Stereodivergent Synthesis of Alkaloid (±)-223A and (±)-6-epi-223A via Rh-Catalyzed Hydroformylation Double Cyclization.

A stereodivergent approach toward total syntheses of Dendrobatid alkaloids 223A and 6-epi-223A is described. The approach features a concise construction of an indolizidine skeleton by Rh-catalyzed domino hydroformylation double cyclization and sequential stereocontrolled transformations such as reductive alkylation or anti-selective α-alkylation of the 5-oxoindolizidine. These stereoselective reactions afford the desired stereochemistry in the targets.

Identification of Potent ADCK3 Inhibitors through Structure-Based Virtual Screening.

ADCK3 is a member of the UbiB family of atypical protein kinases in humans, with homologues in archaea, bacteria, and eukaryotes. In lieu of protein kinase activity, ADCK3 plays a role in the biosynthesis of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), and inactivating mutations can cause a CoQ10 deficiency and ataxia. However, the exact functions of ADCK3 are still unclear, and small-molecule inhibitors could be useful as chemical probes to elucidate its molecular mechanisms. In this study, we applied structure-based virtual screening (VS) to discover a novel chemical series of ADCK3 inhibitors. Through extensive structural analysis of the active-site residues, we developed a pharmacophore model and applied it to a large-scale VS. Out of ∼170,000 compounds virtually screened, 800 top-ranking candidate compounds were selected and tested in both ADCK3 and p38 biochemical assays for hit validation. In total, 129 compounds were confirmed as ADCK3 inhibitors, and among them, 114 compounds are selective against p38, which was used as a counter-target. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were then conducted to predict the binding modes of the most potent compounds within the ADCK3 active site. Through metadynamics analysis, we successfully detected the key amino acid residues that govern intermolecular interactions. The findings provided in this study can serve as a promising starting point for drug development.

Identification of Potent and Selective Acetylcholinesterase/Butyrylcholinesterase Inhibitors by Virtual Screening.

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) play important roles in human neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. In this study, machine learning methods were applied to develop quantitative structure-activity relationship models for the prediction of novel AChE and BChE inhibitors based on data from quantitative high-throughput screening assays. The models were used to virtually screen an in-house collection of ∼360K compounds. The optimal models achieved good performance with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values ranging from 0.83 ± 0.03 to 0.87 ± 0.01 for the prediction of AChE/BChE inhibition activity and selectivity. Experimental validation showed that the best-performing models increased the assay hit rate by several folds. We identified 88 novel AChE and 126 novel BChE inhibitors, 25% (AChE) and 53% (BChE) of which showed potent inhibitory effects (IC50 < 5 µM). In addition, structure-activity relationship analysis of the BChE inhibitors revealed scaffolds for chemistry design and optimization. In conclusion, machine learning models were shown to efficiently identify potent and selective inhibitors against AChE and BChE and novel structural series for further design and development of potential therapeutics against neurodegenerative disorders.

iPS-derived neural stem cells for disease modeling and evaluation of therapeutics for mucopolysaccharidosis type II.

Mucopolysaccharidosis type II (MPS II), also known as Hunter syndrome, is a rare, lysosomal disorder caused by mutations in a gene encoding iduronate-2-sulfatase (IDS). IDS deficiency results in an accumulation of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and secondary accumulations of other lipids in lysosomes. Symptoms of MPS II include a variety of soft and hard tissue problems, developmental delay, and deterioration of multiple organs. Enzyme replacement therapy is an approved treatment for MPS II, but fails to improve neuronal symptoms. Cell-based neuronal models of MPS II disease are needed for compound screening and drug development for the treatment of the neuronal symptoms in MPS II. In this study, three induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines were generated from three MPS II patient-derived dermal fibroblast cell lines that were differentiated into neural stem cells and neurons. The disease phenotypes were measured using immunofluorescence staining and Nile red dye staining. In addition, the therapeutic effects of recombinant human IDS enzyme, delta-tocopherol (DT), and hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HPBCD) were determined in the MPS II disease cells. Finally, the neural stem cells from two of the MPS II iPSC lines exhibited typical disease features including a deficiency of IDS activity, abnormal glycosaminoglycan storage, and secondary lipid accumulation. Enzyme replacement therapy partially rescued the disease phenotypes in these cells. DT showed a significant effect in reducing the secondary accumulation of lipids in the MPS II neural stem cells. In contrast, HPBCD displayed limited or no effect in these cells. Our data indicate that these MPS II cells can be used as a cell-based disease model to study disease pathogenesis, evaluate drug efficacy, and screen compounds for drug development.

