Yurii G. Shtyrlin

Synthesis and antibacterial activity of novel phosphonium salts on the basis of pyridoxine.

A series of 13 phosphonium salts on the basis of pyridoxine derivatives were synthesized and their antibacterial activity against clinically relevant strains was tested in vitro. All compounds were almost inactive against gram-negative bacteria and exhibited structure-dependent activity against gram-positive bacteria. A crucial role of ketal protection group in phosphonium salts for their antibacterial properties was demonstrated. Among synthesized compounds 5,6-bis[triphenylphosphonio(methyl)]-2,2,8-trimethyl-4H-[1,3]dioxino[4,5-c]pyridine dichloride (compound 20) was found to be the most effective towards Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis strains (MIC 5μg/ml). The mechanism of antibacterial activity of this compound probably involves cell penetration and interaction with genomic and plasmid DNA.

Bis-phosphonium salts of pyridoxine: the relationship between structure and antibacterial activity.

A series of 23 novel bis-phosphonium salts based on pyridoxine were synthesized and their antibacterial activities were evaluated in vitro. All compounds were inactive against gram-negative bacteria and exhibited the structure-dependent activity against gram-positive bacteria. The antibacterial activity enhanced with the increase in chain length at acetal carbon atom in the order n-Pr>Et>Me. Further increasing of length and branching of alkyl chain leads to the reduction of antibacterial activity. Replacement of the phenyl substituents at the phosphorus atoms in 5,6-bis(triphenylphosphonio(methyl))-2,2,8-trimethyl-4H-[1,3]-dioxino[4,5-c]pyridine dichloride (compound 1) with n-butyl, m-tolyl or p-tolyl as well as chloride anions in the compound 1 with bromides (compound 14a) increased the activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis up to 5 times (MICs=1-1.25 μg/ml). But in practically all cases chemical modifications of compound 1 led to the increase of its toxicity for HEK-293 cells. The only exception is compound 5,6-bis[tributylphosphonio(methyl)]-2,2,8-trimethyl-4H-[1,3]dioxino[4,5-c]pyridine dichloride (10a) which demonstrated lower MIC values against S. aureus and S. epidermidis (1 μg/ml) and lower cytotoxicity on HEK-293 cells (CC(50)=200 μg/ml). Compound 10a had no significant mutagenic and genotoxic effects and was selected for further evaluation. It should be noted that all bis-phosphonium salt based on pyridoxine were much more toxic than vancomycin.

New Derivatives of Pyridoxine Exhibit High Antibacterial Activity against Biofilm-Embedded Staphylococcus Cells.

Opportunistic bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis often form rigid biofilms on tissues and inorganic surfaces. In the biofilm bacterial cells are embedded in a self-produced polysaccharide matrix and thereby are inaccessible to biocides, antibiotics, or host immune system. Here we show the antibacterial activity of newly synthesized cationic biocides, the quaternary ammonium, and bisphosphonium salts of pyridoxine (vitamin B6) against biofilm-embedded Staphylococci. The derivatives of 6-hydroxymethylpyridoxine were ineffective against biofilm-embedded S. aureus and S. epidermidis at concentrations up to 64 μg/mL, although all compounds tested exhibited low MICs (2 μg/mL) against planktonic cells. In contrast, the quaternary ammonium salt of pyridoxine (N,N-dimethyl-N-((2,2,8-trimethyl-4H-[1,3]dioxino[4,5-c]pyridin-5-yl)methyl)octadecan-1-aminium chloride (3)) demonstrated high biocidal activity against both planktonic and biofilm-embedded bacteria. Thus, the complete death of biofilm-embedded S. aureus and S. epidermidis cells was obtained at concentrations of 64 and 16 μg/mL, respectively. We suggest that the quaternary ammonium salts of pyridoxine are perspective to design new synthetic antibiotics and disinfectants for external application against biofilm-embedded cells.

Conjugation of succinic acid to non-ionogenic amphiphilic polymers modulates their interaction with cell plasma membrane and reduces cytotoxic activity.

Pluronic block copolymers L61 and L121 were reacted with succinic anhydride to produce, respectively, their mono- and bisderivatives with succinic acid. The critical micelle concentration of Pluronics decreased after modification. The modification of Pluronic L61 promoted its association with the plasma membrane of human cells and increased membrane damage, while the membranotropic activity of modified Pluronic L121 reduced compared to the initial copolymer. Modified Pluronics interfered with the viability, apoptosis induction and metabolism of A549 cells and skin fibroblasts to a much lesser extent presumably due to the introduction of succinic acid residue inhibited intracellular penetration of copolymers. Modified Pluronic L121 promoted the cellular uptake of doxorubicin and rhodamine 123 in A549 cells attributed to the inhibition of membrane P-glycoprotein. Our study provides an approach to assessing the mechanism of interaction of amphiphilic polymers with living cells and demonstrates that Pluronic-succinic acid conjugates can be used as safe and efficient modulators of intracellular drug delivery.

Novel potent pyridoxine-based inhibitors of AChE and BChE, structural analogs of pyridostigmine, with improved in vivo safety profile.

