Synthesis of 2,3-Fused Quinazolinones via the Radical Cascade Pathway and Reaction Mechanistic Studies by DFT Calculations.

An efficient radical cascade cyclization of unactivated alkenes toward the synthesis of a series of ring-fused quinazolinones has been developed in moderate to excellent yields using commercially available ethers, alkanes, and alcohols, respectively, under a base-free condition in a short time without a transition metal as catalyst. Notably, the transformations can be carried out with the advantages of a broad substrate scope and high atomic economy. Density functional theory calculations and wavefunction analyses were performed to elucidate the radical reaction mechanism.

Pharmacokinetics and safety of pegylated recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in children with acute leukaemia.

AIMS: This open-label, phase I study evaluated the pharmacokinetics and safety of pegylated recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (PEG-rhG-CSF) for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia in children with acute leukaemia. METHODS: PEG-rhG-CSF was administered as a single 100 mcg/kg (3 mg maximum dose) subcutaneous injection at the end of each chemotherapy period when neutropenia occurred. Blood samples were obtained from patients treated with PEG-rhG-CSF. PEG-rhG-CSF serum concentrations were determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Population pharmacokinetic (PPK) analysis was implemented using the nonlinear mixed-effects model. Short-term safety was evaluated through adverse events collection (registered at clinicaltrials.gov identifier: 03844360). RESULTS: A total of 16 acute leukaemia patients (1.8-13.6 years) were included, of whom two (12.5%) had grade 3 neutropenia, six (37.5%) had grade 4 neutropenia, and eight (50.0%) had severe neutropenia. For PPK modelling, 64 PEG-rhG-CSF serum concentrations were obtainable. A one-compartment model with first-order elimination was used for pharmacokinetic data modelling. The current weight was a significant covariate. The median (range) of clearance (CL) and area under the serum concentration-time curve (AUC) were 5.65 (1.49-14.45) mL/h/kg and 16514.75 (6632.45-54423.30) ng·h/mL, respectively. Bone pain, pyrexia, anaphylaxis and nephrotoxicity were not observed. One patient died 13 days after administration, and the objective assessment of causality was that an association with PEG-rhG-CSF was "possible". CONCLUSIONS: The AUC of PEG-rhG-CSF (100 mcg/kg, 3 mg maximum dose) in paediatric patients with acute leukaemia were similar to those of PEG-rhG-CSF (100 mcg/kg) in children with sarcoma. PEG-rhG-CSF is safe, representing an important therapeutic option for chemotherapy-induced neutropenia in paediatric patients with acute leukaemia.

Copper(II)-Catalyzed Direct C-H (Hetero)arylation at the C3 Position of Indoles Assisted by a Removable N,N-Bidentate Auxiliary Moiety.

The regioselective arylation of inert C3-H bonds in indoles reacting with arylboronates via effective copper-mediated catalysis with the aid of a facile and removable 2-pyridinylisopropyl (PIP) group without ligand participation is reported. This newly established method features high compatibility with diverse functional groups between coupling partners, including both indole substrates and arylboron reagents, consequentially leading to operational simplicity and providing access to generate the desired arylated products in good to excellent yields of up to 97%. Synthetically, the PIP-derived amide moiety could subsequently be readily removed under mild reaction conditions to produce useful indole carboxylic acids for further transformation.

Synthesis of indolo[2,1-α]isoquinoline derivatives via metal-free radical cascade cyclization.

In the present studies, we describe a convenient and efficient protocol for the synthesis of the indolo[2,1-α]isoquinoline core structure through the reaction of 2-aryl-N-acryloyl indoles and aryl or alkyl α-keto acids under air environment in four hours. The developed approach features broad substrate scope and good functional group tolerance under mild reaction conditions without a metal catalyst participation. A series of valuable indolo[2,1-α] isoquinoline derivatives bearing various functional groups were synthesized using this method in good to excellent yields. Based on a series of control experiments, a radical pathway was proposed to explain the experiment.

Copper(II)-catalysed direct C3-H esterification of indoles assisted by an N,N-bidentate auxiliary moiety.

