Carbohydrate compositional effects on tissue distribution of chicken riboflavin-binding protein

Riboflavin-binding proteins (RBP) purified from chicken egg white, yolk and the serum of laying hens differ in their carbohydrate compositions reflecting tissue-specific modifications of a single gene product. All three are complex glycoproteins having more than twice as many N-acetylglucosamine residues (>12) as mannose residues (approx. 6). Egg white RBP is distinctive in having only one sialic acid and two galactose residues. Serum RBP contains approx. five sialic acid and seven galactose residues. In addition there is one residue of fucose. The carbohydrate composition of yolk RBP indicates the hydrolysis, respectively, of one, one, two and 3 residues of sialic acid, fucose, galactose, and N-acetylglucosamine from its precursor, serum RBP. The effect of these differing levels of glycosylation on plasma clearance, ovarian uptake and tissue distribution of ¹²⁵I-labeled riboflavin-binding proteins in laying hens were compared. 2 h after intravenous injection, 19% of the egg white RBP, 29% of the yolk RBP, and 37% of the serum RBP remained in circulation. The kinetics of plasma clearance was distinctly biphasic for each of the radioiodinated proteins. The initial rapid-turnover component ($\text{t}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{=13}\text{min}$) ranged from 27% of the serum RBP sample to 48% of the egg white RBP sample. The remaining slow-turnover components were cleared with half-lives fo 81 min (egg white RBP), 101 min (yokl RBP), and 121 min (serum RBP). 16 h after injection, only 4% of the egg white RBP was deposited in the yolk of developing oocytes while about 12% of the serum RBP and yolk RBP was deposited. This higly significant difference is apparently due to preferential, carbohydrate-dependent clearance of egg white RBP by the liver rather than preferential uptake of serum and yolk RBP by the ovarian follicle. We find no evidence for carbohydrate-directed uptake of riboflavin-binding protein by the ovarian follicle.     

The TMEM16A chloride channel as an alternative therapeutic target in cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF), a multiorgan genetic disease, is caused by loss of function of CFTR, a cAMP-regulated anion channel. In CF airway epithelia, defective Cl⁻ and bicarbonate secretion impairs mucociliary clearance and other innate defense mechanisms, favoring the colonization of the lungs by highly virulent bacteria. The airway epithelium expresses TMEM16A, a second type of Cl⁻ channel that is activated by cytosolic Ca²⁺. TMEM16A is particularly expressed in goblet cells. This specific localization could be important in the release and hydration of mucins. Activation of TMEM16A with pharmacological agents could circumvent the primary defect in CF. This strategy needs to be carefully designed and tested to avoid possible undesired effects due to the expression of TMEM16A in other cell types such as bronchial smooth muscle cells.This article is part of a Directed Issue entitled: Cystic Fibrosis: From o-mics to cell biology, physiology, and therapeutic advances.     

Effect of antigen-dependent clearance on pharmacokinetics of anti-heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) monoclonal antibody

Heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) is a member of the EGF family and is an important therapeutic target in some types of human cancers. KM3566 is a mouse anti-HB-EGF monoclonal antibody that neutralizes HB-EGF activity by inhibiting the binding of HB-EGF to its receptors. Based on the results of our pharmacokinetics study, a humanized derivative antibody, KHK2866, is rapidly cleared from serum and shows nonlinear pharmacokinetics in cynomolgus monkeys. In this study, we examined the antigen-dependent clearance of an anti-HB-EGF monoclonal antibody in vivo and in vitro in order to pharmacokinetically explain the rapid elimination of KHK2866. We revealed tumor size-dependent clearance of KM3566 in in vivo studies and obtained good fits between the observed and simulated concentrations of KM3566 based on the two-compartment with a saturable route of clearance model. Furthermore, in vivo imaging analyses demonstrated tumor-specific distribution of KM3566. We then confirmed rapid internalization and distribution to lysosome of KM3566 at a cellular level. Moreover, we revealed that the amounts of HB-EGF on cell surface membrane were maintained even while HB-EGF was internalized with KM3566. Recycled or newly synthesized HB-EGF, therefore, may contribute to a consecutive clearance of KM3566, which could explain a rapid clearance from serum. These data suggested that the rapid elimination in pharmacokinetics of KM3566 is due to antigen-dependent clearance. Given that its antigen is expressed in a wide range of normal tissue, it is estimated that the rapid elimination of KHK2866 from cynomolgus monkey serum is caused by antigen-dependent clearance.     

