Benzofuran-2-Carboxamide Derivatives as Immunomodulatory Agents Blocking the CCL20-Induced Chemotaxis and Colon Cancer Growth.

The correlation between the CCL20/CCR6 axis and autoimmune and non-autoimmune disorders is widely recognized. Inhibition of the CCL20-dependent cell migration represents therefore a promising approach for the treatment of many diseases, such as inflammatory bowel diseases and colorectal cancer. We report herein our efforts to explore the biologically relevant chemical space around the benzofuran scaffold of MR120, a modulator of the CCL20/CCR6 axis previously discovered by our group. A functional screening allowed us to identify C4 and C5-substituted derivatives as the most effective inhibitors of the CCL20-induced chemotaxis of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Moreover, selected compounds (16e and 24b) also proved to potently inhibit the growth of different colon cancer cell lines, with cytotoxic/cytostatic and antiproliferative activity.

Development of inhalation powders containing lactic acid bacteria with antimicrobial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the project was to develop and characterise powders containing a probiotic (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum [Lpb. plantarum], Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, or Lactobacillus acidophilus) to be administered to the lung for the containment of pathogen growth in patients with lung infections. METHODS: The optimised spray drying process for the powder manufacturing was able to preserve viability of the bacteria, which decreased of only one log unit and was maintained up to 30 days. RESULTS: Probiotic powders showed a high respirability (42%-50% of particles had a size < 5 µm) suitable for lung deposition and were proven safe on A549 and Calu-3 cells up to a concentration of 107 colony-forming units/mL. The Lpb. plantarum adhesion to both cell lines tested was at least 10%. Surprisingly, Lpb. plantarum powder was bactericidal at a concentration of 106 colony-forming units/mL on P. aeruginosa, whereas the other two strains were bacteriostatic. CONCLUSION: This work represents a promising starting point to consider a probiotic inhalation powder a value in keeping the growth of pathogenic microflora in check during the antibiotic inhalation therapy suspension in cystic fibrosis treatment regimen. This approach could also be advantageous for interfering competitively with pathogenic bacteria and promoting the restoration of the healthy microbiota.

Pharmacological characterization of second generation FXR agonists as effective EphA2 antagonists: A successful application of target hopping approach.

It is well demonstrated the key role of Eph-ephrin system, specifically of EphA2 receptor, in supporting tumor growth, invasion, metastasis and neovascularization. We previously identified FXR agonists as eligible antagonists of Eph-ephrin system. Herein we characterize new commercially available FXR (Farnesoid X Receptor) agonists as potential Eph ligands including Cilofexor, Nidufexor, Tropifexor, Turofexorate isopropyl and Vonafexor. Our exploration based on molecular modelling investigations and binding assays shows that Cilofexor binds specifically and reversibly to EphA2 receptor with a Ki value in the low micromolar range. Furthermore, Cilofexor interferes with the phosphorylation of EphA2 and the cell retraction and rounding in PC3 prostate cancer cells, both events depending on EphA2 activation. In conclusion, we can confirm that target hopping can be a successful approach to discover new moiety of protein-protein inhibitors.

UniPR1331: Small Eph/Ephrin Antagonist Beneficial in Intestinal Inflammation by Interfering with Type-B Signaling.

Eph receptors, comprising A and B classes, interact with cell-bound ephrins generating bidirectional signaling. Although mainly related to carcinogenesis and organogenesis, the role of Eph/ephrin system in inflammation is growingly acknowledged. Recently, we showed that EphA/ephrin-A proteins can modulate the acute inflammatory responses induced by mesenteric ischemia/reperfusion, while beneficial effects were granted by EphB4, acting as EphB/ephrin-B antagonist, in a murine model of Crohn's disease (CD). Accordingly, we now aim to evaluate the effects of UniPR1331, a pan-Eph/ephrin antagonist, in TNBS-induced colitis and to ascertain whether UniPR1331 effects can be attributed to A- or B-type signaling interference. The potential anti-inflammatory action of UniPR1331 was compared to those of the recombinant proteins EphA2, a purported EphA/ephrin-A antagonist, and of ephrin-A1-Fc and EphA2-Fc, supposedly activating forward and reverse EphA/ephrin-A signaling, in murine TNBS-induced colitis and in stimulated cultured mononuclear splenocytes. UniPR1331 antagonized the inflammatory responses both in vivo, mimicking EphB4 protection, and in vitro; EphA/ephrin-A proteins were inactive or only weakly effective. Our findings represent a further proof-of-concept that blockade of EphB/ephrin-B signaling is a promising pharmacological strategy for CD management and highlight UniPR1331 as a novel drug candidate, seemingly working through the modulation of immune responses.

