New aporphinoid 5-HT2A and α1A antagonists via structural manipulations of nantenine.

A series of C1, C2, C3 and N6 analogs of nantenine (2) was synthesized and evaluated in 5-HT(2A) and α(1A) receptor functional assays. Alkyl substitution of the C1 and N6 methyl groups of nantenine provided selective 5-HT(2A) and α(1A) antagonists, respectively. The C2 alkyloxy analogs studied were generally selective for α(1A) versus 5-HT(2A). The C3 bromo analog 15 is one of the most potent aporphinoid 5-HT(2A) antagonists known presently.

Synthetic studies and pharmacological evaluations on the MDMA ('Ecstasy') antagonist nantenine.

The naturally occurring aporphine alkaloid nantenine, has been shown to antagonize behavioral and physiological effects of MDMA in mice. We have synthesized (+/-)-nantenine via an oxidative cyclization reaction with PIFA and evaluated its binding profile against a panel of CNS targets. To begin to understand the importance of the chiral center of nantenine with regards to its capacity to antagonize the effects of MDMA in vivo, (R)- and (S)-nantenine were prepared and evaluated in a food-reinforced operant task in rats. Pretreatment with either nantenine enantiomer (0.3mg/kg ip) completely blocked the behavioral suppression induced upon administration of 3.0mg/kg MDMA. (+/-)-Nantenine displayed high affinity and selectivity for the alpha(1A) adrenergic receptor among several other receptors suggesting that this alpha(1) subtype may be significantly involved in the anti-MDMA effects of the enantiomers.

(+/-)-Nantenine analogs as antagonists at human 5-HT(2A) receptors: C1 and flexible congeners.

C1 and flexible analogs of (+/-)-nantenine were synthesized and evaluated for antagonist activity at human 5-HT(2A) receptors in a calcium mobilization assay. This work has resulted in the identification of the most potent 5-HT(2A) antagonist known based on an aporphine. Our results also suggest that the C1 position may be a key site for increasing 5-HT(2A) antagonist activity in this compound series. In addition, the structural rigidity of the aporphine core appears to be required for nantenine to function as a 5-HT(2A) antagonist.

Microwave-Assisted Direct Biaryl Coupling: First Application to the Synthesis of Aporphines.

We have investigated the use of microwaves in a direct biaryl coupling reaction for the synthesis of analogs of the aporphine alkaloid nantenine. Our study shows that the aporphine core may be rapidly accessed from benzyl-tetrahydroisoquinoline substrates with this method. This is the first report of a microwave-assisted direct biaryl coupling reaction in the synthesis of aporphine molecules.

(-)-Oleocanthal rapidly and selectively induces cancer cell death via lysosomal membrane permeabilization.

(-)-Oleocanthal (OC), a phenolic compound present in extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), has been implicated in the health benefits associated with diets rich in EVOO. We investigated the effect of OC on human cancer cell lines in culture and found that OC induced cell death in all cancer cells examined as rapidly as 30 minutes after treatment in the absence of serum. OC treatment of non-transformed cells suppressed their proliferation but did not cause cell death. OC induced both primary necrotic and apoptotic cell death via induction of lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP). We provide evidence that OC promotes LMP by inhibiting acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) activity, which destabilizes the interaction between proteins required for lysosomal membrane stability. The data presented here indicate that cancer cells, which tend to have fragile lysosomal membranes compared to non-cancerous cells, are susceptible to cell death induced by lysosomotropic agents. Therefore, targeting lysosomal membrane stability represents a novel approach for the induction of cancer-specific cell death.

BxPC3 pancreatic cancer cells express a truncated Smad4 protein upon PI3K and mTOR inhibition.

Smad4 is a critical regulator of transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß signaling and is defective in numerous human cancers. In total, 30% of pancreatic cancers harbor a homozygous deletion of Smad4. The human pancreatic cancer cell line, BxPC3, has been reported to be Smad4-null due to a homozygous deletion and has been widely used as a Smad4-null model. The present study reports that Smad4 DNA is present in BxPC3 cells, and under conditions of suppressed mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase, a truncated Smad4 protein is expressed. While a high level of Smad4 protein can be expressed in these cells, the cells do not respond to TGF-ß. The Smad4 defect in BxPC3 cells likely occurs via translocation rather than deletion as previously reported.

New Drimane Sesquiterpenoids from Tidestromia oblongifolia.

From an acetone extract of the aerial parts of Tidestromia oblongifolia (Amaranthaceae), a new drimane sesquiterpenoid bearing an 11,12,13-trihydroxydrimene skeleton (1) as well as the 11,12 acetonide of 1 were isolated. Three known stigmastane triterpenoids were also isolated. Structures were elucidated with the aid of 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic techniques. The absolute configuration of 1 was confirmed by single-crystal x-ray crystallography. This is the first report on phytochemical constituents from any plant of the genus Tidestromia and is the first report of the occurrence of drimanes in the Amaranthaceae.