Atomistic Origins of Resurrection of Aged Acetylcholinesterase by Quinone Methide Precursors.

Nerve agents are organophosphates (OPs) that act as potent inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), the enzyme responsible for the hydrolysis of acetylcholine. After inhibition, a dealkylation reaction of the phosphorylated serine, known as the aging of AChE, can occur. When aged, reactivators of OP-inhibited AChE are no longer effective. Therefore, the realkylation of aged AChE may offer a pathway to reverse AChE aging. In this study, molecular modeling was conducted to propose new ligands as realkylators of aged AChE. We applied a methodology involving docking and quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) calculations to evaluate the resurrection kinetic constants and ligand interactions with OP-aged AChE, comparing them to data found in the literature. The results obtained confirm that this method is suitable for predicting kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of ligands, which can be useful in the design and selection of new and more effective ligands for AChE realkylation.

Multicomponent Reactions (MCRs) with o-Quinone Methides.

This article presents a comprehensive overview of multicomponent reactions (MCRs) that proceed via ortho-quinone methide intermediates (o-QM) generated in the reaction medium. Examples of applications involving these highly reactive intermediates in organic synthesis and biological processes (e. g., biosynthetic pathways, prodrug cleavage and electrophilic capture of biological nucleophiles) are also described. QMs are often generated by eliminative processes of phenol derivatives or by photochemical reactions, including reversible generation in photochromic substances. This class of compounds can undergo various reaction types, including nucleophilic attack at the methide carbon, with subsequent rearomatization, and react with electron-rich dienophiles in inverse-electron demand hetero-Diels-Alder reactions. Its versatile reactivity has been explored in the context of cascade reactions for the construction of several classes of substances, including complex natural products.

Synthesis, In Vitro and In Silico Studies of Indolequinone Derivatives against Clinically Relevant Bacterial Pathogens.

BACKGROUND: According to the World Health Organization, antimicrobial resistance is one of the most important public health threats of the 21st century. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the development of antimicrobial agents with new mechanism of action, especially those capable of evading known resistance mechanisms. OBJECTIVE: We described the synthesis, in vitro antimicrobial evaluation, and in silico analysis of a series of 1H-indole-4,7-dione derivatives. METHODS: The new series of 1H-indole-4,7-diones was prepared with good yield by using a copper(II)- mediated reaction between bromoquinone and ß-enamino ketones bearing alkyl or phenyl groups attached to the nitrogen atom. The antimicrobial potential of indole derivatives was assessed. Molecular docking studies were also performed using AutoDock 4.2 for Windows. Characterization of all compounds was confirmed by one- and two-dimensional NMR techniques 1H and 13C NMR spectra [1H, 13C - APT, 1H x 1H - COSY, HSQC and HMBC], IR and mass spectrometry analysis. RESULTS: Several indolequinone compounds showed effective antimicrobial profile against Grampositive (MIC = 16 µg.mL-1) and Gram-negative bacteria (MIC = 8 µg.mL-1) similar to antimicrobials current on the market. The 3-acetyl-1-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)-1H-indole-4,7-dione derivative exhibited an important effect against different biofilm stages formed by a serious hospital life-threatening resistant strain of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). A hemocompatibility profile analysis based on in vitro hemolysis assays revealed the low toxicity effects of this new series. Indeed, in silico studies showed a good pharmacokinetics and toxicological profiles for all indolequinone derivatives, reinforcing their feasibility to display a promising oral bioavailability. An elucidation of the promising indolequinone derivatives binding mode was achieved, showing interactions with important sites to biological activity of S. aureus DNA gyrase. These results highlighted 3-acetyl-1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1Hindole- 4,7-dione derivative as broad-spectrum antimicrobial prototype to be further explored for treating bacterial infections. CONCLUSION: The highly substituted indolequinones were obtained in moderate to good yields. The pharmacological study indicated that these compounds should be exploited in the search for a leading substance in a project aimed at obtaining new antimicrobials effective against Gram-negative bacteria.

