Recent advances in total synthesis of protoberberine and chiral tetrahydroberberine alkaloids.

Covering: Up to 2024Due to the widespread distribution of protoberberine alkaloids (PBs) and tetrahydroberberine alkaloids (THPBs) in nature, coupled with their myriad unique physiological activities, they have garnered considerable attention from medical practitioners. Over the past few decades, synthetic chemists have devised various total synthesis methods to attain these structures, continually expanding reaction pathways to achieve more efficient synthetic strategies. Simultaneously, the chiral construction of THPBs has become a focal point. In this comprehensive review, we categorically summarized the developmental trajectory of the total synthesis of these alkaloids based on the core closure strategies of protoberberine and tetrahydroberberine.

Retraction: Recent advances in total synthesis of protoberberine and chiral tetrahydroberberine alkaloids.

Retraction of 'Recent advances in total synthesis of protoberberine and chiral tetrahydroberberine alkaloids' by Zhen-Xi Niu et al., Nat. Prod. Rep., 2024, https://doi.org/10.1039/d4np00016a.

Synthetic routes and clinical application of Small-Molecule HER2 inhibitors for cancer therapy.

This comprehensive review undertakes a meticulous scrutiny of the synthesis and clinical applications pertaining to small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) directed towards the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), a pivotal protagonist in the pathogenesis of cancer. Focused on compounds like lapatinib, neratinib, and tucatinib, the review delves into the intricate synthesis strategies, emphasizing the challenges associated with their structural complexity. The clinical utilization of HER2 TKIs underscores noteworthy strides in the therapeutic landscape for HER2-positive breast and gastric malignancies. Lapatinib, a dual HER2/ epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor, has demonstrated efficacy in combination therapies, addressing the need for overcoming resistance mechanisms. Neratinib, an irreversible HER2 inhibitor, presents a promising avenue for patients with refractory tumors. Tucatinib, strategically engineered to traverse the blood-brain barrier, epitomizes a groundbreaking advancement in the management of metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer manifesting cerebral involvement. Despite their success, challenges such as resistance mechanisms and off-target effects persist, urging continuous research for the development of next-generation HER2 TKIs. This comprehensive review serves as a valuable resource for pharmaceutical scientists, offering insights into the synthetic intricacies and clinical impact of small-molecule TKIs targeting HER2.

Synthetic Approaches and Clinical Application of Representative Small-Molecule Inhibitors of Cyclin-Dependent Kinase for Cancer Therapy.

The regulation of the cancer cell cycle heavily relies on cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). Targeting CDKs has been identified as a promising approach for effective cancer therapy. In recent years, there has been significant attention paid towards developing small-molecule CDK inhibitors in the field of drug discovery. Notably, five such inhibitors have already received regulatory approval for the treatment of different cancers, including breast tumors, lung malignancies, and hematological malignancies. This review provides an overview of the synthetic routes used to produce 17 representative small-molecule CDK inhibitors that have obtained regulatory approval or are currently being evaluated through clinical trials. It also discusses their clinical applications for treating CDK-related diseases and explores the challenges and limitations associated with their use in a clinical setting, which will stimulate the further development of novel CDK inhibitors. By integrating therapeutic applications, synthetic methodologies, and mechanisms of action observed in various clinical trials involving these CDK inhibitors, this review facilitates a comprehensive understanding of the versatile roles and therapeutic potential offered by interventions targeting CDKs.

Synthetic Routes and Clinical Application of Representative Small-Molecule EGFR Inhibitors for Cancer Therapy.

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays a pivotal role in cancer therapeutics, with small-molecule EGFR inhibitors emerging as significant agents in combating this disease. This review explores the synthesis and clinical utilization of EGFR inhibitors, starting with the indispensable role of EGFR in oncogenesis and emphasizing the intricate molecular aspects of the EGFR-signaling pathway. It subsequently provides information on the structural characteristics of representative small-molecule EGFR inhibitors in the clinic. The synthetic methods and associated challenges pertaining to these compounds are thoroughly examined, along with innovative strategies to overcome these obstacles. Furthermore, the review discusses the clinical applications of FDA-approved EGFR inhibitors such as erlotinib, gefitinib, afatinib, and osimertinib across various cancer types and their corresponding clinical outcomes. Additionally, it addresses the emergence of resistance mechanisms and potential counterstrategies. Taken together, this review aims to provide valuable insights for researchers, clinicians, and pharmaceutical scientists interested in comprehending the current landscape of small-molecule EGFR inhibitors.

PhI(OAc)2-Promoted 1,2-Transfer Reaction between 1,1-Disubstituted Allylic Alcohols and Thiophenols.