Multitarget CFTR Modulators Endowed with Multiple Beneficial Side Effects for Cystic Fibrosis Patients: Toward a Simplified Therapeutic Approach †.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a multiorgan disease caused by mutations of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). In addition to respiratory impairment due to mucus accumulation, viruses and bacteria trigger acute pulmonary exacerbations, accelerating disease progression and mortality rate. Treatment complexity increases with patients' age, and simplifying the therapeutic regimen represents one of the key priorities in CF. We have recently reported the discovery of multitarget compounds able to "kill two birds with one stone" by targeting F508del-CFTR and PI4KIIIß and thus acting simultaneously as CFTR correctors and broad-spectrum enterovirus (EV) inhibitors. Starting from these preliminary results, we report herein a hit-to-lead optimization and multidimensional structure-activity relationship (SAR) study that led to compound 23a. This compound showed good antiviral and F508del-CFTR correction potency, additivity/synergy with lumacaftor, and a promising in vitro absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) profile. It was well tolerated in vivo with no sign of acute toxicity and histological alterations in key biodistribution organs.

Targeting the Eph/Ephrin System as Anti-Inflammatory Strategy in IBD.

Besides their long-known critical role in embryonic growth and in cancer development and progression, erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular carcinoma type B (EphB) receptor tyrosine kinases and their ephrin-B ligands are involved in the modulation of immune responses and in remodeling and maintaining the integrity of the intestinal epithelial layer. These processes are critically involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory-based disorders of the gut, like inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). Accordingly, our aim was to investigate the role of the EphB/ephrin-B system in intestinal inflammation by assessing the local and systemic effects produced by its pharmacological manipulation in 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)- (Th1-dependent model) and dextran sulphate sodium (DSS)- (innate response model) induced colitis in mice. To this purpose, we administered chimeric Fc-conjugated proteins, allegedly able to uni-directionally activate either forward (ephrin-B1-Fc) or reverse (EphB1-Fc) signaling, and the soluble monomeric EphB4 extracellular domain protein, that, simultaneously interfering with both signaling pathways, acts as EphB/ephrin-B antagonist.The blockade of the EphB/ephrin-B forward signaling by EphB4 and EphB1-Fc was ineffective against DSS-induced colitis while it evoked remarkable beneficial effects against TNBS colitis: it counteracted all the evaluated inflammatory responses and the changes elicited on splenic T lymphocytes subpopulations, without preventing the appearance of a splice variant of ephrin-B2 gene elicited by the haptenating agent in the colon. Interestingly, EphB4, preferentially displacing EphB4/ephrin-B2 interaction over EphB1/ephrin-B1 binding, was able to promote Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNFα) release by splenic mononuclear cells in vitro. On the whole, the collected results point to a potential role of the EphB/ephrin-B system as a pharmacological target in intestinal inflammatory disorders and suggest that the therapeutic efficacy of its blockade seemingly works through the modulation of immune responses, independent of the changes at the transcriptional and translational level of EphB4 and ephrin-B2 genes.

