Synthesis and biological properties of novel pyridinioalkanoyl thiolesters (PATE) as anti-HIV-1 agents that target the viral nucleocapsid protein zinc fingers

Nucleocapsid p7 protein (NCp7) zinc finger domains of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) are being developed as antiviral targets due to their key roles in viral replication and their mutationally nonpermissive nature. On the basis of our experience with symmetrical disulfide benzamides (DIBAs; Rice et al. Science 1995, 270, 1194-1197), we synthesized and evaluated variants of these dimers, including sets of 4,4'- and 3,3'-disubstituted diphenyl sulfones and their monomeric benzisothiazolone derivatives (BITA). BITAs generally exhibited diminished antiviral potency when compared to their disulfide precursors. Novel, monomeric structures were created by linking haloalkanoyl groups to the benzamide ring through -NH-C(=O)- (amide) or -S-C(=O)- (thiolester) bridges. Amide-linked compounds generally lacked antiviral activity, while haloalkanoyl thiolesters and non-halogen-bearing analogues frequently exhibited acceptable antiviral potency, thus establishing thiolester benzamides per se as a new anti-HIV chemotype. Pyridinioalkanoyl thiolesters (PATEs) exhibited superior anti-HIV-1 activity with minimal cellular toxicity and appreciable water solubility. PATEs were shown to preferentially target the NCp7 Zn finger when tested against other molecular targets, thus identifying thiolester benzamides, and PATEs in particular, as novel NCp7 Zn finger inhibitors for in vivo studies.     

Assessment of a multibeam Fizeau wedge interferometer for Doppler wind lidar

The Fabry-Perot interferometer is the standard instrument for the direct detection Doppler lidar measurement of atmospheric wind speeds. The multibeam Fizeau wedge has some practical advantages over the Fabry-Perot, such as the linear fringe pattern, and is evaluated for this application. The optimal Fizeau must have a resolving power of 10(6) or more. As the multibeam Fizeau wedge is pushed to such high resolving power, the interference fringes of the device become complicated by asymmetry and secondary maxima. A simple condition for the interferometer plate reflectance, optical gap, and wedge angle reveals whether a set of parameters will yield simple, Airy-like fringes or complex Fizeau fringes. Tilting of the Fizeau wedge improves the fringe shape and permits an extension of the regime of Airy-like fringes to higher resolving power. Sufficient resolving power for the wind lidar application is shown to be possible with a large-gap, low-finesse multibeam Fizeau wedge. Liabilities of the multibeam Fizeau wedge in the wind lidar application include a smaller acceptance solid angle and calibration sensitivity to localized deviations of the plates from the ideal.     

In vivo radiofrequency thermal balloon angioplasty of porcine coronary arteries: histologic effects and safety

The purpose of this study was to assess the safety and histologic effects of radiofrequency thermal balloon angioplasty in the coronary vasculature of normal pigs. Radiofrequency thermal balloon angioplasty was performed in 30 coronary arteries of 16 nonatherosclerotic pigs. Heated inflations were performed at either 50 degrees, 60 degrees, or 70 degrees C for 30 or 60 seconds, and were compared with five nonheated inflations in five additional arteries. All balloon inflations were performed at 2 atm pressure with a balloon/vessel diameter ratio of 1.2 to 1. Heart rate, arterial pressure, and left ventricular pressure were monitored continuously for each animal. A 12-lead ECG, coronary angiography, and two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography were performed before and 1 hour after each balloon inflation. Each animal was subsequently put to death for postmortem cardiac examination. Heated inflations were well tolerated in 28 of the 30 arteries without significant adverse effects. During one inflation, ventricular fibrillation occurred because of prolonged ischemia from an occlusive guiding catheter. In another artery, a heated inflation resulted in a dissection with a transient decrease in distal coronary flow. Histologic examination revealed a significant increase in wall thinning and elastic fiber straightening with heating at 70 degrees C for both 30 and 60 seconds, and a significant increase in intracoronary thrombus with heating at 70 degrees C for 60 seconds. Depth of periarterial myocardial heat necrosis paralleled the increase in temperature, with an average depth of 166 microns at 50 degrees C, 312 microns at 60 degrees C, and 1031 microns at 70 degrees C. In vivo, radiofrequency coronary angioplasty can be performed relatively safely without significant electrical, hemodynamic, or ischemic changes beyond those seen with conventional nonthermal angioplasty. The extent of heat-induced vessel wall thinning, elastic tissue straightening, intracoronary thrombus formation, and periarterial myocardial necrosis are all related to balloon temperature or duration of heating.     

