Texaphyrin-Based Calcium Sensor for Multimodal Imaging.

The ability to monitor intracellular calcium concentrations using fluorescent probes has led to important insights into biological signaling processes at the cellular level. An important challenge is to relate such measurements to broader patterns of signaling across fields of view that are inaccessible to optical techniques. To meet this need, we synthesized molecular probes that couple calcium-binding moieties to lanthanide texaphyrins, resulting in complexes endowed with a diverse complement of magnetic and photophysical properties. We show that the probes permit intracellular calcium levels to be assessed by fluorescence, photoacoustic, and magnetic resonance imaging modalities and that they are detectable by multimodal imaging in brain tissue. This work thus establishes a route for monitoring signaling processes over a range of spatial and temporal scales.

Condition-Dependent Coordination and Peroxidase Activity of Hemin-Aß Complexes.

The peroxidase activity of hemin-peptide complexes remains a potential factor in oxidative damage relevant to neurodegeneration. Here, we present the effect of temperature, ionic strength, and pH relevant to pathophysiological conditions on the dynamic equilibrium between high-spin and low-spin hemin-Aß40 constructs. This influence on peroxidase activity was also demonstrated using 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and dopamine (DA) oxidation rate analyses with increasing ratios of Aß16 and Aß40 (up to 100 equivalents). Interaction and reactivity studies of aggregated Aß40-hemin revealed enhanced peroxidase activity versus hemin alone. Comparison of the results obtained using Aß16 and Aß40 amyloid beta peptides revealed marked differences and provide insight into the potential effects of hemin-Aß on neurological disease progression.

Synthesis and Characterization of a Binuclear Copper(II)-dipyriamethyrin Complex: [Cu2(dipyriamethyrin)(µ2-1,1-acetato)2].

The reaction between dipyriamethyrin and copper(II) acetate [Cu(OAc)2] afforded what is, to our knowledge, the first transition metal-dipyriamethyrin complex. Molecular and electronic characterization of this binuclear Cu(II) complex via EPR, UV-vis, and single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis revealed marked differences between the present constructs and previously reported binuclear copper(II) hexaphyrin species. UV-vis titration analyses provided evidence for a homotropic positive allosteric effect, wherein the binuclear species is formed without significant intermediacy of a monomeric complex.

Metallotexaphyrins as MRI-Active Catalytic Antioxidants for Neurodegenerative Disease: A Study on Alzheimer's Disease.

The complex etiology of neurodegeneration continues to stifle efforts to develop effective therapeutics. New agents elucidating key pathways causing neurodegeneration might serve to increase our understanding and potentially lead to improved treatments. Here, we demonstrate that a water-soluble manganese(II) texaphyrin (MMn) is a suitable magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent for detecting larger amyloid beta constructs. The imaging potential of MMn was inferred on the basis of in vitro studies and in vivo detection in Alzheimer's disease C. elegans models via MRI and ICP-MS. In vitro antioxidant- and cellular-based assays provide support for the notion that this porphyrin analog shows promise as a therapeutic agent able to mitigate the oxidative and nitrative toxic effects considered causal in neurodegeneration. The present report marks the first elaboration of an MRI-active metalloantioxidant that confers diagnostic and therapeutic benefit in Alzheimer's disease models without conjugation of a radioisotope, targeting moiety, or therapeutic payload.

Porphyrinoid f-Element Complexes.

Porphyrin and related pyrrole-containing macrocycles, collectively porphyrinoids, are versatile ligands that allow access to a multitude of coordination modes. Judicious modification of the porphyrin core as well as the pendant substituents has extended the coordination chemistry of porphyrinoids to include systems that are able to stabilize f-block element complexes with possible utility. This review focuses on our group's efforts to prepare expanded porphyrin and porphyrinogen ligands that can serve as tools to study and apply f-element metal coordination chemistry: it covers the background of the topic, selected syntheses, and application of these species in the chemical and medical sciences.

Synthesis and Characterization of a Binuclear Copper(II) Naphthoisoamethyrin Complex Displaying Weak Antiferromagnetic Coupling.

The reaction between a naphthylbipyrrole-containing hexaphyrin-type expanded porphyrin and copper acetate affords a bench-stable dicopper(II) complex. UV-vis spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and X-ray crystallographic analysis measurements provide support for the conclusion that this complex displays aromatic features. A weak antiferromagnetic exchange interaction between the binuclear copper(II) ions is evidenced by variable-temperature electron paramagnetic resonance and by fitting of the bulk magnetic susceptibility to a dimer model, yielding J = -5.1 cm-1.