Ligand exchange reactions of [Re₂(μ-OR)₃(CO)₆]⁻(R = H, Me) with sulfur, selenium, phosphorus and nitrogen donor ligands, investigated by electrospray mass spectrometry

Negative-ion electrospray mass spectrometry has been used to investigate the reactions of the dinuclear rhenium aggregates [Re₂(μ-OH)₃(CO)₆]⁻ 1 and [Re₂(μ-OMe)₃(CO)₆]⁻ 2 with a range of thiols, benzeneselenol, and some other sulfur-, phosphorus- and nitrogen-based ligands. Typically up to three of the hydroxo ligands are replaced by simple thiolates, giving the series of species [Re₂(OH)₂(SR)(CO)₆]⁻, [Re₂(OH)(SR)₂(CO)₆]⁻, and [Re₂(SR)₃(CO)₆]⁻. Similarly, reaction of 1 with H₂S gives the species [Re₂(μ-SH)₃(CO)₆]⁻, which undergoes an analogous fragmentation process to [Re₂(μ-OH)₃(CO)₆]⁻, at high cone voltages, by loss of H₂S and formation of [Re₂(S)(SH)(CO)₆]⁻. With ligands which are good chelating agents (such as dithiocarbamates R₂NCS₂⁻, and thiosalicylic acid, HSC₆H₄CO₂H) initial substitution of one or two OH groups readily occurs, but on standing the dimer is cleaved giving [Re(S₂CNR₂)₂(CO)₃]⁻ and [Re(SC₆H₄CO₂)(CO)₃]⁻. The different reactivities of the dithiol reagents benzene-1,2- and benzene-1,4-dimethanethiol towards 1 are also described. Complex 1 also reacts with aniline, and with primary (but not secondary) amides RC(O)NH₂, giving monosubstituted species [Re₂(OH)₂(NHPh)(CO)₆]⁻ and [Re₂(OH)₂{NHC(O)R}(CO)₆]⁻ respectively. The reactions with adenine and thymine, and with the inorganic anions thiocyanate and thiosulfate, are also described

Synthesis and biological activity of platinum(II) and palladium(II) thiosalicylate complexes with mixed ancillary donor ligands

A series of mixed-ligand thiosalicylate complexes of the type [ M(SC6H4CO 2)(PPh3)L] (M = Pt, L = pyridine (py), 4-methylpyridine, imidazole, 4-picolinic acid hydrazide {C5H4N[C(O)NHNH2]-4}; M = Pd, L = pyridine) have been prepared by the one-pot reaction of [PtCl2(cod)] or [PdCl2(cod)] (cod = cycloocta-1,5-diene) with one equivalent of PPh3 and thiosalicylic acid (HSC6H4CO2H) in the presence of the nitrogen base. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies on [P t(SC6H4CO 2)(PPh3)(py)] and the previously reported complex [P t(SC6H4CO 2)(PPh3)(XyNC)] (Xy = 2,6-xylyl) indicates that the complexes have different geometries, though in each case the two ligands of highest trans-influence are mutually cis. The reaction of [PtCl2(cod)] with PPh3, thiosalicylic acid and ammonia led to the isolation of crystals of the dinuclear thiosalicylate-bridged complex [P t(SC6H4CO 2)(PPh3)(NH3)P t(SC6H4CO 2)(PPh3)], which was characterised by X-ray crystallography and electrospray mass spectrometry. The conformation of the thiosalicylate ligand can vary widely with values for the dihedral angle between the ligand plane and the platinum(II) coordination plane varying from 12.4° to 70.9° in the seven complexes so far determined. The biological activities of selected platinum and palladium thiosalicylate and related complexes against P388 leukemia cells, bacteria and fungi are also reported. The complex [P t(SCH2CO 2)(PPh3)2] shows the highest activity against P388 cells (IC50 671 ng mL-1)

The HIF complex recruits the histone methyltransferase SET1B to activate specific hypoxia-inducible genes.

Hypoxia-inducible transcription factors (HIFs) are fundamental to cellular adaptation to low oxygen levels, but it is unclear how they interact with chromatin and activate their target genes. Here, we use genome-wide mutagenesis to identify genes involved in HIF transcriptional activity, and define a requirement for the histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) methyltransferase SET1B. SET1B loss leads to a selective reduction in transcriptional activation of HIF target genes, resulting in impaired cell growth, angiogenesis and tumor establishment in SET1B-deficient xenografts. Mechanistically, we show that SET1B accumulates on chromatin in hypoxia, and is recruited to HIF target genes by the HIF complex. The selective induction of H3K4 trimethylation at HIF target loci is both HIF- and SET1B-dependent and, when impaired, correlates with decreased promoter acetylation and gene expression. Together, these findings show SET1B as a determinant of site-specific histone methylation and provide insight into how HIF target genes are differentially regulated.Lister Institute NIHR Addenbrooke's Charitable Trus

Common variation near CDKN1A, POLD3 and SHROOM2 influences colorectal cancer risk

