Optimization of rhabdomyosarcoma disseminated disease assessment by flow cytometry.

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common type of soft tissue sarcoma in children. Circulating tumor cells in peripheral blood or disseminated to bone marrow, a concept commonly referred to as minimal residual disease (MRD), are thought to be key to the prediction of metastasis and treatment efficacy. To date, two MRD markers, MYOD and MYOGENIN, have been tested; however, MRD detection continues to be challenging mainly owing to the closeness of the detection limit and the discordance of both markers in some samples. Therefore, the addition of a third marker could be useful for more accurate MRD assessment. The PAX3 gene is expressed during embryo development in all myogenic precursor cells in the dermomyotome. As RMS cells are thought to originate from these muscle precursor cells, they are expected to be positive for PAX3. In this study, PAX3 expression was characterized in cancer cell lines and tumors, showing wide expression in RMS. Detection sensitivities by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) of the previously proposed markers, MYOD and MYOGENIN, were similar to that of PAX3, thereby indicating the feasibility of its detection. Interestingly, the flow cytometry experiments supported the usefulness of this technique in the quantification of MRD in RMS using PAX3 as a marker. These results indicate that flow cytometry, albeit in some cases slightly less sensitive, can be considered a good approach for MRD assessment in RMS and more consistent than qPCR, especially owing to its greater specificity. Furthermore, fluorescence-activated cell sorting permits the recovery of cells, thereby providing material for further characterization of circulating or disseminated cancer cells.

Carbon...carbon weak interactions.

A theoretical study of the complexes formed by systems with electron-deficient and electron-excessive carbon atoms was carried out using DFT and ab initio methods up to the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ computational level. Stable complexes with interaction energies between -6.0 and -22.8 kJ mol(-1) were obtained that correspond to weak C...C interactions. The atoms in molecules analysis of the complexes confirmed the presence of these interactions. Natural energy decomposition analysis and electron localization function analysis were performed to gain further insight into the nature of the interaction. Polarization is the most important stabilizing term in these complexes.

Compressibility of 2M1 muscovite-phlogopite series minerals.

Muscovite (Ms) and phlogopite (Phl) belong to the 2:1 dioctahedral and trioctahedral layer silicates, respectively, and are the end members of Ms-Phl series minerals. This series was studied in the 2M1 polytype and modeled by the substitution of three Mg2+ cations in the Phl octahedral sites by two Al3+ and one vacancy, increasing the substitution up to reach the Ms. The series was computationally examined at DFT level as a function of pressure to 9 GPa. Cell parameters as a function of pressure and composition, and bulk moduli as a function of the composition agrees with the existing experimental results. The mixing Gibbs free energy was calculated as a function of composition. From these data, approximated solvi were calculated at increasing pressure. A gap of solubility is found, decreasing the gap of solubility at high pressure.

Evidence of an unexpectedly long C-C bond (>2.7 A) in 1,3-metalladiyne complexes [Cp2MCCR]2 (M = Ti, Zr): QTAIM and ELF analyses.

Topological analyses of the electron density using the quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) and electron localization function (ELF) have been carried out, at the B3LYP/DGVZVP and MP2/DGVZVP theoretical levels, on different 1,3-metalladiyne cyclic compounds [Cp2M(CCR)]2, (M = Ti, Zr; R = F, CH3, H, SiH3). The QTAIM results indicate the presence of an extraordinarily long C-C bond (in a 2.7-3.0 A range) connecting the CCR moieties, contrary to the common geometrical assumption of a M-M bond in similar metallacycles. The existence of this C-C bond is also supported by the distinct consequences on the reaction profiles for the Ti and Zr complexes, the CC oxidative coupling reactions being favored only for the Ti complexes. Moreover, the consequences of this bonding in the coupling/cleavage reactions of these metallacyclic complexes are reported and analyzed, revealing the transcendence of these long-range bonds in the overall behavior of these compounds.

Hedgehog Pathway Inhibition Hampers Sphere and Holoclone Formation in Rhabdomyosarcoma.

