Discovery of a novel DDRs kinase inhibitor XBLJ-13 for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic fatal lung disease characterized by destruction of lung parenchyma and deposition of extracellular matrix in interstitial and alveolar spaces. But known drugs for IPF are far from meeting clinical demands, validation of drug targets against pulmonary fibrosis is in urgent demand. Tyrosine kinase receptor DDRs has been considered as a potential therapeutic target for pulmonary fibrosis due to its pathological collagen binding property and the roles in regulating extracellular matrix remodeling. In this study we designed and synthesized a new indazole derivative XBLJ-13, and identified XBLJ-13 as a highly specific and potent DDRs inhibitor with anti-inflammation and anti-fibrosis activities. We first demonstrated that DDR1/2 was highly expressed in the lung tissues of IPF patients. Then we showed that XBLJ-13 potently inhibited DDR1 and DDR2 kinases with IC50 values of 17.18 nM and 15.13 nM, respectively. Among a panel of 34 kinases tested, XBLJ-13 displayed relatively high selectivity for DDRs with minimal inhibitory effect on PDGFR family and FGFR1, as well as Abl kinase that had high homology with DDRs. Extensive profiling of XBLJ-13 revealed that the new inhibitor had much lower toxicity than nintedanib and better pharmacokinetic properties in mice. Furthermore, pharmacodynamic evaluation conducted in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis mice showed that administration of XBLJ-13 (30, 60, 90 mg·kg-1·d-1, i.g.) for 12 days significantly and dose-dependently ameliorated lung inflammation and fibrosis. Together, this study confirms that DDRs kinase is a potential target for PF, Particularly, compound XBLJ-13 is a highly potent and specific DDRs inhibitor, along with good pharmacokinetics profiles, and preferable in vivo efficacy, suggesting that it is a potential candidate for the treatment of PF.

What influences the implementation of kangaroo mother care? An umbrella review.

BACKGROUND: Kangaroo mother care (KMC) is an evidence-based intervention that reduces morbidity and mortality in preterm infants. However, it has not yet been fully integrated into health systems around the world. The aim of this study is to provide a cogent summary of the evidence base of the key barriers and facilitators to implementing KMC. METHODS: An umbrella review of existing reviews on KMC was adopted to identify systematic and scoping reviews that analysed data from primary studies. Electronic English databases, including PubMed, Embase, CINAHL and Cochrane Library, and three Chinese databases were searched from inception to 1 July 2022. Studies were included if they performed a review of barriers and facilitators to KMC. Quality assessment of the retrieved reviews was performed by at least two reviewers independently using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal checklist and risk of bias was assessed with the Risk of Bias Assessment Tool for Systematic Reviews (ROBIS) tool. This umbrella review protocol was documented in the PROSPERO registry (CRD42022327994). RESULTS: We generated 531 studies, and after the removal of duplicates and ineligible studies, six eligible reviews were included in the analysis. The five themes identified were environmental factors, professional factors, parent/family factors, access factors, and cultural factors, and the factors under each theme were divided into barriers or facilitators depending on the specific features of a given scenario. CONCLUSIONS: Support from facility management and leadership and well-trained medical staff are of great significance to the successful integration of KMC into daily medical practice, while the parents of preterm infants and other family members should be educated and encouraged in KMC practice. Further research is needed to propose strategies and develop models for implementing KMC.

A new BET inhibitor, 171, inhibits tumor growth through cell proliferation inhibition more than apoptosis induction.

The bromodomain and extra-terminal domain (BET) family of proteins, especially bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4), has emerged as exciting anti-tumor targets due to their important roles in epigenetic regulation. Therefore, the discovery of BET inhibitors with promising anti-tumor efficacy will provide a novel approach to epigenetic anticancer therapy. Recently, we discovered the new BET inhibitor compound 171, which is derived from a polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1)-BRD4 dual inhibitor based on our previous research. Compound 171 was found to maintain BET inhibition ability without PLK1 inhibition, and there was no selectivity among BET family members. The in vitro and in vivo results both indicated that the overall anti-tumor activity of compound 171 was improved compared with the (+)-JQ-1 or OTX-015 BET inhibitors. Furthermore, we found that compound 171 could regulate the expression of cell cycle-regulating proteins including c-Myc and p21 and induce cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase. However, compound 171 only has a quite limited effect on apoptosis, in considering that apoptosis was only observed at doses greater than 50 µM. To determine the mechanisms underlying cell death, proliferation activity assay was conducted. The results showed that compound 171 induced clear anti-proliferative effects at doses that no obvious apoptosis was induced, which indicated that the cell cycle arresting effect contributed mostly to its anti-tumor activity. The result of this study revealed the anti-tumor mechanism of compound 171, and laid a foundation for the combination therapy in clinical practice, if compound 171 or its series compounds become drug candidates in the future.