Bifidobacterium bifidum PRL2010 alleviates intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Mesenteric ischemia/reperfusion is a clinical emergency with high morbidity and mortality due to the transient reduction of blood supply to the bowel. In recent years, the critical contribution of gut microbiome to human health and proper gastrointestinal functions has gradually emerged. In the current study, we investigated the protective effects of five days supplementation with Bifidobacterium bifidum PRL2010 in a murine model of gut ischemia/reperfusion. Our findings indicate that animals pretreated with B. bifidum PRL2010 showed lower neutrophil recruitment in the lungs, remarkably reduced bacterial translocation and decreased transcription levels of TNFalpha and IL-10 both in liver and kidneys, at the same time increasing those of IL-12 in kidneys. Inhibiting the adhesion of pathogenic bacteria and boosting host innate immunity responses are among the possible protective mechanisms enacted by the probiotic. These results demonstrate that short-period treatment with B. bifidum PRL2010 is a potential strategy to dampen remote organ injury due to mesenteric ischemia/reperfusion.

Δ(5)-Cholenoyl-amino acids as selective and orally available antagonists of the Eph-ephrin system.

The Eph receptor-ephrin system is an emerging target for the development of novel anti-angiogenic therapies. Research programs aimed at developing small-molecule antagonists of the Eph receptors are still in their initial stage as available compounds suffer from pharmacological drawbacks, limiting their application in vitro and in vivo. In the present work, we report the design, synthesis and evaluation of structure-activity relationships of a class of Δ(5)-cholenoyl-amino acid conjugates as Eph-ephrin antagonists. As a major achievement of our exploration, we identified N-(3ß-hydroxy-Δ(5)-cholen-24-oyl)-L-tryptophan (UniPR1331) as the first small molecule antagonist of the Eph-ephrin system effective as an anti-angiogenic agent in endothelial cells, bioavailable in mice by the oral route and devoid of biological activity on G protein-coupled and nuclear receptors targeted by bile acid derivatives.

Synthesis, biological activities and pharmacokinetic properties of new fluorinated derivatives of selective PDE4D inhibitors.

A new series of selective PDE4D inhibitors has been designed and synthesized by replacing 3-methoxy group with 3-difluoromethoxy isoster moiety in our previously reported cathecolic structures. All compounds showed a good PDE4D3 inhibitory activity, most of them being inactive toward other PDE4 isoforms (PDE4A4, PDE4B2 and PDE4C2). Compound 3b, chosen among the synthesized compounds as the most promising in terms of inhibitory activity, selectivity and safety, showed an improved pharmacokinetic profile compared to its non fluorinated analogue. Spontaneous locomotor activity, assessed in an open field apparatus, showed that, differently from rolipram and diazepam, selective PDE4D inhibitors, such as compounds 3b, 5b and 7b, did not affect locomotion, whereas compound 1b showed a tendency to reduce the distance traveled and to prolong the immobility period, possibly due to a poor selectivity.

Suppression of inflammatory events associated to intestinal ischemia-reperfusion by 5-HT1A blockade in mice.

Intestinal ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) is a potentially life-threatening disease, ensuing from various clinical conditions. Experimentally, either protective or detrimental roles have been attributed to 5-HT in the functional and morphological injury caused by mesenteric I/R. Recently, we proved the involvement of 5-HT2A receptors in the intestinal dysmotility and leukocyte recruitment induced by 45min occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) followed by 24h reperfusion in mice. Starting from these premises, the aim of our present work was to investigate the role played by endogenous 5-HT in the same experimental model where 45min SMA clamping was followed by 5h reflow. To this end, we first observed that ischemic preconditioning before I/R injury (IPC+I/R) reverted the increase in 5-HT tissue content and in inflammatory parameters induced by I/R in mice. Second, the effects produced by intravenous administration of 5-HT1A ligands (partial agonist buspirone 10mgkg(-1), antagonist WAY100135 0.5-5mgkg(-1)), 5-HT2A antagonist sarpogrelate (10mgkg(-1)), 5-HT3 antagonist alosetron (0.1mgkg(-1)), 5-HT4 antagonist GR125487 (5mgkg(-1)) and 5-HT re-uptake inhibitor fluoxetine (10mgkg(-1)) on I/R-induced inflammatory response were investigated in I/R mice and compared to those obtained in sham-operated animals (S). Our results confirmed the significant role played by 5-HT2A receptors not only in the late but also in the early I/R-induced microcirculatory dysfunction and showed that blockade of 5-HT1A receptors protected against the intestinal leukocyte recruitment, plasma extravasation and reactive oxygen species formation triggered by SMA occlusion and reflow. The ability of α7 nicotinic receptor (α7nAchR) antagonist methyllycaconitine (5mgkg(-1)) to counteract the beneficial action provided by buspirone on I/R-induced neutrophil infiltration suggests that the anti-inflammatory effect produced by 5-HT1A receptor antagonism could be partly ascribed to the indirect activation of α7nAch receptors.

