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Most drugs are no longer produced in their own countries by the pharmaceutical companies, but by contract manufacturers or at manufacturing sites in countries that can produce more cheaply. This not only makes it difficult to trace them back but also leaves room for criminal organizations to fake them unnoticed. For these reasons, it is becoming increasingly difficult to determine the exact origin of drugs. The goal of this work was to investigate how exactly this is possible by using different spectroscopic methods like nuclear magnetic resonance and near- and mid-infrared spectroscopy in combination with multivariate data analysis. As an example, 56 out of 64 different paracetamol preparations, collected from 19 countries around the world, were chosen to investigate whether it is possible to determine the pharmaceutical company, manufacturing site, or country of origin. By means of suitable pre-processing of the spectra and the different information contained in each method, principal component analysis was able to evaluate manufacturing relationships between individual companies and to differentiate between production sites or formulations. Linear discriminant analysis showed different results depending on the spectral method and purpose. For all spectroscopic methods, it was found that the classification of the preparations to their manufacturer achieves better results than the classification to their pharmaceutical company. The best results were obtained with nuclear magnetic resonance and near-infrared data, with 94.6%/99.6% and 98.7/100% of the spectra of the preparations correctly assigned to their pharmaceutical company or manufacturer.
High-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is used in structure elucidation and qualitative as well as quantitative examination of product components. Despite the worldwide development of numerous innovative NMR spectroscopic methods, several official methods that analyze specific substances and do not represent a holistic analysis, are still in use for the quality control of drugs, food and chemicals. Thus, counterfeit or contaminated products of inferior quality can be brought onto the market and distributed despite previous quality controls. To prevent this, three NMR spectroscopic methods have been developed within the scope of this work (1) to study the peroxide value in vegetable and animal oils, (2) for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of metal cations and (3) to determine the enantiomeric excess in chiral alcohols. In oil analysis, titration methods are used to determine the bulk quality parameters such as peroxide value, which represents the concentration of peroxides. Titrations show several drawbacks, such as the need of a large amount of sample and solvents, cross reactions and the low robustness. Thus, an alternative NMR spectroscopic method was developed to improve the peroxide analysis by using triphenylphosphine as a derivatization reagent, which reacts with peroxides in a stoichiometric ratio of 1:1 forming triphenylphosphine oxide. In the 1H-31P decoupled NMR spectrum, the signals of the unreacted triphenylphosphine and the reacted triphenylphosphine oxide are detected at 7.4 ppm and 7.8 ppm, respectively. The ratio of the two signals is used for the calculation of the peroxide concentration. 108 oil samples with a peroxide value between 1 meq/kg and 150 meq/kg were examined using the developed method. Oils with a very low peroxide value of less than 3 meq/kg showed a relative standard deviation of 4.9%, highly oxidized oils with a peroxide value of 150 meq/kg of 0.2%. The NMR method was demonstrated as a powerful technique for the analysis of vegetable and krill oils. Another 1H NMR spectroscopic method was developed for the qualitative determination of Be2+, Sr2+ and Cd2+, and for the qualitative and quantitative determination of Ca2+, Mg2+, Hg2+, Sn2+, Pb2+ and Zn2+ by using ethylenediamine tetraacetate (EDTA) as complexing agent. EDTA is a hexadentate ligand that forms stable chelate complexes with divalent cations. The known amount of added EDTA and the signal ratio of free and complexed EDTA are used to calculate the concentrations of the divalent cations, which makes the use of an internal standard obsolete. The use of EDTA with Be2+, Sr2+, Cd2+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Hg2+, Sn2+, Pb2+ and Zn2+ result in complexes whose signals are pH-independent, showing cation-specific chemical shifts and couplings in the 1H NMR spectrum that are used for identification and quantification. In the presented NMR method, the limit of quantification of the cations Ca2+, Mg2+, Hg2+, Sn2+, Pb2+, and Zn2+ was determined with 5-22 μg/mL. This method is applicable in the food and drug sectors. The third NMR spectroscopic method introduced an alternative determination of the enantiomer excess (ee) of the chiral alcohols menthol, borneol, 1-phenylethanol and linalool using phosgene as a derivatizing reagent. Phosgene reacts with a chiral alcohol to form carboxylic acid diesters, made of two identical (RR, SS) or two different enantiomers (RS, SR). These two different types of diastereomers can be examined by the difference of their chemical shifts. In the presented method, the integration values of the carbonyl signals in the 13C NMR spectrum are used for the determination of the enantiomer excess. The limit of quantification depends, among others, on the sample and on the non-labelled or 13C-labelled phosgene used for the analysis. In the case of menthol, a quantification limit of ee=99.1% was determined using non-labelled phosgene and ee=99.9% using 13C-labelled phosgene. The 13C NMR method was also applied for the quality control of the enantiomeric purity of borneol, 1-phenylethanol and linalool. The developed 13C NMR method represents a powerful alternative to Mosher’s reagent for investigating the enantiomeric excess in chiral alcohols. This work demonstrates the variety of possibilities of applications for the quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the chemical analysis of drugs, food and chemicals using tagging reactions such as derivatizations and complexations. The nuclear resonance spectroscopic methods developed in this research work represent powerful alternatives to the previously used quality control techniques.
