Prophylactic efficacy of combination of DRDE-07 and its analogues with amifostine against sulphur mustard induced systemic toxicity

Sulphur mustard, [bis (2-chloroethyl)] sulphide (SM), is a bifunctional alkylating agent. SM forms sulphonium ion in the body which alkylates DNA and several other macromolecules, and induces oxidative stress. Although several antidotes have been screened for the treatment of systemic toxicity of SM in experimental animals none of them are recommended so far. In the search for more effective and less toxic antidotes, various combinations were tried against SM induced toxicity and skin lesions. SM exposed through percutaneous route was used to evaluate the prophylactic efficacy of various combinations. Low dose of DRDE-07 (S-2(2-aminoethylamino) ethyl phenyl sulphide), DRDE-30 [S-2(2-aminoethyl amino) ethyl propyl sulphide], DRDE-35 [S-2(2-aminoethyl amino) ethyl butyl sulphide] with amifostine combinations, were given orally 30 min prior to SM exposure. Significant depletion was observed in body weight, organ body weight index and hepatic GSH and GSSG content in mice after SM exposure. Pretreatment with low dose of different combinations of DRDE-07, DRDE-30 and DRDE-35 with amifostine could recover biochemical alterations and histopathological changes caused by SM exposures.     

BJ-1108, a 6-Amino-2,4,5-Trimethylpyridin-3-ol Analog,Inhibits Serotonin-Induced Angiogenesis and Tumor Growth through PI3K/NOX Pathway

5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) induces proliferation of cancer cells and vascular cells. In addition to 5-HT production by several cancer cells including gastrointestinal and breast cancer, a significant level of 5-HT is released from activated platelets in the thrombotic environment of tumors, suggesting that inhibition of 5-HT signaling may constitute a new target for antiangiogenic anticancer drug discovery. In the current study we clearly demonstrate that 5-HT-induced angiogenesis was mediated through the 5-HT₁ receptor-linked Gβγ/Src/PI3K pathway, but not through the MAPK/ERK/p38 pathway. In addition, 5-HT induced production of NADPH oxidase (NOX)-derived reactive oxygen species (ROS). In an effort to develop new molecularly targeted anticancer agents against 5-HT action in tumor growth, we demonstrate that BJ-1108, a derivative of 6-amino-2,4,5-trimethylpyridin-3-ol, significantly inhibited 5-HT-induced angiogenesis. In addition, BJ-1108 induced a significant reduction in the size and weight of excised tumors in breast cancer cell-inoculated CAM assay, showing proportionate suppression of tumor growth along with inhibition of angiogenesis. In human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), BJ-1108 significantly suppressed 5-HT-induced ROS generation and phosphorylation of PI3K/Akt but not of Src. Unlike NOX inhibitors, BJ-1108, which showed better antioxidant activity than vitamin C, barely suppressed superoxide anion induced by mevalonate or geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate which directly activates NOX without help from other signaling molecules in HUVECs, implying that the anti-angiogenic action of BJ-1108 was not mediated through direct action on NOX activation, or free radical scavenging activity. In conclusion, BJ-1108 inhibited 5-HT-induced angiogenesis through PI3K/NOX signaling but not through Src, ERK, or p38.     

Pharmacovigilance: Effects of herbal components on human drugs interactions involving Cytochrome P450

Cytochrome P450 (CYP P450) enzymes are a superfamily of mono-oxygenases that are found in all kingdoms of life. The CYP P450 enzymes constitute a large superfamily of haem-thiolate proteins involved in the metabolism of a wide variety of both exogenous and endogenous compounds. The CYP activities have been shown to be involved in numerous interactions especially between drugs and herbal constituents. The majority of serious cases of drug interactions are as a result of the interference of the metabolic clearance of one drug by yet another co-administered drug, food or natural product. Gaining mechanistic knowledge towards such interactions has been accepted as an approach to avoid adverse reactions. The inductions and inhibition of CYP enzymes by natural products in the presence of a prescribed drug has led to adverse effects. Herbal medicines such as St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum), garlic (Allium sativa), piperine (from Piper sp.), ginseng (Ginseng sp.), gingko (Gingko biloba), soya beans (Glycine max), alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and grape fruit juice show clinical interactions when co-administered with medicines. This review documents the involvement of CYP enzymes in the metabolism of known available drugs and herbal products. We also document the interactions between herbal constituents & CYP enzymes showing potential drug-herb interactions. Data on CYP450 enzymes in activation (i.e. induction or inhibition) with natural constituents is also reviewed.     

