Pemafibrate inhibited renal dysfunction and fibrosis in a mouse model of adenine-induced chronic kidney disease.

AIMS: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPARα) levels are markedly lower in the kidneys of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Fibrates (PPARα agonists) are therapeutic agents against hypertriglyceridemia and potentially against CKD. However, conventional fibrates are eliminated by renal excretion, limiting their use in patients with impaired renal function. Here, we aimed to evaluate the renal risks associated with conventional fibrates via clinical database analysis and investigate the renoprotective effects of pemafibrate, a novel selective PPARα modulator mainly excreted into the bile. MAIN METHODS: The risks associated with conventional fibrates (fenofibrate, bezafibrate) to the kidneys were evaluated using the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System. Pemafibrate (1 or 0.3 mg/kg/day) was administered daily using an oral sonde. Its renoprotective effects were examined in unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO)-induced renal fibrosis model mice (UUO mice) and adenine-induced CKD model mice (CKD mice). KEY FINDINGS: The ratios of glomerular filtration rate decreased and blood creatinine increased were markedly higher after conventional fibrate use. Pemafibrate administration suppressed increased gene expressions of collagen-I, fibronectin, and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1ß) in the kidneys of UUO mice. In CKD mice, it suppressed increased plasma creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels and decreased red blood cell count, hemoglobin, and hematocrit levels, along with renal fibrosis. Moreover, it inhibited the upregulation of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, IL-1ß, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and IL-6 in the kidneys of CKD mice. SIGNIFICANCE: These results demonstrated the renoprotective effects of pemafibrate in CKD mice, confirming its potential as a therapeutic agent for renal disorders.

Total Synthesis of 1-Hydroxytaxinine.

1-Hydroxytaxinine (1) is a cytotoxic taxane diterpenoid. Its central eight-membered B-ring possesses four oxygen-functionalized centers (C1, C2, C9, and C10) and two quaternary carbon centers (C8 and C15), and is fused with six-membered A- and C-rings. The densely functionalized and intricately fused structure of 1 makes it a highly challenging synthetic target. Reported here is an efficient radical-based strategy for assembling 1 from A- and C-ring fragments. The A-ring bearing an α-alkoxyacyl telluride moiety underwent intermolecular coupling with the C-ring fragment by a Et3 B/O2 -promoted decarbonylative radical formation. After construction of the C8-quaternary stereocenter, a pinacol coupling reaction using a low-valent titanium reagent formed the B-ring with stereoselective installation of the C1,C2-diol. Subsequent manipulations at the A- and C-rings furnished 1 in 26 total steps.

Application of two direct C(sp3)-H functionalizations for total synthesis of (+)-lactacystin.

Herein, we report a new synthetic route from (S)-pyroglutaminol to (+)-lactacystin, a potent inhibitor of the 20S proteasome. The photoinduced intermolecular C(sp(3))-H alkynylation and intramolecular C(sp(3))-H acylation chemo- and stereoselectively constructed the tetra- and trisubstituted carbon centers, respectively. The obtained bicycle was transformed into the target compound in a concise manner. The present total synthesis demonstrates the power of the direct C(sp(3))-H functionalizations for the assembly of multiple functionalized structures of natural products.

Enantioselective radical alkynylation of C(sp(3) )-H bonds using sulfoximine as a traceless chiral auxiliary.

Enantioselective alkynylation of C(sp(3) )H bonds adjacent to a nitrogen atom has been achieved using only chiral p-tolyl tert-butyldimethylsilylethynyl sulfoximine and benzophenone under photo-irradiation conditions. A two-carbon alkyne unit was chemo- and enantioselectively transferred at the nitrogen-substituted methylene to produce the optically active propargylic amines of various structures. Remarkably, the NH-unprotected sulfoximine group efficiently transmits its stereochemical information to the product and functions as a traceless chiral auxiliary.