The enzyme butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) represents a promising target for imaging probes to potentially enable early diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease (AD) and to monitor disease progression in some forms of cancer. In this study, we present the design, facile synthesis, in vitro and preliminary ex vivo and in vivo evaluation of a morpholine‐based, selective inhibitor of human BChE as a positron emission tomography (PET) tracer with a pseudo‐irreversible binding mode. We demonstrate a novel protecting group strategy for 18F radiolabeling of carbamate precursors and show that the inhibitory potency as well as kinetic properties of our unlabeled reference compound were retained in comparison to the parent compound. In particular, the prolonged duration of enzyme inhibition of such a morpholinocarbamate motivated us to design a PET tracer, possibly enabling a precise mapping of BChE distribution.
Purpose
A neuropathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the presence of amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques in the brain, which are observed in a significant number of cognitively normal, older adults as well. In AD, butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) becomes associated with A\(_{β}\) aggregates, making it a promising target for imaging probes to support diagnosis of AD. In this study, we present the synthesis, radiochemistry, in vitro and preliminary ex and in vivo investigations of a selective, reversible BChE inhibitor as PET-tracer for evaluation as an AD diagnostic.
Procedures
Radiolabeling of the inhibitor was achieved by fluorination of a respective tosylated precursor using K[\(^{18}\)F]. IC\(_{50}\) values of the fluorinated compound were obtained in a colorimetric assay using recombinant, human (h) BChE. Dissociation constants were determined by measuring hBChE activity in the presence of different concentrations of inhibitor.
Results
Radiofluorination of the tosylate precursor gave the desired radiotracer in an average radiochemical yield of 20 ± 3 %. Identity and > 95.5 % radiochemical purity were confirmed by HPLC and TLC autoradiography. The inhibitory potency determined in Ellman's assay gave an IC\(_{50}\) value of 118.3 ± 19.6 nM. Dissociation constants measured in kinetic experiments revealed lower affinity of the inhibitor for binding to the acylated enzyme (K2 = 68.0 nM) in comparison to the free enzyme (K\(_{1}\) = 32.9 nM).
Conclusions
The reversibly acting, selective radiotracer is synthetically easily accessible and retains promising activity and binding potential on hBChE. Radiosynthesis with \(^{18}\)F labeling of tosylates was feasible in a reasonable time frame and good radiochemical yield.
Inhibition of coronavirus (CoV)‐encoded papain‐like cysteine proteases (PL\(^{pro}\)) represents an attractive strategy to treat infections by these important human pathogens. Herein we report on structure‐activity relationships (SAR) of the noncovalent active‐site directed inhibitor (R)‐5‐amino‐2‐methyl‐N‐(1‐(naphthalen‐1‐yl)ethyl) benzamide (2 b), which is known to bind into the S3 and S4 pockets of the SARS‐CoV PL\(^{pro}\). Moreover, we report the discovery of isoindolines as a new class of potent PL\(^{pro}\) inhibitors. The studies also provide a deeper understanding of the binding modes of this inhibitor class. Importantly, the inhibitors were also confirmed to inhibit SARS‐CoV‐2 replication in cell culture suggesting that, due to the high structural similarities of the target proteases, inhibitors identified against SARS‐CoV PL\(^{pro}\) are valuable starting points for the development of new pan‐coronaviral inhibitors.
