An Effective Antiviral Approach Targeting Hepatitis B Virus with NJK14047, a Novel and Selective Biphenyl Amide p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Inhibitor.

Despite recent advances in therapeutic strategies against hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, chronic hepatitis B remains a major global health burden. Recent studies have shown that targeting host factors instead of viral factors can be an effective antiviral strategy with low risk of the development of resistance. Efforts to identify host factors affecting viral replication have identified p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) as a possible target for antiviral strategies against various viruses, including HBV. Here, a series of biphenyl amides were synthesized as novel p38 MAPK selective inhibitors and assessed for their anti-HBV activities. The suppression of HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) production by these compounds was positively correlated with p38 MAPK-inhibitory activity. The selected compound NJK14047 displayed significant anti-HBV activity, as determined by HBsAg production, HBeAg secretion, and HBV production. NJK14047 efficiently suppressed the secretion of HBV antigens and HBV particles from HBV genome-transfected cells and HBV-infected sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide-expressing human hepatoma cells. Furthermore, NJK14047 treatment resulted in a significant decrease of pregenomic RNA and covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) of HBV in HBV-harboring cells, indicating its ability to inhibit HBV replication. Considering that suppression of HBsAg secretion and elimination of cccDNA of HBV are the major aims of anti-HBV therapeutic strategies, the results suggested the potential use of these compounds as a novel class of anti-HBV agents targeting host factors critical for viral infection.

A novel p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) specific inhibitor suppresses respiratory syncytial virus and influenza A virus replication by inhibiting virus-induced p38 MAPK activation.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza A virus are leading causes of acute lower respiratory infectious disease. Respiratory diseases caused by RSV and influenza A virus result in serious economic burden and life-threatening disease for immunocompromised people. With the revelation that p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity in host cells is crucial for infection and replication of RSV and influenza A virus, inhibition of p38 MAPK activity has been suggested as a potential antiviral therapeutic strategy. However, the low selectivity and high toxicity of the p38 MAPK inhibitors necessitate the development of better inhibitors. Herein, we report the synthesis of a novel p38 MAPK inhibitor, NJK14047, with high kinase selectivity. In this work, it was demonstrated that NJK14047 inhibits RSV- and influenza A-mediated p38 MAPK activation in epithelial cells. Subsequently, NJK14047 treatment resulted in decreased viral replication and viral mRNA synthesis. In addition, secretion of interleukin-6 from infected cells was greatly diminished by NJK14047, suggesting that it can ameliorate immunopathological responses to RSV and influenza A. Collectively, the results suggest that NJK14047 has therapeutic potential to treat respiratory viral infection through the suppression of p38 MAPK activation, which is suggested to be an essential step for respiratory virus infection.

Identification of novel estrogen receptor (ER) agonists that have additional and complementary anti-cancer activities via ER-independent mechanism.

In this study, a series of bis(4-hydroxy)benzophenone oxime ether derivatives such as 12c, 12e and 12h were identified as novel estrogen receptor (ER) agonists that have additional and complementary anti-proliferative activities via ER-independent mechanism in cancer cells. These compounds are expected to overcome the therapeutic limitation of existing ER agonists such as estradiol and tamoxifen, which have been known to induce the proliferation of cancer cells.

A versatile approach to flavones via a one-pot Pd(II)-catalyzed dehydrogenation/oxidative boron-Heck coupling sequence of chromanones.

A variety of flavones were expediently synthesized from readily accessible chromanones via a one-pot sequence involving Pd(II)-catalyzed dehydrogenation and oxidative boron-Heck coupling with arylboronic acid pinacol esters. In particular, the use of arylboronic acid pinacol esters was found to significantly improve the yield of the reaction.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of N-cyclopropylbenzamide-benzophenone hybrids as novel and selective p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitors.

A series of hybrid molecules consisting of benzophenones and N-cyclopropyl-3-methylbenzamides were synthesized and biologically evaluated as novel p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitors. In particular, we found that compound 10g displayed potent p38α MAPK inhibitory activity (IC50=0.027 µM), high kinase selectivity, and significant anti-inflammatory activity in THP-1 monocyte cells.

Xanthohumol prevents dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis via inhibition of IKKß/NF-κB signaling in mice.

Xanthohumol (XN), a prenylated chalcone isolated from the hop plant, has been reported to exhibit multiple biological functions including anti-inflammation. However, the pharmacological function of XN on colitis remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of synthesized XN and molecular mechanism on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced experimental colitis. XN attenuated the colitis symptoms along with the prevention of colonic lesions after DSS challenge. XN inhibited the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress and cyclooxygenase-2 expression in DSS-treated mice. Moreover, XN inhibited the phosphorylation of IκBα, the nuclear translocation of NF-κB subunits and the transcriptional activity of NF-κB in vivo and in vitro. In contrast to XN, isoXN showed much less effects on the kinase activity of IKKß and IκBα phosphorylation induced by XN in this study, suggesting that an electrophilic carbon center present in XN is critical for the anti-inflammation in colitis, especially inhibition of IKKß/NF-κB signaling pathway. Consistently, our docking analysis revealed that XN could bind to the active site, presumably at the Cys99 of IKKß. Taken together, these findings demonstrate a new function of XN to inhibit IKKß/NF-κB signaling, suggesting XN could be the potential therapeutic agent for the prevention of colitis.

NJK14013, a novel synthetic estrogen receptor-α agonist, exhibits estrogen receptor-independent, tumor cell-specific cytotoxicity.

Estrogens act through interactions with estrogen receptors (ERs) to play diverse roles in various pathophysiological conditions. A number of synthetic selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), such as tamoxifen and raloxifene, have been developed and used to treat ER-related diseases, including breast cancer and osteoporosis. Here, we identified a novel compound, bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)methanone-O-isopentyl oxime, designated NJK14013, as an ER agonist. NJK14013 activated ER-dependent transcription in a concentration-dependent manner, while suppressing androgen receptor-dependent transcriptional activity. It induced the activation-related phosphorylation of ER and enhanced the transcription of growth regulation by estrogen in breast cancer 1 (GREB1), further supporting its ER-stimulating activity. NJK14013 exerted anti-proliferative effects on various cancer cell lines, including an ER-negative breast cancer cell line, suggesting that it is capable of suppressing the growth of cancer cells independent of its ER-modulating activity. In addition, NJK14013 treatment resulted in significant apoptotic death of MCF7 and Ishikawa cancer cells, but did not induce apoptosis in non-cancer human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that NJK14013 is a novel SERM that can activate ER-mediated transcription in MCF7 cells and suppress the proliferation of various cancer cells, including breast cancer cells and endometrial cancer cells. These results suggest that NJK14013 has potential as a novel SERM for anticancer or hormone-replacement therapy with reduced risk of carcinogenesis.