Acetylbenzylfentanyl, benzoylbenzylfentanyl, 3-fluoro-methoxyacetylfentanyl, and 3-phenylpropanoylfentanyl are fentanyl analogs that have been reported to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction in recent years. The aim of this study was to identify metabolic pathways and potential biomarker metabolites of these fentanyl analogs. The compounds were incubated (5 mu M) with cryopreserved hepatocytes for up to 5 h in vitro. Metabolites were analyzed with liquid chromatography-quadrupole time of flight-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-HRMS). The experiments showed that acetylbenzylfentanyl, benzoylbenzylfentanyl, and 3-phenylpropanoylfentanyl were mainly metabolized through N-dealkylation (forming nor-metabolites) and 3-fluoro-methoxyacetylfentanyl mainly through demethylation. Other observed metabolites were formed by mono-/dihydroxylation, dihydrodiol formation, demethylation, dehydrogenation, amide hydrolysis, and/or glucuronidation. The experiments showed that a large number of metabolites of 3-phenylpropanoylfentanyl were formed. The exact position of hydroxy groups in formed monohydroxy metabolites could not be established solely based upon recorded MSMS spectra of hepatocyte samples. Therefore, potential monohydroxy metabolites of 3-phenylpropanoylfentanyl, with the hydroxy group in different positions, were synthesized and analyzed together with the hepatocyte samples. This approach could reveal that the beta position of the phenylpropanoyl moiety was highly favored; beta-OH-phenylpropanoylfentanyl was the most abundant metabolite after the nor-metabolite. Both metabolites have the potential to serve as biomarkers for 3-phenylpropanoylfentanyl. The nor-metabolites of acetylbenzylfentanyl, benzoylbenzylfentanyl, and 3-fluoro-methoxyacetylfentanyl do also seem to be suitable biomarker metabolites, as do the demethylated metabolite of 3-fluoro-methoxyacetylfentanyl. Identified metabolic pathways and formed metabolites were in agreement with findings in previous studies of similar fentanyl analogs.

There is an urgent need for simple and non-invasive identification of live neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) in the developing and adult brain as well as in disease, such as in brain tumors, due to the potential clinical importance in prognosis, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases of the nervous system. Here, we report a luminescent conjugated oligothiophene (LCO), named p-HTMI, for non-invasive and non-amplified real-time detection of live human patient-derived glioblastoma (GBM) stem cell-like cells and NSPCs. While p-HTMI stained only a small fraction of other cell types investigated, the mere addition of p-HTMI to the cell culture resulted in efficient detection of NSPCs or GBM cells from rodents and humans within minutes. p-HTMI is functionalized with a methylated imidazole moiety resembling the side chain of histidine/histamine, and non-methylated analogues were not functional. Cell sorting experiments of human GBM cells demonstrated that p-HTMI labeled the same cell population as CD271, a proposed marker for stem cell-like cells and rapidly migrating cells in glioblastoma. Our results suggest that the LCO p-HTMI is a versatile tool for immediate and selective detection of neural and glioma stem and progenitor cells.

The orientations of ligands bound to the transthyretin (TTR) thyroxine (T4) binding site are difficult to predict. Conflicting binding modes of resveratrol have been reported. We previously reported two resveratrol based trans-stilbene fluorescent ligands, (E)-4-(2-(naphthalen-1-yl)vinyl)benzene-1,2-diol (SB-11) and (E)-4-(2-(naphthalen-2-yl)vinyl)-benzene-1,2-diol (SB-14), that bind native and misfolded protofibrillar TTR. The binding orientations of these two analogous ligands to native tetrameric TTR were predicted to be opposite. Herein we report the crystal structures of these TTR:ligand complexes. Opposite binding modes were verified but were different than predicted. The reverse binding mode (SB14) placing the naphthalene moiety toward the opening of the binding pocket renders the fluorescent ligand pH sensitive due to changes in Lys15 amine protonation. Conversely, the forward binding mode (SB-11) placing the naphthalene inward mediates a stabilizing conformational change, allowing intersubunit H-bonding between Ser117 of different monomers across the dimer interface. Our structures of TTR complexes answer important questions in ligand design and interpretation of trans-stilbene binding modes to the TTR T4 binding site.

Klebsiella pneumoniae serotype KN2 is a carbapenem-resistant strain and leads to the health care-associated in-fections, such as bloodstream infections. Its capsular polysaccharide (CPS) was isolated and cleaved by a specific enzyme from a bacteriophage into a hexasaccharide-repeating unit. With GC-MS, NMR, and Mass analyses, the structure of KN2 CPS was determined to be {-> 3)-beta-D-Glcp-(1 -> 3)-[alpha-D-GlcpA-(1 -> 4)-beta-D-Glcp-(1 -> 6)]-alpha-D-Galp- (1 -> 6)-beta-D-Galp-(1 -> 3)-beta-D-Galp-(1 ->}(n). We demonstrated that 1 mu g/mL CPS could stimulate J774A.1 murine macrophages to release tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in vitro. Also, we proved that KN2 CPS induced the immune response through Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in the human embryonic kidney (HEK)-293 cells. Strikingly, the hexasaccharide alone shows the same immune response as the CPS, suggesting that the hexasaccharide can shape the adaptive immunity to be a potential vaccine adjuvant. The glucuronic acid (GlcA) on other polysaccharides can affect the immune response, but the GlcA-reduced KN2 CPS and hex-asaccharide still maintain their immunomodulatory activities.

Fentanyl analogues have appeared on the recreational drug market during the last ten years and caused many fatal overdoses around the world due to their high potencies. Their metabolites are of great interest for toxicology, metabolism and identification studies. According to the literature, fentanyl analogues with similar structures have similar metabolism profile. Therefore, a synthetic route that enables synthesis of the corresponding metabolites for several fentanyl analogues would be valuable. Fentanyl analogue metabolites are often polar and tailing on silica gel. Hence, the purification of these substances could be challengeable. In this work, a general synthetic route was developed and described for the multi-gram scale synthesis of 14 potential metabolites of seven fentanyl analogues. The synthetic route is concise and optimized, does not require any use of silica gel purification and is therefore convenient for large-scale synthesis. The overall yields of the metabolites were in the range of 25-57%.

Synthetic cannabinoid metabolites with a 5F-4OH pentyl side chain are of great interest, and several synthetic methods have been developed for the synthesis of these types of metabolites in the literature, which is either lengthy or inappropriate for upscaling. Herein, a straightforward method has been developed and reported for the synthesis of a key intermediate in four steps with an overall yield of 49% on a multigram scale, and its application in the synthesis of nine potential metabolites of synthetic cannabinoids with a 5F-4OH pentyl side chain.

