ZBTB7A regulates LncRNA HOTAIR-mediated ELAVL1/SOX17 axis to inhibit malignancy and angiogenesis in endometrial carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Endometrial cancer (EC) is the sixth most frequent cancer in women worldwide and has higher fatality rates. The pathophysiology of EC is complex, and there are currently no reliable methods for diagnosing and treating the condition. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), according to mounting evidence, is vital to the pathophysiology of EC. HOTAIR is regarded as a significant prognostic indicator of EC. ZBTB7A decreased EC proliferation and migration, according to recent studies, however the underlying mechanism still needs to be clarified. METHODS: The research utilized RT-qPCR to measure HOTAIR expression in clinical EC tissues and various EC cell lines. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was employed to correlate HOTAIR levels with patient prognosis. Additionally, the study examined the interaction between ZBTB7A and HOTAIR using bioinformatics tools and ChIP assays. The experimental approach also involved manipulating the expression levels of HOTAIR and ZBTB7A in EC cell lines and assessing the impact on various cellular processes and gene expression. RESULTS: The study found significantly higher levels of HOTAIR in EC tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues, with high HOTAIR expression correlating with poorer survival rates and advanced cancer characteristics. EC cell lines like HEC-1 A and KLE showed higher HOTAIR levels compared to normal cells. Knockdown of HOTAIR in these cell lines reduced proliferation, angiogenesis, and migration. ZBTB7A was found to be inversely correlated with HOTAIR, and its overexpression led to a decrease in HOTAIR levels and a reduction in malignant cell behaviors. The study also uncovered that HOTAIR interacts with ELAVL1 to regulate SOX17, which in turn activates the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway, promoting malignant behaviors in EC cells. CONCLUSION: HOTAIR is a critical regulator in EC, contributing to tumor growth and poor prognosis. Its interaction with ZBTB7A and regulation of SOX17 via the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway underlines its potential as a therapeutic target.

α1-COP modulates plasmodesmata function through sphingolipid enzyme regulation.

Callose, a ß-1,3-glucan plant cell wall polymer, regulates symplasmic channel size at plasmodesmata (PD) and plays a crucial role in a variety of plant processes. However, elucidating the molecular mechanism of PD callose homeostasis is limited. We screened and identified an Arabidopsis mutant plant with excessive callose deposition at PD and found that the mutated gene was α1-COP, a member of the coat protein I (COPI) coatomer complex. We report that loss of function of α1-COP elevates the callose accumulation at PD by affecting subcellular protein localization of callose degradation enzyme PdBG2. This process is linked to the functions of ERH1, an inositol phosphoryl ceramide synthase, and glucosylceramide synthase through physical interactions with the α1-COP protein. Additionally, the loss of function of α1-COP alters the subcellular localization of ERH1 and GCS proteins, resulting in a reduction of GlcCers and GlcHCers molecules, which are key sphingolipid (SL) species for lipid raft formation. Our findings suggest that α1-COP protein, together with SL modifiers controlling lipid raft compositions, regulates the subcellular localization of GPI-anchored PDBG2 proteins, and hence the callose turnover at PD and symplasmic movement of biomolecules. Our findings provide the first key clue to link the COPI-mediated intracellular trafficking pathway to the callose-mediated intercellular signaling pathway through PD.

Polyphenolic Platform Ameliorated Sanshool for Skin Photoprotection.

Natural evolution has nurtured a series of active molecules that play vital roles in physiological systems, but their further applications have been severely limited by rapid deactivation, short cycle time, and potential toxicity after isolation. For instance, the instability of structures and properties has greatly descended when sanshool is derived from Zanthoxylum xanthoxylum. Herein, natural polyphenols are employed to boost the key properties of sanshool by fabricating a series of nanoparticles (NPs). The intracellular evaluation and in vivo animal model are conducted to demonstrate the decreased photodamage score and skin-fold thickness of prepared NPs, which can be attributed to the better biocompatibility, improved free radical scavenging, down-regulated apoptosis ratios, and reduced DNA double-strand breaks compared to naked sanshool. This work proposes a novel strategy to boost the key properties of naturally occurring active molecules with the assistance of natural polyphenol-based platforms.

