Matrix metalloproteinases are enzymes that degrade the extracellular matrix. They have different substrates but similar structural organization. Matrix metalloproteinases are involved in many physiological and pathological processes and there is a need to develop inhibitors for these enzymes in order to modulate the degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM). There exist two classes of inhibitors: endogenous and synthetics. The development of synthetic inhibitors remains a great challenge due to the low selectivity and specificity, side effects in clinical trials, and instability. An extensive review of currently reported synthetic inhibitors and description of their properties is presented.

A B S T R A C TA library of 1-(1′,2,3,3′,4,4′,6-hepta-O-acetyl-6′-deoxy-sucros-6′-yl)-1,2,3-triazoles have been investigated for their antibacterial, antifungal and cytotoxic activities. Most of the target compounds showed good inhibitory activity against a variety of clinically and food contaminant important microbial pathogens. In particular, 1-(1′,2,3,3′,4,4′,6-hepta-O-acetyl-6′-deoxy-sucros-6′-yl)-4-(4-pentylphenyl)-1,2,3-triazole (5) was highly active against all the tested bacteria with minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging between 1.1 and 4.4 μM and bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) from 2.2 and 8.4 μM. The compound 1-(1′,2,3,3′,4,4′,6-hepta-O-acetyl-6′-deoxy-sucros-6′-yl)-4-(4-bromophenyl)-1,2,3-triazole (3) showed antifungal activity with MICs from 0.6 to 4.8 μM and minimal fungicidal concentrations (MFCs) ranging between 1.2 and 8.9 μM. Furthermore, some of the compounds possessed moderate cytotoxicity against human breast, lung, cervical and hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines, without showing toxicity for nontumor liver cells. The above mentioned derivatives represent promising leads for the development of new generation of sugar-triazole antifungal agents.

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1',2,3,3',4,4',6-Hepta-O-benzyl-sucrose has been prepared and selectively 6'-O-esterified with small alpha,beta-unsaturated acid derivatives. New chiral copolymers containing sucrose have been synthesized by radical polymerization, and some of their physical properties have been determined.