Correction: Local structure of a highly concentrated NaClO4 aqueous solution-type electrolyte for sodium ion batteries.

Correction for 'Local structure of a highly concentrated NaClO4 aqueous solution-type electrolyte for sodium ion batteries' by Ryo Sakamoto et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2020, 22, 26452-26458, DOI: 10.1039/D0CP04376A.

Local structure of a highly concentrated NaClO4 aqueous solution-type electrolyte for sodium ion batteries.

Aqueous Na-ion batteries with highly concentrated NaClO4 aq. electrolytes are drawing attention as candidates for large-scale rechargeable batteries with a high safety level. However, the detailed mechanism by which the potential window in 17 m NaClO4 aq. electrolyte was expanded remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated the local structure around a Na+ ion or a ClO4- ion using X-ray diffraction combined with empirical potential structure refinement (EPSR) modelling and Raman spectroscopy. The results showed that in 17 m NaClO4 aq. electrolyte, most of the water molecules were coordinated to Na+ ions and few free water molecules were present. The 17 m NaClO4 aq. electrolyte could be interpreted as widening the potential window because almost all water molecules participated in hydration of the Na+ ions.

Discovery of Novel Spiroindoline Derivatives as Selective Tankyrase Inhibitors.

The canonical WNT pathway plays an important role in cancer pathogenesis. Inhibition of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase catalytic activity of the tankyrases (TNKS/TNKS2) has been reported to reduce the Wnt/ß-catenin signal by preventing poly ADP-ribosylation-dependent degradation of AXIN, a negative regulator of Wnt/ß-catenin signaling. With the goal of investigating the effects of tankyrase and Wnt pathway inhibition on tumor growth, we set out to find small-molecule inhibitors of TNKS/TNKS2 with suitable drug-like properties. Starting from 1a, a high-throughput screening hit, the spiroindoline derivative 40c (RK-287107) was discovered as a potent TNKS/TNKS2 inhibitor with >7000-fold selectivity against the PARP1 enzyme, which inhibits WNT-responsive TCF reporter activity and proliferation of human colorectal cancer cell line COLO-320DM. RK-287107 also demonstrated dose-dependent tumor growth inhibition in a mouse xenograft model. These observations suggest that RK-287107 is a promising lead compound for the development of novel tankyrase inhibitors as anticancer agents.

Structural Study on Magnesium Ion Solvation in Diglyme-Based Electrolytes: IR Spectroscopy and DFT Calculations.

We investigated the solvation structure of Mg ions in a diglyme (G2)-based electrolyte solution for Mg ion batteries. The Walden plots based on ionic conductivity and viscosity of the Mg(TFSA)2/G2 [TFSA: bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide] solutions indicated that the dissociativity of Mg(TFSA)2 gradually increased, even with increasing salt concentration ( cMg). This behavior is similar to that of the analogous triglyme (G3)-based solutions. Infrared (IR) spectroscopy revealed that Mg ions were coordinated by two G2 molecules to form an octahedral [Mg(G2)2]2+ complex in the cMg range examined herein (≤0.92 M). The detailed coordination geometry of the [Mg(G2)2]2+ complex was evaluated using density functional theory calculations. We found that G2 molecules coordinated in a tridentate ligand fashion to form an octahedral [Mg(tri-G2)2]2+ complex. This result was different from that of the G3 system; i.e., G3 molecules acted in three ligand modes (bidentate, tridentate, and tetradentate) such that multiple solvation complexes such as [Mg(tri-G3)2]2+ and [Mg(bi-G3)(tetra-G3)]2+ complexes were formed. This difference between the G2 and G3 systems might be related to an entropy contribution in the liquid state; i.e., only one coordination structure exists for [Mg(tri-G2)2]2+ in the G2 system, whereas more coordination complex structures can be formed in the G3 system.

Identification of the Histidine Residue in Vitamin D Receptor That Covalently Binds to Electrophilic Ligands.