The regioselective direct C3-esterification of indoles with OXA is developed in an efficient reaction with carboxylic acids using the catalyst CuBr2 and oxidants Ag2CO3 and K2S2O8. The simple experimental procedure is proved to be broadly applicable to a range of substrates, including aromatic and aliphatic acids, and the corresponding products were obtained in good yields up to 87%. At the same time, it provides a valuable approach to produce C3-benzyl derivatives of indoles through reaction with benzyl carboxylic acid under the same reaction conditions.

The nickel-catalyzed C3-acylation of 2H-indazoles with aldehydes.

A direct coupling of 2H-indazoles' C3 position and acyl groups has been achieved to produce 3-acyl-2H-indazoles. The Ni(ii)-catalyzed acylation might proceed through a radical pathway for the reaction of 2H-indazoles with either aryl or alkyl aldehydes in the presence of the free radical initiator TBHP and additive PivOH. This method provided a superior approach to fulfil the direct C3-acylation of 2H-indazoles with yields up to 91%. And various substituted 2H-indazoles were well tolerated with this method, enriching the diversity of 2H-indazole derivatives. In comparison with previously reported approaches for the C3-acylation of 2H-indazoles, the developed reaction represents a more convenient and economical method directly using aldehydes as the acylation agents.

Computational Simulation Studies on the Binding Selectivity of 1-(1H-Benzimidazol-5-yl)-5-aminopyrazoles in Complexes with FGFR1 and FGFR4.

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) has become a potential target for the treatment of cancer. Designing FGFR1-selective inhibitors remains fundamental to the development of anti-cancer drugs because of highly sequential homology among FGFR subtypes. In present work, four inhibitors were examined with intermolecular interaction patterns with FGFR1 and FGFR4, respectively, for the exploration of binding mechanisms by applying a combined approach of computational techniques, including flexible docking, binding site analyses, electronic structure computations, molecular dynamic simulations, and binding free energy predictions. Molecular simulation-predicted binding conformations and pharmacophoric features of these molecules in the active pocket of either FGFR1 or FGFR4. MMPB(GB)SA-calculated binding free energies were accordant with the ordering of their tested potency values. Furthermore, in silico mutations of two residues (FGFR1: Tyr563 and Ser565) were also performed to check their impact on ligand binding by applying MD simulations and binding free energy calculations. The present studies may provide a structural understanding of the FGFR1-selective mechanism. The viewpoints from computational simulations would be valuable guidelines for the development of novel FGFR1-selective inhibitors.

A novel UPLC-MS/MS method for sensitive quantitation of boldine in plasma, a potential anti-inflammatory agent: application to a pharmacokinetic study in rats.

Boldine is a potential anti-inflammatory agent found in several different plants. Published bioanalytical methods using HPLC with ultraviolet and fluorescent detection lacked enough sensitivity and required tedious sample preparation procedures. Herein, we describe the development of a novel ultra-high performance LC with MS/MS for determination of boldine in plasma. Boldine in plasma was recovered by liquid-liquid extraction using 1 mL of methyl tert-butyl ether. Chromatographic separation was performed on a C18 column at 45°C, with a gradient elution consisting of acetonitrile and water containing 0.1% (v/v) formic acid at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. The detection was performed on an electrospray triple-quadrupole MS/MS by positive ion multiple reaction monitoring mode. Good linearity (r(2) > 0.9926) was achieved in a concentration range of 2.555-2555 ng/mL with a lower limit of quantification of 2.555 ng/mL for boldine. The intra- and inter-day precisions of the assay were 1.2-6.0 and 1.8-7.4% relative standard deviation with an accuracy of -6.0-8.0% relative error. This newly developed method was successfully applied to a single low-dose pharmacokinetic study in rats and was demonstrated to be simpler and more sensitive than the published methods, allowing boldine quantification in reduced plasma volume.

[Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with flavonoids of Echinps latifolius Tausch in rat model].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Flavonoids extracted from Echinps latifolius Tausch(FELT) on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in rat model. METHOD: Fifty SD rats were randomly divided into model group, control group, and low, medium, and high-dose FELT groups (n=10 in each group). Complete Freund's adjuvant (0.1 mL) was used to induce RA in rats. FELT in doses of 50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg, 150 mg/kg was given to rats in low, medium and high-dose FELT groups by gavage, and same volume of PBS was given to rats in control group. The arthritis score and the paw swelling score were measured to evaluate the therapeutic effect of FELT. Real time qPCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of fibronectin and MMP3 in synovial tissue and the mRNA expression of caspase 3, Bcl-2 and Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax) in fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS). RESULTS: The arthritis score and the paw swelling score were significantly decreased in three FELT groups compared to RA model rats (P <0.05). The relative expression levels of FN and MMP3 mRNA in synovium of three FELT-treatment groups were significantly lower than those in model group (1.80, 1.76 and 1.67 vs 2.53; 1.69, 1.46 and 1.45 vs 2.67, respectively, all P <0.05). The relative expression levels of Bax and caspase 3 mRNA in FLSs of three FELT groups were higher than those in model group (0.56, 0.58 and 0.60 vs 0.30; 0.54, 0.56 and 0.59 vs 0.29, respectively, all P <0.05); while the relative expression levels of Bcl-2 mRNA in FELT groups were lower than that in model group (2.20, 2.08 and 2.08 vs 4.04, respectively, P <0.05). CONCLUSION: FELT may inhibit the synovium proliferation in RA model rats through promoting the FLS apoptosis.

[Spectral Analysis of CdZnSe Ternary Quantum Dots Sensitized TiO2 Tubes and Its Application in Visible-Light Photocatalysis].

In this work, cadmium nitrate hexahydrate [Cd(NO3)2 · 6H2O] is as a source of cadmium, zinc nitrate [Zn(NO3)2] as a source of zinc source, and NaHSe as a source of selenium which was prepared through reducing the elemental selenium with sodium borohydride (NaBH4). Then water-soluble Cd1₋xZnxSe ternary quantum dots with different component were prepared by colloid chemistry. The as-prepared Cd1₋xZnx Se ternary quantum dots exhibit stable fluorescent property in aqueous solution, and can still maintain good dispersivity at room temperature for four months. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) were used to analyze crystal structure and morphology of the prepared Cd1₋xZnxSe. It is found that the as-prepared ternary quantum dots are cubic phase, show as sphere, and the average of particle size is approximate 4 nm. The spectral properties and energy band structure of the as-prepared ternary quantum dots were modulated through changing the atom ratio of elements Zn and Cd. Compared with binary quantum dots CdSe and ZnSe, the ultraviolet-visible (UV-Visible) absorption spectrum and fluorescence (FL) emission spectrum of ternary quantum dots are both red-shift. The composites (Cd0.5 Zn0.5 Se@TNTs) of Cd0.5 Zn0.5 Se ternary quantum dots and TiO2 nanotubes (TNTs) were prepared by directly immerging TNTs into quantum dots dispersive solution for 5 hours. TEM image shows that the Cd0.5 Zn0.5 Se ternary quantum dots were closely combined to nanotube surface. The infrared spectra show that the Ti-Se bond was formed between Cd0.5 Zn0.5 Se ternary quantum dots and TiO2 nanotubes, which improve the stability of the composite. Compared to pristine TNTs, UV-Visible absorption spectrum of the composites is significantly enhanced in the visible region of light. And the absorption band edge of Cd0.5Zn0.5 Se@TNTs red-shift from 400 to 700 nm. The recombination of the photogenerated electron-hole pairs was restrained with the as-prepared ternary quantum dots. Therefore, the visible-light photocatalytic efficiency was greatly improved. After visible-light irradiation for 60 min, the degradation of Cd0.5 Zn0.5 Se@TNTs photocatalysts for RhB is nearly 100%, which is about 3. 3 times of that of pristine TNTs and 2. 5 times of that of pure Cd0.5 Zn0.5 Se ternary quantum dots, respectively.