The PhI(OAc)2-promoted 1,2-transfer reaction between allylic alcohols and thiophenols, conducted in an argon atmosphere, has proven to be effective in producing ß-carbonyl sulfides from 1,1-disubstituted allylic alcohols in high yields. This method offers a fast and efficient way to synthesize ß-carbonyl sulfides, which are valuable intermediates in organic synthesis. This discussion focuses on the effects of the oxidizer, temperature, and solvent on the reaction. A proposed tentative mechanism for this reaction is also discussed.

Pd@PtRuNi core-shell nanowires as oxygen reduction electrocatalysts.

Fuel cells, as the alternative to fossil energy, have engaged widespread attention by reason of the high conversion efficiency from the chemical energy to the electric energy combined with low pollution emissions. The cathodic ORR catalysts with excellent performance and cost-effectiveness are the dominant point towards the massive development of fuel cells. Here, our group select the Pd NWs as the template and construct the Pd@PtRuNi core-shell bilayer nanostructure to expand platinum atom utilization. Pd@PtRuNi bilayer core-shell NWs unfold elevated mass activity of1.62Amgmetal-1at 0.9 V versus RHE in alkaline media, 2.03- and 6.23-fold of pristine Pd NWs and benchmark commercial Pt/C, respectively. Meanwhile, the cyclic stability tests reveal the excellent durability of Pd@PtRuNi NWs, whose mass activity is only 13.58% degradation after accelerated durability tests. The catalytic activity and durability towards ORR are better than the U.S. 2025 DOE target (0.44Amgpt-1and less than 40% activity attenuation at 0.9 V after 30 000 potential cycles). The elevated catalytic properties can be traceable to the synergism between the ligand effect of Ni and Ru and one-dimensional structure superiority, which optimizes the electronic structure of active sites, promotes the charge transfer and restrains the agglomeration and detachment.

Deletion of the PPARδ gene exacerbates high-fat diet-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in mice through the gut-liver axis.

Gut microbiota dysbiosis is an essential factor contributing to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), in which the gut-liver axis plays a crucial role. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor δ (PPARδ) is considered a new direction for the research on NAFLD due to its positive regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism. Our experiment aimed to investigate the effect of PPARδ gene deletion on gut microbiota and NAFLD through the gut-liver axis. PPARδ-/- mice and wild-type mice were randomly divided into high-fat diet(HFD) groups and normal diet groups. In each group, six mice were sacrificed at weeks 4, 8, and 12. Metabolic indicators and inflammation indicators were measured, and the degree of liver steatosis and the ileum mucosa integrity were evaluated. Additionally, fecal samples were subjected to 16S rDNA gene sequencing and analysis of gut microbiota. Deletion of the PPARδ gene exhibited exacerbated effects on HFD-induced NAFLD and displayed more severe liver inflammation and intestinal mucosal barrier injuries. The HFD reduced the abundance of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria and increased the abundance of intestinal endotoxin-rich bacteria in mice. Deletion of the PPARδ gene exacerbated this trend, resulting in decreased abundances of norank_f__Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes_group and Alloprevotella and increased abundances of Acidibacter, unclassified_f__Comamonadaceae, unclassified_c__Alphaproteobacteria, unclassified_f__Beijerinckiaceae, unclassified_f__Caulobacteraceae, unclassified_c__Bacteroidia and Bosea. Spearman's correlation analysis found Lachnoclostridium, unclassified_f__Rhizobiaceae, Allobaculum, Acinetobacter, Romboutsia, norank_f__Muribaculaceae and Dubosiella showed some correlations with metabolic indicators, inflammation indicators, NAS and occludin. Deletion of the PPARδ gene exacerbated HFD-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis and affected NAFLD through the gut-liver axis.

Population attributable fractions of fatty liver disease for type 2 diabetes Mellitus.

PURPOSE: To determine the population attributable fraction (PAF) of fatty liver disease (FLD) for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and compare it to the PAFs of other metabolic abnormalities. METHODS: We conducted a 10-year retrospective cohort study of 33,346 individuals in Karamay Central Hospital of Xinjiang. Individuals were followed up for T2DM occurrence based on FBS. The PAFs of FLD were calculated generally and respectively in different sex and age groups. A comparison of the PAF of FLD and that of other metabolic abnormalities, as well as the PAFs of FLD in different groups classified based on age and sex, was performed using Cox regression. RESULTS: During an average follow-up period of 3.71 years, 1486 T2DM were diagnosed. The incidence density of T2DM was 1.2/100 person-years, and cumulative incidence rate was 4456.31/100,000 person-years. Partial PAF (PAFp) of FLD in the entire population was 23.11%. In the male population, PAFp was higher at 30-40 years old. In the female population, it was higher when age ≥ 60 years old. In multivariable Cox regression model, FLD, male sex, age ≥ 45 years old, overweight, hypertriglyceridaemia, and systolic hypertension were independent risk factors for T2DM, with corresponding PAFp of 25.00%, 24.99%, 36.47%, 24.96%, 5.71%, and 6.76%, respectively. Age ≥ 45 years old showed the highest PAFp and adjusted hazard ratio, followed by FLD. CONCLUSIONS: FLD contributes more to T2DM incidence than other metabolic disorders. Particular attention should be given to male populations of 30-40 and female populations above 60 for FLD prevention and treatment.

