| 1. |
- Arja, Katriann, 1985-
(författare)
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Multimodal Porphyrin-Based Conjugates : Synthesis and characterization for applications as amyloid ligands, photodynamic therapy agents and chiroptical materials
- 2018
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Organic compounds that interact both with certain biological targets and display specific photophysical properties can be utilized as molecular tools to visualize and possibly effect disease related processes taking place in living organisms. In this regard, porphyrins are a class of naturally occurring molecules that possess intriguingly interesting photophysical properties where they can act as luminescent probes by emitting detectable light, as well as photosensitizers in the light mediated therapy called photodynamic therapy. In this thesis, the porphyrin structure has been synthetically combined with other molecule classes to achieve compounds with desirable multimodal characteristics.Firstly, luminescent conjugated oligothiophenes (LCOs) that have extensively, and with great success, been utilized as fluorescent ligands for amyloid formations, have been conjugated to porphyrins to render oligothiophene porphyrin hybrids (OTPHs) comprising two optically active modalities. When applied as fluorescent amyloidophilic dyes for visualization of amyloid-β (Aβ), one of the pathological hallmarks in Alzheimer’s disease, an enhanced optical assignment of distinct aggregated forms of Aβ was afforded. Thus, properly functionalized OTPHs could give us more information about pathological processes underlying devastating disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, the OTPHs can be associated with synthetic peptides inducing peptide folding into certain three-dimensional helical structures giving rise to novel optically active materials.Secondly, this thesis also embraces porphyrins’ potential as photosensitizers in photodynamic therapy to kill cancer cells. Grounded on the prerequisites for an optimal photosensitizer, we designed porphyrin-based conjugates equipped with common carbohydrates for improved cancer cell selectivity and with a fluorinated glucose derivative, 2-fluoro 2-deoxy glucose, for advantageous metabolism in cancer cells. Furthermore, incorporation of a radioisotopic fluorine-18 atom into the glycoporphyrins could give the means for diagnostic use of the conjugates in positron emission tomography (PET).In order to tether together the above-mentioned molecular moieties in a controlled fashion, we developed a robust synthetic strategy for asymmetrical functionalization of porphyrin core. The method involves chlorosulfonation of this otherwise inert tetrapyrrolic structure, followed by alkynylation. Parallelly to amide coupling reactions, copper(I)-catalyzed alkyne azide cycloaddition is used for fast and high-yielding late-stage conjugations. Overall, this thesis demonstrates how combining different molecular moieties in synthetic organic chemistry yields novel molecules with combined and improved multimodal properties for biological and medicinal applications, guided by the design-by-function methodology.
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| 2. |
- Barange, Deepak Kumar, et al.
(författare)
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Regio- and Stereoselective Alkylation of Pyridine-N-oxides : Synthesis of Substituted Piperidines and Pyridines
- 2016
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Ingår i: Organic Letters. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1523-7060 .- 1523-7052. ; 18:24, s. 6228-6231
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Regio- and stereoselective addition of alkyl Grignard reagents to pyridine-N-oxides gave C2-alkylated N-hydroxy-1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridines and trans-2,3-disubstituted N-hydroxy-1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridines in good to excellent yields. These intermediates were aromatized or alternatively reduced in one-pot methodologies for efficient syntheses of alkylpyridines or piperidines, respectively. These reactions have a broad substrate scope and short reaction times.
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| 3. |
- Basu, Basudeb, et al.
