The Janus face of mitophagy in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury and recovery.

In myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MIRI), moderate mitophagy is a protective or adaptive mechanism because of clearing defective mitochondria accumulates during MIRI. However, excessive mitophagy lead to an increase in defective mitochondria and ultimately exacerbate MIRI by causing overproduction or uncontrolled production of mitochondria. Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN)-induced kinase 1 (Pink1), Parkin, FUN14 domain containing 1 (FUNDC1) and B-cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (BCL-2)/adenovirus E1B19KD interaction protein 3 (BNIP3) are the main mechanistic regulators of mitophagy in MIRI. Pink1 and Parkin are mitochondrial surface proteins involved in the ubiquitin-dependent pathway, while BNIP3 and FUNDC1 are mitochondrial receptor proteins involved in the non-ubiquitin-dependent pathway, which play a crucial role in maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis and mitochondrial quality. These proteins can induce moderate mitophagy or inhibit excessive mitophagy to protect against MIRI but may also trigger excessive mitophagy or insufficient mitophagy, thereby worsening the condition. Understanding the actions of these mitophagy mechanistic proteins may provide valuable insights into the pathological mechanisms underlying MIRI development. Based on the above background, this article reviews the mechanism of mitophagy involved in MIRI through Pink1/Parkin pathway and the receptor mediated pathway led by FUNDC1 and BNIP3, as well as the related drug treatment, aim to provide effective strategies for the prevention and treatment of MIRI.

Development of a novel lncRNA-derived immune gene score using machine learning-based ensembles for predicting the survival of HCC.

BACKGROUND: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are implicated in the tumor immunology of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: HCC mRNA and lncRNA expression profiles were used to extract immune-related genes with the ImmPort database, and immune-related lncRNAs with the ImmLnc algorithm. The MOVICS package was used to cluster immune-related mRNA, immune-related lncRNA, gene mutation and methylation data on HCC from the TCGA. GEO and ICGC datasets were used to validate the model. Data from single-cell sequencing was used to determine the expression of genes from the model in various immune cell types. RESULTS: With this model, the area under the curve (AUC) for 1-, 3- and 5-year survival of HCC patients was 0.862, 0.869 and 0.912, respectively. Single-cell sequencing showed EREG was significantly expressed in a variety of immune cell types. Knockdown of the EREG target gene resulted in significant anti-apoptosis, pro-proliferation and pro-migration effects in HepG2 and HUH7 cells. Moreover, serum and liver tissue EREG levels in HCC patients were significantly higher than those of healthy control patients. CONCLUSION: We built a prognostic model with good accuracy for predicting HCC patient survival. EREG is a potential immunotherapeutic target and a promising prognostic biomarker.

Synthesis of 3'-O-Alkyl Homologues and a Biotin Probe of Isorhamnetin and Evaluation of Cytotoxic Efficacy on Cancer Cells.

Isorhamnetin is a natural flavonoid which shows a variety of biological activities such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antitumor. In order to identify the cellular binding protein of isorhamnetin as potential anti-cancer target, we first synthesized 3'-O-substituted quercetin as isorhamnetin homologues and evaluated the growth inhibitory activity of these derivatives on breast, colon and prostate cancer cell lines. The preliminary results showed that the 3'-O modification did not affect the cytotoxic activity of the scaffold. Analysis of the co-crystal structure and the docking pose of isorhamnetin with reported binding protein of isorhamnetin or quercetin indicated the 3'-O-substitution groups located outside of the binding pocket, which is in accordance with activity of 3'-O derivatives. Then a biotin conjugate of isorhamnetin with a tetraethylene glycol (PEG)4 linker at the 3' position was synthesized and the resulting probe retained the anti-proliferative activity on cancer cell lines, while the cellular fluorescence analysis showed the distribution of probe inside the cells which indicated the probe had limited cell permeability. Finally, pull down assay both in situ inside cells and in the cell lysates indicated the isorhamnetin biotin probe was capable of protein labeling in cell lysates. These findings provide the isorhamnetin 3'-O-biotin probe as a tool to reveal the target proteins of isorhamnetin.

Design and synthesis of N-(3-sulfamoylphenyl)amides as Trypanosoma brucei leucyl-tRNA synthetase inhibitors.

The protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei (T. brucei) causes human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), which is a fatal and neglected disease in the tropic areas, and new treatments are urgently needed. Leucyl-tRNA synthetase (LeuRS) is an attractive target for the development of antimicrobial agents. In this work, starting from the hit compound thiourea ZCL539, we designed and synthesized a series of amides as effective T. brucei LeuRS (TbLeuRS) synthetic site inhibitors. The most potent compounds 74 and 91 showed IC50 of 0.24 and 0.25 µM, which were about 700-fold more potent than the starting hit compound. The structure-activity relationship was also discussed. These compounds provided a new scaffold and lead compounds for further development of antitrypanosomal agents.

miR-573 suppresses pancreatic cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion through targeting TSPAN1.

PURPOSE: To explore whether miR-573 can suppress pancreatic cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by targeting TSPAN1. METHODS: The expression of miR-573 and TSPAN1 in pancreatic cancer tissues and cells lines was analyzed using RT-qPCR. The human pancreatic cancer cell line PANC­1 was transfected with miR-573 mimic, pcDNA3.1-TSPAN1, or genOFFTM st-h-TSPAN1. The effects of miR-573 and TSPAN1 on cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion were analyzed by CCK­8, colony formation, transwell migration, and invasion assay, respectively. Target genes of miR-573 were screened using bioinformatics tools and confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay and real-time PCR. The effects of miR-573 in vivo were observed using tumor xenografts. RESULTS: We found that miR-573 is downregulated and TSPAN1 is upregulated in pancreatic cancer tissues and cells lines. Function assays demonstrated that overexpression of miR-573 inhibited cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells, as well as suppressing tumor growth in vivo. Target genes of miR-573 were predicted using bioinformatics tools and confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay and RT-qPCR or western blotting. Downregulation of TSPAN1 also inhibited cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells. Furthermore, overexpression of TSPAN1 attenuated miR-573-induced inhibition of pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and migration. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicated that miR-573 suppresses pancreatic cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion through targeting TSPAN1. TSPAN1 targeted by miR-573 might be a potential therapeutic target for clinical treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Comprehensive Analysis of Immune-Related Prognosis of TK1 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Increased expression of TK1 is associated with the progression of a variety of tumors. However, the relationship of TK1 expression with immune cell infiltration and its prognostic value in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are still unknown. In this study the TCGA database was used to evaluate TK1 expression and its impact on survival in patients with HCC. Compared with normal tissue, TK1 in the liver tissue of patients with HCC was significantly up-regulated at both the mRNA and protein levels. Furthermore, TK1 expression was significantly related to pathological stage, tumor stage and lymph node metastasis, with high TK1 expression being an unfavorable prognostic factor for HCC. TK1 expression was also significantly associated with the infiltration of B cells, T cells, and dendritic cells in HCC. Single-cell sequencing analysis revealed that TK1 was associated with relatively large changes in T cells, especially gamma-delta T cells. A prognostic risk score based on TK1-related immune genes (CD40LG and TNFRSF4) was established using COX regression analysis. By integrating the immune-related risk score model with clinical features, a nomogram was constructed to predict the survival rate of HCC patients (1 year, 3-year and 5-year AUC of 0.782, 0.783 and 0.771, respectively). Knockdown of the target gene for TK1 was found to have significant anti-apoptosis and pro-proliferation effects on HepG2 cells. The level of TK1 in the serum and liver tissue of patients with HCC was significantly increased relative to healthy controls. These findings highlight the role of TK1 in the tumor immune response of HCC patients and in the proliferation and apoptosis of HepG2 cells. TK1 could therefore be a potential immunotherapy target for HCC patients, while the two immune genes related to TK1 (CD40LG And TNFRSF4) may be promising prognostic biomarkers in HCC.

AAIT: A novel prognostic model for HIV-negative patients with cryptococcal meningoencephalitis New Scoring Model for Non-HIV Patients with CM.

Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) is a common opportunistic infection in HIV-negative patients, with mortality rates as high as those in the HIV-negative population. This requires accurate initial clinical decision-making, warranting the development of a prognostic score. Two groups of patients were investigated separately to develop a novel prognostic model (AAIT) for HIV-negative patients with CM. A retrospective analysis of 201 HIV-negative patients with CM was conducted to develop the CM prognostic score. In addition, the CM cohort (n = 21) was recruited longitudinally to verify the new prognostic score. Meanwhile, the association between the prognostic score and 1-year mortality of CM was expounded. AAIT (age, albumin, combined bacterial infection, and total triiodothyronine) is a novel prognostic score based on age, albumin level, combined bacterial infection, and total triiodothyronine (TT3) level, which were significantly higher in nonsurvivors than in survivors (0.68 [-0.70 to 1.55] vs - 1.72 [-3.75 to -0.73], P < .00). Regarding the AAIT-predicted 1-year mortality, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) value was 0.857, whereas it was 0.965 for the validation cohort. In the induction period, different treatment options did not seem to significantly improve the 1-year survival rate. AAIT is a straightforward and clear prognostic score that can add value to predict the outcomes in HIV-negative patients with CM. In addition, controlling infection and increasing the albumin and TT3 levels may help improve clinical outcomes in HIV-negative patients with CM. LAY ABSTRACT: AAIT (age, albumin, combined bacterial infection, and total triiodothyronine) is a straightforward and clear prognostic score that can add value to predict the outcomes HIV-negative patients with CM.

Human BDNF/TrkB variants impair hippocampal synaptogenesis and associate with neurobehavioural abnormalities.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signals through its high affinity receptor Tropomyosin receptor kinase-B (TrkB) to regulate neuronal development, synapse formation and plasticity. In rodents, genetic disruption of Bdnf and TrkB leads to weight gain and a spectrum of neurobehavioural phenotypes. Here, we functionally characterised a de novo missense variant in BDNF and seven rare variants in TrkB identified in a large cohort of people with severe, childhood-onset obesity. In cells, the E183K BDNF variant resulted in impaired processing and secretion of the mature peptide. Multiple variants in the kinase domain and one variant in the extracellular domain of TrkB led to a loss of function through multiple signalling pathways, impaired neurite outgrowth and dominantly inhibited glutamatergic synaptogenesis in hippocampal neurons. BDNF/TrkB variant carriers exhibited learning difficulties, impaired memory, hyperactivity, stereotyped and sometimes, maladaptive behaviours. In conclusion, human loss of function BDNF/TrkB variants that impair hippocampal synaptogenesis may contribute to a spectrum of neurobehavioural disorders.

Leptin stimulates synaptogenesis in hippocampal neurons via KLF4 and SOCS3 inhibition of STAT3 signaling.

Normal development of neuronal connections in the hippocampus requires neurotrophic signals, including the cytokine leptin. During neonatal development, leptin induces formation and maturation of dendritic spines, the main sites of glutamatergic synapses in the hippocampal neurons. However, the molecular mechanisms for leptin-induced synaptogenesis are not entirely understood. In this study, we reveal two novel targets of leptin in developing hippocampal neurons and address their role in synaptogenesis. First target is Kruppel-Like Factor 4 (KLF4), which we identified using a genome-wide target analysis strategy. We show that leptin upregulates KLF4 in hippocampal neurons and that leptin signaling is important for KLF4 expression in vivo. Furthermore, KLF4 is required for leptin-induced synaptogenesis, as shKLF4 blocks and upregulation of KLF4 phenocopies it. We go on to show that KLF4 requires its signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) binding site and thus potentially blocks STAT3 activity to induce synaptogenesis. Second, we show that leptin increases the expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3), another well-known inhibitor of STAT3, in developing hippocampal neurons. SOCS3 is also required for leptin-induced synaptogenesis and sufficient to stimulate it alone. Finally, we show that constitutively active STAT3 blocks the effects of leptin on spine formation, while the targeted knockdown of STAT3 is sufficient to induce it. Overall, our data demonstrate that leptin increases the expression of both KLF4 and SOCS3, inhibiting the activity of STAT3 in the hippocampal neurons and resulting in the enhancement of glutamatergic synaptogenesis during neonatal development.

LncRNA MALAT1 Promotes Ulcerative Colitis by Upregulating lncRNA ANRIL.

