Synthesis and characterization of new tail-to-tail dimers of bile acids with different spacers

The 13th International Electronic Conference on Synthetic Organic Chemistry session Polymer and Supramolecular ChemistryNew dimeric steroid-based surfactants derived from 3α,7α,12α-trihydroxy-5β- cholan-24-amine (steroid residue) and isophthalic acid, 5,5'-biisobenzofuran-1,1',3,3'- carboxylic acid and succinic acid (spacers) were synthesized and structurally characterized by NMR techniques. The first spacer was also employed to synthesize the dimer corresponding to the 3α,12α-dihydroxy-5β-cholan-24-amine residue. In all cases the steroid residues are tail-to-tail linked through amide bonds with the spacersAuthors thank the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (Project MAT2004-04606) and the Xunta de Galicia (PGIDIT05PXIC26201PN) for financial suppor

Theoretical calculations on conformations of bile-acid based dimers. Interactions with ibuprofen

The 13th International Electronic Conference on Synthetic Organic Chemistry session Polymer and Supramolecular ChemistryAn AM1 semiempirical method (Gaussian 03) was used to perform molecular structure optimizations in gas phase of two tail-to-tail bile acid-based dimers by an isophthalic acid bridge. The method was also used to study the interactions with the potential guest ibuprofen with the idea of applicative resultsAuthors thank the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (Project MAT2004-04606) and the Xunta de Galicia (PGIDIT05PXIC26201PN) for financial suppor

Synthesis and Characterization of a New Gemini Surfactant Derived from 3a,7a,12a-trihydroxy-5ß-cholan-24-amine (Steroid Residue) and Ethylenediamintetraacetic Acid (Spacer)

The 12th International Electronic Conference on Synthetic Organic Chemistry session Supramolecular ChemistryA new gemini steroid surfactant derived from 3a,7a,12a-trihydroxy-5ß-cholan-24-amine (steroid residue) and ethylenediamintetraacetic acid (spacer) was synthesized and characterized in aqueous solution by surface tension measurements and fluorescence intensity of pyrene. These techniques evidence the existence of a threshold concentration, cac, below which a three layers film is formed at the air-water interface. At high concentrations, the intensity ratio of the vibronic peaks of pyrene, I1/I3, (= 0.81) is very close to published values for sodium cholate micelles, indicating that the probe is located in a region with a very low polarity and far from waterThe authors from USC thank the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (Project MAT2004-04606) and Xunta de Galicia (PGIDIT05PXIC26201PN) for financial suppor

Complexation of 3α,7α,12α-trihydroxy-5β-cholan-24-amine by β- and γ-cyclodextrins

The 13th International Electronic Conference on Synthetic Organic Chemistry session Polymer and Supramolecular ChemistryThe binding constants, standard molar enthalpy, Gibbs free energy, and entropy changes were determined for the formation of inclusion complexes between 3α,7α,12α- trihydroxy-5β-cholan-24-amine, C24NH2, and β-cyclodextrin and γ-cyclodextrin. The stoichiometry of both complexes is 1:1 in agreement with previously reported results for other trihydroxy bile salts. The equilibrium constant values for the formation of the inclusion complex are similar as well. The structure of the C24NH2/γ-cyclodextrin complex was studied by ROESY experiments. These results suggest that B, C and Drings of the steroid skeleton, as well as the side chain, interact with the cyclodextrin cavity, while the A ring of the steroid nucleus remains outside the cavityThe authors from USC thank the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (Project MAT2004-04606) and Xunta de Galicia (PGIDIT05PXIC26201PN) for financial suppor

Complexation of adamantyl derivatives by a β–cyclodextrin dimer.

The 13th International Electronic Conference on Synthetic Organic Chemistry session Polymer and Supramolecular ChemistryThe binding constants, standard molar enthalpy, Gibbs free energy, and entropy changes were determined for the formation of complexes between adamantyl derivatives and a β-cyclodextrin dimer. It is concluded that, within experimental error, the two cyclodextrin residues in the dimer behave independent to each other when complexing the adamantyl derivativesThe authors from USC thank the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (Project MAT2004-04606) and Xunta de Galicia (PGIDIT05PXIC26201PN) for financial suppor

Supramolecular polymer formed by ditopic cyclodextrin and ditopic adamantane derivatives

The 12th International Electronic Conference on Synthetic Organic Chemistry session Supramolecular ChemistryNovel host-guest supramolecular copolymers have been prepared from a ß-cyclodextrin (binded to ethylenediamintetraacetic acid, EDTA) dimer and a ditopic guest with two adamantyl groups bound to pyromellitic acid. Molecular weight and molecular size were determined from static and dynamic light scattering measurements (SLS and DLS, respectively). The analysis of results suggests that the supramolecular polymer adopts a shruck structure with an average molecular weight value of Mn =(1.51±0.02)×104 g·mol-1 (degree of polymerization equal to 5)The authors from USC thank the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (Project MAT2004-04606) and Xunta de Galicia (PGIDIT05PXIC26201PN) for financial suppor