We designed and synthesized vitamin D analogues with an electrophile as covalent modifiers for the vitamin D receptor (VDR). Novel vitamin D analogues 1-4 have an electrophilic enone group at the side chain for conjugate addition to His301 or His393 in the VDR. All compounds showed specific VDR-binding potency and agonistic activity. Covalent bond formations of 1-4 with the ligand-binding domain (LBD) of VDR were evaluated by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. All compounds were shown to covalently bind to the VDR-LBD, and the abundance of VDR-LBD corresponding conjugate adducts of 1-4 increased with incubation time. Enone compounds 1 and 2 showed higher reactivity than the ene-ynone 3 and dienone 4 compounds. Furthermore, we successfully obtained cocrystals of VDR-LBD with analogues 1-4. X-ray crystallographic analysis showed a covalent bond with His301 in VDR-LBD. We successfully synthesized vitamin D analogues that form a covalent bond with VDR-LBD.

Structural basis for the selective inhibition of activated thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFIa) by a selenium-containing inhibitor with chloro-aminopyridine as a basic group.

Activated thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFIa) is a target molecule for treating thromboembolic disorders. We previously reported that design and synthesis of compound 1 containing a selenol group and chloloaminopyridine. Compound 1 showed high inhibitory activity towards TAFIa, with a high degree of selectivity for TAFIa over carboxypeptidase N (CPN). Here we report investigation of this selectivity. To obtain co-crystal of 1/pp-CPB (a surrogate of TAFIa), we synthesized protected compound 5 as a stabilized precursor of 1. The X-ray crystal structure and docking study indicated that the Cl substituent is accommodated in the pp-CPB specific pocket whereas CPN has no identical pocket. This is important information for the design of drugs targeting TAFIa with high selectivity.

Solvation-controlled lithium-ion complexes in a nonflammable solvent containing ethylene carbonate: structural and electrochemical aspects.

The structural and electrochemical properties of lithium-ion solvation complexes in a nonflammable organic solvent, tris(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl)phosphate (TFEP) containing ethylene carbonate (EC), were investigated using vibrational spectroscopic and electrochemical measurements. Based on quantitative Raman and infrared (IR) spectral analysis of the Li bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide (TFSA) salt in TFEP + EC electrolytes, we successfully evaluated the individual solvation numbers of EC (nEC), TFEP (nTFEP), and TFSA- (nTFSA) in the first solvation sphere of the Li-ion. We found that the nEC value linearly increased with increasing EC mole fraction (xEC), whereas the nTFEP and nTFSA values gradually decreased with increasing nEC. The ionic conductivity and viscosity (Walden plots) indicated that mainly Li+TFSA- ion pairs formed in neat TFEP (xEC = 0). This ion pair gradually dissociated into positively charged Li-ion complexes as xEC increased, which was consistent with the Raman/IR spectroscopy results. The redox reaction corresponding to an insertion/desertion of Li-ion into/from the graphite electrode occurred in the LiTFSA/TFEP + EC system at xEC ≥ 0.25. The same was not observed in the lower xEC cases. We discussed the relation between Li-ion solvation and electrode reaction behaviors at the molecular level and proposed that nEC plays a crucial role in the electrode reaction, particularly in terms of solid electrolyte interphase formation on the graphite electrode.

Defect-free network formation and swelling behavior in ionic liquid-based electrolytes of tetra-arm polymers synthesized using a Michael addition reaction.

The gelation mechanism of tetra-arm poly(ethylene glycol) (TetraPEG) prepolymers via a Michael addition reaction was investigated from the viewpoint of chemical reaction kinetics. The polymer network was formed by mixing two different TetraPEGs functionalized with maleimide and thiol terminal groups (TetraPEG-MA and TetraPEG-SH) in aqueous solutions, and the gelation rate was strongly dependent on the solution pH. We found that the gelation reaction can be a second-order reaction when the acid-base equilibrium of the terminal SH groups (-SH ⇆ -S- + H+) was taken into account, resulting in a quantitative estimation of the rate constant (kgel) in the current polymer solution system. Based on the kgel value, the network connectivity (p), which corresponds to efficiency at the linking point, was evaluated to be p > 95% at the end of the reaction; thus, the resulting TetraPEG hydrogels have a homogeneous polymer network without network defects. We used the TetraPEG network as a polymer matrix in a lithium-ion battery gel electrolyte: dried TetraPEG gels were swollen with ionic liquid-based electrolytes containing Li salts to prepare TetraPEG ion gel electrolytes. Swelling behaviors of the TetraPEG network were characterized from the swelling rate and the equilibrium swelling ratio, and we found that these swelling behaviors were significantly affected by the Li-ion component. We concluded that an intermolecular interaction between Li-ions and the polymer (Li-ion coordination with the O atoms within the PEG chains) plays a key role in the fundamental physical properties of the gel electrolyte.

