[Mechanism of Tibetan medicine Ershiwuwei Songshi Pills against liver injury induced by acetaminophen in mice based on Keap1/Nrf2 and TLR4/NF-κB p65 signaling pathways].

The present study investigated the mechanism of the Tibetan medicine Ershiwuwei Songshi Pills(ESP) against the liver injury induced by acetaminophen(APAP) in mice based on the kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1(Keap1)/nuclear transcription factor E2 related factor 2(Nrf2) and Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB) p65 signaling pathways. Kunming mice were randomly divided into a blank control group, a model group, an N-acetyl-L-cysteine(NAC) group, and high-(400 mg·kg~(-1)), medium-(200 mg·kg~(-1)), and low-dose(100 mg·kg~(-1)) ESP groups. After 14 days of continuous administration, except for those in the control group, the mice were intraperitoneally injected with 200 mg·kg~(-1) APAP. After 12 h, the serum and liver tissues of mice were collected. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was performed on pathological sections of the liver, and the levels of aspartate aminotransferase(AST) and alanine aminotransferase(ALT) in the serum and the levels of glutathione(GSH), malondialdehyde(MDA), superoxide dismutase(SOD), catalase(CAT), myeloperoxidase(MPO), and total antioxidant capacity(T-AOC) in liver tissue homogenate were detected to observe and analyze the protective effect of ESP on APAP-induced liver injury in mice. The serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta(IL-1ß), and interleukin-6(IL-6) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). The protein expression of Nrf2, Keap1, TLR4, and NF-κB p65 in the liver was determined by Western blot. Quantitative real-time was used to determine the mRNA expression of glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit(GCLC), glutamate-cysteine ligase regulatory subunit(GCLM), heme oxygenase-1(HO-1), and NAD(P)H dehydrogenase quinone 1(NQO-1) in the liver to explore the mechanism of ESP in improving APAP-induced liver damage in mice. As revealed by results, compared with the model group, the ESP groups showed improved liver pathological damage, decreased ALT and AST levels in the serum and MDA and MPO content in the liver, increased GSH, SOD, CAT, and T-AOC in the liver, reduced TNF-α and IL-6 levels in the serum, down-regulated expression of Keap1 in the liver cytoplasm and NF-κB p65 in the liver nucleus, up-regulated expression of Nrf2 in the liver nucleus, insignificant change in TLR4 expression, and elevated relative mRNA expression levels of antioxidant genes GCLC, GCLM, HO-1, and NQO-1. ESP can reduce the oxidative damage and inflammation caused by APAP, and the mechanism may be related to the Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway and the signal transduction factors on the TLR4/NF-κB p65 pathway.

[Ershiwuwei Shanhu Pills regulate Akt/mTOR/GSK-3ß signaling pathway to alleviate Alzheimer's disease mice].

The present study investigated the mechanism of the Tibetan patent medicine Ershiwuwei Shanhu Pills(ESP) in alleviating Alzheimer's disease in mice via Akt/mTOR/GSK-3ß signaling pathway. BALB/c mice were randomly assigned into a blank control group, a model group, low(200 mg·kg~(-1)), medium(400 mg·kg~(-1)) and high(800 mg·kg~(-1)) dose groups of ESP, and donepezil hydrochloride group. Except the blank control group, the other groups were given 20 mg·kg~(-1) aluminum chloride by gavage and 120 mg·kg~(-1) D-galactose by intraperitoneal injection for 56 days to establish Alzheimer's disease model. Morris water maze was used to detect the learning and memory ability of mice. The level of p-tau protein in mouse hippocampus and the levels of superoxide dismutase(SOD), malondialdehyde(MDA), catalase(CAT), and total antioxidant capacity(T-AOC) in hippocampus and serum were detected. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and Nissl staining were performed for the pathological observation of whole brain in mice. TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling(TUNEL) staining was employed for the observation of apoptosis in mouse cortex. Western blot was adopted to detect the protein levels of p-mTOR, p-Akt, and GSK-3ß in the hippocampus. Compared with the model group, the ESP groups showcased alleviated pathological damage of the whole brain, decreased TUNEL positive cells, reduced level of p-tau protein in hippocampus, and risen SOD, CAT, and T-AOC levels and declined MDA level in hippocampus and serum. Furthermore, the ESP groups had up-regulated protein levels of p-mTOR and p-Akt while down-regulated protein level of GSK-3ß in hippocampus. Therefore, ESP can alleviate the learning and memory decline and oxidative damage in mice with Alzheimer's disease induced by D-galactose combined with aluminum chloride, which may be related to Akt/mTOR/GSK-3ß signaling pathway.