High-Throughput Platform for Novel Reaction Discovery.

Detecting the formation of new chemical bonds in high-throughput synthesis is limited by the efficiency and scalability of reaction product detection, as conventional methods for isolating product from reaction mixtures are time consuming and labor intensive. Here, we report a miniaturizable purification method that enables the rapid, high-throughput isolation of quaternary ammonium-tagged products from reaction mixtures with excellent purity using inexpensive equipment that easily can be set up in a typical organic chemistry laboratory. This novel purification technique enabled us to establish a high-throughput reaction discovery platform. We validated this platform in a screen of 1536 reactions, and one previously unreported transformation was identified.

Disease modeling for Mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIB using patient derived induced pluripotent stem cells.

Mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIB (MPS IIIB) is a lysosomal disease caused by mutations in the NAGLU gene encoding α-N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAGLU) which degrades heparan sulfate in lysosomes. Deficiency in NAGLU results in lysosomal accumulation of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and neurological symptoms. Currently, there is no effective treatment or cure for this disease. In this study, induced pluripotent stem cell lines were established from two MPS IIIB patient fibroblast lines and differentiated into neural stem cells and neurons. MPS IIIB neural stem cells exhibited NAGLU deficiency accompanied with GAG accumulation, as well as lysosomal enlargement and secondary lipid accumulation. Treatments with recombinant NAGLU, δ-tocopherol, and 2-hydroxypropyl-b-cyclodextrin significantly reduced the disease phenotypes in these cells. These results indicate the MPS IIIB neural stem cells and neurons have the disease relevant phenotype and can be used as a cell-based disease model system for evaluation of drug efficacy and compound screening for drug development.

Comparison of the Efficacies of Direct-Acting Antiviral Treatment for HCV Infection in People Who Inject Drugs and Non-Drug Users.

Background and Objectives: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of liver disease worldwide. People who inject drugs (PWIDs) constitute the majority of patients with HCV infection in the United States and Central Asia. There are several obstacles to treating HCV infection in PWIDs because PWIDs are often accompanied by concurrent infection, low compliance, substance abuse, and risky behavior. The aim of the study is to compare the efficacies of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy for HCV infection in PWIDs and those without opioid injection. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we included 53 PWIDs with HCV infections treated on site in a methadone program and 106 age- and sex-matched patients with HCV infections who had no history of opioid injection (ratio of 1:2). All eligible subjects received anti-HCV treatment by DAA agents in our hospital from March 2018 to December 2020. The charts of these patients were carefully reviewed for demographic data, types of DAA agents, and treatment outcomes. The primary outcome measure was sustained virological response (SVR). Results: PWIDs and non-drug users had different HCV genotype profiles (p = 0.013). The former had higher proportions of genotype 3 (18.9% vs. 7.5%) and genotype 6 (24.5% vs. 14.2%) than the latter. The two patient groups had comparable rates of complete drug refilling (100.0% vs. 91.1%) and frequency of loss to follow-up (3.8% vs. 0.9%). However, PWIDs had a lower SVR rate of DAA treatment than non-drug users (92.2% vs. 99.0%; p = 0.04). Further analysis showed that both human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection and history of PWID were risk factors associated with treatment failure. The subjects with coinfection with HIV had lower SVR rates than those without HIV infection (50.0% vs. 96.5%; p = 0.021). Conclusions: PWIDs with HCV infections have higher proportions of HCV genotype 3 and genotype 6 than non-drug users with infections. DAA therapy can achieve a high cure rate (>90%) for HCV infection in PWID, but its efficacy in PWID is lower than that in non-drug users.