Protective role of µ opioid receptor activation in intestinal inflammation induced by mesenteric ischemia/reperfusion in mice.

Intestinal ischemia is a clinical emergency with high morbidity and mortality. We investigated whether activation of µ opioid receptor (µOR) protects from the inflammation induced by intestinal ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) in mice. Ischemia was induced by occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery (45 min), followed by reperfusion (5 hr). Sham-operated (SO) and normal (N) mice served as controls. Each group received subcutaneously 1) saline solution, 2) the µOR selective agonist [D-Ala2, N-Me-Phe4, Gly5-ol]-enkephalin (DAMGO; 0.01 mg kg(-1) ), 3) DAMGO and the selective µOR antagonist [H-D-Phe-Cys-Tyr-D-Trp-Arg-Thr-Pen-Thr-NH2] (CTAP; 0.1 mg kg(-1) ), or 4) CTAP alone. I/R induced intestinal inflammation as indicated by histological damage and the significant increase in myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, an index of tissue neutrophil accumulation. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) mRNA levels were also increased in I/R mice compared with SO. DAMGO significantly reduced tissue damage, MPO activity, and TNF-α mRNA levels in I/R, and these effects were reversed by CTAP. By contrast, DAMGO did not modify IL-10 mRNA levels or gastrointestinal transit. DAMGO's effects are receptor mediated and likely are due to activation of peripheral µORs, because it does not readily cross the blood-brain barrier. These findings suggest that activation of peripheral µOR protects from the inflammatory response induced by I/R through a pathway involving the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α. Reduction of acute inflammation might prevent I/R complications, including motility impairment, which develop at a later stage of reperfusion and likely are due to inflammatory cell infiltrates.

Ocotea quixos Lam. essential oil: in vitro and in vivo investigation on its anti-inflammatory properties.

Here we investigated the anti-inflammatory properties of Ocotea quixos essential oil and of its main components, trans-cinnamaldehyde and methyl cinnamate, in in vitro and in vivo models. Ocotea essential oil and trans-cinnamaldehyde but not methyl cinnamate significantly reduced LPS-induced NO release from J774 macrophages at non-toxic concentrations, inhibited LPS-induced COX-2 expression and increased forskolin-induced cAMP production. The essential oil (30-100mg/kg os) and trans-cinnamaldehyde (10mg/kg os) in carrageenan-induced rat paw edema showed anti-inflammatory effect without damaging gastric mucosa. In conclusion we provide the first evidence of a significant anti-inflammatory gastro-sparing activity of O.quixos essential oil.

Evidence for the involvement of 5-HT2A receptors in mild mesenteric ischemia/reperfusion dysfunctions in mice.

In this study, the involvement of 5-HT2A receptors on mesenteric ischemia-reperfusion injury was examined in mice. Intestinal ischemia produced by 45 min occlusion of superior mesenteric artery was followed by 24h reperfusion (I/R). The 5-HT2A selective antagonist, ketanserin (0.5 mgkg(-1)) or the 5-HT2A agonist DOI (0.25 mgkg(-1)) was intravenously administered before ischemia and 8h after the beginning of reperfusion. The effects were compared with those obtained in sham operated animals (S). Ketanserin prevented the upper gastrointestinal transit delay induced by I/R (P<0.01), protected intestine from leukocyte recruitment as indicated by jejunal myeloperoxidase activity (P<0.05) and reverted Evans Blue extravasation elicited by I/R in lung, colon and jejunum (P<0.05). On the other hand, 5-HT2A activation by DOI mimicked the effects of I/R in S mice prolonging small intestine transit (P<0.05) and enhancing neutrophil accumulation in jejunal tissues (P<0.05). Furthermore, the reduction of ADP-induced platelet aggregation in plasma of I/R mice was prevented by ketanserin treatment. All together, these findings support the critical involvement of 5-HT2A receptor subtype in mediating the damage induced by mesenteric I/R in mice.