Clinical and Dosimetric Results of Proton or Photon Radiation Therapy for Large (>5 cm) Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Retrospective Analysis.

PURPOSE: Our purpose was to report the clinical and dosimetric attributes of patients with large unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing proton or photon radiation therapy. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We retrospectively analyzed the outcomes and dosimetric indices of 159 patients with >5 cm nonmetastatic HCC who underwent definitive radiation therapy using either protons (N = 105) or photons (N = 54) between 2014 and 2018. Additional photon plans were performed in the 105 proton-treated patients using the same dose prescription criteria for intragroup dosimetric comparison. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 47 months, patients with biologically effective dose (BED10) ≥ 75 Gy exhibited significantly better local control (LC; 2-year: 85.6% vs 20.5%; P < .001), progression-free survival (PFS; median, 7.4 vs 3.2 months; P < .001), and overall survival (OS; median, 18.1 vs 7.3 months; P < .001) compared with those with BED10 < 75 Gy. Notably, proton-treated patients had a significantly higher BED10 (96 vs 67 Gy; P < .001) and improved LC (2-year: 88.5% vs 33.8%; P < .001), PFS (median, 7.4 vs 3.3 months; P = .001), and OS (median, 18.9 vs 8.3 months; P < .001) than those undergoing photon radiation therapy. Furthermore, patients treated with protons had significantly lower V1 of the liver (P < .001), mean upper gastrointestinal tract dose (P < .001), and mean splenic dose (P < .001), with significantly decreased incidences of radiation-induced liver disease (P = .007), grade ≥3 upper gastrointestinal bleeding (P = .001), and grade ≥3 lymphopenia (P = .003). On multivariate analysis, proton radiation therapy consistently correlated with superior LC (P < .001), PFS (P < .001), and OS (P < .001). In intragroup dosimetric comparison, photon plans demonstrated significantly higher mean liver dose (P < .001) compared with actually delivered proton treatments, and 72 (69%) of them had mean liver dose exceeding 28 Gy, which necessitated target dose de-escalation. CONCLUSIONS: In the context of large HCC radiation therapy, a higher target BED10 was associated with improved outcomes. Notably, proton therapy has demonstrated the capability to deliver ablative doses while also being accompanied by fewer instances of severe toxicity.

Short-term risk and long-term incidence rate of infection and malignancy with IL-17 and IL-23 inhibitors in adult patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The risk of infection and malignancy may be a concern for patients with psoriasis receiving interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-23 inhibitors, particularly with long-term treatments. We aimed to estimate the short-term risks and long-term incidence rates of infection and malignancy with IL-17 or IL-23 antagonists in adult patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis through this comprehensive meta-analysis (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022363127). We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science and ClinicalTrials.gov until May 17, 2023 for randomized placebo-controlled trials and long-term (≥ 52 weeks) open-label extension studies. The estimates of short-term risk ratios (RRs) and long-term exposure-adjusted incidence rates (EAIRs) were pooled using R software 4.1.1 and STATA 16.0. This review included 45 randomized placebo-controlled studies and 27 open-label extension studies. Short-term RRs of serious infection, overall infection and malignancy were 1.45 (95% confidence intervals, 95% CI: 0.81-2.59), 1.20 (95% CI: 1.06-1.35), 0.83 (95% CI: 0.41-1.71) with IL-17 inhibitors; and 0.68 (95% CI: 0.38-1.22), 1.13 (95% CI: 1.00-1.28), 0.87 (95% CI: 0.37-2.04) with IL-23 inhibitors. Increased short-term risks of nasopharyngitis and Candida infection with IL-17 inhibitors were found. Long-term EAIRs of serious infection, overall infection, nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC), malignancies excluding NMSC, nasopharyngitis and upper respiratory tract infection were 1.11/100 patient-years (PYs), 57.78/100PYs, 0.47/100PYs, 0.24/100PYs, 15.07/100PYs, 8.52/100PYs, 3.41/100PYs with IL-17 inhibitors; and 1.09/100PYs, 48.50/100PYs, 0.40/100PYs, 0.43/100PYs, 10.75/100PYs, 5.84/100PYs with IL-23 inhibitors. Long-term EAIR of Candida infection was 3.41/100PYs with IL-17 inhibitors. No active or reactivated tuberculosis was ever reported in all the trials, and only a few cases of latent tuberculosis, hepatitis, and herpes zoster were reported during the long-term extension periods. No evidence of increased EAIRs of infection and malignancy with longer durations was found. Our study suggested that short-term risk and long-term incidence of infections and malignancies in psoriasis patients receiving IL-17 inhibitors and IL-23 inhibitors are generally low. However, close monitoring is required for nasopharyngitis and Candida infection with IL-17 inhibitors. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42022363127.

