ERECTA regulates seed size independently of its intracellular domain via MAPK-DA1-UBP15 signaling.

Seed size is determined by the coordinated growth of the embryo, endosperm, and integument. Growth of the integument is initiated by signal molecules released from the developing endosperm or embryo. Although recent studies have identified many components that regulate seed size by controlling integument growth, the upstream signals and the signal transduction pathway that activate these components after double fertilization are unclear. Here, we report that the receptor-like kinase ERECTA (ER) controls seed size by regulating outer integument cell proliferation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Seeds from er mutants were smaller, while those from ER-overexpressing plants were larger, than those of control plants. Different from its role in regulating the development of other organs, ER regulates seed size via a novel mechanism that is independent of its intracellular domain. Our genetic and biochemical data show that a MITOGEN-ACTIVATED PROTEIN KINASE (MAPK) signaling pathway comprising MAPK-KINASE 4/5, MAPK 3/6 (MPK3/6), DA1, and UBIQUITIN SPECIFIC PROTEASE 15 (UBP15) functions downstream of ER and modulates seed size. MPK3/6 phosphorylation inactivates and destabilizes DA1 to increase the abundance of UBP15, promoting outer integument cell proliferation and increasing seed size. Our study illustrates a nearly completed ER-mediated signaling pathway that regulates seed size and will help uncover the mechanism that coordinates embryo, endosperm, and integument growth after double fertilization.

Chelator boosted tumor-retention and pharmacokinetic properties: development of 64Cu labeled radiopharmaceuticals targeting neurotensin receptor.

PURPOSE: Accumulating evidence suggests that neurotensin (NTS) and neurotensin receptors (NTSRs) play key roles in lung cancer progression by triggering multiple oncogenic signaling pathways. This study aims to develop Cu-labeled neurotensin receptor 1 (NTSR1)-targeting agents with the potential for both imaging and therapeutic applications. METHOD: A series of neurotensin receptor antagonists (NRAs) with variable propylamine (PA) linker length and different chelators were synthesized, including [64Cu]Cu-CB-TE2A-iPA-NRA ([64Cu]Cu-4a-c, i = 1, 2, 3), [64Cu]Cu-NOTA-2PA-NRA ([64Cu]Cu-4d), [64Cu]Cu-DOTA-2PA-NRA ([64Cu]Cu-4e, also known as [64Cu]Cu-3BP-227), and [64Cu]Cu-DOTA-VS-2PA-NRA ([64Cu]Cu-4f). The series of small animal PET/CT were conducted in H1299 lung cancer model. The expression profile of NTSR1 was also confirmed by IHC using patient tissue samples. RESULTS: For most of the compounds studied, PET/CT showed prominent tumor uptake and high tumor-to-background contrast, but the tumor retention was strongly influenced by the chelators used. For previously reported 4e, [64Cu]Cu-labeled derivative showed initial high tumor uptake accompanied by rapid tumor washout at 24 h. The newly developed [64Cu]Cu-4d and [64Cu]Cu-4f demonstrated good tumor uptake and tumor-to-background contrast at early time points, but were less promising in tumor retention. In contrast, our lead compound [64Cu]Cu-4b demonstrated 9.57 ± 1.35, 9.44 ± 2.38 and 9.72 ± 4.89%ID/g tumor uptake at 4, 24, and 48 h p.i., respectively. Moderate liver uptake (11.97 ± 3.85, 9.80 ± 3.63, and 7.72 ± 4.68%ID/g at 4, 24, and 48 h p.i.) was observed with low uptake in most other organs. The PA linker was found to have a significant effect on drug distribution. Compared to [64Cu]Cu-4b, [64Cu]Cu-4a had a lower background, including a greatly reduced liver uptake, while the tumor uptake was only moderately reduced. Meanwhile, [64Cu]Cu-4c showed increased uptake in both the tumor and the liver. The clinical relevance of NTSR1 was also demonstrated by the elevated tumor expression in patient tissue samples. CONCLUSIONS: Through the side-by-side comparison, [64Cu]Cu-4b was identified as the lead agent for further evaluation based on its high and sustained tumor uptake and moderate liver uptake. It can not only be used to efficiently detect NTSR1 expression in lung cancer (for diagnosis, patient screening, and treatment monitoring), but also has the great potential to treat NTSR-positive lesions once chelating to the beta emitter 67Cu.

