Synthesis, characterisation and photochemistry of platinum diselenolenes.

The reaction between [Pt(PPh(3))(4)] and cycloocteno-1,2,3-selenadiazole or bis-cycloocteno-1,4-diselenin in toluene under reflux yielded the poorly soluble mononuclear platinum diselenolene [Pt(Se(2)C(8)H(12))(PPh(3))(2)], 1c. Treatment of [Pt(C(2)H(4))(PR(3))(2)] with a bis-cycloalkeno-1,4-diselenin in a mixture of 1,4-dioxane, THF and toluene under reflux led in good yield to the platinum diselenolenes [Pt(Se(2)C(n+4)H(2n+4))(PR(3))(2)] (R = Et (2), Bu (3); n = 3 (b), 4 (c)). The analogous complexes [Pt(Se(2)C(8)H(12))(L)] (L = dppm: 4c; L = dppe: 5c; L = dppp: 6c) were prepared from 1c via ligand exchange with chelating phosphines. All new compounds have been characterised by multinuclear NMR, IR and UV-visible spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, and their luminescence properties have been examined. The molecular structures of [Pt(Se(2)C(7)H(10))(PEt(3))(2)] (2b), [Pt(Se(2)C(8)H(12))(PEt(3))(2)] (2c) and [Pt(Se(2)C(8)H(12))(dppm)] (4c) have been determined by X-ray crystallography.

Palladium diselenolenes: a new group of near-infrared lumophores.

We describe the photochemical characteristics of two phosphorescent palladium diselenolenes [Pd(2)(Se(2)C(8)H(12))(2)(PBu(3))(2)] (1) and [Pd(2)(Se(2)C(8)H(12))(2)(PPh(3))(2)] (2) which, to the best of our knowledge, are the first reported examples of luminescent Pd-Se compounds. Both compounds exhibit broadband near-infrared phosphorescence in the solid state, with lambda(max) of 717 nm for 1 and 792 nm for 2 at 298 K, and 752 nm for 1 and 785 nm for 2 at 77 K. No phosphorescence was detected for either compound when they were dissolved in nitrogen-purged acetonitrile or toluene solution at 298 K but they do phosphoresce at 77 K in organic glasses with emission quantum yields of 0.12 (+/-0.01) for 1 and 0.13 (+/-0.01) for 2 in an ethanol/diethylether/toluene (1:2:1) (EDT) glass. Emission lifetimes at 77 K are the same whether in the solid state or in an organic glass with first order fit lifetimes of tau = 18.8 (+/-0.7) micros and 11.5 (+/-0.3) micros for 1 and 2, respectively. Combination of these lifetimes with quantum yields gives radiative lifetimes of 151 (+/-13) micros and 86 (+/-7) micros for compounds 1 and 2, respectively, at 77 K in EDT glass. At 77 K solid state quantum yields are estimated to be of the same order of magnitude as those in glasses, and these decrease by a factor of about 3-5 in going from 77 to 298 K. In the solid state at 298 K emission lifetimes are 1.83 (+/-0.02) micros and 7.0 (+/-0.3) micros for 1 and 2, respectively. We could detect no transients by nanosecond flash photolysis which could be assigned to the triplet state in room temperature solution, and no emission assignable to singlet oxygen across the wavelength range 1200-1350 nm upon 550 nm excitation of either 1 or 2 in acetonitrile solution. We estimate the quantum yield of singlet oxygen formation to be less than about 5 x 10(-4), which is also an upper limit for the yield of triplet states of any significant lifetime in fluid solution. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the S(0) to S(1) and T(1) transitions show a shift in molecular orbital character from one with significant -ene pi involvement but very little P involvement in the ground-state to one with less -ene pi but greater P involvement in the excited states; there is also a significant shift in the distribution of involvement of atomic orbitals on the four Se atoms.

Endothelial-targeted gene transfer of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha augments ischemic neovascularization following systemic administration.

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) is a key regulator of the response to low oxygen levels and has been used for therapeutic angiogenesis. Various routes of administration have been used for delivering genes to the ischemic region including the intramuscular (IM) and intraarterial routes. When compared with these delivery methods, the intravenous (IV) route confers many advantages, including less invasiveness and lower cost. However, its use is hampered by the fact that it does not result in specific and robust tissue expression of the genes. Our aim was to determine the feasibility, safety, and therapeutic efficacy of systemic administration of adenoviral-mediated HIF-1alpha targeted to the endothelium. Using confocal microscopy and biodistribution studies we demonstrated that a modified murine preproendothelin-1 promoter (PPE1-3x) can target gene expression specifically to endothelial cells within ischemic muscle following systemic IV administration in C57BL/6 mice. Accordingly, an adenovirus expressing a PPE1-3x-regulated stabilized HIF-1alpha molecule, further activated by constitutive activation of its C-transactivation domain (C-TAD), was created. Systemic tail-vein administration of this adenovirus in a mouse hindlimb ischemia model resulted in enhanced blood perfusion, improved clinical outcome, and increased capillary density without systemic toxicity, in contrast to the profound systemic side effects and lack of therapeutic efficacy following cytomegalovirus (CMV)-regulated HIF-1alpha administration. Collectively, these data suggest that transcriptionally controlled systemic proangiogenic gene therapy is feasible, safe, and efficacious.

Endothelial-targeted Gene Transfer of Hypoxia-inducible Factor-1α Augments Ischemic Neovascularization Following Systemic Administration.

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) is a key regulator of the response to low oxygen levels and has been used for therapeutic angiogenesis. Various routes of administration have been used for delivering genes to the ischemic region including the intramuscular (IM) and intraarterial routes. When compared with these delivery methods, the intravenous (IV) route confers many advantages, including less invasiveness and lower cost. However, its use is hampered by the fact that it does not result in specific and robust tissue expression of the genes. Our aim was to determine the feasibility, safety, and therapeutic efficacy of systemic administration of adenoviral-mediated HIF-1α targeted to the endothelium. Using confocal microscopy and biodistribution studies we demonstrated that a modified murine preproendothelin-1 promoter (PPE1-3x) can target gene expression specifically to endothelial cells within ischemic muscle following systemic IV administration in C57BL/6 mice. Accordingly, an adenovirus expressing a PPE1-3x-regulated stabilized HIF-1α molecule, further activated by constitutive activation of its C-transactivation domain (C-TAD), was created. Systemic tail-vein administration of this adenovirus in a mouse hindlimb ischemia model resulted in enhanced blood perfusion, improved clinical outcome, and increased capillary density without systemic toxicity, in contrast to the profound systemic side effects and lack of therapeutic efficacy following cytomegalovirus (CMV)-regulated HIF-1α administration. Collectively, these data suggest that transcriptionally controlled systemic proangiogenic gene therapy is feasible, safe, and efficacious.