Naturally occurring compounds such as sesquiterpenes and sesquiterpenoids (SQTs) have been shown to modulate GABA\(_{A}\) receptors (GABA\(_{A}\)Rs). In this study, the modulatory potential of 11 SQTs at GABA\(_{A}\)Rs was analyzed to characterize their potential neurotropic activity. Transfected HEK293 cells and primary hippocampal neurons were functionally investigated using electrophysiological whole-cell recordings. Significantly different effects of β-caryophyllene and α-humulene, as well as their respective derivatives β-caryolanol and humulol, were observed in the HEK293 cell system. In neurons, the concomitant presence of phasic and tonic GABA\(_{A}\)R configurations accounts for differences in receptor modulation by SQTs. The in vivo presence of the γ\(_{2}\) and δ subunits is important for SQT modulation. While phasic GABA\(_{A}\) receptors in hippocampal neurons exhibited significantly altered GABA-evoked current amplitudes in the presence of humulol and guaiol, negative allosteric potential at recombinantly expressed α\(_{1}\)β\(_{2}\)γ\(_{2}\) receptors was only verified for humolol. Modeling and docking studies provided support for the binding of SQTs to the neurosteroid-binding site of the GABA\(_{A}\)R localized between transmembrane segments 1 and 3 at the (\(^{+}\)α)-(\(^{-}\)α) interface. In sum, differences in the modulation of GABA\(_{A}\)R isoforms between SQTs were identified. Another finding is that our results provide an indication that nutritional digestion affects the neurotropic potential of natural compounds.
Purpose
Knowledge on Ruxolitinib exposure in patients with graft versus host disease (GvHD) is scarce. The purpose of this prospective study was to analyze Ruxolitinib concentrations of GvHD patients and to investigate effects of CYP3A4 and CYP2C9 inhibitors and other covariates as well as concentration-dependent effects.
Methods
262 blood samples of 29 patients with acute or chronic GvHD who were administered Ruxolitinib during clinical routine were analyzed. A population pharmacokinetic model obtained from myelofibrosis patients was adapted to our population and was used to identify relevant pharmacokinetic properties and covariates on drug exposure. Relationships between Ruxolitinib exposure and adverse events were assessed.
Results
Median of individual mean trough serum concentrations was 39.9 ng/mL at 10 mg twice daily (IQR 27.1 ng/mL, range 5.6-99.8 ng/mL). Applying a population pharmacokinetic model revealed that concentrations in our cohort were significantly higher compared to myelofibrosis patients receiving the same daily dose (p < 0.001). Increased Ruxolitinib exposure was caused by a significant reduction in Ruxolitinib clearance by approximately 50%. Additional comedication with at least one strong CYP3A4 or CYP2C9 inhibitor led to a further reduction by 15% (p < 0.05). No other covariate affected pharmacokinetics significantly. Mean trough concentrations of patients requiring dose reduction related to adverse events were significantly elevated (p < 0.05).
Conclusion
Ruxolitinib exposure is increased in GvHD patients in comparison to myelofibrosis patients due to reduced clearance and comedication with CYP3A4 or CYP2C9 inhibitors. Elevated Ruxolitinib trough concentrations might be a surrogate for toxicity.
Background
Reproducibility of reported antibacterial activities of plant extracts has long remained questionable. Although plant-related factors should be well considered in serious pharmacognostic research, they are often not addressed in many research papers. Here we highlight the challenges in reproducing antibacterial activities of plant extracts.
Methods
Plants with reported antibacterial activities of interest were obtained from a literature review. Antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were tested using extracts’ solutions in 10% DMSO and acetone. Compositions of working solutions from both solvents were established using LC-MS analysis. Moreover, the availability of details likely to affect reproducibility was evaluated in articles which reported antibacterial activities of studied plants.
Results
Inhibition of bacterial growth at MIC of 256–1024 μg/mL was observed in only 15.4% of identical plant species. These values were 4–16-fold higher than those reported earlier. Further, 18.2% of related plant species had MICs of 128–256 μg/mL. Besides, 29.2% and 95.8% of the extracts were soluble to sparingly soluble in 10% DMSO and acetone, respectively. Extracts’ solutions in both solvents showed similar qualitative compositions, with differing quantities of corresponding phytochemicals. Details regarding seasons and growth state at collection were missing in 65% and 95% of evaluated articles, respectively. Likewise, solvents used to dissolve the extracts were lacking in 30% of the articles, whereas 40% of them used unidentified bacterial isolates.
Conclusion
Reproducibility of previously reported activities from plants’ extracts is a multi-factorial aspect. Thus, collective approaches are necessary in addressing the highlighted challenges.