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common type of soft tissue sarcoma in children and can be divided into two main subtypes: embryonal (eRMS) and alveolar (aRMS). Among the cellular heterogeneity of tumors, the existence of a small fraction of cells called cancer stem cells (CSC), thought to be responsible for the onset and propagation of cancer, has been demonstrated in some neoplasia. Although the existence of CSC has been reported for eRMS, their existence in aRMS, the most malignant subtype, has not been demonstrated to date. Given the lack of suitable markers to identify this subpopulation in aRMS, we used cancer stem cell-enriched supracellular structures (spheres and holoclones) to study this subpopulation. This strategy allowed us to demonstrate the capacity of both aRMS and eRMS cells to form these structures and retain self-renewal capacity. Furthermore, cells contained in spheres and holoclones showed significant Hedgehog pathway induction, the inhibition of which (pharmacologic or genetic) impairs the formation of both holoclones and spheres. Our findings point to a crucial role of this pathway in the maintenance of these structures and suggest that Hedgehog pathway targeting in CSC may have great potential in preventing local relapses and metastases.

MicroRNA-497 impairs the growth of chemoresistant neuroblastoma cells by targeting cell cycle, survival and vascular permeability genes.

Despite multimodal therapies, a high percentage of high-risk neuroblastoma (NB) become refractory to current treatments, most of which interfere with cell cycle and DNA synthesis or function, activating the DNA damage response (DDR). In cancer, this process is frequently altered by deregulated expression or function of several genes which contribute to multidrug resistance (MDR). MicroRNAs are outstanding candidates for therapy since a single microRNA can modulate the expression of multiple genes of the same or different pathways, thus hindering the development of resistance mechanisms by the tumor. We found several genes implicated in the MDR to be overexpressed in high-risk NB which could be targeted by microRNAs simultaneously. Our functional screening identified several of those microRNAs that reduced proliferation of chemoresistant NB cell lines, the best of which was miR-497. Low expression of miR-497 correlated with poor patient outcome. The overexpression of miR-497 reduced the proliferation of multiple chemoresistant NB cell lines and induced apoptosis in MYCN-amplified cell lines. Moreover, the conditional expression of miR-497 in NB xenografts reduced tumor growth and inhibited vascular permeabilization. MiR-497 targets multiple genes related to the DDR, cell cycle, survival and angiogenesis, which renders this molecule a promising candidate for NB therapy.

Evidence of a long C-C attractive interaction in cerussite mineral: QTAIM and ELF analyses.

Cerussite, an orthorhombic lead carbonate mineral, has a structure and physical properties that cannot be understood merely in terms of ionic anion-cation interactions. The nature of the chemical bonding in cerussite is analyzed by means of the quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) and the analysis of the electron localization function (ELF). A long C-C attractive interaction (3.077 Å) along the c axis of the cerussite structure is evidenced by the presence of bond critical points between the C atoms of the CO(3)(2-) molecular groups. It is proposed that the Pb-O interactions, which are mostly ionic in nature, disturb the structure of the CO(3)(2-) molecular groups and promote their interaction along the c axis. The importance of this long-range interaction in the high-pressure crystal chemistry of carbonate minerals and in the explanation of some crystal growth features observed for orthorhombic carbonates is also discussed in this work.

From 7-azaindole to adenine: molecular recognition aspects on mixed-ligand Cu(II) complexes with deaza-adenine ligands.

For a better understanding of the versatile behaviour of adenine as a ligand, a series of 10 ternary copper(II) complexes with deaza-adenine ligands [7-azaindole (1,6,7-trideaza-adenine, H7azain), 4-azabenzimidazole (1,6-dideaza-adenine, H4abim), 5-azabenzimidazole (3,6-dideaza-adenine, H5abim), and 7-deaza-adenine (H7deaA)] have been synthesised and characterised by X-ray diffraction. Likewise, all the compounds studied have been analysed by spectral and thermal methods. The proton tautomers and donor capabilities of the above-mentioned deaza-adenine ligands have been calculated by DFT. We conclude that the increasing presence of N-donors in deaza-adenine ligands favours the proton tautomerism and their versatility as co-ligands. Notably, H7azain consistently uses the same tautomer, H4abim uses two different tautomers but is not protonated by the pentadentate H(2)EDTA(2-) ligand, and H(N1)5abim displays the µ(2)-N7,N9 mode, whereas H(N9)7deaA binds Cu(II) by N3 in cooperation with an intra-molecular N9-H···O interaction or using the unprecedented bidentate µ(2)-N1,N3 bridging mode.