Bicyclol Alleviates Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Cardiomyopathy By Inhibiting Chronic Inflammation And Oxidative Stress.

PURPOSE: Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a common and severe complication of diabetes. Inflammation and oxidative stress play important roles in DCM development. Bicyclol is a hepatoprotective drug in China that exerts anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting the MAPK and NF-κB pathways to prevent obesity-induced cardiomyopathy. Our purpose was to explore the effect and mechanism of bicyclol on DCM. METHODS: A type 1 diabetes mouse model was established using C57BL/6 mice by intraperitoneal injection of STZ. The therapeutic effect of bicyclol was evaluated in both heart tissues of diabetic mice and high concentration of glucose (HG)-stimulated H9c2 cells. RESULTS: We showed that bicyclol significantly attenuated diabetes-induced cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis, which is accompanied by the preservation of cardiac function in mice. In addition, bicyclol exhibited anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, bicyclol inhibited the hyperglycemia-induced activation of MAPKs and NF-κB pathways, while upregulating the Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway to exhibit protective effects. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that bicyclol could be a promising cardioprotective agent in the treatment of DCM.

The Synthesis and Initial Evaluation of MerTK Targeted PET Agents.

MerTK (Mer tyrosine kinase), a receptor tyrosine kinase, is ectopically or aberrantly expressed in numerous human hematologic and solid malignancies. Although a variety of MerTK targeting therapies are being developed to enhance outcomes for patients with various cancers, the sensitivity of tumors to MerTK suppression may not be uniform due to the heterogeneity of solid tumors and different tumor stages. In this report, we develop a series of radiolabeled agents as potential MerTK PET (positron emission tomography) agents. In our initial in vivo evaluation, [18F]-MerTK-6 showed prominent uptake rate (4.79 ± 0.24%ID/g) in B16F10 tumor-bearing mice. The tumor to muscle ratio reached 1.86 and 3.09 at 0.5 and 2 h post-injection, respectively. In summary, [18F]-MerTK-6 is a promising PET agent for MerTK imaging and is worth further evaluation in future studies.

Enantioselective Sensing in the Fluorous Phase for Catalyst Screening: Application of a Racemic Fluorescent Probe.

A perfluoroalkyl ketone-based molecular probe was found to show highly enantioselective fluorescent enhancement in the fluorous phase when treated with an amino alcohol generated from the asymmetric reaction of a meso-epoxide with an alkyl amine. The two enantiomeric probes (R)- and (S)-2 were used to screen catalysts for this asymmetric reaction. The use of the probe in the fluorous phase allowed the fluorescent sensing of the products to be conducted away from the other reaction components with minimized interference. It was further found that when (R)- or (S)-2 was used to determine the enantiomeric composition of the amino alcohol product, there was a large nonlinear effect. That is, only when one enantiomer of the substrate was in excess was there a large fluorescence enhancement for the chirality-matched probe-substrate interaction. This allowed the racemic probe rac-2 to be used to evaluate the asymmetric induction in the catalyst screening. The catalyst screening using the fluorescent probes led to the discovery of a more enantioselective and efficient method for the desymmetrization of 1,2-epoxycyclohexane with iPrNH2 to form the corresponding chiral amino alcohol. This work presents a novel method to conduct catalyst screening for asymmetric synthesis and has potential to become a high-throughput process.

Sulfonation of 3,3'-Diformyl-BINOL for Enantioselective Fluorescent Recognition of Amino Acids in Water.

