HPLC method for the determination of carboplatin and paclitaxel with cremophorEL in an amphiphilic polymer matrix

Simple and rapid reversed phase HPLC methods for individual as well as simultaneous analysis of paclitaxel and carboplatin with cremophorEL (CrEL) in an amphiphilic polymer matrix were developed. Different analytical performance parameters such as linearity, accuracy, precision, specificity, limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were determined according to ICH guidelines. All the analytical methods were developed by reverse phase HPLC on C-18 column with a mobile phase comprising of water-acetonitrile run on isocratic mode for the analysis of carboplatin and gradient mode for individual analysis of paclitaxel and for simultaneous analysis of the two drugs at a flow rate of 1 ml/min at 227 nm. The proposed methods for independent analysis of the drugs elute out carboplatin in 4.3 min and paclitaxel in 10.5 min while in simultaneous analysis carboplatin shows R(t) at 4 min and paclitaxel at 18 min with a continuous run for 17 more minutes to elute out CrEL. These methods were found to be specific as none of the components of the media, i.e. polymer, CrEL and buffer interfered with the drug peaks. The linearity of the calibration curves for each analyte in the desired concentration range was found to be good (r(2)>0.9995). The methods were accurate and precise with recoveries ranging from 98 to 101% for each drug and relative standard deviation (%RSD) <2%. Peaks corresponding to each of the drug showed positive value for the minimum peak purity index over the entire range of integrated chromatographic peak thus indicating the purity of the peaks. Stability analysis of the two drugs revealed that the drugs remain stable during the period of study.     

Synthesis and structural characterization of silk-like materials incorporated with an elastic motif

Genetic engineering strategies were applied to synthesize silk-like materials, [(GVPGV)(2)GG(GAGAGS)(3)AS](n). The primary structure of these materials represents the repetitive crystalline region of Bombyx mori silk fibroins incorporated with an elastic motif selected from animal elastin. The oligonucleotides were designed to encode the desired recombinant proteins and then expressed in the Escherichi coli system. The expression and purification conditions for the production of the recombinant proteins were optimized. (13)C CP/MAS NMR was used for structural characterization in the solid state, where the isotope labeling was performed using a modified M9 medium. The secondary structures of these materials are primarily governed by the designated amino acid sequence, where the B. mori silk fibroin block, (GAGAGS)(3), tends to form the crystalline region, which is interrupted by the flexible (GVPGV)(2) block. The CD data suggested that the structure of these materials was length-dependent in the solution state, i.e., a higher molecule weight leads to a higher ordered structure.     

Morphology and primary crystal structure of a silk-like protein polymer synthesized by genetically engineered Escherichia coli bacteria

The morphology and primary crystal structure of SLPF, a protein polymer produced by genetically engineered Escherichia coli bacteria, were characterized. SLPF is a segmented copolymer consisting of amino acid sequence blocks modeled on the crystalline segments of silk fibroin and the cell attachment domain of human fibronectin. Wide angle x-ray scattering (WAXS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), and molecular simulations were used to analyze the primary crystal structure of SLPF. TEM experiments conducted on SLPF droplets cast from formic acid on amorphous carbon film demonstrated that these protein films have a microstructure formed of woven sheaves. The sheaves are composed of well-defined whisker crystallites. The width of the whiskers, 11.8 ± 2.2 nm, may be correlated to the length of the silk-like segment in SLPF as predicted by molecular simulations. WAXS data, TEM images, SAED, patterns, molecular simulations, and theoretical diffraction patterns all were consistent with the crankshaft model proposed for Silk I by Lotz and Keith. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Pretreatment of amphiphilic comb polymer surfaces dramatically affects protein adsorption

New applications in regenerative biotechnology require the ability to understand and control protein-surface interactions on micrometer and submicrometer length scales. Evidence presented here shows that micropatterned amphiphilic comb polymer films exhibit a pretreatment-dependent behavior with respect to protein adsorption for the proteins fibronectin, laminin, and for serum. A micropatterned surface, consisting of protein-reactive regions, separated by comb polymer, was created and tested for protein adsorption using the surface-sensitive imaging tool TOF-SIMS. Immersion of micropatterned surfaces in solutions of fibronectin or laminin resulted in uniform protein coverage on both the comb polymer and protein-reactive regions. However, preimmersion of similarly patterned surfaces in water for 2 h prior to protein incubation was found to dramatically improve the protein-resistant properties of the comb polymer regions. These results are consistent with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) side chain reorientation and/or hydration and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) backbone segregation away from the interface region.     