Insights on the binding ability of a new adenine analog: 7-amine-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine. Synthesis and magnetic study of the first copper(II) complexes.

Conventional reactions of the new multidentate ligand 7-amine-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine (7atp, 1) with copper(II) salts lead to four novel multidimensional coordination complexes [Cu(7atp)(mal)(H(2)O)(2)]·H(2)O (2), [Cu(2)(µ-7atp)(4)(H(2)O)(2)](ClO(4))(4)·3H(2)O (3), {[Cu(7atp)(2)(µ-ox)]·3H(2)O}(n) (4) and {[Cu(7atp)(2)(µ-suc)]·2H(2)O}(n) (5), where ox(2-), mal(2-) and suc(2-) mean oxalate, malonate and succinate, respectively. In these compounds, the 7atp ligand coordinates monodentately through its atom N3, except for compound 3, which displays N3-N4 coordination mode, giving rise to all to structures with diverse topologies and dimensionality. Compound 2 is a mononuclear entity, 3 consists of dinuclear species, 4 is a zig-zag chain with oxalate as a bridging ligand and 5 is a succinate-bridged mono-dimensional system. All polynuclear metal complexes show antiferromagnetic interactions of with J values ranging from -0.12 to -49.5 cm(-1). The ligand donor capabilities have been estimated by topological analyses of the electron density (QTAIM) and electron localization function (ELF), obtained by DFT calculations. The compounds are the first structurally characterized copper(II) complexes containing the 7atp ligand.

Dinuclear silver(I) complexes for the design of metal-ligand networks based on triazolopyrimidines.

Silver(I) coordination complexes with the versatile and biomimetic ligands 1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine (tp), 5,7-dimethyl-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine (dmtp) and 7-amine-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine (7atp) all feature dinuclear [Ag(2)(µ-tp)(2)](2+) building units (where tp is a triazolopyrimidine derivative), which are the preferred motif, independently of the counter-anion used. According to AIM (atoms in molecules) and ELF (electron localization function) analyses, this fact is due to the great stability of these dinuclear species. The complexes structures range from the dinuclear entities [Ag(2)(µ-tp)(2)(CH(3)CN)(4)](BF(4))(2) (1), [Ag(2)(µ-tp)(2)(CH(3)CN)(4)](ClO(4))(2) (2), [Ag(2)(µ-7atp)(2)](ClO(4))(2) (3) and [Ag(2)(µ-dmtp)(2)(CH(3)CN)](PF(6))(ClO(4)) (4) over the 1D polymer chain [Ag(2)(µ-CF(3)SO(3))(2)(µ-dmtp)(2)](n) (5) to the 3D net {[Ag(2)(µ(3)-tp)(2)](PF(6))(2)·âˆ¼6H(2)O}(n) (6) with NbO topology.

On the nature of metal-carbon bonding: AIM and ELF analyses of MCH(n) (n = 1-3) compounds containing early transition metals.

Ab initio and DFT calculations have been performed on a series of organometallic compounds, according to the formula MCH(n), where M = K, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, or Mn and n = 1-3. Various theoretical methods are compared, the B3LYP level yielding the same agreement with the experimental geometries available as the correlated MP2 and CISD methods, with the 6-311++G(3df,2p) basis set for C and H and Wachter's (15s11p6d3f1g)/[10s7p4d3f1g] basis set for transition metals. The main geometric and electronic features of the molecules studied are described, analyzing the M-C bonding characteristics in terms of the atoms in molecules theory (AIM) and the electron localization function (ELF). Although multiple bonding is expected from the Lewis bonding scheme, the results indicate an almost pure ionic bond for all of the systems studied. The net charge transfer from the metal to the carbon atom ranges from 0.5 to 1 e(-), and the electronic structure of the CH(n)(-) moiety is unaltered after the interaction with the metal cation, showing little or no effect on the shape of the electron pairing. The bond paths corresponding to a possible alpha-agostic bond for these systems are not present.