Ion-solvation structure and battery electrode characteristics of nonflammable organic electrolytes based on tris(trifluoroethyl)phosphate dissolving lithium salts.

The structure and properties of lithium salt solutions based on tris(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl)phosphate (TFEP) solvent have been studied to design a safer electrolyte system for large-sized lithium-ion battery applications. Influences of the ionic structure on the polarization behavior of the LiCoO2 (LCO) positive electrode were investigated. The ionic conductivity and viscosity of the solution consisting of lithium salts dissolved in TFEP, LiX/TFEP (X = PF6, BF4 and TFSA) (TFSA = (CF3SO2)2N), were measured. The results suggest that the ion-solvation structure greatly depends on the anionic species in the salt. Spectroscopic measurements also support the conclusion that the Li+-solvation structure varies with the lithium salts. The differences in the ionic structure of LiX/TFEP influence the electrochemical oxidation potential of the solution and the polarization behavior of the LCO electrode. The overvoltage for Li-desertion/insertion from/into LCO in LiX/TFEP, being much higher than that observed in conventional LIB electrolyte solutions, shows the order of BF4 < PF6 < TFSA. The addition of ethylene carbonate (EC) to LiX/TFEP increases the ionic conductivity, which is probably caused by changes in the Li+-solvation structure in TFEP. The overvoltage for the Li-desertion/insertion of LCO is much lowered by the addition of EC to LiX/TFEP.

Gelation mechanism of tetra-armed poly(ethylene glycol) in aprotic ionic liquid containing nonvolatile proton source, protic ionic liquid.

We report the gelation mechanism of tetra-armed prepolymer chains in typical aprotic ionic liquid (aIL), i.e., A-B type cross-end coupling reaction of tetra-armed poly(ethylene glycol)s with amine and activated ester terminals (TetraPEG-NH2 and TetraPEG-NHS, respectively) in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide ([C2mIm][TFSA]). In the ion gel system, we focused on the pH (or H(+) concentration) dependence of the gelation reaction. We thus applied the protic ionic liquid (pIL), 1-ethylimidazolium TFSA ([C2ImH][TFSA]), as a nonvolatile H(+) source, and added it into the solvent aIL. It was found that the gelation time of TetraPEG ion gel can be successfully controlled from 1 min to 3 h depending on the concentration of pIL (cpIL = 0-3 mM). This suggests that the acid-base properties of TetraPEG-NH2 showing acid-base equilibrium (-NH2 + H(+) ⇆ -NH3(+)) in the solutions play a key role in the gelation process. The acid dissociation constants, pKa's of TetraPEG-NH3(+) and C2ImH(+) (cation of pIL) in aIL were directly determined by potentiometric titration to be 16.4 and 13.7, respectively. This indicates that most of the H(+) ions bind to TetraPEG-NH2 and then C2ImH(+) exists as neutral C2Im. The reaction efficiency of amide bond (cross-linked point) systematically decreased with increasing cpIL, which was reflected to the mechanical strength of the ion gels. From these results, we discuss the gelation mechanism of TetraPEG in aIL to point out the relationship between polymer network structure and [H(+)] in the solutions.

A mixed population of antagonist and agonist binding conformers in a single crystal explains partial agonism against vitamin D receptor: active vitamin D analogues with 22R-alkyl group.

