Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors: Design, synthesis, kinetic, docking and molecular dynamics analysis of novel glycine and phenylalanine sulfonamide derivatives.

The inhibition of two human cytosolic carbonic anhydrase isozymes I and II, with some novel glycine and phenylalanine sulfonamide derivatives were investigated. Newly synthesized compounds G1-4 and P1-4 showed effective inhibition profiles with KI values in the range of 14.66-315µM for hCA I and of 18.31-143.8µM against hCA II, respectively. In order to investigate the binding mechanisms of these inhibitors, in silico docking studies were applied. Atomistic molecular dynamic simulations were performed for docking poses which utilize to illustrate the inhibition mechanism of used inhibitors into active site of CAII. These sulfonamide containing compounds generally were competitive inhibitors with 4-nitrophenylacetate as substrate. Some investigated compounds here showed effective hCA II inhibitory effects, in the same range as the clinically used sulfonamide, sulfanilamide or mafenide and might be used as leads for generating enzyme inhibitors possibly targeting other CA isoforms which have not been yet assayed for their interactions with such agents.

Synthesis of 3,4-dihydroxypyrrolidine-2,5-dione and 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid derivatives and evaluation of the carbonic anhydrase I and II inhibition.

The inhibition of two human cytosolic carbonic anhydrase (hCA, EC 4.2.1.1) isozymes I and II, with some 3,4-dihydroxypyrrolidine-2,5-dione and 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid derivatives, were investigated by using the esterase assay, with 4-nitrophenyl acetate (4-NPA) as substrate. Compounds 10-13 showed KI values in the range of 112.7-441.5 µM for hCA I and of 3.5-10.76 µM against hCA II, respectively. These hydroxyl group containing compounds generally were competitive inhibitors. Some hydroxyl group containing compounds investigated here showed effective hCA II inhibitory effects, in the same range as the clinically used sulfonamide acetazolamide, and might be used as leads for generating enzyme inhibitors possibly targeting other CA isoforms which have not been yet assayed for their interactions with such agents.

Genotoxicity potentials of anionic and cationic amino acid-based surfactants.

To understand the genotoxic consequences of chemical agents, random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) as a useful biomarker to be used as an investigation tool for environmental toxicology. In this study, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was used as a toxic anionic surfactant, and glutamic acid-based cationic bicatanar surfactant (GS) was used as less toxic cationic amino acid-based surfactant. Experimental results show significant correlations between the RAPD profile changes with root growth, mitotic activity and chromosomal aberration test. The inhibitory rates of root growth at 400 ppm of SDS and GS were 85% and 32%, respectively. Mitotic activity results showed a drastic decrease in SDS exposures, whereas there was no significant decrease in GS treatment. Comparison of the chromosomal aberration test results, rates were indicated at 100, 200 and 400 ppm of SDS and GS; 10, 17, 26 (SDS) and 6, 9, 9 (GS) consequently. Also DNA alterations started at 100 and 200 ppm during SDS and GS exposures, respectively. These preliminary findings encourage the utilization of GS as an environmental friendly surfactant detected by these tools in the investigation of genotoxicity potentials of SDS and GS on maize and the other crops.

Differences between ß-Ala and Gly-Gly in the design of amino acids-based hydrogels.

Despite the continuous interest in organogels and hydrogels of low molecular weight gelators (LMWG), establishing the relationship between the molecular structure and the gelation mechanism is still a challenge. In this paper our interest focuses on the consequences of slight molecular modifications on the self-assembling behaviour of ß-Ala vs Gly-Gly-based hydrogelators. Previously, in our group, amino acid based amphiphiles i.e. Gly-Gly-His-EO2-Alk, a trimodular amphiphile (containing three domains: H-bond donor and acceptor/hydrophilic/hydrophobic domain, respectively) were reported to act as hydrogelators and that the gelation properties were related to hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interactions and π-π stacking. Herein, ß-Ala-His-EO2-Alk was fully characterised by FT-IR, NMR, SAXS and SEM and the gelation mechanism is discussed. It appears that the number of amide groups determines the self-assembling behaviour into 1D or 2D/3D networks as a result of intimate interactions between gelator molecules.

The small alpha5beta1 integrin antagonist, SJ749, reduces proliferation and clonogenicity of human astrocytoma cells.

The potential role of alpha5beta1 integrins in cancer has recently attracted much interest. However, few alpha5beta1-selective antagonists have been developed compared with other integrins. The most specific nonpeptidic alpha5beta1 antagonist described thus far, SJ749, inhibits angiogenesis by affecting adhesion and migration of endothelial cells. We investigated the effects of SJ749 in two human astrocytoma cell lines, A172 and U87, which express different levels of alpha5beta1. SJ749 dose-dependently inhibited adhesion of both cell types on fibronectin. Application of SJ749 to spread cells led to formation of nonadherent spheroids for A172 cells but had no effect on U87 cell morphology. SJ749 also reduced proliferation of A172 cells due to a long lasting G0-G1 arrest, whereas U87 cells were only slightly affected. However, under nonadherent culture conditions (soft agar), SJ749 significantly reduced the number of colonies formed only by U87 cells. As U87 cells express more alpha5beta1 than A172 cells, we specifically examined the effect of SJ749 on A172 cells overexpressing alpha5. Treatment of alpha5-A172 cells with SJ749 decreased colony formation similarly to that observed in U87 cells. Therefore, in nonadherent conditions, the effect of SJ749 on tumor cell growth characteristics depends on the level of alpha5beta1 expression. Our study highlights the importance of alpha5beta1 as an anticancer target and shows for the first time that a small nonpeptidic alpha5beta1-specific antagonist affects proliferation of tumor cells.