Self-organization of amphiphilic polymer in vesicle bilayers composed of surfactant mixtures

Cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) and small angle neutron scattering (SANS) are used to investigate the association of amphiphilic polymers consisting of a double-chain hydrophobic tail attached onto poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) polymer chains into two different systems of equilibrium vesicles. For cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)/sodium perfluorohexanoate (FC(5)) vesicle bilayers, the size distribution of the vesicles slightly becomes narrow in the presence of the polymers, suggesting that the wedge-shaped polymers increase the spontaneous curvature of the vesicles. In contrast, the confinement of polymer molecules inside the CTAB/sodium perfluorooctanoate (FC(7)) vesicles that are stabilized by spontaneous curvature causes an abrupt decrease in the bilayer rigidity. By an analysis of vesicle size distribution, it is found that the membrane elasticity of CTAB/FC(7) vesicles is varied considerably from 6k(B)T to 0.3k(B)T, implying the transition of stabilization mechanism from spontaneous curvature to thermal fluctuation in the presence of polymer. The polymer incorporation mechanism into the bilayers is understood, in the comparison of the vesicle radius and size distribution before and after adding polymer, as that the polymer is anchored into the vesicle bilayer owing to hydrophobic property after the adsorption on the surface of the bilayer.     

Immobilization of lipid vesicles on polymer support via an amphiphilic peptidic anchor: application to a membrane enzyme

To immobilize lipid vesicles on a polymer support, we have used a peptidic anchor with the following sequence: Ala-Ala-Leu-Leu-Leu-Ala-Ala-Ala-Ala-Ala-Ala-Ala-Ala-Ala-Ala-Ala-Ala-A la-Ala-Ala-Ala-Ala-Ala-Ala-Trp-Lys-Lys-Lys-Lys-Lys-Lys. This amphiphilic peptide was previously designed in our group to interact spontaneously and strongly with vesicles without perturbing their permeability. At the end of the solid-phase peptide synthesis, the peptide was left on the polymer beads and this novel polymer-peptide system was used for vesicle immobilization. It was shown that this polymer-peptide system could immobilize as much as 200 micromol of lipids per gram of dry resin. The amount of immobilized vesicles was decreased by a reduction of the proportion of the negatively charged lipids in the vesicles, indicating the importance of electrostatic interactions in the immobilization of the vesicles. The integrity of the vesicles was mostly preserved after the immobilization. This new polymer-peptide system was used easily and successfully to immobilize a membrane-bound enzyme, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase. The activity of the membrane-bound enzyme was studied by monitoring the release of p-nitroaniline. The activity of the enzyme was still retained, even after being re-used eight times, indicating the strong immobilization of the enzyme in its active form. The polymer-peptide support could be regenerated by washing with ethanol and reused.     

Synthesis of well-defined amphiphilic block copolymers having phospholipid polymer sequences as a novel biocompatible polymer micelle reagent

To realize safer and effective drug administration, novel well-defined and biocompatible amphiphilic block copolymers containing phospholipid polymer sequences were synthesized. At first, the homopolymer of 2-methacryloyloxyethylphosphorylcholine (MPC) was synthesized in water by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) controlled radical polymerization. The "living" polymerization was confirmed by the fact that the number-average molecular weight increased linearly with monomer conversion while the molecular weight distribution remained narrow independent of the conversion. The poly(MPC) thus prepared is end-capped with a dithioester moiety. Using the dithioester-capped poly(MPC) as a macro chain transfer agent, AB diblock copolymers of MPC and n-butyl methacrylate (BMA) were synthesized. Associative properties of the amphiphilic block copolymer (pMPC(m)-BMA(n)) with varying poly(BMA) block lengths were investigated using NMR, fluorescence probe, static light scattering (SLS), and quasi-elastic light scattering (QELS) techniques. Proton NMR data in D2O indicated highly restricted motions of the n-butyl moieties, arising from hydrophobic associations of poly(BMA) blocks. Fluorescence spectra of N-phenyl-1-naphthylamine indicated that the probes were solubilized in the polymer micelles in water. The formation of polymer micelles comprising a core with poly(BMA) blocks and shell with hydrophilic poly(MPC) blocks was suggested by SLS and QELS data. The size and mass of the micelle increased with increasing poly(BMA) block length. With an expectation of a pharmaceutical application of pMPC(m)-BMA(n), solubilization of a poorly water-soluble anticancer agent, paclitaxel (PTX), was investigated. PTX dissolved well in aqueous solutions of pMPC(m)-BMA(n) as compared with pure water, implying that PTX is incorporated into the hydrophobic core of the polymer micelle. Since excellent biocompatible poly(MPC) sequences form an outer shell of the micelle, pMPC(m)-BMA(n) may find application as a promising reagent to make a good formulation with a hydrophobic drug.     

