A highly selective and potent CXCR4 antagonist for hepatocellular carcinoma treatment.

The CXC chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) receptor and its ligand, CXCL12, are overexpressed in various cancers and mediate tumor progression and hypoxia-mediated resistance to cancer therapy. While CXCR4 antagonists have potential anticancer effects when combined with conventional anticancer drugs, their poor potency against CXCL12/CXCR4 downstream signaling pathways and systemic toxicity had precluded clinical application. Herein, BPRCX807, known as a safe, selective, and potent CXCR4 antagonist, has been designed and experimentally realized. In in vitro and in vivo hepatocellular carcinoma mouse models it can significantly suppress primary tumor growth, prevent distant metastasis/cell migration, reduce angiogenesis, and normalize the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment by reducing tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) infiltration, reprogramming TAMs toward an immunostimulatory phenotype and promoting cytotoxic T cell infiltration into tumor. Although BPRCX807 treatment alone prolongs overall survival as effectively as both marketed sorafenib and anti-PD-1, it could synergize with either of them in combination therapy to further extend life expectancy and suppress distant metastasis more significantly.

A Convenient Diels-Alder Approach toward Potential Polyketide-like Antibiotics Using α-Activated α,ß-Unsaturated 4,4-Dimethyl-1-tetralones as Dienophiles.

Making use of a Diels-Alder approach based on various α,ß-unsaturated 2-carbomethoxy-4,4-dimethyl-1-tetralones as novel dienophiles, the corresponding polycyclic adducts could be efficiently synthesized in good to high yields (74~99%) in the presence of Lewis acid (e.g., SnCl4). Accordingly, a synthetically useful platform is established to provide a focused aromatic polyketide-like library for screening of potential natural and non-natural antimicrobial agents.

Protective Effect of CXCR4 Antagonist DBPR807 against Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in a Rat and Porcine Model of Myocardial Infarction: Potential Adjunctive Therapy for Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

CXCR4 antagonists have been claimed to reduce mortality after myocardial infarction in myocardial infarction (MI) animals, presumably due to suppressing inflammatory responses caused by myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury, thus, subsequently facilitating tissue repair and cardiac function recovery. This study aims to determine whether a newly designed CXCR4 antagonist DBPR807 could exert better vascular-protective effects than other clinical counterparts (e.g., AMD3100) to alleviate cardiac damage further exacerbated by reperfusion. Consequently, we find that instead of traditional continuous treatment or multiple-dose treatment at different intervals of time, a single-dose treatment of DBPR807 before reperfusion in MI animals could attenuate inflammation via protecting oxidative stress damage and preserve vascular/capillary density and integrity via mobilizing endothelial progenitor cells, leading to a desirable fibrosis reduction and recovery of cardiac function, as evaluated with the LVEF (left ventricular ejection fraction) in infarcted hearts in rats and mini-pigs, respectively. Thus, it is highly suggested that CXCR4 antagonists should be given at a single high dose prior to reperfusion to provide the maximal cardiac functional improvement. Based on its favorable efficacy and safety profiles indicated in tested animals, DBPR807 has a great potential to serve as an adjunctive medicine for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) therapies in acute MI patients.

Fluorine-18 isotope labeling for positron emission tomography imaging. Direct evidence for DBPR211 as a peripherally restricted CB1 inverse agonist.

The [18F] isotope-labelled CB1 inverse agonist 3 was elaborated and synthesized for positron emission tomography scanning studies. After immediate purification and calibration with its unlabeled counterpart, compound 3 was intravenously injected in mice and revealed that its distribution percentage in brain over 90-min scans among five region of interests, including brain, liver, heart, thigh muscle and kidney was lower than 1%, thus providing direct evidence to justify itself as a peripherally restricted CB1 antagonist.

Temperature-Controlled Thiation of α-Cyano-ß-Alkynyl Carbonyl Derivatives for De Novo Synthesis of 2-Aminothiophenes and Thieno[2,3- c]isothiazoles.

