Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J Balzarini.
An acetylcholinesterase (AChE) assay based on the Rappaport method was established to investigate the behaviour of several cycloSal nucleotides against AChE from electrophorus electricus and human sources (purified enzymes). AChE is a physiologically essential enzyme as it catalyzes the hydrolysis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. No inhibition was observed in any of the cases.
We have recently discovered bicyclic furopyrimidines as potent and selective inhibitors of VZV. In order to investigate the structural requirements for antiviral activity we have succesfully synthesised some 3'-chloro and 5'-chloro derivatives. The compounds have been tested against VZV and CMV, but displayed no significant in vitro activity.
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Computational studies have been conducted to built a closed form of TPase and to characterize the transition state of the phosphorylisis reaction catalyzed by TPase. The results obtained point to a crucial role of His-85 and the O2 of thymine in the catalysis. This modelled transition state forms the basis for the design of new TPase inhibitors.
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The pharmacokinetics of 9-(2-phosphonylmethoxyethyl)adenine (PMEA), a potent inhibitor of retrovirus (i.e. human immunodeficiency virus) replication was determined in mice. Upon iv bolus administration of PMEA at 25, 100, or 500 mg/kg, PMEA was rapidly cleared from the plasma in a monoexponential and dose-independent manner (half-life, 7-12.5 min; distribution volume, 0.30-0.36 liter/kg; total body clearance, 1.21-2.41 liters/hr/kg). Irrespective of the initial PMEA dose, 67% of unchanged PMEA was recovered from the urine of mice within 24 hr after administration of PMEA. [3H]PMEA, administered as an iv bolus injection, mainly accumulated in the kidney, liver, and lungs. Significant amounts of monophosphorylated PMEA were detected in kidney and liver, but not other tissues, at 10, 30, and 60 min after iv administration of PMEA. Low but significant levels of PMEA were attained in the brain.
Various established antiherpetic drugs, including 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylthymine (araT), acyclovir (ACV), 9-(1,3-dihydroxy-2-propoxymethyl) guanine (DHPG), 5-(2-chloroethyl)-2'-deoxyuridine (CEDU), (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine (BVDU), and structurally related analogues thereof, i.e. (E)-5-(2-iodovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine (IVDU), (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxycytidine (BVDC), (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-1-beta-D-arabinofuranosyluracil (BVaraU), and the carbocyclic analogues of BVDU (C-BVDU), IVDU (C-IVDU) and BVDC (C-BVDC), were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on the growth of murine mammary carcinoma (FM3A/0), murine leukemia (L1210/0) and murine fibroblast (LM/0) cells and the thymidine kinase-deficient (TK-) sublines derived from the FM3A/0, L1210/0 and LM/0 cells. BVDU, IVDU and BVDC showed a markedly increased cytostatic activity against the TK- cell lines. To determine the biochemical mechanism of the increased cytostatic action of these compounds toward TK- cell lines, BVDU and IVDU were further evaluated for their inhibitory effects on pyrimidine nucleotide metabolism, in particular thymidylate synthetase activity, their incorporation into DNA and into trichloroacetic acid (TCA)-insoluble material, and their effects on DNA, RNA and protein synthesis in both TK+ and TK- cells. No marked differences were noted in the interaction of BVDU and IVDU with these potential targets between TK+ and TK- cell lines. Furthermore, neither FM3A/0 nor FM3A/TK- cells expressed a significant phosphorylating activity for (125I) IVDU. However, BVDU and IVDU specifically inhibited the incorporation of (1-14C) mannose and (1-14C) glucose into glycoproteins of FM3A/TK- and L1210/TK- cells. To what extent the inhibition of the incorporation of these monosaccharides into glycoproteins may contribute to the increased cytostatic effects of BVDU and IVDU on TK- cells remains to be determined.