A meta-analysis of the effectiveness of antibacterial bone cement in the treatment of diabetic foot skin wound infections.

A meta-analysis research was implemented to appraise the effect of antibiotic bone cement (ABC) in treating infected diabetic foot wounds (IDFWs). Inclusive literature research till April 2023 was done and 1237 interconnected researches were revised. The 15 selected researches enclosed 895 IDFWs persons were in the utilized researchers' starting point, 449 of them were utilizing ABC, and 446 were in the control group. Odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals were utilized to appraise the consequence of ABC in treating IDFWs by the contentious approach and a fixed or random model. ABC had significantly lower wound healing time (MD, -9.83; 95% CI, -12.45--7.20, p < 0.001), and time to bacterial conversion of the wound (MD, -7.30; 95% CI, -10.38--4.32, p < 0.001) compared to control in IDFWs persons. However, caution needs to be taken when interacting with its values since there was a low sample size of most of the chosen research found for the comparisons in the meta-analysis.

Inhibition of lysosome-tethered Ragulator-Rag-3D complex restricts the replication of Enterovirus 71 and Coxsackie A16.

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) and Coxsackie A16 (CVA16) are two major causative agents of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) in young children. However, the mechanisms regulating the replication and pathogenesis of EV71/CVA16 remain incompletely understood. We performed a genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 knockout screen and identified Ragulator as a mediator of EV71-induced apoptosis and pyroptosis. The Ragulator-Rag complex is required for EV71 and CVA16 replication. Upon infection, the Ragulator-Rag complex recruits viral 3D protein to the lysosomal surface through the interaction between 3D and RagB. Disruption of the lysosome-tethered Ragulator-Rag-3D complex significantly impairs the replication of EV71/CVA16. We discovered a novel EV71 inhibitor, ZHSI-1, which interacts with 3D and significantly reduces the lysosomal tethering of 3D. ZHSI-1 treatment significantly represses replication of EV71/CVA16 as well as virus-induced pyroptosis associated with viral pathogenesis. Importantly, ZHSI-1 treatment effectively protects against EV71 infection in neonatal and young mice. Thus, our study indicates that targeting lysosome-tethered Ragulator-Rag-3D may be an effective therapeutic strategy for HFMD.

Efficacy and safety profile of dupilumab for the treatment of atopic dermatitis in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Dupilumab is the first biologic approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) in children and adolescents. Previous systematic reviews explored the effectiveness and safety of dupilumab in adults with AD. However, the underlying mechanisms of AD can vary among different age groups, emphasizing the need for separate investigation into the use of dupilumab in children and adolescents with AD. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of dupilumab in children and adolescents with AD based on evidence from clinical trials and observational studies. METHODS: The process of meta-analysis was conducted according to preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines. RESULTS: Seven clinical trials and 11 observational studies involving 1275 children and adolescents with AD were eligible for quantitative analysis. Overall, the pooled percentages of eczema area and severity index (EASI) 50, EASI 75, EASI 90, EASI 100, and investigator's global assessment (IGA) 0/1 were 72.9% (95% CI: 61.6%-81.9%), 57.4% (48.1%-66.2%), 31.3% (24.0%-39.7%), 29.7% (23.3%-37.0%), and 35.2% (29.3%-41.5%). With prolonged treatment time, an increase was seen in the pooled rate of EASI response, indicating that dupilumab may provide sustained benefits for children and adolescents over the long term. The reported adverse events were primarily mild and manageable, with an overall incidence rate of 7.2% across clinical trials and 7.6% across observational studies. CONCLUSION: Dupilumab was an effective and safe treatment option for children and adolescents with AD, with positive results observed from long-term use and an acceptable safety profile. More long-term, high-quality, controlled studies in different regions are needed for further verification.

