Solid-phase combinatorial synthesis using microarrays of microcompartments with light-induced on-chip cell screening.

The process of drug discovery includes individual synthesis and characterization of drug candidates, followed by a biological screening, which is separated from synthesis in space and time. This approach suffers from low throughput and associated high costs, which in turn lead to inefficiency in the field of drug discovery. Here, we present a miniaturized platform combining combinatorial solid-phase synthesis with high-throughput cell screenings. The method is based on the formation of nanoporous poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) layers patterned with hydrophilic spots separated from each other by superhydrophobic liquid-impermeable barriers. The porous polymer inside the hydrophilic spots is used as a support to conduct solid-phase synthesis. The hydrophilic spots can be then filled with droplets containing either reagents for synthesis or live cells. Upon irradiation with UV light, products of solid-phase synthesis are released from the porous polymer because of the photo-cleavable linkers used and diffuse into separate droplets. The light-induced release of the products allows the control of the release spatially, temporally, and quantitatively. To demonstrate the versatility and usability of the platform for various cell lines, we have successfully implemented peptide synthesis to create an exemplary chemical library and demonstrated high cell viability after the UV-triggered small-molecule release.

Characterization of lipid model membranes designed for studying impact of ceramide species on drug diffusion and penetration.

The stratum corneum (SC) intercellular lipid matrix plays a crucial role in the skin barrier function. In the present study, lipid model membranes mimicking its phase behavior were prepared and characterized using different analytical techniques (i.a. SAXD, HPTLC, ESEM, confocal Raman imaging, ATR-FTIR spectroscopy) in order to obtain well-standardized model membranes for diffusion and penetration studies. The lipid model membranes should be used in the future for studying the impact of each ceramide species on the diffusion and penetration of drugs. The SAXD study confirmed that the lipids within artificial lipid systems are arranged similarly to the lipids in the human SC. The polarization microscopic and ESEM images showed the homogenous deposition of lipids on the polycarbonate filter. Both the HPTLC and confocal Raman imaging studies proved the homogenous distribution of individual lipid classes within the lipid model membranes. First in vitro diffusion experiments (performed using an ATR-FTIR diffusion cell) of the hydrophilic compound, urea, revealed that the lipid model membrane represents even stronger diffusion barrier than the human SC.

Effects of N-acetylcysteine on bacterial clearance.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether the oxygen radical scavenger N-acetylcysteine (N-AC) impairs bacterial clearance, thus predisposing the host to increased risk of disease. Blood clearance of Escherichia coli and organ colonization were investigated in anaesthetized rabbits after pretreatment with N-AC (250 mg kg-1 body weight, n = 16) and in sham-operated animals (n = 12). To enable quantification of the clearance process, defined numbers of exogenous E. coli [1.3 x 108 colony-forming units (CFUs)] were injected intravenously. Parameters monitored were kinetics of bacterial elimination from the blood, and polymorphonuclear leucocyte (PMN) oxidative burst activity. Samples of liver, kidney, spleen and lung were collected for bacterial counts. Compared with controls, pretreatment with N-AC resulted in delayed bacterial elimination from blood and higher organ colonization with increased numbers of E. coli in liver, lung and kidney (P < 0.05). N-AC treatment was associated with a suppressed PMN oxidative burst activity. Impaired bacterial clearance and enhanced organ colonization in N-AC-treated animals correlated with reduced oxidative burst activity, suggesting impaired granulocyte-dependent bacterial killing due to N-AC application.