Lipid-membrane-incorporated arylboronate esters as agents for boron neutron capture therapy

Arylboronate esters bearing methyl groups in both of their ortho positions were stably incorporated into lipid membranes at high concentrations without undergoing hydrolysis to the corresponding boronic acids. This method could be used in combination with previous methods to increase the maximum ratio of boron atoms in liposomal boron carriers.This work was supported by a JSPS KAKENHI Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) (Grant No. JP16H04133) and a Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research (Grant No. JP16K13982)

Formation of β‐(1,3‐1,6)‐D‐glucan‐complexed [70]fullerene and its photodynamic activity towards macrophages

[70]Fullerene was dissolved in water by the complexation with β‐1,3‐glucan using a mechanochemical high‐speed vibration milling apparatus. The photodynamic activity of β‐1,3 glucan‐complexed C70 was highly dependent on the expression level of dectin‐1 on the cell surfaces of macrophages. The photodynamic activity increased as a result of a synergistic effect between β‐1,3‐glucan‐complexed 1’‐acetoxychavicol acetate and the C70 complex.This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant‐in‐Aid for Scientific Research (B) (Grant No. JP16H04133), Grant‐in‐Aid for Scientific Research (C) (Grant No. 26350528) and Grant‐in‐Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research (Grant No. JP16K13982)

Hydrostatic Pressure-Regulated Cellular Calcium Responses

Hydrostatic pressure control has attracted much attention and presents a still challenging objective from mechanobiological viewpoints. Herein, we reveal the calcium entry processes in HeLa cells by means of hydrostatic pressure spectroscopy. The steady-state fluorescence spectral data comprehensively elucidated the factors controlling the outcomes of the hydrostatic pressure-stimulated calcium entry behavior. The present work leads to a new perspective on ion regulations in living cells and an attractive alternative to conventional mechanostimuli

Molecular design of super hydrogelators: understanding the gelation process of azobenzene-based sugar derivatives in water

As an attempt to rationally design aqueous organogelators, a bolaamphiphilic azobenzene derivative (1) bearing two sugar groups was synthesized. Compound 1 formed a gel in water even at concentrations as low as 0.05 wt % (0.65 mM). Spectroscopic studies and electron-micrographic observations have clarified the gel structure and the origin of the gelation ability for water