Diabetic Bone Marrow Cell Injection Accelerated Acute Pancreatitis Progression.

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is one of the leading causes of hospital admission, 20% of which could progress to the severe type with extensive acinar cell necrosis. Clinical studies have reported that diabetes is an independent risk factor of the incidence of AP and is associated with higher severity than nondiabetic subjects. However, how diabetes participates in AP progression is not well defined. To investigate this question, wild-type (wt) and diabetic db/db mice at the age of 16 weeks were used in the study. AP was induced in wt recipients by 10 injections of 50 µg/kg caerulein with a 1 h interval. One hour after the last caerulein injection, bone marrow cells (BMC) isolated from wt and db/db mice were injected intraperitoneally into the recipients (1 × 107cells/recipient). The recipients with no BMC injection served as controls. Thirteen hours after BMC injection, serum lipase activity was 1.8- and 1.3-folds higher in mice that received db/db BMC, compared with those with no injection and wt BMC injection, respectively (p ≤ 0.02 for both). By H&E staining, the overall severity score was 14.7 for no cell injection and 16.6 for wt BMC injection and increased to 22.6 for db/db BMC injection (p ≤ 0.002 for both). In particular, mice with db/db BMC injection developed more acinar cell necrosis and vacuolization than the other groups (p ≤ 0.03 for both). When sections were stained with an antibody against myeloperoxidase (MPO), the density of MPO+ cells in pancreatitis was 1.9- and 1.6-folds higher than wt BMC and no BMC injection groups, separately (p ≤ 0.02 for both). Quantified by ELISA, db/db BMC produced more IL-6, GM-CSF, and IL-10 compared with wt BMC (p ≤ 0.04 for all). In conclusion, BMC of db/db mice produced more inflammatory cytokines. In response to acinar cell injury, diabetic BMC aggravated the inflammation cascade and acinar cell injury, leading to the progression of acute pancreatitis.

Roles of Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells in Ischemic Cardiovascular Disease.

Macrophage proliferation and skewed myelopoiesis-induced monocytosis, as well as neutrophils, enhance the generation of atherogenic inflammatory cells in a lesion area, leading to plaque formation and Cardiovascular Disease (CVD). Among all risk factors, accumulated data have shown that hyperlipidemia activates Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells (HSPCs) in the Bone Marrow (BM) niche. Recently, proliferation of Granulocyte-Monocyte Progenitors (GMPs) has been demonstrated to drive skewed myelopoiesis, while HSPCs remain quiescent. In this review, we discuss how HSPCs and GMPs participate in atherosclerosis of mice in terms of proliferation and cell mobilization from BM to peripheral blood and the lesion area. We also describe how the spleen, an extramedullary organ, is involved in skewed myelopoiesis and inflammation in atherosclerosis. We further summarize the clinical evidence of the relationship of HSPCs with coronary stenoses in patients with CVD. Ultimately, this review facilitates understanding the pathological roles of HSPCs and GMPs in atherosclerosis for future treatments.

A preliminary cervical cancer screening cascade for eight provinces rural Chinese women: a descriptive analysis of cervical cancer screening cases in a 3-stage framework.

