Inhibitory Effect of Osthole from Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cusson on Fusarium oxysporum, a Common Fungal Pathogen of Potato.

Fusarium wilt of potato is one of the most common diseases of potato in China, and is becoming a serious threat in potato production. It has been reported that osthole from Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cusson can inhibit plant pathogens. Here, we test the anti-fungal activity of C. monnieri osthole against Fusarium oxysporum in potatoes. The results showed that at a concentration of 5 mg/mL, osthole was able to obviously inhibit mycelial growth of F. oxysporum. We found that osthole caused changes of mycelial morphology, notably hyphal swelling and darkening. Osthole significantly reduced the spore germination of Fusarium by 57.40%. In addition, osthole also inhibited the growth of other pathogens such as Fusarium moniliforme J. Sheld, Thanatephorus cucumeris Donk, and Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissl, but not Alternaria solani Jonesetgrout and Valsa mali Miyabe and G. Yamada. Our results suggest that osthole has considerable potential as an agent for the prevention and treatment of potato Fusarium wilt.

Effects of the novel sodium-dependent phosphate cotransporter 2b inhibitor DZ1462 on hyperphosphatemia in chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: Serum phosphate levels remain insufficiently controlled in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, and novel therapeutic strategies are needed. Blocking intestinal phosphate absorption mediated by sodium-dependent phosphate cotransporter type 2b (NPT2b) holds promise as one such strategy. METHODS: The in vitro cellular potency of DZ1462 was evaluated using a radioactive Pi uptake assay on stable Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell clones transfected with human NPT2b (hNPT2b) or rat NPT2b (rNPT2b). The ability of DZ1462 to inhibit phosphate absorption was studied in vivo in an acute model after oral bolus challenge with 33PO4 and in an adenine-induced chronic hyperphosphatemia rat model. PK and minitox was also evaluated. RESULTS: The cellular assays with the hNPT2b-CHO and rNPT2b-CHO clones showed that DZ1462 significantly and potently inhibited phosphate uptake. In vivo, in a chronic Pi-fed rat model, DZ1462 effectively inhibited intestinal Pi uptake. In a hyperphosphatemia rat model, DZ1462 significantly inhibited Pi uptake, and DZ1462 in combination with sevelamer had a synergistic effect. The pharmacokinetics (PK) study confirmed that DZ1462 is a gastrointestinal (GI)-restricted compound that can remain in the intestine for a sufficient duration. In addition, DZ1462 also reduced cardiovascular events and ameliorated osteoporosis in a CKD animal model. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that a GI-restricted NPT2b inhibitor DZ1462 potently inhibits NPT2b in vitro and blocks intestinal phosphate uptake in multiple animal models with potential to reduce various cardiovascular events in CKD models. Therefore, DZ1462 may be useful to treat renal disease patients who have shown an unsatisfactory response to phosphate binders.

Characterization of an orally available respiratory syncytial virus L protein polymerase inhibitor DZ7487.

OBJECTIVES: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a leading cause of death and hospitalization among infants and young children. People with an immunocompromised status are also at risk for severe RSV infection. There is no specific treatment for RSV infection available. Ribavirin, an antiviral drug approved for severe lung infection by RSV, has shown limited clinical efficacies with severe side effects. Additionally, given the genetic variability of RSV genomes and seasonal change of different strains, a broad-spectrum antiviral drug is highly desirable. The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) domain is relatively conserved and indispensable for the replication of the virus genome and therefore serves as a potential therapeutic target. Previous attempts to identify an RdRp inhibitor have not been successful due to lack of potency or high enough blood exposure. DZ7487 is a novel orally available small molecule inhibitor specifically designed to target the RSV RdRp. Here we present our data showing that DZ7487 can potently inhibited all clinical viral isolates tested, with large safety margin predicted for human. METHODS: HEp-2 cells were infected by RSV A and B. Antiviral activities were assessed by in vitro cytopathic effect assay (CPE) and Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). DZ7487 antiviral effects in lower airway cells were evaluated in A549 and human small airway epithelial cells (SAEC) cells. DZ7487 induced RSV A2 escape mutations were selected through continuous culture with increasing DZ7487 concentrations in the culture medium. Resistant mutations were identified by next generation sequencing and confirmed by recombinant RSV CPE assays. RSV infection models in both BALB/c mice and cotton rats were used to evaluate DZ7487 in vivo antiviral effects. RESULTS: DZ7487 potently inhibited viral replication of all clinical isolates of both RSVA and B subtypes. In lower airway cells, DZ7487 showed superior efficacy than the nucleoside analog ALS-8112. Acquired resistant mutation was predominantly restricted at the RdRp domain resulting asparagine to threonine mutation (N363T) of the L protein. This finding is consistent with DZ7487's presumed binding mode. DZ7487 was well tolerated in animal models. Unlike fusion inhibitors, which can only prevent viral infection, DZ7487 potently inhibited RSV replication before and after RSV infection in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: DZ7487 demonstrated potent anti-RSV replication effect both in vitro and in vivo assays. It has the desired drug-like physical properties to be an effective orally available anti-RSV replication drug with broad spectrum.

CD69+ CD4+ CD25- T cells, a new subset of regulatory T cells, suppress T cell proliferation through membrane-bound TGF-beta 1.

