Analysis of disease model iPSCs derived from patients with a novel Fanconi anemia-like IBMFS ADH5/ALDH2 deficiency.

We have recently discovered Japanese children with a novel Fanconi anemia-like inherited bone marrow failure syndrome (IBMFS). This disorder is likely caused by the loss of a catabolic system directed toward endogenous formaldehyde due to biallelic variants in ADH5 combined with a heterozygous ALDH2*2 dominant-negative allele (rs671), which is associated with alcohol-induced Asian flushing. Phytohemagglutinin-stimulated lymphocytes from these patients displayed highly increased numbers of spontaneous sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs), reflecting homologous recombination repair of formaldehyde damage. Here, we report that, in contrast, patient-derived fibroblasts showed normal levels of SCEs, suggesting that different cell types or conditions generate various amounts of formaldehyde. To obtain insights about endogenous formaldehyde production and how defects in ADH5/ALDH2 affect human hematopoiesis, we constructed disease model cell lines, including induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). We found that ADH5 is the primary defense against formaldehyde, and ALDH2 provides a backup. DNA repair capacity in the ADH5/ALDH2-deficient cell lines can be overwhelmed by exogenous low-dose formaldehyde, as indicated by higher levels of DNA damage than in FANCD2-deficient cells. Although ADH5/ALDH2-deficient cell lines were healthy and showed stable growth, disease model iPSCs displayed drastically defective cell expansion when stimulated into hematopoietic differentiation in vitro, displaying increased levels of DNA damage. The expansion defect was partially reversed by treatment with a new small molecule termed C1, which is an agonist of ALDH2, thus identifying a potential therapeutic strategy for the patients. We propose that hematopoiesis or lymphocyte blastogenesis may entail formaldehyde generation that necessitates elimination by ADH5/ALDH2 enzymes.

COOH-terminal fragment of APP interacts with p62, forms an aggregate, and induces autophagic degradation in Alzheimer's cell model.

Alzheimer's disease is an intractable disease, and the accumulation of amyloid ß in the brain is thought to be involved in the onset of the disease. Additionally, abnormal protein accumulation due to autophagic deficiency may also be involved in disease progression. Autophagy involves a mechanism called selective autophagy. However, the relationship between selective autophagy and the amyloid precursor protein (APP) remains unclear. In the present study, we analyzed the interaction between p62, an adapter protein, and an APP-related molecule and found that p62 interacted with the COOH-terminal fragment of APP (C60). When C60 and p62 are overexpressed, aggregates are formed and C60 is degraded by autophagy. These aggregates cannot be easily degraded, even with a reducing agent. We also found that autophagosome- and lysosome marker-positive vesicles were formed in the C60- and p62-expressing cells. Superresolution technology also revealed that p62-C60-positive autophagosomes were formed in the cells. Overall, these results suggest that p62 may bind with C60 to form aggregates and induce autophagy in autophagosomes. These results reveal one of the mechanisms underlying the progression of Alzheimer's disease, in which selective autophagy may be involved.

Antibody-drug conjugate MORAb-202 exhibits long-lasting antitumor efficacy in TNBC PDx models.

The antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) MORAb-202, consisting of farletuzumab paired with a cathepsin B-cleavable linker and eribulin, targets folate receptor alpha (FRA), which is frequently overexpressed in various tumor types. MORAb-202 was highly cytotoxic to FRA-positive cells in vitro, with limited off-target killing of FRA-negative cells. Furthermore, MORAb-202 showed a clear in vitro bystander cytotoxic effect in coculture with FRA-positive/negative cells. In vivo antitumor efficacy studies of MORAb-202 were conducted with a single administration of MORAb-202 in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patient-derived xenograft (PDx) models expressing low and high levels of FRA. MORAb-202 exhibited durable efficacy proportional to tumor FRA expression. Toxicology studies (Q3Wx2) in nonhuman primates suggested that the major observed toxicity of MORAb-202 is hematologic toxicity. Overall, these findings support the concept that MORAb-202 represents a promising investigational ADC for the treatment of TNBC patients.

Secreted PLA2-III is a possible therapeutic target to treat neuropathic pain.

