Hippo cooperates with p53 to maintain foregut homeostasis and suppress the malignant transformation of foregut basal progenitor cells.

Basal progenitor cells serve as a stem cell pool to maintain the homeostasis of the epithelium of the foregut, including the esophagus and the forestomach. Aberrant genetic regulation in these cells can lead to carcinogenesis, such as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). However, the underlying molecular mechanisms regulating the function of basal progenitor cells remain largely unknown. Here, we use mouse models to reveal that Hippo signaling is required for maintaining the homeostasis of the foregut epithelium and cooperates with p53 to repress the initiation of foregut SCC. Deletion of Mst1/2 in mice leads to epithelial overgrowth in both the esophagus and forestomach. Further molecular studies find that Mst1/2-deficiency promotes epithelial growth by enhancing basal cell proliferation in a Yes-associated protein (Yap)-dependent manner. Moreover, Mst1/2 deficiency accelerates the onset of foregut SCC in a carcinogen-induced foregut SCC mouse model, depending on Yap. Significantly, a combined deletion of Mst1/2 and p53 in basal progenitor cells sufficiently drives the initiation of foregut SCC. Therefore, our studies shed light on the collaborative role of Hippo signaling and p53 in maintaining squamous epithelial homeostasis while suppressing malignant transformation of basal stem cells within the foregut.

Dual and triple gene combinations of KRT5, KRT17, and S100A2 identify basal-like subtype of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and correlate with survival outcome.

There is a significant difference in prognosis and response to chemotherapy between basal and classical subtypes of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Further biomarkers are required to identify subtypes of PDAC. We selected candidate biomarkers via review articles. Correlations between these candidate markers and the PDAC molecular subtype gene sets were analyzed using bioinformatics, confirming the biomarkers for identifying classical and basal subtypes. Subsequently, 298 PDAC patients were included, and their tumor tissues were immunohistochemically stratified using these biomarkers. Survival data underwent analysis, including Cox proportional hazards modeling. Our results indicate that the pairwise and triple combinations of KRT5/KRT17/S100A2 exhibit a higher correlation coefficient with the basal-like subtype gene set, whereas the corresponding combinations of GATA6/HNF4A/TFF1 show a higher correlation with the classical subtype gene set. Whether analyzing unmatched or propensity-matched data, the overall survival time was significantly shorter for the basal subtype compared with the classical subtype (p < .001), with basal subtype patients also facing a higher risk of mortality (HR = 4.017, 95% CI 2.675-6.032, p < .001). In conclusion, the combined expression of KRT5, KRT17, and S100A2, in both pairwise and triple combinations, independently predicts shorter overall survival in PDAC patients and likely identifies the basal subtype. Similarly, the combined expression of GATA6, HNF4A, and TFF1, in the same manner, may indicate the classical subtype. In our study, the combined application of established biomarkers offers valuable insights for the prognostic evaluation of PDAC patients.

High-multiplex single-cell imaging analysis reveals tumor immune contexture associated with clinical outcomes after CAR T cell therapy.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has made great progress in treating lymphoma, yet patient outcomes still vary greatly. The lymphoma microenvironment may be an important factor in the efficacy of CAR T therapy. In this study, we designed a highly multiplexed imaging mass cytometry (IMC) panel to simultaneously quantify 31 biomarkers from 13 patients with relapsed/refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who received CAR19/22 T cell therapy. A total of 20 sections were sampled before CAR T cell infusion or after infusion when relapse occurred. A total of 35 cell clusters were identified, annotated, and subsequently redefined into 10 metaclusters. The CD4+ T cell fraction was positively associated with remission duration. Significantly higher Ki67, CD57, and TIM3 levels and lower CD69 levels in T cells, especially the CD8+/CD4+ Tem and Te cell subsets, were seen in patients with poor outcomes. Cellular neighborhood containing more immune cells was associated with longer remission. Fibroblasts and vascular endothelial cells resided much closer to tumor cells in patients with poor response and short remission after CAR T therapy. Our work comprehensively and systematically dissects the relationship between cell composition, state, and spatial arrangement in the DLBCL microenvironment and the outcomes of CAR T cell therapy, which is beneficial to predict CAR T therapy efficacy.

