Myofibroblast-specific inhibition of the Rho kinase-MRTF-SRF pathway using nanotechnology for the prevention of pulmonary fibrosis.

Pulmonary fibrosis is characterized by the accumulation of myofibroblasts in the lung and progressive tissue scarring. Fibroblasts exist across a spectrum of states, from quiescence in health to activated myofibroblasts in the setting of injury. Highly activated myofibroblasts have a critical role in the establishment of fibrosis as the predominant source of type 1 collagen and profibrotic mediators. Myofibroblasts are also highly contractile cells and can alter lung biomechanical properties through tissue contraction. Inhibiting signaling pathways involved in myofibroblast activation could therefore have significant therapeutic value. One of the ways myofibroblast activation occurs is through activation of the Rho/myocardin-related transcription factor (MRTF)/serum response factor (SRF) pathway, which signals through intracellular actin polymerization. However, concerns surrounding the pleiotropic and ubiquitous nature of these signaling pathways have limited the translation of inhibitory drugs. Herein, we demonstrate a novel therapeutic antifibrotic strategy using myofibroblast-targeted nanoparticles containing a MTRF/SRF pathway inhibitor (CCG-1423), which has been shown to block myofibroblast activation in vitro. Myofibroblasts were preferentially targeted via the angiotensin 2 receptor, which has been shown to be selectively upregulated in animal and human studies. These nanoparticles were nontoxic and accumulated in lung myofibroblasts in the bleomycin-induced mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis, reducing the number of these activated cells and their production of profibrotic mediators. Ultimately, in a murine model of lung fibrosis, a single injection of these drugs containing targeted nanoagents reduced fibrosis as compared with control mice. This approach has the potential to deliver personalized therapy by precisely targeting signaling pathways in a cell-specific manner, allowing increased efficacy with reduced deleterious off-target effects.

Molecular dynamics analysis of the binding of human interleukin-6 with interleukin-6 α-receptor.

Human interleukin-6 (hIL-6) is a multifunctional cytokine that regulates immune and inflammatory responses in addition to metabolic and regenerative processes and cancer. hIL-6 binding to the IL-6 receptor (IL-6Rα) induces homodimerization and recruitment of the glycoprotein (gp130) to form a hexameric signaling complex. Anti-IL-6 and IL-6R antibodies are clinically approved inhibitors of IL-6 signaling pathway for treating rheumatoid arthritis and Castleman's disease, respectively. There is a potential to develop novel small molecule IL-6 antagonists derived from understanding the structural basis for IL-6/IL-6Rα interactions. Here, we combine homology modeling with extensive molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to examine the association of hIL-6 with IL-6Rα. A comparison with MD of apo hIL-6 reveals that the binding of hIL-6 to IL-6Rα induces structural and dynamic rearrangements in the AB loop region of hIL-6, disrupting intraprotein contacts and increasing the flexibility of residues 48 to 58 of the AB loop. In contrast, due to the involvement of residues 59 to 78 in forming contacts with the receptor, these residues of the AB loop are observed to rigidify in the presence of the receptor. The binary complex is primarily stabilized by two pairs of salt bridges, Arg181 (hIL-6)- Glu182 (IL-6Rα) and Arg184 (hIL-6)- Glu183 (IL-6Rα) as well as hydrophobic and aromatic stacking interactions mediated essentially by Phe residues in both proteins. An interplay of electrostatic, hydrophobic, hydrogen bonding, and aromatic stacking interactions facilitates the formation of the hIL-6/IL-6Rα complex.

A benzotriazole-mediated route to protected marine-derived hetero-2,5-diketopiperazines containing proline.

A procedure for the cyclization of dipeptidoyl benzotriazolides containing proline derivatives promoted by triethylamine under MW activation is introduced. The reaction is general for a variety of dipeptidoyl benzotriazolides and represents a very practical and convenient method for the preparation of Pro- or Hyp-derived 2,5-diketopiperazines (2,5-DKPs) and bis-DKPs with a disulfide linker. This method can be used for the construction of 2,5-DKP compound libraries and for the synthesis of natural products with diketopiperazine cores.

Tandem deprotection-dimerization-macrocyclization route to C(2) symmetric cyclo-tetrapeptides.

Dimerization-macrocyclization has been a long-standing problem in the cyclization of peptides since, together with the desired cyclic product, many cyclic oligomers and linear polymers may also be formed during the reaction. Therefore, the development of a process that affords the cyclic dimer predominantly is difficult. A novel and versatile strategy for the synthesis of symmetric cyclo-tetrapeptides by palladium-promoted tandem deprotection/cyclo-dimerization from readily available Cbz-dipeptidoyl benzotriazolides is reported (Cbz=carboxybenzyl).

Biomimetic Nanomaterials for the Immunomodulation of the Cardiosplenic Axis Postmyocardial Infarction.