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) plays a critical role in developing and maintaining chronic pain in various animal models. Previous studies have reported that cytosolic and calcium-independent phospholipase A2 (PLA2) is involved in the LPA receptor-mediated amplification of LPA production in the spinal dorsal horn (SDH) after nerve injury, while the involvement of secreted PLA2 (sPLA2) remains unclear. The present study revealed that only sPLA2 -III among 11 species of PLA2 showed a significant upregulation of gene expression in the SDH. Intraspinal injection of adeno-associated virus-miRNA targeting sPLA2-III prevented hyperalgesia and unique hypoalgesia in mice treated with partial sciatic nerve ligation. In addition, intrathecal treatment with antisense oligodeoxynucleotide or siRNA targeting sPLA2-III significantly reversed the established thermal hyperalgesia. In the high-throughput screening of sPLA2-III inhibitors from the chemical library, we identified two hit compounds. Through in vitro characterization of PLA2 inhibitor profiles and in vivo assessment of the anti-hyperalgesic effects of known PLA2 inhibitors as well as hit compounds, sPLA2-III was found to be a novel therapeutic target molecule for the treatment of Neuropathic pain.

Unique pharmacological property of ISRIB in inhibition of Aß-induced neuronal cell death.

A pharmacological approach to ameliorate Alzheimer's disease (AD) has not yet been established. In the present study, we investigated the pharmacological characteristics of the recently identified memory-enhancing compound, ISRIB for the amelioration of AD. ISRIB potently attenuated amyloid ß-induced neuronal cell death at concentrations of 12.5-25 nM, but did not inhibit amyloid ß production in the HEK293T cell line expressing the amyloid precursor protein (APP). These results suggest that ISRIB possesses the unique pharmacological property of attenuating amyloid ß-induced neuronal cell death without affecting amyloid ß production.

Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of novel, potent, orally active hypoxia-inducible factor-1 inhibitors.

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) is the chief transcription factor regulating hypoxia-driven gene expression. HIF-1 overexpression is associated with poor prognosis in several cancers and therefore represents an attractive target for novel antitumor agents. We explored small molecule inhibitors of the HIF-1 pathway. Using high-throughput-screening, we identified benzanilide compound 1 (IC50=560 nM) as a seed. Subsequent extensive derivatization led to the discovery of compounds 43a and 51d, with anti-HIF-1 activities in vitro (IC50=21 and 0.47 nM, respectively), and in vivo. Additionally, 43a (12.5-100mg/kg) also displayed in vivo anti-tumor efficacy, without influencing body weight.

In vitro activity of E1210, a novel antifungal, against clinically important yeasts and molds.

E1210 is a new antifungal compound with a novel mechanism of action and broad spectrum of antifungal activity. We investigated the in vitro antifungal activities of E1210 compared to those of fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, amphotericin B, and micafungin against clinical fungal isolates. E1210 showed potent activities against most Candida spp. (MIC(90) of ≤0.008 to 0.06 µg/ml), except for Candida krusei (MICs of 2 to >32 µg/ml). E1210 showed equally potent activities against fluconazole-resistant and fluconazole-susceptible Candida strains. E1210 also had potent activities against various filamentous fungi, including Aspergillus fumigatus (MIC(90) of 0.13 µg/ml). E1210 was also active against Fusarium solani and some black molds. Of note, E1210 showed the greatest activities against Pseudallescheria boydii (MICs of 0.03 to 0.13 µg/ml), Scedosporium prolificans (MIC of 0.03 µg/ml), and Paecilomyces lilacinus (MICs of 0.06 µg/ml) among the compounds tested. The antifungal action of E1210 was fungistatic, but E1210 showed no trailing growth of Candida albicans, which has often been observed with fluconazole. In a cytotoxicity assay using human HK-2 cells, E1210 showed toxicity as low as that of fluconazole. Based on these results, E1210 is likely to be a promising antifungal agent for the treatment of invasive fungal infections.

Efficacy of oral E1210, a new broad-spectrum antifungal with a novel mechanism of action, in murine models of candidiasis, aspergillosis, and fusariosis.

E1210 is a first-in-class, broad-spectrum antifungal with a novel mechanism of action-inhibition of fungal glycosylphosphatidylinositol biosynthesis. In this study, the efficacies of E1210 and reference antifungals were evaluated in murine models of oropharyngeal and disseminated candidiasis, pulmonary aspergillosis, and disseminated fusariosis. Oral E1210 demonstrated dose-dependent efficacy in infections caused by Candida species, Aspergillus spp., and Fusarium solani. In the treatment of oropharyngeal candidiasis, E1210 and fluconazole each caused a significantly greater reduction in the number of oral CFU than the control treatment (P < 0.05). In the disseminated candidiasis model, mice treated with E1210, fluconazole, caspofungin, or liposomal amphotericin B showed significantly higher survival rates than the control mice (P < 0.05). E1210 was also highly effective in treating disseminated candidiasis caused by azole-resistant Candida albicans or Candida tropicalis. A 24-h delay in treatment onset minimally affected the efficacy outcome of E1210 in the treatment of disseminated candidiasis. In the Aspergillus flavus pulmonary aspergillosis model, mice treated with E1210, voriconazole, or caspofungin showed significantly higher survival rates than the control mice (P < 0.05). E1210 was also effective in the treatment of Aspergillus fumigatus pulmonary aspergillosis. In contrast to many antifungals, E1210 was also effective against disseminated fusariosis caused by F. solani. In conclusion, E1210 demonstrated consistent efficacy in murine models of oropharyngeal and disseminated candidiasis, pulmonary aspergillosis, and disseminated fusariosis. These data suggest that further studies to determine E1210's potential for the treatment of disseminated fungal infections are indicated.