(författare)
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Organic Polymeric Resins Embedded with Pd NPs : Newly Designed, Efficient and Chemoselective Catalyst for Reduction of Nitrobenzenes
- 2017
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Ingår i: Current Organocatalysis. - : Bentham Science Publishers. - 2213-3372 .- 2213-3380. ; 4:1, s. 48-61
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Organic polymer supported palladium nanoparticles (NPs) are important for use as heterogeneous catalyst in various organic reactions. This works describes Pd Nps immobilized on to polystyrene-based ion-exchange resin surface for use as catalyst in the reduction of nitrobenzenes. The heterogeneous catalyst was found useful for hydrogenation of nitro group under both catalytic transfer hydrogenation (CTH) as well as by using molecular hydrogen (H2).Methods: The catalyst was prepared from Amberlite IRA 900 Cl after rinsing with formic acid (10%) and subsequent treatment with Na2PdCl4 in DMF. The resulting Pd Nps immobilized resins was designated as VersaCat Pd and used for CTH of nitrobenzenes in the presence of H-donors (sodium formate, formic acid, hydrazine hydrate) and also for hydrogenation with H2 gas. The catalyst was characterized by FT-IR, MAS-NMR, SEM, TEM and XPS and surface morphologies were studied before and after the reaction.Results: Hydrogenations of nitrobenzenes under CTH using different H-source and direct use of H2 gas were achieved successfully with good to excellent yields. Reactions were performed under mild conditions and high degree of chemoselectivity was also observed. The catalyst was recyclable, used for six consecutive runs with appreciable conversions and showed higher activity (> 3 times) in terms of metalcontent than commercially available Pd/C (10%) in the hydrogenation of nitrobenzenes using H2 gas. The TEM images showed that Pd Nps are evenly distributed with size 50-200 mm on polymeric matrices and there was no significant changes observed after the first catalytic run. However, considerable rupture of the polymeric surface occurred after six runs, as seen from SEM studies.Conclusion: The present study establishes high catalytic efficiency and chemoselectivity of the newly developed organic polystyrene-based resin-soaked Pd NPs (VersaCat Pd) in the reduction of nitrobenzenes. Both CTH and hydrogenation using H2 gas were successfully done. Interestingly, hydrazine hydrate offered excellent control over chemoselectivity under CTH conditions and allowed clean conversion from nitro to amine, while keeping a chloro substitutent unaffected. Hydrogenation using molecular H2 gave maximum TOF. Easy preparation, high efficacy, TOF, chemoselectivity, and versatile applications are notable features for this heterogeneous palladium catalyst (VersaCat Pd). These features are often required in chemical industries.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- Bäccman, Charlotte, 1973-, et al.
(författare)
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Improved resiliency and well-being among military personnel in a Swedish Naval Force after a counter-piracy operation off the coast of Somalia
- 2016
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Psychology. - : Wiley. - 0036-5564 .- 1467-9450. ; 57:4, s. 350-358
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this study was to explore: (1) how the psychological health of the members of the first European Union Naval Force (ME01) was affected by international deployment off the coast of Somalia; and (2) if and how organizational and personal factors (e.g., type of personnel category, previous experiences, and resilience) affected their psychological health and well-being post-deployment. The study had an exploratory longitudinal design, where the participants were assessed both before and after deployment (i.e., T1 and T2). The participants (n=129, 120 men, 9 women) were equally distributed between officers (n=68; 64 men, 4 women) and sailors (n=61; 56 men, 5 women). The members' average age was 31years, ranging from 20 to 61. For the majority (78%) ME01 was their first international deployment and officers were, in general, more experienced than sailors. The overall results showed that the members' reported a positive experience with improved resilience and well-being (e.g., sense of coherence). However, the result also showed that type of personnel category (i.e., officer or sailor) affected their psychological health. Why and how these differences among military personnel arise is discussed, but deserves further attention.
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| 7. |
- Cairns, Andrew G., et al.
(författare)
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Increased Brain Exposure of an Alpha-Synuclein Fibrillization Modulator by Utilization of an Activated Ester Prodrug Strategy
- 2018
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Ingår i: ACS Chemical Neuroscience. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1948-7193. ; 9:11, s. 2542-2547
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Previous work in our laboratories has identified a series of peptidomimetic 2-pyridone molecules as modulators of alpha-synuclein (α-syn) fibrillization in vitro. As a first step toward developing molecules from this scaffold as positron emission tomography imaging agents, we were interested in evaluating their blood-brain barrier permeability in nonhuman primates (NHP) in vivo. For this purpose, 2-pyridone 12 was prepared and found to accelerate α-syn fibrillization in vitro. Acid 12, and its acetoxymethyl ester analogue 14, were then radiolabeled with 11C (t1/2 = 20.4 min) at high radiochemical purity (>99%) and high specific radioactivity (>37 GBq/μmol). Following intravenous injection of each compound in NHP, a 4-fold higher radioactivity in brain was observed for [11C]14 compared to [11C]12 (0.8 vs 0.2 SUV, respectively). [11C]14 was rapidly eliminated from plasma, with [11C]12 as the major metabolic product observed by radio-HPLC. The presented prodrug approach paves the way for future development of 2-pyridones as imaging biomarkers for in vivo imaging of α-synuclein deposits in brain.