Reaction of (R)-3,3'-diformyl-1,1'-bi-2-naphthol with concentrated sulfuric acid gives the corresponding 6,6'-disulfonated compound (R)-2 selectively. This provides a simple and efficient method to convert a water-insoluble compound to a water-soluble fluorescent probe. It is found that (R)-2 in combination with Zn2+ shows a highly enantioselective fluorescent response toward various amino acids in the aqueous HEPES buffer solution at pH 7.4. For example, an enantioselective fluorescence enhancement ratio [ef=ΔID /ΔIL ] up to 35.8 is observed for the recognition of asparagine. NMR and mass spectroscopic investigations are conducted to explore the reaction of (R)-2 with asparagine.

Mechanistic Study on a BINOL-Coumarin-Based Probe for Enantioselective Fluorescent Recognition of Amino Acids.

A detailed investigation was conducted on the reaction of a 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol-coumarin-based fluorescent probe with amino acids. On the basis of the studies, including fluorescence spectroscopy, 1H NMR, UV-vis, mass spectroscopy, single-crystal X-ray analysis, and molecular modeling, it was found that the distinctively different fluorescent responses of the probe toward the amino acid at the two excitation wavelengths are due to two different reaction pathways that generate different intermediates and products.

A near-IR Fluorescent Probe for Enantioselective Recognition of Amino Acids in Aqueous Solution.

A novel BINOL-based near-IR fluorescent probe was designed and synthesized by incorporating a rhodamine-like dye. In the presence of Zn(II), this compound was found to exhibit highly enantioselective fluorescence enhancement at λemi > 730 nm and λexc = 690 nm when treated with 14 common amino acids in aqueous solution. An enantioselective fluorescence enhancement ratio up to 163 was observed. The mechanism of the fluorescence response of this probe was investigated by various spectroscopic methods.

Free Amino Acid Recognition: A Bisbinaphthyl-Based Fluorescent Probe with High Enantioselectivity.

A novel fluorescent probe based on a bisbinaphthyl structure has been designed and synthesized. This compound in combination with Zn(II) has exhibited highly enantioselective fluorescence enhancement with 13 common free amino acids. For example, its enantiomeric fluorescent enhancement ratios ( ef or Δ IL/Δ ID) in the presence of the following amino acids are extremely high: 177 for valine, 199 for methionine, 186 for phenylalanine, 118 for leucine, and 89 for alanine. The observed high enantioselectivity and the extent of the substrate scope are unprecedented in the fluorescent recognition of free amino acids. This fluorescent probe can be applied to determine the enantiomeric composition of the structurally diverse chiral amino acids. NMR and mass spectroscopic investigations have provided clues to elucidate the observed high enantioselectivity.

Biphasic Enantioselective Fluorescent Recognition of Amino Acids by a Fluorophilic Probe.

A fluorophilic fluorescent probe based on a perfluoroalkyl-substituted bis(binaphthyl) compound was designed and synthesized. It displayed a highly enantioselective fluorescence response toward structurally diverse amino acids in a biphasic fluorous/aqueous system with enantiomeric fluorescent enhancement ratio (ef; ΔID /ΔIL ) values up to 45.2 (histidine). It can be used to determine the enantiomeric compositions of amino acids and also allows the amino acid enantiomers to be visually discriminated. NMR and mass-spectroscopic investigations provided insights into the observed high enantioselectivity. This biphasic fluorescent recognition was used to determine the enantiomeric composition of the crude phenylalanine products generated by an enzyme-catalyzed asymmetric hydrolysis under various reaction conditions. The fluorous-phase-based fluorescence measurement under the biphasic conditions was able to minimize the interference of other reaction components and thus has potential in asymmetric reaction screening.

A Highly Fluorinated Chiral Aldehyde for Enantioselective Fluorescent Recognition in a Biphasic System.

