Search results for "hydrophobic"
showing 10 items of 332 documents
Differential interactions of the broad spectrum drugs artemisinin, dihydroartemisinin and artesunate with serum albumin
2013
Artemisinin is a drug, widely used in malaria treatment. As the binding affinity of artemisinin and its derivatives dihydroartemisinin and artesunate to blood serum proteins might influence the effectiveness of the drug, binding of artemisinin and derivatives to serum albumin was studied under near physiological conditions. Binding kinetics indicate a simple, single-step association process for all artemisinin derivatives. The determined changes in enthalpy and entropy upon drug binding clearly indicate that hydrophobic forces are most important for artemisinin and dihydroartemisinin binding, whereas binding of artesunate is governed by both hydrophilic and hydrophobic forces. Key residues,…
Hydrophobic pocket targeting probes for enteroviruses
2015
Visualization and tracking of viruses without compromising their functionality is crucial in order to understand virus targeting to cells and tissues, and to understand the subsequent subcellular steps leading to virus uncoating and replication. Enteroviruses are important human pathogens causing a vast number of acute infections, and are also suggested to contribute to the development of chronic diseases like type I diabetes. Here, we demonstrate a novel method to target site-specifically the hydrophobic pocket of enteroviruses. A probe, a derivative of Pleconaril, was developed and conjugated to various labels that enabled the visualization of enteroviruses under light and electron micros…
Phospholipid-polyaspartamide micelles for pulmonary delivery of corticosteroids
2011
A novel drug delivery system for beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) has been constructed through self-assembly of a pegylated phospholipid-polyaminoacid conjugate. This copolymer was obtained by chemical reaction of α,β-poly(N-2-hydroxyethyl)-DL-aspartamide (PHEA) with 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[amino(polyethyleneglycol)2000] (DSPE-PEG(2000)-NH(2)). Benefiting from the amphiphilic structure with the hydrophilic shell based on both PHEA and PEG and many hydrophobic stearoyl tails, PHEA-PEG(2000)-DSPE copolymer was able to self assemble into micelles in aqueous media above a concentration of 1.23 × 10(-7)M, determined by fluorescence studies. During the self-assembling …
From an epoxide monomer toolkit to functional PEG copolymers with adjustable LCST behavior.
2011
The lower critical solution temperature (LCST) behavior of novel poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-based copolymers bearing multiple functional groups, obtained by anionic ring-opening (co)polymerization (AROP), has been investigated. Variable comonomer ratios of ethylene oxide (EO) and the corresponding oxiranes isopropylidene glyceryl glycidyl ether (IGG), ethoxyl vinyl glycidyl ether (EVGE), allyl glycidyl ether (AGE), or N,N-dibenzyl amino glycidyl (DBAG), particularly designed to implement functional groups at the PEG backbone, were found to influence the LCST behavior. Sharp transitions from translucent to opaque solutions, comparable to other well-established stimuli-responsive polymers, w…
“Dumb” pH-Independent and Biocompatible Hydrogels Formed by Copolymers of Long-Chain Alkyl Glycidyl Ethers and Ethylene Oxide
2020
The formation and rheological properties of hydrogels based on amphiphilic ABA triblock polyether copolymers are described, relying solely on the hydrophobic interaction of long-chain alkyl glycidyl ether (AlkGE)- based A-blocks that are combined with a hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) midblock. Via anionic ring-opening copolymerization (AROP), ethylene oxide (EO) and long-chain alkyl glycidyl ethers (AlkGEs) were copolymerized, using deprotonated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) macroinitiators (Mn of 10, 20 kg mol-1). The polymerization afforded amphiphilic ABA triblock copolymers with molar masses in the range of 21-32 kg mol-1 and dispersities (Đ) of Đ = 1.07-1.17. Kinetic studies rev…
Long-Chain Alkyl Epoxides and Glycidyl Ethers: An Underrated Class of Monomers.
2020
Long-chain epoxides and specifically alkyl glycidyl ethers represent a class of highly hydrophobic monomers for anionic ring-opening polymerization (AROP), resulting in apolar aliphatic polyethers. In contrast, poly(ethylene glycol) is known for its high solubility in water. The combination of hydrophobic and hydrophilic monomers in block and statistical copolymerization reactions enables the synthesis of amphiphilic polyethers for a wide range of purposes, utilizing micellar interactions in aqueous solutions, e.g., viscosity enhancement of aqueous solutions, formation of supramolecular hydrogels, or for polymeric surfactants. Controlled polymerization of these highly hydrophobic long-chain…
Enhanced [4+2] cycloadditions by solvophobic effects and gravity-induced mixing in core-shell droplets
2017
A new way to perform reactions in core—shell double emulsions is reported herein. The phase boundaries of the threephase droplet flow were used to pressurize the reactants in the shell liquid, enhancing the reaction rate of a cycloaddition greatly in comparison to known methods. As key parameters, solvophobic effects and precise control over the droplet sizes were used to exploit a reaction with a negative volume of activation. The internal pressure of the reaction solution was regulated purely by the thickness of the shell liquid without adding additional reagents. Additionally, the reaction performed better when the core droplet was used to stir the shell droplet, considerably improving t…
Evaluation of vapor mass transfer in various membrane distillation configurations: an experimental study
2011
Vapor mass transfer phenomena in four different membrane distillation (MD) configurations were examined through a self-built laboratory scale experimen- tal apparatus: Air Gap MD, Sweeping Gas MD, Vacuum Sweeping Gas MD and Vacuum MD. Vapor fluxes were measured and compared with those predicted by various models, showing that MD performance under usual processing conditions is severely controlled by the permeate side resistance to mass transfer.
A fluorescent molecular sensor for pH windows in traditional and polymeric biocompatible micelles: comicellization of anionic species to shift and re…
2011
A new approach is presented to obtain fluorescent sensors for pH windows that work in water and under biomimetic conditions. A single molecule that features all-covalently linked components is used, thus making it capable of working as a fluorescent sensor with an OFF/ON/OFF response to pH value. The components are a tertiary amine, a pyridine, and a fluorophore (pyrene). The forms with both protonated bases or both neutral bases quench the pyrene fluorescence, whereas the form with the neutral pyridine and protonated amine groups is fluorescent. The molecular sensor is also equipped with a long alkyl chain to make it highly hydrophobic in all its protonated and unprotonated forms, that is,…
Physics and biophysics of solvent induced forces: hydrophobic interactions and context-dependent hydration
1998
Solvent induced forces (SIFs) among solutes derive from solvent structural modification due to solutes, and consequent thermodynamic drive towards minimization of related free energy costs. The role of SIFs in biomolecular conformation and function is appreciated by observing that typical SIF values fall within the 20–200 pN interval, and that proteins are stable by only a few kcal mol–1 (1 kcal mol–1 corresponds to 70 pN A). Here we study SIFs, in systems of increasing complexity, using Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations which give time- and space-resolved details on the biologically significant scale of single protein residues and sidechains. Of particular biological relevance among our …