Self-Enhancement of Water Electrolysis by Electrolyte-Poled Ferroelectric Catalyst.

Efficient and durable electrocatalysts with superior activity are needed for the production of green hydrogen with a high yield and low energy consumption. Electrocatalysts based on transition metal oxides hold dominance due to their abundant natural resources, regulable physical properties, and good adaptation to a solution. In numerous oxide catalyst materials, ferroelectrics, possessing semiconducting characteristics and switchable spontaneous polarization, have been considered promising photoelectrodes for solar water splitting. However, few investigations noted their potential as electrocatalysts. In this study, we report an efficient electrocatalytic electrode made of a BiFeO3/nickel foam heterostructure, which displays a smaller overpotential and higher current density than the blank nickel foam electrode. Moreover, when in contact with an alkaline solution, the bond between hydroxyls and the BiFeO3 surface induces a large area of upward self-polarization, lowering the adsorption energy of subsequent adsorbates and facilitating oxygen and hydrogen evolution reaction. Our work demonstrates an infrequent pathway of using functional semiconducting materials for exploiting highly efficient electrocatalytic electrodes.

Synthesis and evaluation of dihydrofuro[2,3-b]pyridine derivatives as potent IRAK4 inhibitors.

Interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 4 (IRAK4) is a key regulator to control downstream NF-κB and MAPK signals in the innate immune response and has been proposed as a therapeutic target for the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Herein, a series of IRAK4 inhibitors based on a dihydrofuro[2,3-b]pyridine scaffold was developed. Structural modifications of the screening hit 16 (IC50 = 243 nM) led to IRAK4 inhibitors with improved potency but high clearance (Cl) and poor oral bioavailability, as exemplified by compound 21 (IC50 = 6.2 nM, Cl = 43 ml/min/kg, F = 1.6%, LLE = 5.4). Structure modification aimed at improving LLE and reducing clearance identified compound 38. Compound 38 showed significantly improved clearance while maintained excellent biochemical potency against IRAK4 (IC50 = 7.3 nM, Cl = 12 ml/min/kg, F = 21%, LLE = 6.0). Importantly, compound 38 had favorable in vitro safety and ADME profiles. Furthermore, compound 38 reduced the in vitro production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in both mouse iBMDMs and human PBMCs and was orally efficacious in the inhibition of serum TNF-α secretion in LPS-induced mouse model. These findings suggested that compound 38 has development potential as an IRAK4 inhibitor for the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune disorders.

Protective Effect of Vaccine Doses and Antibody Titers Against SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Kidney Transplant Recipients.

Patients undergoing kidney transplantation have a poor response to vaccination and a higher risk of disease progression of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The effectiveness of vaccine doses and antibody titer tests against the mutant variant in these patients remains unclear. We retrospectively analyzed the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in a single medical center according to vaccine doses and immune responses before the outbreak. Among 622 kidney transplant patients, there were 77 patients without vaccination, 26 with one dose, 74 with two doses, 357 with three, and 88 with four doses. The vaccination status and infection rate proportion were similar to the general population. Patients undergoing more than three vaccinations had a lower risk of infection (odds ratio = 0.6527, 95% CI = 0.4324-0.9937) and hospitalization (odds ratio = 0.3161, 95% CI = 0.1311-0.7464). Antibody and cellular responses were measured in 181 patients after vaccination. Anti-spike protein antibody titer of more than 1,689.3 BAU/mL is protective against SARS-CoV-2 infection (odds ratio = 0.4136, 95% CI = 0.1800-0.9043). A cellular response by interferon-γ release assay was not correlated with the disease (odds ratio = 1.001, 95% CI = 0.9995-1.002). In conclusion, despite mutant strain, more than three doses of the first-generation vaccine and high antibody titers provided better protection against the omicron variant for a kidney transplant recipient.

Oral small-molecule tyrosine kinase 2 and phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitors in plaque psoriasis: a network meta-analysis.