Background
Even though the international combat against Neglected Tropical Diseases such as schistosomiasis or soil-transmitted helminthiases depends on reliable therapeutics, anthelminthic pharmacovigilance has been neglected on many national African drug markets. Therefore, quality and composition of Albendazole, Mebendazole and Praziquantel locally collected in Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Tanzania were analysed.
Methods
Samples of 88 different batches were obtained from randomly selected facilities. Sampling took place in Northwest Tanzania, Western Burkina Faso, Southeast Côte d’Ivoire and Southwest Ghana. Visual examination of both packaging and samples was performed according to the WHO ‘Be Aware’ tool. Products were then screened with the GPHF Minilab, consisting of tests of mass uniformity, disintegration times and thin-layer chromatography (TLC). Confirmatory tests were performed according to international pharmacopoeiae, applying assays for dissolution profiles and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
Findings
Despite minor irregularities, appearance of the products did not hint at falsified medicines. However, 19.6% of the brands collected in Ghana and Tanzania were not officially licensed for sale. Mass uniformity was confirmed in 53 out of 58 brands of tablets. 41 out of 56 products passed disintegration times; 10 out of the 15 failing products did not disintegrate at all. Evaluating TLC results, only 4 out of 83 batches narrowly missed specification limits, 18 batches slightly exceeded them. Not more than 46.3% (31 / 67) of the tablets assayed passed the respective pharmaceutical criteria for dissolution. HPLC findings confirmed TLC results despite shifted specification limits: 10 out of 83 tested batches contained less than 90%, none exceeded 110%.
Conclusion
In the four study countries, no falsified anthelminthic medicine was encountered. The active pharmaceutical ingredient was not found to either exceed or fall below specification limits. Galenic characteristics however, especially dissolution profiles, revealed great deficits.
Cabozantinib (CAB) is a receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor approved for the treatment of several cancer types. Enterohepatic recirculation (EHC) of the substance is assumed but has not been further investigated yet. CAB is mainly metabolized via CYP3A4 and is susceptible for drug–drug interactions (DDI). The goal of this work was to develop a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model to investigate EHC, to simulate DDI with Rifampin and to simulate subjects with hepatic impairment. The model was established using PK-Sim® and six human clinical studies. The inclusion of an EHC process into the model led to the most accurate description of the pharmacokinetic behavior of CAB. The model was able to predict plasma concentrations with low bias and good precision. Ninety-seven percent of all simulated plasma concentrations fell within 2-fold of the corresponding concentration observed. Maximum plasma concentration (C\(_{max}\)) and area under the curve (AUC) were predicted correctly (predicted/observed ratio of 0.9–1.2 for AUC and 0.8–1.1 for C\(_{max}\)). DDI with Rifampin led to a reduction in predicted AUC by 77%. Several physiological parameters were adapted to simulate hepatic impairment correctly. This is the first CAB model used to simulate DDI with Rifampin and hepatic impairment including EHC, which can serve as a starting point for further simulations with regard to special populations.
Considerable effort has previously been invested in a light‐controlled inhibition of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE). We found that a novel azobenzene‐based bistacrine AChE inhibitor switched faster than the known dithienylethene based bistacrine and inverted the photo‐controlled interactions of the photoisomers compared to its dithienylethene congener. Furthermore, we have optimized a previously described light‐controlled tacrine‐based AChE inhibitor. Isomerization upon irradiation with UV light of the novel inhibitor was observed in aqueous medium and showed no fatigue over several cycles. The cis‐enriched form showed an 8.4‐fold higher inhibition of hAChE compared with its trans‐enriched form and was about 30‐fold more active than the reference compound tacrine with a single‐digit nanomolar inhibition. We went beyond proof‐of‐concept to discover photoswitchable AChE inhibitors with pharmacologically desirable nanomolar inhibition, “cis‐on” effect, and pronounces differences between the photoisomers.
