Grafting MAP peptide to dental polymer inhibits MMP-8 activity.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a class of zinc and calcium-dependent endopeptidases responsible for degrading extracellular matrix (ECM) components. Their activity is critical for both normal biological function and pathological processes (Dejonckheere et al., Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 2011;22:73-81). In dental restorations, the release and subsequent acid activation of MMPs contributes to premature failure. In particular, MMP-8 accelerates degradation by cleaving the collagen matrix within the dentin substrate in incompletely infiltrated aged bonded dentin (Buzalaf et al., Adv Dent Res 2012;24:72-76), hastening the need for replacement of restorations. Therefore, development of a dental adhesive that better resists MMP-8 activity is of significant interest. We hypothesize that modification of the polymer surface with an inhibitor would disable MMP-8 activity. Here, we identify the metal abstraction peptide (MAP) as an inhibitor of MMP-8 and demonstrate that tethering MAP to methacrylate polymers effectively inhibits catalysis. Our findings indicate complete inhibition of MMP-8 is achievable using a grafting approach. This strategy has potential to improve longevity of dental adhesives and other polymers and enable rational design of a new generation of biocompatible materials.

One pot synthesis of Cu(II) 2,2'-bipyridyl complexes of 5-hydroxy-hydurilic acid and alloxanic acid: synthesis, crystal structure, chemical nuclease activity and cytotoxicity.

A barbiturate derivative [1,5-dihydro-5-[5-pyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-dionyl]-2H-chromeno[2,3-d] pyrimidine-2,4(3H)-dione] (LH(4)) was allowed to react with 2,2'-bipyridyl-dinitrato-Copper(II)-dihydrate which provides two complexes, characterized as [Cu(bpy)(L1)]·3H(2)O (1) and [Cu(bpy)(L2)]·H(2)O (2), where bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine, L1 = 5-hydroxy-hydurilic acid and L2 = alloxanic acid. In a separate reaction of LH(4) with Cu(NO(3))(2)·H(2)O another type of complex [Cu(LH(3))(2)·(H(2)O)(2)]·4H(2)O (3) is formed. The complexes were characterized by single crystal X-ray crystallography, physicochemical and electrochemical studies. The interaction of complexes 1 and 3 with DNA was monitored using absorption and emission titrations as well as circular dichroism spectroscopy. The complexes were found to cleave supercoiled plasmid DNA to nicked circular and linear DNA. Complexes 1 and 3 were also tested against T-cell lymphoma (Dalton lymphoma DL) and showed significant cytotoxic activity with IC(50) values of ~9.0 nM and 0.6 nM.

Cytotoxicity of Cu(II) and Zn(II) 2,2'-bipyridyl complexes: dependence of IC50 on recovery time.

We measure the cytotoxicity of three metal complexes containing the 2,2'-bypyridine ligand, Cu(bpy)(NCS)(2), 1, [Cu(bpy)(2)(H(2)O)](PF(6))(2), 2, and Zn(bpy)(2)(NCS)(2), 3, toward neuroblastoma cells (SK-N-SH) and ovarian cancer cells (OVCAR-3) using two different cell assays. The cells were exposed to various concentrations of the compounds for 1 h and the percent inhibition of cell growth, I, measured for various times after exposure, i.e., as a function of the recovery time t. After developing the theory showing the relationship between I and t, the cytotoxicity data were analyzed to reveal that the two copper complexes, 1 and 2, cause the cells to divide at a slower rate than the controls during the recovery period, but the zinc complex, 3, had little or no effect on cell division during the recovery period. The usual metric for reporting cytotoxicity is IC(50), which is the concentration of agent required to inhibit cell growth to 50% of the control population. However, since IC(50) can depend on the recovery time, t, as is the case for 1 and 2, reporting IC(50) for a single recovery time can hide important information about the long-time effects of a cytotoxic agent on the health of the cell population. Mechanistic studies with the compounds revealed that the copper complexes, 1 and 2, cleave closed circular pBR322 DNA in the presence of ascorbate, while the zinc complex, 3, does not facilitate DNA cleavage under the same conditions. This difference in DNA cleavage activity may be related to the fact that Cu(II) is redox active and can readily change its oxidation state, while Zn(II) is redox inert and cannot participate in a redox cycle with ascorbate to break DNA.

Binding of urea and thiourea with a barbiturate derivative: experimental and theoretical approach.

A barbiturate derivative [1,5-dihydro-5-[5-pyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-dionyl]-2H-chromeno[2,3-d] pyrimidine-2,4(3H)-dione)] (L1) possesses functionalities complementary to amide and thioamide. Hence its binding with urea and thiourea, is monitored using UV-vis and fluorescence titrations as well as isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) study. Theoretical studies on hydrogen-bonded complexes of L1-urea and L1-thiourea in the gas phase, aqueous, and DMSO medium are carried out using density functional theory (DFT) at the B3LYP/6-31G** level. The theoretical calculations support the experimental results.

Synthesis of a ruthenium(II) bipyridyl complex coordinated by a functionalized Schiff base ligand: characterization, spectroscopic and isothermal titration calorimetry measurements of M2+ binding and sensing (M2+=Ca2+, Mg2+).

Bis-[methylsalicylidine-4'benzoic acid]-ethylene (LH2) complexed with cis-Ru(bpy)2Cl(2).2H2O provides a complex of composition [Ru(bpy)2L].2NH4PF6 (1), which has been characterized spectroscopically. Its binding behaviour towards Mg2+ and Ca2+ ions is monitored using 1H NMR titration, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and luminescence microscopy. The luminescent ruthenium complex binds Ca2+ in a more selective manner as compared to Mg2+.