Author Correction: Targeting Hsp90 with FS-108 circumvents gefitinib resistance in EGFR mutant non-small cell lung cancer cells.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Discovery of a new series of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine compounds as selective c-Met inhibitors.

AIM: Aberrant c-Met activation plays a critical role in cancer formation, progression and dissemination, as well as in development of resistance to anticancer drugs. Therefore, c-Met has emerged as an attractive target for cancer therapy. The aim of this study was to develop new c-Met inhibitors and elaborate the structure-activity relationships of identified inhibitors. METHODS: Based on the predicted binding modes of Compounds 5 and 14 in docking studies, a new series of c-Met inhibitor-harboring 3-((1H-pyrrolo[3,2-c]pyridin-1-yl)sulfonyl)imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine scaffolds was discovered. Potent inhibitors were identified through extensive optimizations combined with enzymatic and cellular assays. A promising compound was further investigated in regard to its selectivity, its effects on c-Met signaling, cell proliferation and cell scattering in vitro. RESULTS: The most potent Compound 31 inhibited c-Met kinase activity with an IC50 value of 12.8 nmol/L, which was >78-fold higher than those of a panel of 16 different tyrosine kinases. Compound 31 (8, 40, 200 nmol/L) dose-dependently inhibited the phosphorylation of c-Met and its key downstream Akt and ERK signaling cascades in c-Met aberrant human EBC-1 cancer cells. In 12 human cancer cell lines harboring different background levels of c-Met expression/activation, Compound 31 potently inhibited c-Met-driven cell proliferation. Furthermore, Compound 31 dose-dependently impaired c-Met-mediated cell scattering of MDCK cells. CONCLUSION: This series of c-Met inhibitors is a promising lead for development of novel anticancer drugs.

Targeting Hsp90 with FS-108 circumvents gefitinib resistance in EGFR mutant non-small cell lung cancer cells.

AIM: Inhibition of heat shock protein (Hsp90) has been proven to be effective in overriding primary and acquired resistance of kinase inhibitors. In this study, we investigated the role of FS-108, a newly developed Hsp90 inhibitor, to overcome gefitinib resistance in EGFR mutant non-small cell lung cancer cells. METHODS: Cell proliferation was assessed using the SRB assay. Cell cycle distribution and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry. Protein expression was examined by Western blotting. The in vivo effectiveness of FS-108 was determined in an NCI-H1975 subcutaneous xenograft model. RESULTS: FS-108 triggered obvious growth inhibition in gefitinib-resistant HCC827/GR6, NCI-H1650 and NCI-H1975 cells through inducing G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis. FS-108 treatment resulted in a remarkable degradation of key client proteins involved in gefitinib resistance and further abrogated their downstream signaling pathways. Interestingly, FS-108 alone exerted an identical or superior effect on circumventing gefitinib resistance compared to combined kinase inhibition. Finally, the ability of FS-108 to overcome gefitinib resistance in vivo was validated in an NCI-H1975 xenograft model. CONCLUSION: FS-108 is a powerful agent that impacts the survival of gefitinib-resistant cells in vitro and in vivo through targeting Hsp90.

Energetic factors determining the binding of type I inhibitors to c-Met kinase: experimental studies and quantum mechanical calculations.

AIM: To decipher the molecular interactions between c-Met and its type I inhibitors and to facilitate the design of novel c-Met inhibitors. METHODS: Based on the prototype model inhibitor 1, four ligands with subtle differences in the fused aromatic rings were synthesized. Quantum chemistry was employed to calculate the binding free energy for each ligand. Symmetry-adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) was used to decompose the binding energy into several fundamental forces to elucidate the determinant factors. RESULTS: Binding free energies calculated from quantum chemistry were correlated well with experimental data. SAPT calculations showed that the predominant driving force for binding was derived from a sandwich π-π interaction with Tyr-1230. Arg-1208 was the differentiating factor, interacting with the 6-position of the fused aromatic ring system through the backbone carbonyl with a force pattern similar to hydrogen bonding. Therefore, a hydrogen atom must be attached at the 6-position, and changing the carbon atom to nitrogen caused unfavorable electrostatic interactions. CONCLUSION: The theoretical studies have elucidated the determinant factors involved in the binding of type I inhibitors to c-Met.

Novel liver-specific cholic acid-cytarabine conjugates with potent antitumor activities: Synthesis and biological characterization.

