Penicillin-Binding Proteins and Associated Protein Mutations Confer Oxacillin/Cefoxitin Tolerance in Borderline Oxacillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Among clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, borderline oxacillin-resistant S. aureus (BORSA), which is mildly resistant to oxacillin (OXA) without harboring the mecA or mecC gene, is considered a risk factor for further resistance against multiple antibiotics. In this study, BORSA isolates and their derivatives were characterized through antibiotic susceptibility testing and mutation analysis of the genes encoding penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) and their related proteins, including the promoter region. Eight BORSA isolates were confirmed to harbor the blaZ gene, and hyperproduction of blaZ-encoded penicillinase was predicted based on the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). Of these, four derivative strains that were spontaneously selected based on viability on media containing high concentrations of OXA showed higher MICs than the parent isolates. The minimum bactericidal concentrations, MIC ratios, and TDtest results identified many strains with cefoxitin tolerance. Sequencing of pbp1, pbp2, pbp3, pbp4, gdpP, and yjbH, and the promoter of pbp4 revealed mutations in BORSA isolates and derivatives, despite their absence in parent isolates, suggesting that mutations in PBPs confer OXA/cefoxitin tolerance in BORSA strains.

Copper(I)-Catalyzed Enantio- and Diastereodivergent Borylative Coupling of Styrenes and Imines.

We report copper(I)-catalyzed enantio- and diastereodivergent borylative coupling of styrenes and imines to produce enantiomerically-enriched α,ß-dibranched γ-boryl amine derivatives. Each of the four possible stereoisomers of the products, derived from the two contiguous stereocenters, was selectively accessible by choosing a proper chiral ligand for the copper catalyst. This method, which combines catalyst-controlled stereodivergency and constitutional divergency derived from the lynchpin motif (i.e., the C-B bond), offers a strategy for addressing the construction of molecular structural diversity concomitant with precise chirality control.

Ligand-Enabled, Copper-Catalyzed Regio- and Stereoselective Synthesis of Trialkylsubstituted Alkenylboronates from Unactivated Internal Alkynes.

We report the first copper-catalyzed regio- and stereoselective borylalkylation of dialkylsubstituted internal alkynes with bis(pinacolato)diboron and alkyl halides. A catalytically generated borylcopper species containing a novel π-accepting N-heterocyclic carbene ligand chemoselectively reacted with unactivated internal alkynes over alkyl halides. The intermediate alkenylcopper species subsequently reacted with alkyl halides, affording the desired products. The copper catalyst differentiated steric demands between the two aliphatic substituents on the C≡C triple bond of the alkyne substrates to exhibit high regioselectivity from a wide range of alkyne/alkyl halide combinations. This method is useful for the straightforward synthesis of trialkylsubstituted alkenylboronates, i.e., versatile precursors for tetrasubstituted alkenes containing three or four different alkylsubstituents, which are difficult to synthesize by other methods.

Copper-Catalyzed Oxyboration of Unactivated Alkenes.

The first regiodivergent oxyboration of unactivated terminal alkenes is reported, using copper alkoxide as a catalyst, bis(pinacolato)diboron [(Bpin)2 ] as a boron source, and (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl (TEMPO) as an oxygen source. The reaction is compatible with various functional groups. Two regioisomers are selectively produced by selecting the appropriate ligands on copper. The products may be used as a linchpin precursor for various other functionalizations, and net processes such as carbooxygenation, aminooxygenation, and dioxygenation of alkenes can be achieved after C-B bond transformations. Mechanistic studies indicate that the reaction involves the following steps: 1) Transmetalation between CuOtBu and (Bpin)2 to generate a borylcopper species; 2) regiodivergent borylcupration of alkenes; 3) oxidation of the thus-generated C-Cu bond to give an alkyl radical; 4) trapping of the resulting alkyl radical by TEMPO.

Copper-catalyzed regio- and stereoselective intermolecular three-component oxyarylation of allenes.

A copper(II)-catalyzed intermolecular three-component oxyarylation of allenes using arylboronic acids as a carbon source and TEMPO as an oxygen source is described. The reaction proceeded under mild conditions with high regio- and stereoselectivity and functional group tolerance. A plausible reaction mechanism is proposed, involving carbocupration of allenes, homolysis of the intervening allylcopper(II), and a radical TEMPO trap.

Chemokine receptor expression in cutaneous T cell and NK/T-cell lymphomas: immunohistochemical staining and in vitro chemotactic assay.

Interactions between chemokines and chemokine receptors are involved in migration and invasion of lymphoma cells. We investigated expression profiles of CXCR3 and CCR4 by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry, and their biologic behaviors by real-time horizontal chemotaxis assay in cutaneous T cell and NK/T-cell lymphomas (TCLs). Tumor cells in mycosis fungoides (MF) constantly expressed CXCR3 at the patch stage, and expressed CCR4 at the tumor stage and in the folliculotropic variant of MF. Neoplastic cells at the plaque stage expressed CXCR3 and/or CCR4. Sezary cells in the dermis and circulation were positive for CCR4. Epidermotropic atypical cells in pagetoid reticulosis expressed CXCR3. CD30 cells exclusively expressed CCR4 in anaplastic large-cell lymphoma, and CXCR3 and/or CCR4 in lymphomatoid papulosis. In CD8TCL and extranodal NK/TCL characterized by extensive epidermotropism, tumor cells were positive for CXCR3. These data demonstrated preferential expression of CXCR3 in epidermotropic tumor cells, and of CCR4 in dermis-based lymphomas. In chemotaxis assays, CCR4 tumor cells in MF and CXCR3 tumor cells in CD8TCL migrated to thymus and activation-regulated chemokine and inducible protein-10, respectively. Therefore, spatial and temporal interactions between chemokine receptors and their ligands seem to dictate recruitment and retention of lymphoma cells in the skin.