Potential causal links of long-term exposure to PM2.5 and its chemical components with the risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma recurrence: A 10-year cohort study in South China.

There is a lack of evidence from cohort studies on the causal association of long-term exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and its chemical components with the risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) recurrence. Based on a 10-year prospective cohort of 1184 newly diagnosed NPC patients, we comprehensively evaluated the potential causal links of ambient PM2.5 and its chemical components including black carbon (BC), organic matter (OM), sulfate (SO4 2-), nitrate (NO3 -), and ammonium (NH4 +) with the recurrence risk of NPC using a marginal structural Cox model adjusted with inverse probability weighting. We observed 291 NPC patients experiencing recurrence during the 10-year follow-up and estimated a 33% increased risk of NPC recurrence (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.33, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-1.74) following each interquartile range (IQR) increase in PM2.5 exposure. Each IQR increment in BC, NH4 +, OM, NO3 -, and SO4 2- was associated with HRs of 1.36 (95%CI: 1.13-1.65), 1.35 (95%CI: 1.07-1.70), 1.33 (95%CI: 1.11-1.59), 1.32 (95%CI: 1.06-1.64), 1.31 (95%CI: 1.08-1.57). The elderly, patients with no family history of cancer, no smoking history, no drinking history, and those with severe conditions may exhibit a greater likelihood of NPC recurrence following exposure to PM2.5 and its chemical components. Additionally, the effect estimates of the five components are greater among patients who were exposed to high concentration than in the full cohort of patients. Our study provides solid evidence for a potential relationship between long-term exposure to PM2.5 and its components and the risk of NPC recurrence.

Designed Directional Growth of Ti-Metal-Organic Frameworks for Decoding Alzheimer's Disease-Specific Exosome Metabolites.

Exosomes, a growing focus for liquid biopsies, contain diverse molecular cargos. In particular, exosome metabolites with valuable information have exhibited great potential for improving the efficiency of liquid biopsies for addressing complex medical conditions. In this work, we design the directional growth of Ti-metal-organic frameworks on polar-functionalized magnetic particles. This design facilitates the rapid synergistic capture of exosomes with the assistance of an external magnetic field and additionally synergistically enhances the ionization of their metabolites during mass spectrometry detection. Benefiting from this dual synergistic effect, we identified three high-performance exosome metabolites through the differential comparison of a large number of serum samples from individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and normal cognition. Notably, the accuracy of AD identification ranges from 93.18 to 100% using a single exosome metabolite and reaches a flawless 100% with three metabolites. These findings emphasize the transformative potential of this work to enhance the precision and reliability of AD diagnosis, ushering in a new era of improved diagnostic accuracy.

Straightforward Creation of Multishell Hollow Hybrids for an Integrated Metabolic Monitoring System in Disease Management.

Multidimensional metabolic analysis has become a new trend in establishing efficient disease monitoring systems, as the constraints associated with relying solely on a single dimension in refined monitoring are increasingly pronounced. Here, coordination polymers are employed as derivative precursors to create multishell hollow hybrids, developing an integrated metabolic monitoring system. Briefly, metabolic fingerprints are extracted from hundreds of serum samples and urine samples, encompassing not only membranous nephropathy but also related diseases, using high-throughput mass spectrometry. With optimized algorithm and initial feature selection, the established combined panel demonstrates enhanced accuracy in both subtype differentiation (over 98.1%) and prognostic monitoring (over 95.6%), even during double blind test. This surpasses the serum biomarker panel (≈90.7% for subtyping, ≈89.7% for prognosis) and urine biomarker panel (≈94.4% for subtyping, ≈76.5% for prognosis). Moreover, after attempting to further refine the marker panel, the blind test maintains equal sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy, showcasing a comprehensive improvement over the single-fluid approach. This underscores the remarkable effectiveness and superiority of the integrated strategy in discriminating between MN and other groups. This work has the potential to significantly advance diagnostic medicine, leading to the establishment of more effective strategies for patient management.

