Synthesis and antimicrobial evaluation of a pyrazoline-pyridine silver(I) complex: DNA-interaction and anti-biofilm activity

The emergence of resistant bacterial strains mainly due to misuse of antibiotics has seriously affected our ability to treat bacterial illness, and the development of new classes of potent antimicrobial agents is desperately needed. In this study, we report the efficient synthesis of a new pyrazoline-pyridine containing ligand L1 which acts as an NN-donor for the formation of a novel silver (I) complex 2. The free ligand did not show antibacterial activity. High potency was exhibited by the complex against three Gram-negative bacteria, namely Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumanii with the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging between 4 and 16 μg/mL (4.2–16.7 μM), and excellent activity against the fungi Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans (MIC ≤ 0.25 μg/mL = 0.26 μM). Moreover, no hemolytic activity within the tested concentration range was observed. In addition to the planktonic growth inhibition, the biofilm formation of both Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was significantly reduced by the complex at MIC concentrations in a dose-dependent manner for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, whereas a biphasic response was obtained for MRSA showing that the sub-MIC doses enhanced biofilm formation before its reduction at higher concentration. Finally, complex 2 exhibited strong DNA binding with a large drop in DNA viscosity indicating the absence of classical intercalation and suggesting the participation of the silver ion in DNA binding which may be related to its antibacterial activity. Taken together, the current results reveal that the pyrazoline-pyridine silver complexes are of high interest as novel antibacterial agents, justifying further in vitro and in vivo investigation

Isatin thiosemicarbazone-blended polymer films for biomedical applications : surface morphology, characterisation and preliminary biological assessment

Poly (methyl methacrylate) and polyurethane are polymers currently used for a range of biomedical applications. To modify their surface characteristics, biocompatibility and potentially reduce any related side effects the addition to the polymers of appropriate compounds has been investigated. Isatin thiosemicarbazone derivatives were synthesised and added to poly (methyl methacrylate) and polyurethane solutions before spin coating them on to a silica wafer. The resultant films were characterised with contact angle goniometry and atomic force microscopy. PMMA films produced from tetrahydrofuran solvent displayed honeycombed structures which were highly hydrophobic; however, such changes were not seen for polyurethane surfaces. The cytotoxicity and effect on cell proliferation of polymer surfaces were investigated using PNT2A prostate cells. The isatin-containing polymers were deemed non-toxic at the concentrations used, while cell proliferation studies suggested that the resulting films were supportive of cell growth

Modified magnetic core-shell mesoporous silica nano-formulations with encapsulated quercetin exhibit anti-amyloid and antioxidant activity

Targeted tissue drug delivery is a challenge in contemporary nanotechnologically driven therapeutic approaches, with the interplay interactions between nanohost and encapsulated drug shaping the ultimate properties of transport, release and efficacy of the drug at its destination. Prompted by the need to pursue the synthesis of such hybrid systems, a family of modified magnetic core-shell mesoporous silica nano-formulations was synthesized with encapsulated quercetin, a natural flavonoid with proven bioactivity. The new nanocarriers were produced via the sol-gel process, using tetraethoxysilane as a precursor and bearing a magnetic core of surface-modified monodispersed magnetite colloidal superparamagnetic nanoparticles, subsequently surface-modified with polyethylene glycol 3000 (PEG3k). The arising nano-formulations were evaluated for their textural and structural properties, exhibiting enhanced solubility and stability in physiological media, as evidenced by the loading capacity, entrapment efficiency results and in vitro release studies of their load. Guided by the increased bioavailability of quercetin in its encapsulated form, further evaluation of the biological activity of the magnetic as well as non-magnetic core-shell nanoparticles, pertaining to their anti-amyloid and antioxidant potential, revealed interference with the aggregation of β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) in Alzheimer’s disease, reduction of Aβ cellular toxicity and minimization of Aβ-induced Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) generation. The data indicate that the biological properties of released quercetin are maintained in the presence of the host nanocarriers. Collectively, the findings suggest that the emerging hybrid nano-formulations can function as efficient nanocarriers of hydrophobic natural flavonoids in the development of multifunctional nanomaterials toward therapeutic applications

Small Multitarget Molecules Incorporating the Enone Moiety

Chalcones represent a class of small drug/druglike molecules with different and multitarget biological activities. Small multi-target drugs have attracted considerable interest in the last decade due their advantages in the treatment of complex and multifactorial diseases, since "one drug-one target" therapies have failed in many cases to demonstrate clinical efficacy. In this context, we designed and synthesized potential new small multi-target agents with lipoxygenase (LOX), acetyl cholinesterase (AChE) and lipid peroxidation inhibitory activities, as well as antioxidant activity based on 2-/4- hydroxy-chalcones and the bis-etherified bis-chalcone skeleton. Furthermore, the synthesized molecules were evaluated for their cytotoxicity. Simple chalcone b4 presents significant inhibitory activity against the 15-human LOX with an IC50 value 9.5 µM, interesting anti-AChE activity, and anti-lipid peroxidation behavior. Bis-etherified chalcone c12 is the most potent inhibitor of AChE within the bis-etherified bis-chalcones followed by c11. Bis-chalcones c11 and c12 were found to combine anti-LOX, anti-AchE, and anti-lipid peroxidation activities. It seems that the anti-lipid peroxidation activity supports the anti-LOX activity for the significantly active bis-chalcones. Our circular dichroism (CD) study identified two structures capable of interfering with the aggregation process of Aβ. Compounds c2 and c4 display additional protective actions against Alzheimer's disease (AD) and add to the pleiotropic profile of the chalcone derivatives. Predicted results indicate that the majority of the compounds with the exception of c11 (144 Å) can cross the Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) and act in CNS. The results led us to propose new leads and to conclude that the presence of a double enone group supports better biological activities

