Esterase-triggered fluorescence of fluorogenic oligonucleotides

Thiol-responsive pro-fluorophore labeling: Synthesis of a pro-fluorescent labeled oligonucleotide for monitoring cellular uptake

Pro-fluorescent labeled oligonucleotides are potential alternative tools to classical fluorescently labeled oligonucleotides for monitoring cellular uptake. Here, we report the design and synthesis of a thiol-responsive pro-fluorophore labeled oligonucleotide, and its fluorescence responsivity to glutathione in the test tube and live cells.

A Thioacetal Photocage Designed for Dual Release: Application in the Quantitation of Therapeutic Release by Synchronous Reporter Decaging

Despite the immense potential of existing photocaging technology, its application is limited by the paucity of advanced caging tools. Here, we report on the design of a novel thioacetal ortho-nitrobenzaldehyde (TNB) dual arm photocage that enabled control of the simultaneous release of two payloads linked to a single TNB unit. By using this cage, which was prepared in a single step from commercial 6-nitroverataldehyde, three drug-fluorophore conjugates were synthesized: Taxol-TNB-fluorescein, Taxol-TNB-coumarin, and doxorubicin-TNB-coumarin, and long-wavelength UVA light-triggered release experiments demonstrated that dual payload release occurred with rapid decay kinetics for each conjugate. In cell-based assays performed in vitro, dual release could also be controlled by UV exposure, resulting in increased cellular fluorescence and cytotoxicity with potency equal to that of unmodified drug towards the KB carcinoma cell line. The extent of such dual release was quantifiable by reporter fluorescence measured in situ and was found to correlate with the extent of cytotoxicity. Thus, this novel dual arm cage strategy provides a valuable tool that enables both active control and real-time monitoring of drug activation at the delivery site.

Dexamethasone-pDMAEMA polymeric conjugates reduce inflammatory biomarkers in human intestinal epithelial monolayers

The mucoadhesive polymer, poly(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate, (pDMAEMA), was synthesised by living radical polymerisation and subsequently conjugated by quaternisation reaction to a functionalised anti-inflammatory corticosteroid dexamethasone, to separately yield two conjugates with either 9:1 or 18:1 molar ratios of dexamethasone:polymer respectively. The hypothesis was to test whether the active agent maintained in vitro bioactivity when exposed to the apical side of human intestinal epithelial monolayers, Caco-2 and mucus-covered HT29-MTX-E12 (E12). HPLC analysis indicated high conjugate purity. Similar to pDMAEMA, fluorescently-labelled dexamethasone-pDMAEMA conjugates were bioadhesive to Caco-2 and mucoadhesive to E12. Apical addition of conjugates suppressed mRNA expression of the inflammatory markers, NURR1 and ICAM-1 in E12 following stimulation by PGE(2) and TNF-alpha, respectively. Conjugates also suppressed TNF-alpha stimulated cytokine secretion to the basolateral side of Caco-2 monolayers. Measurement of dexamethasone permeability from conjugates across monolayers suggested that conjugation reduced permeability compared to free dexamethasone. LDH assay indicated that conjugates were not cytotoxic to monolayers. Anti-inflammatory agents can therefore be successfully conjugated to polymers and they retain adhesion and bioactivity and have potential to be formulated for topical administration.

Membrane permeable esterase-activated fluorescent imaging probe

An esterase-triggered probe 2 derived from a cyanine-based pH sensitive dye was developed for cell labeling. Permeation of probe 2 into cells and subsequent hydrolytic activation by cellular esterases result in a bright fluorescent intracellular signal.

Fluorogenic label for biomolecular imaging

Traditional small-molecule fluorophores are always fluorescent. This attribute can obscure valuable information in biological experiments. Here, we report on a versatile "latent" fluorophore that overcomes this limitation. At the core of the latent fluorophore is a derivative of rhodamine in which one nitrogen is modified as a urea. That modification enables rhodamine to retain half of its fluorescence while facilitating conjugation to a target molecule. The other nitrogen of rhodamine is modified with a "trimethyl lock", which enables fluorescence to be unmasked fully by a single user-designated chemical reaction. An esterase-reactive latent fluorophore was synthesized in high yield and attached covalently to a cationic protein. The resulting conjugate was not fluorescent in the absence of esterases. The enzymatic activity of esterases in endocytic vesicles and the cytosol educed fluorescence, enabling the time-lapse imaging of endocytosis into live human cells and thus providing unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution of this process. The modular design of this "fluorogenic label" enables the facile synthesis of an ensemble of small-molecule probes for the illumination of numerous biochemical and cell biological processes.

Direct MALDI-TOF MS analysis of oligonucleotides on solid support through a photolabile linker

MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry was used to analyze oligonucleotides still anchored to long-chain alkylamine controlled-pore glass (LCAA-CPG) through a photolabile linker. This technique is useful to follow supported chemical reactions in real time and monitor by-products formation.

Chemical and enzymatic synthesis of fructose analogues as probes for import studies by the hexose transporter in parasites

Various D-fructose analogues modified at C-1 or C-6 positions were synthesized from D-glucose by taking advantage of the Amadori rearrangement or using the aldol condensation between dihydroxyacetone phosphate and appropriate aldehyde catalyzed by fructose 1,6-diphosphate aldolase from rabbit muscle. The affinities of the analogues for the glucose transporter expressed in the mammalian form of Trypanosoma brucei were determined by inhibition of radiolabelled 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DOG) transport using zero-trans kinetic analysis. Interestingly, the analogues bearing an aromatic group (i.e. a fluorescence marker) at C-1 or C-6 positions present comparable apparent affinities to D-fructose for the transporter. This result could find applications for hexose transport studies and also provides criteria for the design of glucose import inhibitors.