Antioxidative Activity of Ferrocenes Bearing 2,6-Di-Tert-Butylphenol Moieties

The antioxidative activity of ferrocenes bearing either 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol or phenyl groups has been compared using DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) test and in the study of the in vitro impact on lipid peroxidation in rat brain homogenate and on some characteristics of rat liver mitochondria. The results of DPPH test at 20°C show that the activity depends strongly upon the presence of phenolic group but is improved by the influence of ferrocenyl fragment. The activity of N-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)iminomethylferrocene (1), for instance, was 88.4%, which was higher than the activity of a known antioxidant 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol (BHT) (48.5%), whereas the activity of N-phenyl-iminomethylferrocene 2 was almost negligible −2.9%. The data obtained demonstrate that the compounds with 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol moiety are significantly more active than the corresponding phenyl analogues in the in vitro study of lipid peroxidation in rat brain homogenate. Ferrocene 1 performs a promising behavior as an antioxidant and inhibits the calcium-dependent swelling of mitochondria. These results allow us to propose the potential cytoprotective (neuroprotective) effect of ditopic compounds containing antioxidant 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol group and redox active ferrocene fragment

Prognostic value of body mass index in the diagnosis of sudden cardiac death

Objective: to determine the value of the body mass index (BMI) in cardiovascular patients for the sudden cardiac death (SCD) prediction. Materials and methods: we analyzed the medical archives of: 1) the Federal Research Clinical Center for Specialized Types of Healthcare and Medical Technologies, the Federal Biomedical Agency of Russia (comparison group I). The study included young athletes (N=603) without cardiovascular pathology, as well as those with cardiovascular diseases diagnosed in a medical examination; 2) Thanatological Department of the Bureau of Forensic Medical Examination (comparison group II). The sample (N=30) is represented by coronary heart disease (CHD) associated SCD cases; 3) the cardiac surgery Department of the Hospital of Emergency Medical Service (comparison group III). The sample (N=81) is represented by acute coronary syndrome (ACS) cases; 4) the cardiac surgery Department of the Clinic of Rostov State Medical University (comparison group IV). The sample (N=95) is represented by CHD patients who were on routine treatment. We calculated BMI in each comparison group. Results: in comparison group I, the BMI was 22.10±1.67 kg/m2, in group II-18.7±0.45 kg/m2, in group III – 28.01±0.58 kg/m2, in group IV – 28.66±0.47 kg/m2. The calculated value of χ2 both for all groups and for their pairwise comparison was statistically significant (p<0.01), which suggests that there is a close association of obesity with an increased risk of CHD. Conclusions: the relationship between BMI and the presence of cardiovascular pathology in I comparison group (athletes) was not established. For groups II – IV, BMI is in a statistically significant association with cardiovascular pathology

Assessment of senile asthenia syndrome using the Frailty and Edmonton frail scales in elderly and senile patients who underwent emergency abdominal surgery

The aim of the work was to compare the effectiveness of the assessment of senile asthenia syndrome using the Frailty and Edmonton Frail scales in elderly and senile patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery. Materials and methods. The study included 80 patients aged 60 to 89 years with a diagnosis of acute calculous cholecystitis. A correlation was determined between asthenia and the severity of the patient’s condition according to the P-POSSUM scale, the peak value of the increase in the risk of postoperative complications and mortality occurs in patients with a sum of points >32, p = 0.012. The syndrome of senile asthenia using the Edmonton Frail scale was detected in 30 (37.5 %) patients, according to the Frailty scale – 32 (40.0 %), U = 3120.0, p = 0.7862. Results. The main advantage of the Edmonton Frail scale is the examination time of 22 ± 3 min, while with the Frailty scale 360 ± 22 min (U = 24.5, p < 0.0001). Based on the assessment of the severity of the condition using the P-POSSUM scale, we determined a direct correlation of average strength between the presence of asthenia and the number of points: Edmonton Frail subgroup A – rs = 0.81, p = 0.000001. The same results, respectively, on the Frailty scale – rs = 0.78, p = 0.000004. The frequency of complications increases significantly in the category of patients with asthenia, which is confirmed by both the Edmonton Frail scale – 23.3 % (U = 605.0, p = 0.0087), and the Frailty scale – 21.9 % (U = 632.0, p = 0.0150). Conclusions. The frequency of detection of senile asthenia syndrome using the Edmonton Frail and Frailty scale in patients was equivalent (U = 3120.0, p = 0.7862). The Edmonton Frail scale is more convenient to use in urgent situations, and the mean time to diagnose asthenia using it was 22 ± 3 min, while the complete diagnosis using the Frailty scale took 360 ± 22 min (U = 24.5, p < 0.0001). A significant increase in the frequency of postoperative complications was determined in the category of patients with asthenia, confirmed both by the Edmonton Frail scale – 23.3 % (U = 605.0, p = 0.0087), and by the Frailty scale – 21.9 % (U = 632.0, p = 0.0150)

