Anti-cancer activity of a novel small molecule compound that simultaneously activates p53 and inhibits NF-κB signaling.

The p53 and NF-κB pathways play important roles in diverse cellular functions, including cell growth, apoptosis, and tumorigenesis. Mutations that inactivate the p53 gene and constitutive NF-κB pathway activation are common occurrences in human cancers. Although many drugs are being developed that selectively activate p53 or inhibit NF-κB, there are few drug candidates that can do both. Simultaneous activation of p53 and inhibition of the NF-κB pathway is therefore a prime target for new cancer drug development. This study is the first report of a high-throughput approach with mass compounds that concurrently target both pathways. Using a cell-based screening assay and a library of 200,000 synthetic compounds, we identified 9 small molecules that simultaneously inhibit NF-κB and activate p53. One of these compounds, N-2, increased the expression of p53 target genes, including p21 and GADD45a. In addition, N-2 inhibited the transcriptional activity of NF-κB, concomitantly repressing interleukin-6 and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) expression. When cell lines derived from a diverse range of cancers were treated in vitro with N-2, we observed increased cell death. N-2 also significantly inhibited allograft growth in murine models of melanoma and lung carcinoma. Our findings suggest that N-2 may act as a bivalent anti-cancer agent through simultaneous modulation of NF-κB and p53 activities.

Small molecule-based disruption of the Axin/ß-catenin protein complex regulates mesenchymal stem cell differentiation.

The Wnt/ß-catenin pathway plays important roles in the differentiation of multiple cell types, including mesenchymal stem cells. Using a cell-based chemical screening assay with a synthetic chemical library of 270 000 compounds, we identified the compound SKL2001 as a novel agonist of the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway and uncovered its molecular mechanism of action. SKL2001 upregulated ß-catenin responsive transcription by increasing the intracellular ß-catenin protein level and inhibited the phosphorylation of ß-catenin at residues Ser33/37/Thr41 and Ser45, which would mark it for proteasomal degradation, without affecting CK1 and GSK-3ß enzyme activities. Biochemical analysis revealed that SKL2001 disrupted the Axin/ß-catenin interaction, which is a critical step for CK1- and GSK-3ß-mediated phosphorylation of ß-catenin at Ser33/37/Thr41 and Ser45. The treatment of mesenchymal stem cells with SKL2001 promoted osteoblastogenesis and suppressed adipocyte differentiation, both of which were accompanied by the activation of Wnt/ß-catenin pathway. Our findings provide a new strategy to regulate mesenchymal stem cell differentiation by modulation of the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway.

Synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of 3-aryl-3-azolylpropan-1-amines as selective triple serotonin/norepinephrine/dopamine reuptake inhibitors.

A series of 3-aryl-3-azolylpropan-1-amines was prepared and screened for its capability of inhibiting monoamine reuptake. Analogs with nanomolar potency, good human in vitro microsomal stability, and low drug-drug interaction potential were described. In vivo models were used to evaluate the compound 19r for antidepressive, anxiolytic, and analgesic activity.

YKP1447, A Novel Potential Atypical Antipsychotic Agent.

(S)-Carbamic acid 2-[4-(4-fluoro-benzoyl)-piperidin-1-yl]-1-phenyl-ethyl ester hydrochloride (YKP1447) is a novel "atypical" antipsychotic drug which selectively binds to serotonin (5-HT(2A), Ki=0.61 nM, 5-HT(2C), Ki=20.7 nM) and dopamine (D(2), Ki=45.9 nM, D(3), Ki=42.1 nM) receptors with over 10~100-fold selectivity over the various receptors which exist in the brain. In the behavioral studies using mice, YKP1447 antagonized the apomorphine-induced cage climbing (ED(50)=0.93 mg/kg) and DOI-induced head twitch (ED(50)=0.18 mg/kg) behavior. In the dextroamphetamine-induced hyperactivity and conditioned avoidance response (CAR) paradigm in rats, YKP1447 inhibited the hyperactivity induced by amphetamine (ED(50)=0.54 mg/kg) and the avoidance response (ED(50)=0.48 mg/kg); however, unlike other antipsychotic drugs, catalepsy was observed only at much higher dose (ED(50)=68.6 mg/kg). Based on the CAR and catalepsy results, the therapeutic index (TI) value for YKP1447 is over 100 (i.p.). These results indicate that YKP1447 has an atypical profile and less undesirable side effects than currently available drugs.