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| 8. |
- Chermenina, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Single injection of small-molecule amyloid accelerator results in cell death of nigral dopamine neurons in mice
- 2015
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Ingår i: Parkinson's Disease. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2090-8083 .- 2042-0080 .- 2373-8057. ; 1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The assembly process of a-synuclein toward amyloid fibers is linked to neurodegeneration in Parkinson´s disease. In the present study, we capitalized on the in vitro discovery of a small-molecule accelerator of a-synuclein amyloid formation and assessed its effects when injected in brains of normal mice. An accelerator and an inhibitor of a-synuclein amyloid formation, as well as vehicle only, were injected into the striatum of normal mice and follwed by behavioral evaluation, immunohistochemistry, and metabolomics up to six months later. The effects of molecules injected into the substansia nigra of normal and a-synuclein knockout mice were also analyzed. When accelerator or inhibitor was injected into the brain of normal mice no acute compound toxicity was found. However, 6 months after single striatal injection of accelerator, mice sensorimotor functions were impaired, whereas mice injected with inhibitor had no dysfunctions. Injection of accelerator (but not inhibitor or vehicle) into the substantia nigra revealed singificant loss of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive neurons after 3 months. No loss of TH-positive neurons was found in a-synuclein knock-out mice injected with accelerator intor the substantia nigra. Metabolic serum profiles from accelerator-injected normal mice matched those of newly diagnosed Parkinson´s disease patients, whereas the profiles from inhibitor-injected normal mice matched controls. Single inoculation of a small-molecule amyloid accelerator may be a new approach for studies of early events during dopamine neurodegeneration in mice.
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| 9. |
- Chorell, Erik, et al.
(författare)
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Bacterial Chaperones CsgE and CsgC Differentially Modulate Human α-Synuclein Amyloid Formation via Transient Contacts.
- 2015
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Ingår i: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203 .- 1932-6203. ; 10:10, s. e0140194-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Amyloid formation is historically associated with cytotoxicity, but many organisms produce functional amyloid fibers (e.g., curli) as a normal part of cell biology. Two E. coli genes in the curli operon encode the chaperone-like proteins CsgC and CsgE that both can reduce in vitro amyloid formation by CsgA. CsgC was also found to arrest amyloid formation of the human amyloidogenic protein α-synuclein, which is involved in Parkinson's disease. Here, we report that the inhibitory effects of CsgC arise due to transient interactions that promote the formation of spherical α-synuclein oligomers. We find that CsgE also modulates α-synuclein amyloid formation through transient contacts but, in contrast to CsgC, CsgE accelerates α-synuclein amyloid formation. Our results demonstrate the significance of transient protein interactions in amyloid regulation and emphasize that the same protein may inhibit one type of amyloid while accelerating another.
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| 10. |
- Doyle, Siamsa, et al.
(författare)
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A role for the auxin precursor anthranilic acid in root gravitropism via regulation of PIN‐FORMED protein polarity and relocalisation in Arabidopsis
- 2019
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Ingår i: New Phytologist. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0028-646X .- 1469-8137. ; 223:3, s. 1420-1432
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Distribution of auxin within plant tissues is of great importance for developmental plasticity, including root gravitropic growth. Auxin flow is directed by the subcellular polar distribution and dynamic relocalisation of auxin transporters such as the PIN‐FORMED (PIN) efflux carriers, which can be influenced by the main natural plant auxin indole‐3‐acetic acid (IAA). Anthranilic acid (AA) is an important early precursor of IAA and previously published studies with AA analogues have suggested that AA may also regulate PIN localisation.Using Arabidopsis thaliana as a model species, we studied an AA‐deficient mutant displaying agravitropic root growth, treated seedlings with AA and AA analogues and transformed lines to over‐produce AA while inhibiting its conversion to downstream IAA precursors.We showed that AA rescues root gravitropic growth in the AA‐deficient mutant at concentrations that do not rescue IAA levels. Overproduction of AA affects root gravitropism without affecting IAA levels. Treatments with, or deficiency in, AA result in defects in PIN polarity and gravistimulus‐induced PIN relocalisation in root cells.Our results revealed a previously unknown role for AA in the regulation of PIN subcellular localisation and dynamics involved in root gravitropism, which is independent of its better known role in IAA biosynthesis.