A 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol (BINOL)-based aldehyde containing four perfluoroalkyl groups has been designed and synthesized. It shows enantioselective fluorescence enhancement at 420 nm when treated with the enantiomers of trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane in an organic/fluorous biphasic system. The enantiomeric excess of the diamine in methanol can be linearly correlated with the emission intensity of of the aldehyde in perfluorohexane (FC-72). This is the first example to determine the enantiomeric composition of a chiral molecule by using a fluorescent sensor in a fluorous/organic biphasic system. The mechanism of the reaction was investigated by NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry.

Catalytic Asymmetric Addition of Alkyl and Aryl Alkynes to N-(Diphenylphosphinoyl)imines.

A 3,3'-di(1-diphenylmethylpiperazinyl)methyl H8BINOL compound, (S)-11, was prepared from the Mannich-type reaction of (S)-H8BINOL with paraformaldehyde and 1-(diphenylmethyl)piperazine. This compound can catalyze the asymmetric reaction of alkyl and aryl alkynes with N-(diphenylphosphinoyl)imines in the presence of Et2Zn and Ti(OiPr)4. It exhibits unprecedented high enantioselectivity (up to 85% ee) for a simple alkyl alkyne addition to the N-(diphenylphosphinoyl)imines. The easy removal of the N-(dipehenylphosphinoyl) protecting groups makes this method practically useful for the asymmetric synthesis of chiral propargyl amines.

Enantioselective fluorescent recognition in the fluorous phase: enhanced reactivity and expanded chiral recognition.

A novel perfluoroalkyl-BINOL-based chiral diketone is found to be the first highly enantioselective fluorescent sensor in the fluorous phase. One enantiomer of a chiral amino alcohol or diamine at a concentration greater than 1 mM can cause an up to 1200-2000-fold fluorescent enhancement of the sensor (0.08 mM), while the other enantiomer gives only a 10-50-fold enhancement. The fluorous-phase-based sensor is found to enhance the reactivity of the previously reported fluorous insoluble sensor with amino alcohols and expand its chiral recognition ability. Dynamic light scattering studies show the formation of aggregates of very different particle sizes when two enantiomers of a substrate interact with the sensor in perfluorohexane (FC-12). This substantial difference enables easy discrimination of the enantiomers with UV-lamps or even the naked eye. NMR, IR, and mass spectroscopic studies indicate that the fluorescent enhancement and enantioselectivity should originate from the fluorous solvent-promoted nucleophilic addition of the amino alcohols to the carbonyl groups of the sensor.

Enantioselective Alkyne Addition to Aliphatic, Aromatic, and Vinyl Aldehydes Using Zn, (i)PrI, H8BINOL, and Ti(O(i)Pr)4.

A new catalytic system based on the readily available Zn, (i)PrI, H8BINOL, and Ti(O(i)Pr)4 has been developed which avoids the use of pyrophoric ZnEt2. It can effectively catalyze the reaction of various terminal alkynes with aromatic, aliphatic, and vinyl aldehydes to generate chiral propargylic alcohols at room temperature with up to 98% yield and 98% enantiomeric excess. This new system signifciantly expands the substrate scope of the previously reported system using Zn, EtI, BINOL, and Ti(O(i)Pr)4.

Two-component supramolecular gels derived from amphiphilic shape-persistent cyclo[6]aramides for specific recognition of native arginine.

A unique supramolecular two-component gelation system was constructed from amphiphilic shape-persistent cyclo[6]aramides and diethylammonium chloride (or triethylammonium chloride). This system has the ability to discriminate native arginine from 19 other amino acids in a specific fashion. Cyclo[6]aramides show preferential binding for the guanidinium residue over ammonium groups. This specificity was confirmed by both experimental results and theoretical simulations. These results demonstrated a new modular displacement strategy, exploring the use of species-binding hydrogen-bonded macrocyclic foldamers for the construction of two-component gelation systems for selective recognition of native amino acids by competitive host-guest interactions. This strategy may be amenable to developing a variety of functional two-component gelators for specific recognition of various targeted organic molecular species.