[Effect of Phellinus Polysaccharide on Canonical Wnt Signaling in Synovium in Rats with Rheumatoid Arthritis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of Phellinus Polysaccharide (FPS) in activating canonical Wnt signaling in rats with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Male SD rats were randomly divided into three groups (normal group, RA model group and PPS treated RA group), each with 10 rats. The RA model rats were prepared through intradermal injection of 0. 1 mL complete Freund's adjuvant into the right rear toes of the rats. The PPS treated RA rats were given 50 mg/kg PPS by gavage eight days after the introduction of RA. All rats were evaluated with arthritis score and paw swelling score at day 16, 20, 24, 28, 32. At day 28, the expressions of fibronectin gene, Wnt signal pathway negative regulation gene SFRP1,2 and Wnt key gene ß-catenin, C-myc, and ccndl were detected by real time qPCR. RESULTS: PPS significantly reduced the arthritis score and paw swelling score of RA model rats. Lower levels of expression of SFRP1, 2 and higher levels of expression of ß-catenin, C-myc, ccndl and fibronectin were found in the RA model rats compared with the normal controls. PPS increased the expression of SFRP1, 2 and decreased the expression of ß-catenin, C-myc, ccndl and fibronectin in the RA rats. CONCLUSION: PPS has significant therapeutic effect on RA model rats through inhibiting canonical Wnt signaling.

[Effect of pulchinenoside on FZD8 expression of adjuvant arthritis rats].

To study the effect of pulchinenoside (PULC) on the Frizzled (FZD) expression of adjuvant arthritis ( AA) rats. AA rats were prepared through the toe injection with complete Freund's adjuvant to culture fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS). The effect of the oral administration with PULC on the FZD8 expression was detected by the real time qPCR. The effect of FZD8 knockout on the expressions of IL-1, IL-6, IL-8 were detected by MTT and ELISA. The role of miR-375 in the abnomal expression of FZD8 was detected by the real time qPCR. The results showed signfiicant decrease in the FZD8 expression among AA rats, FLS proliferation ater FZD8 knockout and IL-1, IL-6, IL-8 expressions and notable increase in miR-375 expression after the oral administration with PULC. The up-regulated miR-375 expression can inhibit the FZD8 expression. PULC may inhibit the FZD8 expression by up-regulating the miR-375 expression.

[Flavonoids of Echinps latifolius suppress Wnt signaling in adjuvant arthritis rats].

The role of flavonoids of Echinps latifolius (FELT) in Wnt signaling was investigated in adjuvant arthritis (AA) rats. The therapeutic effects of FELT on AA rats were detected by rat arthritis score and MTT. The effect of FELT gavage treatment on the Wnt signaling key gene ß-catenin, C-myc and cyclin D1 in synovium from AA rats was detected by Real-time qPCR, and the effects of FELT gavage treatment on the upstream negative regulation gene SFRP 1,2,4,5 in synovium from AA rats were detected by Real-time qPCR. The results showed that FELT gavage treatment significantly inhibited arthritis score and MTT values in AA rats, significantly inhibited the expression of the Wnt signaling gene ß-catenin, C-myc and cyclin D1, significantly up-regulated the expression of the up- stream negative regulation gene SFRP 1,2,4. FELT has a better therapeutic effect for AA rats.

Expression of galectin-1 in carcinoma-associated fibroblasts promotes gastric cancer cell invasion through upregulation of integrin ß1.

Increased expression of galectin-1 (Gal-1) in carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) has been reported to correlate with progression and prognosis in many cancers. However, rarely have reports sought to determine whether high Gal-1 expression in CAFs in gastric cancer is involved in the tumor process, and the specific mechanism by which it promotes the evolution of gastric cancer is still unknown. In this study, we cultured gastric cancer CAFs, which showed strong expression of Gal-1, and established a co-culture system of CAFs with gastric cancer cells. Specific siRNA and in vitro migration and invasion assays were used to explore the effects of the interaction between Gal-1 expression of CAFs and gastric cancer cells on cell migration and invasion. We found that the overexpression of Gal-1 in CAFs enhanced gastric cancer cell migration and invasion, and these stimulatory effects could be blocked by specific siRNA which reduced the Gal-1 expression level. A set of cancer invasion-associated genes were then chosen to identify the possible mechanism of Gal-1-induced cell invasion. Among these genes, integrin ß1 expression in cancer cells was considered to be associated with Gal-1 expression. Pre-blocking of the integrin ß1 expression in gastric cancer cells with siRNA could interrupt the invasion-promoting effect of CAFs with high Gal-1 expression. Furthermore, immunohistochemical assay confirmed a positive correlation between Gal-1 and integrin ß1 expression. Our results showed that high expression of Gal-1 in CAFs might facilitate gastric cancer cell migration and invasion by upregulating integrin ß1 expression in gastric cancer.