Objective About one third of all patients with epilepsy have pharmacoresistant seizures. Thus there is a need for better pharmacological treatments. The human voltage-gated potassium (hK(V)) channel hK(V)7.2/7.3 is a validated antiseizure target for compounds that activate this channel. In a previous study we have shown that resin acid derivatives can activate the hK(V)7.2/7.3 channel. In this study we investigated if these channel activators have the potential to be developed into a new type of antiseizure drug. Thus we examined their structure-activity relationships and the site of action on the hK(V)7.2/7.3 channel, if they have unwanted cardiac and cardiovascular effects, and their potential antiseizure effect. Methods Ion channels were expressed in Xenopus oocytes or mammalian cell lines and explored with two-electrode voltage-clamp or automated patch-clamp techniques. Unwanted vascular side effects were investigated with isometric tension recordings. Antiseizure activity was studied in an electrophysiological zebrafish-larvae model. Results Fourteen resin acid derivatives were tested on hK(V)7.2/7.3. The most efficient channel activators were halogenated and had a permanently negatively charged sulfonyl group. The compounds did not bind to the sites of other hK(V)7.2/7.3 channel activators, retigabine, or ICA-069673. Instead, they interacted with the most extracellular gating charge of the S4 voltage-sensing helix, and the effects are consistent with an electrostatic mechanism. The compounds altered the voltage dependence of hK(V)7.4, but in contrast to retigabine, there were no effects on the maximum conductance. Consistent with these data, the compounds had less smooth muscle-relaxing effect than retigabine. The compounds had almost no effect on the voltage dependence of hK(V)11.1, hNa(V)1.5, or hCa(V)1.2, or on the amplitude of hK(V)11.1. Finally, several resin acid derivatives had clear antiseizure effects in a zebrafish-larvae model. Significance The described resin acid derivatives hold promise for new antiseizure medications, with reduced risk for adverse effects compared with retigabine.

Synthetic cannabinoids are a group of compounds that act on the CB1 receptor and are used illicitly as substitutes for cannabis. Given the rapid and extensive metabolism of synthetic cannabinoids, urinary biomarkers are essential if proof of drug intake is to be obtained in forensic laboratories. To identify good biomarker candidates, the metabolism of synthetic cannabinoids must be studied and reference standards need to be acquired. Studies on the metabolism of synthetic cannabinoids containing a terminally fluorinated pentyl side chain have shown that hydroxylation can occur at the four position of the side chain. This makes the 4-hydroxy-5-fluoropentyl side-chain metabolite a good urinary biomarker for proving intake of the corresponding parent drug, as this compound cannot be formed from its nonfluorinated analogue. Here, a concise synthetic route to the 4-hydroxy-5-fluoropentyl side-chain metabolites of the synthetic cannabinoids STS-135, MAM-2201, AM-2201, and XLR-11 is reported.

MMB022 (methyl 3-methyl-2-[1-(pent-4-en-1-yl)-1H-indole-3-carboxamido]butanoate) is a new synthetic cannabinoid with an alkene at the pentenyl side chain, a rare functional group for synthetic cannabinoids. Metabolite identification is an important step for the detection of synthetic cannabinoids in humans, since they are generally extensively metabolized. The aims of the study were to tentatively identify in vitro phase I metabolites, to confirm major metabolites using synthesized metabolites, to examine metabolic pathways thoroughly, to study metabolic stability and to suggest metabolites appropriate for urine screening. MMB022 and its synthesized metabolites were incubated with human liver microsomes (HLM) and the supernatants were analyzed by liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Sixteen metabolites were identified, which were generated via dehydrogenation, dihydrodiol formation, ester hydrolysis, hydroxylation, and combinations thereof. A major biotransformation of the alkene at the pentenyl side chain was confirmed to be dihydrodiol formation. The major metabolites were ester hydrolysis (M15) and dihydrodiol (M8) metabolites, whereas the metabolite derived from the combination of ester hydrolysis and dihydrodiol (M5) was the fourth most abundant metabolite. The metabolic pathways were investigated using synthesized metabolites and revealed that M5 is an end product of the pathways, indicating that it might become a more abundant metabolite in vivo depending on the rate of metabolism in humans. The major pathway of MMB022 to M5 was determined to be via M8 formation. Intrinsic clearance of MMB022 was determined to be 296 mL/min/kg andt(1/2)was 2.1 min, indicating a low metabolic stability. M15, M8, and potentially M5 are suggested as suitable urinary targets.

Fentanyl analogues constitute a particularly dangerous group of new psychoactive compounds responsible for many deaths around the world. Little is known about their metabolism and studies utilizing LC-QTOF-MS analysis of hepatocyte incubations and/or authentic urine samples does not allow for determination of the exact metabolite structures, especially when it comes to hydroxylated metabolites. In this study seven motifs (2-, 3-, 4- and β-OH as well as 3,4-diOH, 4-OH-3-OMe and 3-OH-4-OMe) of fentanyl and five fentanyl analogues, acetylfentanyl, acrylfentanyl, cyclopropylfentanyl, isobutyrylfentanyl and 4F-isobutyrylfentanyl were synthesized. The reference standards were analyzed by LC-QTOF-MS, which enabled identification of the major metabolites formed in hepatocyte incubations of the studied fentanyls. By comparison with our previous data sets, major urinary metabolites could tentatively be identified. For all analogues, β-OH, 4-OH and 4-OH-3-OMe were identified after hepatocyte incubation. β-OH was the major hydroxylated metabolite for all studied fentanyls, except for acetylfentanyl where 4-OH was more abundant. However, the ratio 4-OH/β-OH was higher in urine samples than in hepatocyte incubations for all studied fentanyls. Also, 3-OH-4-OMe was not detected in any hepatocyte samples, indicating a clear preference for the 4-OH-3-OMe, which was also found to be more abundant in urine compared to hepatocytes. The patterns appear to be consistent across all studied fentanyls and could serve as a starting point in the development of methods and synthesis of reference standards of novel fentanyl analogues where nothing is known about the metabolism.

Misfolding and aggregation of the human prion protein (PrP) cause neurodegenerative transmissible spongiform encephalopathies such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Mature native PrP is composed of 209 residues and is folded into a C-terminal globular domain (residues 125-209) comprising a small two-stranded beta-sheet and three alpha-helices. The N-terminal domain (residues 23-124) is intrinsically disordered. Expression of truncated PrP (residues 90-231) is sufficient to cause prion disease and residues 90/100-231 is comprising the amyloid-like fibril core of misfolded infectious PrP. During PrP fibril formation under native conditions in vitro, the disordered N-terminal domain slows down fibril formation likely due to a mechanism of initial aggregation forming morphologically disordered aggregates. The morphological disordered aggregate is a transient phase. Nucleation of fibrils occurs from this initial aggregate. The aggregate phase is largely circumvented by seeding with preformed PrP fibrils. In vivo PrP is N-glycosylated at positions Asn181 and Asn197. Little is known about the importance of these positions and their glycans for PrP stability, aggregation and fibril formation. We have in this study taken a step towards that goal by mutating residues 181 and 197 for cysteines to study the positional impact on these processes. We have further by organic synthetic chemistry and chemical modification generated synthetic glycosylations in these positions. Our data shows that residue 181 when mutated to a cysteine is a key residue for self -chaperoning, rendering a trap in the initial aggregate preventing conformational changes towards amyloid fibril formation. Position 197 is less involved in the aggregate trapping and is more geared towards beta-sheet structure conversion within amyloid fibrils. As expected, synthetic glycosylated 197 is less affected towards fibril formation compared to glycosylated 181. Our data are rather compatible with the parallel in-register intermolecular beta-sheet model structure of the PrP90-231 fibril and sheds light on the misfolding transitions of PrP in vitro. We hypothesize that glycosylation of position 181 is a key site for prion strain differentiation in vivo.

