ß-Sitosterol Attenuates Dexamethasone-Induced Muscle Atrophy via Regulating FoxO1-Dependent Signaling in C2C12 Cell and Mice Model.

Sarcopenia refers to a decline in muscle mass and strength with age, causing significant impairment in the ability to carry out normal daily functions and increased risk of falls and fractures, eventually leading to loss of independence. Maintaining protein homeostasis is an important factor in preventing muscle loss, and the decrease in muscle mass is caused by an imbalance between anabolism and catabolism of muscle proteins. Although ß-sitosterol has various effects such as anti-inflammatory, protective effect against nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), antioxidant, and antidiabetic activity, the mechanism of ß-sitosterol effect on the catabolic pathway was not well known. ß-sitosterol was assessed in vitro and in vivo using a dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy mice model and C2C12 myoblasts. ß-sitosterol protected mice from dexamethasone-induced muscle mass loss. The thickness of gastrocnemius muscle myofibers was increased in dexamethasone with the ß-sitosterol treatment group (DS). Grip strength and creatine kinase (CK) activity were also recovered when ß-sitosterol was treated. The muscle loss inhibitory efficacy of ß-sitosterol in dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy in C2C12 myotube was also verified in C2C12 myoblast. ß-sitosterol also recovered the width of myotubes. The protein expression of muscle atrophy F-box (MAFbx) was increased in dexamethasone-treated animal models and C2C12 myoblast, but it was reduced when ß-sitosterol was treated. MuRF1 also showed similar results to MAFbx in the mRNA level of C2C12 myotubes. In addition, in the gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior muscles of mouse models, Forkhead Box O1 (FoxO1) protein was increased in the dexamethasone-treated group (Dexa) compared with the control group and reduced in the DS group. Therefore, ß-sitosterol would be a potential treatment agent for aging sarcopenia.

Caged xanthones displaying protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) inhibition from Cratoxylum cochinchinense.

Four new caged xanthones (1-4) and two known compounds (5, 6) were isolated from the roots of Cratoxylum cochinchinense, a polyphenol rich plant, collected in China. The structures of the isolated compounds (1-6) were characterized by obtaining their detailed spectroscopic data. In particular, compounds 1 and 6 were fully identified by X-ray crystallographic data. The isolated compounds (1-6) were evaluated against protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), which plays an important role in diabetes, obesity, and cancer. Among these compounds, 3, 4, and 6 displayed significant inhibition with IC50 values of 76.3, 43.2, and 6.6 µM, respectively. A detailed kinetic study was conducted by determining Km, Vmax, and the ratio of Kik and Kiv, which revealed that all the compounds behaved as competitive inhibitors.

Anion exchange coupled with the reduction and dimerisation of a copper(ii) nitrate complex of tripyridyl dithioether via a single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformation.

It is a challenge to develop methodologies involving multiple transformations for preparing new materials that cannot be obtained via direct synthesis. Herein, we report an anion exchange process accompanying cation reduction and dimerisation via a single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformation. First, a direct reaction of the flexible tripyridyl dithioether ligand L with CuI afforded a mixture of four bis(ligand) complexes (1a-1d). To avoid the formation of undesired mixed products, a copper(ii) nitrate complex-mediated approach involving anion exchange and cation reduction was employed to generate a monomeric complex, [CuII(L)NO3]NO3·toluene (2). When the dark blue crystals of 2 were immersed in an aqueous NaI solution, the crystals were transformed to a pale yellow dimeric copper(i) iodide complex, [(µ-CuI2I2)(L)2] (3). The observed anion exchange promotes the reduction of copper(ii) to copper(i) at the expense of I-/I3- oxidation as well as dimerisation via the formation of a Cu2I2 cluster. This result corresponds to the synthesis of a compound that otherwise was not able to be prepared via a direct synthetic procedure.

Phytochemical profile and angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity of Limonium michelsonii Lincz.

Members of the genus Limonium are widely used as medicinal herbs due to their health-promoting effects, such as an ability to improve blood circulation by inhibiting angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE). While the potential of L. michelsonii Lincz. (a medicinal plant endemic to Kazakhstan) to inhibit ACE has been demonstrated, the inhibitory activities of its secondary metabolites have not been explored. In this work, the principal phenolic compounds (1-20) among these metabolites were isolated to determine the components responsible for ACE inhibition. The natural abundances of the active constituents within the target plant were characterized by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS analysis. All of the isolated compounds except for gallates 10-12 were found to significantly inhibit ACE, with IC50 values of between 7.1 and 138.4 µM. Unexpectedly, the flavonol glycosides 16-20 were observed to be more potent than the corresponding aglycones 4 and 5. For example, quercetin (4) had IC50 = 30.3 µM, whereas its glycosides (16, 17) had IC50 = 10.2 and 14.5 µM, respectively. A similar trend was observed for myricetin (5) and its glycosides (18-20). In a kinetic study, the flavonols 3-5 and 16-20 and the dihydroflavonols 8 and 9 behaved as competitive inhibitors, whereas other flavones (1, 2, 13-15) and flavanones (6, 7) performed noncompetitive inhibition.