Host-Guest Supramolecular Dendrimers

The 11th International Electronic Conference on Synthetic Organic Chemistry session Supramolecular ChemistryThe formation of new supramolecular dendrimers from interlocked host/guest unimers is reported. Unimer entities have two host binding sites (ßCD) and two guest binding sites (two adamantly or two p-tert-butylbenzoate moities). Hosts and guest residues are linked through an EDTA bridge. The formation of dendrimer-like (Cayley tree) structures is demonstrated by TEM measurements.The authors from USC thank the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (Project MAT2004-04606) and Xunta de Galicia (PGIDIT05PXIC26201PN) for financial support. The authors from ‘La Sapienza’ thank the MIUR financial supports (FIRB project RBIN04PWNC and PRIN 2006).We also thank for the Spain-Italy Integrated Action grant

Characterisation of Aberrant Metabolic Pathways in Hepatoblastoma Using Liquid Chromatography and Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)

Hepatoblastoma (HB) is a rare childhood tumour with an evolving molecular landscape. We present the first comprehensive metabolomic analysis using untargeted and targeted liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) of paired tumour and non-tumour surgical samples in HB patients (n = 8 pairs). This study demonstrates that the metabolomic landscape of HB is distinct from that of non-tumour (NT) liver tissue, with 35 differentially abundant metabolites mapping onto pathways such as fatty acid transport, glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, branched-chain amino acid degradation and glutathione synthesis. Targeted metabolomics demonstrated reduced short-chain acylcarnitines and a relative accumulation of branched-chain amino acids. Medium- and long-chain acylcarnitines in HB were similar to those in NT. The metabolomic changes reported are consistent with previously reported transcriptomic data from tumour and non-tumour samples (49 out of 54 targets) as well as metabolomic data obtained using other techniques. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) from RNAseq data (n = 32 paired HB and NT samples) demonstrated a downregulation of the carnitine metabolome and immunohistochemistry showed a reduction in CPT1a (n = 15 pairs), which transports fatty acids into the mitochondria, suggesting a lack of utilisation of long-chain fatty acids in HB. Thus, our findings suggest a reduced metabolic flux in HB which is corroborated at the gene expression and protein levels. Further work could yield novel insights and new therapeutic targets

Alteration of medial-edge epithelium cell adhesion in two Tgf-β3 null mouse strains

Although palatal shelf adhesion is a crucial event during palate development, little work has been carried out to determine which molecules are responsible for this process. Furthermore, whether altered palatal shelf adhesion causes the cleft palate presented by Tgf-β3 null mutant mice has not yet been clarified. Here, we study the presence/distribution of some extracellular matrix and cell adhesion molecules at the time of the contact of palatal shelves in both wild-type and Tgf-β3 null mutant palates of two strains of mice (C57/BL/6J (C57), and MF1) that develop cleft palates of different severity. We have performed immunohistochemistry with antibodies against collagens IV and IX, laminin, fibronectin, the α5- and β1-integrins, and ICAM-1; in situ hybridization with a Nectin-1 riboprobe; and palatal shelf cultures treated or untreated with TGF-β3 or neutralizing antibodies against fibronectin or the α5-integrin. Our results show the location of these molecules in the wild-type mouse medial edge epithelium (MEE) of both strains at the time of the contact of palatal shelves; the heavier (C57) and milder (MF1) alteration of their presence in the Tgf-β3 null mutants; the importance of TGF-β3 to restore their normal pattern of expression; and the crucial role of fibronectin and the α5-integrin in palatal shelf adhesion. We thus provide insight into the molecular bases of this important process and the cleft palate presented by Tgf-β3 null mutant mice

Can the Cytokine Profile According to ABO Blood Groups Be Related to Worse Outcome in COVID-19 Patients? Yes, They Can

Producción CientíficaSevere status of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is extremely associated to cytokine release. Moreover, it has been suggested that blood group is also associated with the prevalence and severity of this disease. However, the relationship between the cytokine profile and blood group remains unclear in COVID-19 patients. In this sense, we prospectively recruited 108 COVID-19 patients between March and April 2020 and divided according to ABO blood group. For the analysis of 45 cytokines, plasma samples were collected in the time of admission to hospital ward or intensive care unit and at the sixth day after hospital admission. The results show that there was a risk of more than two times lower of mechanical ventilation or death in patients with blood group O (log rank: p = 0.042). At first time, all statistically significant cytokine levels, except from hepatocyte growth factor, were higher in O blood group patients meanwhile the second time showed a significant drop, between 20% and 40%. In contrast, A/B/AB group presented a maintenance of cytokine levels during time. Hepatocyte growth factor showed a significant association with intubation or mortality risk in non-O blood group patients (OR: 4.229, 95% CI (2.064–8.665), p < 0.001) and also was the only one bad prognosis biomarker in O blood group patients (OR: 8.852, 95% CI (1.540–50.878), p = 0.015). Therefore, higher cytokine levels in O blood group are associated with a better outcome than A/B/AB group in COVID-19 patients.Instituto de Salud Carlos III (grant COV20/00491)Junta de Castilla y León (grant 18IGOF