Shear wave elastography to assess stiffness of the human ovary and other reproductive tissues across the reproductive lifespan in health and disease†.

The ovary is one of the first organs to show overt signs of aging in the human body, and ovarian aging is associated with a loss of gamete quality and quantity. The age-dependent decline in ovarian function contributes to infertility and an altered endocrine milieu, which has ramifications for overall health. The aging ovarian microenvironment becomes fibro-inflammatory and stiff with age, and this has implications for ovarian physiology and pathology, including follicle growth, gamete quality, ovulation dynamics, and ovarian cancer. Thus, developing a non-invasive tool to measure and monitor the stiffness of the human ovary would represent a major advance for female reproductive health and longevity. Shear wave elastography is a quantitative ultrasound imaging method for evaluation of soft tissue stiffness. Shear wave elastography has been used clinically in assessment of liver fibrosis and characterization of tendinopathies and various neoplasms in thyroid, breast, prostate, and lymph nodes as a non-invasive diagnostic and prognostic tool. In this study, we review the underlying principles of shear wave elastography and its current clinical uses outside the reproductive tract as well as its successful application of shear wave elastography to reproductive tissues, including the uterus and cervix. We also describe an emerging use of this technology in evaluation of human ovarian stiffness via transvaginal ultrasound. Establishing ovarian stiffness as a clinical biomarker of ovarian aging may have implications for predicting the ovarian reserve and outcomes of Assisted Reproductive Technologies as well as for the assessment of the efficacy of emerging therapeutics to extend reproductive longevity. This parameter may also have broad relevance in other conditions where ovarian stiffness and fibrosis may be implicated, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome, late off target effects of chemotherapy and radiation, premature ovarian insufficiency, conditions of differences of sexual development, and ovarian cancer. Summary sentence:  Shear Wave Elastography is a non-invasive technique to study human tissue stiffness, and here we review its clinical applications and implications for reproductive health and disease.

Effect of stress urinary incontinence on vaginal microbial communities.

BACKGROUND: Postpartum women often experience stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and vaginal microbial dysbiosis, which seriously affect women's physical and mental health. Understanding the relationship between SUI and vaginal microbiota composition may help to prevent vaginal diseases, but research on the potential association between these conditions is limited. RESULTS: This study employed 16S rRNA gene sequencing to explore the association between SUI and vaginal dysbiosis. In terms of the vaginal microbiota, both species richness and evenness were significantly higher in the SUI group. Additionally, the results of NMDS and species composition indicated that there were differences in the composition of the vaginal microbiota between the two groups. Specifically, compared to postpartum women without SUI (Non-SUI), the relative abundance of bacteria associated with bacterial dysbiosis, such as Streptococcus, Prevotella, Dialister, and Veillonella, showed an increase, while the relative abundance of Lactobacillus decreased in SUI patients. Furthermore, the vaginal microbial co-occurrence network of SUI patients displayed higher connectivity, complexity, and clustering. CONCLUSION: The study highlights the role of Lactobacillus in maintaining vaginal microbial homeostasis. It found a correlation between SUI and vaginal microbiota, indicating an increased risk of vaginal dysbiosis. The findings could enhance our understanding of the relationship between SUI and vaginal dysbiosis in postpartum women, providing valuable insights for preventing bacterial vaginal diseases and improving women's health.

BDNF mimetics recover palmitic acid-induced injury in cardiomyocytes by ameliorating Akt-dependent mitochondrial impairments.