Insulin substrates 1 and 2 are corequired for activation of atypical protein kinase C and Cbl-dependent phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase during insulin action in immortalized brown adipocytes

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-dependent activation of atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) is required for insulin-stimulated glucose transport. Although insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) and IRS-2, among other factors, activate PI3K, there is little information on the relative roles of IRS-1and IRS-2 during aPKC activation by insulin action in specific cell types. Presently, we have used immortalized brown adipocytes in which either IRS-1 or IRS-2 has been knocked out by recombinant methods to examine IRS-1 and IRS-2 requirements for activation of aPKC. We have also used these adipocytes to see if IRS-1 and IRS-2 are required for activation of Cbl, which is required for insulin-stimulated glucose transport and has been found to function upstream of both PI3K/aPKC and Crk during thiazolidinedione action in 3T3/L1 adipocytes [Miura et al. (2003) Biochemistry 42, 14335]. In brown adipocytes in which either IRS-1 or IRS-2 was knocked out, insulin-induced increases in aPKC activity and glucose transport were markedly diminished. These effects of insulin on aPKC and glucose transport were fully restored by retroviral-mediated expression of IRS-1 or IRS-2 in their respective knockout cells. Knockout of IRS-1 or IRS-2 also inhibited insulin-induced increases in Cbl binding to the p85 subunit of PI3K, which, along with IRS-1/2, may be required for activation of PI3K, aPKC, and glucose transport during insulin action in 3T3/L1 adipocytes. These findings provide evidence that directly links both IRS-1 and IRS-2 to aPKC activation in immortalized brown adipocytes, and further suggest that IRS-1 and IRS-2 are required for the activation of Cbl/PI3K during insulin action in these cells.     

Structure-based design of selective phosphodiesterase 4B inhibitors based on ginger phenolic compounds

Phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) has been established as a drug target for inflammatory diseases of respiratory tract like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The selective inhibitors of PDE4B, a subtype of PDE4, are devoid of adverse effects like nausea and vomiting commonly associated with non-selective PDE4B inhibitors. This makes the development of PDE4B subtype selective inhibitors a desirable research goal. Thus, in the present study, molecular docking, molecular dynamic simulations and binding free energy were performed to explore potential selective PDE4B inhibitors based on ginger phenolic compounds. The results of docking studies indicate that some of the ginger phenolic compounds demonstrate higher selective PDE4B inhibition than existing selective PDE4B inhibitors. Additionally, 6-gingerol showed the highest PDE4B inhibitory activity as well as selectivity. The comparison of binding mode of PDE4B/6-gingerol and PDE4D/6-gingerol complexes revealed that 6-gingerol formed additional hydrogen bond and hydrophobic interactions with active site and control region 3 (CR3) residues in PDE4B, which were primarily responsible for its PDE4B selectivity. The results of binding free energy demonstrated that electrostatic energy is the primary factor in elucidating the mechanism of PDE4B inhibition by 6-gingerol. Dynamic cross-correlation studies also supported the results of docking and molecular dynamics simulation. Finally, a small library of molecules were designed based on the identified structural features, majority of designed molecules showed higher PDE4B selectivity than 6-gingerol. These results provide important structural features for designing new selective PDE4B inhibitors as anti-inflammatory drugs and promising candidates for synthesis and pre-clinical pharmacological investigations.     

Insight into trichomonas vaginalis genome evolution through metabolic pathways comparison