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| 11. |
- Draxler, Helena
(författare)
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Project Support i svensk socialtjänst : En genomförbarhetsstudie av ett föräldrastödsprogram för våldsutsatta föräldrar och deras barn som utvecklat beteendeproblematik
- 2017
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Projekt Support (PS) är ett föräldrastödsprogram som har utvecklats i USA för mammor och barn som utsatts för våld i nära relationer där barnen också utvecklat känslomässiga och beteendemässiga problem. Syftet med denna licentiatuppsats är att undersöka hur interventionen mottogs av behandlare och föräldrar inom ramen för svensk socialtjänst med hänsyn till skillnaderna mellan länderna.Två studier genomfördes. I den första studien (studie I) intervjuades behandlare (n 11) och mammor (n 13) från tre kommuner och Sveriges största skyddade boende om sina erfarenheter av att ge och ta emot föräldraintervention. Intervjuerna analyserades separat med hjälp av tematisk analys, vilka sedan sammanslogs i en syntes. Resultaten grupperades i sex teman, vilket indikerade initiala tvivel på interventionene och på deltagarnas egen förmåga. Teman visade också att arbetet med PS ledde till en upplevd positiv förändring av barns beteende, liksom betonades behovet av kompetenta behandlare och anpassning utifrån kulturella skillnader. Den andra studien (studie II) utvärderade interventionens effekt avseende föräldrarnas föräldrakapacitet (n 35) och deras barns psykiska symtom (19 pojkar och 16 flickor, medelålder 6 år). Resultaten visade att effekten som erhållits av PS i Sverige kan i nästan samma omfattning likställas med den effekt som framgår av tidigare studier gjorda i USA. Även barnens känslomässiga symptom, problem och hyperaktivitet minskade, och föräldrarna bemötte sina barn på ett mer positivt sätt. Föräldrarna upplevde också minskad hjälplöshet och rädsla i relationen till sina barn. Det var också en kovarians mellan föräldrarnas känslor (hjälplöshet och rädsla) och barns uppförandeproblem och hyperaktivitet där båda minskade.Slutsatserna i denna licentiatuppsats är för det första att det är möjligt att genomföra PS med föräldrar utsatta för våld i nära relationer och deras barn som har utvecklat känslomässiga och beteendemässiga problem och för det andra att organisatoriska förhållanden behöver anpassas för att interventionen ska kunna implementeras i svensk socialtjänst.
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| 12. |
- Draxler, Helena, 1977-, et al.
(författare)
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Replicability of effect when transferring a supportive programme for parents exposed to intimate partner violence and their children from the US to Sweden
- 2019
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Ingår i: Child Care in Practice. - : Routledge. - 1357-5279 .- 1476-489X. ; 25:4, s. 367-382
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Transferring an evidence-based parenting programme for parents exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) and their children with emotional and behavioural problems reveals the extent to which cultural and social aspects can interfere with the programme’s effectiveness. Feasibility studies are of value in such circumstances, and the aim of the present feasibility study was to explore, on a small scale and in its natural context, whether the effects of the parenting programme, Project Support, were replicable when transferred to another country. In this study, the programme, which was originally designed for parents exposed to IPV and their children who had developed psychological symptoms in the United States, was evaluated in an equivalent population receiving Swedish social services. Parents (n = 35) self-assessed their parenting capacity and their children’s (n = 35) psychological symptoms. The results indicate that the parents improved their parenting capacity, and feelings of helplessness and fear regarding parenting their children decreased. Those feelings were also associated with the children’s psychological symptoms. The promising results are similar to the findings of previous research from the US, and further implementation and evaluation of Project Support in Sweden are indicated.
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| 13. |
- Engström, Patrik, et al.
