Biological chemistry and functionality of protein sulfenic acids and related thiol modifications.

Selective modification of proteins at cysteine residues by reactive oxygen, nitrogen or sulfur species formed under physiological and pathological states is emerging as a critical regulator of protein activity impacting cellular function. This review focuses primarily on protein sulfenylation (-SOH), a metastable reversible modification connecting reduced cysteine thiols to many products of cysteine oxidation. An overview is first provided on the chemistry principles underlining synthesis, stability and reactivity of sulfenic acids in model compounds and proteins, followed by a brief description of analytical methods currently employed to characterize these oxidative species. The following chapters present a selection of redox-regulated proteins for which the -SOH formation was experimentally confirmed and linked to protein function. These chapters are organized based on the participation of these proteins in the regulation of signaling, metabolism and epigenetics. The last chapter discusses the therapeutic implications of altered redox microenvironment and protein oxidation in disease.

Conditions for liposome adsorption and bilayer formation on BSA passivated solid supports.

Planar solid supported lipid membranes that include an intervening bovine serum albumen (BSA) cushion can greatly reduce undesirable interactions between reconstituted membrane proteins and the underlying substrate. These hetero-self-assemblies reduce frictional coupling by shielding reconstituted membrane proteins from the strong surface charge of the underlying substrate, thereby preventing them from strongly sticking to the substrate themselves. The motivation for this work is to describe the conditions necessary for liposome adsorption and bilayer formation on these hetero-self-assemblies. Described here are experiments that show that the state of BSA is critically important to whether a lipid bilayer is formed or intact liposomes are adsorbed to the BSA passivated surface. It is shown that a smooth layer of native BSA will readily promote lipid bilayer formation while BSA that has been denatured either chemically or by heat will not. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and fluorescence microscopy was used to characterize the surfaces of native, heat denatured, and chemically reduced BSA. The mobility of several zwitterionic and negatively charged lipid combinations has been measured using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP). From these measurements diffusion constants and percent recoveries have been determined and tabulated. The effect of high concentrations of beta-mercaptoethanol (ß-ME) on liposome formation as well as bilayer formation was also explored.

Photo-initiated thiol-ene click reactions as a potential strategy for incorporation of [M(I)(CO)3]+ (M = Re, (99m)Tc) complexes.

Click reactions offer a rapid technique to covalently assemble two molecules. In radiopharmaceutical construction, these reactions can be utilized to combine a radioactive metal complex with a biological targeting molecule to yield a potent tool for imaging or therapy applications. The photo-initiated radical thiol-ene click reaction between a thiol and an alkene was examined for the incorporation of [M(I)(CO)3](+) (M = Re, (99m)Tc) systems for conjugating biologically active targeting molecules containing a thiol. In this strategy, a potent chelate system, 2,2'-dipicolylamine (DPA), for [M(I)(CO)3](+) was functionalized at the central amine with a terminal alkene linker that was explored with two synthetic approaches, click then chelate and chelate then click, to determine the flexibility and applicability of the thiol-ene click reaction to specifically incorporate ligand systems and metal complexes with a thiol containing molecule. In the click then chelate approach, the thiol-ene click reaction was carried out with the DPA chelate followed by complexation with [M(I)(CO)3](+). In the chelate then click approach, the alkene functionalized DPA chelate was first complexed with [M(I)(CO)3](+) followed by the conduction of the thiol-ene click reaction. Initial studies utilized benzyl mercaptan as a model thiol for both strategies to generate the identical product from either route to provide information on reactivity and product formation. DPA ligands functionalized with two unique linker systems (allyl and propyl allyl ether) were prepared to examine the effect of the proximity of the chelate or complex on the thiol-ene click reaction. Both the thiol-ene click and coordination reactions with Re, (99m)Tc were performed in moderate to high yields demonstrating the potential of the thiol-ene click reaction for [M(I)(CO)3](+) incorporation into thiol containing biomolecules.

Near native binding of a fluorescent serotonin conjugate to serotonin type 3 receptors.

Described is the synthesis of 5-hydroxytryptamine-tetramethylrhodamine (5HT*); an indole nitrogen linked fluorescent conjugate of serotonin. Through a series fluorescence quenching experiments and experiments in the presence of a known competitive antagonist (Granisetron), it was shown that 5HT* specifically binds to purified homo-pentameric type-3 human serotonin receptors (5HT(3A)). The measured dissociation constant and Hill coefficient are K(d) = 83 ± 3 nM and n = 3.1 ± 0.3, respectively which is indicative of multi-ligand binding and cooperativity similar to that of unconjugated serotonin.

Synthesis and characterization of nonsteroidal-linked M(CO)(3)+ (M = 99mTc, Re) compounds based on the androgen receptor targeting molecule flutamide.

Androgen receptors are overexpressed in most primary and metastatic prostate cancers. A series of single photon emission computed tomography imaging agents (SPECT) utilizing the organometallic radioactive imaging species, fac-99mTc(OH(2))(3)(CO)(3)+, were prepared on the basis of the structure of Flutamide, a potent nonsteroidal antiandrogen prostate cancer drug. Novel bifunctional chelate-linked Flutamide analogues were prepared using a newly developed universal alkylating reagent, 2-bromo-N-[4-nitro-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-acetamide, 1. From compound 1, several ligands (i.e., cysteine 2, histidine 5, imidazole 3) were conjugated to the flutamide derivative to yield targeting ligands capable of either tridentate or monodentate coordination in a "2 + 1" complex. fac-Re(CO)(3)+ complexes were prepared and characterized with the functionalized conjugates to yield fac-Re(CO)(3)(2-amino-3-(1-(2-(4-nitro-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenylamino)-2-oxoethyl)-1H-imidazol-4-yl) propanoate), 4, fac-Re (CO)(3)(2-(S-cysteinyl)-N-[4-nitro-3-(trifluoromethyl) phenyl]-acetamide), 6, and fac-Re(CO)(3)(picolinate)(2-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)-N-[4-nitro-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-acetamide), 7. The corresponding radioactive 99mTc analogues were prepared and stability studies of the radioactive compounds were also conducted.

Metal-assisted in situ formation of a tridentate acetylacetone ligand for complexation of fac-Re(CO)3+ for radiopharmaceutical applications.

Reaction of [NEt4]2[ReBr3(CO)3] with 2,4-pentanedione (acac) yields a complex of the type fac-Re(acac)(OH2)(CO)3 (1) under aqueous conditions. 1 was further reacted with a monodentate ligand (pyridine) to yield a fac-Re(acac)(pyridine)(CO)3 complex (2). Complex 1 was found to react with primary amines to generate a Schiff base (imine) in aqueous solutions. When a mixed-nitrogen donor bidentate ligand, 2-(2-aminoethyl)pyridine, that has different coordination affinities for fac-Re(acac)(OH2)(CO)3 was utilized, a unique tridentate ligand was formed in situ utilizing a metal-assisted Schiff base formation to yield a complex fac-Re(CO)3(3[(2-phenylethyl)imino]-2-pentanone) (3). Tridentate ligand formation was found to occur only with the Re-coordinated acac ligand. Reactions of acac with fac-Re(CO)3Br(2-(2-aminoethyl)pyridine) (4) or a mixture of [NEt4]2[ReBr3(CO)3], acac, and 2-(2-aminoethyl)pyridine did not yield the formation of complex 3 in water.