Synthesis, spectral study and cytotoxicity of platinum(II) complexes with 2,9-disubstituted-6-benzylaminopurines

A series of platinum(II) complexes with 2,9-disubstituted-6-benzylaminopurines has been prepared. The complexes have the following composition: cis-[Pt(Boh)(2)Cl(2)] (1), cis-[Pt(Oc)(2)Cl(2)] (2), cis-[Pt(Ros)(2)Cl(2)] (3), cis-[Pt(i-PrOc)(2)Cl(2)] (4), cis-[Pt(BohH(+))(2)Cl(2)]Cl(2) (5), cis-[Pt(OcH(+))(2)Cl(2)]Cl(2) (6), cis-[Pt(RosH(+))(2)Cl(2)]Cl(2) (7) and cis-[Pt(i-PrOcH(+))(2)Cl(2)]Cl(2) (8), where Boh=2-(3-hydroxypropylamino)-6-benzylamino-9-isopropylpurine, Oc=2-(2-hydroxyethylamino)-6-benzylamino-9-methylpurine, Ros=2-(R)-(1-ethyl-2-hydroxyethylamino)-6-benzylamino-9-isopropylpurine and i-PrOc=2-(2-hydroxyethylamino)-6-benzylamino-9-isopropylpurine. The complexes have been characterized by elemental analyses, conductivity measurements and their infrared, ES+mass (electrospray mass spectra in the positive ion mode) and NMR ((1)H, (13)C, (15)N and (195)Pt) spectra. The results obtained from the physical studies, particularly from multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, show that in all the investigated complexes (1-8), two molecules of purine derivative are coordinated to platinum via the N(7) atom of the imidazole ring in a cis-configuration. The prepared compounds have been screened for their in vitro cytotoxicity against G-361 (human malignant melanoma), HOS (human osteogenic sarcoma), K-562 (human chronic myelogenous leukemia) and MCF-7 (human breast adenocarcinoma) cell lines. All complexes are significantly more active than the initial 2,9-disubstituted-6-benzylaminopurine derivatives. In the case of some tumour cell lines, IC(50) values for the complexes (1, 3, 4, 5, 8) are significantly lower than those obtained for cisplatin and oxaliplatin. The best cytotoxicity was achieved for the complex (3) for which IC(50) values range from 1 to 2 microM.     

Morphological and molecular characterization of a spontaneously tuberizing potato mutant: an insight into the regulatory mechanisms of tuber induction

Background  

Tuberization in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) represents a morphogenetic transition of stolon growth to tuber formation, which is under complex environmental and endogenous regulation. In the present work, we studied the regulatory mechanisms and the role of different morphogenetic factors in a newly isolated potato mutant, which exhibited spontaneous tuberization (ST). The ST mutant was characterized in detail at morphological, physiological and biochemical levels.     

Marburg variant multiple sclerosis - a case report

In this case report we describe the case of a 24 year-old female with a fulminant demyelinating disease of white matter. Disease progression was most probably consistent with the Marburg variant (malignant form) of multiple sclerosis with rapid deterioration of the patient's clinical condition, including bulbar symptoms and epileptic paroxysms and ending with persistent coma and tetraparesis, over the course of 6 months from first symptoms. Repeated Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) examination showed progression of multiple demyelinating lesions culminating in a contiguous focal disorder of the white matter extending both supratentorially and infratentorially. The serial MRI changes closely mapped the deterioration in the patients clinical status. Our patient showed no response to repeated pulse corticotherapy, administration of intravenous immunoglobulins, serial plasmapheresis, and combined high-dose pulse immunosuppression (specify what was used here) and mitoxantrone.     