Application of niclosamide and analogs as small molecule inhibitors of Zika virus and SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Zika virus has emerged as a potential threat to human health globally. A previous drug repurposing screen identified the approved anthelminthic drug niclosamide as a small molecule inhibitor of Zika virus infection. However, as antihelminthic drugs are generally designed to have low absorption when dosed orally, the very limited bioavailability of niclosamide will likely hinder its potential direct repurposing as an antiviral medication. Here, we conducted SAR studies focusing on the anilide and salicylic acid regions of niclosamide to improve physicochemical properties such as microsomal metabolic stability, permeability and solubility. We found that the 5-bromo substitution in the salicylic acid region retains potency while providing better drug-like properties. Other modifications in the anilide region with 2'-OMe and 2'-H substitutions were also advantageous. We found that the 4'-NO2 substituent can be replaced with a 4'-CN or 4'-CF3 substituents. Together, these modifications provide a basis for optimizing the structure of niclosamide to improve systemic exposure for application of niclosamide analogs as drug lead candidates for treating Zika and other viral infections. Indeed, key analogs were also able to rescue cells from the cytopathic effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection, indicating relevance for therapeutic strategies targeting the COVID-19 pandemic.

Patients with oral cancer do not undergo surgery as primary treatment: A population-based study in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: There are still oral cancer patients without surgery. To improve the survival, it is necessary to know the causes of the oral cancer patients without surgery. METHODS: 23,217 patients with a newly-diagnosed oral cancer in Taiwan Cancer Registry (TCR) database between 2011 and 2015 were enrolled. Data from TCR database named "Reason for No Surgery of Primary Site" were extracted for analysis of the causes of those without surgery. Overall survival plots were presented using the Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank test. RESULTS: 3263 (14%) patients did not received surgery. Among them, there were 720 patients (group 3) without surgery although surgery was advised, 154 patients (group 2) because of poor condition or death before surgery, and 2389 patients (group 1) because of other causes. Twenty-four percent of the patients with surgery were treated one month and more after diagnosis. The 5-year overall survival rates were 68.7%, 25.2%, 9.1% and 17.3% for surgery group, group 3, 2 and 1, respectively (p < 0.001). The mean age of the patients with and without surgery were 54.8 and 59.3, respectively (p < 0.01). Female patients were commoner in group 3 (p < 0.01). The patients without surgery was commoner in the middle (15.7%) and southern (14.8%) than in Northern Taiwan (12.1%). All groups without surgery had more advanced stage and lower BMI (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: One-sevenths of patients were not treated surgically because of refusal, poor condition, older age, low BMI, and advanced stage. It is necessary to encourage the patients to undergo surgery with shortening the diagnosis-to-treatment interval.

Discovery of 3-(4-sulfamoylnaphthyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines as potent and selective ALK2 inhibitors.

The pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine LDN-193189 is a potent inhibitor of activin receptor-like kinase 2 (ALK2) but is nonselective for highly homologous ALK3 and shows only modest kinome selectivity. Herein, we describe the discovery of a novel series of potent and selective ALK2 inhibitors by replacing the quinolinyl with a 4-(sulfamoyl)naphthyl, yielding ALK2 inhibitors that exhibit not only excellent discrimination versus ALK3 but also high kinome selectivity. In addition, the optimized compound 23 demonstrates good ADME and in vivo pharmacokinetic properties.

Acid-Promoted Cascade Reaction of N-(4-Chloroquinolin-3-yl)carbamates with Amines: One-Pot Assembly of Imidazo[4,5-c]quinolin-2-one.