MicroRNA expression profiles related to early stage murine concanavalin A-induced hepatitis.

BACKGROUND: Fulminant hepatitis is a severe liver disease characterized by massive hepatocyte necrosis and clinical signs of liver failure. This study explores the expression profile of microRNAs, which are regulators of a number of pathophysiological processes, during the early stage of concanavalin A (Con A)-induced hepatitis. METHODS: Balb/c mice were given ConA injections to induce fulminant hepatitis. miRNA expression profiling in liver tissues was carried out by microarray analysis. The differentially expressed miRNAs were subjected to time sequence profile analysis, gene-miRNA regulatory network analysis, and gene ontology-miRNA regulatory network analysis. RESULTS: Eleven miRNAs among multiClass were found to be significantly differentially expressed between liver tissue in early stage fulminant hepatitis and normal control liver tissue. Mmu-miR-133a was the most differentially expressed with the strongest regulatory ability, regulating 47 mRNAs. Mmu-miR-10a was the most highly expressed in the microRNA-GO-Network and also exerted a strong regulatory ability. The expression profiles of miR-133a and miR-10a were verified by RT-PCR. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that, in the early stage, ConA-induced fulminant hepatitis induces a distinct miRNA expression profile. This differential miRNA expression profile may provide pathogenic clues and potential diagnostic and prognostic markers in acute and severe liver disease.

Ultrasound/microwave-assisted extraction and comparative analysis of bioactive/toxic indole alkaloids in different medicinal parts of Gelsemium elegans Benth by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with MS/MS.

Indole alkaloids are the main bioactive/toxic components in Gelsemium elegans Benth. To determine the distribution and contents of indole alkaloids in its different medicinal parts, a novel and rapid method using ultra-high performance LC (UPLC) with MS/MS has been established and validated with an optimized ultrasound/microwave-assisted extraction method. Four constituents, namely, humantenidine, humantenmine, gelsemine, and koumine, were simultaneously determined in 6 min. Chromatographic separation was achieved on an ultra-high performance LC BEH C18 column with a gradient mobile phase consisting of methanol and water (containing 0.1% formic acid both in methanol and water) at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. The detection was performed on a triple quadrupole electrospray MS/MS by positive ion multiple-reaction monitoring mode. All the analytes showed good linearity (r ≥ 0.9934) within a concentration range from 0.1-25 µg/mL with a LOQ of 25-50 ng/mL. The overall intra- and intervariations of four components were <4.7% with an accuracy of 97.3-101.3%. The analysis results showed that there were remarkable differences in the distribution and contents of four chemical markers in the roots, stems, and leaves of G. elegans Benth. The findings can provide necessary and meaningful information for the rational utilization of its resources.

[Association of 8-hydroxyguanine glycosidase OGG1 Ser326Cys polymorphism with male infertility].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the association of 8-hydroxyguanine glycosidase OGG1 Ser326Cys polymorphism with semen quality and the risk of male infertility. METHODS: This case-control study included 620 idiopathic infertile patients and 385 normal fertile controls. We determined their genotypes by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and analyzed their semen quality by computer-aided semen analysis (CASA). RESULTS: The individuals with OGG1 326 Cys/Cys showed significantly lower sperm motility and concentration ([52.1 +/- 26.7]% and (3.75 +/- 0.91) x 10(6)/ml, ln transformed value) than the Ser/Ser carriers ([59.0 +/- 21.8] % and (4.12 +/- 0.88) x 10(6)/ml, ln transformed value) (P < 0.05). The risk of male infertility increased 69% in the OGG1 326Cys allele carriers as compared with the Ser carriers (OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.24 -2.31). CONCLUSION: OGG1 326 Ser/Cys polymorphism might contribute to the risk of male infertility in the southern Chinese population.

