Radiation-produced electrons initiate various reaction processes that are important to radiation damage to biomolecules. In this work, the site of attachment of the prehydrated electrons with methyl acetoacetate (MAA, CH3-CO-CH2-COOCH3) at 77 K and subsequent reactions of the anion radical (CH3-CO•--CH2-COOCH3) in the 77 to ca. 170 K temperature range have been investigated in homogeneous H2O and D2O aqueous glasses by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. At 77 K, the prehydrated electron attaches to MAA forming the anion radical in which the electron is delocalized over the two carbonyl groups. This species readily protonates to produce the protonated electron adduct radical CH3-C(•)OH-CH2-COOCH3. The ESR spectrum of CH3-C(•)OH-CH2-COOCH3 in H2O shows line components due to proton hyperfine couplings of the methyl and methylene groups. Whereas, the ESR spectrum of CH3-C(•)OH-CH2-COOCH3 in D2O glass shows only the line components due to proton hyperfine couplings of CH3 group. This is expected since the methylene protons in MAA are readily exchangeable in D2O. On stepwise annealing to higher temperatures (ca. 150 to 170 K), CH3-C(•)OH-CH2-COOCH3 undergoes bimolecular H-atom abstraction from MAA to form the more stable radical, CH3-CO-CH•-COOCH3. Theoretical calculations using density functional theory (DFT) support the radical assignments.

Periodontitis is characterized by excessive osteoclastic activity, which is closely associated with inflammation. It is well established that MAPK/NF-kB axis is a key signaling pathway engaged in osteoclast differentiation. It is stated that that biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) have significant antiostoeclastogenic effects in chronic periodontitis.

A number of 5′-O-fatty acyl derivatives of 3′-fluoro-2′,3′-dideoxythymidine (FLT, 1) were synthesized. These conjugates were evaluated for their potential as topical microbicides with anti-HIV activity against cell-free (X4 and R5), cell-associated, and multidrug-resistant viruses. Compared to FLT and 3′-azido-2′,3′-dideoxythymidine (AZT), 5′-O-(12-azidododecanoyl) (5), 5′-O-myristoyl (6), and 5′-O-(12-thioethyldodecanoyl) (8) derivatives of FLT were found to be more active against both cell-free viruses (lymphocytotropic and monocytotropic strains) with EC50 values of 0.4 μM, 1.1 μM, and <0.2 μM, respectively, as well as cell-associated virus with EC50 values of 12.6, 6.4, and 2.3 μM, respectively. Conjugates 5, 6, and 8 exhibited >4 and >30 times better antiviral index than FLT and AZT, respectively. Conjugates 5 and 8 were significantly more potent than FLT against many multidrug-resistant strains. A comparison of the anti-HIV activity with the corresponding non-hydrolyzable ether conjugates suggested that ester hydrolysis to FLT and fatty acids is critical to enable anti-HIV activity. Cellular uptake studies were conducted using fluorescent derivatives of FLT attached with 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein through either β-alanine (23) or 12-aminododecanoic acid (24) spacers. The lipophilic fluorescent analog with a long chain (24) showed more than 12 times higher cellular uptake profile than the fluorescent analog with a short chain (23). These studies further confirmed that the attachment of fatty acids improved the cellular uptake of nucleoside conjugates. In addition, 5, 6, and 8 were the least cytotoxic and did not alter vaginal cell and sperm viability compared to the positive control, a commercial topical spermicide (N-9), which significantly decreased sperm and vaginal cell viability inducing the generation of proinflammatory cytokines.