We are continuing to study the structural basis of vitamin D receptor (VDR) agonism and antagonism by using 22S-alkyl vitamin D analogues. Here we report the synthesis and biological evaluation of 22R-alkyl analogues and the X-ray crystallographic analysis of vitamin D receptor ligand-binding domain (VDR-LBD) complexed with a 22R-analogue. VDR-LBD complexed with the partial agonist 8a showed that 8a binds to VDR-LBD with two conformations, one of which is the antagonist/VDR-LBD complex structure and the other is the agonist/VDR-LBD complex structure. The results indicate that the partial agonist activity of 8a depends on the sum of antagonistic and agonistic activities caused by the antagonist and agonist binding conformers, respectively. The structural basis observed here must be applicable to the partial agonism of other ligand-dependent nuclear receptors. This is the first report describing the trapping of a conformational subset of the ligand and the nuclear receptor in a single crystal.

Structural basis for inhibition of carboxypeptidase B by selenium-containing inhibitor: selenium coordinates to zinc in enzyme.

Activated thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFIa) is a zinc-containing carboxypeptidase and significantly inhibits fibrinolysis. TAFIa inhibitors are thus expected to act as profibrinolytic agents. We recently reported the design and synthesis of selenium-containing inhibitors of TAFIa and their inhibitory activity. Here we report the crystal structures of potent selenium-, sulfur-, and phosphinic acid-containing inhibitors bound to porcine pancreatic carboxypeptidase B (ppCPB). ppCPB is a TAFIa homologue and is surrogate TAFIa for crystallographic analysis. Crystal structures of ppCPB complexed with selenium compound 1a, its sulfur analogue 2, and phosphinic acid derivative EF6265 were determined at 1.70, 2.15, and 1.90 Å resolution, respectively. Each inhibitor binds to the active site of ppCPB in a similar manner to that observed for previously reported inhibitors. Thus, in complexes, selenium, sulfur, and phosphinic acid oxygen coordinate to zinc in ppCPB. This is the first observation and report of selenium coordinating to zinc in CPB.

Lycopene inhibits ischemia/reperfusion-induced neuronal apoptosis in gerbil hippocampal tissue.

Plant lycopene exhibits antioxidant activity in animal tissues. Transient cerebral ischemia/reperfusion in Mongolian gerbils resulted in delayed neuronal death in hippocampal regions. We examined the antioxidant effects of lycopene because we expected lycopene to attenuate ischemia-related neuronal damage by controlling apoptosis at the gene level. The gerbils were divided into two groups: the normal feeding (control) group that received normal market food (MF) and the lycopene group that received MF containing lycopene (5 mg in 100 g MF food). After 1.5-2.0 months (when body weight were 60-65 g), the lycopene level was 38.2 ± 17.6 ng/ml in serum and 11.9 ± 4.0 µg/g-wet weight tissue in the liver. Levels of B cell leukemia-2, an apoptosis-suppressing protein, decreased in control animal brains 1, 3, and 7 days after surgery, whereas the levels increased in lycopene-treated animal brains. Moreover, cysteinyl aspartate-specific protease-3 activity increased gradually after ischemia, but was suppressed in the lycopene-treated animal brains 7 days after surgery. Finally, hippocampal superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity decreased in the control group 3 h after ischemia and, gradually increased thereafter, whereas it was significantly elevated in the lycopene group. Thus, orally administered lycopene is accumulated in the body, and provided protections against ischemia/reperfusion-induced brain injury by inducing an increase in SOD activity and inhibiting apoptosis.

Design and characterization of a selenium-containing inhibitor of activated thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFIa), a zinc-containing metalloprotease.

Available therapies for thromboembolic disorders include thrombolytics, anticoagulants, and antiplatelets, but these are associated with complications such as bleeding. To develop an alternative drug which is clinically safe, we focused on activated thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFIa) as the target molecule. TAFIa is a zinc-containing carboxypeptidase that significantly inhibits fibrinolysis. Here we designed and synthesized selenium-containing compounds 5-13 to discover novel TAFIa inhibitors having a superior zinc-coordinating group. Compounds 5-13 significantly inhibited TAFIa activity (IC(50) 2.2 × 10(-12) M - 2.6 × 10(-6) M). We found that selenol is a better functional group than thiol for coordinating to zinc at the active site of TAFIa. Furthermore, compound 12, which has an amino-chloro-pyridine ring, was found to be a potent and selective TAFIa inhibitor that lacks carboxypeptidase N inhibitory activity. Therefore, compound 12 is a promising candidate for the treatment of thromboembolic disorders. This is the first report of a selenium-containing inhibitor for TAFIa.