The spleen is an important mediator of both adaptive and innate immunity. As such, attempts to modulate the immune response provided by the spleen may be conducive to improved outcomes for numerous diseases throughout the body. Here, biomimicry is used to rationally design nanomaterials capable of splenic retention and immunomodulation for the treatment of disease in a distant organ, the postinfarct heart. Engineered senescent erythrocyte-derived nanotheranostic (eSENTs) are generated, demonstrating significant uptake by the immune cells of the spleen including T and B cells, as well as monocytes and macrophages. When loaded with suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), the nanoagents exhibit a potent therapeutic effect, reducing infarct size by 14% at 72 h postmyocardial infarction when given as a single intravenous dose 2 h after injury. These results are supportive of the hypothesis that RBC-derived biomimicry may provide new approaches for the targeted modulation of the pathological processes involved in myocardial infarction, thus further experiments to decisively confirm the mechanisms of action are currently underway. This novel concept may have far-reaching applicability for the treatment of a number of both acute and chronic conditions where the immune responses are either stimulated or suppressed by the splenic (auto)immune milieu.

Ultrathin-strut versus thin-strut stent healing and outcomes in preclinical and clinical subjects.

BACKGROUND: Compared with thin-strut durable-polymer drug-eluting stents (DP-DES), ultrathin-strut biodegradable-polymer sirolimus-eluting stents (BP-SES) improve stent-related clinical outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Reduced stent strut thickness is hypothesised to underlie these benefits, but this conjecture remains unproven. AIMS: We aimed to assess the impact of strut thickness on stent healing and clinical outcomes between ultrathin-strut and thin-strut BP-SES. METHODS: First, we performed a preclinical study of 8 rabbits implanted with non-overlapping thin-strut (diameter/thickness 3.5 mm/80 µm) and ultrathin-strut (diameter/thickness 3.0 mm/60 µm) BP-SES in the infrarenal aorta. On day 7, the rabbits underwent intravascular near-infrared fluorescence optical coherence tomography (NIRF-OCT) molecular-structural imaging of fibrin deposition and stent tissue coverage, followed by histopathological analysis. Second, we conducted an individual data pooled analysis of patients enrolled in the BIOSCIENCE and BIOSTEMI randomised PCI trials treated with ultrathin-strut (n=282) or thin-strut (n=222) BP-SES. The primary endpoint was target lesion failure (TLF) at 1-year follow-up, with a landmark analysis at 30 days. RESULTS: NIRF-OCT image analyses revealed that ultrathin-strut and thin-strut BP-SES exhibited similar stent fibrin deposition (p=0.49) and percentage of uncovered stent struts (p=0.63). Histopathological assessments corroÂborated these findings. In 504 pooled randomised trial patients, TLF rates were similar for those treated with ultrathin-strut or thin-strut BP-SES at 30-day (2.5% vs 1.8%; p=0.62) and 1-year follow-up (4.3% vs 4.7%; p=0.88). CONCLUSIONS: Ultrathin-strut and thin-strut BP-SES demonstrate similar early arterial healing profiles and 30-day and 1-year clinical outcomes.

Conformationally assisted lactamizations for the synthesis of symmetrical and unsymmetrical bis-2,5-diketopiperazines.

Open-chain N-Cbz-protected-peptidoyl benzotriazolides are converted by a novel lactamization strategy using proline as a turn introducer into both symmetrical (5a-c and 11a-c) and unsymmetrical (19a-e) bis-2,5-diketopiperazines (bis-2,5-DKPs), previously recognized as difficult targets.

Nanoparticles and cytokine response.

Synthetic nanoparticles (NPs) are non-viral equivalents of viral gene delivery systems that are actively explored to deliver a spectrum of nucleic acids for diverse range of therapies. The success of the nanoparticulate delivery systems, in the form of efficacy and safety, depends on various factors related to the physicochemical features of the NPs, as well as their ability to remain "stealth" in the host environment. The initial cytokine response upon exposure to nucleic acid bearing NPs is a critical component of the host response and, unless desired, should be minimized to prevent the unintended consequences of NP administration. In this review article, we will summarize the most recent literature on cytokine responses to nanoparticulate delivery systems and identify the main factors affecting this response. The NP features responsible for eliciting the cytokine response are articulated along with other factors related to the mode of therapeutic administration. For diseases arising from altered cytokine pathophysiology, attempts to silence the individual components of cytokine response are summarized in the context of different diseases, and the roles of NP features on this respect are presented. We finish with the authors' perspective on the possibility of engineering NP systems with controlled cytokine responses. This review is intended to sensitize the reader with important issues related to cytokine elicitation of non-viral NPs and the means of controlling them to design improved interventions in the clinical setting.

Long-range intramolecular S → N acyl migration: a study of the formation of native peptide analogues via 13-, 15-, and 16-membered cyclic transition states.

