AChE inhibitor: a regio- and stereo-selective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition for the synthesis of novel substituted 5,6-dimethoxy spiro[5.3']-oxindole-spiro-[6.3″]-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-1″-one-7-(substituted aryl)-tetrahydro-1H-pyrrolo[1,2-c][1,3]thiazole

Pyrrolothiazolyloxindole analogues share vital pharmacological properties, considered useful in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The aim of this study was synthesis and evaluate pyralothiazolyloxindole analogues if possess acetyl cholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity. The easily accessible one-pot synthesis of these compounds resulted to be significantly less difficult and expensive than that of donepezil. Several compounds possess anti-cholinesterase activity in the order of micro and sub-micromolar. Particularly, compound was the most potent inhibitors of the series against acetyl cholinesterase enzyme with IC(50) 0.11μmol/L.     

Synthesis and evaluation of 2-[2-(phenylthiomethyl)-1H-benzo[d] imidazol-1-yl)acetohydrazide derivatives as antitumor agents

A novel class of acetylhydrazone derivatives (5a-x) containing 2-(phenylthiomethyl)-1H-benzo-[d]-imidazole moieties are synthesizer, and their antitumor activities against A549, HCT116, HepG2, PC-9, and A375 were determined by the MTT assay. Among them are N-(2,4-dihydroxybenzylidene)-2-(2-(phenylthiomethyl)-1H-benzo[d]-imidazol-1-yl)acetohydrazide (5a) and N-(5-bromo-2-hydroxy-benzylidene)-2-(2-(phenylthiomethyl)-1H-benzo[d]-imidazol-1-yl)acetohydrazide (5d) which displayed excellent cancer inhibitory activity against the tested cancer cells (IC(50) 4-17 μM), compared with 5-FU and SU11248. The others have moderate to weak inhibitory activity against the tested cancer cell lines.     

Discovery of a novel series of 4-quinolone JNK inhibitors

A novel series of highly selective JNK inhibitors based on the 4-quinolone scaffold was designed and synthesized. Structure based drug design was utilized to guide the compound design as well as improvements in the physicochemical properties of the series. Compound (13c) has an IC₅₀ of 62/170 nM for JNK1/2, excellent kinase selectivity and impressive efficacy in a rodent asthma model.     

A novel series of glucagon receptor antagonists with reduced molecular weight and lipophilicity

A novel series of glucagon receptor antagonists has been discovered. These pyrazole ethers and aminopyrazoles have lower molecular weight and increased polarity such that the molecules fall into better drug-like property space. This work has culminated in compounds 44 and 50 that were shown to have good pharmacokinetic attributes in dog, in contrast to rats, in which clearance was high; and compound 49, which demonstrated a dose-dependent reduction in glucose excursion in a rat glucagon challenge experiment.     

The S4-S5 linker acts as a signal integrator for HERG K+ channel activation and deactivation gating

Human ether-à-go-go-related gene (hERG) K(+) channels have unusual gating kinetics. Characterised by slow activation/deactivation but rapid inactivation/recovery from inactivation, the unique gating kinetics underlie the central role hERG channels play in cardiac repolarisation. The slow activation and deactivation kinetics are regulated in part by the S4-S5 linker, which couples movement of the voltage sensor domain to opening of the activation gate at the distal end of the inner helix of the pore domain. It has also been suggested that cytosolic domains may interact with the S4-S5 linker to regulate activation and deactivation kinetics. Here, we show that the solution structure of a peptide corresponding to the S4-S5 linker of hERG contains an amphipathic helix. The effects of mutations at the majority of residues in the S4-S5 linker of hERG were consistent with the previously identified role in coupling voltage sensor movement to the activation gate. However, mutations to Ser543, Tyr545, Gly546 and Ala548 had more complex phenotypes indicating that these residues are involved in additional interactions. We propose a model in which the S4-S5 linker, in addition to coupling VSD movement to the activation gate, also contributes to interactions that stabilise the closed state and a separate set of interactions that stabilise the open state. The S4-S5 linker therefore acts as a signal integrator and plays a crucial role in the slow deactivation kinetics of the channel.     

Identification of cancer cell-line origins using fluorescence image-based phenomic screening

Universal phenotyping techniques that can discriminate among various states of biological systems have great potential. We applied 557 fluorescent library compounds to NCI's 60 human cancer cell-lines (NCI-60) to generate a systematic fluorescence phenotypic profiling data. By the kinetic fluorescence intensity analysis, we successfully discriminated the organ origin of all the 60 cell-lines.     