(författare)
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A 2-Pyridone-Amide Inhibitor Targets the Glucose Metabolism Pathway of Chlamydia trachomatis
- 2015
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Ingår i: mBio. - 2161-2129 .- 2150-7511. ; 6:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In a screen for compounds that inhibit infectivity of the obligate intracellular pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis, we identified the 2-pyridone amide KSK120. A fluorescent KSK120 analogue was synthesized and observed to be associated with the C. trachomatis surface, suggesting that its target is bacterial. We isolated KSK120-resistant strains and determined that several resistance mutations are in genes that affect the uptake and use of glucose-6-phosphate (G-6P). Consistent with an effect on G-6P metabolism, treatment with KSK120 blocked glycogen accumulation. Interestingly, KSK120 did not affect Escherichia coli or the host cell. Thus, 2-pyridone amides may represent a class of drugs that can specifically inhibit C. trachomatis infection. IMPORTANCE Chlamydia trachomatis is a bacterial pathogen of humans that causes a common sexually transmitted disease as well as eye infections. It grows only inside cells of its host organism, within a parasitophorous vacuole termed the inclusion. Little is known, however, about what bacterial components and processes are important for C. trachomatis cellular infectivity. Here, by using a visual screen for compounds that affect bacterial distribution within the chlamydial inclusion, we identified the inhibitor KSK120. As hypothesized, the altered bacterial distribution induced by KSK120 correlated with a block in C. trachomatis infectivity. Our data suggest that the compound targets the glucose-6-phosphate (G-6P) metabolism pathway of C. trachomatis, supporting previous indications that G-6P metabolism is critical for C. trachomatis infectivity. Thus, KSK120 may be a useful tool to study chlamydial glucose metabolism and has the potential to be used in the treatment of C. trachomatis infections.
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| 14. |
- Engström, Patrik, et al.
(författare)
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Expansion of the Chlamydia trachomatis inclusion does not require bacterial replication
- 2015
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Ingår i: International Journal of Medical Microbiology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1438-4221 .- 1618-0607. ; 305:3, s. 378-382
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Chlamydia trachomatis replication takes place inside of a host cell, exclusively within a vacuole known as the inclusion. During an infection, the inclusion expands to accommodate the increasing numbers of C. trachomatis. However, whether inclusion expansion requires bacterial replication and/or de novo protein synthesis has not been previously investigated in detail. Therefore, using a chemical biology approach, we herein investigated C. trachomatis inclusion expansion under varying conditions in vitro. Under normal cell culture conditions, inclusion expansion correlated with C trachomatis replication. When bacterial replication was inhibited using KSK120: an inhibitor that targets C. trachomatis glucose metabolism, inclusions expanded even in the absence of bacterial replication. In contrast, when bacterial protein synthesis was inhibited using chloramphenicol, expansion of inclusions was blocked. Together, these data suggest that de novo protein synthesis is necessary, whereas bacterial replication is dispensable for C trachomatis inclusion expansion. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier GmbH.
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| 15. |
- Evans, Margery L, et al.
(författare)
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The bacterial curli system possesses a potent and selective inhibitor of amyloid formation
- 2015
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Ingår i: Molecular Cell. - : Elsevier BV. - 1097-4164 .- 1097-2765. ; 57:3, s. 445-455
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Curli are extracellular functional amyloids that are assembled by enteric bacteria during biofilm formation and host colonization. An efficient secretion system and chaperone network ensures that the major curli fiber subunit, CsgA, does not form intracellular amyloid aggregates. We discovered that the periplasmic protein CsgC was a highly effective inhibitor of CsgA amyloid formation. In the absence of CsgC, CsgA formed toxic intracellular aggregates. In vitro, CsgC inhibited CsgA amyloid formation at substoichiometric concentrations and maintained CsgA in a non-β-sheet-rich conformation. Interestingly, CsgC inhibited amyloid assembly of human α-synuclein, but not Aβ42, in vitro. We identified a common D-Q-Φ-X0,1-G-K-N-ζ-E motif in CsgC client proteins that is not found in Aβ42. CsgC is therefore both an efficient and selective amyloid inhibitor. Dedicated functional amyloid inhibitors may be a key feature that distinguishes functional amyloids from disease-associated amyloids.
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| 16. |
- Flentie, Kelly, et al.
(författare)
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Chemical disarming of isoniazid resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
- 2019
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : The National Academy of Scionces of the United States of America. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 116:21, s. 10510-10517
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) killed more people in 2017 than any other single infectious agent. This dangerous pathogen is able to withstand stresses imposed by the immune system and tolerate exposure to antibiotics, resulting in persistent infection. The global tuberculosis (TB) epidemic has been exacerbated by the emergence of mutant strains of Mtb that are resistant to frontline antibiotics. Thus, both phenotypic drug tolerance and genetic drug resistance are major obstacles to successful TB therapy. Using a chemical approach to identify compounds that block stress and drug tolerance, as opposed to traditional screens for compounds that kill Mtb, we identified a small molecule, C10, that blocks tolerance to oxidative stress, acid stress, and the frontline antibiotic isoniazid (INH). In addition, we found that C10 prevents the selection for INH-resistant mutants and restores INH sensitivity in otherwise INH-resistant Mtb strains harboring mutations in the katG gene, which encodes the enzyme that converts the prodrug INH to its active form. Through mechanistic studies, we discovered that C10 inhibits Mtb respiration, revealing a link between respiration homeostasis and INH sensitivity. Therefore, by using C10 to dissect Mtb persistence, we discovered that INH resistance is not absolute and can be reversed.