Cardiac lipotoxicity is a prevalent consequence of lipid metabolism disorders occurring in cardiomyocytes, which in turn precipitates the onset of heart failure. Mimetics of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), such as 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (DHF) and 7,8,3'-trihydroxyflavone (THF), have demonstrated significant cardioprotective effects. However, it remains unclear whether these mimetics can protect cardiomyocytes against lipotoxicity. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of DHF and THF on the lipotoxic effects induced by palmitic acid (PA), as well as the concurrent mitochondrial dysfunction. H9c2 cells were subjected to treatment with PA alone or in conjunction with DHF or THF. Various factors such as cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, death ratio, and mitochondrial function including mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), mitochondrial-derived reactive oxygen species (mito-SOX) production, and mitochondrial respiration were assessed. PA dose-dependently reduced cell viability, which was restored by DHF or THF. Additionally, both DHF and THF decreased LDH content, death ratio, and mito-SOX production, while increasing MMP and regulating mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in cardiomyocytes. Moreover, DHF and THF specifically activated Akt signaling. The protective effects of DHF and THF were abolished when an Akt inhibitor was used. In conclusion, BDNF mimetics attenuate PA-induced injury in cardiomyocytes by alleviating mitochondrial impairments through the activation of Akt signaling.

Circulating Myokines as Novel Biomarkers for Cardiovascular Diseases.

Myokines are a group of cytokines or polypeptides released from skeletal muscle during exercise. Growing evidence suggests that myokines are associated with the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Moreover, several myokines in peripheral blood exhibit dynamic changes in different CVD stages. This review summarizes the potential roles of myokines such as myostatin, irisin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, mitsugumin 53, meteorin-like, and apelin in various CVD, including myocardial infarction, heart failure, atherosclerosis, hypertension, and diabetes. The association of these myokines with biomarkers currently being used in clinical practice is also discussed. Furthermore, the review considers the emerging role of myokines in CVD and addresses the challenges remaining in translating these discoveries into novel clinical biomarkers for CVD.

Construction of highly active and stable recombinant nattokinase by engineered bacteria and computational design.

Nattokinase (NK) is an enzyme that has been recognized as a new potential thrombolytic drug due to its strong thrombolytic activity. However, it is difficult to maintain the enzyme activity of NK during high temperature environment of industrial production. In this study, we constructed six NK mutants with potential for higher thermostability using a rational protein engineering strategy integrating free energy-based methods and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Then, wild-type NK and NK mutants and were expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli), and their thermostability and thrombolytic activity were tested. The results showed that, compared with wild-type NK, the mutants Y256P, Q206L and E156F all had improved thermostability. The optimal mutant Y256P showed a higher melting temperature (Tm) of 77.4 °C, an increase of 4 °C in maximum heat-resistant temperature and an increase of 51.8% in activity at 37 °C compared with wild-type NK. Moreover, we also explored the mechanism of the increased thermostability of these mutants by analysing the MD trajectories under different simulation temperatures.

A Bidirectional Mendelian Randomization Study of Gut Microbiota and Cerebral Small Vessel Disease.

BACKGROUND: The causal nature of gut microbiota and cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is still obscure regardless of evidence supporting their observational correlations. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of this research is to investigate the potentially pathogenic or protective causal impacts of specific gut microbiota on various neuroimaging subtypes of CSVD. METHODS: We obtained the latest summary-level genome-wide databases for gut microbiota and 9 CSVD traits. The univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization (MR) studies were conducted to examine the possible causal link between exposure and outcome. Meanwhile, we conducted sensitivity analyses sequentially, containing the heterogeneity, pleiotropy, and leave-one-out analysis. Additionally, to clarify the potential bidirectional causality, the causality from CSVD traits to the identified gut microbiota was implemented through reverse MR analysis. RESULTS: The univariable MR analysis identified 22 genetically predicted bacterial abundances that were correlated with CSVD traits. Although conditioning on macronutrient dietary compositions, 2 suggestive relationships were retained using the multivariable MR analysis. Specifically, the class Negativicutes and order Selenomonadales exhibited a negative causal association with strictly lobar cerebral microbleeds, one neuroimaging trait of CSVD. There is insufficient evidence indicating the presence of heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy. Furthermore, the identified causal relationship was not driven by any single nucleotide polymorphism. The results of the reverse MR analysis did not reveal any statistically significant causality from CSVD traits to the identified gut microbiota. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicated several suggestive causal effects from gut microbiota to different neuroimaging subtypes of CSVD. These findings provided a latent understanding of the pathogenesis of CSVD from the perspective of the gut-brain axis.