Intravenous and oral administrations of DD2 [7-Amino-2-(sulfanylmethyl)heptanoic acid] produce thrombolysis through inhibition of plasma TAFIa in rats with tissue factor-induced microthrombosis.

Thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) is a plasma zymogen that is activated by thrombin in plasma. In fibrinolytic processes, carboxy-terminal lysine (Lys) residues in partially degraded fibrin are important sites for plasminogen binding and activation, and an active form of TAFI (TAFIa) inhibits fibrinolysis by eliminating these residues proteolytically. We synthesized DD2 [7-Amino-2-(sulfanylmethyl)heptanoic acid], a Lys analogue containing sulfur, as an inhibitor of TAFIa and investigated its pharmacological profile and pathophysiological role in thrombolysis via in vitro and in vivo studies. DD2 specifically inhibited plasma TAFIa activity with an apparent IC(50) (50% inhibitory concentration) value of 3.4×10(-8)M under the present experimental condition and enhanced tissue plasminogen activator-mediated clot lysis in a concentration-dependent manner. In order to study tissue factor (TF)-induced microthrombosis in an animal model, rats were given intravenous injection (2.5mg/kg and higher) or oral administration (10mg/kg and higher) of DD2. This attenuated TF-induced glomerular fibrin deposition and increased the plasma levels of fibrin degradation products and D-dimer in a dose-dependent manner. A DD2 dose approximately 4X higher than the dose used in intravenous injections was required to achieve an equivalent thrombolytic effect to that seen following oral administration. Moreover, the oral absorption efficiency of DD2 into the vasculature was 29.8%. These results indicate that both intravenous and oral administration of DD2 enhanced endogenous fibrinolysis and reduced thrombi in a TF-induced microthrombosis model.

Butyl pocket formation in the vitamin D receptor strongly affects the agonistic or antagonistic behavior of ligands.

Previously, we reported that 22S-butyl-25,26,27-trinor-1α,24-dihydroxyvitamin D(3)2 represents a new class of antagonist for the vitamin D receptor (VDR). The crystal structure of the ligand-binding domain (LBD) of VDR complexed with 2 showed the formation of a butyl pocket to accommodate the 22-butyl group and insufficient interactions between ligand 2 and the C-terminus of VDR. Here, we designed and synthesized new analogues 5a-c and evaluated their biological activities to probe whether agonistic activity is recovered when the analogue restores interactions with the C-terminus of VDR. Analogues 5a-c exhibited full agonistic activity in transactivation. Interestingly, 5c, which bears a 24-diethyl group, completely recovered agonistic activity, although 3c and 4c act as an antagonist and a weak agonist, respectively. The crystal structures of VDR-LBD complexed with 3a, 4a, 5a, and 5c were solved, and the results confirmed that butyl pocket formation in VDR strongly affects the agonistic or antagonistic behaviors of ligands.

Potent antagonist for the vitamin D receptor: vitamin D analogues with simple side chain structure.

We previously reported that 22S-butyl-25,26,27-trinor-1alpha,24-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) 2 was a potent VDR antagonist. The X-ray crystal structure of the ligand binding domain of VDR complexed with 2 indicated that this ligand induces an extra cavity within the ligand-binding pocket. The structure also showed that the ligand forms only poor hydrophobic interactions with helix 12 of the protein. Here, to study the effects of the induction of the extra cavity and of insufficient interactions with helix 12 on antagonism, we designed and synthesized a series of vitamin D(3) analogues with or without a 22-alkyl substituent and evaluated their biological potency. We found that the 22-butyl analogues 3c and 5c act as full antagonists, the 22-ethyl analogues 3b, 4b, 5b, and 22-butyl analogue 4c act as partial agonists, and the others (3a, 4a, 5a, 6a, 6b, and 6c) act as full agonists for VDR. It is intriguing that 6c is a potent agonist for VDR, whereas its 26,27-dinor analogue 5c is a potent antagonist. Analogue 6c recruited coactivator SRC-1 well, but 5c did not. These results indicate that a combination of induction of the extra cavity and insufficient hydrophobic interactions with helix 12 is important for VDR antagonism in this class of ligands.