Broadband high-energy resolution hard x-ray spectroscopy using transition edge sensors at SPring-8.

We have succeeded in operating a transition-edge sensor (TES) spectrometer and evaluating its performance at the SPring-8 synchrotron x-ray light source. The TES spectrometer consists of a 240 pixel National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) TES system, and 220 pixels are operated simultaneously with an energy resolution of 4 eV at 6 keV at a rate of ∼1 c/s pixel-1. The tolerance for high count rates is evaluated in terms of energy resolution and live time fraction, leading to an empirical compromise of ∼2 × 103 c/s (all pixels) with an energy resolution of 5 eV at 6 keV. By utilizing the TES's wideband spectroscopic capability, simultaneous multi-element analysis is demonstrated for a standard sample. We conducted x-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) analysis in fluorescence mode using the TES spectrometer. The excellent energy resolution of the TES enabled us to detect weak fluorescence lines from dilute samples and trace elements that have previously been difficult to resolve due to the nearly overlapping emission lines of other dominant elements. The neighboring lines of As Kα and Pb Lα2 of the standard sample were clearly resolved, and the XANES of Pb Lα2 was obtained. Moreover, the x-ray spectrum from the small amount of Fe in aerosols was distinguished from the spectrum of a blank target, which helps us to understand the targets and the environment. These results are the first important step for the application of high resolution TES-based spectroscopy at hard x-ray synchrotron facilities.

Synthesis and evaluation of novel antifungal agents-quinoline and pyridine amide derivatives.

Quinoline amide, azaindole amide and pyridine amides were synthesized and tested for in vitro antifungal activity against fungi. These synthesized amides have potent antifungal activity against Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus. Our results suggest that hetero ring amides may be potent antifungal agents that operate by inhibiting the function of Gwt1 protein in the GPI biosynthetic pathway.

Allodynia by Splenocytes From Mice With Acid-Induced Fibromyalgia-Like Generalized Pain and Its Sexual Dimorphic Regulation by Brain Microglia.

Fibromyalgia (FM), a disease of unknown etiology characterized by chronic generalized pain, is partly recapitulated in an animal model induced by repeated acid saline injections into the gastrocnemius muscle. Here, we attempted to investigate the sex difference in pain hypersensitivity (mechanical allodynia and hypersensitivity to electrical stimulation) in the repeated acid saline-induced FM-like generalized pain (AcGP) model. The first unilateral acid injection into gastrocnemius muscle at day 0/D0 and second injection at D5 (post day 0, P0) induced transient and long-lasting mechanical allodynia, respectively, on both sides of male and female mice. The pretreatment with gonadectomy did not affect the first injection-induced allodynia in both sexes, but gradually reversed the second injection-induced allodynia in male but not female mice. Moreover, the AcGP in male mice was abolished by intracerebroventricular minocycline treatments during D4-P4 or P5-P11, but not by early treatments during D0-D5 in male but not female mice, suggesting that brain microglia are required for AcGP in late-onset and sex-dependent manners. We also found that the intravenous treatments of splenocytes derived from male but not female mice treated with AcGP caused allodynia in naive mice. In addition, the purified CD4+ T cells derived from splenocytes of acid-treated male mice retained the ability to cause allodynia in naive mice. These findings suggest that FM-like AcGP has multiple sexual dimorphic mechanisms.

MORAb-202, an Antibody-Drug Conjugate Utilizing Humanized Anti-human FRα Farletuzumab and the Microtubule-targeting Agent Eribulin, has Potent Antitumor Activity.