The intramolecular long-range S → N acyl migration via 13-, 15-, and 16-membered cyclic transition states to form native tetra- and pentapeptide analogues was studied on S-acylcysteine peptides containing ß- or γ-amino acids. The pH-dependency study of the acyl migration via a 15-membered cyclic transition state indicated that the reaction is favored at a pH range from 7.0 to 7.6. Experimental observations are supported by structural and computational investigations.

A convenient synthesis of difficult medium-sized cyclic peptides by Staudinger mediated ring-closure.

Novel, efficient and mild preparation of 7- and 8-membered cyclic di- and 10-membered cyclic tripeptides containing α-, ß- or γ-amino acid residues is effected by a Staudinger-mediated ring closure. Medium-sized cyclic di- and tripeptides--recognized as difficult targets--were obtained in moderate to good yields according to a straightforward sequence. Empirical force-field calculations were undertaken to determine their conformational behaviors and showed high levels of similarity with X-ray results. A computational study at the B3LYP/6-31+G** level of theory afforded information regarding the impact of the sequence, ring-size and substitution on the activation barriers for the cyclization of azido peptide thioesters.

S- to N-Acyl transfer in S-acylcysteine isopeptides via 9-, 10-, 12-, and 13-membered cyclic transition states.

S-Acyl cysteine peptides containing α-, ß- or γ-amino acid residues undergo long-range S- to N-acyl transfer to give analogs of native tripeptides and tetrapeptides containing additional carbon atoms in the chain. The ease of intramolecular S → N-acyl transfer relative to intermolecular transacylation is favored increasingly for 9 < 12 < 13 ~ 10-membered cyclic transition states; the observed order is explained on conformational and intermolecular interaction considerations.

Microwave-assisted chemical ligation of S-acyl peptides containing non-terminal cysteine residues.

An efficient approach for the synthesis of a series of S-acyl peptides containing internal cysteine residues has been developed and the chemical long-range ligation of these S-acyl peptides via 5-, 8-, 11- and 14-membered cyclic transition states has been investigated. Our results include the first examples of successful isopeptide ligations starting from S-acyl peptides containing non-terminal cysteine residues and indicate that the cyclic transition states studied in this present paper are decreasingly favored in the order of their sizes 5≫14>11≫8.

In Vivo Platelet Detection Using a Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa-Targeted Near-Infrared Fluorescence Imaging Probe.

Platelets play a prominent role in multiple diseases, in particular arterial and venous thrombosis and also in atherosclerosis and cancer. To advance the in vivo study of the biological activity of this cell type from a basic experimental focus to a clinical focus, new translatable platelet-specific molecular imaging agents are required. Herein, we report the development of a near-infrared fluorescence probe based upon tirofiban, a clinically approved small-molecule glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor (GPIIb/IIIa). Through in vitro experiments with human platelets and in vivo ones in a murine model of deep-vein thrombosis, we demonstrate the avidity of the generated probe for activated platelets, with the added benefit of a short blood half-life, thereby enabling rapid in vivo visualization within the vasculature.

Colorectal and anal symptoms in women with urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Our aim was to determine the prevalence of colorectal and anal (CRA) symptoms in women with urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse (UI/POP) in a predominantly Latina population. METHODS: We reviewed charts of women seen in the urogynecology clinic for UI/POP for those who completed the colorectal anal distress inventory-8 (CRADI-8) on their first visit. A detailed history was taken independent of the questionnaire. RESULTS: Two hundred sixty-five women completed the questionnaire; 94% were Latina; 89% completed the questionnaire in Spanish. Of the women, 88% indicated at least one CRA symptom: 60% reported needing to strain hard to have a bowel movement; 59% reported sensation of incomplete bowel emptying; 21% indicated incontinence of solid or liquid stool, and an additional 30% of women reported flatal incontinence only, for a total anal incontinence rate of 58%. CONCLUSION: CRA symptoms are highly prevalent among women with UI/POP who completed the CRADI-8 in a predominantly Latina patient population.

Sexual satisfaction and quality of life in major depressive disorder before and after treatment with citalopram in the STAR*D study.

