C-30 analogues of betulinic acid as potent cytotoxic agents: design, synthesis, biological evaluation and in-silico studies.

In an endeavour to improve the anti-cancer activity of betulinic acid (BA), a series of C-30 derivatives were envisaged and synthesized with a novel synthetic approach. All the derivatives were evaluated for cytotoxic activity by MTT assay against six different human cancer cell lines: prostate (PC3), lung (A549), human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2), human leukemia (Molt-4), pancreatic (Panc-1) and breast (MCF-7). The data revealed that compound 16 was observed most promising cytotoxic agent with IC50 values of 7.43 µM, 9.1 µM, and 9.64 µM against A549, MCF-7, and PC3 cancer cell lines respectively. A further mechanistic study confirmed compound 16 showed significant cell death by arresting the cell cycle in the G1 phase and inducing apoptosis in A549 cells.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Mesenchymal stem cells are prospective novel off-the-shelf wound management tools.

Chronic/non-healing cutaneous wounds pose a debilitating burden on patients and healthcare system. Presently, treatment modalities are rapidly shifting pace from conventional methods to advanced wound care involving cell-based therapies. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have come across as a prospective option due to its pleiotropic functions viz. non-immunogenicity, multipotency, multi-lineage plasticity and secretion of growth factors, cytokines, microRNAs (miRNA), exosomes, and microvesicles as part of their secretome for assisting wound healing. We outline the therapeutic role played by MSCs and its secretome in suppressing tissue inflammation, causing immunomodulation, aiding angiogenesis and assisting in scar-free wound healing. We further assess the mechanism of action by which MSCs contribute in manifesting tissue repair. The review flows ahead in exploring factors that influence healing behavior including effect of multiple donor sites, donor age and health status, tissue microenvironment, and in vitro expansion capability. Moving ahead, we overview the advancements achieved in extending the lifespan of cells upon implantation, influence of genetic modifications aimed at altering MSC cargo, and evaluating bioengineered matrix-assisted delivery methods toward faster healing in preclinical and clinical models. We also contribute toward highlighting the challenges faced in commercializing cell-based therapies as standard of care treatment regimens. Finally, we strongly advocate and highlight its application as a futuristic technology for revolutionizing tissue regeneration.