Phytocannabinoids like ∆(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) show a beneficial effect on neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative processes through cell membrane cannabinoid receptor (CBr)-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Natural and synthetic cannabinoids also target the nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ), an attractive molecular target for the treatment of neuroinflammation. As part of a study on the SAR of phytocannabinoids, we have investigated the effect of the oxidation modification in the resorcinol moiety of cannabigerol (CBG) on CB(1), CB(2) and PPARγ binding affinities, identifying cannabigerol quinone (VCE-003) as a potent anti-inflammatory agent. VCE-003 protected neuronal cells from excitotoxicity, activated PPARγ transcriptional activity and inhibited the release of pro-inflammatory mediators in LPS-stimulated microglial cells. Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) model of multiple sclerosis (MS) was used to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of this compound in vivo. Motor function performance was evaluated and the neuroinflammatory response and gene expression pattern in brain and spinal cord were studied by immunostaining and qRT-PCR. We found that VCE-003 ameliorated the symptoms associated to TMEV infection, decreased microglia reactivity and modulated the expression of genes involved in MS pathophysiology. These data lead us to consider VCE-003 to have high potential for drug development against MS and perhaps other neuroinflammatory diseases.

Unprecedented fast and efficient complexation of Sc was demonstrated with the chelating agent AAZTA (AAZTA=1,4-bis(carboxymethyl)-6-[bis(carboxymethyl)]amino-6-methylperhydro-1,4-diazepine) under mild experimental conditions. The robustness of the Sc(AAZTA) chelate and conjugated biomolecules thereof is further shown by in vivo PET imaging in healthy and tumor mice models. The new results pave the way towards development of efficient Sc-based radiopharmaceuticals using the AAZTA chelator.

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OBETA, OBETA, you bet: Thermodynamic and kinetic measurements show an apparent paradox. The stability of complexes of lanthanide trivalent ions is higher with the heptadentate ligand OBETA (ethylene glycol-bis(2-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid) than with its octadentate homologue EGTA (2,2'-oxybis(ethylamine)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid). The unusual properties of Gd(OBETA)(-) (see structure), combined with the presence of two fast exchanging coordinated water molecules, candidates this complex as an MRI contrast agent.

N-Substituted aminoethyl groups were attached to 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7-triacetic acid (DO3A) with the aim to design pH-responsive Ln(III) complexes based on the pH-dependent on/off ligation of the amine nitrogen to the metal ion. The following ligands were synthesized: AE-DO3A (aminoethyl-DO3A), MAE-DO3A (N-methylaminoethyl-DO3A), DMAE-DO3A (N,N-dimethylaminoethyl-DO3A) and MEM-AE-DO3A (N-methoxyethyl-N-methylaminoethyl-DO3A). The physicochemical properties of the Ln(III) complexes were investigated for the evaluation of their potential applicability as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents. In particular, a (1) H and (17) O NMR relaxometric study was carried out for these Gd(III) complexes at two different pH values: at basic pH (pendant amino group coordinated to the metal centre) and at acidic pH (protonated amine, not interacting with the metal ion). Eu(III) complexes allow one to estimate the number of inner-sphere water molecules through luminescence lifetime measurements and obtain some structural information through variable-temperature (VT) high-resolution (1) H NMR studies. Equilibria between differently hydrated species were found for most of the complexes at both acidic and basic pH. The thermodynamic stability of Ca(II) , Zn(II) , Cu(II) and Ln(III) complexes and kinetics of formation and dissociation reactions of Ln(III) complexes of AE-DO3A and DMAE-DO3A were investigated showing stabilities comparable to currently approved Gd(III) -based CAs. In detail, higher total basicity (Σlog Ki (H) ) and higher stability constants of Ln(III) complexes were found for AE-DO3A with respect to DMAE-DO3A (i.e., log KGd-AE-DO3A =22.40 and log KGd-DMAE-DO3A =20.56). The transmetallation reactions of Gd(III) complexes are very slow (Gd-AE-DO3A: t1/2 =2.7×10(4)  h; Gd-DMAE-DO3A: 1.1×10(5)  h at pH 7.4 and 298 K) and occur through proton-assisted dissociation.