Amine-Linked Flavonoids as Agents Against Cutaneous Leishmaniasis.

We have designed, synthesized, and characterized a library of 38 novel flavonoid compounds linked with amines. Some of these amine-linked flavonoids have potent in vitro activity against parasites that cause cutaneous leishmaniasis, a tropical disease endemic in 80 countries worldwide. The most promising candidate, FM09h, was highly active with IC50 of 0.3 µM against L. amazonensis, L. tropica and L. braziliensis amastigotes. It was metabolically stable (39% and 66% of FM09h remaining after 30-minute incubation with human and rat liver microsomes respectively). In L. amazonensis LV78 cutaneous leishmaniasis mouse model, intralesional injection of FM09h (10 mg/kg, once every 4 days for 8 times) demonstrated promising effect in reducing the footpad lesion thickness by 72%, displaying an efficacy comparable to SSG (63%).

In Vivo Reversal of P-Glycoprotein-Mediated Drug Resistance in a Breast Cancer Xenograft and in Leukemia Models Using a Novel, Potent, and Nontoxic Epicatechin EC31.

The modulation of P-glycoprotein (P-gp, ABCB1) can reverse multidrug resistance (MDR) and potentiate the efficacy of anticancer drugs. Tea polyphenols, such as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), have low P-gp-modulating activity, with an EC50 over 10 µM. In this study, we optimized a series of tea polyphenol derivatives and demonstrated that epicatechin EC31 was a potent and nontoxic P-gp inhibitor. Its EC50 for reversing paclitaxel, doxorubicin, and vincristine resistance in three P-gp-overexpressing cell lines ranged from 37 to 249 nM. Mechanistic studies revealed that EC31 restored intracellular drug accumulation by inhibiting P-gp-mediated drug efflux. It did not downregulate the plasma membrane P-gp level nor inhibit P-gp ATPase. It was not a transport substrate of P-gp. A pharmacokinetic study revealed that the intraperitoneal administration of 30 mg/kg of EC31 could achieve a plasma concentration above its in vitro EC50 (94 nM) for more than 18 h. It did not affect the pharmacokinetic profile of coadministered paclitaxel. In the xenograft model of the P-gp-overexpressing LCC6MDR cell line, EC31 reversed P-gp-mediated paclitaxel resistance and inhibited tumor growth by 27.4 to 36.1% (p < 0.001). Moreover, it also increased the intratumor paclitaxel level in the LCC6MDR xenograft by 6 fold (p < 0.001). In both murine leukemia P388ADR and human leukemia K562/P-gp mice models, the cotreatment of EC31 and doxorubicin significantly prolonged the survival of the mice (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01) as compared to the doxorubicin alone group, respectively. Our results suggested that EC31 was a promising candidate for further investigation on combination therapy for treating P-gp-overexpressing cancers.

Discovery of a Flavonoid FM04 as a Potent Inhibitor to Reverse P-Glycoprotein-Mediated Drug Resistance in Xenografts and Improve Oral Bioavailability of Paclitaxel.

Biotransformation of flavonoid dimer FD18 resulted in an active metabolite FM04. It was more druggable because of its improved physicochemical properties. FM04 (EC50 = 83 nM) was 1.8-fold more potent than FD18 in reversing P-glycoprotein (P-gp)-mediated paclitaxel (PTX) resistance in vitro. Similar to FD18, FM04 chemosensitized LCC6MDR cells towards multiple anticancer drugs by inhibiting the transport activity of P-gp and restoring intracellular drug levels. It stimulated the P-gp ATPase by 3.3-fold at 100 µM. Different from FD18, FM04 itself was not a transport substrate of P-gp and presumably, it cannot work as a competitive inhibitor. In the human melanoma MDA435/LCC6MDR xenograft, the co-administration of FM04 (28 mg/kg, I.P.) with PTX (12 mg/kg, I.V.) directly modulated P-gp-mediated PTX resistance and caused a 56% (*, p < 0.05) reduction in tumor volume without toxicity or animal death. When FM04 was administered orally at 45 mg/kg as a dual inhibitor of P-gp/CYP2C8 or 3A4 enzymes in the intestine, it increased the intestinal absorption of PTX from 0.2% to 14% in mice and caused about 57- to 66-fold improvement of AUC as compared to a single oral dose of PTX. Oral co-administration of FM04 (45 mg/kg) with PTX (40, 60 or 70 mg/kg) suppressed the human melanoma MDA435/LCC6 tumor growth with at least a 73% (***, p < 0.001) reduction in tumor volume without serious toxicity. Therefore, FM04 can be developed into a novel combination chemotherapy to treat cancer by directly targeting the P-gp overexpressed tumors or potentiating the oral bioavailability of P-gp substrate drugs.