Microtubule-targeting agents (MTA) have been investigated for many years as payloads for antibody-drug conjugates (ADC). In many cases, these ADCs have shown limited benefits due to lack of efficacy or significant toxicity, which has spurred continued investigation into novel MTA payloads for next-generation ADCs. In this study, we have developed ADCs using the MTA eribulin, a derivative of the macrocyclic polyether natural product halichondrin B, as a payload. Eribulin ADCs demonstrated in vitro potency and specificity using various linkers and two different conjugation approaches. MORAb-202 is an investigational agent that consists of the humanized anti-human folate receptor alpha (FRA) antibody farletuzumab conjugated via reduced interchain disulfide bonds to maleimido-PEG2-valine-citrulline-p-aminobenzylcarbamyl-eribulin at a drug-to-antibody ratio of 4.0. MORAb-202 displayed preferable biophysical properties and broad potency across a number of FRA-positive tumor cell lines as well as demonstrated improved specificity in vitro compared with farletuzumab conjugated with a number of other MTA payloads, including MMAE, MMAF, and the reducible maytansine linker-payload sulfo-SPDB-DM4. A single-dose administration of MORAb-202 in FRA-positive human tumor cell line xenograft and patient-derived tumor xenograft models elicited a robust and durable antitumor response. These data support further investigation of MORAb-202 as a potential new treatment modality for FRA-positive cancers, using the novel MTA eribulin as a payload.

A Case of C5 Vertebral Chordoma in a 73-Year-Old Patient with More Than 8 Years of Follow-Up after Total Piecemeal Spondylectomy.

Chordoma arising from the cervical spine is rare and the traditional long-term prognosis is typically poor. Total en bloc spondylectomy with a wide margin is generally accepted to be the most appropriate management for thoracic and lumbar malignant tumors. However, this method is still challenging for the cervical spine because of the proximity of the tumor to the vertebral arteries and neural elements. Here, we report a 73-year-old man with a C5 vertebral chordoma treated with total piecemeal spondylectomy. Histological examination revealed pathognomonic physaliphorous cells with mucus-filled cytoplasm in the tumor, and the ratio of Ki-67-positive cells within the tumor was high (19.0%), showing active proliferation rate. Local recurrences were found at 9 months, 4 years and 2 months, and 6 years after the initial surgery. All the recurrences were encapsulated and isolated and treated with an additional en bloc resection successfully at each stage. Eight years after the initial total piecemeal spondylectomy, the patient maintained his intact neurological status without local recurrence or metastasis. The prognosis of cervical chordoma depends on the patient's age, surgical procedures, and histological features. In this report, we present that piecemeal spondylectomy is an alternative management for aged patients with cervical chordoma, even for those with high MIB-1 index.

Palladium-catalyzed direct hydroxymethylation of aryl halides and triflates with potassium acetoxymethyltrifluoroborate.

Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions of aryl halides and triflates with potassium acetoxymethyltrifluoroborate afforded the corresponding aryl and heteroaryl methanol products in moderate to excellent yields.

One-pot primary aminomethylation of aryl and heteroaryl halides with sodium phthalimidomethyltrifluoroborate.

A one-pot primary aminomethylation of aryl halides, triflates, mesylates, and tosylates via Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions with sodium phthalimidomethyltrifluoroborate followed by deamidation with ethylenediamine is reported.

Squalene synthase inhibitors suppress triglyceride biosynthesis through the farnesol pathway in rat hepatocytes.

We recently demonstrated that squalene synthase (SQS) inhibitors reduce plasma triglyceride through an LDL receptor-independent mechanism in Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic rabbits (Hiyoshi et al. 2001. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 431: 345-352). The present study deals with the mechanism of the inhibition of triglyceride biosynthesis by the SQS inhibitors ER-27856 and RPR-107393 in rat primary cultured hepatocytes. Atorvastatin, an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, had no effect on triglyceride biosynthesis, but reversed the inhibitory effect of the SQS inhibitors. A squalene epoxidase inhibitor, NB-598, affected neither triglyceride biosynthesis nor its inhibition by ER-27856 and RPR-107393. The reduction of triglyceride biosynthesis by ER-27856 and RPR-107393 was potentiated by mevalonolactone supplementation. Treatment of hepatocytes with farnesol and its derivatives reduced triglyceride biosynthesis. In addition, we found that ER-27856 and RPR-107393 significantly reduced the incorporation of [1-(14)C]acetic acid into oleic acid, but not the incorporation of [1-(14)C]oleic acid into triglyceride. Though ER-27856 and RPR-107393 increased mitochondrial fatty acid beta-oxidation, the inhibition of beta-oxidation by RS-etomoxir had little effect on their inhibition of triglyceride biosynthesis. These results suggest that SQS inhibitors reduce triglyceride biosynthesis by suppressing fatty acid biosynthesis via an increase in intracellular farnesol and its derivatives.