Influence of Anion and Mole Ratio on the Coordination Behavior of an NO2S3-Macrocycle: The Formation of a Dumbbell-Shaped Macrocyclic Cadmium(II) Iodide Complex.

Anion and mole ratio dependent formations of cadmium(II) complexes with an NO2S3-macrocycle (L) incorporating a pyridine subunit are reported. When the cadmium(II) salts (1-10 equiv) with different halide ions (Br(-) or I(-)) were reacted with L, CdBr2 afforded a monomer complex, [Cd(L)Br]2[Cd2Br6]·CH2Cl2 (1), with three separated parts in the whole mole ratio range: two 1:1 stoichiometric complex cation parts and one Cd2Br6 cluster anion part. After separation of 1 by filtration, [Cd(L)Br]2[CdBr4]·CH2Cl2 (2) with similar composition was afforded, except the cluster was isolated from the filtrate. Unlike the CdBr2 complexation, CdI2 afforded the mole ratio dependent products (3-5). Below 2.5 equiv of CdI2, [Cd(L)I]2[CdI4]·CH2Cl2 (3) and [Cd(L)I]2[Cd2I6]·0.5CH2Cl2 (4) with different cadmium(II) iodide clusters were isolated as kinetic (3) and a thermodynamic (4) products. Notably, the use of 3 equiv or above amount of CdI2 gave a dumbbell-shaped complex, {[Cd(L)]2(µ-Cd4I12)} (5), in which two mononuclear macrocyclic complex units are linked by a (µ-Cd4I12)(4-) cluster. To monitor the mole ratio dependency as well as their reactivities, the systematic powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis has also been applied.

Formation of a Syndiotactic Organic Polymer Inside a MOF by a [2+2] Photo-Polymerization Reaction.

Getting suitable crystals for single-crystal X-ray crystallographic analysis still remains an art. Obtaining single crystals of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) containing organic polymers poses even greater challenges. Here we demonstrate the formation of a syndiotactic organic polymer ligand inside a MOF by quantitative [2+2] photopolymerization reaction in a single-crystal-to-single-crystal manner. The spacer ligands with trans,trans,trans-conformation in the pillared-layer MOF with guest water molecules in the channels, undergo pedal motion to trans,cis,trans-conformation prior to [2+2] photo-cycloaddition reaction and yield single crystals of MOF containing two-dimensional coordination polymers fused with the organic polymer ligands. We also show that the organic polymer in the single crystals can be depolymerized reversibly by cleaving the cyclobutane rings upon heating. These MOFs also show interesting photoluminescent properties and sensing of small organic molecules.

Cooperative effect of anion and mole ratio on the coordination modes of an NO2S3-donor macrocycle.

Synthesis of an NO2S3-macrocycle (L) incorporating a pyridine subunit and its anion and/or mole ratio-dependent coordination modes in the formations of mercury(II) complexes is reported. When the mercury(II) salts with different anions (ClO4(-) or Br(-)) were reacted with L, the Hg(ClO4)2 afforded a typical endocyclic complex [HgL](ClO4)2 (1). Meanwhile, the HgBr2 gave an exocyclic complex [HgLBr2] (2) in which the metal ion exists outside the macrocyclic cavity. The observed anion effect on the coordination modes can be explained by the anion coordination ability toward the metal cation. In the mole ratio variation experiments, notably, the use of 1.5 equiv or above of HgBr2 in the same reaction condition gave a unique endo/exocyclic dumbbell-type complex 3, [Hg4L2Br6][Hg2Br6]. However, the formation of the endocyclic Hg(ClO4)2 complex 1 shows no mole ratio dependency. To monitor the observed mole ratio-dependent exocoordination products as well as their reactivities and reversibility, systematic powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis was also applied. From single crystal X-ray and PXRD analyses, it was found that endocyclic complex 1 is not reactive, but complexes 2 and 3 are reactive and show the reversibility between them in the presence of the corresponding reactants.

Solid-state conversion of a MOF to a metal-organo polymeric framework (MOPF) via [2+2] cycloaddition reaction.

The bpeb ligands aligned in a slip-stacked manner in a two-fold interpenetrated non-porous metal-organic framework (MOF) [Zn2(bpeb)(bdc)(fa)2] undergo [2+2] cycloaddition reaction in a single-crystal to single-crystal manner to a non-interpenetrated 3D structure with a new topology comprising an organic polymer ligand and a 2D coordination polymer.