Characterization of a Potent, Selective, and Safe Inhibitor, Ac15(Az8)2, in Reversing Multidrug Resistance Mediated by Breast Cancer Resistance Protein (BCRP/ABCG2).

Overexpression of breast cancer resistance transporter (BCRP/ABCG2) in cancers has been explained for the failure of chemotherapy in clinic. Inhibition of the transport activity of BCRP during chemotherapy should reverse multidrug resistance. In this study, a triazole-bridged flavonoid dimer Ac15(Az8)2 was identified as a potent, nontoxic, and selective BCRP inhibitor. Using BCRP-overexpressing cell lines, its EC50 for reversing BCRP-mediated topotecan resistance was 3 nM in MCF7/MX100 and 72 nM in S1M180 in vitro. Mechanistic studies revealed that Ac15(Az8)2 restored intracellular drug accumulation by inhibiting BCRP-ATPase activity and drug efflux. It did not down-regulate the cell surface BCRP level to enhance drug retention. It was not a transport substrate of BCRP and showed a non-competitive relationship with DOX in binding to BCRP. A pharmacokinetic study revealed that I.P. administration of 45 mg/kg of Ac15(Az8)2 resulted in plasma concentration above its EC50 (72 nM) for longer than 24 h. It increased the AUC of topotecan by 2-fold. In an in vivo model of BCRP-overexpressing S1M180 xenograft in Balb/c nude mice, it significantly reversed BCRP-mediated topotecan resistance and inhibited tumor growth by 40% with no serious body weight loss or death incidence. Moreover, it also increased the topotecan level in the S1M180 xenograft by 2-fold. Our results suggest that Ac15(Az8)2 is a promising candidate for further investigation into combination therapy for treating BCRP-overexpressing cancers.

Therapeutic potential of a novel prodrug of green tea extract in induction of apoptosis via ERK/JNK and Akt signaling pathway in human endometrial cancer.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown a major green tea polyphenol (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate ((-)-EGCG) as a powerful anti-cancer agent. However, its poor bioavailability and requirement of a high dosage to manifest activity have restricted its clinical application. Recently, our team synthesized a peracetate-protected derivative of EGCG, which can act as a prodrug of (-)-EGCG (ProEGCG) with enhanced stability and improved bioavailability in vitro and in vivo. Herein, we tested the therapeutic efficacy of this novel ProEGCG, in comparison to EGCG, toward human endometrial cancer (EC). METHODS: In this study, the effects of ProEGCG and EGCG treatments on cell growth, cell survival and modulation of intracellular signaling pathways in RL95-2 and AN3 CA EC cells were compared. The antiproliferative effect was evaluated by cell viability assay. Apoptosis was measured by annexin/propidium iodide staining. Expression of mitogen-activated protein kinases, markers of proliferation and apoptosis were measured by immunoblot analysis. In addition, the effects of ProEGCG and EGCG on tumor growth, vessel formation and gene expression profiles on xenograft models of the EC cells were investigated. RESULTS: We found that treatment with ProEGCG, but not EGCG, inhibited, in a time- and dose-dependent manner, the proliferation and increased apoptosis of EC cells. Treatment with low-dose ProEGCG significantly enhanced phosphorylation of JNK and p38 MAPK and inhibited phosphorylation of Akt and ERK which are critical mediators of apoptosis. ProEGCG, but not EGCG, elicited a significant decrease in the growth of the EC xenografts, promoted apoptotic activity of tumour cells in the EC xenografts, and decreased microvessel formation, by differentially suppressing anti-apoptotic molecules, NOD1 and NAIP. Notably, no obvious adverse effects were detected. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, ProEGCG at a low dose exhibited anticancer activity in EC cells through its anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic and anti-tumor actions on endometrial cancer in vitro and in vivo. In contrast, a low dose of EGCG did not bring about similar effects. Importantly, our data demonstrated the efficacy and safety of ProEGCG which manifests the potential of a novel anticancer agent for the management of endometrial cancer.