DPY30 Promotes Proliferation and Cell Cycle Progression of Colorectal Cancer Cells via Mediating H3K4 Trimethylation.

DPY30, a core subunit of the SET1/MLL histone H3K4 methyltransferase complexes, plays an important role in diverse biological functions through the epigenetic regulation of gene transcription, especially in cancer development. However, its involvement in human colorectal carcinoma (CRC) has not been elucidated yet. Here we demonstrated that DPY30 was overexpressed in CRC tissues, and significantly associated with pathological grading, tumor size, TNM stage, and tumor location. Furthermore, DPY30 knockdown remarkably suppressed the CRC cell proliferation through downregulation of PCNA and Ki67 in vitro and in vivo, simultaneously induced cell cycle arrest at S phase by downregulating Cyclin A2. In the mechanistic study, RNA-Seq analysis revealed that enriched gene ontology of cell proliferation and cell growth was significantly affected. And ChIP result indicated that DPY30 knockdown inhibited H3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) and attenuated interactions between H3K4me3 with PCNA, Ki67 and cyclin A2 respectively, which led to the decrease of H3K4me3 establishment on their promoter regions. Taken together, our results demonstrate overexpression of DPY30 promotes CRC cell proliferation and cell cycle progression by facilitating the transcription of PCNA, Ki67 and cyclin A2 via mediating H3K4me3. It suggests that DPY30 may serve as a potential therapeutic molecular target for CRC.

A Comprehensive Review of Small-Molecule Inhibitors Targeting Bruton Tyrosine Kinase: Synthetic Approaches and Clinical Applications.

Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) is an essential enzyme in the signaling pathway of the B-cell receptor (BCR) and is vital for the growth and activation of B-cells. Dysfunction of BTK has been linked to different types of B-cell cancers, autoimmune conditions, and inflammatory ailments. Therefore, focusing on BTK has become a hopeful approach in the field of therapeutics. Small-molecule inhibitors of BTK have been developed to selectively inhibit its activity and disrupt B-cell signaling pathways. These inhibitors bind to the active site of BTK and prevent its phosphorylation, leading to the inhibition of downstream signaling cascades. Regulatory authorities have granted approval to treat B-cell malignancies, such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), with multiple small-molecule BTK inhibitors. This review offers a comprehensive analysis of the synthesis and clinical application of conventional small-molecule BTK inhibitors at various clinical stages, as well as presents promising prospects for the advancement of new small-molecule BTK inhibitors.

Down-expression of the NLRP3 inflammasome delays the progression of diabetic retinopathy.

The investigation aimed to evaluate the effects of Mcc950, an inhibitor of the NLRP3 inflammasome, on diabetic retinopathy (DR) mice. The general physiological condition of each group of mice was recorded. Retinal blood vessels were stained for observation of the density of blood vessels, and retinas were used for further morphological examination and fluorescent staining after the intravitreal injection of Mcc950. Mcc950 partially reversed hyperglycemia-induced vascular damage and had reduced histological changes compared to DR mice. IL-1ß production in mice retinas in the diabetic model (DM) group increased, but pretreatment with Mcc950 significantly reversed these changes. Additionally, Mcc950 engineered reduced FITC dextran extravasation and vascular leakage. Therefore, it played an apparent protective role in DR and could be a new treatment strategy for DR.

Long-Term Environmental Enrichment Relieves Dysfunctional Cognition and Synaptic Protein Levels Induced by Prenatal Inflammation in Older CD-1 Mice.