Protective effect of Foeniculum vulgare essential oil and anethole in an experimental model of thrombosis.

In a previous screening work, Foeniculum vulgare essential oil emerged from a pool of 24 essential oils for its antiplatelet properties and its ability to destabilize the retraction of the coagulum. In the present work the main component of the oil, anethole, tested in guinea pig plasma was as potent as fennel oil in inhibiting arachidonic acid-, collagen-, ADP- and U46619-induced aggregation (IC(50) from 4 to 147 microg ml(-1)). It also prevented thrombin-induced clot retraction at concentrations similar to fennel oil. The essential oil and anethole, tested in rat aorta with or without endothelium, displayed comparable NO-independent vasorelaxant activity at antiplatelet concentrations which have been proved to be free from cytotoxic effects in vitro. In vivo, both F. vulgare essential oil and anethole orally administered in a subacute treatment to mice (30 mg kg(-1)day(-1) for 5 days) showed significant antithrombotic activity preventing the paralysis induced by collagen-epinephrine intravenous injection (70% and 83% protection, respectively). At the antithrombotic dosage they were free from prohemorrhagic side effect at variance with acetylsalicylic acid used as reference drug. Furthermore, both F. vulgare essential oil and anethole (100 mg kg(-1) oral administration) provided significant protection toward ethanol induced gastric lesions in rats. In conclusion, these results demonstrate for F. vulgare essential oil, and its main component anethole, a safe antithrombotic activity that seems due to their broad spectrum antiplatelet activity, clot destabilizing effect and vasorelaxant action.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of N-pyrazolyl-N'-alkyl/benzyl/phenylureas: a new class of potent inhibitors of interleukin 8-induced neutrophil chemotaxis.

Neutrophils chemotaxis is a complex multistep process that, if upregulated, causes acute inflammation and a number of autoimmune diseases. We report here the synthesis of a new N-(4-substituted)pyrazolyl-N'-alkyl/benzyl/phenylureas that are potent inhibitors of interleukin-8 (IL8)-induced neutrophil chemotaxis. The first series of compounds, obtained by functionalization with a urea moiety of the 5-amino-1-(2-hydroxy-2-phenylethyl)-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxylic acid ethyl ester 3, blocked the IL8-induced neutrophil chemotaxis, while they did not block N-formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine-mediated chemotaxis. The most active compounds, 3-benzyl- (4d), 3-(4-benzylpiperazinyl)- (4i), 3-phenyl- (4k) and 3-isopropylureido (4a) derivatives, showed an IC50 of 10, 14, 45, and 55 nM, respectively. Several different molecules were then synthesized to obtain more information for SAR study. Compounds 4a, 4d, and 4k were inactive in the binding assays on CXCR1 and CXCR2 (IL8 receptors), whereas they inhibited the phosphorylation of PTKs (protein tyrosine kinases) in the 50-70 kDa region. Moreover, in the presence of the same derivatives, we observed a complete block of F-actin rise and pseudopod formation.

In vitro pharmacology at human histamine H3 receptors and brain access of non-imidazole alkylpiperidine derivatives.