An acid-promoted cascade reaction of 4-chloroquinolin-3-yl carbamates with amines is described. This method achieves the formation of two new C-N bonds through an intermolecular amination/intramolecular cyclization reaction sequence. In combination with subsequent Suzuki coupling, this three-component telescopic procedure provides rapid access to various bioactive imidazo[4,5-c]quinolin-2-one derivatives.

Behavioral, Neurophysiological, and Synaptic Impairment in a Transgenic Neuregulin1 (NRG1-IV) Murine Schizophrenia Model.

UNLABELLED: Schizophrenia is a chronic, disabling neuropsychiatric disorder with complex genetic origins. The development of strategies for genome manipulation in rodents provides a platform for understanding the pathogenic role of genes and for testing novel therapeutic agents. Neuregulin 1 (NRG1), a critical developmental neurotrophin, is associated with schizophrenia. The NRG1 gene undergoes extensive alternative splicing and, to date, little is known about the neurobiology of a novel NRG1 isoform, NRG1-IV, which is increased in the brains of individuals with schizophrenia and associated with genetic risk variation. Here, we developed a transgenic mouse model (NRG1-IV/NSE-tTA) in which human NRG1-IV is selectively overexpressed in a neuronal specific manner. Using a combination of molecular, biochemical, electrophysiological, and behavioral analyses, we demonstrate that NRG1-IV/NSE-tTA mice exhibit abnormal behaviors relevant to schizophrenia, including impaired sensorimotor gating, discrimination memory, and social behaviors. These neurobehavioral phenotypes are accompanied by increases in cortical expression of the NRG1 receptor, ErbB4 and the downstream signaling target, PIK3-p110δ, along with disrupted dendritic development, synaptic pathology, and altered prefrontal cortical excitatory-inhibitory balance. Pharmacological inhibition of p110δ reversed sensorimotor gating and cognitive deficits. These data demonstrate a novel role for NRG1-IV in learning, memory, and neural circuit formation and a potential neurobiological mechanism for schizophrenia risk; show that deficits are pharmacologically reversible in adulthood; and further highlight p110δ as a target for antipsychotic drug development. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Schizophrenia is a disabling psychiatric disorder with neurodevelopmental origins. Genes that increase risk for schizophrenia have been identified. Understanding how these genes affect brain development and function is necessary. This work is the first report of a newly generated humanized transgenic mouse model engineered to express human NRG1-IV, an isoform of the NRG1 (Neuregulin 1) gene that is increased in the brains of patients with schizophrenia in association with genetic risk. Using behavioral neuroscience, molecular biology, electrophysiology, and pharmacology, we identify a role for NRG1-IV in learning, memory, and cognition and determine that this relates to brain excitatory-inhibitory balance and changes in ErbB4/PI3K/AKT signaling. Moreover, the study further highlights the potential of targeting the PI3K pathway for the treatment of schizophrenia.

Novel lead structures with both Plasmodium falciparum gametocytocidal and asexual blood stage activity identified from high throughput compound screening.

BACKGROUND: Blocking malaria transmission is an important step in eradicating malaria. In the field, transmission requires the production of sexual stage Plasmodium parasites, called gametocytes, which are not effectively killed by the commonly used anti-malarials allowing individuals to remain infectious after clearance of asexual parasites. METHODS: To identify new gametocytocidal compounds, a library of 45,056 compounds with diverse structures was screened using a high throughput gametocyte viability assay. The characteristics of active hits were further evaluated against asexual stage parasites in a growth inhibition assay. Their cytotoxicity were tested against mammalian cells in a cytotoxicity assay. The chemical scaffold similarity of active hits were studied using scaffold cluster analysis. RESULTS: A set of 23 compounds were identified and further confirmed for their activity against gametocytes. All the 23 confirmed compounds possess dual-activities against both gametocytes responsible for human to mosquito transmission and asexual parasites that cause the clinical symptoms. Three of these compounds were fourfold more active against gametocytes than asexual parasites. Further cheminformatic analysis revealed three sets of novel scaffolds, including highly selective 4-1H-pyrazol-5-yl piperidine analogs. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed important new structural scaffolds that can be used as starting points for dual activity anti-malarial drug development.