Overexpression of Arabidopsis ACK1 alters leaf morphology and retards growth and development.

Cyclin dependent kinases (CDKs) play important roles in the plant cell cycle, a highly coordinated process in plant growth and development. To understand the regulatory network involving the CDKs, we have examined the role of ACK1, a gene that has significant homology to known ICKs (inhibitors of CDKs), but occupies a distinct branch of the ICK phylogenetic tree. Overexpression of ACK1 in transgenic Arabidopsis significantly inhibited growth, leading to effects such as serration of leaves, as a result of strong inhibition of cell division in the leaf meristem. ACK1 transgenic plants also differed morphologically from control Arabidopsis plants, and the cells of ACK1 transgenics were more irregular than the corresponding cells of control plants. These results suggest that ACK1 acts as a CDK inhibitor in Arabidopsis, and that the alterations in leaf shape may be the result of restricted cell division.

Cyclin D1 and p22ack1 play opposite roles in plant growth and development.

The plant cell division cycle, a highly coordinated process, is continually regulated during the growth and development of plants. In this report, we demonstrate how two cell-cycle regulators act together to control cell proliferation in transgenic Arabidopsis. To identify potential cyclin dependent kinase regulators from Arabidopsis, we employed an two-hybrid screening system to isolate genes encoding G1 specific cyclin-interacting proteins. One of these, p22(ack1), which encodes a novel 22kDa protein, binds to cyclin D1. Overexpression of p22(ack1) in transgenic Arabidopsis resulted in growth retardation due to a strong inhibition of cell division in the leaf primordial and meristematic tissue. The leaf shape of p22(ack1) transgenic Arabidopsis was altered from oval in wild-type to dentate. Wild-type phenotype was successfully restored in F1 hybrids by cross-hybridizing the p22(ackl)Arabidopsis mutants with cyclin D1. Taken together, these results suggest that p22(ack1) and cyclin D1, which act antagonistically, are major rate-limiting factors for cell division in the leaf meristem.

9-Hydroxypheophorbide alpha-induced apoptotic death of MCF-7 breast cancer cells is mediated by c-Jun N-terminal kinase activation.

Recently, we synthesized 9-hydroxypheophorbide alpha (9-HPbD), a new chlorophyll-derived photosensitizer. The photo-treatment of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells with 20 kJ/m2 of red light after 5 microM 9-HPbD pretreatment induced cell death, showed typical apoptotic features, i.e., chromatin condensation, phosphatidyl serine externalization, membrane blebbing, and apoptotic bodies with an intact plasma membrane structure. To elucidate the mechanism of 9-HPbD-induced apoptosis, various mediators of the apoptosis were investigated. Release of cytochrome c from mitochondria into the cytosol was distinct 9 h after irradiation, while the levels of most apoptosis-related molecules such as Fas, FasL, Bcl-2, Bax and p53 were unchanged. Furthermore, caspase-9 activated by released cytochrome c was not significantly activated after 9-HPbD-photosensitization. On the other hand, stress-activated protein kinases such as p38 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) were activated 1 h after irradiation. Blocking of JNK signaling by transfecting with the dominant negative from of the JNK gene significantly reduced 9-HPbD-induced cell death. Our data show that photosensitization with the new photosensitizer 9-HPbD could induce the apoptotic death of MCF-7 breast cancer cell and that this death is mediated by stress-activated signal through JNK.