Manufacturing 6-[18F]Fluoro-L-DOPA via Flow Chemistry-Enhanced Photoredox Radiofluorination.

In this study, we introduce a practical methodology for the synthesis of PET probes by seamlessly combining flow chemistry with photoredox radiofluorination. The clinical PET tracer 6-[18F]FDOPA was smoothly prepared in a 24.3% non-decay-corrected yield with over 99.0% radiochemical purity (RCP) and enantiomeric excess (ee), notably by a simple cartridge-based purification. The flow chemistry-enhanced photolabeling method supplies an efficient and versatile solution for the synthesis of 6-[18F]FDOPA and for more PET tracer development.

Telomere-to-telomere genome of the allotetraploid legume Sesbania cannabina reveals transposon-driven subgenome divergence and mechanisms of alkaline stress tolerance.

Alkaline soils pose an increasing problem for agriculture worldwide, but using stress-tolerant plants as green manure can improve marginal land. Here, we show that the legume Sesbania cannabina is very tolerant to alkaline conditions and, when used as a green manure, substantially improves alkaline soil. To understand genome evolution and the mechanisms of stress tolerance in this allotetraploid legume, we generated the first telomere-to-telomere genome assembly of S. cannabina spanning ∼2,087 Mb. The assembly included all centromeric regions, which contain centromeric satellite repeats, and complete chromosome ends with telomeric characteristics. Further genome analysis distinguished A and B subgenomes, which diverged approximately 7.9 million years ago. Comparative genomic analysis revealed that the chromosome homoeologs underwent large-scale inversion events (>10 Mb) and a significant, transposon-driven size expansion of the chromosome 5A homoeolog. We further identified four specific alkali-induced phosphate transporter genes in S. cannabina; these may function in alkali tolerance by relieving the deficiency in available phosphorus in alkaline soil. Our work highlights the significance of S. cannabina as a green tool to improve marginal lands and sheds light on subgenome evolution and adaptation to alkaline soils.

Synthesis of 64Cu-, 55Co-, and 68Ga-Labeled Radiopharmaceuticals Targeting Neurotensin Receptor-1 for Theranostics: Adjusting In Vivo Distribution Using Multiamine Macrocycles.

The development of theranostic radiotracers relies on their binding to specific molecular markers of a particular disease and the use of corresponding radiopharmaceutical pairs thereafter. This study reports the use of multiamine macrocyclic moieties (MAs), as linkers or chelators, in tracers targeting the neurotensin receptor-1 (NTSR-1). The goal is to achieve elevated tumor uptake, minimal background interference, and prolonged tumor retention in NTSR-1-positive tumors. Methods: We synthesized a series of neurotensin antagonists bearing MA linkers and metal chelators. The MA unit is hypothesized to establish a strong interaction with the cell membrane, and the addition of a second chelator may enhance water solubility, consequently reducing liver uptake. Small-animal PET/CT imaging of [64Cu]Cu-DOTA-SR-3MA, [64Cu]Cu-NT-CB-NOTA, [68Ga]Ga-NT-CB-NOTA, [64Cu]Cu-NT-CB-DOTA, and [64Cu]Cu-NT-Sarcage was acquired at 1, 4, 24, and 48 h after injection using H1299 tumor models. [55Co]Co-NT-CB-NOTA was also tested in HT29 (high NTSR-1 expression) and Caco2 (low NTSR-1 expression) colorectal adenocarcinoma tumor models. Saturation binding assay and internalization of [55Co]Co-NT-CB-NOTA were used to test tracer specificity and internalization in HT29 cells. Results: In vivo PET imaging with [64Cu]Cu-NT-CB-NOTA, [68Ga]Ga-NT-CB-NOTA, and [55Co]Co-NT-CB-NOTA revealed high tumor uptake, high tumor-to-background contrast, and sustained tumor retention (≤48 h after injection) in NTSR-1-positive tumors. Tumor uptake of [64Cu]Cu-NT-CB-NOTA remained at 76.9% at 48 h after injection compared with uptake 1 h after injection in H1299 tumor models, and [55Co]Co-NT-CB-NOTA was retained at 60.2% at 24 h compared with uptake 1 h after injection in HT29 tumor models. [64Cu]Cu-NT-Sarcage also showed high tumor uptake with low background and high tumor retention 48 h after injection Conclusion: Tumor uptake and pharmacokinetic properties of NTSR-1-targeting radiopharmaceuticals were greatly improved when attached with different nitrogen-containing macrocyclic moieties. The study results suggest that NT-CB-NOTA labeled with either 64Cu/67Cu, 55Co/58mCo, or 68Ga (effect of 177Lu in tumor to be determined in future studies) and NT-Sarcage labeled with 64Cu/67Cu or 55Co/58mCo may be excellent diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals targeting NTSR-1-positive cancers. Also, the introduction of MA units to other ligands is warranted in future studies to test the generality of this approach.

