Michael J. C. Buckle

Accurate determination of the extent to which an SE2′ reaction of an allylsilane is anti

Abstract TheE andZ allylsilanesE-1 andZ-1 have been prepared essentially 100% geometrically and enantiomerically pure; their SE2′ reactions with adamantyl chloride are highly, but not completely, stereospecific.

Accurate determination of the extent to which the SE2′ reactions of an allenylsilane are stereospecifically anti

The allenylsilane 1 has been prepared in high enantiomeric purity (98% e.e.); its SE2′ reaction with adamantyl chloride and isobutyraldehyde are stereospecifically anti to a very high degree (>99:1).

Induction of selective cytotoxicity and apoptosis in human T4-lymphoblastoid cell line (CEMss) by boesenbergin a isolated from boesenbergia rotunda rhizomes involves mitochondrial pathway, activation of caspase 3 and G2/M phase cell cycle arrest

BackgroundBoesenbergia rotunda (Roxb.) Schlecht (family zingiberaceae) is a rhizomatous herb that is distributed from north-eastern India to south-east Asia, especially in Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia. Previous research has shown that the crude extract of this plant has cytotoxic properties. The current study examines the cytotoxic properties of boesenbergin A isolated from Boesenbergia rotunda.MethodsMTT assay was used to check the cytotoxicity of boesenbergin A. The morphological assessment of apoptosis was monitored using normal and fluorescence microscopy. The early and late phase of apoptosis was investigated using annexin V and DNA laddering assays, respectively. The mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was assessed by fluorescence microscopy. Human apoptosis proteome profiler assays were performed to investigate the mechanism of cell death. In addition, the protein levels of Bax, Bcl2 and HSP 70 were also analyzed using western blot. Assays of caspase =-3/7, -8 and =-9 were carried out in order to test for induction during treatment. Lastly, cell cycle progression was analyzed using flow cytometry.ResultsBoesenbergin A was found to have the highest toxicity towards CEMss cancer cells (IC50 = 8 μg/ml). The morphology of CEMss cells after treatment showed evidence of apoptosis that included blebbing and chromatin condensation. The annexin V assay revealed that early apoptosis is induced after treatment. The DNA laddering assay confirmed that DNA fragmentation had occurred during late apoptosis. The cell cycle analysis indicated that boesenbergin A was able to induce G2/M phase arrest in CEMss cells. The activity of caspases -3/7, -8 and -9 was increased after treatment which indicates both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways are induced during apoptosis. The involvement of mitochondria was established by increased mitochondrial membrane potential and up and down regulation of Bcl2 and Bax proteins as well as HSP70.ConclusionIn conclusion, the results demonstrated that boesenbergin A induced apoptosis of CEMss cells through Bcl2/Bax signaling pathways with the involvement of caspases and G2/M phase cell cycle arrest. The current findings warrant further research on boesenbergin A as a novel chemotherapeutic agent for leukemia intervention including studies in animal models.

Synthesis, Characterization, X-ray crystallography, acetyl cholinesterase inhibition and antioxidant activities of some novel ketone derivatives of gallic hydrazide-derived schiff bases

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia among older people and the pathogenesis of this disease is associated with oxidative stress. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors with antioxidant activities are considered potential treatments for AD. Some novel ketone derivatives of gallic hydrazide-derived Schiff bases were synthesized and examined for their antioxidant activities and in vitro and in silico acetyl cholinesterase inhibition. The compounds were characterized using spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. The ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays revealed that all the compounds have strong antioxidant activities. N-(1-(5-bromo-2-hydroxyphenyl)-ethylidene)-3,4,5-trihydroxybenzohydrazide (2) was the most potent inhibitor of human acetyl cholinesterase, giving an inhibition rate of 77% at 100 μM. Molecular docking simulation of the ligand-enzyme complex suggested that the ligand may be positioned in the enzyme’s active-site gorge, interacting with residues in the peripheral anionic subsite (PAS) and acyl binding pocket (ABP). The current work warrants further preclinical studies to assess the potential for these novel compounds for the treatment of AD.