A mounting body of evidence suggests that prenatal inflammation may enhance the rate of age-associated cognitive decline and may involve aberrant amounts of synaptic proteins in the hippocampus, including synaptotagmin-1 (Syt1) and activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc). However, little is known about the specific impact of adolescent environmental enrichment (EE) on age-associated cognitive decline and the changes in synaptic proteins caused by prenatal inflammation. In this study, CD-1 mice in late pregnancy were given intraperitoneal doses of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 50 µg/kg) or normal saline. Offspring arising from LPS dams were divided into a LPS group and a LPS plus EE (LPS-E) group. The LPS-E mice were exposed to EE from 2 months of age until the end of the experiment (3 or 15 months old). The Morris water maze (MWM) was used to assess the spatial learning and memory capacities of experimental mice, while western blotting and RNA-scope were used to determine the expression levels of Arc and Syt1 in the hippocampus at the protein and mRNA levels, respectively. Analysis revealed that at 15 months of age, the control mice experienced a reduction in cognitive ability and elevated expression levels of Arc and Syt1 genes when compared to control mice at 3 months of age. The LPS-E group exhibited better cognition and lower protein and mRNA levels of Arc and Syt1 than mice in the LPS group of the same age. However, the enriched environment mitigated but did not counteract, the effects of prenatal inflammation on cognitive and synaptic proteins when tested at either 3 or 15 months of age. Our findings revealed that long-term environmental enrichment improved the expression levels of synaptic proteins in CD-1 mice and that this effect was linked to the dysfunctional cognition caused by prenatal inflammation; this process may also be involved in the reduction of hippocampal Arc and Syt1 gene expression.

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 accelerates hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

An association between increased insulin-like growth factor binding protein-7 (IGFBP7) expression and insulin resistance in metabolic diseases has been reported. However, the role and molecular mechanism of IGFBP-7 in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains largely unknown. Therefore, the potential function of IGFBP7 in the pathological progression of NAFLD was explored in this investigation. For in vivo experiments, an animal model of NAFLD was established in C57BL/6 mice by feeding a high-fat diet (HFD), and IGFBP7 was knocked down by injecting adeno-associated adenovirus (AAV)-mediated short-hairpin (sh)-IGFBP7 into the liver. We found that AAV-sh-IGFBP7 treatment significantly alleviated hepatocyte injury and inhibited hepatic lipid accumulation by reducing lipogenesis-associated gene expression. Furthermore, downregulation of IGFBP7 markedly ameliorated IR and restored impaired insulin signalling by elevating the phosphorylation levels of IRS-1, Akt and GSK3ß in HFD-treated mice. Similar results were also confirmed by an in vitro study in a palmitic acid (PA)-stimulated HepG2 cell model. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that IGFBP7 contributes to hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance in NAFLD development, which might serve as a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of NAFLD.

Target genes associated with lipid and glucose metabolism in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

BACKGROUND: Insulin resistance (IR) and lipid peroxidation are accepted as 'two-hit' hypothesis of Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, there are few published research on identifying genes which connect lipid and glucose metabolism by gene microarray. OBJECTIVE: To identify target genes related to lipid and glucose metabolism that might be responsible for the pathogenesis of NAFLD. METHODS: A rat model of NAFLD was established by feeding male rats with high-fat diet and gene expression profiles of liver tissues were determined using Agilent DNA microarray. We then investigated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and intersection of them by using Gene Ontology (GO) and Pathway Analyses. Target genes were verified by Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: Compared with control, 932 genes, including 783 up-regulated and 149 down-regulated, exhibited differences in expression. The up-regulated genes were involved in biosynthesis, cell development, cell differentiation and down-regulated genes contributed to biological metabolic process, adipokine metabolic pathway and insulin signaling pathway. We identified genes involved in insulin signaling pathway, Notch signaling pathway and lipid synthetic process to be closely related to liver fat accumulation and insulin resistance. Among them, IGFBP7, Notch1 and HMGCR were up-regulated (2.85-fold, 3.22-fold, and 2.06-fold, respectively, all P < 0.05) and ACACB was down-regulated (2.08-fold, P < 0.01). These four genes supposed to connect lipid and glucose metabolism after GO and Pathway analyses. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide innovative information on the whole genome expression profile due to high-fat diet feeding, and bring new insight into the regulating effects of genes on the lipid and glucose metabolism of NAFLD.

Effect of graphene oxide on the bioactivities of nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria in aerobic granular sludge.

With the widespread application of graphene oxide (GO), it would be inevitably released into wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and get involved in the biochemical process. So far, there are controversies on the effects of low GO concentration (0.05-0.1 g/L) on the nitrogen removal process. Therefore, this study essentially investigates any potential effects of GO on wastewater microbial communities functions. In present study, the nitrifying and denitrifying batch tests were introduced to investigate the influence of 0.06 g/L of GO on bacteria. The results showed that GO could be easily combined with the aerobic granular sludge (AGS), and NH4+-N was sharply absorbed, which directly promoted the bioactivities of ammonium oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) production. The influence of GO on the denitrifying bacteria was negligible, which resulted in the stable EPS production. Furthermore, as inferred from the near maximum chemical reaction rates, there were no obvious changes on the microbial community functions during nitrogen removal process.