BACKGROUND: LncRNA MALAT1 contributes to the inflammatory responses induced by lipopolysaccharides (LPS), which shares similar pathogenesis with ulcerative colitis (UC), indicating the potential involvement of MALAT1 in UC. METHODS: Expression of MALAT1 and lncRNA ANRIL in both UC patients and healthy controls was analyzed by RT-qPCR. ROC curve analysis was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of MALAT1 for UC. Cell transfections were performed to analyze the interactions between MALAT1 and ANRIL. Cell apoptosis was analyzed by cell apoptosis assay. RESULTS: In the present study, we found that MALAT1 was upregulated in colonic mucosa tissues of UC patients in comparison with healthy controls. Plasma levels of MALAT1 were also higher in UC patients than in healthy controls, and upregulation of plasma MALAT1 distinguished UC patients from healthy controls. ANRIL was also upregulated in colonic mucosa tissues of UC patients than in that of healthy controls. ANRIL and MALAT1 were significantly and positively correlated in UC patients but not in healthy controls. Normal colonic epithelial cells with ANRIL overexpression showed no significantly changed MALAT1 overexpression, while MALAT1 overexpression led to promoted ANRIL expression. MALAT1 and ANRIL overexpression led to promoted apoptosis of FHCs. CONCLUSION: MALAT1 promotes ulcerative colitis by upregulating ANRIL.

MicroRNA-183-3p up-regulated by vagus nerve stimulation mitigates chronic systolic heart failure via the reduction of BNIP3L-mediated autophagy.

Chronic systolic heart failure (CSHF) was a complex syndrome. Recently, vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), a novel treatment method, has emerged for the treatment of CSHF. therefore the aim of this study was to explore the possible mechanism of VNS treatment alleviating CSHF in rats. Firstly, we found after VNS treatment for 72 h, the level of B-type natriuretic peptide in VNS group was lower than that in CSHF group. In addition, VNS treatment induced the elevated left ventricular ejection fraction level, reduced left ventricular end diastolic volume and left ventricular end systolic volume level in VNS group, suggesting a mitigation of CSHF by VNS. Then we found the level of miR-183-3p in CSHF group was much lower than that in VNS group by High-throughput sequencing. The further results indicated that Bcl-2 interacting protein 3 like (BNIP3L) was identified as the target gene of miR-183-3p, and the expression of BNIP3L was notably reduced in rats of VNS group compared with CSHF group. Moreover, the down-regulated expression of miR-183-3p increased BNIP3L-mediated autophagy in rats of CSHF group compared with VNS group. Further mechanism findings demonstrated that up-regulation of miR-183-3p reduced the expression of BNIP3L, while down-regulation of miR-183-3p facilitated the expression of BNIP3L in H9c2 cells. miR-183-3p could also regulate autophagy by targeting BNIP3L in vitro, which was manifested by overexpression of miR-183-3p to inhibit BNIP3L-mediated autophagy. Our data demonstrated that VNS treatment benefited CSHF via the up-regulation of miRNA-183-3p, which reduced the BNIP3L-mediated autophagy, providing a new therapeutic direction for CSHF.

Leptin Controls Glutamatergic Synaptogenesis and NMDA-Receptor Trafficking via Fyn Kinase Regulation of NR2B.

Activation of the leptin receptor, LepRb, by the adipocytokine/neurotrophic factor leptin in the central nervous system has procognitive and antidepressive effects. Leptin has been shown to increase glutamatergic synaptogenesis in multiple brain regions. In contrast, mice that have a mutation in the LepRb gene show abnormal synapse development in the hippocampus as well as deficits in cognition and increased depressive-like symptoms. Leptin increases glutamatergic synaptogenesis, in part, through enhancement of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor function; yet the underlying signaling pathway is not known. In this study, we examine how leptin regulates surface expression of NR2B-containing NMDA receptors in hippocampal neurons. Leptin stimulation increases NR2BY1472 phosphorylation, which is inhibited by the Src family kinase inhibitor, PP1. Moreover, we show that Fyn, a member of the Src family kinases, is required for leptin-stimulated NR2BY1472 phosphorylation. Furthermore, inhibiting Y1472 phosphorylation with either a dominant negative Fyn mutant or an NR2B mutant that lacks the phosphorylation site (NR2BY1472F) blocks leptin-stimulated synaptogenesis. Additionally, we show that LepRb forms a complex with NR2B and Fyn. Taken together, these findings expand our knowledge of the LepRb interactome and the mechanisms by which leptin stimulates glutamatergic synaptogenesis in the developing hippocampus. Comprehending these mechanisms is key for understanding dendritic spine development and synaptogenesis, alterations of which are associated with many neurological disorders.

Design and synthesis of α-phenoxy-N-sulfonylphenyl acetamides as Trypanosoma brucei Leucyl-tRNA synthetase inhibitors.

Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), caused by the parasitic protozoa Trypanosoma brucei, is one of the fatal diseases in tropical areas and current medicines are insufficient. Thus, development of new drugs for HAT is urgently needed. Leucyl-tRNA synthetase (LeuRS), a recently clinically validated antimicrobial target, is an attractive target for development of antitrypanosomal drugs. In this work, we report a series of α-phenoxy-N-sulfonylphenyl acetamides as T. brucei LeuRS inhibitors. The most potent compound 28g showed an IC50 of 0.70 µM which was 250-fold more potent than the starting hit compound 1. The structure-activity relationship was also discussed. These acetamides provided a new scaffold and lead compounds for the further development of clinically useful antitrypanosomal agents.

GAS5/miR-21 Axis as a Potential Target to Rescue ZCL-082-Induced Autophagy of Female Germline Stem Cells In Vitro.

Several studies have recently revealed the regulatory mechanisms underlying female germline stem cell (FGSC) differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis, but other biological processes such as autophagy and its mechanism in FGSCs are largely unclear. The use of small chemical compounds may be a good approach to further investigate the process and mechanism of autophagy in FGSC development. In this study, we used ZCL-082, a derivative of benzoxaboroles, to treat FGSCs. Using a cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) assays, we found that ZCL-082 could significantly reduce the viability, proliferation, and number of FGSCs in vitro. Moreover, western blotting revealed that the expression of light chain 3 beta 2 (LC3B-II) in FGSCs was significantly increased after treatment with ZCL-082 for 3 and 6 h. Meanwhile, the expression of sequestosome-1 (SQSTM1) was significantly decreased. These results suggested that ZCL-082 can induce autophagy of FGSCs in vitro. Regarding the molecular mechanism, ZCL-082 could significantly reduce the expression of growth arrest-specific 5 (GAS5) long non-coding RNA, which could directly bind to microRNA-21a (miR-21a) and negatively regulate each other in FGSCs. Knockdown of GAS5 induced the autophagy of FGSCs, while GAS5 overexpression inhibited the autophagy of FGSCs in vitro and rescued FGSC autophagy induced by ZCL-082. Additionally, overexpression of miR-21a significantly enhanced LC3B-II protein expression while significantly reducing the expression of programmed cell death protein 4 (PDCD4) and SQSTM1 protein in FGSCs compared with control cells. The inhibition of miR-21a significantly reduced the basal or ZCL-082-induced upregulated expression of LC3B-II, and it significantly enhanced the expression of PDCD4 while downregulating the basal or ZCL-082-induced expression of SQSTM1 in FGSCs. Furthermore, the overexpression of GAS5 enhanced the protein expression of PDCD4, but knockdown of GAS5 reduced the protein expression of PDCD4. Taken together, these results suggested that ZCL-082 induced autophagy through GAS5 functioning as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) sponge for miR-21a in FGSCs. It also suggested that the GAS5/miR-21a axis may be a potential therapeutic target for premature ovarian failure in the clinic.

Microbial Infections as a Trigger for Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure: A Review.

ABSTRACT Microbial infection is an important cause of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), which is a syndrome that results in multiple organ dysfunction or failure and is accompanied by an increased short-term risk of mortality. Early detection and treatment of microbial infection can effectively reduce the mortality of patients with ACLF. However, antimicrobial resistance has recently increased due to the increased use of antimicrobial agents. Therefore, it is important to choose appropriate antibiotics and antifungal agents for early prevention or treatment of patients with microbial infection and ACLF to reduce the occurrence of drug resistance and to reduce patient mortality. This review summarizes the current status in the understanding of the epidemiology, pathogenesis, early diagnosis, treatment, and strategies for prevention of microbial infection in patients with ACLF.

Design, Synthesis, and Structure-Activity Relationship of 7-Propanamide Benzoxaboroles as Potent Anticancer Agents.

Benzoxaboroles, as a novel class of bioactive molecules with unique physicochemical properties, have been shown to possess excellent antimicrobial activities with tavaborole approved in 2014 as an antifungal drug. Although urgently needed, the investigation of benzoxaboroles as anticancer agents has been lacking so far. In this study, we report the design, synthesis, and anticancer structure-activity relationship of a series of 7-propanamide benzoxaboroles. Compounds 103 and 115 showed potent activity against ovarian cancer cells with IC50 values of 33 and 21 nM, respectively. Apoptosis was induced by these compounds and colony formation was effectively inhibited. Furthermore, they also showed excellent efficacy in ovarian tumor xenograft mouse model.

USP8 Deubiquitinates the Leptin Receptor and Is Necessary for Leptin-Mediated Synapse Formation.