BACKGROUND: Cascade analysis is an effective method to analyze the processing data of an event, such as a provided service or a series of examinations. This study aimed to develop a primary cervical cancer screening cascade in China to promote the quality of the screening process. METHODS: We designed a cervical cancer screening cascade in China according to the program flow chart. It had three stages, each with two steps and one result. Data from 117,522 women aged 35 to 64 years in the Rural Cervical Cancer Surveillance Project from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2014, were collected to analyze the main results of the cascade. The data and proportion are used to describe the follow-up of cervical cancer and pre-cancer detection rate. RESULTS: In 2014, 117,522 (80.94% of all cases reported by the Rural Cervical Cancer Surveillance Project) women aged 35 to 64 years had not received cervical cytology in the previous 3 years. The pre-cancer and cancer detection rates were 256.12/100,000 and 16.16/100,000, respectively. A total of 3031 cases failed to follow-up through the screening process, and 1189, 1555, and 287 cases were lost at cervical cytology, colposcopy, and histopathological screening stages, respectively. The estimated cases of pre-cancer and cancer cases would have been 544 and 34, respectively, and the estimated detection rates of pre-cancer and cancer would have been 462.89/100,000 and 28.93/100,000, respectively. CONCLUSION: In order to increase the detection rate of cervical cancer, cervical cancer screening staff should focus on increasing the rate of follow-up of those who are positive for cervical cancer screening (ie, those with positive cytology results), especially for the 40 to 44 years age range.

Effects of Tai Chi Exercise on Cancer-Related Fatigue in Patients With Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Undergoing Chemoradiotherapy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

CONTEXT: Tai Chi exercise has been shown to improve cancer-related fatigue (CRF) and autonomic nervous system (ANS) balance in some cancer patients or survivors; however, such effects are yet to be verified in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients undergoing chemoradiotherapy. OBJECTIVES: To explore the effects of Tai Chi exercise on CRF in NPC patients undergoing chemoradiotherapy and then to evaluate ANS information indicated by heart rate variability parameters and their association with CRF. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial of Tai Chi exercise was conducted from January 2014 to August 2015. Participants in the Tai Chi group practiced Tai Chi a one-hour session, five sessions/week during chemoradiotherapy. Participants in the control group received usual care. The primary end points were scores of the multidimensional fatigue symptom inventory-short form (MFSI-SF). Secondary end points were heart rate variability parameters, including normalized low-frequency (nLF) power, normalized high-frequency (nHF) power, and the nLF/nHF ratio, and their association with CRF. RESULTS: One hundred fourteen patients were recruited in this study, and 83 patients completed the trial. The Tai Chi group and the control group had comparable baseline characteristics. After chemoradiotherapy, the Tai Chi group exhibited lower MFSI-SF total score and three negative subscale (general, physical, and emotional fatigue) scores and higher vigor score compared with the control group (P < 0.01 for all). The nLF/nHF ratio was significantly lower in the Tai Chi group compared to the control group after chemoradiotherapy. The MFSI-SF total score was markedly correlated with the nLF/nHF ratio. CONCLUSION: Tai Chi exercise is conducive to alleviate CRF in NPC patients undergoing chemoradiotherapy. The improvement in ANS balance might fit into the process of Tai Chi for CRF management in this population.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel α-hederagenin derivatives with anticancer activity.

In an attempt to arrive at a more potent cytotoxic agent than the parent compound α-hederagenin (H), 24 α-hederagenin derivatives (5-8, 11-24, 27-28, 31-32, and 35-36) were synthesized in a concise and efficient strategy and screened for in vitro cytotoxicity against the human cancer cell lines MKN45 and KB. Among these compounds, the polyamine derivative 15 exhibited more potency than the parent compound with IC50 values in the range of 4.22 µM-8.05 µM. Compound 15 increased Bax/bcl-2 ratio that disrupted the mitochondrial potential and induced apoptosis. Therefore, the present studies highlight the importance of polyamine derivatives of α-hederagenin in the discovery and development of novel anticancer agents.

In Silico Prediction of Chemical Toxicity Profile Using Local Lazy Learning.

BACKGROUND: Chemical toxicity is an important reason for late-stage failure in drug R&D. However, it is time-consuming and expensive to identify the multiple toxicities of compounds using the traditional experiments. Thus, it is attractive to build an accurate prediction model for the toxicity profile of compounds. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, we carried out a research on six types of toxicities: (I) Acute Toxicity; (II) Mutagenicity; (III) Tumorigenicity; (IV) Skin and Eye Irritation; (V) Reproductive Effects; (VI) Multiple Dose Effects, using local lazy learning (LLL) method for multi-label learning. 17,120 compounds were split into the training set and the test set as a ratio of 4:1 by using the Kennard-Stone algorithm. Four types of properties, including molecular fingerprints (ECFP_4 and FCFP_4), descriptors, and chemical-chemical-interactions, were adopted for model building. RESULTS: The model 'ECFP_4+LLL' yielded the best performance for the test set, while balanced accuracy (BACC) reached 0.692, 0.691, 0.666, 0.680, 0.631, 0.599 for six types of toxicities, respectively. Furthermore, some essential toxicophores for six types of toxicities were identified by using the Laplacian-modified Bayesian model. CONCLUSION: The accurate prediction model and the chemical toxicophores can provide some guidance for designing drugs with low toxicity.