We report a novel class of carbamate-type ChE inhibitors, structural analogs of pyridostigmine. A small library of congeneric pyridoxine-based compounds was designed, synthesized and evaluated for AChE and BChE enzymes inhibition in vitro. The most active compounds have potent enzyme inhibiting activity with IC50 values in the range of 0.46-2.1μM (for AChE) and 0.59-8.1μM (for BChE), with moderate selectivity for AChE comparable with that of pyridostigmine and neostigmine. Acute toxicity studies using mice models demonstrated excellent safety profile of the obtained compounds with LD50 in the range of 22-326mg/kg, while pyridostigmine and neostigmine are much more toxic (LD50 3.3 and 0.51mg/kg, respectively). The obtained results pave the way to design of novel potent and safe cholinesterase inhibitors for symptomatic treatment of neuromuscular disorders.

Lipid-like trifunctional block copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide: effective and cytocompatible modulators of intracellular drug delivery.

A new glycerol-based trifunctional block copolymer (TBC) of propylene oxide and ethylene oxide and its conjugate with succinic acid (TBC-SA) were studied as a drug delivery system and compared with Pluronic L61. TBCs have multiple effects on the plasma membrane of human cells, e.g. increasing its fluidity and ion permeability, inhibiting ATPase activity of efflux transporter P-glycoprotein through reversible membrane destabilization. Such membrane-modulating properties attributed to the unimer form of copolymers increase in the order Pluronic L61≪TBC<TBC-SA and correlate with an ability of TBCs to promote the accumulation of P-glycoprotein substrates in lung cancer A549 cells. Furthermore, TBC, and especially TBC-SA, exhibit substantially lower hemolytic, cytotoxic and proapoptotic activities in comparison with Pluronic L61. Our results demonstrate that TBCs are promising analogs of bifunctional Pluronics in anticancer drug delivery.

Dynamic NMR study of cyclic derivatives of pyridoxine.

A series of pyridoxine derivatives was investigated by 1H and 2D nuclear overhauser enhancement spectroscopy (NOESY) NMR. The free energies of activation for the pyridyl‐oxygen rotation of the 2,4‐dinitrophenyl ether of the seven‐membered acetals of pyridoxine were measured by dynamic NMR. A conformational exchange between the chair and twist forms of the seven‐membered acetal ring was confirmed by dynamic NMR and STO3G computations. Copyright

Dynamic NMR study of dinitrophenyl derivatives of seven-membered cyclic ketals of pyridoxine

Two pyridoxine derivatives containing a dinitrophenyl moiety were investigated by 1H NMR spectroscopy. Conformational dynamics in solution were studied for each compound using dynamic NMR experiments. It was shown that both compounds studied are involved into two conformational exchange processes. The first process is a transformation of the seven‐membered cycle conformation between the enantiomeric P‐twist and M‐twist forms, and the second is a rotation of the dinitrophenyl fragment of the molecules around the C–O bond. Energy barriers of both conformational transitions were determined. Copyright

Antibacterial effects of quaternary bis-phosphonium and ammonium salts of pyridoxine on Staphylococcus aureus cells: A single base hitting two distinct targets?

We studied the effects of quaternary bis-phosphonium and bis-ammonium salts of pyridoxine with lipophilic substituents on the survival and morphology of Staphylococcus aureus cells. We found that, while originating from the same base, they exhibit considerably different antimicrobial mechanisms. In the presence of Ca2+ ions the MIC and MBC values of ammonium salt increased 100-fold, suggesting that Ca2+ ions can successfully impede the membrane Ca2+ ions exchange required for ammonium salt incorporation. In contrast, in the presence of quaternary phosphonium salt, the artificial capsular-like material was formed around the cells and the filamentous and chain-like growth of the cells was observed suggesting the disruption of the cell division mechanisms. Altogether, both pyridoxine derivatives successfully inhibited the growth of gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus subtilis) and Escherichia coli considerably, while demonstrated nearly no effect against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We suggest that due to their effects on distinct and likely complementary targets the derivatives of pyridoxine represent potentially perspective antibacterials with complicated adaptation and thus with lower risk of drug resistance development.

Propoxylation of cationic polymers provides a novel approach to controllable modulation of their cellular toxicity and interaction with nucleic acids

An effective chemical approach to modulation of biological interactions of cationic polymers was proposed and tested using polyethyleneimine (PEI) as a drug carrier. Branched 25kDa PEI was modified in the reaction with propylene oxide (PO) to produce a series of propoxylated PEIs with NH groups grafted by single or oligomer PO units. Clear relationships between the propoxylation degree and biological effects, such as interaction with plasmid DNA, hemolytic, cytotoxic, and pro-apoptotic activities were revealed for PEIs modified upon PO/NH molar ratio of 0.5, 0.75, 1.0 and 3.0. The partial modification of available cationic centers up to 100% is predominantly accompanied by a significant gradual reduction in polycation adverse effects, while ability of complex formation with plasmid DNA is being preserved. Grafted PEI with 0.75 PO/NH ratio provides better protection from nuclease degradation and transfection activity compared with other modified PEIs. Revealed relationships contribute to the development of safe polymeric systems with controllable physicochemical properties and biological interactions.