Petr Jansa

A novel and efficient one-pot synthesis of symmetrical diamide (bis-amidate) prodrugs of acyclic nucleoside phosphonates and evaluation of their biological activities

A novel and efficient method for the one-pot synthesis of diamide (bis-amidate) prodrugs of acyclic nucleoside phosphonates, starting from free phosphonic acids or phosphonate diesters is reported. The approach from phosphonate diesters via their bis(trimethylsilyl) esters is highly convenient, eliminates isolation and tedious purification of the phosphonic acids, and affords the corresponding bis-amidates in excellent yields (83-98%) and purity. The methodology has been applied to the synthesis of the potent anticancer agent GS-9219, and symmetrical bis-amidates of other biologically active phosphonic acids. Anti-HIV, antiproliferative, and immunomodulatory activities of the compounds are discussed including the bis-amidate prodrugs 14 and 17 that exhibited anti-HIV activity at submicromolar concentrations with minimal cytotoxicity.

Efficient and ‘green’ microwave-assisted synthesis of haloalkylphosphonates via the Michaelis–Arbuzov reaction

This paper deals with a novel, efficient and environmentally friendly synthesis of dialkyl haloalkylphosphonates via a microwave-assisted Michaelis–Arbuzov reaction. The approach is solventless, requires only one equivalent of each of the starting compounds, and provides high yields of pure products from which the impurities are easy to remove. The process has been optimised for batch and flow reactors and is especially profitable for the production of key intermediates in synthesis of Ethephon or acyclic nucleoside phosphonates such as adefovir, tenofovir, and cidofovir.

Identification of Mutated Srebf1 as a QTL Influencing Risk for Hepatic Steatosis in the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat

Approximately 30% of patients with hypertension have hepatic steatosis, and it has recently been proposed that fatty liver be considered a feature of the metabolic syndrome. Obesity, diet, and level of physical activity are likely factors modulating risk for hepatic steatosis, however genetic factors could also influence susceptibility or resistance to fatty liver in hypertensive or normotensive subjects. In genetic studies in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and Brown Norway (BN) rats, we discovered that a variant form of sterol regulatory element binding transcription factor 1 (Srebf1 gene, SREBP-1 protein) underlies a quantitative trait locus (QTL) influencing hepatic cholesterol levels in response to a high cholesterol diet. Compared with the BN allele of Srebf1, the SHR allele of Srebf1 includes variants in the promoter and coding regions that are linked to hepatic deficiency of SREBP-1 mRNA and protein, reduced expression of the SREBP-1 target gene stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1, reduced promoter activity for SREBP-1c, and relative protection from dietary induced accumulation of liver cholesterol. Genetic correction of reduced SREBP-1 activity by derivation of congenic and transgenic strains of SHR increased hepatic cholesterol levels, thereby confirming Srebf1 as a QTL influencing hepatic lipid metabolism in the rat. The Srebf1 variant regulating hepatic cholesterol did not appear to affect blood pressure. These findings (1) are consistent with the results of association studies indicating that common polymorphisms affecting SREBP-1 may influence cholesterol synthesis in humans and (2) indicate that variation in Srebf1 may influence risk for hepatic steatosis.

Microwave-assisted hydrolysis of phosphonate diesters: an efficient protocol for the preparation of phosphonic acids

A new highly efficient method for the hydrolysis of acyclic nucleoside phosphonate diesters (or generally of any organophosphonates) to the corresponding phosphonic acids has been developed. This novel methodology employs inexpensive hydrochloric acid in equimolar amounts to the number of ester groups present in the molecule and thus, avoids using trimethylsilyl halogenides, the standard reagents for these types of transformations. Moreover, simple and easy work-up of the reaction mixture affords very clean products in high yields (usually 77–93%). Another advantage of the described hydrolysis of phosphonate diesters is the fact that the course of the reaction can be instantly monitored through pressure changes in the reaction vessel. This ‘green’ method has also been successfully used for the preparation of otherwise synthetically difficult to access (phosphonomethoxy)ethyl (PME) derivatives of guanine (PMEG) and hypoxanthine (PMEHx), and furthermore, the method gains access to important novel acyclic nucleoside phosphonates derived from 2-chlorohypoxanthine and from xanthine (e.g. PMEX).

Genetically enhanced asynapsis of autosomal chromatin promotes transcriptional dysregulation and meiotic failure

During meiosis, pairing of homologous chromosomes and their synapsis are essential prerequisites for normal male gametogenesis. Even limited autosomal asynapsis often leads to spermatogenic impairment, the mechanism of which is not fully understood. The present study was aimed at deliberately increasing the size of partial autosomal asynapsis and analysis of its impact on male meiosis. For this purpose, we studied the effect of t12 haplotype encompassing four inversions on chromosome 17 on mouse autosomal translocation T(16;17)43H (abbreviated T43H). The T43H/T43H homozygotes were fully fertile in both sexes, while +/T43H heterozygous males, but not females, were sterile with meiotic arrest at late pachynema. Inclusion of the t12 haplotype in trans to the T43H translocation resulted in enhanced asynapsis of the translocated autosome, ectopic phosphorylation of histone H2AX, persistence of RAD51 foci, and increased gene silencing around the translocation break. Increase was also on colocalization of unsynapsed chromatin with sex body. Remarkably, we found that transcriptional silencing of the unsynapsed autosomal chromatin precedes silencing of sex chromosomes. Based on the present knowledge, we conclude that interference of meiotic silencing of unsynapsed autosomes with meiotic sex chromosome inactivation is the most likely cause of asynapsis-related male sterility.