Bioisosteric investigation of ebselen: Synthesis and in vitro characterization of 1,2-benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one derivatives as potent New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamase inhibitors.

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) producing New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamase (NDM-1) cause untreatable bacterial infections, posing a significant threat to human health. In the present study, by employing the concept of bioisosteric replacement of the selenium moiety of ebselen, we have designed, synthesized and characterized a small compound library of 2-substituted 1,2-benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one derivatives and related compounds for evaluating their cytotoxicity and synergistic activity in combination with meropenem against the E. coli Tg1 (NDM-1) strain. The most promising compound 3a demonstrated potent synergistic activity against a panel of clinically isolated NDM-1 positive CRE strains with FICI as low as 0.09. Moreover, its IC50 value and inhibition mechanism were also confirmed by using the enzyme inhibition assay and the ESI-MS analysis respectively. Importantly, compound 3a has acceptable toxicity and is not a PAINS. Because of its structural simplicity and potent synergistic activity in combination with meropenem, we propose that compound 3a may be a promising meropenem adjuvant and a new series of such compounds may worth further investigations.

Biological and Mechanistic Characterization of Novel Prodrugs of Green Tea Polyphenol Epigallocatechin Gallate Analogs in Human Leiomyoma Cell Lines.

Uterine fibroids (leiomyomas) are very common benign tumors grown on the smooth muscle layer of the uterus, present in up to 75% of reproductive-age women and causing significant morbidity in a subset of this population. Although the etiology and biology of uterine fibroids are unclear, strong evidence supports that cell proliferation, angiogenesis and fibrosis are involved in their formation and growth. Currently the only cure for uterine fibroids is hysterectomy; the available alternative therapies have limitations. Thus, there is an urgent need for developing a novel strategy for treating this condition. The green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) inhibits the growth of uterine leiomyoma cells in vitro and in vivo, and the use of a green tea extract (containing 45% EGCG) has demonstrated clinical activity without side effects in women with symptomatic uterine fibroids. However, EGCG has a number of shortcomings, including low stability, poor bioavailability, and high metabolic transformations under physiological conditions, presenting challenges for its development as a therapeutic agent. We developed a prodrug of EGCG (Pro-EGCG or 1) which shows increased stability, bioavailability and biological activity in vivo as compared to EGCG. We also synthesized prodrugs of EGCG analogs, compounds 2a and 4a, in order to potentially reduce their susceptibility to methylation/inhibition by catechol-O-methyltransferase. Here, we determined the effect of EGCG, Pro-EGCG, and 2a and 4a on cultured human uterine leiomyoma cells, and found that 2a and 4a have potent antiproliferative, antiangiogenic, and antifibrotic activities. J. Cell. Biochem. 117: 2357-2369, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A New Class of Safe, Potent, and Specific P-gp Modulator: Flavonoid Dimer FD18 Reverses P-gp-Mediated Multidrug Resistance in Human Breast Xenograft in Vivo.