High-throughput combinatorial screening identifies drugs that cooperate with ibrutinib to kill activated B-cell-like diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cells.

The clinical development of drug combinations is typically achieved through trial-and-error or via insight gained through a detailed molecular understanding of dysregulated signaling pathways in a specific cancer type. Unbiased small-molecule combination (matrix) screening represents a high-throughput means to explore hundreds and even thousands of drug-drug pairs for potential investigation and translation. Here, we describe a high-throughput screening platform capable of testing compounds in pairwise matrix blocks for the rapid and systematic identification of synergistic, additive, and antagonistic drug combinations. We use this platform to define potential therapeutic combinations for the activated B-cell-like subtype (ABC) of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). We identify drugs with synergy, additivity, and antagonism with the Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor ibrutinib, which targets the chronic active B-cell receptor signaling that characterizes ABC DLBCL. Ibrutinib interacted favorably with a wide range of compounds, including inhibitors of the PI3K-AKT-mammalian target of rapamycin signaling cascade, other B-cell receptor pathway inhibitors, Bcl-2 family inhibitors, and several components of chemotherapy that is the standard of care for DLBCL.

In vitro evaluation of imidazo[4,5-c]quinolin-2-ones as gametocytocidal antimalarial agents.

Novel imidazo[4,5-c]quinolin-2-ones were synthesized and evaluated in asexual blood stage and late stage gametocyte assays of Plasmodium falciparum, a major causative agent of malaria. The design of these compounds is based on a recently identified lead compound from a high throughput screen. A concise synthesis was developed that allowed for generation of analogues with substitution around both the quinoline and imidazolidinone rings. Through structure-activity relationship studies, a number of potent compounds were identified that possessed excellent antimalarial activity against both the asexual and sexual stages with minimal cytotoxicity in mammalian cells. This is the first Letter describing SAR and gametocytocidal activity of imidazo[4,5-c]quinolin-2-ones, a new lead series for malaria treatment and prevention.

Small molecule inhibition of group I p21-activated kinases in breast cancer induces apoptosis and potentiates the activity of microtubule stabilizing agents.

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer, the most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide among women, is a molecularly and clinically heterogeneous disease. Extensive genetic and epigenetic profiling of breast tumors has recently revealed novel putative driver genes, including p21-activated kinase (PAK)1. PAK1 is a serine/threonine kinase downstream of small GTP-binding proteins, Rac1 and Cdc42, and is an integral component of growth factor signaling networks and cellular functions fundamental to tumorigenesis. METHODS: PAK1 dysregulation (copy number gain, mRNA and protein expression) was evaluated in two cohorts of breast cancer tissues (n=980 and 1,108). A novel small molecule inhibitor, FRAX1036, and RNA interference were used to examine PAK1 loss of function and combination with docetaxel in vitro. Mechanism of action for the therapeutic combination, both cellular and molecular, was assessed via time-lapse microscopy and immunoblotting. RESULTS: We demonstrate that focal genomic amplification and overexpression of PAK1 are associated with poor clinical outcome in the luminal subtype of breast cancer (P=1.29×10(-4) and P=0.015, respectively). Given the role for PAK1 in regulating cytoskeletal organization, we hypothesized that combination of PAK1 inhibition with taxane treatment could be combined to further interfere with microtubule dynamics and cell survival. Consistent with this, administration of docetaxel with either a novel small molecule inhibitor of group I PAKs, FRAX1036, or PAK1 small interfering RNA oligonucleotides dramatically altered signaling to cytoskeletal-associated proteins, such as stathmin, and induced microtubule disorganization and cellular apoptosis. Live-cell imaging revealed that the duration of mitotic arrest mediated by docetaxel was significantly reduced in the presence of FRAX1036, and this was associated with increased kinetics of apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these findings further support PAK1 as a potential target in breast cancer and suggest combination with taxanes as a viable strategy to increase anti-tumor efficacy.