AF1q Mediates Tumor Progression in Colorectal Cancer by Regulating AKT Signaling.

The up-regulation of ALL1-fused gene from chromosome 1q (AF1q) is commonly seen in aggressive hematologic malignancies as well as in several solid tumor tissues. However, its expression and intrinsic function in human colorectal cancer (CRC) remains largely undefined. To explore the role of AF1q in human CRC progression, AF1q expression was analyzed in human CRC tissue samples and CRC cell lines. Clinical specimens revealed that AF1q was up-regulated in human CRC tissues, and that this up-regulation was associated with tumor metastasis and late tumor, lymph node, metastasis (TNM) stage. AF1q knockdown by shRNA inhibited tumor cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in vitro, as well as tumorigenesis and liver metastasis in vivo, whereas these effects were reversed following AF1q overexpression. These AF1q-mediated effects were modulated by the protein kinase B (AKT) signaling pathway, and inhibition of AKT signaling attenuated AF1q-induced tumor promotion. Thus, AF1q contributes to CRC tumorigenesis and progression through the activation of the AKT signaling pathway. AF1q might therefore serve as a promising new target in the treatment of CRC.

Mapping knowledge of the stem cell in traumatic brain injury: a bibliometric and visualized analysis.

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a brain function injury caused by external mechanical injury. Primary and secondary injuries cause neurological deficits that mature brain tissue cannot repair itself. Stem cells can self-renewal and differentiate, the research of stem cells in the pathogenesis and treatment of TBI has made significant progress in recent years. However, numerous articles must be summarized to analyze hot spots and predict trends. This study aims to provide a panorama of knowledge and research hotspots through bibliometrics. Method: We searched in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database to identify articles pertaining to TBI and stem cells published between 2000 and 2022. Visualization knowledge maps, including co-authorship, co-citation, and co-occurrence analysis were generated by VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and the R package "bibliometrix." Results: We retrieved a total of 459 articles from 45 countries. The United States and China contributed the majority of publications. The number of publications related to TBI and stem cells is increasing yearly. Tianjin Medical University was the most prolific institution, and Professor Charles S. Cox, Jr. from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston was the most influential author. The Journal of Neurotrauma has published the most research articles on TBI and stem cells. Based on the burst references, "immunomodulation," "TBI," and "cellular therapy" have been regarded as research hotspots in the field. The keywords co-occurrence analysis revealed that "exosomes," "neuroinflammation," and "microglia" were essential research directions in the future. Conclusion: Research on TBI and stem cells has shown a rapid growth trend in recent years. Existing studies mainly focus on the activation mechanism of endogenous neural stem cells and how to make exogenous stem cell therapy more effective. The combination with bioengineering technology is the trend in this field. Topics related to exosomes and immune regulation may be the future focus of TBI and stem cell research.

Fluorine in the pharmaceutical industry: Synthetic approaches and application of clinically approved fluorine-enriched anti-infectious medications.

The strategic integration of fluorine atoms into anti-infectious agents has become a cornerstone in the field of medicinal chemistry, owing to the unique influence of fluorine on the chemical and biological properties of pharmaceuticals. This review examines the synthetic methodologies that enable the incorporation of fluorine into anti-infectious drugs, and the resultant clinical applications of these fluorine-enriched compounds. With a focus on clinically approved medications, the discussion extends to the molecular mechanisms. It further outlines the specific effects of fluorination, which contribute to the heightened efficacy of anti-infective therapies. By presenting a comprehensive analysis of current drugs and their developmental pathways, this review underscores the continuing evolution and significance of fluorine in advancing anti-infectious treatment options. The insights offered extend valuable guidance for future drug design and the development of next-generation anti-infectious agents.

Synthesis and clinical application of new drugs approved by FDA in 2023.

In 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted approval to a total of 55 new drugs, comprising 29 new chemical entities (NCEs) and 25 new biological entities (NBEs). These drugs primarily focus on oncology, the central nervous system, anti-infection, hematology, cardiovascular, ophthalmology, immunomodulatory and other therapeutic areas. Out of the 55 drugs, 33 (60 %) underwent an accelerated review process and received approval, while 25 (45 %) were specifically approved for the treatment of rare diseases. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the clinical uses and production techniques of 29 newly FDA-approved NCEs in 2023. Our intention is to offer a comprehensive understanding of the synthetic approaches employed in the creation of these drug molecules, with the aim of inspiring the development of novel, efficient, and applicable synthetic methodologies.