32 research outputs found
Novel N,N' -Disubstituted Acylselenoureas as Potential Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Agents
Selenium compounds are pivotal in medicinal chemistry for their antitumoral and
antioxidant properties. Forty seven acylselenoureas have been designed and synthesized following
a fragment-based approach. Different scaffolds, including carbo- and hetero-cycles, along with
mono- and bi-cyclic moieties, have been linked to the selenium containing skeleton. The doseand time-dependent radical scavenging activity for all of the compounds were assessed using the
in vitro 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,20
-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic
acid) (ABTS) assays. Some of them showed a greater radical scavenging capacity at low doses and
shorter times than ascorbic acid. Therefore, four compounds were evaluated to test their protective
effects against H2O2-induced oxidative stress. One derivative protected cells against H2O2-induced
damage, increasing cell survival by up to 3.6-fold. Additionally, in vitro cytotoxic activity of all
compounds was screened against several cancer cells. Eight compounds were selected to determine
their half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values towards breast and lung cancer cells, along
with their selectivity indexes. The breast cancer cells turned out to be much more sensitive than the
lung. Two compounds (5d and 10a) stood out with IC50 values between 4.2 ”M and 8.0 ”M towards
MCF-7 and T47D cells, with selectivity indexes greater than 22.9. In addition, compound 10b exhibited
dual antioxidant and cytotoxic activities. Although further evidence is needed, the acylselenourea
scaffold could be a feasible frame to develop new dual agents
New amides and phosphoramidates containing selenium: studies on their cytotoxicity and antioxidant activities in breast cancer
Breast cancer is a multifactor disease, and many drug combination therapies are applied for its treatment. Selenium derivatives represent a promising potential anti-breast cancer treatment. This study reports the cytotoxic activity of forty-one amides and phosphoramidates containing selenium against five cancer cell lines (MCF-7, CCRF-CEM, HT-29, HTB-54 and PC-3) and two nonmalignant cell lines (184B5 and BEAS-2B). MCF-7 cells were the most sensitive and the selenoamides I.1f and I.2f and the selenium phosphoramidate II.2d, with GI50 values ranging from 0.08 to 0.93 mu M, were chosen for further studies. Additionally, radical scavenging activity for all the compounds was determined using DPPH and ABTS colorimetric assays. Phosphoramidates turned out to be inactive as radical scavengers. No correlation was observed for the antioxidant activity and the cytotoxic effect, except for compounds I.1e and I.2f, which showed dual antioxidant and antitumor activity. The type of programmed cell death and cell cycle arrest were determined, and the results provided evidence that I.1f and I.2f induced cell death via autophagy, while the derivative II.2d provoked apoptosis. In addition, Western blot analysis corroborated these mechanisms with an increase in Beclin1 and LC3-IIB and reduced SQSTM1/p62 levels for I.1f and I.2f, as well as an increase in BAX, p21 and p53 accompanied by a decrease in BCL-2 levels for derivative II.2d
A serological assay to detect SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion in humans
Development of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in human sera and plasma. Here, we describe a serological enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the screening and identification of human SARS-CoV-2 seroconverters. This assay does not require the handling of infectious virus, can be adjusted to detect different antibody types in serum and plasma and is amenable to scaling. Serological assays are of critical importance to help define previous exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in populations, identify highly reactive human donors for convalescent plasma therapy and investigate correlates of protection.Peer reviewe
Development and Assessment of a Pooled Serum as Candidate Standard to Measure Influenza A Virus Group 1 Hemagglutinin Stalk-Reactive Antibodies
The stalk domain of the hemagglutinin has been identified as a target for induction of protective antibody responses due to its high degree of conservation among numerous influenza subtypes and strains. However, current assays to measure stalk-based immunity are not standardized. Hence, harmonization of assay readouts would help to compare experiments conducted in different laboratories and increase confidence in results. Here, serum samples from healthy individuals (n = 110) were screened using a chimeric cH6/1 hemagglutinin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) that measures stalk-reactive antibodies. We identified samples with moderate to high IgG anti-stalk antibody levels. Likewise, screening of the samples using the mini-hemagglutinin (HA) headless construct #4900 and analysis of the correlation between the two assays confirmed the presence and specificity of anti-stalk antibodies. Additionally, samples were characterized by a cH6/1N5 virus-based neutralization assay, an antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) assay, and competition ELISAs, using the stalk-reactive monoclonal antibodies KB2 (mouse) and CR9114 (human). A âpooled serumâ (PS) consisting of a mixture of selected serum samples was generated. The PS exhibited high levels of stalk-reactive antibodies, had a cH6/1N5-based neutralization titer of 320, and contained high levels of stalk-specific antibodies with ADCC activity. The PS, along with blinded samples of varying anti-stalk antibody titers, was distributed to multiple collaborators worldwide in a pilot collaborative study. The samples were subjected to different assays available in the different laboratories, to measure either binding or functional properties of the stalk-reactive antibodies contained in the serum. Results from binding and neutralization assays were analyzed to determine whether use of the PS as a standard could lead to better agreement between laboratories. The work presented here points the way towards the development of a serum standard for antibodies to the HA stalk domain of phylogenetic group 1
Autoantibodies against type I IFNs in patients with critical influenza pneumonia
In an international cohort of 279 patients with hypoxemic influenza pneumonia, we identified 13 patients (4.6%) with autoantibodies neutralizing IFN-alpha and/or -omega, which were previously reported to underlie 15% cases of life-threatening COVID-19 pneumonia and one third of severe adverse reactions to live-attenuated yellow fever vaccine. Autoantibodies neutralizing type I interferons (IFNs) can underlie critical COVID-19 pneumonia and yellow fever vaccine disease. We report here on 13 patients harboring autoantibodies neutralizing IFN-alpha 2 alone (five patients) or with IFN-omega (eight patients) from a cohort of 279 patients (4.7%) aged 6-73 yr with critical influenza pneumonia. Nine and four patients had antibodies neutralizing high and low concentrations, respectively, of IFN-alpha 2, and six and two patients had antibodies neutralizing high and low concentrations, respectively, of IFN-omega. The patients' autoantibodies increased influenza A virus replication in both A549 cells and reconstituted human airway epithelia. The prevalence of these antibodies was significantly higher than that in the general population for patients 70 yr of age (3.1 vs. 4.4%, P = 0.68). The risk of critical influenza was highest in patients with antibodies neutralizing high concentrations of both IFN-alpha 2 and IFN-omega (OR = 11.7, P = 1.3 x 10(-5)), especially those <70 yr old (OR = 139.9, P = 3.1 x 10(-10)). We also identified 10 patients in additional influenza patient cohorts. Autoantibodies neutralizing type I IFNs account for similar to 5% of cases of life-threatening influenza pneumonia in patients <70 yr old
Structure and activity of amphiphilic PEO-PPO-based polymeric micelles and gels incorporating hostâguest complexes of miltefosine as novel formulations for the treatment of leishmaniasis
Erratum: Role of the countercation in diastereoselective alkylations of pyramidalized bicyclic serine enolates. An easy approach to ñ-benzylserine (Journal of Organic Chemistry (2007) 72)
Theoretical Evidence of Pyramidalized Bicyclic Serine Enolates in Highly Diastereoselective Alkylations
A new chiral serine equivalent and its enantiomer have been synthesized from (S)- and (R)-N-Bocserine methyl esters (Boc: tert-butyloxy-carbonyl). The use of these compounds as chiral building blocks has been demonstrated in the synthesis of -alkyl -amino acids by diastereoselective po tassium enolate alkylation reactions and subsequent acid hydrolyses. Theoretical studies were performed to eluci date the stereochemical outcome of both the formation of five-membered cyclic N,O-acetals and the subsequent alkylation process, which occurs with total retention of configuration. This feature could be explained in terms of the high degree of pyramidalization of enolate intermediates. © 2007 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA
Elusive dehydroalanine derivatives with enhanced reactivity
For the first time, a simple methodology for the chemical synthesis and use of highly reactive 4-methylenoxazol-5(4H)-ones from serine is presented. These dehydroalanine derivatives, which resemble the natural 4-methylidenimidazole-5-one (MIO) cofactor present in lyases and aminomutases, undergo rapid reaction with carbon nucleophiles such as silyl enol ethers, as well as cycloaddition reactions with diazo compounds and reactive dienes, under very mild conditions and without any need for metal catalysts or ring-strain activation, offering potential for bioconjugation
Elusive dehydroalanine derivatives with enhanced reactivity
For the first time, a simple methodology for the chemical synthesis and use of highly reactive 4-methylenoxazol-5(4H)-ones from serine is presented. These dehydroalanine derivatives, which resemble the natural 4-methylidenimidazole-5-one (MIO) cofactor present in lyases and aminomutases, undergo rapid reaction with carbon nucleophiles such as silyl enol ethers, as well as cycloaddition reactions with diazo compounds and reactive dienes, under very mild conditions and without any need for metal catalysts or ring-strain activation, offering potential for bioconjugation