AIM: Cytarabine is an efficient anticancer agent for acute myelogenous leukemia, but with short plasma half-life and rapid deamination to its inactive metabolite. The aim of this study was to design and synthesize novel cholic acid-cytarabine conjugates to improve its pharmacokinetic parameters. METHODS: The in vitro stability of novel cholic acid-cytarabine conjugates was investigated in simulated gastric and intestinal fluid, mouse blood and liver homogenate using HPLC. The portacaval samples of the conjugates were examined in male Sprague-Dawley rats using LC/MS, and in vivo distribution was examined in male Kunming mice using LC/MS. Antitumor activities were tested in HL60 cells using MTT assay. RESULTS: Cholic acid-cytarabine compounds with four different linkers were designed and synthesized. All the four cholic acid-cytarabine conjugates could release cytarabine when incubated with the simulated gastric and intestinal fluid, mouse blood and liver homogenate. The conjugates 6, 12, and 16 were present in the portacaval samples, whereas the conjugate 7 was not detected. The conjugates 6 and 16 showed high specificity in targeting the liver (liver target index 34.9 and 16.3, respectively) and good absorption in vivo, as compared with cytarabine. In cytarabine-sensitive HL60 cells, the conjugates 6, 12, and 16 retained potent antitumor activities. CONCLUSION: Three novel cholic acid-cytarabine conjugates with good liver-targeting properties and absorption were obtained. Further optimization of the conjugates is needed in the future.

Novel bivalent BET inhibitor N2817 exhibits potent anticancer activity and inhibits TAF1.

Bromodomain and extra-terminal domain (BET) family proteins are promising anticancer targets. Most BET inhibitors in clinical trials are monovalent. They competitively bind to one of the bromodomains (BD1 and BD2) in BET proteins and exhibit relatively weak anticancer activity, poor pharmacokinetics, and low metabolic stability. Here, we evaluated the anticancer activity of a novel bivalent BET inhibitor, N2817, which consists of two molecules of the monovalent BET inhibitor 8124-053 connected by a common piperazine ring, rendering a long linker unnecessary. Compared with ABBV-075, one of the potent monovalent BET inhibitors reported to date, N2817 showed greater potency in inhibiting proliferation, arresting cell-cycle, inducing apoptosis, and suppressing the growth of tumor xenografts. Moreover, N2817 showed high metabolic stability, a relatively long half-life, and no brain penetration after oral administration. Additionally, N2817 directly bound and inhibited another BD-containing protein, TAF1 (BD2), as evidenced by a reduction in mRNA and protein levels. TAF1 inhibition contributed to the anticancer effect of N2817. Therefore, this study offers a new paradigm for designing bivalent BET inhibitors and introduces a novel potent bivalent BET inhibitor and a new anticancer mechanism.

[Effect of cobalt chloride on S100A4 expression in human gastric cancer cell BGC823].

S100A4 is an important metastasis-associated gene. Researches have confirmed the close correlation between overexpression of S100A4 gene and gastric cancer's infiltration, lymph node metastasis and in vitro invasiveness of gastric cancer cells. In order to investigate the mechanism of overexpression of S100A4 gene, hypoxia mimetic cobalt chloride (CoCl2) was used to treat gastric cancer cell BGC823, and then the expression of S100A4 mRNA and protein in BGC823 cells were detected by RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and Western blotting analysis. After treatment with CoCl2, the expression of S100A4 mRNA and protein in BGC823 cell was increased. These results suggested that hypoxia mimetic cobalt chloride could increase the expression of S100A4 gene in gastric cancer cell BGC823.

Endothelial cells by inactivation of VHL gene direct angiogenesis, not vasculogenesis via Twist1 accumulation associated with hemangioblastoma neovascularization.

Inactivation of the VHL tumour suppressor gene is a highly frequent genetic event in the carcinogenesis of central nervous system-(CNS) hemangioblastomas (HBs). The patterning of the similar embryonic vasculogenesis is an increasing concern in HB-neovascularization, and the classic vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-mediated angiogenesis driven by VHL loss-of-function from human endothelium have been questioned. With this regard, we identify a distinct, VHL silencing-driven mechanism in which human vascular endothelial cells by means of increasing cell proliferation and decreasing cell apoptosis, is concomitant with facilitating accumulation of Twist1 protein in vascular endothelial cells in vitro. Importantly, this molecular mechanism is also pinpointed in CNS-HBs, and associated with the process of HB-neovascularization. In contrast with recent studies of HB-neovascularization, these modified cells did not endow with the typical features of vasculogenesis, indicating that this is a common angiogenesis implementing the formation of the vascular network. Taken together, these findings suggest that vasculogenesis and angiogenesis may constitute complementary mechanisms for HB-neovascularization, and could provide a rational recognition of single anti-angiogenic intervention including targeting to the Twist1 signalling for HBs.