Homology modeling of the human 5-HT(1A), 5-HT (2A), D1, and D2 receptors: model refinement with molecular dynamics simulations and docking evaluation

Abstract5-HT1A serotonin and D1 dopamine receptor agonists have been postulated to be able to improve negative and cognitive impairment symptoms of schizophrenia, while partial agonists and antagonists of the D2 and 5-HT2A receptors have been reported to be effective in reducing positive symptoms. There is therefore a need for well-defined homology models for the design of more selective antipsychotic agents, since no three-dimensional (3D) crystal structures of these receptors are currently available. In this study, homology models were built based on the high-resolution crystal structure of the β2-adrenergic receptor (2RH1) and further refined via molecular dynamics simulations in a 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) lipid bilayer system with the GROMOS96 53A6 united atom force field. Docking evaluations with representative agonists and antagonists using AutoDock 4.2 revealed binding modes in agreement with experimentally determined site-directed mutagenesis data and significant correlations between the computed and experimental pKi values. The models are also able to distinguish between antipsychotic agents with different selectivities and binding affinities for the four receptors, as well as to differentiate active compounds from decoys. Hence, these human 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, D1 and D2 receptor homology models are capable of predicting the activities of novel ligands, and can be used as 3D templates for antipsychotic drug design and discovery.

Rational Discovery of Dengue Type 2 Non‐Competitive Inhibitors

Various works have been carried out in developing therapeutics against dengue. However, to date, no effective vaccine or anti‐dengue agent has yet been discovered. The development of protease inhibitors is considered as a promising option, but most previous works have involved competitive inhibition. In this study, we focused on rational discovery of potential anti‐dengue agents based on non‐competitive inhibition of DEN‐2 NS2B/NS3 protease. A homology model of the DEN‐2 NS2B/NS3 protease (using West Nile Virus NS2B/NS3 protease complex, 2FP7, as the template) was used as the target, and pinostrobin, a flavanone, was used as the standard ligand. Virtual screening was performed involving a total of 13 341 small compounds, with the backbone structures of chalcone, flavanone, and flavone, available in the ZINC database. Ranking of the resulting compounds yielded compounds with higher binding affinities compared with the standard ligand. Inhibition assay of the selected top‐ranking compounds against DEN‐2 NS2B/NS3 proteolytic activity resulted in significantly better inhibition compared with the standard and correlated well with in silico results. In conclusion, via this rational discovery technique, better inhibitors were identified. This method can be used in further work to discover lead compounds for anti‐dengue agents.

Structure-based identification of aporphines with selective 5-HT2A receptor binding activity

Selective blockade of the serotonin 5‐HT2A receptor is a useful therapeutic approach for a number of disorders, including schizophrenia, insomnia and ischaemic heart disease. A series of aporphines were docked into a homology model of the rat 5‐HT2A receptor using AutoDock. Selected compounds with high in silico binding affinities were screened in vitro using radioligand‐binding assays against rat serotonin (5‐HT1A and 5‐HT2A) and dopamine (D1 and D2) receptors. (R)‐Roemerine and (±)‐nuciferine were found to have high affinity for the 5‐HT2A receptor (Ki = 62 and 139 nm, respectively), with (R)‐roemerine showing 20‐ to 400‐fold selectivity for the 5‐HT2A receptor over the 5‐HT1A, D1 and D2 receptors. Investigation into the ligand–receptor interactions suggested that the selectivity of (R)‐roemerine is due to it having stronger H‐bonding and dipole–dipole interactions with several of the key residues in the 5‐HT2A receptor‐binding site.