A modified CEUS risk stratification model for adnexal masses with solid components: prospective multicenter study and risk adjustment.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the additional advantages of integrating contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) into the Ovarian-Adnexal Reporting and Data System (O-RADS) ultrasound (US) for the characterization of adnexal lesions with solid components. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective multicenter study recruited women suspected of having adnexal lesions with solid components between September 2021 and December 2022. All patients scheduled for surgery underwent preoperative CEUS and US examinations. The lesions were categorized according to the O-RADS US system, and quantitative CEUS indexes were recorded. Pathological results served as the reference standard. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to identify risk factors for malignancy in adnexal lesions with solid components. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was employed to assess diagnostic performance. RESULTS: A total of 180 lesions in 175 women were included in the study. Among these masses, 80 were malignant and 100 were benign. Multivariable analysis revealed that serum CA-125, the presence of acoustic shadowing, and peak intensity (PI) ratio (PImass/PIuterus) of solid components on CEUS were independently associated with adnexal malignancy. The modified CEUS risk stratification model demonstrated superior diagnostic value in assessing adnexal lesions with solid components compared to O-RADS US (AUC: 0.91 vs 0.78, p < 0.001) and exhibited comparable performance to the Assessment of Different NEoplasias in the adnexa (ADNEX) model (AUC 0.91 vs 0.86, p = 0.07). CONCLUSION: Our findings underscore the potential value of CEUS as an adjunctive tool for enhancing the precision of diagnostic evaluations of O-RADS US. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: The promising performance of the modified CEUS risk stratification model suggests its potential to mitigate unnecessary surgeries in the characterization of adnexal lesions with solid components. KEY POINTS: • The additional value of CEUS to O-RADS US in distinguishing between benign and malignant adnexal lesions with solid components requires further evaluation. • The modified CEUS risk stratification model displayed superior diagnostic value and specificity in characterizing adnexal lesions with solid components when compared to O-RADS US. • The inclusion of CEUS demonstrated potential in reducing the need for unnecessary surgeries in the characterization of adnexal lesions with solid components.

Comparative Inhibitory Effects of Tacrolimus, Cyclosporine, and Rapamycin on Human Anti-Pig Xenogeneic Mixed Lymphocyte Reactions.