Cyclopropylfentanyl is a fentanyl analog implicated in 78 deaths in Europe and over 100 deaths in the United States, but toxicological information including metabolism data about this drug is scarce. The aim of this study was to provide the exact structure of abundant and unique metabolites of cyclopropylfentanyl along with synthesis routes. In this study, metabolites were identified in 13 post-mortem urine samples using liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS). Samples were analyzed with and without enzymatic hydrolysis, and seven potential metabolites were synthesized in-house to provide the identity of major metabolites. Cyclopropylfentanyl was detected in all samples, and the most abundant metabolite was norcyclopropylfentanyl (M1) that was detected in 12 out of 13 samples. Reference materials were synthesized (synthesis routes provided) to identify the exact structure of the major metabolites 4-hydroxyphenethyl cyclopropylfentanyl (M8), 3,4-dihydroxyphenethyl cyclopropylfentanyl (M5) and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenethyl cyclopropylfentanyl (M9). These metabolites are suitable urinary markers of cyclopropylfentanyl intake as they are unique and detected in a majority of hydrolyzed urine samples. Minor metabolites included two quinone metabolites (M6 and M7), not previously reported for fentanyl analogs. Interestingly, with the exception of norcyclopropylfentanyl (M1), the metabolites appeared to be between 40% and 90% conjugated in urine. In total, 11 metabolites of cyclopropylfentanyl were identified, including most metabolites previously reported after hepatocyte incubation.

A fluorescent bis-styryl-benzothiadiazole (BTD) with carboxylic acid functional groups (X-34/Congo red analogue) showed lower binding affinity toward A beta 1-42 and A beta 1-40 fibrils than its neutral analogue. Hence, variable patterns of neutral OH-substituted bis-styryl-BTDs were generated. All bis-styryl-BTDs showed higher binding affinity to A beta 1-42 fibrils than to A beta 1-40 fibrils. The para-OH on the phenyl rings was beneficial for binding affinity while a meta-OH decreased the affinity. Differential staining of transgenic mouse A beta amyloid plaque cores compared to peripheral coronas using neutral compared to anionic bis-styryl ligands indicate differential recognition of amyloid polymorphs. Hyperspectral imaging of transgenic mouse A beta plaque stained with uncharged para-hydroxyl substituted bis-styryl-BTD implicated differences in binding site polarity of polymorphic amyloid plaque. Most properties of the corresponding bis-styryl-BTD were retained with a rigid alkyne linker rendering a probe insensitive to cis trans isomerization. These new BTDbased ligands are promising probes for spectral imaging of different A beta fibril polymorphs.

Fucoidans are sulfated fucose-based polysaccharides that activate platelets and have pro- and anticoagulant effects; thus, they may have therapeutic value. In the present study, we show that 2 synthetic sulfated a-l-fucoside-pendant glycopolymers (with average monomeric units of 13 and 329) and natural fucoidans activate human platelets through a Src- and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-dependent and Syk-independent signaling cascade downstream of the platelet endothelial aggregation receptor 1 (PEAR1). Synthetic glycopolymers and natural fucoidan stimulate marked phosphorylation of PEAR1 and Akt, but not Syk. Platelet aggregation and Akt phosphorylation induced by natural fucoidan and synthetic glycopolymers are blocked by a monoclonal antibody to PEAR1. Direct binding of sulfated glycopolymers to epidermal like growth factor (EGF)-like repeat 13 of PEAR1 was shown by avidity-based extracellular protein interaction screen technology. In contrast, synthetic glycopolymers and natural fucoidans activate mouse platelets through a Src- and Syk-dependent pathway regulated by C-type lectin-like receptor 2 (CLEC-2) with only a minor role for PEAR1. Mouse platelets lacking the extracellular domain of GPIba and human platelets treated with GPIba-blocking antibodies display a reduced aggregation response to synthetic glycopolymers. We found that synthetic sulfated glycopolymers bind directly to GPIba, substantiating that GPIba facilitates the interaction of synthetic glycopolymers with CLEC-2 or PEAR1. Our results establish PEAR1 as the major signaling receptor for natural fucose-based polysaccharides and synthetic glycopolymers in human, but not in mouse, platelets. Sulfated a-l-fucoside-pendant glycopolymers are unique tools for further investigation of the physiological role of PEAR1 in platelets and beyond.

A Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction of ortho-hydroxy-aromatic bromide 8 with isopropenylboronic acid pinacol ester has been investigated. It was found that the catalyst of Pd-2(dba)(3)/PCy3 in dioxan-water gave good yield by suppressing the formation of isomeric side product 14. (+)-Callitrisic acid was synthesized from (+)-podocarpic acid using this condition with an overall yield of 54 % in about five steps. (+)-Callitrisic acid was found to be almost three times more potent than dehydroabietic acid to open a voltage-gated potassium channel.

Dehydroabietic acid (DHAA) is a naturally occurring component of pine resin that was recently shown to open voltage-gated potassium (KV) channels. The hydrophobic part of DHAA anchors the compound near the channel’s positively charged voltage sensor in a pocket between the channel and the lipid membrane. The negatively charged carboxyl group exerts an electrostatic effect on the channel’s voltage sensor, leading to the channel opening. In this study, we show that the channel-opening effect increases as the length of the carboxyl-group stalk is extended until a critical length of three atoms is reached. Longer stalks render the compounds noneffective. This critical distance is consistent with a simple electrostatic model in which the charge location depends on the stalk length. By combining an effective anchor with the optimal stalk length, we create a compound that opens the human KV7.2/7.3 (M type) potassium channel at a concentration of 1 µM. These results suggest that a stalk between the anchor and the effector group is a powerful way of increasing the potency of a channel-opening drug.