Computational and Experimental Evidence of Through-Space NMR Spectroscopic J Coupling of Hydrogen Atoms

J coupling in NMR spectroscopy is conventionally associated with covalent bonds. A noncovalent contribution often called through-space coupling (TSC) has been observed for heavy atoms. In this study, the TSC was detected and analyzed for the more common (1)H-(1)H coupling as well. In synthesized model molecules the hydrogen positions could be well controlled. For several coupling constants the through-space mechanism was even found to be the predominant factor. The nature and magnitude of the phenomenon were also analyzed by density functional computations. Calculated carbon- and hydrogen-coupling maps and perturbed electronic densities suggest that the aromatic system strongly participates in the noncovalent contribution. Unlike covalent coupling, which is usually governed by the Fermi contact, TSC is dominated by the diamagnetic term comprising interactions of nuclei with the electron orbital angular momentum. The computations further revealed a strong distance and conformational dependence of TSC. This suggests that the through-space coupling can be explored in molecular structural studies in the same way as the covalent one.

Synthesis and antiviral activity of N9-[3-fluoro-2-(phosphonomethoxy)propyl] analogues derived from N6-substituted adenines and 2,6-diaminopurines

An efficient method for the synthesis of N(9)-[3-fluoro-2-(phosphonomethoxy)propyl] (FPMP) derivatives of purine bases has been developed. Both (R)- and (S)-enantiomers of the N(6)-substituted FPMP derivatives of adenine and 2,6-diaminopurine were prepared and their anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and anti-Moloney murine sarcoma virus (MSV) activity was evaluated. Whereas none of the 6-substituted FPMPA derivatives showed any antiviral activity, several FPMPDAP derivatives had a moderate antiretroviral activity. Moreover, the data obtained from the study of the substrate activity of the active derivatives towards N(6)-methyl-AMP aminohydrolase support the notion that the studied N(6)-substituted FPMPDAP derivatives act as prodrugs of the antiretroviral FPMPG analogues.

Identification of a mutation in ADD1/SREBP-1 in the spontaneously hypertensive rat

Abstract. It has recently been proposed that primary mutations in genes involved in fatty acid and lipid metabolism may contribute to the pathogenesis of insulin resistance and dyslipidemia often observed in spontaneous forms of hypertension. In the current study in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR), we mapped and sequenced the gene encoding a key transcription factor known as ADD1 (adipocyte determination and differentiation factor 1) or SREBP-1c (sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c) that has recently been identified as a master regulator of genes involved in the hepatic control of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. We found that (1) the gene for ADD1/SREBP-1c maps to a region of rat Chromosome 10 previously reported to contain a quantitative trait locus involved in the regulation of hepatic cholesterol levels and (2) the SHR harbors a valine-to-methionine substitution in the COOH terminal portion of the ADD1/SREBP-1 protein that is not present in 44 other strains of laboratory rats. These findings, together with previous studies showing that transgenic expression of SREBP-1 isoforms has major effects on hepatic fatty acid and cholesterol biosynthesis, suggest that naturally occurring variation in the gene encoding the SREBP-1 isoforms might contribute to inherited variation in lipid metabolism in the SHR versus other strains of rats. These results should serve to motivate future transfection studies of the effect of the SHR mutant on SREBP-1 expression and activation in vitro, as well as the development of congenic and transgenic strains of SHR to investigate the effects of different variants of SREBP-1 on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in vivo.

The effect of novel [3-fluoro-(2-phosphonoethoxy)propyl]purines on the inhibition of Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax and human hypoxanthine-guanine-(xanthine) phosphoribosyltransferases.

Protozoan parasites from the Plasmodiidae family are the causative agents of malaria. Inhibition of hypoxanthine-guanine-(xanthine) phosphoribosyltransferase (HG(X)PRT) has been suggested as a target for development of new anti-malarial therapeutics. Acyclic nucleoside phosphonates (ANPs) are potent and selective inhibitors of plasmodial HG(X)PRTs. A new series of ANPs, based on the chemical structure and inhibitory activity of three ANPs, 2-(phosphonoethoxy)ethyl with either guanine or hypoxanthine as the base (PEEG and PEEHx) and 3-hydroxy-2-(phosphonomethoxy)propyl with guanine as the base (HPMPG), were prepared. These compounds are stereoisomers of 3-fluoro-(2-phosphonoethoxy)propyl (FPEPs) and 3-fluoro-(2-phosphonomethoxy)propyl (FPMPs) analogues. Both the (R)- and (S)-isomers of these fluorinated derivatives have higher Ki values (by 10- to 1000-fold) for human HGPRT and Plasmodium falciparum HGXPRT than the non-fluorinated ANPs. Possible explanations for these changes in affinity are proposed based on docking studies using the known crystal structures of human HGPRT in complex with PEEG.

An efficient oxa-Michael addition to diethyl vinylphosphonate under mild reaction conditions

An oxa-Michael addition of various secondary and branched primary alcohols to diethyl vinylphosphonate was systematically studied and optimized. This efficient method precedes using of harsh reaction conditions (e.g. strong bases, high temperatures) and gains access to an important class of biologically active compounds in one step.