Design and synthesis of 3-pyridylacetamide derivatives as dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-4) inhibitors targeting a bidentate interaction with Arg125

We have previously discovered nicotinic acid derivative 1 as a structurally novel dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-4) inhibitor. In this study, we obtained the X-ray co-crystal structure between nicotinic acid derivative 1 and DPP-4. From these X-ray co-crystallography results, to achieve more potent inhibitory activity, we targeted Arg125 as a potential amino acid residue because it was located near the pyridine core, and some known DPP-4 inhibitors were reported to interact with this residue. We hypothesized that the guanidino group of Arg125 could interact with two hydrogen-bond acceptors in a bidentate manner. Therefore, we designed a series of 3-pyridylacetamide derivatives possessing an additional hydrogen-bond acceptor that could have the desired bidentate interaction with Arg125. We discovered the dihydrochloride of 1-{[5-(aminomethyl)-2-methyl-4-(4-methylphenyl)-6-(2-methylpropyl)pyridin-3-yl]acetyl}-l-prolinamide (13j) to be a potent and selective DPP-4 inhibitor that could interact with the guanidino group of Arg125 in a unique bidentate manner.     

季节性流感裂解疫苗在小鼠中针对同型与异型流感病毒的免疫保护效力

为了研究季节性流感裂解疫苗在小鼠中针对甲型流感病毒同型同株、同型异株、异型异株攻击的免疫保护效力及其与诱发的血凝抑制(HI)抗体滴度的关系,本研究使用我国2008~2009年度季节性流感裂解疫苗中不同剂量的甲1型流感病毒H1N1(疫苗株病毒A/Brisbane/59/2007(H1N1)-like)和甲3型流感病毒的H3N2(疫苗株病毒A/Brisbane/10/2007(H3N2)-like)疫苗组分免疫BALB/c小鼠,首先确定了能在小鼠中诱发血HI抗体滴度达到40的疫苗免疫剂量;然后以此剂量免疫小鼠,分别使用同型同株流感病毒(鼠肺适应株A/Brisbane/59/2007(H1N1)-like virus(MA))(简称A1)和同型异株流感病毒(鼠肺适应株A/Purto Rico/8/34(H1N1))(简称PR8)攻击H1N1疫苗免疫小鼠,使用异型异株流感病毒A1攻击H3N2疫苗免疫小鼠,通过体重变化和存活率情况,探讨季节性流感疫苗在小鼠中针对甲型流感病毒同型同株、同型异株、异型异株攻击的保护效力。结果显示,季节性流感裂解疫苗H1N1和H3N2组分按照HA不同剂量0.15μg、0.5μg、1.5μg、5μg和15μg免疫小鼠后,所诱发的HI抗体滴度随免疫剂量的增加而增强,1.5μgHA即可以诱发免疫小鼠HI抗体滴度达到40;以此剂量免疫小鼠,分别使用3LD50、10LD50、30LD50、100LD50、300LD50、1 000LD50和3 000LD50的同型同株流感病毒A1进行攻击,1.5μgH1N1疫苗可以100%保护小鼠抵御高至1000LD50同型同株流感病毒A1的攻击,15μg甚至可以100%保护3 000LD50同型同株流感病毒A1的攻击,但是这两个剂量免疫的小鼠在低至3LD50同型异株流感病毒PR8的攻击后都全部死亡;使用可以诱发HI抗体滴度达到140的15μg H3N2疫苗免疫小鼠,在低至3LD50异型异株流感病毒A1的攻击后亦全部死亡。以上结果表明,季节性流感疫苗可使小鼠HI抗体滴度达到40的疫苗免疫剂量为1.5μg,该免疫剂量可以有效保护小鼠抵御同型同株流感病毒的攻击,但是难以保护小鼠抵御同型异株与异型异株流感病毒的攻击,这一结果为建立以季节性流感疫苗为参考的免疫保护评价体系提供了实验依据。     