Crystal structure of fac-aqua[(E)-4-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)-N-(pyridin-2-ylmethylidene)aniline-κ2N,N′]tricarbonylrhenium(I) hexafluoridophosphate methanol monosolvate

In the title compound, fac-[Re(C19H13N3S)(CO)3(H2O)]PF6·CH3OH, the coordination environment of the ReI atom is octahedral with a C3N2O coordination set. In this molecule, the N,N′ bidentate ligand, (E)-4-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)-N-(pyridin-2-ylmethylidene)aniline, and the monodentate aqua ligand occupy the three available coordination sites of the [Re(CO)3]+ core, generating a `2 + 1' mixed-ligand complex. In this complex, the Re—C bonds of the carbonyl ligands trans to the coordinating N,N′ atoms of the bidentate ligand are longer than the Re—C bond of the carbonyl group trans to the aqua ligand, in accordance with the intensity of their trans effects. The complex is positively charged with PF6− as the counter-ion. In the structure, the complexes form dimers through π–π intermolecular interactions. O—H...O and O—H...N hydrogen bonds lead to the formation of stacks parallel to the a axis, which further extend into layers parallel to (0\overline{1}1). Through O—H...F hydrogen bonds between the complexes and the PF6−counter-anions, a three-dimensional network is established

Synthesis of Novel Pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridines with Affinity for β-Amyloid Plaques

Three novel pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridines were synthesized via the cyclization of 5-amino-1-phenylpyrazole with the corresponding unsaturated ketone in the catalytic presence of ZrCl4. The ketones were afforded by modifying a stabilized ylide facilitated Wittig reaction in fairly high yields. The novel compounds exhibited exciting photophysical properties with the dimethylamine phenyl-bearing pyrazolopyridine showing exceptionally large Stoke’s shifts. Finally, both the dimethylamino- and the pyrene-substituted compounds demonstrated high and selective binding to amyloid plaques of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patient brain slices upon fluorescent confocal microscopy observation. These results reveal the potential application of pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridines in the development of AD amyloid plaque probes of various modalities for AD diagnosis

Crystal structure of fac-tricarbonyl(quinoline-2-carboxylato-κ2N,O)(triphenylarsane-κAs)rhenium(I)

In the title compound, [Re(C10H6NO2)(CO)3{As(C6H5)3}], the coordination environment of ReI is that of a distorted octahedron. Three coordination sites are occupied by three carbonyl groups in a facial arrangement and the remaining three sites by triphenylarsane and deprotonated quinaldic acid in As-mono- and N,O-bidentate fashions, respectively. In the crystal, the complexes are linked through weak C—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional network. It worth noting that, as far as we know, this complex is the first ReI triphenylarsane tricarbonyl compound to be reported

Evaluation of Rhenium and Technetium-99m Complexes Bearing Quinazoline Derivatives as Potential EGFR Agents

Τhe Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) 6-amino-4-[(3-bromophenyl) amino]quinazoline was derivatized with 6-bromohexanoyl-chloride and coupled with the tridentate chelating agents N-(2-pyridylmethyl) aminoethyl acetic acid (PAMA) and L(+)-cysteine bearing the donor atom set NNO and SNO, respectively. The rhenium precursors ReBr(CO)5 and fac-[NEt4]2[ReBr3(CO)3] were used for the preparation of the Re complexes fac-[Re(NNO)(CO)3] (5a) and fac-[Re(SNO)(CO)3] (7a) which were characterized by NMR and IR spectroscopies. Subsequently, the new potential EGFR inhibitors were labeled with the fac-[99mTc(CO)3]+ core in high yield and radiochemical purity (>90%) by ligand exchange reaction using the fac-[99mTc][Tc(OH2)3(CO)3]+ precursor. The radiolabeled complexes were characterized by comparative HPLC analysis with the analogous rhenium (Re) complexes as references. In vitro studies in the A431 cell lines showed that both ligands and Re complexes inhibit A431 cell growth. Complex 5a demonstrated the highest potency (IC50 = 8.85 ± 2.62 μM) and was further assessed for its capacity to inhibit EGFR autophosphorylation, presenting an IC50 value of 26.11 nM. Biodistribution studies of the 99mTc complexes in healthy mice showed high in vivo stability for both complexes and fast blood and soft tissue clearance with excretion occurring via the hepatobiliary system

New <i>fac</i>-[Re(CO)₃(OO)(L)] and [Re(CO)₂(OO)(L)₂] Complexes Bearing Two Natural Food Additives, Maltol and Kojic Acid, as OO Ligands

The synthesis and structural characterization of new “2+1” mixed ligand fac-[Re(CO)3(OO)(L)] and Re(CO)2(OO)(L)2 complexes are reported herein. Maltol and kojic acid were chosen as bidentate OO ligands, while imidazole, isocyanocyclohexane or triphenylphosphine were selected as the monodentate ligands. The synthesis of the rhenium complexes was based on the reaction of [NEt4]2[Re(CO)3Br3] with maltol and kojic acid to generate the intermediate aqua complex fac-[Re(CO)3(OO)(H2O)], followed by the replacement of the labile aqua ligand by the monodentate ligand. Structural characterization of all Re complexes was established by NMR and IR spectroscopies, as well as two of them by single-crystal X-ray crystallography, revealing distorted octahedral geometry around the Re center. In the crystal lattice, the complexes form supramolecular networks due to the development of intermolecular interactions of the N-H⋯O, C-H⋯O and C-H⋯π type