Cantharidin analogues: synthesis and evaluation of growth inhibition in a panel of selected tumour cell lines

Diels-Alder addition of furans (furan, furfuryl alcohol, and 3-bromofuran) to maelic anhydride yields three distinct 5,6-dehydronorcantharidins. Hydrogenation of (4,10-dioxatricyclo[5.2.1.0]decane-3,5-dione) (4a), in dry ethanol affords the monoester (7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2,3-dicarboxylic aid monoethyl ester) (6). Subsequent transesterification affords a series of monoesters (7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2,3-dicarboxylic acid monomethyl ester (7)), 7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2,3-dicarboxylic acid monopropyl ester (8), (7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2,3-dicarboxylic acid monohexyl ester (9)) and differentially substituted diesters (7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2,3-dicarboxylic acid 2-ethyl ester 3-isopropyl ester) (10), and (7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2,3-dicarboxylic acid 2-ethyl ester 3-phenyl ester) (11). Analogues were firstly screened for their ability to inhibit protein phosphatases 1 (PP1) and 2A (PP2A) as the lead compounds cantharidin (1) and norcantharidin (2) are known PP1 and PP2A inhibitors. Only analogues 4a, 6-8 displayed good PP1 and PP2A inhibition (PP1 IC(50)'s=2.0, 2.96, 4.71, and 4.82 microM, respectively; PP2A IC(50)'s=0.2, 0.45, 0.41, and 0.47 microM, respectively). All analogues were also screened for their anti-cancer potential against a panel of tumour cell lines, HL60, L1210, SW480, WiDr, HT29, HCT116, A2780, ADDP, and 143B, producing GI(50) values ranging from 6 microM to >1000 microM. Analogues possessing good PP1 and/or PP2A inhibition also returned moderate to good anti-cancer activity. Analogues with substituents directly attached to the intact bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane skeleton were poor to moderate anti-cancer agents. This correlates well with their lack of PP1 or PP2A activity. Analogues capable of undergoing a facile ring opening of the anhydride or with a single carboxylate were good PP1 and PP2A inhibitors, largely correlating to the observed anti-cancer activity in all cases, except 11. Analogue 11, whist neither a PP1 nor a PP2A inhibitor shows anti-cancer activity comparable to 1 and 2. We believe that intracellular esterases generate the corresponding dicarboxylate, which is a potent PP1 and PP2A inhibitor, and that it is this species which is responsible for the observed anti-cancer activity.     

枯草芽孢杆菌SA-22 β-甘露聚糖酶的纯化及其特性

利用硫酸铵沉淀、羟基磷灰石柱层析、Sephadex G-75凝胶过滤和DEAE-52离子交换柱层析的方法,将枯草芽孢杆菌SA-22 β-甘露聚糖酶纯化了30.75倍,同时,该酶比活达到3478056 u/mg,收率达到23.43%。利用SDS-PAGE凝胶电泳和Sephadex G-75凝胶过滤的方法测得枯草芽孢杆菌SA-22 β-甘露聚糖酶的分子量分别为38 kD和34 kD。实验发现该酶的最适pH为6.5,在pH 5～10的范围内稳定;该酶最适温度为70℃,在50℃保温4h后其活力不变,在60℃保温4 h后剩余酶活为74.2%,70℃的酶活半衰期为3h。实验还发现Hg²⁺对酶活力有明显抑制作用。该酶对槐豆胶和魔芋胶的K_m和V_max值分别为11.30mg/mL, 4.76mg/mL和188.68(μmol·mL^-1·min^-1), 114.94(μmol·mL^-1·min^-1)。     

3-Alkenyl-2-azetidinones as fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitors

A series of novel 2-azetidinones (β-lactams) bearing short alkenyl chains at C3 and N1 have been prepared and evaluated in vitro as inhibitors of human FAAH. Compound 9c (1-(4′-pentenoyl-3-(4′-pentenyl)-2-azetidinone)) featured an IC₅₀ value of 4.5 μM and a good selectivity for FAAH versus MGL.     