22S-butyl-1alpha,24R-dihydroxyvitamin D3: recovery of vitamin D receptor agonistic activity.

We recently reported that 22S-butyl-1alpha,24R-dihydroxyvitamin D(3)3 recovers the agonistic activity for vitamin D receptor (VDR), although its 25,26,27-trinor analog 2 is a potent VDR antagonist. To investigate the structural features involved in the recovery of agonism, we crystallized the ternary complex of VDR-ligand-binding domain, ligand 3 and coactivator peptide, and conducted X-ray crystallographic analysis of the complex. Compared with the complex with 2, the complex with 3 recovered the following structural features: a pincer-type hydrogen bond between the 24-hydroxyl group and VDR, the conformation of Leu305, the positioning of His301 and His393, the stability of the complex, and intimate hydrophobic interactions between the ligand and helix 12. In addition, we evaluated the potency of both compounds for recruiting RXR and coactivator. The results indicate that the complex with 3 generates a suitable surface for coactivator recruitment. These studies suggest that the action of 2 as an antagonist is caused by the generation of a surface not suitable for coactivator recruitment due to the lack of hydrophobic interactions with helix 12 as well as insufficient hydrogen bond formation between the 24-hydroxyl group and VDR. We concluded that the action of 3 as an agonist is based on the elimination of these structural defects in the complex with 2.

Folic acid in the prevention of neural tube defects: awareness among laywomen and healthcare providers in Japan.

It is known that neural tube defects are folic acid preventable congenital anomalies. We investigated to what extent this information was disseminated among laywomen and healthcare providers. Questionnaire studies were conducted twice, in 2002 and 2007, for four groups of laywomen and seven groups of healthcare providers in Japan regarding awareness, folic acid supplements and healthy diets. Awareness among laywomen was less than 20%, except for families who had experience with spina bifida in 2002, and 5 years later only pregnant women showed a significant increase in awareness. Awareness among healthcare providers varied from 12 to 76%, depending on their profession, and this proportion increased in five of the seven groups in 2007. The majority of laywomen obtained their information from mass media, while the majority of healthcare providers received information through media for professionals. Laywomen who used folate supplements and healthcare providers who recommended them were initially fewer than 25 and 37%, respectively. Five years later, however, pregnant women who used folic acid supplements increased from 9.1 to 43.1%. As awareness among non-pregnant laywomen and some healthcare providers is considerably low, information should be presented repeatedly to these groups. The difficulty in getting women to consume folic acid supplements is an argument for the government to require folic acid fortification of grains so that the prevention of neural tube defects can be maximized.

A new class of vitamin D analogues that induce structural rearrangement of the ligand-binding pocket of the receptor.

To identify novel vitamin D receptor (VDR) ligands that induce a novel architecture within the ligand-binding pocket (LBP), we have investigated eight 22-butyl-1alpha,24-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) derivatives (3-10), all having a butyl group as the branched alkyl side chain. We found that the 22S-butyl-20-epi-25,26,27-trinorvitamin D derivative 5 was a potent VDR agonist, whereas the corresponding compound 4 with the natural configuration at C(20) was a potent VDR antagonist. Analogues with the full vitamin D(3) side chain were less potent agonist, and whether they were agonists or antagonists depended on the 24-configuration. X-ray crystal structures demonstrated that the VDR-LBD accommodating the potent agonist 5 has an architecture wherein the lower side and the helix 11 side of the LBP is simply expanded relative to the canonical active-VDR situation; in contrast, the potent antagonist 4 induces an extra cavity to accommodate the branched moiety. This is the first report of a VDR antagonist that generates a new cavity to alter the canonical pocket structure of the ligand occupied VDR.