Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of N14-Amino Acid-Substituted Tetrandrine Derivatives as Potential Antitumor Agents against Human Colorectal Cancer.

As a typical dibenzylisoquinoline alkaloid, tetrandrine (TET) is clinically used for the treatment of silicosis, inflammatory pulmonary, and cardiovascular diseases in China. Recent investigations have demonstrated the outstanding anticancer activity of this structure, but its poor aqueous solubility severely restricts its further development. Herein, a series of its 14-N-amino acid-substituted derivatives with improved anticancer effects and aqueous solubility were designed and synthesized. Among them, compound 16 displayed the best antiproliferative activity against human colorectal cancer (HCT-15) cells, with an IC50 value of 0.57 µM. Compared with TET, 16 was markedly improved in terms of aqueous solubility (by 5-fold). Compound 16 significantly suppressed the colony formation, migration, and invasion of HCT-15 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, with it being more potent in this respect than TET. Additionally, compound 16 markedly impaired the morphology and motility of HCT-15 cells and induced the death of colorectal cancer cells in double-staining and flow cytometry assays. Western blot results revealed that 16 could induce the autophagy of HCT-15 cells by significantly decreasing the content of p62/SQSTM1 and enhancing the Beclin-1 level and the ratio of LC3-II to LC3-I. Further study showed that 16 effectively inhibited the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of umbilical vein endothelial cells, manifesting in a potent anti-angiogenesis effect. Overall, these results revealed the potential of 16 as a promising candidate for further preclinical studies.

Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of 2,4-diamino pyrimidine derivatives as potent FAK inhibitors with anti-cancer and anti-angiogenesis activities.

A series of 2,4-diamino pyrimidine (DAPY) derivatives were designed, synthesized, and evaluated as inhibitors of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) with antitumor and anti-angiogenesis activities. Most compounds effectively suppressed the enzymatic activities of FAK, and the IC50s of 11b and 12f were 2.75 and 1.87 nM, respectively. 11b and 12f exhibited strong antiproliferative effects against seven human cancer cells, with IC50 values against two FAK-overexpressing pancreatic cancer cells (PANC-1 and BxPC-3) of 0.98 µM, 0.55 µM, and 0.11 µM, 0.15 µM, respectively. Moreover, 11b and 12f obviously suppressed the colony formation, migration, and invasion of PANC-1 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Meanwhile, these two compounds could induce the apoptosis of PANC-1 cells and arrest the cell cycle in G2/M phase according to the flow cytometry assay. Western blot revealed that 11b and 12f effectively inhibited the FAK/PI3K/Akt signal pathway and significantly decreased the expression of cyclin D1 and Bcl-2. In addition, compounds 11b and 12f potently inhibited the antiproliferative of HUVECs and obviously altered the cell morphology. 11b and 12f also significantly inhibited the migration, tube formation of HUVECs and severely impaired the angiogenesis in the zebrafish model. Overall, these results revealed the potential of compounds 11b and 12f as promising candidates for further preclinical studies.

[Transplantation of marrow mesenchymal stem cells transfected with vascular endothelial growth factor gene for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the therapeutic effect and the mechanism of marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MMSCs) transfected with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene in the treatment of pulmonary hypertension in rats. METHODS: MMSCs from the bone marrow of Sprague-Dawley rats were isolated, cultured and propagated in vitro. pIRES2-EGFP-VEGF165 was transfected into MMSC. The healthy male SD rats were divided randomly into 4 groups: normal control group, pulmonary hypertension model group, MMSCs transplantation group and transfer gene transplantation group. A single subcutaneous monocrotaline (50 mg/kg) was injected to induce the model of pulmonary hypertension. The normal control group received a single subcutaneous dose of L-DMEM (low glucose Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium). All four groups of rats were fed similarly. At Day 21 post-modeling, 5 × 10(6) MMSCs in l ml L-DMEM were injected into the MMSC group. 5 × 10(5) MMSC transfected by pIRES2-EGFP-VEGF165 were injected into the gene transplantation group. A same volume L-DMEM solution was also injected into the pulmonary hypertension model group and normal control group. The parameters of right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP), right ventricular hypertrophy index, blood gas analysis and microstructure as well as pulmonary microvascular changes were observed after 30 days. RESULTS: At Day 30 post-transplantation of MMSCs, the outcomes were as follows: RVSP was (30.2 ± 2.1) and (29.2 ± 1.1) mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa) in the MMSCs transplantation and gene transplantation groups respectively. The right ventricular hypertrophy indices were (37.9 ± 3.2)% and (27.2 ± 3.4)% respectively. The media thickness of pulmonary artery (MT) was (21.3 ± 3.4) and (14.3 ± 2.8) µm respectively. The ratios of vascular area to total arterial area (V/T) were (39.3 ± 4.3)% and (43.0 ± 1.5)% respectively. As compare with the pulmonary hypertension model group, the above parameters were of statistical significances (P < 0.01). A comparison of right ventricle hypertrophy index, MT and V/T was of statistical significance between MMSC and gene transplantation groups (P < 0.05). The blood gas analysis of the MMSCs transplantation and gene transplantation groups were better than the pulmonary hypertension mode group. Ultramicrostructure showed that neovascularization and small pulmonary arterial repair appeared in two transplantation groups. CONCLUSION: MMSCs transfected by pIRES2-EGFP-VEGF165 transplantation may improve and reverse the MCT-induced progress of pulmonary hypertension in rats. And it is better than the MMSC transplantation. The potential mechanism is through arterial repair and neovascularization.