Dimebon Does Not Ameliorate Pathological Changes Caused by Expression of Truncated (1–120) Human Alpha-Synuclein in Dopaminergic Neurons of Transgenic Mice

Background: Recent clinical studies have demonstrated that dimebon, a drug originally designed and used as a non-selective antihistamine, ameliorates symptoms and delays progress of mild to moderate forms of Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s diseases. Although the mechanism of dimebon action on pathological processes in degenerating brain is elusive, results of studies carried out in cell cultures and animal models suggested that this drug might affect the process of pathological accumulation and aggregation of various proteins involved in the pathogenesis of proteinopathies. However, the effect of this drug on the pathology caused by overexpression and aggregation of alpha-synuclein, including Parkinson’s disease (PD), has not been assessed. Objective: To test if dimebon affected alpha-synuclein-induced pathology using a transgenic animal model. Methods: We studied the effects of chronic dimebon treatment on transgenic mice expressing the C-terminally truncated (1–120) form of human alpha-synuclein in dopaminergic neurons, a mouse model that recapitulates several biochemical, histopathological and behavioral characteristics of the early stage of PD. Results: Dimebon did not improve balance and coordination of aging transgenic animals or increase the level of striatal dopamine, nor did it prevent accumulation of alpha-synuclein in cell bodies of dopaminergic neurons. Conclusion: Our observations suggest that in the studied model of alpha-synucleinopathy dimebon has very limited effect on certain pathological alterations typical of PD and related diseases

Salmonella-induced changes of the rat intestinal microbiota

The gut microbiome profoundly affects the body functioning: it participates in host protection against pathogenic microorganisms, metabolic events, inhibition of inflammatory responses, formation of innate and adaptive immune response in the intestinal mucosa. One of the causes altering microbiota community is due to antibiotics. Therefore, the processes of antibiotics interaction together with Salmonella enteritidis and Salmonella typhimurium with representatives of normal intestinal microflora are of particular interest. Materials and methods. The quantitative and qualitative analysis of the wall microbiota composition in rats was evaluated by bacteriological method, the statistical data analysis was performed using the software StatSoft Statistica v.12. Results and discussion. Inoculation of vancomycin and S. enteritidis, S. typhimurium in groups II, III, IV resulted in quantitatively decreased E. coli level by 10-, 7- and 110-fold, respectively (p ≤ 0.05). The count of P. aeruginosa decreased markedly only in the group III (p ≤ 0.05). The count of Bacteroides spp. members was profoundly decreased by several thousand times (group II) as well as 70- and 87-fold (groups III and IV), respectively (p ≤ 0.05). The count of E. faecalis and E. faecium decreased by 861-, 6- and several thousand times (groups II, III, IV), respectively (p ≤ 0.05). The count of Proteus spp. markedly decreased in group II by 27-fold and rapidly increased in group IV (p ≤ 0.05). Group III revealed a sharp decline in level of Enterobacter spp. and Klebsiella spp. by 847- and 150-fold, whereas in group II they were increased by 7- and 46-fold, respectively (p ≤ 0.05). The count of Staphylococcus spp. decreased by 10-fold only in group II. The level of Clostridium spp. decreased by several thousand times (group II) and by 5,500 times (group IV) (p ≤ 0.05). The count of Lactobacillus spp. decreased by several thousand times (group II). The count of Bifidobacterium spp. members significantly decreased by 10.9-fold and by several thousand times (groups III, IV). The level of Peptostreptococcus anaerobius profoundly decreased in all three study groups (p ≤ 0.05). The level of Salmonella spp. increased in group II by 49 times, but markedly increased in groups III and IV (p ≤ 0.05). Inoculation of Salmonella after vancomycin pretreatment caused dramatic change in the microbiota composition in groups V and VI, namely: increased count of E. coli by 65- and 105-fold, markedly increased level of P. aeruginosa in group V and VI — by 3-fold. In addition, these groups also showed decreased level of Bacteroides spp. by 9- and 10-fold (p ≤ 0.05). The count of E. faecalis and E. faecium decreased dramatically only in group V (p ≤ 0.05). The count of Proteus spp. decreased by 17 times in group V as well as in group VI (p ≤ 0.05). A sharp increase in level of Enterobacter spp. and Klebsiella spp. members was observed in groups V and VI (p ≤ 0.05). However, representatives of Peptostreptococcus anaerobius in groups V and VI decreased by 20 and 9 times, respectively (p ≤ 0.05). The count of Salmonella spp. decreased only in group V by 7 times (p ≤ 0,05). Inoculating experimental animals with B. fragilis conditioned with S. enteritidis, S. typhimurium and pretreated with vancomycin resulted in markedly decreased level of E. coli in group VII and VIII by 538 times (p ≤ 0.05). The count of P. aeruginosa in groups VII and VIII decreased profoundly, whereas level of Bacteroides spp. members was reciprocally increased (p ≤ 0.05). The level of Lactobacillus spp. decreased by 10.3 times only in group VI. The count of E. faecalis and E. faecium increased by 10 and 19 times in groups VII and VIII, respectively, whereas level of Proteus spp. decreased only in group VII by 322 times (p ≤ 0.05). In addition, a sharp decrease in level of Enterobacter spp. and Klebsiella spp. members (p ≤ 0.05) was found in groups VII and VIII. The count of Peptostreptococcus anaerobius and Lactobacillus spp. members was markedly increased by 7-, 12-, several thousand-fold and 40 times (groups VII and VIII, respectively) (p ≤ 0.05). The count of S. enteritidis and S. typhimurium in groups VII and VIII decreased rapidly (p ≤ 0.05). Conclusion. Inoculation of B. fragilis can be used in treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases or disorders with impaired gut barrier function