Trichomonas vaginalis causes the trichomoniasis, in women and urethritis and prostate cancer in men. Its genome draft published by TIGR in 2007 presents many unusual genomic and biochemical features like, exceptionally large genome size, the presence of hydrogenosome, gene duplication, lateral gene transfer mechanism and the presence of miRNA. To understand some of genomic features we have performed a comparative analysis of metabolic pathways of the T. vaginalis with other 22 significant common organisms. Enzymes from the biochemical pathways of T. vaginalis and other selected organisms were retrieved from the KEGG metabolic pathway database. The metabolic pathways of T. vaginalis common in other selected organisms were identified. Total 101 enzymes present in different metabolic pathways of T. vaginalis were found to be orthologous by using BLASTP program against the selected organisms. Except two enzymes all identified orthologous enzymes were also identified as paralogous enzymes. Seventy-five of identified enzymes were also identified as essential for the survival of T. vaginalis, while 26 as non-essential. The identified essential enzymes also represent as good candidate for novel drug targets. Interestingly, some of the identified orthologous and paralogous enzymes were found playing significant role in the key metabolic activities while others were found playing active role in the process of pathogenesis. The N-acetylneuraminate lyase was analyzed as the candidate of lateral genes transfer. These findings clearly suggest the active participation of lateral gene transfer and gene duplication during evolution of T. vaginalis from the enteric to the pathogenic urogenital environment.     

Amino acid-based enantiomerically pure 3-substituted 1,4-benzodiazepin-2-ones: a new class of anti-ischemic agents

A series of 3-substituted 1,4-benzodiazepin-2-ones derived from S and R amino acids were evaluated for their anti-ischemic activity in vitro. Treatment with compounds 7h, 16, 9d, and 17 decreased the apoptotic neuronal number, however increased the neuronal viability. The compounds decreasing apoptosis could protect neurons from the ischemic injury. The difference in the activities of 1,4-benzodiazepin-2-ones derived from S- and R-amino acids is discussed and explained on the basis of molecular modeling studies.     

Sensitive and rapid liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometric assay for the quantification of chloroquine in dog plasma

A simple, sensitive and rapid liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for quantification of chloroquine, an antimalarial drug, in plasma using its structural analogue, piperazine bis chloroquinoline as internal standard (IS). The method is based on simple protein precipitation with methanol followed by a rapid isocratic elution with 10 mM ammonium acetate buffer/methanol (25/75, v/v, pH 4.6) on Chromolith SpeedROD RP-18e reversed phase chromatographic column and subsequent analysis by mass spectrometry in the multiple reaction monitoring mode (MRM). The precursor to product ion transitions of m/z 320.3-->247.2 and m/z 409.1-->205.2 were used to measure the analyte and the IS, respectively. The assay exhibited a linear dynamic range of 2.0-489.1 ng/mL for chloroquine in dog plasma. The limit of detection (LOD) and lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) were 0.4 and 2.0 ng/mL, respectively in 0.05 mL plasma. Acceptable precision and accuracy were obtained for concentrations over the standard curve range of 2.0-489.1 ng/mL. A run time of 2.0 min for a sample made it possible to achieve a throughput of more than 400 plasma samples analyzed per day. The validated method was successfully used to analyze samples of dog plasma during non-clinical study of chloroquine.     

Evaluation of organic insecticides for management of spotted‐wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) in berry crops

Spotted‐wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura), is an invasive pest affecting fruit production in many regions of the world. Insecticides are the primary tactic for controlling D. suzukii in organic as well as conventional production systems. Organic growers have a greater challenge because fewer insecticides are approved for use in organic agriculture. The most effective organically approved product is spinosad, but alternatives are needed because of label restrictions limiting the number of applications per year, toxicity to beneficial arthropods and the risk of developing resistance. We evaluated several organically approved insecticides against D. suzukii in laboratory assays and field trials conducted on organic blueberry and raspberry farms. Spinosad was consistently the most effective insecticide, but a few other insecticides such as azadirachtin + pyrethrins, Chromobacterium subtsugae and sabadilla alkaloids showed moderate activity. None of the treatments had long residual activity. Mortality started to decline by 3 days after treatment, and by 5 days after application, the treatments were not different from the controls. These products may be useful in rotation programmes, necessary for reducing reliance on spinosad and mitigating resistance. Cultural and biological control approaches are needed in fruit production for D. suzukii management, but insecticides will likely continue to be the dominant management tactic while these other approaches are being optimized and adopted.     

Short communication: Protoplast formation from the thermophilic fungus Malbranchea sulfurea,using the thermostable chitinase and laminarinase of Paecilomyces varioti

Two thermostable enzymes produced by the thermophilic fungus Paecilomyces varioti, a chitinase and laminarinase, were used to isolate protoplasts of a thermophilic fungus, Malbranchea sulfurea. The frequency of protoplast regeneration observed (35%) was considerably higher than that obtained using commercial lytic enzymes.