Yujiro Hoshino

Base-mediated rearrangement of free aromatic hydroxamic acids (ArCO-NHOH) to anilines.

Without using activating agents, a variety of free aromatic hydroxamic acids could be rearranged to aromatic amines in the presence of base alone.

Simultaneous hyperthermia-chemotherapy with controlled drug delivery using single-drug nanoparticles

We previously investigated the utility of μ-oxo N,N′- bis(salicylidene)ethylenediamine iron (Fe(Salen)) nanoparticles as a new anti-cancer agent for magnet-guided delivery with anti-cancer activity. Fe(Salen) nanoparticles should rapidly heat up in an alternating magnetic field (AMF), and we hypothesized that these single-drug nanoparticles would be effective for combined hyperthermia-chemotherapy. Conventional hyperthermic particles are usually made of iron oxide, and thus cannot exhibit anti-cancer activity in the absence of an AMF. We found that Fe(Salen) nanoparticles induced apoptosis in cultured cancer cells, and that AMF exposure enhanced the apoptotic effect. Therefore, we evaluated the combined three-fold strategy, i.e., chemotherapy with Fe(Salen) nanoparticles, magnetically guided delivery of the nanoparticles to the tumor, and AMF-induced heating of the nanoparticles to induce local hyperthermia, in a rabbit model of tongue cancer. Intravenous administration of Fe(Salen) nanoparticles per se inhibited tumor growth before the other two modalities were applied. This inhibition was enhanced when a magnet was used to accumulate Fe(Salen) nanoparticles at the tongue. When an AMF was further applied (magnet-guided chemotherapy plus hyperthermia), the tumor masses were dramatically reduced. These results indicate that our strategy of combined hyperthermia-chemotherapy using Fe(Salen) nanoparticles specifically delivered with magnetic guidance represents a powerful new approach for cancer treatment.

A new water-compatible dehydrating agent DPTF

Abstract The dehydration of a carboxylic acid and an amine to form an amide linkage was performed by the use of a new water-compatible dehydrating agent, 2,2-dichloro-5-(2-phenylethyl)-4-(trimethylsilyl)-3-furanone (DPTF). The application of this new agent to the peptide bond formation is also described.

Hyperthermia and chemotherapy using Fe(Salen) nanoparticles might impact glioblastoma treatment

We previously reported that μ-oxo N,N’-bis(salicylidene)ethylenediamine iron [Fe(Salen)], a magnetic organic compound, has direct anti-tumor activity, and generates heat in an alternating magnetic field (AMF). We showed that Fe(Salen) nanoparticles are useful for combined hyperthermia-chemotherapy of tongue cancer. Here, we have examined the effect of Fe(Salen) on human glioblastoma (GB). Fe(Salen) showed in vitro anti-tumor activity towards several human GB cell lines. It inhibited cell proliferation, and its apoptosis-inducing activity was greater than that of clinically used drugs. Fe(Salen) also showed in vivo anti-tumor activity in the mouse brain. We evaluated the drug distribution and systemic side effects of intracerebrally injected Fe(Salen) nanoparticles in rats. Further, to examine whether hyperthermia, which was induced by exposing Fe(Salen) nanoparticles to AMF, enhanced the intrinsic anti-tumor effect of Fe(Salen), we used a mouse model grafted with U251 cells on the left leg. Fe(Salen), BCNU, or normal saline was injected into the tumor in the presence or absence of AMF exposure. The combination of Fe(Salen) injection and AMF exposure showed a greater anti-tumor effect than did either Fe(Salen) or BCNU alone. Our results indicate that hyperthermia and chemotherapy with single-drug nanoparticles could be done for GB treatment.

Synthesis and physical properties of novel liquid crystals containing pyranobenzopyrans as a core structure

The synthesis and physical properties of pyranobenzopyran ring system have been studied as a core structure of novel liquid crystal (LC) compounds. Substituted pyranobenzopyrans having an alkoxy group on the A ring (benzene ring) exhibited smectic and nematic phase, those having a fluoro-substituted phenyl group on the A ring exhibited wider range of smectic phase. When the latter are added to a base LC mixture (ZLI-1565, Merck), the clearing point was raised. Interestingly, pyranobenzopyrans having a trifluoromethyl phenyl group or a cyano group on the A ring showed an extremely large positive dielectric anisotropy.

Enantiomerically enriched bicyclic hydroxamic acids in one step from α-aminohydroxamic acids and keto acids via cyclocondensation

Abstract New enantiomerically enriched bicyclic hydroxamic acids, 1-hydroxy-dihydro-1H-pyrrolo[1,2-a]imidazole-2,5(3H,6H)-diones, have been synthesized by the cyclocondensation of L-α-aminohydroxamic acids with keto acids in a highly chemo- and stereoselective manner. The cis configuration between the amino acid side chain and the methyl group at C7a in 1H-pyrrolo[1,2-a]imidazole-2,5-dione was unambiguously established by X-ray crystallographic analysis. This method could also be applied to the cyclocondensation with o-formylbenzoic acid, giving a tricyclic hydroxamic acid in a good yield. Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publishers online edition of Synthetic Communications® to view the free supplemental file. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Treatment of oral cancer using magnetized paclitaxel

N,N’-Bis(salicylidene)ethylenediamine iron (Fe(Salen)) is an anti-cancer agent with intrinsic magnetic property. Here, we covalently linked Fe(Salen) to paclitaxel (PTX), a widely used anti-cancer drug, to obtain a magnetized paclitaxel conjugate (M-PTX), which exhibited magnetic characteristics for magnet-guided drug delivery and MRI visualization. M-PTX increased apoptosis and G2/M arrest of cultured human oral cancer cell lines in the same manner as PTX. Furthermore, marked contrast intensity was obtained in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of M-PTX. In a mouse oral cancer model, a permanent magnet placed on the body surface adjacent to the tumor resulted in distinct accumulation of M-PTX, and the anti-cancer effect was greater than that of M-PTX without the magnet. We believe that this strategy may improve future cancer chemotherapy by providing conventional anti-cancer drugs with novel functionalities such as magnet-guided drug delivery or MRI-based visualization/quantitation of drug distribution.

Tandem Brook Rearrangement/Silicon Polonovski Reaction via Oxidative Generation of Ammonium Ylides

A tandem Brook rearrangement/silicon Polonovski reaction has been achieved by in situ generation of ammonium ylides via the oxidation of α-silyl-tertiary amines. Furthermore, we found that the oxidation of N-(1-cyano-1-silyl)methyl-tertiary amines with peracids induced the tandem Brook rearrangement/silicon Polonovski reaction/fragmentation to give formamide derivatives in moderate yields.