Proteins often possess highly specific biological activities that make them potential therapeutics, but their physical and chemical instabilities during formulation, storage, and delivery have limited their medical use. Therefore, engineering of nano-sized vehicles to stabilize protein therapeutics and to allow for targeted treatment of complex diseases, such as cancer, is of considerable interest. A micelle-like nanoparticle (NP) was designed for both, tumor targeting and stimulus-triggered release of the apoptotic protein cytochrome c (Cyt c). This system is composed of a Cyt c NP stabilized by a folate-receptor targeting amphiphilic copolymer (FA-PEG-PLGA) attached to Cyt c through a redox-sensitive bond. FA-PEG-PLGA-S-S-Cyt c NPs exhibited excellent stability under extracellular physiological conditions, whereas once in the intracellular reducing environment, Cyt c was released from the conjugate. Under the same conditions, the folate-decorated NP reduced folate receptor positive HeLa cell viability to 20% while the same complex without FA only reduced it to 80%. Confocal microscopy showed that the FA-PEG-PLGA-S-S-Cyt c NPs were internalized by HeLa cells and were capable of endosomal escape. The specificity of the folate receptor-mediated internalization was confirmed by the lack of uptake by two folate receptor deficient cell lines: A549 and NIH-3T3. Finally, the potential as anti-tumor therapy of our folate-decorated Cyt c-based NPs was confirmed with an in vivo brain tumor model. In conclusion, we were able to create a stable, selective, and smart nanosized Cyt c delivery system.

A highly convergent [2+2+2] cyclotrimerization approach to anthracenes and 2-azaanthracenes has been developed. It allows for the facile introduction of the anthracene moiety on alkyne and nitrile bearing molecules and the rapid construction of compound arrays. This is showcased in the assembly of a collection of fluorophores and their photochemical evaluation.

In this study, we identified the proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT) as a route for targeted delivery of drugs to some gliomas. Using the techniques of confocal imaging, quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and small interfering (siRNA) knockdown against the PCFT, we demonstrated that Gl261 and A172 glioma cells, but not U87 and primary cultured astrocytes, express the PCFT, which provides selective internalization of folic acid (FA)-conjugated cytochrome c-containing nanoparticles (FA-Cyt c NPs), followed by cell death. The FA-Cyt c NPs (100 µg/mL), had no cytotoxic effects in astrocytes but caused death in glioma cells, according to their level of expression of PCFT. Whole-cell patch clamp recording revealed FA-induced membrane currents in FA-Cyt c NPs-sensitive gliomas, that were reduced by siRNA PCFT knockdown in a similar manner as by application of FA-Cyt c NPs, indicating that the PCFT is a route for internalization of FA-conjugated NPs in these glioma cells. Analysis of human glioblastoma specimens revealed that at least 25% of glioblastomas express elevated level of either PCFT or folate receptor (FOLR1). We conclude that the PCFT provides a mechanism for targeted delivery of drugs to some gliomas as a starting point for the development of efficient methods for treating gliomas with high expression of PCFT and/or FOLR1.

The enantioselective synthesis of polypropionates continues to be an attractive realm for the synthetic chemists mostly due to the challenges presented by the number of consecutive stereogenic centers contained within the aliphatic chain. Over the years, our laboratory has developed an epoxide-based three-step reiterative methodology for the construction of these targets, with the ultimate goal that the approach could be extended to the synthesis of polypropionate-containing natural products. The key steps include the diastereoselective epoxidation of allylic and homoallylic alcohols, and the regioselective cleavage of 2-methyl-3,4-epoxy alcohols. The choice of the organometallic reagent, and the cis/trans geometry of the chiral epoxide can be used to control both the relative and absolute configuration of the resulting propionate unit, allowing our approach to be applied in the synthesis of advanced fragments. Additionally, the combination of our first- and second-generation methodologies permits the incorporation of different variations at the methyl moiety.

The title compound, C20H42O3S2Si, crystallized with two independent mol­ecules (A and B) in the asymmetric unit. They consist of syn,anti,anti-stereo­tetrads with a 1,3-di­thiane motif and a primary alcohol protected as the triisopropyl silyl ether. The 1,3-di­thiane ring adopts a chair conformation, while the rest of each mol­ecule displays a common zigzag conformation. There is an intra­molecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bond in each mol­ecule. In the crystal, the A and B mol­ecules are linked via O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming –A–B–A--B-- chains along [010]. The absolute structure was determined by resonant scattering (anomalous scattering) [Flack parameter = 0.035 (8)].