Synthesis and profiling of benzylmorpholine 1,2,4,5-tetraoxane analogue N205: Towards tetraoxane scaffolds with potential for single dose cure of malaria

A series of aryl carboxamide and benzylamino dispiro 1,2,4,5-tetraoxane analogues have been designed and synthesized in a short synthetic sequence from readily available starting materials. From this series of endoperoxides, molecules with in vitro IC50s versus Plasmodium falciparum (3D7) as low as 0.84?nM were identified. Based on an assessment of blood stability and in vitro microsomal stability, N205 (10a) was selected for rodent pharmacokinetic and in vivo antimalarial efficacy studies in the mouse Plasmodium berghei and Plasmodium falciparum Pf3D70087/N9 severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mouse models. The results indicate that the 4-benzylamino derivatives have excellent profiles with a representative of this series, N205, an excellent starting point for further lead optimization studies.     

LPS的胞内受体Caspase-11的研究进展

以往的研究认为,TLR4是内毒素(LPS)的胞膜受体.新近的研究发现含半胱氨酸的天冬氨酸蛋白水解酶11(Caspase-11,Casp11)可能在胞内LPS的识别中发挥关键作用.Caspase-11与胞内LPS结合后被激活.活化的Casp-11一方面剪切下游gasdermin D分子进而介导细胞焦亡(pyroptosis),另一方面激活NLRP3/ASC-Casp-1通路,使细胞分泌促炎因子IL-1β和IL-18等.Casp-11还能通过促进吞噬体和溶酶体融合,增强细胞对革兰氏阴性菌的杀灭.在严重内毒素血症过程中,由于Casp-11过度活化,大量细胞发生焦亡,致使大量胞内促炎介质被释放到胞外,导致机体出现难以调控的炎症反应,最终发展成内毒素休克.Casp-11是内毒素休克发生的关键分子.本文对Casp-11在LPS的识别、活化及效应方面的最新进展进行综述.     

Ferrocene-based inhibitors of hepatitis C virus replication that target NS5A with low picomolar in vitro antiviral activity

An unprecedented series of organometallic HCV (hepatitis C virus) NS5A (nonstructural 5A protein) replication complex inhibitors that incorporates a 1,1′-ferrocenediyl scaffold was explored. This scaffold introduces the elements of linear flexibility and non-planar topology that are unconventional for this class of inhibitors. Data from 2-D NMR spectroscopic analyses of these complexes in solution support an anti (unstacked) arrangement of the pharmacophoric groups. Several complexes demonstrate single-digit picomolar in vitro activity in an HCV genotype-1b replicon system. One complex to arise from this investigation (10a) exhibits exceptional picomolar activity against HCV genotype 1a and 1b replicons, low hepatocellular cytotoxicity, and good pharmacokinetic properties in rat.     

Estimating the effective clearance rate and refiltration by zebra mussels, Dreissena polymorpha, in a stratified reservoir