C9ORF72 hexanucleotide repeat expansion in ALS patients from the Central European Russia population

Cohorts of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients and control individuals of Caucasian origin from the Central European Russia (Moscow city and region) were analyzed for the presence of hexanucleotide repeat GGGGCC expansion within the first intron of the C9ORF72 gene. The presence of a large (>40) repeat expansion was found in 15% of familial ALS cases (3 of 20 unrelated familial cases) and 2.5% of sporadic ALS cases (6 of 238) but in none of control cases. These results suggest that the frequency of C9ORF72 hexanucleotide repeats expansions in the Central Europea

Musculotopic organization of the motor neurons supplying the mouse hindlimb muscles: a quantitative study using Fluoro-Gold retrograde tracing

We have mapped the motor neurons (MNs) supplying the major hindlimb muscles of transgenic (C57/BL6J-ChAT-EGFP) and wild-type (C57/BL6J) mice. The fluorescent retrograde tracer Fluoro-Gold was injected into 19 hindlimb muscles. Consecutive transverse spinal cord sections were harvested, the MNs counted, and the MN columns reconstructed in 3D. Three longitudinal MN columns were identified. The dorsolateral column extends from L4 to L6 and consists of MNs innervating the crural muscles and the foot. The ventrolateral column extends from L1 to L6 and accommodates MNs supplying the iliopsoas, gluteal, and quadriceps femoris muscles. The middle part of the ventral horn hosts the central MN column, which extends between L2–L6 and consists of MNs for the thigh adductor, hamstring, and quadratus femoris muscles. Within these longitudinal columns, the arrangement of the different MN groups reflects their somatotopic organization. MNs innervating muscles developing from the dorsal (e.g., quadriceps) and ventral muscle mass (e.g., hamstring) are situated in the lateral and medial part of the ventral gray, respectively.MN pools belonging to proximal muscles (e.g., quadratus femoris and iliopsoas) are situatedventral to those supplying more distal ones (e.g., plantar muscles). Finally, MNs innervatingflexors (e.g., posterior crural muscles) are more medial than those belonging to extensors ofthe same joint (e.g., anterior crural muscles). These data extend and modify the MN maps in the recently published atlas of the mouse spinal cord and may help when assessing neuronal loss associated with MN diseases

Derivatives of 9-phosphorylated acridine as butyrylcholinesterase inhibitors with antioxidant activity and the ability to inhibit β-amyloid self-aggregation: potential therapeutic agents for Alzheimer’s disease

We investigated the inhibitory activities of novel 9-phosphoryl-9,10-dihydroacridines and 9-phosphorylacridines against acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and carboxylesterase (CES). We also studied the abilities of the new compounds to interfere with the self-aggregation of β-amyloid (Aβ42) in the thioflavin test as well as their antioxidant activities in the ABTS and FRAP assays. We used molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, and quantum-chemical calculations to explain experimental results. All new compounds weakly inhibited AChE and off-target CES. Dihydroacridines with aryl substituents in the phosphoryl moiety inhibited BChE; the most active were the dibenzyloxy derivative 1d and its diphenethyl bioisostere 1e (IC50 = 2.90 ± 0.23 µM and 3.22 ± 0.25 µM, respectively). Only one acridine, 2d, an analog of dihydroacridine, 1d, was an effective BChE inhibitor (IC50 = 6.90 ± 0.55 μM), consistent with docking results. Dihydroacridines inhibited Aβ42 self-aggregation; 1d and 1e were the most active (58.9% ± 4.7% and 46.9% ± 4.2%, respectively). All dihydroacridines 1 demonstrated high ABTS•+-scavenging and iron-reducing activities comparable to Trolox, but acridines 2 were almost inactive. Observed features were well explained by quantum-chemical calculations. ADMET parameters calculated for all compounds predicted favorable intestinal absorption, good blood–brain barrier permeability, and low cardiac toxicity. Overall, the best results were obtained for two dihydroacridine derivatives 1d and 1e with dibenzyloxy and diphenethyl substituents in the phosphoryl moiety. These compounds displayed high inhibition of BChE activity and Aβ42 self-aggregation, high antioxidant activity, and favorable predicted ADMET profiles. Therefore, we consider 1d and 1e as lead compounds for further in-depth studies as potential anti-AD preparations