Application of PEG-400 as a green biodegradable polymeric medium for the catalyst-free synthesis of spiro-dihydropyridines and their use as acetyl and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitors

A simple, efficient and green approach for the synthesis of spiro-dihydropyridines derivatives by one-pot multi-component reaction of isatin or acenaphthoquinone derivatives (1 equiv) with malononitrile (1 equiv) and N,N′-substituted-2-nitroethene-1,1-diamines (1 equiv) in PEG-400 under catalyst-free conditions is described. This method provides several advantages such as environmental friendliness, short reaction time, and simple workup procedure for the synthesis of biologically important compounds. The ability of synthesized compounds in inhibition of acetyl and butyrylcholinesterase were investigated both in vitro and in silico. All compounds showed moderate to high level activity against both acetyl and butyrylcholinesterase. There was a good correlation between in vitro and in silico studies.     

alpha(1)-Proteinase inhibitor mutants with specificity for plasma kallikrein and C1s but not C1

Coagulation and complement proteinases are activated in sepsis, and one approach to therapy is to develop proteinase inhibitors that will specifically inhibit these proteinases without inhibiting activated protein C, a proteinase that is beneficial to survival. In this study, we made mutants of the serpin alpha(1)-PI, designed to mimic the specificity of C1-inhibitor. The P3-P2-P1 residues of alpha1-PI were changed from IPM to LGR and PFR, sequences preferred by C1s and kallikrein, respectively. Inhibition of C1s, kallikrein, factor XIIa, and activated protein C was assessed by SDS-PAGE, and by determination of the k(app) and SI. alpha(1)-PI-LGR inhibited C1s with a rate of 7790 M(-1)s(-1), but only minimal inhibition of C1 in a hemolytic assay was observed. Kallikrein, factor XIIa, and activated protein C were inhibited with rates of 382,180 M(-1)s(-1), 10,400 M(-1)s(-1), and 3500 M(-1)s(-1), respectively. alpha(1)-PI-PFR was a poor inhibitor of C1s, factor XIIa, and activated protein C, but had enhanced reactivity with kallikrein. Changing the P4' residue of alpha(1)-PI-LGR Pro to Glu reduced the activity with C1s, consistent with the idea that C1s requires hydrophobic residues in this region of the serpin for optimal interaction. The data provide insight into the requirements for kallikrein and C1s inhibition necessary for designing inhibitors with appropriate properties for further investigation as therapeutic agents.     

Inhibition of choline acetyltransferase by excitatory amino acids as a possible mechanism for cholinergic dysfunction in the central nervous system

Choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity was reduced by more than 85% in cultured retina cells after 16 h treatment with 150 microM kainate (T(1/2) : 3.5 h). Glutamate, AMPA and quisqualate also inhibited the enzyme in equivalent proportion. Cell lesion measured by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide - thiazolyl blue (MTT) reduction and microscopic observation was not detected even after 48 h with kainate. Other retina neurochemical markers were not affected by kainate and full recovery of the enzyme was achieved 9 days after kainate removal. Moreover, hemicolinium-3 sensitive choline uptake and hemicolinium-3 binding sites were maintained intact after kainate treatment. The immunoblot and immunohistochemical analysis of the enzyme revealed that ChAT molecules were maintained in cholinergic neurons. The use of antagonists showed that ionotropic and group 1 metabotropic receptors mediated the effect of glutamate on ChAT inhibition, in a calcium dependent manner. The quisqualate mediated ChAT inhibition and part of the kainate effect (30%) was prevented by 5 mM N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME). Veratridine (3 microM) also reduced ChAT by a Ca(2+) dependent, but glutamate independent mechanism and was prevented by 1 microM tetrodotoxin.     

虎血清犬腺病毒抗体调查

犬腺病毒（Canine adenovirus,CAV）属于腺病毒科哺乳动物腺病毒属成员,分为犬腺病毒Ⅰ型（CAV-1）和犬腺病毒Ⅱ型（CAV-2）,其中CAV-1主要引起狐狸（Vulpes vulpes）脑炎和犬（Canis familiaris）传染性肝炎（殷震和刘景华,1997;胡体拉,1963）。在国内,夏咸柱等（1984）首次分离到CAV-1,随后,多个地区的不同动物中又有相继分离到该病毒的报道（钟志宏等,1990;范泉水和袁国庆,1992;夏咸柱等,1984）。CAV-2主要引起犬的喉气管炎和幼犬咳嗽,在我国的感染也比较普遍（范泉水和夏咸柱,1999）。     