心房颤动患者血清脑钠肽水平变化的临床研究

目的：探讨患者心房颤动（房颤,AF）发作时对血清脑钠肽水平的影响。方法：选择阵发性房颤组、持续性房颤组、对照组（窦性心律）患者各30例,观察各组血清脑钠肽水平;并对阵发性房颤组中心室率≤100 beats/min与心室率〉100 beats/min的患者进行亚组分析;观察阵发性房颤组复律后24 h和30 d血清脑钠肽水平。结果：阵发性房颤组和持续性房颤组血清脑钠肽水平明显高于对照组（P〈0.01）,房颤复律后血清脑钠肽水平很快下降。结论：血清脑钠肽水平在房颤发作时明显升高,血清脑钠肽水平的升高与房颤的发作有关。     

高效价冻干人用狂犬病疫苗暴露后免疫程序的研究

初步确定高效价冻干人用狂犬病疫苗（6．0IU／剂）暴露后免疫程序。制备高效价的冻干人用狂犬病疫苗（6．0IU／剂）,以狂犬病街毒CNX8601和BD06分别攻击小鼠和比格犬的咬肌,接种不同效价的狂犬病疫苗,以RFFIT法检测中和抗体,根据动物死亡情况,计算暴露后疫苗保护率,对不同效价的疫苗进行中和抗体测定和保护率统计分析。在以小鼠为实验动物的疫苗保护率研究中,冻干人用狂犬病疫苗（3．1IU／剂）0／3／7／14／28免疫程序的保护率为40．6％,高效价的冻干人用狂犬病疫苗（6．0IU／剂）0／3／14免疫程序的保护率为56．2％,中和抗体比较,P〈0．05,2组间有显著性差异;在以比格犬为实验动物的保护效果研究中,冻干人用狂犬病疫苗的保护率（3．1IU／剂）为70％;高效价的冻干人用狂犬病疫苗（6．0IU／剂）的保护率为80％,中和抗体的比较,P〉0．05,没有显著性差异。高效价冻干人用狂犬病疫苗暴露后免疫程序可初步确定为0、3、14d免疫。     

约氏疟原虫Pys48核酸疫苗传播阻断效应的实验研究

探讨约氏疟原虫（Plasmodium yoelii17XL）Pys48核酸疫苗免疫BALB/c小鼠的特异性抗体产生特点及其效应。将Pys48核酸疫苗肌肉内注射免疫BALB/c小鼠,并以空质粒注射组作为对照,3次免疫后通过P.y17XL攻击小鼠;采用ELISA检测免疫后小鼠血清中特异性抗体水平;通过P.y17XL感染小鼠,取其感染后第3天含有配子体的血液进行体外培养,观察合子、动合子的形成数量。ELISA结果显示疫苗免疫组小鼠血清特异性抗体滴度明显高于对照组;而合子、动合子数量明显低于对照组。提示Pys48核酸疫苗具有良好的免疫原性,免疫小鼠后可以建立起有效的传播阻断效应。     

枸杞多糖对H5N1流感全病毒灭活疫苗的体液免疫增强作用

探讨枸杞多糖(Lycium barbarum polysaccharide,LBP)作为佐剂对H5亚型流感病毒全病毒灭活疫苗的体液免疫增强效果。将流感病毒A/Vietnam/1194/2004(H5N1)灭活疫苗与不同剂量的枸杞多糖混合后以腹腔注射的方式共同免疫小鼠,免疫后三周收集血清用于特异性抗体检测。实验中设立氢氧化铝佐剂组作对照共同评价LBP作为佐剂的免疫增强效果。结果显示,小鼠血清中针对H5灭活疫苗的特异性抗体水平在一定范围内随着LBP剂量的增加而提高。LBP在800μg剂量时血清特异性抗体水平较无佐剂组显著增强,并与氢氧化铝佐剂组大致相当。因而,LBP有可能成为一种有效的流感灭活疫苗免疫佐剂。     

一种含不同流感病毒血凝素抗原表位的核酸疫苗

流感病毒表面抗原血凝素( hemagglutinin,HA)是流感核酸疫苗重要的靶抗原,针对HA的保护性中和抗体主要由HA上的五个抗原表位诱导产生.在本文中,我们构建了一种以新甲型H1N1流感病毒HA1为骨架的含2个A/PR/8( H1N1)流感病毒HA抗原表位和3个新甲型H1N1流感病毒HA抗原表位的核酸疫苗,并在B...     