Salt formation is a routinely used strategy for poorly water-soluble drugs and traditionally performed with small inorganic counterions. High energy crystal lattices as well as effects on the local pH within the aqueous boundary layer during dissolution drive the increased dissolution rate and apparent solubility. Ionic liquids however, by definition low melting ionic salts with often large organic counterions, combine an increased dissolution rate with solubilization of the drug by the counterion itself. Long lasting supersaturation profiles of increased kinetic solubility were reported for several drugs formulated as ionic liquids increasing their overall bioavailability. Furthermore, aggregation and micellization between highly lipophilic compounds and amphiphilic bile acids was described before, demonstrating the capabilities of the human body itself to utilize solubilization of poorly water-soluble compounds. Development of novel counterions not only tailoring the desired physicochemical properties e.g. dissolution rate of the parent drug but adding – in a best-case scenario synergistic – pharmacological activity has been driven forward in the last years. However, salt formation can only be applied for ionizable i.e. acidic or basic compounds. While co-crystals can be used as a nonionized alternative, their formation is not always successful leading to an urgent need for other formulation strategies. In these lines, development of 2D and 3D printing techniques has been ongoing for the last decades and their pharmaceutical application has been demonstrated. The versatile nature and commercial availability allow a decentralized production further elaborating this technique for a highly flexible and patient-oriented supply with medication.
This thesis focuses on the theoretical background and potential application of salt formation in the pharmaceutical development of a drug candidate. The first section presents the current knowledge and state of the art in preparation of low melting ionic liquids i.e. salts and is translated to the in vitro investigation of molecular interaction between the poorly water-soluble drug imatinib and components of the human intestinal fluid in the second section. Development of novel antibiotic counterions and assessment of their potential use in pharmaceutical formulations with fluoroquinolones is described in the last two sections.
Chapter I describes the application of low melting ionic liquids in pharmaceutical formulation and details their development in the last two decades from versatile organic solvents in chemical synthesis towards amorphous strategies for drug delivery. The chapter gives a general overview on molecular structure and physicochemical properties of several drug containing ionic liquids and details the mechanisms which attribute to a typically fast dissolution, increased aqueous solubility as well as enhanced permeation which was reported in several publications.
Chapter II translates the increased aqueous solubility of drugs by an organic counterion to the human gastrointestinal tract with taurocholate and lecithin as main drivers for the solubilization of highly lipophilic and poorly water-soluble drugs. Investigation of the interaction of imatinib – a poorly water-soluble weak base – with fasted- and fed state simulated intestinal fluids revealed a complex interplay between the components of the intestinal fluid and the drug. Mixed vesicles and micelles were observed in concentration dependent aggregation assays and revealed differences in their size, molecular arrangement as well as composition, depending on the tested drug concentration. Overall, the study outlines the effective interaction of weakly basic drugs with taurocholate and lecithin to minimize recrystallization during intestine passage finally leading to favorable supersaturation profiles.
Chapter III focuses on the development of novel antibiotic counterions which potentially move the evolution of ionic liquids from a pharmaceutical salt with tailored physicochemical properties to a synergistic combination of two active pharmaceutical ingredients. The natural occurring anacardic acid derived from the cashew nut shell inspired a series of antibacterial active acidic compounds with increasing alkyl chain length. Their physicochemical properties, antibacterial activity, bacterial biofilm inhibition and cytotoxicity were detailed and in vivo activity in a Galleria mellonella model was assessed. This group of anacardic acid derivatives is synthetically accessible, easily modifiable and yielded two compounds with favorable activity and physicochemical profile for further drug development.
Chapter IV outlines the potential application of anacardic acid derivatives in pharmaceutical formulations by salt formation with fluoroquinolone antibiotics as well as novel techniques such as 2D/3D printing for preparation of drug imprinted products. Despite anacardic acid derivatives demonstrated promising physicochemical properties, salt formation with fluoroquinolone antibiotics was not feasible. However, 2D/3D printed samples with anacardic acid derivative alone or in combination with ciprofloxacin demonstrated physical compatibility between drug and matrix as well as antibacterial activity against three S. aureus strains in an agar diffusion assay. Conclusively, drug printing can be applied for the herein tested compounds, but further process development is necessary.
In summary, preparation of low melting ionic liquids, salts or co-crystals is an appropriate strategy to increase the aqueous solubility of poorly water-soluble drugs and tailor physicochemical properties. The counterion itself solubilizes the drug and furthermore potentially interferes with the complex micellar environment in the human intestine. However, salt formation as routinely used formulation strategy is not feasible in every case and development of alternative techniques is crucial to hurdle challenges related to unfavorable physicochemical properties. The outlined techniques for 2D/3D drug printing provide versatile production of drug products while extending the design space for novel drug development.
Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is increasingly relevant for an individualized antibiotic therapy and subsequently a necessary tool to reduce multidrug-resistant pathogens, especially in light of diminishing antimicrobial capabilities. Critical illness is associated with profound pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic alterations, which challenge dose finding and the application of particularly hydrophilic drugs such as β-lactam antibiotics. Methods: Implementation strategy, potential benefit, and practicability of the developed standard operating procedures were retrospectively analyzed from January to December 2020. Furthermore, the efficacy of the proposed dosing target of piperacillin in critically ill patients was evaluated. Results: In total, 160 patients received piperacillin/tazobactam therapy and were subsequently included in the study. Of them, 114 patients received piperacillin/tazobactam by continuous infusion and had at least one measurement of piperacillin serum level according to the standard operating procedure. In total, 271 measurements were performed with an average level of 79.0 ± 46.0 mg/L. Seventy-one piperacillin levels exceeded 100 mg/L and six levels were lower than 22.5 mg/L. The high-level and the low-level group differed significantly in infection laboratory parameters (CRP (mg/dL) 20.18 ± 11.71 vs. 5.75 ± 5.33) and renal function [glomerular filtration rate (mL/min/1.75 m2) 40.85 ± 26.74 vs. 120.50 ± 70.48]. Conclusions: Piperacillin levels are unpredictable in critically ill patients. TDM during piperacillin/tazobactam therapy is highly recommended for all patients. Although our implementation strategy was effective, further strategies implemented into the daily clinical workflow might support the health care staff and increase the clinicians' alertness.
Cell culture models are helpful tools to study inflammatory diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis (OA), arteriosclerosis or asthma, which are linked to increased matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity. Such cell culture models often focus on the secretion of cytokines and growth factors or the direct effects of disease on tissue destruction. Even though the crucial role of MMPs in inflammatory diseases is known, the results of MMP studies are contradictious and the use of MMPs as biomarkers is inconsistent. MMPs play an important role in disease pathology, as they are involved in elastin degradation in the walls of alveoli in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), tumor angiogenesis and metastasis and in cartilage and bone degradation in arthropathies. In RA and OA MMPs are secreted by osteocytes, synoviocytes, and by infiltrating immune cells in response to the increased concentration of inflammatory mediators, like growth factors and cytokines. MMPs are zinc and calcium-dependent proteinases and play an important role in physiological and pathological extracellular matrix (ECM) turn over. Their substrate specificity gives them the ability to degrade all major ECM components, like aggrecan, elastin, gelatin, fibronectin and all types of collagen even the triple helix of collagen monomers. The ECM consists of two large three-dimensional cross-linked macromolecule classes: one are fibrous proteins, like collagen and elastin fibers that are responsible for ECM’s structure, tensile strength, resiliency, reversible extensibility, and deformability and the second class is comprised of proteoglycans composed of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains covalently attached to protein cores that are multifunctionally involved in signaling pathways and cell interactions. ECM is present within all tissues and organs and changes in ECM structure contribute to pathogenesis, e.g. wounded and fibrotic tissue, COPD or tumours.
This thesis primarily focuses on the development of a diagnostic peptide system, that enables to gain information on MMP activity from ECM by deploying the isobaric mass encoding strategy. The core element of the developed system is an isotopically labelled peptide sequence (mass tag), that is released in response to elevated levels of MMPs and allows multiplexed detection in tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The mass reporters possess a modular structure with different functionalities. C-terminal either a transglutaminase (TG) recognition sequence or a high molecular weight polyethylene glycol (PEG) moiety was attached to immobilize the mass reporters covalently or physically at the injection site. The following matrix metalloproteinase substrate sequence (MSS) is incorporated in two different versions with different sensitivity to MMPs. The MSS were applied in pairs for relative quantification consisting of the cleavable version synthesized with natural L-amino acids and the non-cleavable D-amino acid variant. The mass tag was synthesized with isotopically labelled amino acids and is separated from the MSS by a UV light-sensitive molecule. N-terminal the mass tag is followed by a tobacco etch virus protease (TEV) sensitive sequence, that is responsible to separate the mass tag from the affinity tag, which was either the Strep-tag II sequence or biotin and were added for purification purposes.
Chapter 1 presents a step-by-step protocol on how to design a mass tag family allowing for multiplexed analysis by LC-MS/MS. The multiplexing is achieved by developing an isobar mass tag family with four family members, which are chromatographically indistinguishable, but due to the mass encoding principles they fragment in distinct y-type ions with a mass difference of 1 or 2 Da each in MS2. Furthermore, it is explained how to covalently attach the mass reporter peptides onto ECM by the activated calcium-catalyzed blood coagulation transglutaminase factor XIII (FXIIIa). The lysine of mass reporter’s TG sequence (D-domain of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I)) and a glutamine in fibronectin are covalently crosslinked by FXIIIa and build an isopeptide bond. Elevated levels of MMP release the mass reporters from ECM by recognizing the inter-positioned MSS.