We revisited the Congo red analogue 2,5-bis(4-hydroxy-3-carboxy-styryl)benzene (X-34) to develop this highly fluorescent amyloid dye for imaging Alzheimers disease (AD) pathology comprising A beta and Tau fibrils. A selection of ligands with distinct optical properties were synthesized by replacing the central benzene unit of X-34, with other heterocyclic moieties. Full photophysical characterization was performed, including recording absorbance and fluorescence spectra, Stokes shift, quantum yield and fluorescence lifetimes. All ligands displayed high affinity towards recombinant amyloid fibrils of A beta 1-42 (13-300nmK(d)) and Tau (16-200nmK(d)) as well as selectivity towards the corresponding disease-associated protein aggregates in AD tissue. We observed that these ligands efficiently displaced X-34, but not Pittsburgh compound B (PiB) from recombinant A beta 1-42 amyloid fibrils, arguing for retained targeting of the Congo red type binding site. We foresee that the X-34 scaffold offers the possibility to develop novel high-affinity ligands for A pathology found in human AD brain in a different mode compared with PiB, potentially recognizing different polymorphs of A fibrils.

Sulfated polysaccharides and synthetic glycopolymers are promising candidates as antiviral drugs but have failed in clinical trials most likely due to lack of virucidal activity. However, studies have shown that incorporation of lipophilic end groups to oligosaccharide chains is a mean to gain the desired virucidal properties. Here, we describe the introduction of lipophilic end groups to sulfated alpha-L-fucoside-pendant polymethacrylamides, also known as fucoidan-mimetic glycopolymers, by RAFT polymerization. RAFT agents bearing octadecyl, dioctadecyl and cholesteryl groups were used to synthesize lipoglycopolymers of different chain lengths. Short lipoglycopolymers bearing lipophilic end groups showed an improved ability to block viral entry and infection of cells compared to glycopolymers without lipophilic end groups. Short lipoglycopolymers bearing octadecyl or dioctadecyl end groups, also completely stopped the spreading of the viral infection. However, these lipoglycopolymers did not show actual virucidal properties. Nevertheless, we have described a first step towards obtaining virucidal synthetic glycopolymers for clinical use.

Two analogues to the fluorescent amyloid probe 2,5-bis(4'-hydroxy-3'-carboxy-styryl)benzene (X-34) were synthesized based on the trans-stilbene pyrene scaffold (Py1SA and Py2SA). The compounds show strikingly different emission spectra when bound to preformed Aβ1-42 fibrils. This remarkable emission difference is retained when bound to amyloid fibrils of four distinct proteins, suggesting a common binding configuration for each molecule. Density functional theory calculations show that Py1SA is twisted, while Py2SA is more planar. Still, an analysis of the highest occupied molecular orbitals (HOMOs) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (LUMOs) of the two compounds indicates that the degree of electronic coupling between the pyrene and salicylic acid (SA) moieties is larger in Py1SA than in Py2SA. Excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) coupled-charge transfer (ICT) was observed for the anionic form in polar solvents. We conclude that ICT properties of trans-stilbene derivatives can be utilized for amyloid probe design with large changes in emission spectra and decay times from analogous chemical structures depending on the detailed physical nature of the binding site.less thanbr /greater than (© 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The use of hyphenated analytical techniques in forensic drug screening enables simultaneous identification of a wide range of different compounds. However, the appearance of drug seizures containing new substances, mainly new psychoactive substances (NPS), is steadily increasing. These new and other already known substances often possess structural similarities and consequently they exhibit spectral data with slight differences. This situation has made the criteria that ensure indubitable identification of compounds increasingly important. In this work, 6 new synthetic cathinones that have not yet appeared in any Swedish drug seizures were synthesized. Their chemical structures were similar to those of already known cathinone analogs of which 42 were also included in the study. Hence, a total of 48 synthetic cathinones making up sets of homologous and regioisomeric compounds were used to challenge the capabilities of various analytical techniques commonly applied in forensic drug screening, ie, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), gas chromatography-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (GC-FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS). Special attention was paid to the capabilities of GC-MS and GC-FTIR to distinguish between the synthetic cathinones and the results showed that neither GC-MS nor GC-FTIR alone can successfully differentiate between all synthetic cathinones. However, the 2 techniques proved to be complementary and their combined use is therefore beneficial. For example, the structural homologs were better differentiated by GC-MS, while GC-FTIR performed better for the regioisomers. Further, new spectroscopic data of the synthesized cathinone analogs is hereby presented for the forensic community. The synthetic work also showed that cathinone reference compounds can be produced in few reaction steps.

Small molecules with modalities for a variety of imaging techniques as well as therapeutic activity are essential, as such molecules render opportunities to simultaneously conduct diagnosis and targeted therapy, so called theranostics. In this regard, glycoporphyrins have proven useful as theranostic agents towards cancer, as well as noncancerous conditions. Herein, the synthesis and characterization of heterobifunctional glycoconjugated porphyrins with two different sugar moieties, a common monosaccharide at three sites, and a 2-fluoro-2-deoxy glucose (FDG) moiety at the fourth site are presented. The fluoro-glycoconjugated porphyrins exhibit properties for multimodal imaging and photodynamic therapy, as well as specificity towards cancer cells. We foresee that our findings might aid in the chemical design of heterobifunctional glycoconjugated porphyrins that could be utilized as theranostic agents.

AKB-48 belongs to the family of synthetic cannabinoids. It has strong binding affinity to CBI receptor and is psychoactive. It is banned in many countries including USA, Japan, Germany, New Zealand, Singapore and China etc. But the difficulty in detecting the parent compound in urine samples highlights the importance of studies of its metabolites. Here we report the synthesis of 19 potential metabolites of AKB-48, among which, compounds 2, 9, 10, 30 and 31, together with the commercially available substance 5 were identified as metabolites of AKB-48 by comparison with one authentic human urine sample and human liver microsomal data. Compounds 10 and 30 could be of use as biomarkers in detecting AKB-48 in human urine samples. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