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| 17. |
- Floyd, Kyle A., et al.
(författare)
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Adhesive Fiber Stratification in Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Biofilms Unveils Oxygen-Mediated Control of Type 1 Pili
- 2015
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Ingår i: PLoS Pathogens. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1553-7366 .- 1553-7374. ; 11:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Bacterial biofilms account for a significant number of hospital-acquired infections and complicate treatment options, because bacteria within biofilms are generally more tolerant to antibiotic treatment. This resilience is attributed to transient bacterial subpopulations that arise in response to variations in the microenvironment surrounding the biofilm. Here, we probed the spatial proteome of surface-associated single-species biofilms formed by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), the major causative agent of community-acquired and catheter-associated urinary tract infections. We used matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) time-of-flight (TOF) imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) to analyze the spatial proteome of intact biofilms in situ. MALDI-TOF IMS revealed protein species exhibiting distinct localizations within surface-associated UPEC biofilms, including two adhesive fibers critical for UPEC biofilm formation and virulence: type 1 pili (Fim) localized exclusively to the air-exposed region, while curli amyloid fibers localized to the air-liquid interface. Comparison of cells grown aerobically, fermentatively, or utilizing an alternative terminal electron acceptor showed that the phase-variable fim promoter switched to the "FF" orientation under oxygen-deplete conditions, leading to marked reduction of type 1 pili on the bacterial cell surface. Conversely, S pili whose expression is inversely related to fim expression were upregulated under anoxic conditions. Tethering the fim promoter in the "ON" orientation in anaerobically grown cells only restored type 1 pili production in the presence of an alternative terminal electron acceptor beyond oxygen. Together these data support the presence of at least two regulatory mechanisms controlling fim expression in response to oxygen availability and may contribute to the stratification of extracellular matrix components within the biofilm. MALDI IMS facilitated the discovery of these mechanisms, and we have demonstrated that this technology can be used to interrogate subpopulations within bacterial biofilms.
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| 18. |
- Good, James A. D., 1985-, et al.
(författare)
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Attenuating Listeria monocytogenes virulence by targeting the regulatory protein PrfA
- 2016
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Ingår i: Cell chemical biology. - : Elsevier BV. - 2451-9448 .- 2451-9456. ; 23:3, s. 404-414
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The transcriptional activator PrfA, a member of the Crp/Fnr family, controls the expression of some key virulence factors necessary for infection by the human bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. Phenotypic screening identified ring-fused 2-pyridone molecules that at low micromolar concentrations attenuate L. monocytogenes infectivity by reducing the expression of virulence genes, without compromising bacterial growth. These inhibitors bind the transcriptional regulator PrfA and decrease its affinity for the consensus DNA binding site. Structural characterization of this interaction revealed that one of the ring-fused 2-pyridones, compound 1, binds within a hydrophobic pocket, located between the C- and N-terminal domains of PrfA, and interacts with residues important for PrfA activation. This indicates that these inhibitors maintain the DNA-binding helix-turn-helix motif of PrfA in a disordered state, thereby preventing a PrfA:DNA interaction. Ring-fused 2-pyridones represent a new class of chemical probes for studying virulence in L. monocytogenes.
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| 19. |
- Good, James A. D., 1985-, et al.
(författare)
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Thiazolino 2-Pyridone Amide Inhibitors of Chlamydia trachomatis Infectivity
- 2016
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Ingår i: Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0022-2623 .- 1520-4804. ; 59:5, s. 2094-2108
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The bacterial pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis is a global health burden currently treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics which disrupt commensal bacteria. We recently identified a compound through phenotypic screening that blocked infectivity of this intracellular pathogen without host cell toxicity (compound 1, KSK 120). Herein, we present the optimization of 1 to a class of thiazolino 2-pyridone amides that are highly efficacious (EC50 <= 100 nM) in attenuating infectivity across multiple serovars of C. trachomatis without host cell toxicity. The lead compound 21a exhibits reduced lipophilicity versus 1 and did not affect the growth or viability of representative commensal flora at 50 mu M. In microscopy studies, a highly active fluorescent analogue 37 localized inside the parasitiphorous inclusion, indicative of a specific targeting of bacterial components. In summary, we present a class of small molecules to enable the development of specific treatments for C. trachomatis.