Background: Orally administered small-molecule drugs including tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) inhibitors and phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitors are new candidates for systemic therapy in plaque psoriasis. However, no previous articles evaluated the benefit and risk profile of TYK2 and PDE4 inhibitors in psoriasis. Objectives: The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of oral small-molecule drugs, including TYK2 and PDE4 inhibitors, in treating moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Methods: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane library were searched for eligible randomized clinical trials (RCTs). Response rates for a 75% reduction from baseline in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI-75) and Physician's Global Assessment score of 0 or 1 (PGA 0/1) were used for efficacy assessment. Safety was evaluated with the incidence of adverse events (AEs). A Bayesian multiple treatment network meta-analysis (NMA) was performed. Results: In total, 13 RCTs (five for TYK2 inhibitors and eight for PDE4 inhibitors) involving 5274 patients were included. The study found that deucravacitinib at any dose (except for 3 mg QOD), ropsacitinib (200 and 400 mg QD), and apremilast (20 and 30 mg BID) had higher PASI and PGA response rates than placebo. In addition, deucravacitinib (3 mg BID, 6 mg QD, 6 mg BID, and 12 mg QD), and ropsacitinib (400 mg QD) showed superior efficacy than apremilast (30 mg BID). In terms of safety, deucravacitinib or ropsacitinib at any dose did not lead to a higher incidence of AEs than apremilast (30 mg BID). The ranking analysis of efficacy revealed that deucravacitinib 12 mg QD and deucravacitinib 3 mg BID had the highest chance of being the most effective oral treatment, followed by deucravacitinib 6 mg BID and ropsacitinib 400 mg QD. Conclusions: Oral TYK2 inhibitors demonstrated satisfactory performance in treating psoriasis, surpassing apremilast at certain doses. More large-scale, long-term studies focusing on novel TYK2 inhibitors are needed. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO (ID: CRD42022384859), available from: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022384859, identifier CRD42022384859.

Discovery of a novel RIPK2 inhibitor for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.

Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 1 and 2 (NOD 1/2) are important cytosolic pattern recognition receptors that initiate host immune response. The dysregulation of NOD signaling is highly associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that needs novel treatment options. Receptor-interacting protein kinase 2 (RIPK2) is a critical mediator of NOD signaling and considered a promising therapeutic target for IBD treatment. However, there are currently no RIPK2 inhibitors available for clinical use. Here, we report the discovery and characterization of Zharp2-1 as a novel and potent RIPK2 inhibitor that effectively blocks RIPK2 kinase function and NOD-mediated NF-κB/MAPK activation in both human and mouse cell lines. Zharp2-1 exhibits significantly superior solubility compared to the non-prodrug form of the advanced RIPK2 inhibitor prodrug GSK2983559. The improved solubility combined with favorable in vitro metabolic stability translated to excellent in vivo pharmacokinetic profiles for Zharp2-1. In addition, Zharp2-1 demonstrates better effects than GSK2983559 in inhibiting the muramyl dipeptide (MDP)-induced production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and MDP-induced peritonitis in mice. Furthermore, Zharp2-1 markedly reduces Listeria monocytogenes infection-induced cytokines release in both human and mouse cells. Importantly, Zharp2-1 significantly ameliorates DNBS-induced colitis in rats and suppressed pro-inflammatory cytokine release in intestinal specimens from IBD patients. Collectively, our findings indicate that Zharp2-1 is a promising RIPK2 inhibitor with the potential to be further developed for IBD therapy.

Design, synthesis, evaluation and optimization of potent IRAK4 inhibitors alleviating production of inflammatory cytokines in LPS-induced SIRS model.

Interleukin-1 receptor associated kinase-4 (IRAK4) has emerged as a therapeutic target for inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Through reversing the amide of CA-4948 and computer aided structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies, a series of IRAK4 inhibitors with oxazolo[4,5-b]pyridine scaffold were identified. Compound 32 showed improved potency (IC50 = 43 nM) compared to CA-4948 (IC50 = 115 nM), but suffered from hERG inhibition (IC50 = 5.7 µM). Further optimization led to compound 42 with reduced inhibition of hERG (IC50 > 30 µM) and 13-fold higher activity (IC50 = 8.9 nM) than CA-4948. Importantly, compound 42 had favorable in vitro ADME and in vivo pharmacokinetic properties. Furthermore, compound 42 significantly reduced LPS-induced production of serum TNF-α and IL-6 cytokines in the mouse model. The overall profiles of compound 42 support it as a lead for the development of IRAK4 inhibitors for the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune disorders.