Leptin has neurotrophic actions in the hippocampus to increase synapse formation and stimulate neuronal plasticity. Leptin also enhances cognition and has antidepressive and anxiolytic-like effects, two hippocampal-dependent behaviors. In contrast, mice lacking leptin or the long form of the leptin receptor (LepRb) have lower cortical volume and decreased memory and exhibit depressive-like behaviors. A number of the signaling pathways regulated by LepRb are known, but how membrane LepRb levels are regulated in the central nervous system is not well understood. Here, we show that the lysosomal inhibitor chloroquine increases LepRb expression in hippocampal cultures, suggesting that LepRb is degraded in the lysosome. Furthermore, we show that leptin increases surface expression of its own receptor by decreasing the level of ubiquitinated LepRbs. This decrease is mediated by the deubiquitinase ubiquitin-specific protease 8 (USP8), which we show is in complex with LepRb. Acute leptin stimulation increases USP8 activity. Moreover, leptin stimulates USP8 gene expression through cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB)-dependent transcription, an effect blocked by expression of a dominant-negative CREB or with short hairpin RNA knockdown of CREB. Increased expression of USP8 causes increased surface localization of LepRb, which in turn enhances leptin-mediated activation of the MAPK kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway and CREB activation. Lastly, increased USP8 expression increases glutamatergic synapse formation in hippocampal cultures, an effect dependent on expression of LepRbs. Leptin-stimulated synapse formation also requires USP8. In conclusion, we show that USP8 deubiquitinates LepRb, thus inhibiting lysosomal degradation and enhancing surface localization of LepRb, which are essential for leptin-stimulated synaptogenesis in the hippocampus.

C89 Induces Autophagy of Female Germline Stem Cells via Inhibition of the PI3K-Akt Pathway In Vitro.

Postnatal female germline stem cells (FGSCs) are a type of germline stem cell with self-renewal ability and the capacity of differentiation toward oocyte. The proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis of FGSCs have been researched in recent years, but autophagy in FGSCs has not been explored. This study investigated the effects of the small-molecule compound 89 (C89) on FGSCs and the underlying molecular mechanism in vitro. Cytometry, Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8), and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) assay showed that the number, viability, and proliferation of FGSCs were significantly reduced in C89-treated groups (0.5, 1, and 2 µM) compared with controls. C89 had no impact on FGSC apoptosis or differentiation. However, C89 treatment induced the expression of light chain 3 beta II (LC3BII) and reduced the expression of sequestosome-1 (SQSTM1) in FGSCs, indicating that C89 induced FGSC autophagy. To investigate the mechanism of C89-induced FGSC autophagy, RNA-seq technology was used to compare the transcriptome differences between C89-treated FGSCs and controls. Bioinformatics analysis of the sequencing data indicated a potential involvement of the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase and kinase Akt (PI3K-Akt) pathway in the effects of C89's induction of autophagy in FGSCs. Western blot confirmed that levels of p-PI3K and p-Akt were significantly reduced in the C89- or LY294002 (PI3K inhibitor)-treated groups compared with controls. Moreover, we found cooperative functions of C89 and LY294002 in inducing FGSC autophagy through suppressing the PI3K-Akt pathway. Taken together, this research demonstrates that C89 can reduce the number, viability, and proliferation of FGSCs by inducing autophagy. Furthermore, C89 induced FGSC autophagy by inhibiting the activity of PI3K and Akt. The PI3K-Akt pathway may be a target to regulate FGSC proliferation and death.

Optical Control of the GTP Affinity of K-Ras(G12C) by a Photoswitchable Inhibitor.

Photocontrol of protein activity is an emerging field in biomedicine. For optical control of a mutant small GTPase K-Ras(G12C), we developed small-molecule inhibitors with photoswitchable efficacy, where one configuration binds the target protein and exert different pharmacological effects upon light irradiation. The compound design was based on the structure feature of a previously identified allosteric pocket of K-Ras(G12C) and the chemical structure of covalent inhibitors, and resulted in the synthesis and characterization of two representative azobenzene-containing compounds. Nucleotide exchange assays demonstrated the different efficacy to control the GTP affinity by photoswitching of one potent compound PS-C2, which would be a useful tool to probe the conformation of mutational K-Ras. Our study demonstrated the feasibility of designing photoswitchable modulators from allosteric covalent inhibitor of small GTPases.