Neuregulin 1-ErbB4-PI3K signaling in schizophrenia and phosphoinositide 3-kinase-p110δ inhibition as a potential therapeutic strategy.

Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) and ErbB4, critical neurodevelopmental genes, are implicated in schizophrenia, but the mediating mechanisms are unknown. Here we identify a genetically regulated, pharmacologically targetable, risk pathway associated with schizophrenia and with ErbB4 genetic variation involving increased expression of a PI3K-linked ErbB4 receptor (CYT-1) and the phosphoinositide 3-kinase subunit, p110δ (PIK3CD). In human lymphoblasts, NRG1-mediated phosphatidyl-inositol,3,4,5 triphosphate [PI(3,4,5)P3] signaling is predicted by schizophrenia-associated ErbB4 genotype and PIK3CD levels and is impaired in patients with schizophrenia. In human brain, the same ErbB4 genotype again predicts increased PIK3CD expression. Pharmacological inhibition of p110δ using the small molecule inhibitor, IC87114, blocks the effects of amphetamine in a mouse pharmacological model of psychosis and reverses schizophrenia-related phenotypes in a rat neonatal ventral hippocampal lesion model. Consistent with these antipsychotic-like properties, IC87114 increases AKT phosphorylation in brains of treated mice, implicating a mechanism of action. Finally, in two family-based genetic studies, PIK3CD shows evidence of association with schizophrenia. Our data provide insight into a mechanism of ErbB4 association with schizophrenia; reveal a previously unidentified biological and disease link between NRG1-ErbB4, p110δ, and AKT; and suggest that p110δ is a previously undescribed therapeutic target for the treatment of psychiatric disorders.

A novel class of ion displacement ligands as antagonists of the αIIbß3 receptor that limit conformational reorganization of the receptor.

A collection of αIIbß3 integrin receptor antagonists possessing a unique MIDAS metal ion displacement mechanism of action is presented. Insight into these agents' structure-activity relationships, binding modality, and pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles highlight the potential of these small molecule ion displacement ligands as attractive candidates for clinical development.

Hierarchical neural architecture search with adaptive global-local feature learning for Magnetic Resonance Image reconstruction.

Neural architecture search (NAS) has been introduced into the design of deep neural network architectures for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) reconstruction since NAS-based methods can acquire the complex network architecture automatically without professional designing experience and improve the model's generalization ability. However, current NAS-based MRI reconstruction methods suffer from a lack of efficient operators in the search space, which leads to challenges in effectively recovering high-frequency details. This limitation is primarily due to the prevalent use of convolution operators in the current search space, which struggle to capture both global and local features of MR images simultaneously, resulting in insufficient information utilization. To address this issue, a generative adversarial network (GAN) based model is proposed to reconstruct the MR image from under-sampled K-space data. Firstly, parameterized global and local feature learning modules at multiple scales are added into the search space to improve the capability of recovering high-frequency details. Secondly, to mitigate the increased search time caused by the augmented search space, a hierarchical NAS is designed to learn the global-local feature learning modules that enable the reconstruction network to learn global and local information of MR images at different scales adaptively. Thirdly, to reduce the number of network parameters and computational complexity, the standard operations in global-local feature learning modules are replaced with lightweight operations. Finally, experiments on several publicly available brain MRI image datasets evaluate the performance of the proposed method. Compared to the state-of-the-art MRI reconstruction methods, the proposed method yields better reconstruction results in terms of peak signal-to-noise ratio and structural similarity at a lower computational cost. Additionally, our reconstruction results are validated through a brain tumor classification task, affirming the practicability of the proposed method. Our code is available at https://github.com/wwHwo/HNASMRI.