Bioactive seco-abietane rearranged diterpenoids from the aerial parts of Salvia prionitis

Five previously undescribed 4,5-seco-abietane rearrange diterpenoids (1–5, Prionidipene A-E) were isolated from the aerial parts of Salvia prionitis, along with thirteen known seco-abietane diterpenoids (6–18). The structures of 1–5 were elucidated mainly based on analysis of NMR and MS data. The absolute configurations of 1–3 were determined by evaluation of experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. Putative biosynthetic pathways toward the formation of 1 and 2 are proposed. The nitric oxide (NO) production inhibitory effects of all isolates in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced in RAW 264.7 cells were evaluated. Interestingly, compounds 4 and 9 with a furan-ring showed potent inhibitory activity with IC₅₀ values of 14.56 and 15.11 μM, respectively.     

Evaluation of the inhibition of mushroom tyrosinase and cellular tyrosinase activities of oxyresveratrol: comparison with mulberroside A

The inhibitory effects of oxyresveratrol, the aglycone of mulberroside A, on mushroom and cellular tyrosinase activities and melanin synthesis were evaluated. Mulberroside A and oxyresveratrol showed inhibitory activity against mushroom tyrosinase, with oxyresveratrol demonstrating a greater inhibitory effect than that of mulberroside A. Oxyresveratrol and mulberroside A strongly inhibited melanin production in Streptomyces bikiniensis and exhibited dose-dependent inhibition of tyrosinase activity and inhibition of melanin synthesis in B16F10 melanoma cells. However, the compounds exhibited nearly similar inhibitory effects on the activity of cellular tyrosinase and melanin synthesis in murine melanocytes. The inhibition of melanin synthesis by mulberroside A and oxyresveratrol was involved in suppressing the expression level of melanogenic enzymes, tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein-1 (TRP-1), and tyrosinase-related protein-2 (TRP-2). These results indicate that the inhibition rate of mushroom tyrosinase might not provide an accurate estimate of the inhibition rate of melanin synthesis in melanocytes.     

Substrate and product inhibition of hydrogen production by the extreme thermophile,Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus

Substrate and product inhibition of hydrogen production during sucrose fermentation by the extremely thermophilic bacterium Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus was studied. The inhibition kinetics were analyzed with a noncompetitive, nonlinear inhibition model. Hydrogen was the most severe inhibitor when allowed to accumulate in the culture. Concentrations of 5-10 mM H(2) in the gas phase (identical with partial hydrogen pressure (pH(2)) of (1-2) x 10(4) Pa) initiated a metabolic shift to lactate formation. The extent of inhibition by hydrogen was dependent on the density of the culture. The highest tolerance for hydrogen was found at low volumetric hydrogen production rates, as occurred in cultures with low cell densities. Under those conditions the critical hydrogen concentration in the gas phase was 27.7 mM H(2) (identical with pH(2) of 5.6 x 10(4) Pa); above this value hydrogen production ceased completely. With an efficient removal of hydrogen sucrose fermentation was mainly inhibited by sodium acetate. The critical concentrations of sucrose and acetate, at which growth and hydrogen production was completely inhibited (at neutral pH and 70 degrees C), were 292 and 365 mM, respectively. Inorganic salts, such as sodium chloride, mimicked the effect of sodium acetate, implying that ionic strength was responsible for inhibition. Undissociated acetate did not contribute to inhibition of cultures at neutral or slightly acidic pH. Exposure of exponentially growing cultures to concentrations of sodium acetate or sodium chloride higher than ca. 175 mM caused cell lysis, probably due to activation of autolysins.     