Flavonoid dimer FD18 is a new class of dimeric P-gp modulator that can reverse cancer drug resistance. FD18 is a potent (EC50 = 148 nM for paclitaxel), safe (selective index = 574), and selective P-glycoprotein (P-gp) modulator. FD18 can modulate multidrug resistance toward paclitaxel, vinblastine, vincristine, doxorubicin, daunorubicin, and mitoxantrone in human breast cancer LCC6MDR in vitro. FD18 (1 µM) can revert chemosensitivity of LCC6MDR back to parental LCC6 level. FD18 was 11- to 46-fold more potent than verapamil. FD18 (1 µM) can increase accumulation of doxorubicin by 2.7-fold, daunorubicin (2.1-fold), and rhodamine 123 (5.2-fold) in LCC6MDR. FD18 inhibited P-gp-mediated doxorubicin efflux and has no effect on influx. FD18 at 1 µM did not affect the protein expression level of P-gp. Pharmacokinetics studies indicated that intraperitoneal administration of 45 mg/kg FD18 was enough to maintain a plasma level above EC50 (148 nM) for more than 600 min. Toxicity studies with FD18 (90 mg/kg, i.p. for 12 times in 22 days) with paclitaxel (12 mg/kg, i.v. for 12 times in 22 days) revealed no obvious toxicity or death in mice. In vivo efficacy studies indicated that FD18 (45 mg/kg, i.p. for 12 times in 22 days) together with paclitaxel (12 mg/kg, i.v. for 12 times in 22 days) resulted in a 46% reduction in LCC6MDR xenograft volume (n = 11; 648 ± 84 mm(3)) compared to paclitaxel control (n = 8; 1201 ± 118 mm(3)). There were no animal deaths or significant drop in body weight and vital organ wet weight. FD18 can increase paclitaxel accumulation in LCC6MDR xenograft by 1.8- to 2.2-fold. The present study suggests that FD18 represents a new class of safe and potent P-gp modulator in vivo.

In vitro and in vivo efficacy of novel flavonoid dimers against cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Treatment of leishmaniasis by chemotherapy remains a challenge because of limited efficacy, toxic side effects, and drug resistance. We previously reported that synthetic flavonoid dimers have potent antipromastigote and antiamastigote activity against Leishmania donovani, the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis. Here, we further investigate their leishmanicidal activities against cutaneous Leishmania species. One of the flavonoid dimers (compound 39) has marked antipromastigote (50% inhibitory concentrations [IC50s], 0.19 to 0.69 µM) and antiamastigote (IC50s, 0.17 to 2.2 µM) activities toward different species of Leishmania that cause cutaneous leishmaniasis, including Leishmania amazonensis, Leishmania braziliensis, Leishmania tropica, and Leishmania major. Compound 39 is not toxic to peritoneal elicited macrophages, with IC50 values higher than 88 µM. In the mouse model of cutaneous leishmaniasis induced by subcutaneous inoculation of L. amazonensis in mouse footpads, intralesional administration of 2.5 mg/kg of body weight of compound 39.HCl can reduce footpad thickness by 36%, compared with that of controls values. The amastigote load in the lesions was reduced 20-fold. The present study suggests that flavonoid dimer 39 represents a new class of safe and effective leishmanicidal agent against visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Determination of exogenous epigallocatechin gallate peracetate in mouse plasma using liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

A robust method for the quantitation of epigallocatechin gallate peracetate in plasma for pharmacokinetic studies is lacking. We have developed a validated method to quantify this compound using liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry with isopropanol and tert-butyl methyl ether (3:10) extraction and thin-layer chromatography purification. The epigallocatechin gallate peracetate-1-(13) C8 isotope was used as an internal standard. The linear range (r(2) > 0.9950) was from 0.05 to 100.00 µg/mL. The lower limit of quantification of the method was 0.05 µg/mL. Reproducibility, coefficient of variation, was between 0.7 and 12.6% (n = 6), accuracy between 83.7 and 104.6% (n = 5), and recovery ranged from 82.4 to 109.0% (n = 4). Ion suppression was approximately 40%. No mass spectral peaks were found to interfere between the standard and internal standard or the blank plasma extracts. Epigallocatechin gallate peracetate in plasma was stably stored at -80°C over three months even after three freeze-thaw cycles. Extracts were stable in the sampler at 4°C for over 48 h. Plasma levels were maintained at 1.36 µg/mL for 360 min after intraorbital intravenous injection at 50 mg/kg in mice. This method can be used to reliably measure epigallocatechin gallate peracetate in plasma for pharmacokinetic studies.

Distinct molecular targets of ProEGCG from EGCG and superior inhibition of angiogenesis signaling pathways for treatment of endometriosis.