25C-NBOMe and 25I-NBOMe are potent hallucinogenic drugs that recently emerged as new psychoactive substances. To date, a few metabolism studies were conducted for 25I-NBOMe, whereas 25C-NBOMe metabolism data are scarce. Therefore, we investigated the metabolic profile of these compounds in human hepatocytes, an in vivo mouse model and authentic human urine samples from forensic cases. Cryopreserved human hepatocytes were incubated for 3 h with 10 μM 25C-NBOMe and 25I-NBOMe; samples were analyzed by liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) on an Accucore C18 column with a Thermo QExactive; data analysis was performed with Compound Discoverer software (Thermo Scientific). Mice were administered 1.0 mg drug/kg body weight intraperitoneally, urine was collected for 24 h and analyzed (with or without hydrolysis) by LC-HRMS on an Acquity HSS T3 column with an Agilent 6550 QTOF; data were analyzed manually and with WebMetabase software (Molecular Discovery). Human urine samples were analyzed similarly. In vitro and in vivo results matched well. 25C-NBOMe and 25I-NBOMe were predominantly metabolized by O-demethylation, followed by O-di-demethylation and hydroxylation. All methoxy groups could be demethylated; hydroxylation preferably occurred at the NBOMe ring. Phase I metabolites were extensively conjugated in human urine with glucuronic acid and sulfate. Based on these data and a comparison with synthesized reference standards for potential metabolites, specific and abundant 25C-NBOMe urine targets are 5'-desmethyl 25C-NBOMe, 25C-NBOMe and 5-hydroxy 25C-NBOMe, and for 25I-NBOMe 2' and 5'-desmethyl 25I-NBOMe and hydroxy 25I-NBOMe. These data will help clinical and forensic laboratories to develop analytical methods and to interpret results. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Many pharmaceutical drugs against neurological and cardiovascular disorders exert their therapeutic effects by binding to specific sites on voltage-gated ion channels of neurons or cardiomyocytes. To date, all molecules targeting known ion channel sites bind to protein pockets that are mainly surrounded by water. We describe a lipid-protein drug-binding pocket of a potassium channel. We synthesized and electrophysiologically tested 125 derivatives, analogs, and related compounds to dehydroabietic acid. Functional data in combination with docking and molecular dynamics simulations mapped a binding site for small-molecule compounds at the interface between the lipid bilayer and the transmembrane segments S3 and S4 of the voltage-sensor domain. This fundamentally new binding site for small-molecule compounds paves the way for the design of new types of drugs against diseases caused by altered excitability.

In oncology and neurology the F-18-radiolabeled glucose analogue 2-deoxy-2-[F-18]fluoro-D-glucose ([F-18]FDG) is by far the most commonly employed metabolic imaging agent for positron emission tomography (PET). Herein, we report a novel synthetic route to beta-configured mannopyranoside precursors and a chemoselective F-18-fluoroglycosylation method that employ two b-configured [F-18]FDG derivatives equipped with either a terminal azide or alkyne aglycon respectively, for use as a CuAAC clickable tool set for PET. The b-configured precursors provided the corresponding [F-18]FDGs in a radiochemical yield of 77-88%. Further, the clickability of these [F-18]FDGs was investigated by click coupling to the suitably functionalized Fmoc-protected amino acids, Fmoc-N-(propargyl)-glycine and Fmoc-3-azido-L-alanine, which provided the F-18-fluoroglycosylated amino acid conjugates in radiochemical yields of 75-83%. The F-18-fluoroglycosylated amino acids presented herein constitute a new and interesting class of metabolic PET radiotracers.

The marine sulfated polysaccharide fucoidan displays superior ability to induce platelet aggregation compared to other sulfated polysaccharides. As such, it is an attractive tool for studying molecular and cellular responses in activated platelets. The heterogeneous structure, however, poses a problem in such applications. This study describes the synthesis of sulfated alpha-L-fucoside-pendant poly(methacryl amides) with homogeneous structures. By using both thiol-mediated chain transfer and reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization techniques, glycopolymers with different chain lengths are obtained. These glycopolymers show platelet aggregation response and surface changes similar to those of fucoidan, and cause platelet activation through intracellular signaling as shown by extensive protein tyrosine phosphorylation. As the platelet activating properties of the glycopolymers strongly mimic those of fucoidan, this study concludes these fucoidan-mimetic glycopolymers are unique tools for studying molecular and cellular responses in human blood platelets.

Studies on the metabolism of bioactive substances containing the adamantyl moiety have shown that hydroxylation is likely to occur at a tertiary carbon of adamantane. Herein, we report the synthesis and identification of one major metabolite of AKB-48, a new illicit psychoactive substance with a hydroxyl group at a secondary carbon of the adamantyl ring. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthetic routes have been developed for synthesis of potential metabolites of 25C-NBOMe and 25I-NBOMe. Nine potential metabolites have been synthesized, among which compounds 8 and 20a could be used as metabolite biomarkers of 25C-NBOMe and 20b of 25I-NBOMe in urinary detection at forensic laboratories to prove intake. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

It was previously reported that two naphthyl-based trans-stilbene probes, (E)-4-(2-(naphthalen-1-yl)vinyl)benzene-1,2-diol (1) and (E)-4-(2-(naphthalen-2-yl)vinyl)benzene-1,2-diol (3), can bind to both native transthyretin (TTR) and misfolded protofibrillar TTR at physiological concentrations, displaying distinct emission maxima bound to the different conformational states (>100 nm difference). To further explore this amyloid probe scaffold to obtain extended fluorescence lifetimes, two new analogues with expanded aromatic ring systems (anthracene and pyrene), (E)-4-(2-(anthracen-2-yl)vinyl)benzene-1,2-diol (4) and (E)-4-(2-(pyren-2-yl)vinyl)benzene-1,2-diol (5), were synthesized employing the palladium-catalyzed Mizoroki–Heck reaction. (E)-4-Styrylbenzene-1,2-diol (2), 3, 4, and 5 were investigated with respect to their photophysical properties in methanol and when bound to insulin, lysozyme, and Aβ1-42 fibrils, including time-resolved fluorescence measurements. In conclusion, 4 and 5 can bind to both native and fibrillar TTR, becoming highly fluorescent. Compounds 2–5 bind specifically to insulin, lysozyme, and Aβ1-42 fibrils with an apparent fluorescence intensity increase and moderate binding affinities. The average fluorescence lifetimes of the probes bound to Aβ1-42 fibrils are 1.3 ns (2), 1.5 ns (3), 5.7 ns (4), and 29.8 ns (5). In summary, the variable aromatic moieties of the para-positioned trans-stilbenoid vinyl-benzene-1,2-diol with benzene, naphthalene, anthracene, and pyrene showed that the extended conjugated systems retained the amyloid targeting properties of the probes. Furthermore, both the anthracene and pyrene moieties extensively enhanced the fluorescence intensity and prolonged lifetimes. These attractive probe properties should improve amyloid detection and characterization by fluorescence-based techniques.

Accumulation of misfolded transthyretin (TTR) as amyloid fibrils causes various human disorders. Native transthyretin is a neurotrophic protein and is a putative extracellular molecular chaperone. Several fluorophores have been shown in vitro to bind selectively to native TTR. Other compounds, such as thioflavin T, bind TTR amyloid fibrils. The probe 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonate (ANS) binds to both native and fibrillar TTR, becoming highly fluorescent, but with indistinguishable emission spectra for native and fibrillar TTR. Herein we report our efforts to develop a fluorescent small molecule capable of binding both native and misfolded protofibrillar TTR, providing distinguishable emission spectra. We used microwave synthesis for efficient production of a small library of trans-stilbenes and fluorescence spectral screening of their binding properties. We synthesized and tested 22 trans-stilbenes displaying a variety of functional groups. We successfully developed two naphthyl-based trans-stilbenes probes that detect both TTR states at physiological concentrations. The compounds bound with nanomolar to micromolar affinities and displayed distinct emission maxima upon binding native or misfolded protofibrillar TTR (>100 nm difference). The probes were mainly responsive to environment polarity providing evidence for the divergent hydrophobic structure of the binding sites of these protein conformational states. Furthermore, we were able to successfully use one of these probes to quantify the relative amounts of native and protofibrillar TTR in a dynamic equilibrium. In conclusion, we identified two trans-stilbene-based fluorescent probes, (E)-4-(2-(naphthalen-1-yl)vinyl)benzene-1,2-diol (11) and (E)-4-(2-(naphthalen-2-yl)vinyl)benzene-1,2-diol (14), that bind native and protofibrillar TTR, providing a wide difference in emission maxima allowing conformational discrimination by fluorescence spectroscopy. We expect these novel molecules to serve as important chemical biology research tools in studies of TTR folding and misfolding.