BACKGROUND: Long-term immunosuppressive maintenance therapy is necessary to prevent the rejection of xenografts. However, it is still unclear which oral immunosuppressant is most suitable for pig-to-human xenotransplantation . METHODS: A xenogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) system was established using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from wildtype (WT) or GTKO/CMAHKO/ß4GalNT2KO (TKO) pigs as stimulator cells and human PBMCs as responder cells. Various concentrations of tacrolimus (Tac), cyclosporine (CsA), or rapamycin (Rapa) were added to the MLR system as interventions. The inhibitory effects of the three immunosuppressants on the proliferation and cytokine production of human T cells were studied and compared. The inhibitory effect of anti-CD154 mAb alone or in combination with Tac/CsA/Rapa on xenoreactive MLR was also investigated. RESULTS: PBMCs from both WT and TKO pigs stimulated significant proliferation of human T cells. Tac had a strong inhibitory effect on human T-cell proliferation stimulated by pig PBMCs. CsA inhibited human T-cell proliferation in a typical dose-dependent manner. When Tac and CsA concentrations reached 5 and 200 ng/mL, respectively, the proliferation rates of CD3+/CD4+/CD8+ T cells were reduced almost to a negative level. Even at high concentrations, Rapa had only a moderate inhibitory effect on xenogeneic MLR. The inhibitory effects of these three immunosuppressants on xenogeneic T-cell responses were further confirmed by the detection of CD25 expression and supernatant cytokines (IL-2, IL-6, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-4, IL-10, and IL-17). Although anti-CD154 mAb monotherapy showed only moderate inhibitory effects on xenoreactive T-cell proliferation, low-dose anti-CD154 mAb combined with low-dose Tac, CSA, or Rapa could produce significant synergistic inhibitory effects. CONCLUSION: Tac is more efficient than CsA or Rapa in inhibiting xenogeneic T-cell responses in vitro. If used in combination with anti-CD154 mAb, all the three immunosuppressants can achieve satisfactory synergistic inhibitory effects.

Visible-Light-Induced Regioselective Cascade Radical Cyclization of α-Bromocarbonyls: Access to Benzazepine Derivatives.

Visible-light-induced regioselective cascade radical cyclization of α-bromocarbonyls for the synthesis of benzazepine derivatives is described. In the presence of fac-Ir(ppy)3 (2.0 mol %) as a photocatalyst, 2,6-lutidine as a base, and dichloromethane as a solvent, the reactions proceed smoothly to afford seven-membered rings in good yields. This protocol features a broad substrate scope, excellent functional group tolerance, and mild reaction conditions. Preliminary mechanistic studies reveal that the generation of the α-carbon radical is more prone to react with the 1,1-diphenylethylene tethered acrylamide to generate the stable seven-membered heterocycle.

Identification and characterization of STAT family in silver pomfret (Pampus argenteus) involved in different exogenous stresses.

Members of the Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (STAT) family function pivotally as transcriptional activators integral to the modulation of inflammatory responses. The aquaculture of silver pomfret is frequently compromised by the imposition of exogenous stressors, which include thermal fluctuations, notably low-temperatures, diminished oxygen levels, and the onslaught of bacterial pathogens. Notwithstanding the critical impact of these stressors, the scientific literature presents a notable gap in our understanding of the STAT pathway's role in the silver pomfret's adaptive response mechanisms. To address this lacuna, we identified stat genes in the silver pomfret-denominated as Pastat1, Pastat2, Pastat3, Pastat4, and Pastat5-through a thorough and systematic bioinformatics analysis. Further scrutiny of the gene configurations and constituent motifs has elucidated that STAT proteins possess analogous structural frameworks and exhibit significant evolutionary preservation. Subsequently, the expression patterns of five stat genes were verified by RT-qPCR in twelve different tissues and four growth periods in healthy fish, showing that the expression of Pastat genes was temporally and spatially specific, with most of the stat genes expressed at higher levels in the spleen, following muscle, gill, and liver. Transcriptomic analysis of exposure to exogenous stressors, specifically formaldehyde and low-temperature conditions, elucidated that Pastat1 and Pastat2 genes exhibited a heightened sensitivity to these environmental challenges. RT-qPCR assays demonstrated a marked alteration in the expression profiles of jak1 and Pastat gene suites in PaS upon prolonged bacterial infection subsequent to these exogenous insults. Moreover, the gene expression of the downstream effectors involved in innate immunity and apoptosis displayed marked deviations. This study additionally elucidated the Pastat gene family's role in modulating the innate immune response and apoptotic regulation within the silver pomfret during exogenous stressors and subsequent pathogenic incursions.

From Ethylene Glycol to Glycolic Acid: Electrocatalytic Conversion on Pt-Group Metal Surfaces.