Activity optimization of an undecapeptide analogue derived from a frog-skin antimicrobial peptide

While natural antimicrobial peptides are potential therapeutic agents, their physicochemical properties and bioactivity generally need to be enhanced for clinical and commercial development. We have previously developed a cationic, amphipathic α-helical, 11-residue peptide (named herein GA-W2: FLGWLFKWASK-NH₂) with potent antimicrobial and hemolytic activity, which was derived from a 24-residue, natural antimicrobial peptide isolated from frog skin. Here, we attempted to optimize peptide bioactivity by a rational approach to sequence modification. Seven analogues were generated from GA-W2, and their activities were compared with that of a 12-residue peptide, omiganan, which is being developed for clinical and commercial applications. Most of the modifications reported here improved antimicrobial activity. Among them, the GA-K4AL (FAKWAFKWLKK-NH₂) peptide displayed the most potent antimicrobial activity with negligible hemolytic activity, superior to that of omiganan. The therapeutic index of GA-K4AL was improved more than 53- and more than 31-fold against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, respectively, compared to that of the starting peptide, GA-W2. Given its relatively shorter length and simpler amino acid composition, our sequence-optimized GA-K4AL peptide may thus be a potentially useful antimicrobial peptide agent.     

Virulence evolution in response to anti-infection resistance: toxic food plants can select for virulent parasites of monarch butterflies

Host resistance to parasites can come in two main forms: hosts may either reduce the probability of parasite infection (anti-infection resistance) or reduce parasite growth after infection has occurred (anti-growth resistance). Both resistance mechanisms are often imperfect, meaning that they do not fully prevent or clear infections. Theoretical work has suggested that imperfect anti-growth resistance can select for higher parasite virulence by favouring faster-growing and more virulent parasites that overcome this resistance. In contrast, imperfect anti-infection resistance is thought not to select for increased parasite virulence, because it is assumed that it reduces the number of hosts that become infected, but not the fitness of parasites in successfully infected hosts. Here, we develop a theoretical model to show that anti-infection resistance can in fact select for higher virulence when such resistance reduces the effective parasite dose that enters a host. Our model is based on a monarch butterfly-parasite system in which larval food plants confer resistance to the monarch host. We carried out an experiment and showed that this environmental resistance is most likely a form of anti-infection resistance, through which toxic food plants reduce the effective dose of parasites that initiates an infection. We used these results to build a mathematical model to investigate the evolutionary consequences of food plant-induced resistance. Our model shows that when the effective infectious dose is reduced, parasites can compensate by evolving a higher per-parasite growth rate, and consequently a higher intrinsic virulence. Our results are relevant to many insect host-parasite systems, in which larval food plants often confer imperfect anti-infection resistance. Our results also suggest that - for parasites where the infectious dose affects the within-host dynamics - vaccines that reduce the effective infectious dose can select for increased parasite virulence.     

Investigation of protein induction in tumour vascular targeted strategies by MALDI MSI

Characterising the protein signatures in tumours following vascular-targeted therapy will help determine both treatment response and resistance mechanisms. Here, mass spectrometry imaging and MS/MS with and without ion mobility separation have been used for this purpose in a mouse fibrosarcoma model following treatment with the tubulin-binding tumour vascular disrupting agent, combretastatin A-4-phosphate (CA-4-P). Characterisation of peptides after in situ tissue tryptic digestion was carried out using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation-Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-MS) and Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation-Ion Mobility Separation-Mass Spectrometry Imaging (MALDI IMS-MSI) to observe the spatial distribution of peptides. Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation-Ion Mobility Separation-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-IMS-MS/MS) of peaks was performed to elucidate any pharmacological responses and potential biomarkers. By taking tumour samples at a number of time points after treatment gross changes in the tissue were indicated by changes in the signal levels of certain peptides. These were identified as arising from haemoglobin and indicated the disruption of the tumour vasculature. It was hoped that the use of PCA-DA would reveal more subtle changes taking place in the tumour samples however these are masked by the dominance of the changes in the haemoglobin signals.