Voltage-gated ion channels generate cellular excitability, cause diseases when mutated, and act as drug targets in hyperexcitability diseases, such as epilepsy, cardiac arrhythmia and pain. Unfortunately, many patients do not satisfactorily respond to the present-day drugs. We found that the naturally occurring resin acid dehydroabietic acid (DHAA) is a potent opener of a voltage-gated K channel and thereby a potential suppressor of cellular excitability. DHAA acts via a non-traditional mechanism, by electrostatically activating the voltage-sensor domain, rather than directly targeting the ion-conducting pore domain. By systematic iterative modifications of DHAA we synthesized 71 derivatives and found 32 compounds more potent than DHAA. The most potent compound, Compound 77, is 240 times more efficient than DHAA in opening a K channel. This and other potent compounds reduced excitability in dorsal root ganglion neurons, suggesting that resin-acid derivatives can become the first members of a new family of drugs with the potential for treatment of hyperexcitability diseases.

Gold nanoparticles coated with fucoidan-mimetic glycopolymers were synthesized that displayed good colloidal stability and promising anti-cancer properties. Fucoidan mimetic glycopolymers on their own were nontoxic, while glycopolymer coated gold nanoparticles displayed selective cytotoxicity to human colon cancer cell lines (HCT116) while it was non-toxic to mouse fibroblast cells (NIH3T3).

Water-soluble conducting polymers are of interest to enable more versatile processing in aqueous media as well as to facilitate interactions with biomolecules. Here, we report a substituted poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) derivative (PEDOT-S:H) that is fully water-soluble and selfdoped. When electrochemically oxidizing a PEDOT-S:H thin film, the film detaches from the under-laying electrode. The oxidation of PEDOT-S:H starts with an initial phase of swelling followed by cracking before it finally disrupts and detaches from the electrode. We investigated the detachment mechanism and found that parameters such as the size, charge and concentration of ions in the electrolyte, the temperature and also the pH influence the characteristics of detachment. When oxidizing PEDOT-S:H, the positively charged polymer backbone is balanced by anions from the electrolyte solution and also by the sulphonate groups on the side chains (more self-doping). From our experiments, we conclude that detachment of the PEDOT-S:H film upon oxidation occurs in part due to swelling caused by an inflow of solvated anions and associated water, and in part due to rearrangements and strain within the film, caused by more self-doping. We believe that PEDOT-S:H detachment can be of interest in a number of different applications, including addressed and active control of the release of materials such as biomolecules and cell cultures.

The sulfated marine polysaccharide fucoidan has been reported to have health benefits ranging from antivirus and anticancer properties to modulation of high blood pressure. Hence, they could enhance the biological function of materials for biomedical applications. However, the incorporation of fucoidan into biomaterials has been difficult, possibly due to its complex structure and lack of suitable functional groups for covalent anchoring to biomaterials. We have developed an approach for a rapid synthesis of fucoidanmimetic glycopolymer chains through cyanoxyl-mediated free-radical polymerization, a method suitable for chain-end functionalizing and subsequent linkage to biomaterials. The resulting sulfated and nonsulfated methacrylamido alpha-L-fucoside glycopolymers fucoidan-mimetic properties were studied in HSV-1 infection and platelet activation assays. The sulfated glycopolymer showed similar properties to natural fucoidan in inducing platelet activation and inhibiting HSV-1 binding and entry to cells, thus indicating successful syntheses of fucoidan-mimetic glycopolymers.

In the context of surface chemistry for affinity biosensor chips, it is widely accepted that uniform orientation of the immobilized recognition element (ligand) is preferred over random orientation. However, this assumption has often been based on studies where differences in ligand immobilization level have not been taken into account. In this contribution, we present a novel two-step method for homogenous orientation and covalent attachment of proteins to sensing surfaces, called Chelation Assisted Photoimmobilization (CAP). Careful quantification of the effect of ligand orientation on analyte responses was performed by comparing this strategy to immobilization by conventional amine coupling.

 In CAP, the chelation agent is nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) which chelates Ni²⁺. A His-tagged ligand forms an oriented assembly when binding Ni²⁺-NTA and is then covalently bound to the surface via photolabile benzophenone (BP), which attacks C-H bonds upon UV light activation. We relied on a surface chemistry based on self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEG)-containing alkanethiolates on gold. Alkanethiols terminated with either NTA, BP or OEG were synthesized and mixed SAMs were characterized by infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRAS), ellipsometry and contact angle goniometry. IRAS was also used to quantify ligand immobilization levels obtained either by CAP or by amine coupling via the carboxyl groups of an NTA-presenting surface. The model ligand was human IgG-Fc modified with a C-terminal 6xHis-tag and the analyte was Protein A. The ligand-analyte interaction was quantified by a surface plasmon resonance biosensor.

 Analyte responses were normalized with respect to the ligand amounts obtained by the two immobilization strategies. Interestingly, the normalized analyte response with randomly oriented ligand was >2 times higher than that with ligand immobilized by CAP. This shows that oriented ligand immobilization is not necessarily a means of increasing the sensitivity of a biosensor. Factors that may influence performance include the valency of the ligand and constraints related to the surface chemistry used for orientation.

This report presents a novel method for uniform orientation and covalent attachment of proteins to sensing surfaces, termed Chelation Assisted Photoimmobilization (CAP). Alkanethiols terminated with either nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), benzophenone (BP) or oligo(ethylene glycol) were synthesized and mixed self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) were prepared on gold and thoroughly characterized by infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRAS), ellipsometry and contact angle goniometry. In the process of CAP, NTA chelates Ni²⁺ and the complex coordinates a His-tagged ligand in an oriented assembly. The ligand is then photoimmobilized via BP, which forms covalent bonds upon UV light activation. The CAP concept was demonstrated using human IgG-Fc modified with C-terminal hexahistidine tags (His-IgGFc) as the ligand and protein A as the analyte.