Ethylene glycol (EG) is one of the most attractive platform molecules derived from biomass and waste plastics. Thus, the selective electrooxidation of ethylene glycol (EGOR) into value-added chemicals (especially glycolic acid (GA)) can promote its recycling and upgrading. However, the understanding of the EG-to-GA process on Pt-group metal (PGM) electrodes is far limited now. It has been shown that the Pt and Pd electrodes could show considerable EGOR activity but not Rh and Ir electrodes. Meanwhile, EGOR mainly produces the glycolate, oxalate, and formate on Pt and Pd electrodes, whereas it can obtain minute amounts of glycolate and oxalate on Rh and Ir electrodes. Impressively, the selectivity of glycolate on Pt and Pd electrodes can be over 85% (apparent Faradaic efficiency) in alkaline media, although the stability should be further improved through interfacial tuning and/or engineering. This work might deepen the fundamental understanding of the EGOR process on the nature of PGM electrodes.

Discovery of 3-hydroxymethyl-azetidine derivatives as potent polymerase theta inhibitors.

Inhibition of the low fidelity DNA polymerase Theta (Polθ) is emerging as an attractive, synthetic-lethal antitumor strategy in BRCA-deficient tumors. Here we report the AI-enabled development of 3-hydroxymethyl-azetidine derivatives as a novel class of Polθ inhibitors featuring central scaffolding rings. Structure-based drug design first identified A7 as a lead compound, which was further optimized to the more potent derivative B3 and the metabolically stable deuterated compound C1. C1 exhibited significant antiproliferative properties in DNA repair-compromised cells and demonstrated favorable pharmacokinetics, showcasing that 3-hydroxymethyl-azetidine is an effective bio-isostere of pyrrolidin-3-ol and emphasizing the potential of AI in medicinal chemistry for precise molecular modifications.

Discovery of novel MAT2A inhibitors by an allosteric site-compatible fragment growing approach.

The methionine adenosyltransferase MAT2A catalyzes the synthesis ofthe methyl donor S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and thereby regulates critical aspects of metabolism and transcription. Aberrant MAT2A function can lead to metabolic and transcriptional reprogramming of cancer cells, and MAT2A has been shown to promote survival of MTAP-deficient tumors, a genetic alteration that occurs in âˆ¼ 13 % of all tumors. Thus, MAT2A holds great promise as a novel anticancer target. Here, we report a novel series of MAT2A inhibitors generated by a fragment growing approach from AZ-28, a low-molecular weight MAT2A inhibitor with promising pre-clinical properties. X-ray co-crystal structure revealed that compound 7 fully occupies the allosteric pocket of MAT2A as a single molecule mimicking MAT2B. By introducing additional backbone interactions and rigidifying the requisite linker extensions, we generated compound 8, which exhibited single digit nanomolar enzymatic and sub-micromolar cellular inhibitory potency for MAT2A.

Discovery of macrocyclic CDK2/4/6 inhibitors with improved potency and DMPK properties through a highly efficient macrocyclic drug design platform.

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are critical cell cycle regulators that are often overexpressed in tumors, making them promising targets for anti-cancer therapies. Despite substantial advancements in optimizing the selectivity and drug-like properties of CDK inhibitors, safety of multi-target inhibitors remains a significant challenge. Macrocyclization is a promising drug discovery strategy to improve the pharmacological properties of existing compounds. Here we report the development of a macrocyclization platform that enabled the highly efficient discovery of a novel, macrocyclic CDK2/4/6 inhibitor from an acyclic precursor (NUV422). Using dihedral angle scan and structure-based, computer-aided drug design to select an optimal ring-closing site and linker length for the macrocycle, we identified compound 8 as a potent new CDK2/4/6 inhibitor with optimized cellular potency and safety profile compared to NUV422. Our platform leverages both experimentally-solved as well as generative chemistry-derived macrocyclic structures and can be deployed to streamline the design of macrocyclic new drugs from acyclic starting compounds, yielding macrocyclic compounds with enhanced potency and improved drug-like properties.