Chemical Synthesis of the Nonreducing Hexasaccharide Fragment of Axinelloside A Based on a Stepwise Glycosylation Approach.

An expedient synthesis of the nonreducing hexasaccharide fragment of axinelloside A has been completed via a linear stepwise glycosylation approach. Challenges involved in the synthesis include the highly stereoselective construction of five consecutive 1,2-cis-glycosidic linkages and the formation of a sterically crowded 2,3-disubstituted l-fucoside subunit. Protecting group-directing glycosylation strategies such as the remote participation effect of the benzoyl substituent and the stereocontrolling effect of the 4,6-O-benzylidene group were employed for the synthesis of the desired 1,2-cis-glycosidic linkages. Moreover, the 2,3-branched l-fucoside framework was established through a 3-O and then 2-O glycosylation sequence in which the 3-hydroxyl group of the core l-fucose unit was glycosylated first and then the 2-hydroxyl. The synthetic hexasaccharide is properly protected, so it can be employed as a precursor to synthesize its natural form.

Synthesis, biological evaluation and molecular docking studies of novel diosgenin derivatives as anti-inflammatory agents.

Thirty-two novel DG F-spiroacetal ring-opening derivatives, including 24 acetylated derivatives and 8 nitrogenous derivatives, were designed and synthesized from diosgenin (DG). The cytotoxicity of the novel derivatives was evaluated by MTT assay, except for compounds 4a, 4e, 4i, 4 l, 5a and 5 h, which were potentially cytotoxic to RAW264.7 cells, all the other derivatives had no significant cytotoxicity. The NO release inhibitory activities of novel derivatives were screened by Griess method. The results showed that the anti-inflammatory activity of the DG acetylated derivatives was stronger than the nitrogenous derivatives, and 4a-4 m containing acetyl groups at the 3-position may have better anti-inflammatory effects than 5a-5 k containing free hydroxyl groups. In ELISA assay, compound 4 m exhibited potent anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting the production of NO in RAW264.7 cells activated by LPS with IC50 values 0.449 ± 0.050 µM. The results of docking experiments showed that 4 m has a good affinity for p65 protein.

Chemical Synthesis and Antigenic Evaluation of Inner Core Oligosaccharides from Acinetobacter baumannii Lipopolysaccharide.

Acinetobacter baumannii is currently posing a serious threat to global health. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a potent virulence factor of pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria. To explore the antigenic properties of A. baumannii LPS, four Kdo-containing inner core glycans from A. baumannii strain ATCC 17904 were synthesized. A flexible and divergent method based on the use of the orthogonally substituted α-Kdo-(2→5)-Kdo disaccharides was developed. Selective removal of different protecting groups in these key precursors and elongation of sugar chain via α-stereocontrolled coupling with 5,7-O-di-tert-butylsilylene or 5-O-benzoyl protected Kdo thioglycosides and 2-azido-2-deoxyglucosyl thioglycoside allowed efficient assembly of the target molecules. Glycan microarray analysis of sera from infected patients revealed that the 4,5-branched Kdo trimer was a potential antigenic epitope, which is attractive for further immunological research to develop carbohydrate vaccines against A. baumannii.

Protective effect of down-regulated microRNA-27a mediating high thoracic epidural block on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice through regulating ABCA1 and NF-κB signaling pathway.

INTRODUCTION: Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MI/RI) is linked with serious inflammatory response, which may lead to myocyte injury. The important role of miR-27a in MI/RI has been previously demonstrated. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effect of miR-27a targeting ABCA1 on MI/RI by investigating its influences on high thoracic epidural block (HTEB) mediated by the NF-κB signaling pathway. METHODS: A MI/RI mouse model and a MI/RI with HTEB mouse model were established to observed the histopathological changes and ultrastructure of myocardial tissues and assess the positive expression of ABCA1. Cardiac troponin T (cTnT), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression of miR-27a, ABCA1, IκBα and p65 in myocardial cells that transfected with different mimic, inhibitor and siRNAs was determined by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blot, with cell apoptosis analyzed by flow cytometry. RESULTS: ABCA1 was a target gene of miR-27a and was lowly expressed in myocardial tissues of MI/RI mice. The decreased content of cTnT, TNF-α and IL-1ß and expression of miR-27a and p65 as well as increased expression of ABCA1 and IκBα were revealed in myocardial tissues of MI/RI mice with HTEB. miR-27a negatively regulated the expression of ABCA1, and inhibition of miR-27a could activated NF-κB pathway by up-regulating ABCA1 which contribute to suppressed myocardial cell apoptosis according to demonstration of elevated ABCA1 and IκBα, and decreased p65 in myocardial cell that transfected with miR-27a inhibitor. CONCLUSION: Collectively, our study indicates that inhibition of miR-27a could induce HTEB to protect mice against MI/RI by regulating ABCA1 and NF-κB signaling pathway.