The inhibition effect of some n-alkyl dithiocarbamates on mushroom tyrosinase

Three new n-alkyl dithiocarbamate compounds, as sodium salts, C₄H₉NHCS₂Na (I), C₆H₁₃NHCS₂Na (II) and C₈H₁₇NHCS₂Na (III), were synthesized and examined for inhibition of both cresolase and catecholase activities of mushroom tyrosinase (MT) from a commercial source of Agaricus bisporus in 10 mM phosphate buffer pH 6.8, at 293K using UV spectrophotometry. Caffeic acid and p-coumaric acid were used as natural substrates for the enzyme for the catecholase and cresolase reactions, respectively. Lineweaver–Burk plots showed different patterns of mixed and competitive inhibition for catecholase and cresolase reactions, respectively. These new synthetic compounds can be classified as potent inhibitors of MT due to K_i values of 0.8, 1.0 and 1.8 μM for cresolase inhibitory activity, and also 9.4, 14.5 and 28.1 μM for catecholase inhibitory activity for I, II and III, respectively. They showed a greater potency in the inhibitory effect towards the cresolase activity of MT. Both substrate and inhibitor can be bound to the enzyme with negative cooperativity between the binding sites (α>1) and this negative cooperativity increases with increasing length of the aliphatic tail in these compounds. The inhibition mechanism is presumably related to the chelating of the binuclear coppers at the active site and the different K_i values may be related to different interaction of the aliphatic chains of I, II and III with the hydrophobic pocket in the active site of the enzyme.     

Two new limonoids from the roots of Trichilia connaroides with inhibitory activity against nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells

Two new rearranged limonoids, trichiliton I (1) and 12-deacetoxyltrijugin A (2) along with four previously reported compounds (3–6) were isolated from the roots of Trichilia connaroides. Their structures were established on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis including HR-ESI–MS and 1D and 2D NMR. The new compounds 1 and 2 exhibited weak inhibitory effects on lipopolysaccharide-stimulated nitric oxide production in RAW 264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner.     

虎杖提取物对弹性蛋白酶的抑制作用研究

本文主要研究了虎杖提取物对弹性蛋白酶的抑制作用。实验利用热水浸渍法提取虎杖得到粗提取物1(CE1),聚酰胺柱层析后得到粗提取物2(CE2),并进行一系列的定性及定量分析。分别用紫外分光光度法和荧光光谱法研究了提取物对弹性蛋白酶的抑制作用和荧光猝灭作用。实验结果表明CE1和CE2中均含有虎杖苷,含量分别为41.01%和69.57%。CE1、CE2和虎杖苷对弹性蛋白酶有一定的抑制作用,当浓度为2.0 mg/mL时,它们对弹性蛋白酶的抑制率分别为53.56%、61.27%和82.53%。CE1、CE2和虎杖苷对弹性蛋白酶均有明显的内源荧光猝灭作用,当浓度为0.1 mg/mL时,荧光猝灭率分别为70.38%、72.90%和75.99%。     

Design,synthesis and evaluation of vilazodone-tacrine hybrids as multitarget-directed ligands against depression with cognitive impairment

Depression, a severe mental disease, is greatly difficult to treat and easy to induce other neuropsychiatric symptoms, the most frequent one is cognitive impairment. In this study, a series of novel vilazodone-tacrine hybrids were designed, synthesized and evaluated as multitarget agents against depression with cognitive impairment. Most compounds exhibited good multitarget activities and appropriate blood-brain barrier permeability. Specifically, compounds 1d and 2a exhibited excellent 5-HT_1A agonist activities (1d, EC₅₀?=?0.36?±?0.08?nM; 2a, EC₅₀?=?0.58?±?0.14?nM) and 5-HT reuptake inhibitory activities (1d, IC₅₀?=?20.42?±?6.60?nM; 2a, IC₅₀?=?22.10?±?5.80?nM). In addition, they showed moderate ChE inhibitory activities (1d, AChE IC₅₀?=?1.72?±?0.217?μM, BuChE IC₅₀?=?0.34?±?0.03?μM; 2a, AChE IC₅₀?=?2.36?±?0.34?μM, BuChE IC₅₀?=?0.10?±?0.01?μM). Good multitarget activities with goodt blood-brain barrier permeability of 1d and 2a make them good lead compounds for the further study of depression with cognitive impairment.     

Five New Phenolic Glycosides from Viburnum luzonicum

Viburnum luzonicum is widely distributed in China. Its branch extracts showed potential α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities. In order to discover new bioactive constituents, five undescribed phenolic glycosides, viburozosides A−E ( 1 – 5 ), were obtained by bioassay-guided isolation coupled with HPLC-QTOF-MS/MS analysis. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses, including 1D NMR, 2D NMR, ECD, and ORD. All compounds were tested for their α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory potency. Compound 1 showed significantly competitive inhibition against α-amylase (IC₅₀=17.5 μM) and α-glucosidase (IC₅₀=13.6 μM).     