The designed mass reporters were able to monitor enzyme activity in an in vitro setting with cell-derived ECM, which was shown in Chapter 2. The modular structured mass reporters were investigated in a proof of concept study. First, the different modules were characterized in terms of their MMP responsiveness and their sensitivity to TEV protease and UV light. Then the FXIIIa-mediated coupling reaction was detailed and the successful coupling on ECM was visualized by an immunosorbent assay or confocal laser scanning microscopy. Finally, the immobilized mass reporters on ECM were incubated with MMP-9 to investigate their multiplexing ability of MMP activity. The cleaved mass reporter fragments were purified in three steps and mass tags were analyzed as mix of all four in LC-MS/MS.
Chapter 3 describes the change from an immobilizing system as seen in chapter 1 and 2 to a soluble enzyme activity monitoring system that was applied in an osteoarthritic mouse model. Instead of the immobilizing TG sequence the C-terminal MMS was extended with two amino acids where one holds an azide moiety to perform a strain-promoted azide-alkyne cycloaddition to a high molecular weight dibenzocyclooctyne-polyethylene glycol (DBCO-PEG), which was chosen to retain the mass reporters at the injection site. Furthermore, the N-terminal affinity tag was extended with a 2.5 kDa PEG chain to increase the half-life of the mass reporter peptides after MMP release. The systems biocompatibility was proved but its enzyme monitoring ability in an in vivo setting could not be analyzed as samples degraded during shipping resulting from the Chinese customs blocking transport to Germany.
In summary the diagnostic peptide system was developed in two variants. The immobilized version one from chapter 1 and 2 was designed to be covalently attached to ECM by the transglutaminase-mediated cross-linking reaction. In an in vitro setting the functionality of the mass reporter system for the detection of MMP activity was successfully verified. The second variant comprises of a soluble mass reporter system that was tested in an OA mouse model and showed biocompatibility. With these two designed systems this thesis provides a flexible platform based on multiplexed analysis with mass-encoded peptides to characterize cell culture models regarding their MMP activity, to deploy cell-derived ECM as endogenous depot scaffold and to develop a mass tag family that enables simultaneous detection of at least four mass tags.
The present thesis concerns the molecular imaging of opioid receptors and human butyrylcholinesterase with the aid of tailored probes, which are suitable for the respective applied imaging techniques. The first part focusses on imaging of opioid receptors with selective probes using total internal reflection- and single molecule fluorescence microscopy. Design and synthesis of the ligands are presented and their pharmacological characterization and application in microscopy experiments are shown. The second part of this thesis focused on the development of 18F-labeled, selective radiotracers for imaging of butyrylcholinesterase via positron emission tomography. The design and synthesis of each a reversible and pseudoirreversible 18F-labeled tracer are presented. After evaluation of the binding properties of each tracer, their initial application in ex vivo autoradiography- and preliminary in vivo microPET studies is described and analyzed.
Metabolic glycoengineering enables a directed modification of cell surfaces by introducing target molecules to surface proteins displaying new features. Biochemical pathways involving glycans differ in dependence on the cell type; therefore, this technique should be tailored for the best results. We characterized metabolic glycoengineering in telomerase-immortalized human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSC-TERT) as a model for primary hMSC, to investigate its applicability in TERT-modified cell lines. The metabolic incorporation of N-azidoacetylmannosamine (Ac\(_4\)ManNAz) and N-alkyneacetylmannosamine (Ac\(_4\)ManNAl) into the glycocalyx as a first step in the glycoengineering process revealed no adverse effects on cell viability or gene expression, and the in vitro multipotency (osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation potential) was maintained under these adapted culture conditions. In the second step, glycoengineered cells were modified with fluorescent dyes using Cu-mediated click chemistry. In these analyses, the two mannose derivatives showed superior incorporation efficiencies compared to glucose and galactose isomers. In time-dependent experiments, the incorporation of Ac\(_4\)ManNAz was detectable for up to six days while Ac\(_4\)ManNAl-derived metabolites were absent after two days. Taken together, these findings demonstrate the successful metabolic glycoengineering of immortalized hMSC resulting in transient cell surface modifications, and thus present a useful model to address different scientific questions regarding glycosylation processes in skeletal precursors.
Poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-co-TrFE)) is an electroactive polymer with growing interest for applications in biomedical materials and flexible electronics. In this study, a solvent-free additive manufacturing technique called melt electrowriting (MEW) has been utilized to fabricate well-defined microperiodic structures of the copolymer (P(VDF-co-TrFE)). MEW of the highly viscous polymer melt was initiated using a heated collector at temperatures above 120 °C and required remarkably slow collector speeds below 100 mm min\(^{-1}\). The fiber surface morphology was affected by the collector speed and an increase in β-phase was observed for scaffolds compared to the unprocessed powder. Videography shows vibrations of the P(VDF-co-TrFE) jet previously unseen during MEW, probably due to repeated charge buildup and discharge. Furthermore, piezo-force microscopy measurements demonstrated the electromechanical response of MEW-fabricated fibers. This research therefore achieves the melt electrohydrodynamic processing of fibers with micrometer resolution into defined structures with an important electroactive polymer.
Poorly water-soluble drugs frequently solubilize into bile colloids and this natural mechanism is key for efficient bioavailability. We tested the impact of pharmaceutical polymers on this solubilization interplay using proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and by assessing the flux across model membranes. Eudragit E, Soluplus, and a therapeutically used model polymer, Colesevelam, impacted the bile-colloidal geometry and molecular interaction. These polymer-induced changes reduced the flux of poorly water-soluble and bile interacting drugs (Perphenazine, Imatinib) but did not impact the flux of bile non-interacting Metoprolol. Non-bile interacting polymers (Kollidon VA 64, HPMC-AS) neither impacted the flux of colloid-interacting nor colloid-non-interacting drugs. These insights into the drug substance/polymer/bile colloid interplay potentially point towards a practical optimization parameter steering formulations to efficient bile-solubilization by rational polymer selection.
Investigation of isomerization of dexibuprofen in a ball mill using chiral capillary electrophoresis
(2021)
Besides the racemate, the S‐enantiomer of ibuprofen (Ibu) is used for the treatment of inflammation and pain. Since the configurational stability of S‐Ibu in solid state is of interest, it was studied by means of ball milling experiments. For the evaluation of the enantiomeric composition, a chiral CE method was developed and validated according to the ICH guideline Q2(R1). The addition of Mg\(^{2+}\), Ca\(^{2+}\), or Zn\(^{2+}\) ions to the background electrolyte (BGE) was found to improve Ibu enantioresolution. Chiral separation of Ibu enantiomers was achieved on a 60.2 cm (50.0 cm effective length) x 75 μm fused‐silica capillary using a background electrolyte (BGE) composed of 50 mM sodium acetate, 10 mM magnesium acetate tetrahydrate, and 35 mM heptakis‐(2,3,6‐tri‐O‐methyl)‐β‐cyclodextrin (TM‐β‐CD) as chiral selector. The quantification of R‐Ibu in the mixture was performed using the normalization procedure. Linearity was evaluated in the range of 0.68–5.49% R‐Ibu (R\(^{2}\) = 0.999), recovery was found to range between 97 and 103%, the RSD of intra‐ and interday precision below 2.5%, and the limit of quantification for R‐ in S‐Ibu was calculated to be 0.21% (extrapolated) and 0.15% (dilution of racemic ibuprofen), respectively. Isomerization of S‐Ibu was observed under basic conditions by applying long milling times and high milling frequencies.
The GABA\(_{B}\) receptor agonist baclofen is a medication commonly used for the treatment of muscle spasticity. It is an amino acid and related to the neurotransmitter GABA. In this study, we developed a new, gradient high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for the impurity assessment of baclofen, which is appropriate for pharmacopoeial purposes. Since the impurities related to the synthesis pathway are acids, zwitterionic, or neutral, the method development is challenging. However, the separation of all components was achieved on a C18 stationary phase using a water–acetonitrile–trifluoroacetic acid gradient. A limit of detection (LOD) of at least 0.02% was registered for all specified impurities. Additionally, CAD detection was performed to detect potential impurities lacking off a chromophore. The baclofen batches analyzed are far more pure than expected. All impurities were found below the specification limit, and thus, they can be regarded as unspecified. Moreover, the required runtime could be significantly reduced compared to the current USP or Ph. Eur. method.