Biosynthesis of an antibiotic,siccanin

The biosynthetic pathway of the antibiotic siccanin (1) is based on the experiments using cell-free systems and intact cell systems of Helminthosporium siccans Drechsler. It involves (a) formation of trans-y-monocyclofarnesol (5) from mevalonic acid lactone or farnesyl pyrophosphate; (b) coupling reaction of the terpenic precursor with orsellinic acid; (c) oxidative conversion of presiccanochromenic acid (8), nto siccanochromenic acid (9), followed by decarboxylation to siccanochromen-A (10); and (d) epoxy-olefin type cyclization of siccanochromen-B (11) to siccanin (1).     

An amphiphilic polysaccharide from an adhesive Rhodococcus strain

Abstract A Rhodococcus strain possessing a capsule, but no fimbriae, was isolated from pond water by adsorption to Teflon. The strain was hydrophobic, as shown by partitioning between dodecane and buffer. A high emulsifying activity was found in the culture supernatant, from which a polysaccharide was isolated. This contained glucuronic acid, glucose, galactose and rhamnose in a molecular ratio of 1:1:1:2. One acetate residue was found per repeating unit. The polysaccharide molecules formed clusters, which disaggregated on the addition of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS). Rabbit antibodies against this polysaccharide aggregated the bacterial cells. Thus, it can be concluded that this polysaccharide at least contributes to the cell surface hydrophobicity, thereby mediating in the adsorption of cells to inert hydrophobic surfaces.     

Anion and pH-dependent conformational transition of an amphiphilic polypeptide

While several proteins, including beta-lactamase, cytochrome c and apomyoglobin, are maximally unfolded at pH 2 by HCl in the absence of salt, the addition of anions, either from salt or acid, co-operatively induces the unfolded proteins to refold to a molten globule state, because anions bind preferentially to the compact molten globule state compared to the extended unfolded state. To study the role of the anion-dependent conformational transition at neutral pH, we synthesized a model polypeptide of 51 amino acid residues, consisting of tandem repeats of a Lys-Lys-Leu-Leu sequence and containing a turn sequence, Asn-Pro-Gly, at the center of the molecule. The model polypeptide showed no significant conformation by circular dichroism under conditions of low salt at neutral pH. However, addition of anions, either from salt or acid, induced the folding transition to an alpha-helical conformational state. The order of effectiveness of various anions in inducing the folding transition was consistent with the series of anions in inducing the molten globule of the acid-denatured protein. This suggests that the helical state of the model polypeptide is equivalent to the molten globule state. At pH values above 9, the model polypeptide also took an alpha-helical conformation, which was very similar to that induced by anions. On the basis of the chloride and pH-dependent conformational transitions, a phase diagram for the conformational states was constructed. The phase diagram was explained simply by assuming that the conformational transition is linked to the proton and the anion bindings to a limited number of amino groups and that anions bind only to the protonated groups.     

A molecular dynamics simulation of the structure and properties of a self assembled monolayer formed from an amphiphilic polymer on a water surface

The polymer poly (3-octyl-3′-oxanoyl thiophene) has alternating hydrophobic octyl and hydrophilic oxanoyl side chains in the “3” positions of the thiophene rings, rendering it an interesting amphiphilic electro-active material. The application of compression on the amphiphilic polymer (which forms self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on a water surface) is investigated by molecular dynamics (MDs). It is found that there is a range of surface pressures in which the material possesses lattice order. As the compression is increased beyond a critical value breakdown occurs leading to the rupture of the surface layer. The results of the dynamics are interpreted via atomic plots, atom-pair radial distribution functions (RDF), torsional distribution functions and by monitoring some of the dihedral angles as functions of time.     