Endometriosis is a common chronic gynecological disease with endometrial cell implantation outside the uterus. Angiogenesis is a major pathophysiology in endometriosis. Our previous studies have demonstrated that the prodrug of epigallocatechin gallate (ProEGCG) exhibits superior anti-endometriotic and anti-angiogenic effects compared to epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). However, their direct binding targets and underlying mechanisms for the differential effects remain unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that oral ProEGCG can be effective in preventing and treating endometriosis. Additionally, 1D and 2D Proteome Integral Solubility Alteration assay-based chemical proteomics identified metadherin (MTDH) and PX domain containing serine/threonine kinase-like (PXK) as novel binding targets of EGCG and ProEGCG, respectively. Computational simulation and BioLayer interferometry were used to confirm their binding affinity. Our results showed that MTDH-EGCG inhibited protein kinase B (Akt)-mediated angiogenesis, while PXK-ProEGCG inhibited epidermal growth factor (EGF)-mediated angiogenesis via the EGF/hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1a)/vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway. In vitro and in vivo knockdown assays and microvascular network imaging further confirmed the involvement of these signaling pathways. Moreover, our study demonstrated that ProEGCG has superior therapeutic effects than EGCG by targeting distinct signal transduction pathways and may act as a novel antiangiogenic therapy for endometriosis.

Fexinidazole optimization: enhancing anti-leishmanial profile, metabolic stability and hERG safety.

The lack of adequate anti-leishmanial therapies has led to the continued suffering of millions of people from developing nations. Moreover, optimism for a therapeutic intervention by fexinidazole was dashed due to the inability to maintain cures and control unwanted side effects. To solve these shortcomings, the structural elements of fexinidazole responsible for anti-leishmanial activity and toxicities were explored. Accordingly, a systematic analog design approach was taken for the synthesis of 24 novel analogs. We established the structural features important for activity and identified modifications that improved the hERG receptor safety and liver microsomal metabolic stability. Compared to fexinidazole, the S-configured imidazolooxazole analog 51 exhibited 25-fold greater potency against miltefosine resistant L. donovani amastigotes, greater metabolic stability and little hERG receptor inhibition. Replacement of the toxicophore nitro group for a cyano group resulted in a complete loss of anti-leishmanial activity. The SAR findings should be useful in the further development of this important class of anti-leishmanial agents.

Prodrug of green tea epigallocatechin-3-gallate (Pro-EGCG) as a potent anti-angiogenesis agent for endometriosis in mice.

Green tea epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) can inhibit angiogenesis and development of an experimental endometriosis model in mice, but it suffers from poor bioavailability. A prodrug of EGCG (pro-EGCG, EGCG octaacetate) is utilized to enhance the stability and bioavailability of EGCG in vivo. In this study, the potential of pro-EGCG as a potent anti-angiogenesis agent for endometriosis in mice was investigated. Homologous endometrium was subcutaneously transplanted into mice to receive either saline, vitamin E, EGCG or pro-EGCG treatment for 4 weeks. The growth of the endometrial implants were monitored by IVIS(®) non-invasive in vivo imaging during the interventions. Angiogenesis of the endometriotic lesions was determined by Cellvizio(®) in vivo imaging and SCANCO(®) Microfil microtomography. The bioavailability, anti-oxidation and anti-angiogenesis capacities of the treatments were measured in plasma and lesions. The implants with adjacent outer subcutaneous and inner abdominal muscle layers were collected for histological, microvessel and apoptosis examinations. The result showed that EGCG and pro-EGCG significantly decreased the growth of endometrial implants from the 2nd week to the 4th week of intervention. EGCG and pro-EGCG significantly reduced the lesion size and weight, inhibited functional and structural microvessels in the lesions, and enhanced lesion apoptosis at the end of interventions. The inhibition by pro-EGCG in all the angiogenesis parameters was significantly greater than that by EGCG, and pro-EGCG also had better bioavailability and greater anti-oxidation and anti-angiogenesis capacities than EGCG. Ovarian follicles and uterine endometrial glands were not affected by either EGCG or pro-EGCG. Vitamin E had no effect on endometriosis. In conclusion, pro-EGCG significantly inhibited the development, growth and angiogenesis of experimental endometriosis in mice with high efficacy, bioavailability, anti-oxidation and anti-angiogenesis capacities. Pro-EGCG could be a potent anti-angiogenesis agent for endometriosis.