Identification and biochemical characterization of DC07090 as a novel potent small molecule inhibitor against human enterovirus 71 3C protease by structure-based virtual screening.

Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a serious, highly contagious disease. HFMD caused by Enterovirus 71 (EV71), results in severe complications and even death. The pivotal role of EV71 3Cpro in the viral life cycle makes it an attractive target for drug discovery and development to treat HFMD. In this study, we identified novel EV71 3Cpro inhibitors by docking-based virtual screening. Totally 50 compounds were selected to test their inhibitory activity against EV71 3Cpro. The best inhibitor DC07090 exhibited the inhibition potency with an IC50 value of 21.72 ± 0.95 µM without apparent toxicity (CC50 > 200 µM). To explore structure-activity relationship of DC07090, 15 new derivatives were designed, synthesized and evaluated in vitro enzyme assay accordingly. Interestingly, four compounds showed inhibitory activities against EV71 3Cpro and only DC07090 inhibited EV71 replication with an EC50 value of 22.09 ± 1.07 µM. Enzyme inhibition kinetic experiments showed that the compound was a reversible and competitive inhibitor. The Ki value was determined to be 23.29 ± 12.08 µM. Further molecular docking, MD simulation and mutagenesis studies confirmed the binding mode of DC07090 and EV71 3Cpro. Besides, DC07090 could also inhibit coxsackievirus A16 (CVA16) replication with an EC50 value of 27.76 ± 0.88 µM. Therefore, DC07090 represents a new non-peptidyl small molecule inhibitor for further development of antiviral therapy against EV71 or other picornaviruses.

Novel Bayesian classification models for predicting compounds blocking hERG potassium channels.

AIM: A large number of drug-induced long QT syndromes are ascribed to blockage of hERG potassium channels. The aim of this study was to construct novel computational models to predict compounds blocking hERG channels. METHODS: Doddareddy's hERG blockage data containing 2644 compounds were used, which divided into training (2389) and test (255) sets. Laplacian-corrected Bayesian classification models were constructed using Discovery Studio. The models were internally validated with the training set of compounds, and then applied to the test set for validation. Doddareddy's experimentally validated dataset with 60 compounds was used for external test set validation. RESULTS: A Bayesian classification model considering the effects of four molecular properties (Mw, PPSA, ALogP and pKa_basic) as well as extended-connectivity fingerprints (ECFP_14) exhibited a global accuracy (91%), parameter sensitivity (90%) and specificity (92%) in the test set validation, and a global accuracy (58%), parameter sensitivity (61%) and specificity (57%) in the external test set validation. CONCLUSION: The novel model is better than those in the literatures for predicting compounds blocking hERG channels, and can be used for large-scale prediction.

A novel sulfonamide agent, MPSP-001, exhibits potent activity against human cancer cells in vitro through disruption of microtubule.