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| 20. |
- Good, James A. D., et al.
(författare)
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Thiazolino 2-pyridone amide isosteres as inhibitors of Chlamydia trachomatis infectivity
- 2017
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Ingår i: Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0022-2623 .- 1520-4804. ; 60:22, s. 9393-9399
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Chlamydia trachomatis is a global health burden due to its prevalence as a sexually transmitted disease and as the causative agent of the eye infection trachoma. We recently discovered 3-amido thiazolino 2-pyridones which attenuated C. trachomatis infectivity without affecting host cell or commensal bacteria viability. We present here the synthesis and evaluation of nonhydrolyzable amide isosteres based on this class, leading to highly potent 1,2,3-triazole based infectivity inhibitors (EC50 ≤ 20 nM).
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| 21. |
- Hall, Michael, et al.
(författare)
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Structural basis for glutathione-mediated activation of the virulence regulatory protein PrfA in Listeria
- 2016
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 113:51, s. 14733-14738
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Infection by the human bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes is mainly controlled by the positive regulatory factor A (PrfA), a member of the Crp/Fnr family of transcriptional activators. Published data suggest that PrfA requires the binding of a cofactor for full activity, and it was recently proposed that glutathione (GSH) could fulfill this function. Here we report the crystal structures of PrfA in complex with GSH and in complex with GSH and its cognate DNA, the hly operator PrfA box motif. These structures reveal the structural basis for a GSH-mediated allosteric mode of activation of PrfA in the cytosol of the host cell. The crystal structure of PrfAWT in complex only with DNA confirms that PrfAWT can adopt a DNA binding-compatible structure without binding the GSH activator molecule. By binding to PrfA in the cytosol of the host cell, GSH induces the correct fold of the HTH motifs, thus priming the PrfA protein for DNA interaction.
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| 22. |
- Ivanova, M.Y, et al.
(författare)
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Testing Syndromes of Psychopathology in Parent and Youth Ratings Across Societies
- 2019
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Ingår i: Journal of clinical child and adolescent psychology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1537-4416 .- 1537-4424. ; 48:4, s. 596-609
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- As societies become increasingly diverse, mental health professionals need instruments for assessing emotional, behavioral, and social problems in terms of constructs that are supported within and across societies. Building on decades of research findings, multisample alignment confirmatory factor analyses tested an empirically based 8-syndrome model on parent ratings across 30 societies and youth self-ratings across 19 societies. The Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 6–18 and Youth Self-Report for Ages 11–18 were used to measure syndromes descriptively designated as Anxious/ Depressed, Withdrawn/Depressed, Somatic Complaints, Social Problems, Thought Problems, Attention Problems, Rule-Breaking Behavior, and Aggressive Behavior. For both parent ratings (N = 61,703) and self-ratings (N = 29,486), results supported aggregation of problem items into 8 first-order syndromes for all societies (configural invariance), plus the invariance of item loadings (metric invariance) across the majority of societies. Supported across many societies in both parent and self-ratings, the 8 syndromes offer a parsimonious phenotypic taxonomy with clearly operatio- nalized assessment criteria. Mental health professionals in many societies can use the 8 syndromes to assess children and youths for clinical, training, and scientific purposes.
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| 23. |
- Jain, Neha, et al.
(författare)
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Inhibition of curli assembly and Escherichia coli biofilm formation by the human systemic amyloid precursor transthyretin
- 2017
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 114:46, s. 12184-12189
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- During biofilm formation, Escherichia coli and other Enterobacteriaceae produce an extracellular matrix consisting of curli amyloid fibers and cellulose. The precursor of curli fibers is the amyloidogenic protein CsgA. The human systemic amyloid precursor protein transthyretin (TTR) is known to inhibit amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregation in vitro and suppress the Alzheimer’s-like phenotypes in a transgenic mouse model of Aβ deposition. We hypothesized that TTR might have broad antiamyloid activity because the biophysical properties of amyloids are largely conserved across species and kingdoms. Here, we report that both human WT tetrameric TTR (WT-TTR) and its engineered nontetramer-forming monomer (M-TTR, F87M/L110M) inhibit CsgA amyloid formation in vitro, with M-TTR being the more efficient inhibitor. Preincubation of WT-TTR with small molecules that occupy the T4 binding site eliminated the inhibitory capacity of the tetramer; however, they did not significantly compromise the ability of M-TTR to inhibit CsgA amyloidogenesis. TTR also inhibited amyloid-dependent biofilm formation in two different bacterial species with no apparent bactericidal or bacteriostatic effects. These discoveries suggest that TTR is an effective antibiofilm agent that could potentiate antibiotic efficacy in infections associated with significant biofilm formation.