The BR signaling pathway regulates primary root development and drought stress response by suppressing the expression of PLT1 and PLT2 in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Introduction: With the warming global climate, drought stress has become an important abiotic stress factor limiting plant growth and crop yield. As the most rapidly drought-sensing organs of plants, roots undergo a series of changes to enhance their ability to absorb water, but the molecular mechanism is unclear. Results and methods: In this study, we found that PLT1 and PLT2, two important transcription factors of root development in Arabidopsis thaliana, are involved in the plant response to drought and are inhibited by BR signaling. PLT1- and PLT2-overexpressing plants showed greater drought tolerance than wild-type plants. Furthermore, we found that BZR1 could bind to the promoter of PLT1 and inhibit its transcriptional activity in vitro and in vivo. PLT1 and PLT2 were regulated by BR signaling in root development and PLT2 could partially rescue the drought sensitivity of bes1-D. In addition, RNA-seq data analysis showed that BR-regulated root genes and PLT1/2 target genes were also regulated by drought; for example, CIPK3, RCI2A, PCaP1, PIP1;5, ERF61 were downregulated by drought and PLT1/2 but upregulated by BR treatment; AAP4, WRKY60, and AT5G19970 were downregulated by PLT1/2 but upregulated by drought and BR treatment; and RGL2 was upregulated by drought and PLT1/2 but downregulated by BR treatment. Discussion: Our findings not only reveal the mechanism by which BR signaling coordinates root growth and drought tolerance by suppressing the expression of PLT1 and PLT2 but also elucidates the relationship between drought and root development. The current study thus provides an important theoretical basis for the improvement of crop yield under drought conditions.

11C, 12C and 13C-Cyanation of Electron-Rich Arenes via Organic Photoredox Catalysis.

As a non-invasive imaging technology, positron emission tomography (PET) plays a crucial role in personalized medicine, including early diagnosis, patient screening, and treatment monitoring. The advancement of PET research depends on the discovery of new PET agents, which requires the development of simple and efficient radiolabeling methods in many cases. As bioisosteres for halogen and carbonyl moieties, nitriles are important functional groups in pharmaceutical and agrochemical compounds. Here, we disclose a mild organophotoredox-catalyzed method for efficient cyanation of a broad spectrum of electron-rich arenes, including abundant and readily available veratroles and pyrogallol trimethyl ethers. Notably, the transformations not only are compatible with various affordable 12C and 13C-cyanide sources, but also could be applied to carbon-11 synthons to incorporate [11C]nitriles into arenes. The aryl [11C]nitriles can be further derivatized to [11C]carboxylic acids, [11C]amides, and [11C]alkyl amines. The newly developed reaction can serve as a powerful tool for generating new PET agents.