Genetic characterization of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance gene qnrS2 in Pseudoalteromonas and Shewanella isolates from seawater.

Three qnrS2-containing isolates of Pseudoalteromonas and Shewanella were collected from the seawater samples of Qingdao in China during 2014. They displayed resistance to ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, kanamycin, nalidixic acid and sulfamethoxazole. The qnrS2 genes were identified in the chromosomes of Pseudoalteromonas strains E8 and S16, and in a 140-kb plasmid in Shewanella strain S14, respectively. In addition, two copies of qnrS2 were identified in the strain E8. Sequence analyses revealed that there was an identical DNA segment located in the downstream of qnrS2 in strain S14 and E8, coding for a TetR transcriptional regulator, two putative integrases and a hypothetical protein. However, different genetic structures were identified in the upstream sequences: the terB gene associated with tellurite resistance in the strain S14, and a putative integron with dfrA6 and aadA13 gene cassettes or the Tn7-related gene complex tnsABC in the strain E8. In Pseudoalteromonas strain S16, qnrS2 was bracketed by the endonuclease I and III genes, and the electron transport complex rsxCDGE was located in the upstream sequences. This is the first report of two copies of the qnrS2 gene existing in one bacterial chromosome, and also the first identification of qnrS2 in Shewanella.

Identification of an integron containing the quinolone resistance gene qnrA1 in Shewanella xiamenensis.

This study investigated multidrug resistance in Shewanella xiamenensis isolated from an estuarine water sample in China during 2014. This strain displayed resistance or decreased susceptibility to ampicillin, aztreonam, cefepime, cefotaxime, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, kanamycin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. The antimicrobial resistance genes aacA3, blaOXA-199, qnrA1 and sul1 were identified by PCR amplification and by sequencing. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and DNA hybridization experiments showed that the quinolone resistance gene qnrA1 was chromosomally located. qnrA1 was located in a complex class 1 integron, downstream from an ISCR1, and bracketed by two copies of qacEΔ1-sul1 genes. This integron is similar to In825 with four gene cassettes aacA3, catB11c, dfrA1z and aadA2az. An IS26-mel-mph2-IS26 structure was also detected in the flanking sequences, conferring resistance to macrolides. This is the first identification of the class 1 integron in S. xiamenensis. This is also the first identification of the qnrA1 gene and IS26-mediated macrolide resistance genes in S. xiamenensis. Presence of a variety of resistance genetic determinants in environmental S. xiamenensis suggests the possibility that this species may serve as a potential vehicle of antimicrobial resistance genes in aquatic environments.

Coexistence of SFO-1 and NDM-1 ß-lactamase genes and fosfomycin resistance gene fosA3 in an Escherichia coli clinical isolate.

This study aims to characterize antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial resistance genetic determinants of an Escherichia coli clinical isolate HD0149 from China in 2012. This strain displayed high-level resistance to cephalosporins, carbapenems, fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides and fosfomycin. A range of antimicrobial resistance genes was detected responsible for its multiple antimicrobial resistances, involving the blaCMY-2, blaCTX-M-65, blaNDM-1, blaSFO-1, blaTEM-1, fosA3, rmtB, sul1 and sul2 genes. Four amino acid substitutions were detected in the quinolone resistance-determining regions (QRDRs) of GyrA (S83L and D87N), ParC (S80I) and ParE (S458A). Conjugation experiments revealed two multiresistance plasmids present in E. coli HD0149. The blaSFO-1 gene associated with blaNDM-1 gene was located in a 190 kb IncA/C plasmid and the blaCTX-M-65, fosA3 and rmtB genes were located in a 110 kb IncF plasmid. This is the first identification of the blaSFO-1 gene in an E. coli isolate and on a conjugative IncA/C plasmid. This may dramatically enhance the international prevalence and dissemination of blaSFO-1 among Enterobacteriaceae.

The role of E3 ubiquitin ligase Cbl proteins in ß-elemene reversing multi-drug resistance of human gastric adenocarcinoma cells.

Recent studies indicate that ß-elemene, a compound isolated from the Chinese herbal medicine Curcuma wenyujin, is capable of reversing tumor MDR, although the mechanism remains elusive. In this study, ß-Elemene treatment markedly increased the intracellular accumulation of doxorubicin (DOX) and rhodamine 123 in both K562/DNR and SGC7901/ADR cells and significantly inhibited the expression of P-gp. Treatment of SGC7901/ADR cells with ß-elemene led to downregulation of Akt phosphorylation and significant upregulation of the E3 ubiquitin ligases, c-Cbl and Cbl-b. Importantly, ß-elemene significantly enhanced the anti-tumor activity of DOX in nude mice bearing SGC7901/ADR xenografts. Taken together, our results suggest that ß-elemene may target P-gp-overexpressing leukemia and gastric cancer cells to enhance the efficacy of DOX treatment.