1. The grazing impact of zebra mussels, Dreissena polymorpha Pallas, is often evaluated by applying the individual filtration rate measured in the laboratory to the field abundance and then by comparing the total volume of water filtered with the whole lake volume. Since this approach overlooks refiltration, it overestimates the grazing impact of zebra mussels. To deal with this problem, the present authors developed an in situ method for collecting faeces and pseudofaeces to measure the actual volume of water that is cleared of suspended particles by Dreissena in a unit time under a given set of environmental conditions. This is termed the effective clearance rate (ECR). 2. The experiment was conducted in Hargus Lake, OH, U.S.A., a small thermally stratified reservoir, to test the effects of spatial aggregation, mussel density and the concentration of particulate inorganic matter (PIM) on the effective clearance rate of Dreissena. 3. Over 40 measurements, the ECR values ranged from 15.3 to 68.6 mL ind^??1 h^??1. Much of the variation can be explained by colony form, mussel density and seston concentration. The effects of these variables were all statistically significant. The average ECR for isolated individuals was higher than that for those in clumps (40.4 versus 32.8 mL ind^??1 h^??1), which is attributed to increased refiltration in the cores of the clumps. The ECR decreased with increased zebra mussel density because of intensified competition for food particles within the group. The ECR increased with increased PIM concentration in the lake water, which may be interpreted as a result of enhanced water mixing which ultimately caused increases in both sediment resuspension and particle delivery to the mussels. 4. Taking the filtration rates for a 20-mm mussel to be between 116 and 234 mL ind^??1 h^??1, based on data from the literature, the clumped mussels under the present experimental conditions would have a refiltration ratio between 3.4 and 6.9. 5. The present authors developed an areal clearance model which predicts that seston removal by the Dreissena population is limited by the particle delivery from the ambient water to the mussel bed and will reach a maximum value beyond which no further increase will occur with increased population density. 6. It is concluded that the direct grazing impact of zebra mussel on phytoplankton in thermally stratified lakes is much less effective than predicted from simple filtration rate estimation.     

VDAC1 serves as a mitochondrial binding site for hexokinase in oxidative muscles

Voltage-dependent anion channels (VDACs), also known as mitochondrial porins, are the main pathway for metabolites across the mitochondrial outer membrane and may serve as binding sites for kinases, including hexokinase. We determined that mitochondria-bound hexokinase activity is significantly reduced in oxidative muscles (heart and soleus) in vdac1^−/− mice. The activity data were supported by western blot analysis using HK2 specific antibody. To gain more insight into the physiologic mean of the results with the activity data, VDAC deficient mice were subjected to glucose tolerance testing and exercise-induced stress, each of which involves tissue glucose uptake via different mechanisms. vdac1^−/− mice exhibit impaired glucose tolerance whereas vdac3^−/− mice have normal glucose tolerance and exercise capacity. Mice lacking both VDAC1 and VDAC3 (vdac1^−/−/vdac3^−/−) have reduced exercise capacity together with impaired glucose tolerance. Therefore, we demonstrated a link between VDAC1 mediated mitochondria-bound hexokinase activity and the capacity for glucose clearance.     

内蒙古地产紫沙参多糖免疫功能

给小鼠灌胃口服紫沙参多糖 ４００ ｍｇ· ｋｇ－１、８００ ｍｇ· ｋｇ－１,观察其连续给药对免疫功能的影响。结果显示：在５ｄ后能显著地增加小鼠耳肿胀度,提示紫沙参多糖能够增强二硝基氯苯诱导的小鼠迟发性变态反应（ＤＴＨ）;在７ ｄ后能显著地增加碳粒廓清指数Ｋ和吞噬指数α,增强单核巨噬细胞的吞噬功能,能显著地增加免疫器官胸腺、脾脏重量,增强机体免疫作用。试验采用国家中药二类新药云芝多糖 １０００ ｍｇ· ｋｇ－１作为阳性对照组。     

The discovery of benzoxazine sulfonamide inhibitors of NaV1.7: Tools that bridge efficacy and target engagement

The voltage-gated sodium channel Na_V1.7 has received much attention from the scientific community due to compelling human genetic data linking gain- and loss-of-function mutations to pain phenotypes. Despite this genetic validation of Na_V1.7 as a target for pain, high quality pharmacological tools facilitate further understanding of target biology, establishment of target coverage requirements and subsequent progression into the clinic. Within the sulfonamide class of inhibitors, reduced potency on rat Na_V1.7 versus human Na_V1.7 was observed, rendering in vivo rat pharmacology studies challenging. Herein, we report the discovery and optimization of novel benzoxazine sulfonamide inhibitors of human, rat and mouse Na_V1.7 which enabled pharmacological assessment in traditional behavioral rodent models of pain and in turn, established a connection between formalin-induced pain and histamine-induced pruritus in mice. The latter represents a simple and efficient means of measuring target engagement.