Mevalonate-derived quinonemethide triterpenoid from in vitro roots of Peritassa laevigata and their localization in root tissue by MALDI imaging.

Biosynthetic investigation of quinonemethide triterpenoid 22ß-hydroxy-maytenin (2) from in vitro root cultures of Peritassa laevigata (Celastraceae) was conducted using (13)C-precursor. The mevalonate pathway in P. laevigata is responsible for the synthesis of the quinonemethide triterpenoid scaffold. Moreover, anatomical analysis of P. laevigata roots cultured in vitro and in situ showed the presence of 22ß-hydroxy-maytenin (2) and maytenin (1) in the tissues from transverse or longitudinal sections with an intense orange color. MALDI-MS imaging confirmed the distribution of (2) and (1) in the more distal portions of the root cap, the outer cell layers, and near the vascular cylinder of P. laevigata in vitro roots suggesting a role in plant defense against infection by microorganisms as well as in the root exudation processes.

Aminochrome induces dopaminergic neuronal dysfunction: a new animal model for Parkinson's disease.

L-Dopa continues to be the gold drug in Parkinson's disease (PD) treatment from 1967. The failure to translate successful results from preclinical to clinical studies can be explained by the use of preclinical models which do not reflect what happens in the disease since these induce a rapid and extensive degeneration; for example, MPTP induces a severe Parkinsonism in only 3 days in humans contrasting with the slow degeneration and progression of PD. This study presents a new anatomy and develops preclinical model based on aminochrome which induces a slow and progressive dysfunction of dopaminergic neurons. The unilateral injection of aminochrome into rat striatum resulted in (1) contralateral rotation when the animals are stimulated with apomorphine; (2) absence of significant loss of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neuronal elements both in substantia nigra and striatum; (3) cell shrinkage; (4) significant reduction of dopamine release; (5) significant increase in GABA release; (6) significant decrease in the number of monoaminergic presynaptic vesicles; (7) significant increase of dopamine concentration inside of monoaminergic vesicles; (8) significant increase of damaged mitochondria; (9) significant decrease of ATP level in the striatum (10) significant decrease in basal and maximal mitochondrial respiration. These results suggest that aminochrome induces dysfunction of dopaminergic neurons where the contralateral behavior can be explained by aminochrome-induced ATP decrease required both for anterograde transport of synaptic vesicles and dopamine release. Aminochrome could be implemented as a new model neurotoxin to study Parkinson's disease.

Aminochrome as New Preclinical Model to Find New Pharmacological Treatment that Stop the Development of Parkinson's Disease.

The pharmacological treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) is limited to dopamine agonists and anti-cholinergic drugs that do not stop the progress of disease. LDopa was introduced to the treatment in 1967; this drug is still the best and most commonly used drug since it generates a real improvement in patient quality of life, but the disadvantage of L-dopa is that this positive effect is followed by severe side effects such as dyskinesia. The search for a new drug in the treatment of PD is limited to compounds which decrease the side effects of the drugs used in the treatment of the disease, such as L-dopa-induced dyskinesia. One possible explanation for pharmaceutical companies not developing new drugs to stop disease development is because the mechanism which induces the loss of dopaminergic neurons containing neuromelanin of the nigrostriatal system is still unknown. The discovery of genes (alpha-synuclein, parkin, pink-1, DJ- 1, LRRK2, GBA1, etc.) associated with familial forms of PD resulted in an enormous input into basic research in order to understand the role of these proteins in the disease. It is generally accepted that the loss of dopaminergic neurons containing neuromelanin involves mitochondrial dysfunction, protein degradation dysfunction, the aggregation of alpha-synuclein to neurotoxic oligomers, oxidative neuroinflammation and endoplasmic reticulum stress, but the question of what induces these mechanisms remains unanswered. Aminochrome, the product of dopamine oxidation and the precursor of neuromelanin, is directly involved in five of the six mechanisms and may be a better PD preclinical model.