In the development of affinity biosensors, uniform orientation of ligand molecules where all analyte binding sites are accessible is often preferred to random orientation. In order to monitor the effect of ligand orientation on analyte response, the ligand-analyte interaction was quantified by surface plasmon resonance analysis, both in the case of CAP and when the ligand was attached by conventional amine coupling on surfaces presenting NTA. Responses were adjusted for differences in ligand immobilization level using IRAS. The normalized analyte response with randomly oriented ligand was 2.5 times higher than that with ligand immobilized by CAP, probably due to molecular crowding effects on the surface and the fact that His-IgGFc is bivalent for protein A. This is a reminder that many other factors than orientation alone may play a decisive role in analyte binding on biosensor surfaces.

Fluorescent probes identifying protein aggregates are of great interest, as deposition of aggregated proteins is associated with many devastating diseases. Here, we report that a fluorescent amyloid ligand composed of two distinct molecular moieties, an amyloidophilic pentameric oligothiophene and a porphyrin, can be utilized for spectral and lifetime imaging assessment of recombinant A 1-42 amyloid fibrils and A deposits in brain tissue sections from a transgenic mouse model with Alzheimers disease pathology. The enhanced spectral range and distinct lifetime diversity of this novel oligothiopheneporphyrin-based ligand allow a more precise assessment of heterogeneous amyloid morphology compared with the corresponding oligothiophene dye.

A novel strategy for site-specific and covalent attachment of proteins has been developed, intended for robust and controllable immobilization of histidine (His)-tagged ligands in protein microarrays. The method is termed chelation assisted photoimmobilization (CAP) and was demonstrated using human IgG-Fc modified with C-terminal hexahistidines (His-IgGFc) as the ligand and protein A as the analyte. Alkanethiols terminated with either nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), benzophenone (BP); or oligo(ethylene glycol) were synthesized and mixed self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) were prepared on gold and thoroughly characterized by infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRAS), ellipsometry, and contact angle goniometry. In the process of CAP, NTA chelates Ni2+ and the complex coordinates the His-tagged ligand in an oriented assembly. The ligand is then photoimmobilized via BP, which forms covalent bonds upon UV light activation. In the development of affinity biosensors and protein microarrays, site-specific attachment of ligands in a fashion where analyte binding sites are available is often preferred to random coupling. Analyte binding performance of ligands immobilized either by CAP or by standard amine coupling was characterized by surface plasmon resonance in combination with IRAS. The relative analyte response with randomly coupled ligand was 2.5 times higher than when site-specific attachment was used. This is a reminder that also when immobilizing ligands via residues far from the binding site, there are many other factors influencing availability and activity. Still, CAP provides a valuable expansion of protein immobilization techniques since it offers attractive microarraying possibilities amenable to applications within proteomics.

The ability to produce monomolecular coatings with well-defined structural and functional properties is of key importance in biosensing, drug delivery, and many recently developed applications of nanotechnology. Organic chemistry has proven to be a powerful tool to achieve this in many research areas. Herein, we present the synthesis of three oligo(lactosides) glycosylated in a (1 → 3) manner, and which are further functionalized with amide-linked short alkanethiol spacers. The oligosaccharides (di-, tetra-, and hexasaccharide) originate from the inexpensive and readily available lactose disaccharide. These thiolated derivatives were immobilized onto gold surfaces, and the thus formed self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on planar gold were characterized by wettability, ellipsometry and infrared reflection–absorption spectroscopy. Further, the ability of these SAMs to stabilize gold nanoparticles in saline solutions was also demonstrated, indicating that the oligosaccharides may be used as stabilizing agents in gold nanoparticle-based assays.

When cross-linking biomolecules to surfaces or to other biomolecules, the use of appropriate spacer molecules is of great importance. Mimicking the naturally occurring spacer molecules will give further insight into their role and function, possibly unveil important issues regarding the importance of the specificity of carbohydrate-based anchor moieties, in e.g., glycoproteins and glycosylphosphatidylinositols. Herein, we present the synthesis of a lactoside-based trisaccharide, potentially suitable as a heterobifunctional bioorthogonal linker molecule whereon valuable chemical handles have been conjugated. An amino-derivative having thiol functionality shows promise as novel SPR-surfaces. Furthermore, the trisaccharide has been conjugated to a cholesterol moiety in combination with a fluorophore which successfully assemble on the cell surface in lipid microdomains, possibly lipid-rafts. Finally, a CuI-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction (CuAAC) confirms the potential use of oligosaccharides as bioorthogonal linkers in chemical biology.

The aim of this work is to extend the knowledge of the mechanism of electropolymerization of pyrrole and PEDOT-S by means of in situ electrochemical quartz microbalance with dissipation studies (EQCM-D), which allow us to evaluate the chemical and physical processes during electrochemical deposition of these conductive polymer composites. Meanwhile, the relationship between the morphology of the films and the mechanism of the electropolymerization of pyrrole in presence of PEDOT-S will be discussed. The resulting material is electroactive, black and conducting. This material is a polymer composite where doped polypyrrole chains are found in an environment of doped PEDOT-S chains. They can be identified through the cyclic voltammetry studies of the composite, through element composition and through their optical signatures in electrochromism. The composite has properties suitable for a supercapacitor electrode, and capacitance of up to 650 F/g has been obtained.

Two series of oligo (ethylene glycol) (OEG) thiol compounds HS-(CH₂CH₂O)_nR with R = CH₃, H and n = 5, 6, 7, have been synthesized and used to form self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on gold. The data from null ellipsometry, infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy and ab initio calculations of this type of OH- and CH₃-terminated OEG SAMs are used to examine the rarely addressed in-SAM orientation of oligo (ethylene glycols) and to provide detailed assignments of infrared bands in the fingerprint and CH-stretching regions. Based on these results, a new spectral band has been observed at 2947 cm^-1 and identified by the firstprinciple calculations as localized vibrations that are specific for hydrogen-terminated OEG thiolate SAMs. This band can be used as an indicator of a high crystalline like ordering. It is further more stressed that theory agrees with the experimentally obtained CH-stretching spectra remarkably well if, and only if, the OEG helix axis within studied SAMs is tilted by about 20^o with respect to the surface normal.

The synthesis of four bifunctionalized orthogonally N-protected oligosaccharides derived from lactose and mannose, intended as cross-linking derivatives, is described. The amino sugar at the non-reducing end is derivatized with an N-Boc-protected glycine moiety, and further connected to either a mannose (1→6) disaccharide or (1→3) lactose units (one, two or three) resulting in tri-, penta-, or heptasaccharides. All of the synthesized oligosaccharides have an Nbenzyloxycarbonyl-aminoethyl residue at the reducing end. The fully orthogonal N-Boc/N-Cbz protection group pattern enables further conjugation/derivatization and results in a hydrophilic cross-linking molecule. It was found that the order of the final synthetic steps were crucial to avoid acyl migration. A suitable amide coupling protocol has been applied to introduce the NBoc-protected glycine moiety in alcoholic solvent. The synthesized oligosaccharides will provide a model system to investigate the influence of length, structure and flexibility. The function of the cross-linked substituents thereby provide valuable insights into the role as a spacer molecule.