AIM: To evaluate the anti-cancer effects of a new sulfonamide derivative, 2-(N-(3-chlorophenyl)-4-methoxyphenylsulfonamido)-N-hydroxypropanamide (MPSP-001). METHODS: Human cancer cell lines (HepG2, THP-1, K562, HGC-27, SKOV3, PANC-1, SW480, Kba, HeLa, A549, MDA-MB-453, and MCF-7) were examined. The cytotoxicity of MPSP-001 was evaluated using the WST-8 assay. Cell cycle distribution was examined with flow cytometry. Mitotic spindle formation was detected using immunofluorescence microscopy. Apoptosis-related proteins were examined with Western blot using specific phosphorylated protein antibodies. Competitive tubulin-binding assay was performed to test whether the compound competitively bound to the colchicine site. Molecular docking was performed to explore the possible binding conformation. RESULTS: MPSP-001 potently inhibited the growth of the 12 different types of human cancer cells with the IC(50) values ranging from 1.9 to 15.7 µmol/L. The compound exerted potent inhibition on the drug-resistant Kb/VCR and MCF-7/ADR cells, as on Kba and MCF-7 cells. In HeLa, HGC-27, A549, and other cells, the compound (5 µmol/L) caused cell cycle arrest at the G(2)/M phase, and subsequently induced cell apoptosis. In Hela cells, it prevented the mitotic spindle formation. Furthermore, the compound dose-dependently inhibited polymerization of tubulin in vitro, and directly bound to the colchicine-site of ß-tubulin. Molecular docking predicted that the compound may form two hydrogen bonds to the binding pocket. The compound showed synergistic effects with colchicine and taxol in blocking mitosis of HeLa cells. CONCLUSION: MPSP-001 shows a broad-spectrum of anti-tumor efficacy in vitro and represents a novel structure with anti-microtubule activity.

Characteristics of patients with fluid extravasation during retrograde ureteroscopic holmium laser lithotripsy for renal calculi.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the risk factors of fluid extravasation during retrograde ureteroscopic holmium laser lithotripsy for renal calculi. METHODS: Three hundred and twenty-seven patients with renal calculi ranging 10 to 20 mm received retrograde ureteroscopic holmium laser lithotripsy at Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China from January 2004 to December 2010. The clinical records were reviewed, and the correlation was studied between various clinical factors and fluid extravasation complications during operation. The clinical factors to be tested included patients' gender and age (<30, 30-50, and >50 years), hydronephrosis degree, previous intervention for renal calculi (none, shock-wave lithotripsy, and open surgery), upper urinary tract infection, ureteral access sheath placement, and procedure duration (<60, 60-120, and >120 mins). The data were processed by SPSS Version 16.0 statistical software, x2 test, and binary logistic regression were used for analysis. RESULTS: Fluid extravasation complications appeared in 35 patients. Patients` gender, age, and hydronephrosis degree were irrelevant to the occurrence of fluid extravasation, while having previous open surgery for renal calculi, without ureteral access sheath placement, upper urinary tract infection, and long procedure duration were all responsible for higher incidence of the complications. CONCLUSION: Reasonable selection of patients, effective control of upper urinary tract infection, routine ureteral access sheath placement, and controlling procedure duration help to decrease the incidence of fluid extravasation complications in retrograde ureteroscopic holmium laser lithotripsy for renal calculi.

Pharmacophore-based virtual screening versus docking-based virtual screening: a benchmark comparison against eight targets.

AIM: This study was conducted to compare the efficiencies of two virtual screening approaches, pharmacophore-based virtual screening (PBVS) and docking-based virtual screening (DBVS) methods. METHODS: All virtual screens were performed on two data sets of small molecules with both actives and decoys against eight structurally diverse protein targets, namely angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), androgen receptor (AR), D-alanyl-D-alanine carboxypeptidase (DacA), dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), estrogen receptors alpha (ERalpha), HIV-1 protease (HIV-pr), and thymidine kinase (TK). Each pharmacophore model was constructed based on several X-ray structures of protein-ligand complexes. Virtual screens were performed using four screening standards, the program Catalyst for PBVS and three docking programs (DOCK, GOLD and Glide) for DBVS. RESULTS: Of the sixteen sets of virtual screens (one target versus two testing databases), the enrichment factors of fourteen cases using the PBVS method were higher than those using DBVS methods. The average hit rates over the eight targets at 2% and 5% of the highest ranks of the entire databases for PBVS are much higher than those for DBVS. CONCLUSION: The PBVS method outperformed DBVS methods in retrieving actives from the databases in our tested targets, and is a powerful method in drug discovery.

Discovering novel 3-nitroquinolines as a new class of anticancer agents.

