candida as yeast specimens. Compounds 9 and 10 showed very good activity when evaluated in yeast (MIC 0.112 and 0.163 µg/mL) compared to the reference compound, itraconazole (MIC 0.067 µg/mL). The best antifungal activity in filamentous strains was shown by compound 9. Hence compounds 9 and 10 represent new leads for further pharmacomodulation in this series.