Water-membrane partition thermodynamics of an amphiphilic lipopeptide: an enthalpy-driven hydrophobic effect

To shed light on the driving force for the hydrophobic effect that partitions amphiphilic lipoproteins between water and membrane, we carried out an atomically detailed thermodynamic analysis of a triply lipid modified H-ras heptapeptide anchor (ANCH) in water and in a DMPC (1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) bilayer. Combining molecular mechanical and continuum solvent approaches with an improved technique for solute entropy calculation, we obtained an overall transfer free energy of ~−13 kcal mol⁻¹. This value is in qualitative agreement with free energy changes derived from a potential of mean force calculation and indirect experimental observations. Changes in free energies of solvation and ANCH conformational reorganization are unfavorable, whereas ANCH-DMPC interactions—especially van der Waals—favor insertion. These results are consistent with an enthalpy-driven hydrophobic effect, in accord with earlier calorimetric data on the membrane partition of other amphiphiles. Furthermore, structural and entropic analysis of molecular dynamics-generated ensembles suggests that conformational selection may play a hitherto unappreciated role in membrane insertion of lipid-modified peptides and proteins.     

Surface and aggregate properties of an amphiphilic derivative of carboxymethylchitosan

A new kind of amphiphilic derivative of carboxymethylchitosan, a group of (2-hydroxyl-3-butoxyl)propylcarboxymethylchitosans (HBP-CMCHS), has been synthesized, and the surface and aggregate properties have been studied by means of surface tension, surface pressure and fluorescence measurements. HBP-CMCHS can adsorb on the surface to decrease the surface tension of the solution. The adsorption film was quite stable, which can make the relative compressed pressure increase dramatically with the decrease of the surface area. In solution, hydrophobic aggregations were identified by the decrease in the ratio of the fluorescence emission intensity of the first and third pyrene vibronic peaks ( I(1)/ I(3)). Results showed that the aggregation began to form at a concentration similar to that of the polymer transfer to the air-water interface. Aggregate formation of the polymers is a gradually compact process with hydrophobic associations. Increase of DS and addition of NaCl to the HBP-CMCHS solution can make the surface tension decrease, make the aggregation occur at lower concentration, and make the aggregation more hydrophobic.     

The bioadhesive ofPhragmatopoma californica tubes: a silk-like cement containingL-DOPA

Summary The marine polychaetePhragmatopoma californica (Fewkes) (Sabellariidae) lives within a tube that it constructs by cementing together material such as sand and shells. All of the carbon and nitrogen in the cement (determined by CHN combustion elemental analysis) can be accounted for as protein, although other organic constituents were not specifically looked for. Although the cement may be comprised of more than one protein, amino acid analysis reveals a similarity to the silk protein, sericin, which is the sticky outer covering on silk fibers. The short-chain amino acids comprise 60% of the total residues (glycine: 24%, alanine: 7%, and serine: 29%). Lysine is the next most abundant residue (12%), with basic amino acids totalling 19% of the total residues. Amino acids with hydroxyl side-chains account for 35% of the total. The amino acid DOPA (3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine), which is present as 2.6% of the total residues, probably acts to stabilize the material through quinone tanning and/or by forming adbesive-type complexes with substrata. The cement thus displays structural and functional similarities with the cement ofMytilus spp. (Waite 1987) and with silk.Abbreviations DOPA 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine - HPLC high-pressure liquid chromatography - ODS octadecylsilane - OPA o-phthalaldehyde     

Biosynthesis of 3-methoxycarbonylpropylglucosinolate in an Erysimum species

Incorporation of DL-2-aminohexanedioic acid, DL-2-amino-5-methoxycarbonyl-pentanoic acid and DL-methionine into 3-methoxycarbonylpropylglucosinolate have been demonstrated using an Erystmum species. The data support the following sequence of biosynthetic reactions: 2-aminohexanedioic acid is methylated by methionine; the resulting 2-amino-5-methoxycarbonyl-pentanoic acid is then converted into the glucosinolate. 2-Amino-5-methoxycarbonyl-pentanoic acid has been tentatively identified as a natural product in the plant.