AIM: To design and synthesize a novel class of antitumor agents, featuring the 3-nitroquinoline framework. METHODS: Based on the enzyme-binding features of Ekb1, introducing a nitro group at the 3-position of the quinoline core, a series of novel 3-nitroquinolines was designed and synthesized. The inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activity by these compounds was evaluated and analyzed by the sulforhodamine B assay for their inhibitory activities toward human epidermoid carcinoma (A431) cells and breast cancer (MDA-MB-468) cells, which are known to overexpress the EGFR kinase. RESULTS: A series of novel 3-nitroquinoline derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their antiproliferative effect against the EGFR-overexpressing tumor cell lines. Several compounds for concentration-response studies showed prominent inhibitory activities with IC50 values in the micromolar or nanomolar range. The structure-activity relationship was discussed in terms of the inhibitory activity against the proliferation of 2 human carcinoma cell lines. CONCLUSION: This study was the first to identify new structural types of antiproliferative agents against the EGFR-overexpressing tumor cell lines by the incorporation of the nitro group at the 3-position of the quinoline core structure, providing promising new templates for the further development of anticancer agents.

Establishment of the active catalytic domain of human PDGFRbeta tyrosine kinase-based ELISA assay for inhibitor screening.

Tyrosine kinases are emerging as frequent targets of primary oncogenic events and therefore represent an optimal focus of therapeutic intervention. In an effort towards therapeutic PDGFR inactivation, we expressed the catalytic domain of PDGFRbeta as a soluble active kinase using Bac-to-Bac expression system, and studied the correlations between PDGFRbeta activity and enzyme concentration, ATP concentration, substrate concentration and divalent cation type. And a convenient, effective and non-radioactive ELISA screening model is then established for identification of the potential inhibitors targeting PDGFRbeta kinase. Of 500 RTK target-based compounds, TKI-30 was identified as a small molecule potential inhibitor of PDGFRbeta (IC(50)=0.34 microM). Further studies indicated that TKI-30 blocked PDGF-BB-induced autophosphorylation of PDGFRbeta in a dose-dependent manner in Swiss 3T3 cells and human umbilical vein smooth muscle cells (HUVSMCs). Moreover, it dose-dependently suppressed the PDGF-BB-induced proliferation in HUVSMCs and tube formation of HUVEC. Our data collectively indicated that PDGFRbeta-based ELISA assay is a new method available for screening inhibitors targeting PDGFRbeta kinase and TKI-30 is a potential novel anti-cancer agent worthy of being further investigated.

Gene expression profiling of nasopharyngeal carcinoma reveals the abnormally regulated Wnt signaling pathway.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a particularly common malignant disease in areas of south China and Southeast Asia. To characterize the gene expression profiling of NPC, we detected the gene expression profiles in 22 NPC and 10 nontumor nasopharyngeal epithelial tissues by complementary DNA microarray. We identified 503 genes that were significantly (P < .001) differentially regulated between NPC and nontumor nasopharyngeal epithelial tissues. The differentially expressed genes are involved in many signaling pathways, such as the Wnt, transforming growth factor-beta, and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways. The aberrant expression of the Wnt signaling pathway components, such as wingless-type MMTV integration site family, member 5A, Frizzled homolog 7, casein kinase IIbeta, beta-catenin, CREB-binding protein, and Dishevelled-associated activator of morphogenesis 2 was validated on the NPC tissue microarrays. The data suggest that the Wnt signaling pathway may be abnormally regulated in NPC, which provides insight into the molecular mechanisms of NPC.

Design, synthesis, antitumor evaluations and molecular modeling studies of novel 3,5-substituted indolin-2-one derivatives.

AIM: To design and synthesize a novel class of antitumor agents, featuring the 3, 5-substituted indolin-2-one framework. METHODS: Based on enzyme binding features of (Z)-SU5402, introducing a beta-pyrrole group at the 3-position of the indolin- 2-one core, a series of novel 3,5-substituted indolin-2-ones were designed and synthesized. Four human carcinoma cell lines of A-431, A-549, MDA-MB-468, and Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney disease were chosen for the cell proliferation assay. RESULTS: Twenty new compounds (1a-t) with E configuration have been designed, synthesized and bioassayed. Their structural features were determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra, low- and high-resolution mass spectra, and confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Although the enzyme assay showed a weak inhibition effect against the epidermal growth factor receptor, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, fibroblast growth factor receptor and platelet-derived growth factor receptor tyrosine kinases, the cell-based antitumor activity was promising. Compounds 1 g and 1 h showed higher inhibitory activity toward the A-549 and MDA-MB-468 cell lines with IC(50 ) of 0.065-9.4 micromol/L. CONCLUSION: This study provides a new template for further development of potent antitumor drugs.

