Yves L. Dory

Near-infrared light sensitive polypeptide block copolymer micelles for drug delivery

A new biocompatible block copolymer (BCP) composed of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and poly(L-glutamic acid) bearing a number of 6-bromo-7-hydroxycoumarin-4-ylmethyl groups, PEO114-b-P(LGA0.62-co-COU0.38)34, was prepared for near-infrared (NIR) light-induced drug delivery. We demonstrate that micelles of PEO114-b-P(LGA0.62-co-COU0.38)34 could be disrupted by 794 nm NIR light excitation via two-photon absorption. This was linked to the high two-photon absorption cross-section of the coumarin moiety. Disruption followed from the NIR light-induced removal of coumarin groups from the polypeptide block that shifted the hydrophilic–hydrophobic balance toward the destabilization of the micelles in aqueous solution. Using NIR light-triggered disruption of BCP micelles, we investigated the release of an antibacterial drug (Rifampicin) and an anticancer drug (Paclitaxel) loaded into the photosensitive BCP micelles. We found that the two drugs could be released effectively upon NIR light exposure of the micellar solution. To our knowledge, this is the first study of NIR light-triggered disruption of biocompatible polypeptide BCP micelles and its use for drug release. This is a step forward towards light-controllable drug delivery applications.

The Relative Rate of Hydrolysis of a Series of Acyclic and Six-Membered Cyclic Acetals, Ketals, Orthoesters, and Orthocarbonates

Abstract The relative rate of hydrolysis of these compounds is rationalized by considering the influence of steric, inductive and stereoelectronic effects on the hydrolysis reaction mechanism.

Differential noxious and motor tolerance of chronic delta opioid receptor agonists in rodents.

In the present study, we asked whether multiple intrathecal injections of deltorphin II, a selective delta opioid receptor (DOPR) agonist, induced DOPR tolerance in three behavioral assays. Unilateral inflammation caused by complete Freunds adjuvant (CFA) injection into the rat or mouse hind paw (CFA model) induced thermal hyperalgesic response that was transiently and dose-dependently reduced by intrathecal administration of deltorphin II or morphine. In both rodent species, the effect of deltorphin II was not modified by a single prior administration of deltorphin II, suggesting an absence of acute tolerance in this paradigm. Repeated administration of intrathecal deltorphin II or s.c. SB-235863 (five consecutive injections over 60 h) also failed to impair the antihyperalgesic response to delta opioid receptor agonist, whereas repeated intrathecal or s.c. injections of morphine induced a significant decrease in the subsequent thermal antihyperalgesic response to morphine. In mice, deltorphin II also induced a rapid, transient motor incoordination/ataxia-like behavior as tested with the accelerating rotarod. In contrast to the antihyperalgesic responses, tolerance to the motoric effect of deltorphin II was evident in mice previously exposed to multiple intrathecal agonist injections, but not multiple saline administrations. Using the tail flick antinociceptive test, we found that DOPR-mediated analgesia was significantly reduced by repeated exposure to deltorphin II. Altogether, these observations suggest that repeated injections of DOPR agonists induce differential tolerance effects on antihyperalgesic, antinociceptive, and motor incoordination/ataxia-like behaviors related to DOPR activation by deltorphin II.

The Multi-Leu Peptide Inhibitor Discriminates Between PACE4 and Furin And Exhibits Antiproliferative Effects On Prostate Cancer Cells

The proprotein convertases (PCs) play an important role in protein precursor activation through processing at paired basic residues. However, significant substrate cleavage redundancy has been reported between PCs. The question remains whether specific PC inhibitors can be designed. This study describes the identification of the sequence LLLLRVKR, named Multi-Leu (ML)-peptide, that displayed a 20-fold selectivity on PACE4 over furin, two enzymes with similar structural characteristics. We have previously demonstrated that PACE4 plays an important role in prostate cancer and could be a druggable target. The present study demonstrates that the ML-peptide significantly reduced the proliferation of DU145 and LNCaP prostate cancer-derived cell lines and induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest. However, the ML-peptide must enter the cell to inhibit proliferation. It is concluded that peptide-based inhibitors can yield specific PC inhibitors and that the ML-peptide is an important lead compound that could potentially have applications in prostate cancer.