Identification of a new class of FtsZ inhibitors by structure-based design and in vitro screening.

The Filamenting temperature-sensitive mutant Z (FtsZ), an essential GTPase in bacterial cell division, is highly conserved among Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and thus considered an attractive target to treat antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. In this study, a new class of FtsZ inhibitors bearing the pyrimidine-quinuclidine scaffold was identified from structure-based virtual screening of natural product libraries. Iterative rounds of in silico studies and biological evaluation established the preliminary structure-activity relationships of the new compounds. Potent FtsZ inhibitors with low micromolar IC50 and antibacterial activity against S. aureus and E. coli were found. These findings support the use of virtual screening and structure-based design for the rational development of new antibacterial agents with innovative mechanisms of action.

Identification of Binding Sites in the Nucleotide-Binding Domain of P-Glycoprotein for a Potent and Nontoxic Modulator, the Amine-Containing Monomeric Flavonoid FM04.

We have previously discovered an amine-containing flavonoid monomer FM04 as a potent P-glycoprotein (P-gp) inhibitor (EC50 = 83 nM). Here, a series of photoactive FM04 analogues were synthesized and used together with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to identify the FM04-binding sites on P-gp. Point mutations around the photo-crosslinked sites were made for verification. Together with the results from mutational studies, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations, it was found that FM04 can interact with Q1193 and I1115 in the nucleotide-binding domain 2 (NBD2) of human P-gp. It was proposed that FM04 can inhibit P-gp in 2 novel mechanisms. FM04 can either bind to (1) Q1193, followed by interacting with the functionally critical residues H1195 and T1226 or (2) I1115 (a functionally critical residue itself), disrupting the R262-Q1081-Q1118 interaction pocket and uncoupling ICL2-NBD2 interaction and thereby inhibiting P-gp. Q1118 would subsequently be pushed to the ATP-binding site and stimulate ATPase.

Validation of the AmpC ß-lactamase binding site and identification of inhibitors with novel scaffolds.

AmpC ß-lactamase confers resistance to ß-lactam antibiotics in multiple Gram-negative bacteria. Therefore, identification of non-ß-lactam compounds that inhibit the enzyme is considered crucial to the development of novel antibacterial therapies. Given the highly solvent-exposed active site, it is important to study the induced-fit movements and water-mediated interactions to improve docking accuracy and virtual screening enrichments in structure-based design of new AmpC inhibitors. Here, we tested multiple models of the AmpC binding site to investigate the importance of conserved water molecules and binding site plasticity on molecular docking. The results indicate that at least one conserved water molecule greatly improves the binding pose predictions and virtual screening enrichments of known noncovalent AmpC inhibitors. The best model was tested prospectively in the virtual screening of about 6 million commercially available compounds. Sixty-one chemically diverse top-scoring compounds were experimentally tested, which led to the identification of seven previously unknown inhibitors. These findings validate the essential features of the AmpC binding site for molecular recognition and are useful for further optimization of identified inhibitors.

Novel epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) analogs activate AMP-activated protein kinase pathway and target cancer stem cells.

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a critical monitor of cellular energy status and also controls processes related to tumor development, including cell cycle progression, protein synthesis, cell growth and survival. Therefore AMPK as an anti-cancer target has received intensive attention recently. It has been reported that the anti-diabetic drug metformin and some natural compounds, such as quercetin, genistein, capsaicin and green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), can activate AMPK and inhibit cancer cell growth. Indeed, natural products have been the most productive source of leads for the development of anti-cancer drugs but perceived disadvantages, such as low bioavailability and week potency, have limited their development and use in the clinic. In this study we demonstrated that synthetic EGCG analogs 4 and 6 were more potent AMPK activators than metformin and EGCG. Activation of AMPK by these EGCG analogs resulted in inhibition of cell proliferation, up-regulation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21, down-regulation of mTOR pathway, and suppression of stem cell population in human breast cancer cells. Our findings suggest that novel potent and specific AMPK activators can be discovered from natural and synthetic sources that have potential to be used for anti-cancer therapy in the clinic.