Targeted delivery of chemotherapy agents using a liver cancer-specific aptamer

Background

Using antibody/aptamer-drug conjugates can be a promising method for decreasing toxicity, while increasing the efficiency of chemotherapy.

Methodology/Principal Findings

In this study, the antitumor agent Doxorubicin (Dox) was incorporated into the modified DNA aptamer TLS11a-GC, which specifically targets LH86, a human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line. Cell viability tests demonstrated that the TLS11a-GC-Dox conjugates exhibited both potency and target specificity. Importantly, intercalating Dox into the modified aptamer inhibited nonspecific uptake of membrane-permeable Dox to the non-target cell line. Since the conjugates are selective for cells that express higher amounts of target proteins, both criteria noted above are met, making TLS11a-GC-Dox conjugates potential candidates for targeted delivery to liver cancer cells.

Conclusions/Significance

Considering the large number of available aptamers that have specific targets for a wide variety of cancer cells, this novel aptamer-drug intercalation method will have promising implications for chemotherapeutics in general.     

CD36 participates in PrP(106-126)-induced activation of microglia

Microglial activation is a characteristic feature of the pathogenesis of prion diseases. The molecular mechanisms that underlie prion-induced microglial activation are not very well understood. In the present study, we investigated the role of the class B scavenger receptor CD36 in microglial activation induced by neurotoxic prion protein (PrP) fragment 106-126 (PrP(106-126)). We first examined the time course of CD36 mRNA expression upon exposure to PrP(106-126) in BV2 microglia. We then analyzed different parameters of microglial activation in PrP(106-126)-treated cells in the presence or not of anti-CD36 monoclonal antibody (mAb). The cells were first incubated for 1 h with CD36 monoclonal antibody to block the CD36 receptor, and were then treated with neurotoxic prion peptides PrP(106-126). The results showed that PrP(106-126) treatment led to a rapid yet transitory increase in the mRNA expression of CD36, upregulated mRNA and protein levels of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α), increased iNOS expression and nitric oxide (NO) production, stimulated the activation of NF-κB and caspase-1, and elevated Fyn activity. The blockade of CD36 had no effect on PrP(106-126)-stimulated NF-κB activation and TNF-α protein release, abrogated the PrP(106-126)-induced iNOS stimulation, downregulated IL-1β and IL-6 expression at both mRNA and protein levels as well as TNF-α mRNA expression, decreased NO production and Fyn phosphorylation, reduced caspase-1 cleavage induced by moderate PrP(106-126)-treatment, but had no effect on caspase-1 activation after treatment with a high concentration of PrP(106-126). Together, these results suggest that CD36 is involved in PrP(106-126)-induced microglial activation and that the participation of CD36 in the interaction between PrP(106-126) and microglia may be mediated by Src tyrosine kinases. Our findings provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying the activation of microglia by neurotoxic prion peptides and open perspectives for new therapeutic strategies for prion diseases by modulation of CD36 signaling.     

Reduction of mitoferrin results in abnormal development and extended lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans

Iron is essential for organisms. It is mainly utilized in mitochondria for biosynthesis of iron-sulfur clusters, hemes and other cofactors. Mitoferrin 1 and mitoferrin 2, two homologues proteins belonging to the mitochondrial solute carrier family, are required for iron delivery into mitochondria. Mitoferrin 1 is highly expressed in developing erythrocytes which consume a large amount of iron during hemoglobinization. Mitoferrin 2 is ubiquitously expressed, whose functions are less known. Zebrafish with mitoferrin 1 mutation show profound hypochromic anaemia and erythroid maturation arrests, and yeast with defects in MRS3/4, the counterparts of mitoferrin 1/2, has low mitochondrial iron levels and grows poorly by iron depletion. Mitoferrin 1 expression is up-regulated in yeast and mouse models of Fiedreich's ataxia disease and in human cell culture models of Parkinson disease, suggesting its involvement in the pathogenesis of diseases with mitochondrial iron accumulation. In this study we found that reduced mitoferrin levels in C. elegans by RNAi treatment causes pleiotropic phenotypes such as small body size, reduced fecundity, slow movement and increased sensitivity to paraquat. Despite these abnormities, lifespan was increased by 50% to 80% in N2 wild type strain, and in further studies using the RNAi sensitive strain eri-1, more than doubled lifespan was observed. The pathways or mechanisms responsible for the lifespan extension and other phenotypes of mitoferrin RNAi worms are worth further study, which may contribute to our understanding of aging mechanisms and the pathogenesis of iron disorder related diseases.