[Pulchinenoside control MeCP2 expression in FLS from RA model rats].

The role of pulchinenoside (PULC) in the regulation of MeCP2 expression was investigated in RA model rats. Adjuvant arthritis rats were used as RA model rats, and fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) from the RA model rats were cultured. The effect of 100 mg x kg(-1) PULC gavage treatment on the MeCP2 expression and the effect of MeCP2 siRNA on the expression of SFRP2 and ß-catenin were detected by real time qPCR and Western blotting. The role of PULC in the FLS proliferation was detected by MTT. The results showed that the MeCP2 expression was down-regulated, the SFRP2 expression was up-regulated and the FLS proliferation was inhibited in FLS after therapy. MeCP2 siRNA significantly inhibited the MeCP2 expression, up-regulated the SFRP2 expression and inhibited the ß-catenin expression in FLS from RA model rats. PULC may increase the SFRP2 expression, inhibit the Wnt signaling and inhibit the FLS proliferation in FLS from the RA model rats by inhibiting the MeCP2 expression.

3D-QSAR pharmacophore modeling, virtual screening, molecular docking, MD simulations, in vitro and in vivo studies to identify potential anti-hyperplasia drugs.

Psoriasis is a common immune-mediated skin condition characterized by aberrant keratinocytes and cell proliferation. The purpose of this study was to explore the FDA-approved drugs by 3D-QSAR pharmacophore model and evaluate their efficiency by in-silico, in vitro, and in vivo psoriasis animal model. A 3D-QSAR pharmacophore model was developed by utilizing HypoGen algorithm using the structural features of 48 diaryl derivatives with diverse molecular patterns. The model was validated by a test set of 27 compounds, by cost analysis method, and Fischer's randomization test. The correlation coefficient of the best model (Hypo2) was 0.9601 for the training set while it was 0.805 for the test set. The selected model was taken as a 3D query for the virtual screening of over 3000 FDA-approved drugs. Compounds mapped with the pharmacophore model were further screened through molecular docking. The hits that showed the best docking results were screened through in silico skin toxicity approach. Top five hits were selected for the MD simulation studies. Based on MD simulations results, the best two hit molecules, that is, ebastine (Ebs) and mebeverine (Mbv) were selected for in vitro and in vivo antioxidant studies performed in mice. TNF-α and COX pro-inflammatory mediators, biochemical assays, histopathological analyses, and immunohistochemistry observations confirmed the anti-inflammatory response of the selected drugs. Based on these findings, it appeared that Ebs can effectively treat psoriasis-like skin lesions and down-regulate inflammatory responses which was consistent with docking predictions and could potentially be employed for further research on inflammation-related skin illnesses such as psoriasis.

MCPNET: Development of an interpretable deep learning model based on multiple conformations of the compound for predicting developmental toxicity.

The development of deep learning models for predicting toxicological endpoints has shown great promise, but one of the challenges in the field is the accuracy and interpretability of these models. The bioactive conformation of a compound plays a critical role for it to bind in the target. It is a big issue to figure out the bioactive conformation in deep learning without the co-crystal structure or highly precise molecular simulations. In this study, we developed a deep learning framework of Multi-Conformation Point Network (MCPNET) to construct classification and regression models, respectively, based on electrostatic potential distributions on vdW surfaces around multiple conformations of the compound using a dataset of compounds with developmental toxicity in zebrafish embryo. MCPNET applied 3D multi-conformational surface point cloud to extract the molecular features for model training, which may be critical for capturing the structural diversity of compounds. The models achieved an accuracy of 85 % on the classification task and R2 of 0.66 on the regression task, outperforming traditional machine learning models and other deep learning models. The key feature of our model is its interpretability with the component visualization to identify the factors contributing to the prediction and to understand the compound action mechanism. MCPNET may predict the conformation quietly close to the bioactive conformation of a compound by attention-based multi-conformation pooling mechanism. Our results demonstrated the potential of deep learning based on 3D molecular representations in accurately predicting developmental toxicity. The source code is publicly available at https://github.com/Superlit-CC/MCPNET.