A new family of choline kinase inhibitors with antiproliferative and antitumor activity derived from natural products.

BACKGROUND: Choline kinase alpha (ChoKα) is a critical enzyme in the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine, a major structural component of eukaryotic cell membranes. ChoKα is overexpressed in a large variety of tumor cells and has been proposed as a target for personalized medicine, both in cancer therapy and rheumatoid arthritis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Triterpene quinone methides (TPQ) bioactive compounds isolated from plants of the Celastraceae family and a set of their semisynthetic derivatives were tested against the recombinant human ChoKα. Those found active as potent enzymatic inhibitors were tested in vitro for antiproliferative activity against HT29 colorectal adenocarcinoma cells, and one of the active compounds was tested for in vivo antitumoral activity in mice xenographs of HT29 cells. RESULTS: Among 59 natural and semisynthetic TPQs tested in an ex vivo system, 14 were highly active as inhibitors of the enzyme ChoKα with IC50 <10 µM. Nine of these were potent antiproliferative agents (IC50 <10 µM) against tumor cells. At least one compound was identified as a new antitumoral drug based on its in vivo activity against xenographs of human HT-29 colon adenocarcinoma cells. CONCLUSIONS: The identification of a new family of natural and semisynthetic compounds with potent inhibitory activity against ChoKα and both in vitro antiproliferative and in vivo antitumoral activity supports further research on these inhibitors as potential anticancer agents. Their likely role as antiproliferative drugs deserves further studies in models of rheumatoid arthritis.

Production of the quinone-methide triterpene maytenin by in vitro adventitious roots of Peritassa campestris (Cambess.) A.C.Sm. (Celastraceae) and rapid detection and identification by APCI-IT-MS/MS.

Establishment of adventitious root cultures of Peritassa campestris (Celastraceae) was achieved from seed cotyledons cultured in semisolid Woody Plant Medium (WPM) supplemented with 2% sucrose, 0.01% PVP, and 4.0 mg L⁻¹ IBA. Culture period on accumulation of biomass and quinone-methide triterpene maytenin in adventitious root were investigated. The accumulation of maytenin in these roots was compared with its accumulation in the roots of seedlings grown in a greenhouse (one year old). A rapid detection and identification of maytenin by direct injection into an atmospheric-pressure chemical ionization ion trap tandem mass spectrometer (APCI-IT-MS/MS) were performed without prior chromatographic separation. In vitro, the greatest accumulation of biomass occurred within 60 days of culture. The highest level of maytenin--972.11 µ g·g⁻¹ dry weight--was detected at seven days of cultivation; this value was 5.55-fold higher than that found in the roots of seedlings grown in a greenhouse.

Addition of thiols to o-quinone methide: new 2-hydroxy-3-phenylsulfanylmethyl[1,4]naphthoquinones and their activity against the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum (3D7).

A series of 36 new phenylsulfanylmethyl[1,4]naphthoquinones (7-42) were synthesized by a three-component reaction that involves lawsone, the appropriate aldehyde and thiols with variable substitution patterns. These reactions involve the in situ generation of o-quinone methides (o-QM) via Knoevenagel condensation and 1,4-nucleophilic addition under conventional heating or microwave irradiation. The new naphthoquinones obtained by this methodology were shown to have moderate to good in vitro antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum (3D7).

Aminochrome induces disruption of actin, alpha-, and beta-tubulin cytoskeleton networks in substantia-nigra-derived cell line.