In this report, we describe the pharmacological profile of alkylpiperidine derivatives at human histamine H(3) receptors and their ability to access central histamine H(3) receptors in rodents. The three most attractive compounds exhibit high affinity and antagonistic potency (pK(i) ranging from 8.56 to 8.35) towards human histamine H(3) receptors stably expressed in SK-N-MC cells and, in contrast to thioperamide, they show slightly greater affinity for human than for rodent H(3) receptors. In ex vivo binding tests, they displayed a limited brain penetration since they displace [(3)H](R)-alpha-methylhistamine from rat cerebral cortex after intraperitoneal administration at doses four times higher than thioperamide. Among these compounds, derivative 5 tends to counteract partially scopolamine-induced amnesia in passive avoidance task. On the whole, these findings contribute to the identification of the requirements of increasingly drug-like non-imidazole H(3) antagonists.

Antiplatelet and antithrombotic activities of essential oil from wild Ocotea quixos (Lam.) Kosterm. (Lauraceae) calices from Amazonian Ecuador.

Ocotea quixos essential oil was shown to possess significant inhibitory activity of platelet aggregation and clot retraction in rodent plasma. This study is aimed at fully characterizing the antiplatelet activity of the whole essential oil and its main components trans-cinnamaldehyde and methyl cinnamate also in human plasma, at investigating the mechanism underlying such activity and at evaluating the potential antithrombotic activity of subacute treatment of mice with Ocotea essential oil. In vitro Ocotea essential oil and trans-cinnamaldehyde inhibited arachidonic acid-, U46619-, ADP-, phorbol12-myristate13-alcetate-, collagen-induced platelet aggregation and thrombin-induced clot retraction in human and rodent plasma; Ocotea oil and trans-cinnamaldehyde competitively antagonized contractions induced by thromboxane A2 receptor agonist U46619 in rat isolated aortic ring (K(B) = 18 and 3.2 microg ml(-1), respectively). In vivo Ocotea oil, orally administered in a subacute treatment (30-100 mg kg(-1) day(-1) for 5 days) to mice, prevented acute thrombosis induced by collagen-epinephrine intravenous injection. This antithrombotic activity was not accompanied by pro-haemorragic side effect, as detected by the inactivity in bleeding test, thus showing a favourable safety profile compared to the conventional antiplatelet agent, acetylsalicylic acid. Present findings indicate that Ocotea essential oil possesses potent and safe antithrombotic activity attributable to its antiplatelet and vasorelaxant effects. The main constituent trans-cinnamaldehyde seems to be the primary responsible for this activity through a putative mechanism involving the inhibition of thromboxane A2 receptors.

The selective inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase prevents intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice.

Nitric oxide (NO) involvement in intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury has been widely suggested but its protective or detrimental role remains still question of debate. Here, we examine the impact of supplementation or inhibition of NO availability on intestinal dysmotility and inflammation caused by mesenteric I/R in mice. Ischemia 45min and reperfusion 24h were performed by superior mesenteric artery occlusion in female Swiss mice. Saline-treated sham-operated (S) or normal mice without surgery (N) served as controls. Drugs were subcutaneously injected 0, 4, 8, and 18 h after ischemia. Upper gastrointestinal transit (GIT, estimated through black marker gavage), intestinal myeloperoxidase activity (MPO), intestinal malondialdehyde levels (MDA), Evans blue extravasation (EB), intestinal histological damage, and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were considered. In I/R mice, GIT was significantly delayed compared to S and N groups; MPO activity and EB extravasation enhanced, whereas MDA levels did not change. Compared to N and S groups, in I/R mice selective iNOS inhibitor P-BIT significantly prevented motor, MPO and EB changes; putative iNOS inhibitor aminoguanidine significantly counteracted GIT delay but not neutrophil recruitment and the increase in vascular permeability; NOS inhibitor l-NAME and NO precursor l-arginine were scarcely or no effective. Furthermore, in S mice aminoguanidine caused a significant increase of MPO activity reverted by H(1) histamine receptor antagonist pre-treatment. Unlike P-BIT, aminoguanidine and l-NAME injection increased MAP. These findings confirm a detrimental role for iNOS-derived NO overproduction during reperfusion. Aminoguanidine-associated neutrophil recruitment suggests that this drug could act through mechanisms additional to iNOS inhibition involving both eNOS blockade, as indicated by its hemodynamic effects, and indirect activation of H(1) histamine receptors.