The underlying mechanisms of tumor-induced immune suppression need to be fully understood. Regulatory T (Treg) cells have been shown to play an important role in tumor immune escape. Until now, many subsets of Treg cells have been described that can suppress T cell response via different mechanisms. CD69 is generally regarded as one of the activating markers; however, recent studies show that CD69 may exert regulatory function in the immune response. In this study, we have identified tumor-induced CD69(+)CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells as a new subset of CD4(+) Treg cells. CD69(+)CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells increase dramatically along tumor progression, with up to 40% of CD4(+) T cells in the advanced tumor-bearing mice. Distinct from the previously described CD4(+) Treg cell subsets, CD69(+)CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells express high CD122, but they do not express Foxp3 and secrete IL-10, TGF-beta1, IL-2, and IFN-gamma. CD69(+)CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells are hyporesponsive and can suppress CD4(+) T cell proliferation in a cell-cell contact manner. Interestingly, the fixed CD69(+)CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells still have suppressive activity, and neutralizing Abs against TGF-beta1 can block their suppressive activity. We found that CD69(+)CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells express membrane-bound TGF-beta1, which mediates suppression of T cell proliferation. Furthermore, engagement of CD69 maintains high expression of membrane-bound TGF-beta1 on CD69(+)CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells via ERK activation. Our results demonstrate that CD69(+)CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells act as a new subset of regulatory CD4(+) T cells, with distinct characteristics of negative expression of Foxp3, no secretion of IL-10, but high expression of CD122 and membrane-bound TGF-beta1. Our data contribute to the better understanding of mechanisms for tumor immune escape.

Cancer-expanded myeloid-derived suppressor cells induce anergy of NK cells through membrane-bound TGF-beta 1.

NK cells, the important effector of innate immunity, play critical roles in the antitumor immunity. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC), a population of CD11b(+)Gr-1(+) myeloid cells expanded dramatically during tumor progression, can inhibit T cells and dendritic cells, contributing to tumor immune escape. However, regulation of NK cell innate function by MDSC in tumor-bearing host needs to be investigated. In this study, we found that the function of NK cells from liver and spleen was impaired significantly in all tumor-bearing models, indicating the impairment of hepatic NK cell function by tumor is a universal phenomenon. Then we prepared the orthotopic liver cancer-bearing mice as tumor model to investigate how hepatic NK cells are impaired. We show that down-regulation of NK cell function is inversely correlated with the marked increase of MDSC in liver and spleen. MDSC inhibit cytotoxicity, NKG2D expression, and IFN-gamma production of NK cells both in vitro and in vivo. After incubation with MDSC, NK cells could not be activated to produce IFN-gamma. Furthermore, membrane-bound TGF-beta1 on MDSC is responsible for MDSC-mediated suppression of NK cells. The impaired function of hepatic NK cells in orthotopic liver cancer-bearing mice could be restored by depletion of MDSC, but not regulatory T cells. Therefore, cancer-expanded MDSC can induce anergy of NK cells via membrane-bound TGF-beta1. MDSC, but not regulatory T cells, are main negative regulator of hepatic NK cell function in tumor-bearing host. Our study provides new mechanistic explanations for tumor immune escape.

AZD3759, a BBB-penetrating EGFR inhibitor for the treatment of EGFR mutant NSCLC with CNS metastases.

Non-small-cell lung cancer patients with activating mutations in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) respond to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment. Nevertheless, patients often develop central nervous system (CNS) metastases during treatment, even when their extracranial tumors are still under control. In the absence of effective options, much higher doses of EGFR TKIs have been attempted clinically, with the goal of achieving high enough drug concentrations within the CNS. Although limited tumor responses have been observed with this approach, the toxicities outside the CNS have been too high to tolerate. We report the discovery and early clinical development of AZD3759, a selective EGFR inhibitor that can fully penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB), with equal free concentrations in the blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and brain tissue. Treatment with AZD3759 causes tumor regression in subcutaneous xenograft, leptomeningeal metastasis (LM), and brain metastasis (BM) lung cancer models and prevents the development of BM in nude mice. An early clinical study in patients with BM and LM treated with AZD3759 confirms its BBB-penetrant properties and antitumor activities. Our data demonstrate the potential of AZD3759 for the treatment of BM and LM and support its further clinical evaluation in larger trials.

Thienopyrrole-expanded BODIPY as a potential NIR photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy.

The synthesis and characterization of a highly photostable bromo-substituted BODIPY dye (I) fused-ring-expanded with thienopyrrole moieties is reported. The results of MTT assays and flow cytometric analyses in living HeLa cells demonstrate that I has a high singlet oxygen quantum yield (ΦΔ = 0.63) and exhibits photocytotoxicity upon irradiation in the NIR region making it potentially suitable for use in PDT.

A selective colorimetric and fluorometric ammonium ion sensor based on the H-aggregation of an aza-BODIPY with fused pyrazine rings.

The synthesis of a novel aza-BODIPY dye functionalized with fused pyrazine rings, suitable for use as a selective colorimetric and fluorometric sensor for NH(4)(+), is outlined. In addition to significant fluorescence quenching, an obvious colorimetric change from green to red-pink is observed enabling facile "naked-eye" detection of NH(4)(+).