Development of a diploid cell line from fetal rhesus monkey lung for virus vaccine production

Summary The primary goal of this study was to develop and characterize diploid cell lines from fetal tissues of subhuman primates for use in virus vaccine production. Cell lines have been established from fetal tissues of rhesus and African green monkeys, and these have been characterized according to the general criteria recommended by the International Cell Committee for Microbiological Standardization. Of these cell lines, DBS-FRhL-2, developed from lung tissue of a rhesus monkey fetus, has been found to meet the requirements of populations proposed as substrates for virus vaccines. Characterization studies show that DBS-FRhL-2 cells have a finite life of more than 50 population doublings in vitro and maintain the diploid karyotype through an active growth phase. The cells are nontumorigenic, and tests have not revealed the presence of adventitious agents. They are susceptible to a number of human viruses and can be preserved by freezing without change in virus susceptibility, cytogenetic, or growth characteristics. These results indicate the need for further evaluation of this rhesus monkey diploid cell line for acceptability as an alternate substrate in the manufacture of human virus vaccines. The research upon which this publication is based was performed pursuant to Contract No. NIH-69-100 with the Division of Biologics Standards of the National Institutes of Health.     

Dynamics and binding modes of free cdk2 and its two complexes with inhibitors studied by computer simulations

This article presents a molecular dynamics (MD) study of the cdk2 enzyme and its two complexes with the inhibitors isopentenyladenine and roscovitine using the Cornell et al. force field from the AMBER software package. The results show that inserting an inhibitor into the enzyme active site does not considerably change enzyme structure but it seemingly changes the distribution of internal motions. The inhibitor causes differences in the domain motions in free cdk2 and in its complexes. It was found out that repulsion of roscovitine N9 substituent causes conformational change on Lys 33 side chain. Isopentenyladenine forms with Lys 33 side chain terminal amino group a hydrogen bond. It implies that the cavity, where N9 substituent of roscovitine is buried, can adopt larger substituent due to Lys 33 side chain flexibility. The composition of electrostatic and van der Waals interactions between the inhibitor and the enzyme were also calculated along both cdk2/inhibitor MD trajectories together with MM-PB/GBSA analysis. These results show that isopentenyladenine-like inhibitors could be more effective after modifications leading to an increase in their van der Waals contact with the enzyme. We suggest that a way leading to better inhibitors occupying isopentenyladenine binding mode could be: to keep N9 and N7 purine positions free, to keep 3,3-dimethylallylamino group at C6 position, and to add, e.g., benzylamino group at C2 position. The results support the idea that the isopentenyladenine binding mode can be used for cdk2 inhibitors design and that all possibilities to improve this binding mode were not uncovered yet.     

The significance of key regulators of apoptosis in the development and prognosis of prostate carcinoma. I. Proteins of the Bcl-2 family and protein p53

The molecular basis for the transition of carcinoma of the prostate from androgen-dependent to androgen-independent growth is largely unknown. Currently for example, it is not clear whether the androgen-independent phenotype is a result of selection of a subgroup of genetically distinct prostate tumour cells which are already hormone-resistant or a genetic adaptation of prostate tumour cells to the hormone therapy itself. It has also been established that prostate tumour transformation is a result of homeostatic control defects, a line of thinking directed toward elucidating the apoptotic profile of prostate tumour cells that may be important in determining prognosis, response to therapy and illness progression. Main consideration in this part of rewiev is given to the role of Bcl-2 and members of the Bcl-2 family, and tumour suppressor gene p53.     

Lipase B from Candida antarctica catalyses enantioselective transesterification of 2-(4-methoxybenzyl)-1-cyclohexanols and 2-(4-methoxybenzyl)-1-cyclopentanols

The 2-(4-methoxybenzyl)-1-cyclohexanols and 2-(4-methoxybenzyl)-1-cyclopentanols are the basic structure of a series of juvenile hormone analogs which act as insect growth regulators. Their enantioselective transesterification with the lipase B from Candida antarctica produced pure enantiomers of R-cyclohexyl and R-cyclopentyl acetates (i.e. ee_p > 99%). Differences observed in the resolution of the four racemic compounds are in accordance with model structure of secondary alcohols suitable for catalysis.