Synthesis of Novel Imine Stilbene Analogs Exhibiting Potent Anticancer Activity.

BACKGROUND: Resveratrol (RV) and its analogues Aza-stilbenes were found effective in exhibiting anticancer activity. OBJECTIVE: The present study mainly focused on the green synthesis of novel imine stilbene analogues and evaluation of their anticancer activity besides their influence on hypoxia-induced gene expression in cancer cells. METHOD: Novel imine stilbenes, differing in number and/or position of hydroxyl and methoxy functional groups, have been synthesized using green chemistry mediated condensation reaction between aldehydes and amines in the ethanolic extract of Psoralea corylifolia hairy roots and tested for their anticancer potential. RESULTS: Ethanol containing 1% hairy root extract facilitated instant reaction and yielded more than 99% product( s). MTT assay on HeLa cells treated with imine stilbene analogues revealed an increase in the inhibition of cell proliferation as compared to RV. Treatment of nontumor HEK293 cells with these compounds disclosed minimal toxicity implying the selective advantage of these compounds for cervical cancer therapy. Scratch assay on HeLa cells displayed inhibition of directional cell motility by these analogues and compound 3e [4-((E)-(4- hydroxyphenylimino)methyl)-2-methoxyphenol] recorded maximum inhibition. In reporter assay, as compared to untreated N-(2-Methoxy-2-oxoacetyl) glycine methyl ester (DMOG) induced cells, hypoxia response element- directed transcriptional activity has been significantly reduced in DMOG induced cells treated with imine stilbene analogues. CONCLUSION: Overall results indicated that four of the five imine stilbene analogues exhibited enhanced anticancer activity than that of the RV. As such, the novel synthetic compounds 3d, 3e and 3b endowed with potent anticancer activity than RV can serve as drug lead molecules.

Association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of PADI4 gene with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Indian population.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease affecting ~ 1% of the population worldwide. The genome wide association studies on RA patients revealed linkage with 1p36 locus containing peptidyl arginine deiminase 4 (PADI4) genes. Case-control association studies and mRNA stability assays reported the association of PADI4 gene with RA in Korean and Japanese populations. However, such association was not found in Spanish population. Differences in the association of PADI4 with RA in different populations prompted the present study in Indian population. Anti-CCP antibodies, RF antibody, disease activity scores at 28 joints (DAS28) and mutations in three exons of PADI4 were investigated in RA patients and control group. Among the patients anti-CCP antibody levels were found to be associated with high DAS28 values (r = 0.4526, P < 0.0001). Polymorphism in exon-4 (padi4_104, [rs1748033]) of PADI4 showed significant association of 'C' allele with RA in the study population (P = 0.0008). Polymorphism in exon-3 (padi4_92, [rs874881]) also exhibited moderate association with the disease (P = 0.075). However, no association of the disease was found with the SNPs padi4_89 [rs11203366] and padi4_90 [rs11203367] in exon-2 of PADI4.

Curcumin is not a ligand for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ

Curcumin, a compound found in the spice turmeric, has been shown to possess a number of beneficial biological activities exerted through a variety of different mechanisms. Some curcumin effects have been reported to involve activation of the nuclear transcription factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ), but the concept that curcumin might be a PPAR-γ ligand remains controversial. Results reported here demonstrate that, in contrast to the PPAR-γ ligands ciglitazone and rosiglitazone, curcumin is inactive in five different reporter or DNA-binding assays, does not displace [(3)H]rosiglitazone from the PPAR-γ ligand-binding site, and does not induce PPAR-γ-dependent differentiation of preadipocytes, while its ability to inhibit fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation is not affected by any of four PPAR-γ antagonists. These multiple lines of evidence conclusively demonstrate that curcumin is not a PPAR-γ ligand and indicate the need for further investigation of the mechanisms through which the compound acts.