The temperature-sensitive receptors TRPV4 and TRPM8 have important roles in the pruritus of rosacea.

BACKGROUND: Certain sensations are the secondary phenotypes of rosacea and affect patients' quality of life. Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels may be involved in its occurrence. However, there is a lack of research independently discussing itch in rosacea. OBJECTIVES: Our study aimed to investigate risk factors for pruritus in rosacea patients and to discover the molecular mechanism of pruritus. METHODS: A binary logistic regression model was used to identify significant variables affecting pruritus in 782 rosacea patients. The LL-37 was injected intradermally into the face of mice to establish the animal model. qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence were used to analyse the expression differences in pruritus-related molecules in mouse skin and the corresponding trigeminal ganglion (TG) between pruritus and nonpruritus groups. RESULTS: The incidence of pruritus in rosacea was 42.46%, and the incidence of other symptoms increased with pruritus. Temperature effects were prominently related to the itch sensation of rosacea. Intradermal injection of LL-37 not only caused rosacea-like facial lesions but also induced a behavioural pattern indicative of pruritus. Increased expression of the temperature-sensitive receptors TRPV4 and TRPM8 was found in pruritic mouse skin and TG and human skin samples. CONCLUSIONS: In rosacea patients, pruritus occurs frequently along with burning, flushing and sensitivity, most likely due to changes in temperature. The temperature-sensitive receptors TRPV4 and TRPM8 are both involved in the mechanism of pruritus in rosacea.

Discovery, optimization and evaluation of isothiazolo[5,4-b]pyridine derivatives as RIPK1 inhibitors with potent in vivo anti-SIRS activity.

Receptor-interacting protein kinase-1 (RIPK1) is involved in the necroptosis pathway, which regulates inflammatory signaling and cell death in a variety of diseases, including inflammatory and neurodegenerative disorders. We identified a novel hit compound 36 by a cell-based screening assay (anti-necroptosis EC50 = 58 nM). Starting from compound 36, we designed a series of scaffolds to improve anti-necroptosis activity, physicochemical properties and metabolic stability. The isothiazolo[5,4-b]pyridine backbone proved to be a promising scaffold which provided a number of potent necroptosis inhibitors. Compound 56, for example, effectively blocked necroptosis in both human and mouse cells (EC50 = 1-5 nM). A binding assay showed that compound 56 potently binds to RIPK1 (Kd = 13 nM), but not RIPK3 (Kd > 10,000 nM). Kinase functional assay (ADP-Glo) confirmed that compound 56 inhibits RIPK1 phosphorylation with an IC50 at 5.8 nM. Importantly, compound 56 displayed excellent cross-species liver microsomal metabolic stability (t1/2 > 90 min). Furthermore, compound 56 exhibited favorable in vitro safety profiles in hERG and CYP assays. Finally, pre-treatment with 56 significantly reduced hypothermia and lethal shock in the systemic inflammatory response syndrome mice model. Taken together, compound 56 represented a promising prototype for the development of therapeutic agent to treat inflammation-related diseases.

Design, synthesis, and structure-activity relationship of novel RIPK2 inhibitors.

The NOD1/2 (nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 1/2) signaling pathways are involved in innate immune control and host defense. NOD dysfunction can result in a variety of autoimmune disorders. NOD-induced generation of inflammatory cytokines is mediated by receptor-interacting protein kinase 2 (RIPK2), which has been considered as a promising therapeutic target. Herein, we disclose the design, synthesis, and SAR study of a series of RIPK2 inhibitors. The lead compound 17 displayed a high affinity for RIPK2 (Kd = 5.9 nM) and was capable of inhibiting RIPK2 kinase function in an ADP-Glo assay. In vitro DMPK studies showed that compound 17 had good metabolic stability and no CYP inhibition. Compound 17 effectively suppressed inflammatory cytokine production in both cells and animal model.