OBJECTIVE: Major depressive disorder (MDD) patients often experience impaired sexual satisfaction (ISS) and poor quality of life (QOL). Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), the first-line treatment for MDD, can cause sexual dysfunction, potentially worsening ISS and QOL. This study examined the impact of MDD and the SSRI citalopram on sexual satisfaction and QOL in level 1 of the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) trial (July 2001-September 2006). METHOD: A retrospective analysis was conducted of the change in sexual satisfaction, as measured by item 9 of the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire, the primary outcome measure, in 2,280 patients with DSM-IV-TR-defined MDD who were treated with citalopram for 12 weeks. The Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self Report was used to evaluate the impact of depression ratings on impaired sexual satisfaction and on QOL. RESULTS: Impaired sexual satisfaction was present in 64.3% of MDD patients at pretreatment, but that percentage declined to 47.1% at posttreatment with citalopram (P < .0001). Those who achieved remission had less ISS and better QOL. The prevalence of ISS in remitters was 21.2% versus 61.3% in nonremitters (P < 10(-8)). The mean ± standard deviation score for remitters increased from 2.32 ± 1.16 to 3.44 ± 1.23 (P < 10(-8); Cohen d = 0.81 [large effect size]), whereas in nonremitters it increased only from 1.99 ± 1.08 to 2.19 ± 1.19 (P < 10(-8); Cohen d = 0.16). The difference between remitters and nonremitters was highly significant (P < 10(-8)). Regression analyses at pretreatment and posttreatment demonstrated significant associations between depressive symptoms and ISS (P < .0001) and between ISS and lower QOL (P < .0001) as well as an association between citalopram and increased probability of ISS and a poorer QOL in patients who continue to have moderate-to-severe depression. CONCLUSIONS: A majority of MDD patients have impaired sexual satisfaction, a symptom associated with poor QOL. Despite the sexual side effects of the SSR citalopram, treating depression to full remission was associated with improvements in sexual satisfaction and QOL. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00021528.

Quality of life in borderline personality disorder.

OBJECTIVE: To review the literature on quality of life (QoL) in borderline personality disorder (BPD) by examining the use of QoL instruments, the extent of QoL impairments in BPD, and the impact of treatment on QoL in BPD. METHODS: Studies were identified through PubMed and PsycINFO searches for articles from 1980 to 2011 using the following keywords: quality of life OR health-related quality of life OR QOL OR HRQOL AND borderline personality disorder. We focused our search on studies that actually measured QoL. Two authors agreed independently on including 25 studies that met specific selection criteria. RESULTS: The data on QoL in BPD are still sparse, with high heterogeneity in the instruments used to measure QoL, which decreases the comparability of existing studies. EQ-5D, WHOQOL, SF-36, Satisfaction Profile, and Q-LESQ have been utilized as QoL measures in BPD research. The reviewed studies uniformly demonstrated grave impairments in QoL of BPD patients. The available evidence indicates that BPD treatments improve not only psychiatric symptoms but also QoL, as shown by psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy studies. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether current treatments are able to restore QoL to community norms. CONCLUSIONS: QoL is gaining more importance as an outcome measure of psychiatric interventions. Research evidence confirms that QoL is seriously impaired in BPD and that QoL improves with treatment. Further research is needed to build a consensus on the utilization of QoL measures and to improve their validity in BPD. More importantly, future studies need to develop and test interventions to improve QoL in BPD.

Attitude toward humor in patients experiencing depressive symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: This study measures the correlation between disposition to humor and level of depression to investigate openness to humorous interventions for the treatment of depression.Design, Participants, and Measurement: Individuals (n=200) with depression received questionnaires to assess their sense of humor and attitude toward humor using the Svebak's Humor Questionnaire and a disposition toward humor questionnaire. The correlation between Svebak's Humor Questionnaire scores and Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self Report scores was then measured. RESULTS were further analyzed by race, age, and gender to assess any emerging trends within those groups. RESULTS: Svebak's Humor Questionnaire mean scores remained high across gender, race, and age. However, there was not a statistically significant correlation between the level of depression and sense of humor (r=-0.22). The only significant relationship noted was between disposition toward humor and depression was for subjects aged 70 and older (r=-0.83). CONCLUSION: Though with certain limitations, these data provide preliminary support for the possibility that an appreciation of humor would persist despite symptoms of major depressive disorder. Clinicians could consider humor as part of an intervention in the treatment of depressive symptoms. The determination of the type of humor and manner of integrating it into therapy would require further study.

The impact of psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, and their combination on quality of life in depression.

BACKGROUND: Quality of life (QOL) is known to be negatively affected during the course of major depressive disorder. Various studies have documented the benefits of pharmacotherapy or psychotherapy alone on QOL in depression, with few studies examining combined treatment. This review will examine the evidence for the impact of each modality, as well as their combination, on QOL in depression. METHODS: Using the key terms depression, depress*, major depress*, quality of life, antidepressant*, and psychotherapy, MEDLINE and PsycINFO searches were conducted to identify treatment-outcome studies that used known QOL measurements over the past twenty-six years (1984 to 2010). RESULTS: Significant improvements in depressive symptomatology and QOL measurements were found with pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, and their combination, with some studies showing greater improvement following combined treatment than with either intervention alone. CONCLUSIONS: Substantial evidence suggests that psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, and their combination have favorable effects on QOL in depression. While some studies have shown that combined therapy is superior than either of the two forms alone in improving QOL, additional research is needed to elucidate this effect. QOL measurement is an important dimension of treatment-outcome assessment in patients with depression.