A New Look at the Diels–Alder Transition State

The chronology of π-orbital mixing in the Diels-Alder cycloaddition of butadiene and ethylene differs for the two main interactions, the HOMOdiene -LUMOdieneophile and HOMOdienophile -LUMOdiene interactions. The C2-C3 π bond of the cycloadduct is already well developed at the level of the transition state, which is reminiscent of a late transition state.

Efficient parallel synthesis of macrocyclic peptidomimetics.

A new method for solid phase parallel synthesis of chemically and conformationally diverse macrocyclic peptidomimetics is reported. A key feature of the method is access to broad chemical and conformational diversity. Synthesis and mechanistic studies on the macrocyclization step are reported.

Synthesis, characterization and X-ray crystal structures of cyclam derivatives. Part VI. Proton binding studies of a pyridine -strapped 5,12-dioxocyclam based macrobicycle

The 14-membered cyclic diamide 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane-5,12-dione (5,12-dioxocyclam) can be considered as a trans-autodiprotected tetraazamacrocycle and provides a convenient starting material for the preparation of macrobicyclic receptors. As an example, the secondary amine nitrogen atoms located at the 1 and 8 positions were cross-bridged with a 1,3-pyridyl strap, affording the constrained ansa-dioxocyclam ligand 1,9,12,18,22-pentaazatricyclo[7.6.6.13,7]docosa-3,5,7(22)-triene-13,19-dione (L1). The proton binding properties of this cage-type compound, which possesses a hemispherical cavity, were fully investigated by spectroscopic (IR, NMR, UV, MALDI-TOF MS), quantum chemical, and potentiometric methods. While both bridgehead tertiary amines have their free lone pairs oriented inside the cavity, intramolecular hydrogen bonding was found to play a key role in determining the structural features of the free base and its protonated forms. L1 behaves as a diprotic base in water with log K011 = 8.94(1) and log K012 = 2.32(9), but most interestingly shows slow proton-transfer rates on the NMR timescale.

Optimization of furin inhibitors to protect against the activation of influenza hemagglutinin H5 and Shiga toxin.

Proprotein convertases (PCs) are crucial in the processing and entry of viral or bacterial protein precursors and confer increased infectivity of pathogens bearing a PC activation site, which results in increased symptom severity and lethality. Previously, we developed a nanomolar peptide inhibitor of PCs to prevent PC activation of infectious agents. Herein, we describe a peptidomimetic approach that increases the stability of this inhibitor for use in vivo to prevent systemic infections and cellular damage, such as that caused by influenza H5N1 and Shiga toxin. The addition of azaβ(3)-amino acids to both termini of the peptide successfully prevented influenza hemagglutinin 5 fusogenicity and Shiga toxin Vero toxicity in cell-based assays. The results from a cell-based model using stable shRNA-induced proprotein convertase knockdown indicate that only furin is the major proprotein convertase required for HA5 cleavage.

Design, Synthesis, and Structure−Activity Relationship Studies of a Potent PACE4 Inhibitor

PACE4 plays an important role in the progression of prostate cancer and is an attractive target for the development of novel inhibitor-based tumor therapies. We previously reported the design and synthesis of a novel, potent, and relatively selective PACE4 inhibitor known as a Multi-Leu (ML) peptide. In the present work, we examined the ML peptide through detailed structure-activity relationship studies. A variety of ML-peptide analogues modified at the P8-P5 positions with leucine isomers (Nle, DLeu, and DNle) or substituted at the P1 position with arginine mimetics were tested for their inhibitory activity, specificity, stability, and antiproliferative effect. By incorporating d isomers at the P8 position or a decarboxylated arginine mimetic, we obtained analogues with an improved stability profile and excellent antiproliferative properties. The DLeu or DNle residue also has improved specificity toward PACE4, whereas specificity was reduced for a peptide modified with the arginine mimetic, such as 4-amidinobenzylamide.

Systematic replacement of amides by 1,4-disubstituted[1,2,3]triazoles in Leu-enkephalin and the impact on the delta opioid receptor activity

Using Cu(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition in a mixed classical organic phase and solid phase peptide synthesis approach, we synthesized four analogs of Leu-enkephalin to systematically replace amides by 1,4-disubstituted[1,2,3]triazoles. The peptidomimetics obtained were characterized by competitive binding, contractility assays and ERK1/2 phosphorylation. The present study reveals that the analog bearing a triazole between Phe and Leu retains some potency, more than all the others, suggesting that the hydrogen bond acceptor capacity of the last amide of Leu-enkephalin is essential for the biological activity of the peptide.