1. Development of a new distyrylbenzene-derivative amyloid-β-aggregation and fibril formation inhibitor
Yuusaku Yokoyama, Masamichi Nakakoshi, Ayako Orimoto, Naoki Maruyama, Hiroaki Okuno, Akihiro Matsuyama, Setsuko Handa, Hideharu Suzuki, Akihito Ishigami Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) . 2012;60(9):1164-70. doi: 10.1248/cpb.c12-00365.
Several new amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregation inhibitors were synthesized according to our theory that a hydrophilic moiety could be attached to the Aβ-recognition unit for the purpose of preventing amyloid plaque formation. A distyrylbenzene-derivative, DSB(EEX)(3), which consider the Aβ recognition unit (DSB, 1,4-distyrylbenzene) and expected to bind to amyloid fibrils (β-sheet structure), was combined with the hydrophilic aggregation disrupting element (EEX) (E, Glu; X, 2-(2-(2-aminoethoxy)ethoxy)acetic acid). This DSB(EEX)(3) compound, compared to several others synthesized similarly, was found to be the most active for reducing Aβ toxicity toward IMR-32 human neuroblastoma cells. Moreover, its inhibition of Aβ-aggregation or fibril formation was directly confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. These results suggest that the Aβ aggregation inhibitor DSB(EEX)(3) disrupts clumps of Aβ protein and is a likely candidate for drug development to treat Alzheimer's disease.
2. Synthesis of PNA oligoether conjugates
Roger Strömberg, Alice Ghidini, Peter Steunenberg, Merita Murtola Molecules . 2014 Mar 13;19(3):3135-48. doi: 10.3390/molecules19033135.
Several different approaches have been explored for conjugation of oligoethers to PNA with internally or N-terminal placed diaminopropionic acid residues. Single and double conjugation of 2-(2-(2-aminoethoxy)ethoxy)ethanol was obtained using carbonyldimidazole. Using a post PNA-assembly coupling procedure the building block 2-(2-(2-(benzoyloxy)ethoxy)ethoxy)acetic acid multiple attachment of 2-(2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethoxy)acetyl groups to both N-terminal and β-amino groups of inserted diaminopropionic acids residues was achieved. Use of a new oligoether functionalized amino acid allows inclusion of oligoether conjugates during on-line machine assisted synthesis which also allowed combination of methods for attachment of different oligoethers and co-conjugation of neocuproine as well as conjugation of an aminosugar.
3. Unveiling the additive-assisted oriented growth of perovskite crystallite for high performance light-emitting diodes
Ning Fan, Jie Wang, Tao Jiang, Ju Zhang, Xinhui Lu, Cailing Tu, Ya Zhang, Decheng Kong, Qiming Peng, Dawei Liu, Zewu Fu, Yu Cao, Chen Xue, Kaichuan Wen, Hui Cao, Wei Huang, Gongqiang Li, Jianpu Wang, Chang Yi, Hao Zhang, Lei Xu, Nana Wang, Guangbin Zhang, Jin Chang, Minchao Qin, Lin Zhu Nat Commun . 2021 Aug 23;12(1):5081. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-25407-8.
Solution-processed metal halide perovskites have been recognized as one of the most promising semiconductors, with applications in light-emitting diodes (LEDs), solar cells and lasers. Various additives have been widely used in perovskite precursor solutions, aiming to improve the formed perovskite film quality through passivating defects and controlling the crystallinity. The additive's role of defect passivation has been intensively investigated, while a deep understanding of how additives influence the crystallization process of perovskites is lacking. Here, we reveal a general additive-assisted crystal formation pathway for FAPbI3perovskite with vertical orientation, by tracking the chemical interaction in the precursor solution and crystallographic evolution during the film formation process. The resulting understanding motivates us to use a new additive with multi-functional groups, 2-(2-(2-Aminoethoxy)ethoxy)acetic acid, which can facilitate the orientated growth of perovskite and passivate defects, leading to perovskite layer with high crystallinity and low defect density and thereby record-high performance NIR perovskite LEDs (~800 nm emission peak, a peak external quantum efficiency of 22.2% with enhanced stability).
