Restoration of early deficiency of axonal guidance signaling by guanxinning injection as a novel therapeutic option for acute ischemic stroke.

Despite of its high morbidity and mortality, there is still a lack of effective treatment for ischemic stroke in part due to our incomplete understanding of molecular mechanisms of its pathogenesis. In this study, we demonstrate that SHH-PTCH1-GLI1-mediated axonal guidance signaling and its related neurogenesis, a central pathway for neuronal development, also plays a critical role in early stage of an acute stroke model. Specifically, in vivo, we evaluated the effect of GXNI on ischemic stroke mice via using the middle cerebral artery embolization model, and found that GXNI significantly alleviated cerebral ischemic reperfusion (I/R) injury by reducing the volume of cerebral infarction, neurological deficit score and cerebral edema, reversing the BBB permeability and histopathological changes. A combined approach of RNA-seq and network pharmacology analysis was used to reveal the underlying mechanisms of GXNI followed by RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry and western blotting validation. It was pointed out that axon guidance signaling pathway played the most prominent role in GXNI action with Shh, Ptch1, and Gli1 genes as the critical contributors in brain protection. In addition, GXNI markedly prevented primary cortical neuron cells from oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation damage in vitro, and promoted axon growth and synaptogenesis of damaged neurons, which further confirmed the results of in vivo experiments. Moreover, due to the inhibition of the SHH-PTCH1-GLI1 signaling pathway by cyclopropylamine, the effect of GXNI was significantly weakened. Hence, our study provides a novel option for the clinical treatment of acute ischemic stroke by GXNI via SHH-PTCH1-GLI1-mediated axonal guidance signaling, a neuronal development pathway previously considered for after-stroke recovery.

[4 + 3] Cycloaddition of aromatic α,ß-unsaturated aldehydes and ketones with epoxides: one-step approach to synthesize seven-membered oxacycles catalyzed by Lewis acid.

A novel intermolecular [4 + 3] cycloaddition method to construct 1,4-dioxide seven-membered oxacycles was developed. This one-step method was carried out in the presence of catalytic amount of (C(2)H(5))(2)OBF(3) under mild conditions. Seven-membered oxacycles and some natural compounds could be easily synthesized via this protocol. Control experiments were carried out and possible mechanism for the reaction was proposed. Asymmetric reactions were proceeded and 3e was obtained with moderate ee value.

Exploration on asymmetric synthesis of flavanone catalyzed by (S)-pyrrolidinyl tetrazole.

An improved method of the synthesis of flavanones catalyzed by pyrrolidine and BF(3) ·Et(2) O has been developed and a lot of flavanones could be easily synthesized via this method. The asymmetric synthesis of flavanone from benzaldehyde and 5-fluoro-2-hydroxyacetophenone has been studied and flavanone with moderate enantioselectivity was obtained in one step.

QiShenYiQi ameliorates salt-induced hypertensive nephropathy by balancing ADRA1D and SIK1 expression in Dahl salt-sensitive rats.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is a leading risk factor for developing kidney disease. Current single-target antihypertensive drugs are not effective for hypertensive nephropathy, in part due to its less understood mechanism of pathogenesis. We recently showed that QiShenYiQi (QSYQ), a component-based cardiovascular Chinese medicine, is also effective for ischemic stroke. Given the important role of the brain-heart-kidney axis in blood pressure control, we hypothesized that QSYQ may contribute to blood pressure regulation and kidney protection in Dahl salt-sensitive hypertensive rats. METHODS: The therapeutic effects of QSYQ on blood pressure and kidney injury in Dahl salt-sensitive rats fed with high salt for 9 weeks were evaluated by tail-cuff blood pressure monitoring, renal histopathological examination and biochemical indicators in urine and serum. RNA-seq was conducted to identify QSYQ regulated genes in hypertensive kidney, and RT-qPCR, immunohistochemistry, and Western blotting analysis were performed to verify the transcriptomics results and validate the purposed mechanisms. RESULTS: QSYQ treatment significantly decreased blood pressure in Dahl salt-sensitive hypertensive rats, alleviated renal tissue damage, reduced renal interstitial fibrosis and collagen deposition, and improved renal physiological function. RNA-seq and subsequent bioinformatic analysis showed that the expression of ADRA1D and SIK1 genes were among the most prominently altered by QSYQ in salt-sensitive hypertensive rat kidney. RT-qPCR, immunohistochemistry and Western blotting results confirmed that the mRNA and protein expression levels of alpha-1D adrenergic receptor (ADRA1D) in the kidney tissue of the QSYQ-treated rats were markedly down-regulated, while the mRNA and protein levels of salt inducible kinase 1 (SIK1) were significantly increased. CONCLUSION: QSYQ not only lowered blood pressure, but also alleviated renal damage via reducing the expression of ADRA1D and increasing the expression of SIK1 in the kidney of Dahl salt-sensitive hypertensive rats.

Synthesis and bioactivity of novel methyl 6-deoxy-6-(N'-alkyl/aryl-N''-benzothiazol-2-yl)guanidino-alpha-D-glucopyranosides.

A series of new methyl 6-deoxy-6-[N'-alkyl/aryl-N''-(benzothiazol-2-yl)]guanidino-alpha-D-glucopyranosides were obtained from the reaction of an alkyl/aryl amine in the presence of HgCl2 and sugar-thiourea derivatives, followed by the removal of protecting groups. The sugar-thiourea derivatives were obtained from the treatment of 2-aminobenzothiazole derivatives with methyl 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-6-deoxy-6-isothiocyanato-alpha-D-glucopyranoside in dry pyridine. Some of the synthesized guanidines displayed anti-influenza activity.

An expedient one-step synthesis of polysubstituted guanidinoglucosides using HgO-4A molecular sieves as catalyst.

A novel one-step method of preparing polysubstituted guanidinoglucosides using peracetylated methyl 6-deoxy-6-thioureidoglucosides as starting materials and employing HgO in combination with molecular sieves as an efficient catalyst is reported. The structures of three methyl 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-6-[N(2)-(benzothiazol-2-yl)-N(3)-(oxydi-1,2-ethandiyl)]guanidino-6-deoxy-alpha-d-glucopyranosides were unambiguously confirmed by X-ray crystallography. The methodology affords new compounds in good yields and also provides a promising route for the synthesis of carbamate-protected guanidines.

Synthesis and bioactivity of 5-(1-aryl-1H-tetrazol-5-ylsulfanylmethyl)-N-xylopyranosyl-1,3,4-oxa(thia)diazol-2-amines.

A series of new N'-[N-(2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-ß-d-xylopyranosyl)thiocarbamoyl]-2-[(1-aryl-1H-tetrazol-5-yl)sulfanyl]acetohydrazides 5a-5e were synthesized rapidly in high yields from 2-(1-aryl-1H-tetrazol-5-ylsulfanyl)acetohydrazides 3a-3e and 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-ß-d-xylopyranosyl isothiocyanate 4, then 5a-5e were converted to a series of new 5-(1-aryl-1H-tetrazol-5-ylsulfanylmethyl)-N-(2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-ß-D-xylopyranosyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-amines 6a-6e and 5-(1-aryl-1H-tetrazol-5-ylsulfanylmethyl)-N-(2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-ß-D-xylopyranosyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-amines 7a-7e, respectively under mercuric acetate/alcohol system or acetic anhydride/phosphoric acid system, then deacetylated in the solution of CH(3)ONa/CH(3)OH. All of the novel compounds were characterized by IR, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, MS and elemental analysis. The structures of compounds 2e, 3e, 5a and 5c have been determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. Some of the synthesized compounds displayed PTP1B inhibition and microorganism inhibition.