In previous studies, we observed that cells treated with aminochrome obtained by oxidizing dopamine with oxidizing agents dramatically changed cell morphology, thus posing the question if such morphological changes were dependent on aminochrome or the oxidizing agents used to produce aminochrome. Therefore, to answer this question, we have now purified aminochrome on a CM-Sepharose 50-100 column and, using NMR studies, we have confirmed that the resulting aminochrome was pure and that it retained its structure. Fluorescence microscopy with calcein-AM and transmission electron microscopy showed that RCSN-3 cells presented an elongated shape that did not change when the cells were incubated with 50 muM aminochrome or 100 muM dicoumarol, an inhibitor of DT-diaphorase. However, the cell were reduced in size and the elongated shape become spherical when the cells where incubated with 50 muM aminochrome in the presence of 100 muM dicoumarol. Under these conditions, actin, alpha-, and beta-tubulin cytoskeleton filament networks became condensed around the cell membrane. Actin aggregates were also observed in cells processes that connected the cells in culture. These results suggest that aminochrome one-electron metabolism induces the disruption of the normal morphology of actin, alpha-, and beta-tubulin in the cytoskeleton, and that DT-diaphorase prevents these effects.

Molecular and neurochemical mechanisms in PD pathogenesis.

Oxidation of dopamine to aminochrome seems to be a normal process leading to aminochrome polymerization to form neuromelanin, since normal individuals have this pigment in their dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. The neurons lost in individuals with Parkinson's disease are dopaminergic neurons containing neuromelanin. This raises two questions. First, why are those cells containing neuromelanin lost in this disease? Second, what is the identity of the neurotoxin that induces this cell death? We propose that aminochrome is the agent responsible for the death of dopaminergic neurons containing neuromelanin in individuals with Parkinson's disease. The normal oxidative pathway of dopamine, in which aminochrome polymerizes to form neuromelanin, can be neurotoxic if DT-diaphorase is inhibited under certain conditions. Inhibition of DT-diaphorase allows two neurotoxic reactions to proceed: (i) the formation of aminochrome adducts with alpha-synuclein, which induce and stabilize the formation of neurotoxic protofibrils; and (ii) the one electron reduction of aminochrome to the neurotoxic leukoaminochrome o-semiquinone radical. Therefore, we propose that DT-diaphorase is an important neuroprotective enzyme in dopaminergic neurons containing neuromelanin.

Vitamin B-sensitized photo-oxidation of dopamine.

Kinetics and mechanism of the photo-oxidation of the natural catecholamine-type neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) has been studied in aqueous solution, under aerobic conditions, in the presence of riboflavin (Rf, vitamin B(2)) as a photosensitizer. Results indicate the formation of a weak dark complex Rf-DA, with a mean apparent association constant K(ass) = 30 m(-1), only detectable at DA concentrations much higher than those employed in photochemical experiments. An intricate mechanism of competitive reactions operates upon photoirradiation. DA quenches excited singlet and triplet states of Rf, with rate constants of 4.2 x 10(9) and 2.2 x 10(9) m(-1) s(-1), respectively. With the catecholamine in a concentration similar to that of dissolved molecular oxygen in air-saturated water, DA and oxygen competitively quench the triplet excited state of Rf, generating superoxide radical anion (O(2)) and singlet molecular oxygen (O(2)((1)Delta(g))) by processes initiated by electron and energy-transfer mechanisms, respectively. Rate constants values of 1.9 x 10(8) and 6.6 x 10(6) m(-1) s(-1) have been obtained for the overall and reactive (chemical) interaction of DA with O(2)((1)Delta(g)). The presence of superoxide dismutase increases both the observed rates of aerobic DA photo-oxidation and oxygen uptake, due to its known catalytic scavenging of O(2), a species that could revert the overall photo-oxidation effect, according to the proposed reaction mechanism. As in most of the catecholamine oxidative processes described in the literature, aminochrome is the DA oxidation product upon visible light irradiation in the presence of Rf. It is generated with a quantum yield of 0.05.

Neocandenatone, an isoflavan-cinnamylphenol quinone methide pigment from Dalbergia congestiflora.

A purple pigment neocandenatone (vestitol[6-->9";7O-->7"]obtusaquinone) was isolated from the heartwood of campincerán (Dalbergia congestiflora), an endemic Mexican tree. The isoflavan-cinnamyl phenol quinone methide structure of this compound was elucidated by HRMS, IR, and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopic analysis, including 2D experiments (COSY, NOESY, HMQC and HSQC).