In Silico and In Vitro Analysis of Bacoside A Aglycones and Its Derivatives as the Constituents Responsible for the Cognitive Effects of Bacopa monnieri

Bacopa monnieri has been used in Ayurvedic medicine to improve memory and cognition. The active constituent responsible for its pharmacological effects is bacoside A, a mixture of dammarane-type triterpenoid saponins containing sugar chains linked to a steroid aglycone skeleton. Triterpenoid saponins have been reported to be transformed in vivo to metabolites that give better biological activity and pharmacokinetic characteristics. Thus, the activities of the parent compounds (bacosides), aglycones (jujubogenin and pseudojujubogenin) and their derivatives (ebelin lactone and bacogenin A1) were compared using a combination of in silico and in vitro screening methods. The compounds were docked into 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, D1, D2, M1 receptors and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) using AutoDock and their central nervous system (CNS) drug-like properties were determined using Discovery Studio molecular properties and ADMET descriptors. The compounds were screened in vitro using radioligand receptor binding and AChE inhibition assays. In silico studies showed that the parent bacosides were not able to dock into the chosen CNS targets and had poor molecular properties as a CNS drug. In contrast, the aglycones and their derivatives showed better binding affinity and good CNS drug-like properties, were well absorbed through the intestines and had good blood brain barrier (BBB) penetration. Among the compounds tested in vitro, ebelin lactone showed binding affinity towards M1 (Ki = 0.45 μM) and 5-HT2A (4.21 μM) receptors. Bacoside A and bacopaside X (9.06 μM) showed binding affinity towards the D1 receptor. None of the compounds showed any inhibitory activity against AChE. Since the stimulation of M1 and 5-HT2A receptors has been implicated in memory and cognition and ebelin lactone was shown to have the strongest binding energy, highest BBB penetration and binding affinity towards M1 and 5-HT2A receptors, we suggest that B. monnieri constituents may be transformed in vivo to the active form before exerting their pharmacological activity.

Synthesis, characterization, acetylcholinesterase inhibition, molecular modeling and antioxidant activities of some novel Schiff bases derived from 1-(2-ketoiminoethyl)piperazines.

Some novel Schiff bases derived from 1-(2-ketoiminoethyl)piperazines were synthesized and characterized by mass spectroscopy, FTIR, UV-Visible, 1H and 13C-NMR. The compounds were tested for inhibitory activities on human acetylcholinesterase (hAChE), antioxidant activities, acute oral toxicity and further studied by molecular modeling techniques. The study identified the compound (DHP) to have the highest activity among the series in hAChE inhibition and DPPH assay while the compound LP revealed the highest activity in the FRAP assay. The hAChE inhibitory activity of DHP is comparable with that of propidium, a known AChE inhibitor. This high activity of DHP was checked by molecular modeling which showed that DHP could not be considered as a bivalent ligand due to its incapability to occupy the esteratic site (ES) region of the 3D crystal structure of hAChE. The antioxidant study unveiled varying results in 1,1-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. This indicates mechanistic variations of the compounds in the two assays. The potential therapeutic applications and safety of these compounds were suggested for use as human acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and antioxidants.

Toward activated homology models of the human M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor

Structure-based virtual screening offers a good opportunity for the discovery of selective M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) agonists for the treatment of Alzheimers disease. However, no 3-D structure of an M1 mAChR is yet available and the homology models that have been previously reported are only able to identify antagonists in virtual screening experiments. In this study, we generated a homology model of the human M1 mAChR, based on the crystal structure of an M3 mAChR as the template. This initial model was modified, using the agonist-bound crystal structure of a β2-adrenergic receptor as a guide, to give two possible activated structures. The T192 side chain was adjusted in both structures and one of the structures also had the whole of transmembrane (TM) 5 rotated and tilted toward the inner channel of the transmembrane region. The binding sites of all three structures were then refined by induced-fit docking (IFD) with acetylcholine. Virtual screening experiments showed that all three refined models could efficiently differentiate agonists from decoy molecules, with the TM5-modified models also giving good agonist/antagonist selectivity. The whole range of agonists and antagonists was observed to bind within the orthosteric site of the structure obtained by IFD refinement alone, implying that it has inactive state character. In contrast, the two TM5-modified structures were unable to accommodate the antagonists, supporting the proposition that they possess activated state character.