Determination of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate octaacetate and its metabolites in plasma of rats for pharmacokinetic study by ultra-performance-liquid-chromatography coupled to quadrupole-time-of-flight-mass-spectrometry.

(-)-Epigallocatechin-gallate octaacetate (pro-EGCG), a prodrug of epigallocatechin-gallate (EGCG), has been used for pre-clinical study for the treatment of endometriosis. A validated analytical method has been developed for the determination of plasma pro-EGCG and its metabolites after oral administration using ultra-performance-liquid-chromatography coupled to quadrupole-time-of-flight-mass-spectrometry (UPLC-Qtof-MS). This method is more robust, rapid, sensitive, simpler, and able to detect pro-EGCG metabolites compared to our previous method. Pro-EGCG in the plasma was stabilized from rapid degradation by formic acid, extracted by isopropanol/methyl-tert-butyl ether mixture, separated by UPLC core column, and quantified by an exact mass method with Qtof-MS. The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ), intra-day and inter-day precision, and accuracy for the range of 0.01-2.5 µg/mL were within acceptable limits. The sensitivity was improved by 25 folds using pro-EGCG ammonium adduct [M + NH4]+. This is the first report on the pharmacokinetics of oral administration with maximum-concentration (Cmax) was 0.067 ± 0.04 µg/mL, time-of-maximum-concentration (Tmax) was 1.33 h, area-under-curve (AUC) was 0.20 ± 0.05 h × µg/mL, and elimination-rate was 0.20 ± 0.11 hr-1. The pharmacokinetic profiles of pro-EGCG metabolites, (-)-epigallocatechin-gallate (EGCG) diacetates and EGCG triacetates, were also presented. This method is robust, rapid, and sensitive for the pharmacokinetic study of pro-EGCG and metabolites.

A novel liquid-phase strategy for organic synthesis using organic ions as soluble supports.

This critical review describes a new liquid-phase strategy for organic synthesis by using organic ions as soluble supports. Catalysts or reagents or substrates are immobilized onto organic ions. They are generally soluble in polar organic solvents (e.g. CH(3)CN) or ionic liquids but insoluble in non-polar solvents (e.g. ether or hexanes). Their reactions are carried out in homogeneous solution phase with a polar organic solvent or ionic liquid. After the reaction, the ion-supported species can be phase separated through precipitation from the polar organic solvent by the addition of a less polar organic solvent or extraction with organic solvents from ionic liquids. The ion-supported species can therefore be easily recovered and purified from the reaction mixture by simple washings with the less polar solvent. The ion-tagged species can function in the role of a catalyst, or as a reagent, or as the substrate in the synthesis of small molecules or bio-oligomers. Ion-supported catalysts and reagents can usually be recovered and reused with little diminution of activity. Important biooligomers such as peptides, oligosaccharides and oligonucleotides have been synthesized with this method (136 references).

An In-Silico, In-Vitro and In-Vivo Combined Approach to Identify NMNATs as Potential Protein Targets of ProEGCG for Treatment of Endometriosis.

Endometriosis is defined as endometrial tissues found outside the uterine cavity. ProEGCG is a prodrug of Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a potent polyphenol found in green tea. It inhibits the development of endometriotic lesions of mouse model in vivo, with higher efficacy and more remarkable anti-oxidative ability than EGCG. Our study aims to identify the molecular binding targets and pharmacological actions of ProEGCG in treating endometriosis. Protein target interaction study is essential to fully characterize the mechanism of actions, related therapeutic effects, and side effects. We employed a combined approach, starting with an in silico reverse screening of protein targets and molecular docking, followed by in vitro cellular thermal shift assay (CESTA) to assess the stability of protein-small molecule complexes. Then microarray and immunostaining of endometriotic lesions in mice in vivo confirmed the molecular interaction of the selected targets after treatment. Our study identified enzymes nicotinamide nucleotide adenylyltransferase (NMNAT)1 and NMNAT3 as protein targets of ProEGCG in silico and in vitro and were overexpressed after ProEGCG treatment in vivo. These findings suggested that participation in nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism potentially regulated the redox status of endometriosis via its antioxidative capacities through binding to the potential therapeutic targets of ProEGCG.