Identification of defactinib derivatives targeting focal adhesion kinase using ensemble docking, molecular dynamics simulations and binding free energy calculations.

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) belongs to the nonreceptor tyrosine kinases, which selectively phosphorylate tyrosine residues on substrate proteins. FAK is associated with bladder, esophageal, gastric, neck, breast, ovarian and lung cancers. Thus, FAK has been considered as a potential target for tumor treatment. Currently, there are six adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-competitive FAK inhibitors tested in clinical trials but no approved inhibitors targeting FAK. Defactinib (VS-6063) is a second-generation FAK inhibitor with an IC50 of 0.6 nM. The binding model of VS-6063 with FAK may provide a reference model for developing new antitumor FAK-targeting drugs. In this study, the VS-6063/FAK binding model was constructed using ensemble docking and molecular dynamics simulations. Furthermore, the molecular mechanics/generalized Born (GB) surface area (MM/GBSA) method was employed to estimate the binding free energy between VS-6063 and FAK. The key residues involved in VS-6063/FAK binding were also determined using per-residue energy decomposition analysis. Based on the binding model, VS-6063 could be separated into seven regions to enhance its binding affinity with FAK. Meanwhile, 60 novel defactinib-based compounds were designed and verified using ensemble docking. Overall, the present study improves our understanding of the binding mechanism of human FAK with VS-6063 and provides new insights into future drug designs targeting FAK.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

CX3CL1 Derived from Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells Inhibits Aß 1-42-Induced SH-SY5Y Cell Pathological Damage through TXNIP/NLRP3 Signaling Pathway.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most commonly seen neurodegenerative brain disorder. The paracrine effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) signify to trigger immunomodulation and neural regeneration. However, the role and mechanism of bone marrow MSC- (BMSC-) derived CX3CL1 in AD remains elusive. In this study, Aß 1-42-intervened SH-SY5Y cells were used for AD cell model construction. pcDNA-ligated CX3CL1 overexpression plasmids were transfected into BMSCs. The levels of soluble and membrane-bound CX3CL1 were detected by ELISA and Western blotting (WB), respectively. The growth, apoptosis, and pathology of AD model cells were evaluated by CCK-8, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, morphology observation, biochemical examination, and WB. It was found that Aß 1-42 significantly reduced CX3CL1 expression either in soluble or membrane-bound form, cell viability, relative protein expression of synaptic markers, SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px contents, as well as Trx protein expression; in addition, it enhanced the apoptosis rate, the relative expression of cleaved caspase-3, Aß, tau, p-Tau, Iba1, MDA, TXNIP, and NLRP3 in SH-SY5Y cells; however, the above effects were prominently reversed by the coculture of BMSCs. Moreover, overexpression of CX3CL1 in BMSCs observably strengthened the corresponding tendency caused by BMSCs. In conclusion, through the TXNIP/NLRP3 pathway, CX3CL1 derived from BMSCs inhibited pathological damage in Aß 1-42-induced SH-SY5Y.

Hemangiopericytoma/solitary fibrous tumor of the cranial base: a case series and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Hemangiopericytomas (HPCs) are uncommon soft tissue tumors. HPCs that grow in the cranial base are rare. Therefore, skull-base surgeons tend to overlook this disease. This study aimed to increase the awareness of HPCs by summarizing case data from our institution and related publications. We also aimed to contribute to the number of reported cases for future systematic reviews of HPCs. METHODS: This study included all patients who underwent surgery for HPC/solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) between August 2015 and August 2019. All surgeries were performed at Xiangya Hospital Central South University. We analyzed clinical characteristics, surgical highlights, treatment modalities, and outcomes. RESULTS: We included six patients, aged 32-64 years. Lesions were located in the parapharyngeal space in three patients, pterygopalatine fossa in two, and saddle area in one. All patients underwent nasal endoscopic endonasal surgery. In five patients, tumors involved the internal carotid artery (ICA). The exposure and protection of the ICA during surgery are challenging but critical to complete tumor removal. The 3-year overall survival(OS) rate was 66.7%. CONCLUSIONS: HPC/SFTs are rare tumors of the cranial base that are prone to recurrence. Cranial base HPC/SFTs are often closely associated with the ICA. To our knowledge, this case series reports the largest number of cases of HPCs associated with the ICA. We believe that there is a strong relationship between patient prognosis and whether the tumor encircles the ICA and whether the tumor is completely resected. To confirm this suggestion, more cases are needed for further analysis.