Design, synthesis and antitumor evaluation of a new series of N-substituted-thiourea derivatives.

AIM: To design and synthesize a novel class of protein tyrosine kinase inhibitors, featuring the N-(2-oxo-1,2-dihydroquinolin-3-yl-methyl)-thiourea framework. METHODS: First, compounds 1 and 2 were identified using the virtual screening approach in conjunction with binding assay based on surface plasmon resonance. Subsequently, 3 regions of compounds 1 and 2 were selected for chemical modification. All compounds were characterized potent inhibitory activities toward the human lung adenocarcinoma cell line SPAC1. RESULTS: Forty new compounds (1-2, 3a-g, 4a-w, and 5a-l) were designed, synthesized and bioassayed. Six compounds (1, 3e, 4l, 4w, 5a, and 5b) were found to show promising inhibitory activity against the SPAC1 tumor cell line. The inhibitory activity of compound 5a increases approximately 10 times more than that of the original compound 1. CONCLUSION: This study provides a promising new template with potential antitumor activity.

The role of NGX6 and its deletion mutants in the proliferation, adhesion and migration of nasopharyngeal carcinoma 5-8F cells.

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the subcellular localization of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC)-associated gene 6 (NGX6) and its basic structure and function. METHODS: The deletion mutants of NGX6 were constructed by one-step PCR and transfected into NPC cell line 5-8F. The subcellular location of NGX6 or its mutants was detected by immunofluorescence staining of cytoplasm (CYTO) and nuclear protein, and immunoelectron-microscopic analysis. The role of NGX6 and its mutants in the proliferation, adhesion and migration of NPC 5-8F cells was detected using the following assays: growth curve, colony formation in soft agar, cell adhesion, in vitro Matrigel invasion, and in vitro scratch wound healing. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: NGX6 and its mutants were distributed on the plasma membrane, nuclear membrane, endoplasmic reticulum membrane, and other membrane structures in the cytosol. The deleted domains did not affect its distribution in 5-8F cells. NGX6 could increase the adhesion but inhibited the proliferation, growth and migration of 5-8F cells. The epidermal growth factor-like domain and CYTO region were found to be important for NGX6 to modulate cell adhesion, and CYTO was found to be essential for NGX6 involved in the regulation of growth, proliferation, and migration of 5-8F cells.

In vitro pharmacological characterization of TKI-28, a broad-spectrum tyrosine kinase inhibitor with anti-tumor and anti-angiogenic effects.

Tyrosine kinases are used as important biomarkers in many tumor types. Preclinical and clinical anti-tumor studies have shown that broadly acting tyrosine kinase inhibitors may be more useful than specific inhibitors, since the former might overcome redundancies and crosstalk in tumor cell growth signaling pathways. Here, we aim to identify a novel potent tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Computer modeling of the pyrido-pyrimidine class compound, TKI-28(6-(2,6-dichlorophenyl)-8-methyl-2-phenylamino-8H-pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine-7-one), predicted that the compound would dock well in the ATP pocket of the ErbB-2 tyrosine kinase, yielding a high binding affinity for ErbB receptors. Biochemical studies revealed that TKI-28 potently inhibited the activities of tyrosine kinases such as ErbB-2, EGFR, KDR, PDGFRbeta, c-kit and c-Src, but had little effect on Flt-1 in cell-free system. TKI-28 also efficiently blocked autophosphorylation of the listed receptor tyrosine kinases, and subsequently downregulated phosphorylation of many downstream signaling proteins at the cellular level. TKI-28 exhibited a more potent anti-proliferative activity against EGF- and neuregulin-stimulated SK-OV-3 cells versus serum-stimulated cells, accompanied by apparent induction of apoptosis. Finally, TKI-28 was found to possess anti-angiogenic effects, characterized by inhibition of cell proliferation driven by EGF, VEGF and PDGF, as well as decreased cell migration and tube formation in HMECs. These results collectively highlight the pharmacological characteristics of TKI-28 as a broad-spectrum tyrosine kinase inhibitor, suggesting that it has great potential as an anti-cancer and anti-angiogenesis agent.