Synthesis of C-2 and C-3 substituted quinolines and their evaluation as anti-HIV-1 agents

A plenty of natural products and synthetic derivatives containing quinoline moiety have been reported to possess various pharmacological activities. Quinolines such as 2-styrylquinolines and 8-hydroxyquinolines are extensively studied for their anti-HIV-1 activity and found to act mainly through HIV-1 integrase enzyme inhibition. In continuation of our efforts to search for newer anti-HIV-1 molecules, thirty-one quinoline derivatives with different linkers to ancillary phenyl ring were synthesized and evaluated for in vitro anti-HIV-1 activity using TZM-bl assays. Compound 31 showed higher activity in TZM-bl cell line against HIV-1_VB59 and HIV-1_UG070 cell associated virus (IC₅₀ 3.35 ± 0.87 and 2.57 ± 0.71 μM) as compared to other derivatives. Compound 31 was further tested against cell free virus HIV-1_VB59 and HIV-1_UG070 (IC₅₀ 1.27 ± 0.31 and 2.88 ± 1.79 μM, TI 42.20 and 18.61, respectively). This lead molecule also showed good activity in viral entry inhibition assay and cell fusion assay defining its mode of action. The activity of compound 31 was confirmed by testing against HIV-1_VB51 in activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Binding interactions of 31 were compared with known entry inhibitors.     

Denitrification in stream epilithon: Seasonal variation in Gelbæk and Rabis Bæk, Denmark

Abstract Seasonal variations of denitrification activity were determined and compared with various environmental parameters in undisrupted epilithon communities (biofilm) from two Danish lowland streams. In the nutrient-rich Gelbæk, denitrification activity followed extensive changes in biofilm thickness, dry weight and chlorophyll a content during the season. The absolute maximum of denitrification (1.4 mmol N m⁻² d⁻¹, dark incubation) was recorded when the biofilm was best developed in the spring (April and May). Activity decreased dramatically after most of the biofilm suddenly disintegrated and peeled off in early summer. Photosynthetic O₂ production was an important controlling factor of denitrification on a diurnal scale, since the activities were always 2–3 fold lower in the light (50 μE m⁻² s⁻¹) than in the dark. In the more nutrient-poor Rabis Bæk, the biofilm was much less developed and denitrification activities were relatively small (maximum of 0.2 mmol N m⁻² d⁻¹ under dark incubation). The results indicate that productivity of the micro-algae regulates both the seasonal and diurnal patterns of denitrification in the biofilms.     

GAT-1 regulates both tonic and phasic GABA(A) receptor-mediated inhibition in the cerebral cortex

γ-Aminobutyric acid 1 (GAT-1) is the most copiously expressed GABA transporter; we studied its role in phasic and tonic inhibition in the neocortex using GAT-1 knockout (KO) mice. Immunoblotting and immunocytochemical studies showed that GAT-2 and GAT-3 levels in KOs were unchanged and that GAT-3 was not redistributed in KOs. Moreover, the expression of GAD65/67 was increased, whereas that of GABA or VGAT was unchanged. Microdialysis studies showed that in KOs spontaneous extracellular release of GABA and glutamate was comparable in WT and KO mice, whereas KCl-evoked output of GABA, but not of glutamate, was significantly increased in KOs. Recordings from layer II/III pyramids revealed a significant increase in GABA_AR-mediated tonic conductance in KO mice. The frequency, amplitude and kinetics of spontaneous inhibitory post-synaptic currents (IPSCs) were unchanged, whereas the decay time of evoked IPSCs was significantly prolonged in KO mice. In KO mice, high frequency stimulation of GABAergic terminals induced large GABA_AR-mediated inward currents associated with a reduction in amplitude and decay time of IPSCs evoked immediately after the train. The recovery process was slower in KO than in WT mice. These studies show that in the cerebral cortex of GAT-1 KO mice GAT-3 is not redistributed and GADs are adaptively changed and indicate that GAT-1 has a prominent role in both tonic and phasic GABA_AR-mediated inhibition, in particular during sustained neuronal activity.