Visual system maldevelopment disrupts extraocular muscle-specific myosin expression

We measured hepatic albumin synthesis in five volunteers (4 men and 1 woman) at 3 and 6 h after recovery from intense exercise. A primed-constant infusion of a stable isotopic tracer of phenylalanine was used to determine hepatic fractional synthetic rate (FSR) and absolute synthetic rate (ASR) of albumin from the enrichment of phenylalanine in albumin. The infusion of the stable isotope tracer began 2 h after upright exercise or upright rest. Albumin FSR and ASR were 6.39 +/- 0.48%/day and 120 +/- 9 mg.kg body wt-1.day-1, respectively, 3-6 h after recovery from exercise; the FSR and ASR on the time control study day were 5.94 +/- 0.47%/day and 104 +/- 9 mg.kg body wt-1.day-1, respectively. The 6 and 16% increases (P < 0.05) in FSR and ASR after exercise were associated with an elevated plasma albumin content at 5 and 6 h of recovery (P < 0.05), an increased total protein content throughout recovery (P < 0.05), and a negative free water clearance (P < 0.05) at 2, 3, and 6.5 h of recovery compared with baseline values; these variables were unchanged from their baselines on the time control study day. Increased albumin content and reduced free water clearance contribute to a retention of fluid within the circulation after intense exercise. The measured increase in albumin synthesis could not account for the entire increase in albumin content at 6 h of recovery from exercise. However, we estimate that if the increased activity was maintained for the next 18 h, it could account for the expected increase in albumin content at 24 h of recovery.     

Classical/nonclassical hybrid cannabinoids: southern aliphatic chain-functionalized C-6beta methyl, ethyl, and propyl analogues

The stereoelectronic requirements for interaction of the southern aliphatic hydroxyl of cannabimimetic pharmacophores with the CB1 and CB2 receptors are explored. The stereoselective syntheses of three series of classical/nonclassical hybrid cannabinoids are described. These compounds were designed to investigate the importance of the southern aliphatic hydroxyl (SAH) pharmacophore for cannabimimetic activity. Variation in the chain length of the SAH moiety in these 6beta-(hydroxyalkyl)dihydrobenzopyran analogues, from 6beta-hydroxymethyl to 6beta-(omega-hydroxyethyl) and 6beta-(omega-hydroxypropyl), and the effects of replacing the hydroxyl functionality by hydride and iodide are reported. Our results indicate that the SAH pharmacophore has less pronounced effects than the C-3 aliphatic chain on cannabinoid activity. Furthermore, it appears that this southern molecular component is capable of interacting with two different subsites on the receptor and that the nature of this interaction is determined by the terminal substituent on the C-6beta alkyl group. One of the subsites can accommodate the relatively polar SAH pharmacophore, while the second subsite interacts with more hydrophobic C-6beta substituents and can accommodate large spherical pharmacophores separated by three methylene carbons from the tricyclic cannabinoid template.     

Increased transversions in a novel mutator colon cancer cell line

We describe a novel mutator phenotype in the Vaco411 colon cancer cell line which increases the spontaneous mutation rate 10-100-fold over background. This mutator results primarily in transversion base substitutions which are found infrequently in repair competent cells. Of the four possible types of transversions, only three were principally recovered. Spontaneous mutations recovered also included transitions and large deletions, but very few frameshifts were recovered. When compared to known mismatch repair defective colon cancer mutators, the distribution of mutations in Vaco411 is significantly different. Consistent with this difference, Vaco411 extracts are proficient in assays of mismatch repair. The Vaco411 mutator appears to be novel, and is not an obvious human homologue of any of the previously characterized bacterial or yeast transversion phenotypes. Several hypotheses by which this mutator may produce transversions are presented.     

Changes in brain-derived neurotrophic factor immunoreactivity in rat dorsal root ganglia, spinal cord, and gracile nuclei following cut or crush injuries

In the present study, we evaluated changes in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) immunoreactivity in the rat lumbar (L) 5 dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and areas where afferents from the DRG terminate, the L5 spinal cord and gracile nuclei, following unilateral sciatic nerve transection or crush. From 3 days to 4 weeks following cut or crush injury, the percentage of medium and large BDNF-immunoreactive neurons in the ipsilateral DRG increased significantly compared with those on the contralateral side. Following cut injury, there was no significant change in the percentage of small BDNF-immunoreactive neurons in the ipsilateral DRG; however, the intensity of immunoreactivity of these cells decreased. Following crush injury, however, both the percentage and intensity of small BDNF-immunoreactive neurons in the ipsilateral DRG significantly increased. Following cut injury, the expression of BDNF-immunoreactive axonal fibers decreased markedly in the ipsilateral superficial laminae of the L5 spinal cord and increased significantly in the ipsilateral deeper laminae of the spinal cord and gracile nuclei. Crush injury induced a marked increase in the expression of BDNF-immunoreactive axonal fibers in the superficial laminae of the spinal cord and gracile nuclei. These differences in BDNF response in the DRG and spinal cord after cut or crush injuries may reflect differences in trophic support to the injured DRG neurons and altered neuronal activity in the spinal cord and gracile nuclei following different types of peripheral nerve injury.