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| 24. |
- Knutsson, Sofie, 1983-
(författare)
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Towards Mosquitocides for Prevention of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases : discovery and Development of Acetylcholinesterase 1 Inhibitors
- 2016
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Diseases such as malaria and dengue impose great economic burdens and are a serious threat to public health, with young children being among the worst affected. These diseases are transmitted by mosquitoes, also called disease vectors, which are able to transmit both parasitic and viral infections. One of the most important strategies in the battle against mosquito-borne diseases is vector control by insecticides and the goal is to prevent people from being bitten by mosquitoes. Today’s vector control methods are seriously threatened by the development and spread of insecticide-resistant mosquitos warranting the search for new insecticides. This thesis has investigated the possibilities of vector control using non-covalent inhibitors targeting acetylcholinesterase (AChE); an essential enzyme present in mosquitoes as well as in humans and other mammals. A key requirement for such compounds to be considered safe and suitable for development into new public health insecticides is selectivity towards the mosquito enzyme AChE1. The work presented here is focused on AChE1 from the disease transmitting mosquitoes Anopheles gambiae (AgAChE1) and Aedes aegypti (AaAChE1), and their human (hAChE) and mouse (mAChE) counterparts. By taking a medicinal chemistry approach and utilizing high throughput screening (HTS), new chemical starting points have been identified. Analysis of the combined results of three different HTS campaigns targeting AgAChE1, AaAChE1, and hAChE allowed the identification of several mosquito-selective inhibitors and a number of compound classes were selected for further development. These compounds are non-covalent inhibitors of AChE1 and thereby work via a different mechanism compared to current anti-cholinergic insecticides, whose activity is the result of a covalent modification of the enzyme. The potency and selectivity of two compound classes have been explored in depth using a combination of different tools including design, organic synthesis, biochemical assays, protein X-ray crystallography and homology modeling. Several potent inhibitors with promising selectivity for the mosquito enzymes have been identified and the insecticidal activity of one new compound has been confirmed by in vivo experiments on mosquitoes. The results presented here contribute to the field of public health insecticide discovery by demonstrating the potential of selectively targeting mosquito AChE1 using non-covalent inhibitors. Further, the presented compounds can be used as tools to study mechanisms important in insecticide development, such as exoskeleton penetration and other ADME processes in mosquitoes.
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| 25. |
- Kulén, Martina, et al.
(författare)
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Methyl sulfonamide substituents improve the pharmacokinetic properties of bicyclic 2-pyridone based Chlamydia trachomatis inhibitors
- 2019
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Ingår i: MedChemComm. - : Royal Society of Chemistry. - 2040-2503 .- 2040-2511. ; 10:11, s. 1966-1987
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Chlamydia trachomatis infections are a global health problem and new approaches to treat C. trachomatis with drugs of high specificity would be valuable. A library of substituted ring fused 2-pyridones has been synthesized and evaluated for their ability to attenuate C. trachomatis infectivity. In vivo pharmacokinetic studies were performed, with the best candidates demonstrating that a C8-methylsulfonamide substituent improved pharmacokinetic properties important for oral administration. C8-Methyl sulfonamide analogue 30 inhibited C. trachomatis infectivity in low micromolar concentrations. Further pharmacokinetic evaluation at an oral dose of 10 mg kg(-1) showed an apparent bioavailability of 41%, compared to C8-cyclopropyl and -methoxy analogues which had negligible oral uptake. In vitro ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion) testing of solubility and Caco-2 cell permeability revealed that both solubility and permeability is greatly improved with the C8-methyl sulfonamide 30, effectively moving it from BCS (Biopharmaceutical Classification System) class IV to II.
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