An electronic detachment technology based on thin films of a poly(3,4-ethylene-dioxythiophene) derivative is evaluated for controlled release of human epithelial cells. When applying a potential of 1 V, the redox-responsive polymer films detach and disintegrate and at the same time release cells cultured on top in the absence of any enzymatic treatment with excellent preservation of membrane proteins and cell viability.

The ability of fabricating surfaces with low non-specific protein adhesion is of great interest in material science. Studies have shown that self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) covered with carbohydrates moieties have protein resistant characteristics and even marine anti-fouling properties.[1,2]The presented results describe the synthesis of oligosaccharides originating from lactose and mannose. We have also set out to investigate if these orthogonally protected oligosaccharides can be used as spacer molecules and their performance in protein adsorption studies. Using the selected divergence enables incorporation into various surface systems e.g. gold nanoparticles, vesicles or as a conjugate between different macromolecules.

[1] Hederos, M.; Konradsson, P.; Liedberg, B.; Langmuir, 2005, 21, 2971-2980.[2] Fyrner, T.; Konradsson, P.; et. al.; Submitted, 2010.

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of galactoside-terminated alkanethiols have protein-resistance properties which can be tuned via the degree of methylation [Langmuir 2005, 21, 2971-2980]. Specifically, a partially methylated compound was more resistant to nonspecific protein adsorption than the hydroxylated or fully methylated counterparts. We investigate whether this also holds true for resistance to the attachment and adhesion of a range of marine species, in order to clarify to what extent resistance to protein adsorption correlates with the more complex adhesion of fouling organisms. The partially methylated galactoside-terminated SAM was further compared to a mixed monolayer of omega-substituted methyl- and hydroxyl-terminated alkanethiols with wetting properties and surface ratio of hydroxyl to methyl groups matching that of the galactoside. The settlement (initial attachment) and adhesion strength of four model marine fouling organisms were investigated, representing both micro- and macrofoulers; two bacteria (Cobetia marina and Marinobacter hydrocarbonoclasticus), barnacle cypris larvae (Balanus amphitrite), and algal zoospores (Ulva linza). The minimum in protein adsorption onto the partially methylated galactoside surface was partly reproduced in the marine fouling assays, providing some support for a relationship between protein resistance and adhesion of marine fouling organisms. The mixed alkanethiol SAM, which was matched in wettability to the partially methylated galactoside SAM, consistently showed higher settlement (initial attachment) of test organisms than the galactoside, implying that both wettability and surface chemistry are insufficient to explain differences in fouling resistance. We suggest that differences in the structure of interfacial water may explain the variation in adhesion to these SAMs.

We describe the synthesis of a series of mono-, di-, and trisaccharide-functionalized alkanethiols as well as the formation of fouling-resistant self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) from these. The SAls,,Is were characterized using ellipsometry, wetting measurements, and infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (WAS). We show that the structure of the carbohydrate moiety affects the packing density and that this also alters the alkane chain organization. Upon increasing the size of the sugar moieties (from mono- to di- and trisaccharides), the structural qualities of the monolayers deteriorated with increasing disorder, and for the trisaccharide, slow reorganization dynamics in response to changes in the environmental polarity were observed. The antifouling properties of these SAMs were investigated through protein adsorption experiments from buffer solutions as well as settlement (attachment) tests using two common marine fouling species, zoospores of the green macroalga Ulva linza and cypris larvae of the barnacle Balanus amphitrite. The SAMs showed overall good resistance to fouling by both the proteins and the tested marine organisms. To improve the packing density of the SAMs with bulky headgroups, we employed mixed SAMs where the saccharide-thiols are diluted with a filler molecule having a small 2-hydroxyethyl headgroup. This method also provides a means by which the steric availability of sugar moieties can be varied, which is of interest for specific interaction studies with surface-bound sugars. The results of the surface dilution study and the low nonspecific adsorption onto the SAMs both indicate the feasibility of this approach.

Protein aggregation is associated with a wide range of diseases, and molecular probes that are able to detect a diversity of misfolded protein assemblies are of great importance. The identification of prefibrillar states preceding the formation of well-defined amyloid fibrils is of particular interest both because of their likely role in the mechanism of fibril formation and because of the growing awareness that these species are likely to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of protein deposition diseases. Herein, we explore the use of an anionic oligothiophene derivative, p-FTAA, for detection of prefibrillar protein aggregates during in vitro fibrillation of three different amyloidogenic proteins (insulin, lysozyme, and prion protein). p-FTAA generally detected prefibrillar protein aggregates that could not be detected by thioflavine T fluorescence and in addition showed high fluorescence when bound to mature fibrils. Second, the kinetics of protein aggregation or the formation of amyloid fibrils of insulin was not extensively influenced by the presence of various concentrations of p-FTAA. These results establish the use of p-FTAA as an additional tool for studying the process of protein aggregation.

Conjugated organic nanowires have been prepared by co-assembling a carboxylate containing low-molecular weight gelator (LMWG) and an amino acid substituted polythiophene derivative (PTT). Upon introducing the zwitterionic polyelectrolyte PTT to a basic molecular solution of the organogelator, the negative charges on the LMWG are compensated by the positive charges of the PTT. As a result, nanowires form through co-assembly. These nanowires are visualized by both transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Depending on the concentration and ratio of the components these nanowires can be micrometers long. These measurements further suggest that the aggregates adopt a helical conformation. The morphology of these nanowires are studied with fluorescent confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The interactions between LMWG and PTT are characterized by steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy studies. The steady-state spectra indicate that the backbone of the PTT adopts a more planar and more aggregated conformation when interacting with LMWG. The time-resolved fluorescence decay studies confirm this interpretation.

Olfaction may play an important role in regulating bird behavior, and has been suggested to be involved in feather-pecking. We investigated possible differences in the body odors of red junglefowl females by using an automated olfactometer which assessed the ability of trained mice to discriminate between the odors of uropygial gland secretions (the main carrier of potential individual odors in chickens) of six feather-pecked and six non-pecked birds. All mice were clearly able to discriminate between all individual red junglefowl odors, showing that each bird has an individual body odor. We analyzed whether it was more difficult to discriminate between the odors of two feather-pecked, or two non-pecked birds, than it was to discriminate between the odors of two randomly selected birds. This was not the case, suggesting that feather-pecked birds did not share a common odor signature. Analyses using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry showed that the composition of aliphatic carboxylic acids in uropygial gland secretions differed consistently between individuals. However, chemical composition did not vary according to feather-pecking status. We conclude that red junglefowl have individual body odors which appear to be largely based on differences in the relative abundance of aliphatic carboxylic acids, but there is no evidence of systematic differences between the body odors of pecked and non-pecked birds.