We performed a meta-analysis of five genome-wide association studies to identify common variants influencing colorectal cancer (CRC) risk comprising 8,682 cases and 9,649 controls. Replication analysis was performed in case-control sets totaling 21,096 cases and 19,555 controls. We identified three new CRC risk loci at 6p21 (rs1321311, near CDKN1A; P = 1.14 × 10 -10), 11q13.4 (rs3824999, intronic to POLD3; P = 3.65 × 10 -10) and Xp22.2 (rs5934683, near SHROOM2; P = 7.30 × 10 -10) This brings the number of independent loci associated with CRC risk to 20 and provides further insight into the genetic architecture of inherited susceptibility to CRC.</p

An appraisal of respiratory system compliance in mechanically ventilated covid-19 patients

BackgroundHeterogeneous respiratory system static compliance (CRS) values and levels of hypoxemia in patients with novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) requiring mechanical ventilation have been reported in previous small-case series or studies conducted at a national level.MethodsWe designed a retrospective observational cohort study with rapid data gathering from the international COVID-19 Critical Care Consortium study to comprehensively describe CRS—calculated as: tidal volume/[airway plateau pressure-positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP)]—and its association with ventilatory management and outcomes of COVID-19 patients on mechanical ventilation (MV), admitted to intensive care units (ICU) worldwide.ResultsWe studied 745 patients from 22 countries, who required admission to the ICU and MV from January 14 to December 31, 2020, and presented at least one value of CRS within the first seven days of MV. Median (IQR) age was 62 (52–71), patients were predominantly males (68%) and from Europe/North and South America (88%). CRS, within 48 h from endotracheal intubation, was available in 649 patients and was neither associated with the duration from onset of symptoms to commencement of MV (p = 0.417) nor with PaO2/FiO2 (p = 0.100). Females presented lower CRS than males (95% CI of CRS difference between females-males: − 11.8 to − 7.4 mL/cmH2O p RS was marginal (p = 0.139). Ventilatory management varied across CRS range, resulting in a significant association between CRS and driving pressure (estimated decrease − 0.31 cmH2O/L per mL/cmH20 of CRS, 95% CI − 0.48 to − 0.14, p RS (+ 10 mL/cm H2O) was only associated with being discharge from the ICU within 28 days (HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.02–1.28, p = 0.018).ConclusionsThis multicentre report provides a comprehensive account of CRS in COVID-19 patients on MV. CRS measured within 48 h from commencement of MV has marginal predictive value for 28-day mortality, but was associated with being discharged from ICU within the same period. Trial documentation: Available at https://www.covid-critical.com/study.Trial registration: ACTRN12620000421932

Early short course of neuromuscular blocking agents in patients with COVID-19 ARDS : a propensity score analysis

Background: The role of neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is not fully elucidated. Therefore, we aimed to investigate in COVID-19 patients with moderate-to-severe ARDS the impact of early use of NMBAs on 90-day mortality, through propensity score (PS) matching analysis. Methods: We analyzed a convenience sample of patients with COVID-19 and moderate-to-severe ARDS, admitted to 244 intensive care units within the COVID-19 Critical Care Consortium, from February 1, 2020, through October 31, 2021. Patients undergoing at least 2 days and up to 3 consecutive days of NMBAs (NMBA treatment), within 48 h from commencement of IMV were compared with subjects who did not receive NMBAs or only upon commencement of IMV (control). The primary objective in the PS-matched cohort was comparison between groups in 90-day in-hospital mortality, assessed through Cox proportional hazard modeling. Secondary objectives were comparisons in the numbers of ventilator-free days (VFD) between day 1 and day 28 and between day 1 and 90 through competing risk regression. Results: Data from 1953 patients were included. After propensity score matching, 210 cases from each group were well matched. In the PS-matched cohort, mean (± SD) age was 60.3 ± 13.2 years and 296 (70.5%) were male and the most common comorbidities were hypertension (56.9%), obesity (41.1%), and diabetes (30.0%). The unadjusted hazard ratio (HR) for death at 90 days in the NMBA treatment vs control group was 1.12 (95% CI 0.79, 1.59, p = 0.534). After adjustment for smoking habit and critical therapeutic covariates, the HR was 1.07 (95% CI 0.72, 1.61, p = 0.729). At 28 days, VFD were 16 (IQR 0–25) and 25 (IQR 7–26) in the NMBA treatment and control groups, respectively (sub-hazard ratio 0.82, 95% CI 0.67, 1.00, p = 0.055). At 90 days, VFD were 77 (IQR 0–87) and 87 (IQR 0–88) (sub-hazard ratio 0.86 (95% CI 0.69, 1.07; p = 0.177). Conclusions: In patients with COVID-19 and moderate-to-severe ARDS, short course of NMBA treatment, applied early, did not significantly improve 90-day mortality and VFD. In the absence of definitive data from clinical trials, NMBAs should be indicated cautiously in this setting.</p