Making use of temperature-controlled thiation as a key operation, a simple route to 2-aminothiophenes or thieno[2,3- c]isothiazoles has been newly developed wherein the 2-aminothiophene nucleus was formed through an initial formation of thioamide followed by a 5-exo-dig addition to the tethered alkyne; however, under harsher thermal conditions, excess sulfur-transferring reagents enabled further oxidative thiation to generate the corresponding thieno[2,3- c]isothiazoles.

Expanding the Scope of Primary Amine Catalysis: Stereoselective Synthesis of Indanedione-Fused 2,6-Disubstituted trans-Spirocyclohexanones.

A cinchona-alkaloid-derived chiral primary-amine-catalyzed enantioselective method for the synthesis of the thermodynamically less stable indanedione-fused 2,6-trans-disubstituted spirocyclohexanones is demonstrated. Both the enantiomeric forms of the trans isomer are obtained in excellent yields and enantioselectivities. Furthermore, one of the enantiopure trans-spiranes bearing an additional α-substitution on the cyclohexanone ring was then epimerized into its thermodynamically stable cis counterpart, with little loss of enantioselectivity to demonstrate the feasibility of such a transformation. Mechanistic investigations revealed two competing pathways, a concerted Diels-Alder reaction and a stepwise Michael addition, for the formation of corresponding products.

Preparation of Furo[3,2-c]coumarins from 3-Cinnamoyl-4-hydroxy-2H-chromen-2-ones and Acyl Chlorides: A Bu3P-Mediated C-Acylation/Cyclization Sequence.

A Bu3P-mediated cyclization reaction of 3-cinnamoyl-4-hydroxy-2H-chromen-2-ones though electrophilic addition of acyl chlorides towards the synthesis of highly functionalized furo[3,2-c]coumarins bearing a phosphorus ylide moiety is described. These unprecedented cyclization reaction proceeds under mild reaction conditions within short reaction times (1 min to 1 h), and can be further applied in the synthesis of alkenyl-substituted furo[3,2-c]coumarins by the treatment with carbonyl electrophiles under basic conditions.

A versatile and practical method for regioselective synthesis of polysubstituted furanonaphthoquinones.

An efficient and attractive synthesis of a series of novel poly-functionalized phosphorus zwitterions was achieved via three-component reactions of the corresponding functional nucleophiles, aldehydes, and Bu(3)P in the presence of acidic promoter. These polysubstituted zwitterions could regioselectively undergo further transformations to synthetically important furanonaphthoquinones and related products via the intramolecular Wittig reaction. These methods could have potential application in synthetic and pharmaceutical chemistry for its facilitation and easily accessible commercial materials.

Chemoselective synthesis of tetrasubstituted furans via intramolecular Wittig reactions: mechanism and theoretical analysis.

An efficient synthesis of tetrasubstituted furans was achieved from the corresponding α,ß-unsaturated ketone derivatives, acid chlorides, and Bu3P in the presence of Et3N via a chemoselective intramolecular Wittig reaction as the key step. The presence of an additional electron-withdrawing group in the α-position of Michael acceptors controlled the chemoselectivities of presumable phosphorus ylides in the intramolecular Wittig reactions, and their mechanisms were also investigated by DFT calculations.

Enantioselective organocatalytic Michael addition of ketones to alkylidene malonates.

Organocatalysts bearing sulfide or sulfone functions (1a-d) were studied for the direct asymmetric Michael addition of ketones and alkylidene malonates. The organocatalyst (S)-2-((naphthalen-2-ylthio)methyl)pyrrolidine, bearing a pyrrolidine and a sulfide moiety, showed a very high catalytic activity in the absence of additives. The reaction condition is mild, and the Michael adducts were obtained in very good enantioselectivities (up to 96%), diastereoselectivities (up to 95:5), and chemical yields (up to 95%).

Tandem three-component reactions of aldehyde, alkyl acrylate, and dialkylmalonate catalyzed by ethyl diphenylphosphine.

A new highly efficient three-component reaction of alkyl acrylate, aldehyde and dialkyl malonate using ethyl diphenylphosphine as organocatalyst has been described. Various highly functional compounds bearing hydroxyl groups and the ester functions can be easily prepared in moderate to good yields according to our one-step procedure. The reactions are believed to proceed via Morita-Baylis-Hillman reactions of alkyl acrylate and aldehydes, followed by the Michael addition reactions of dialkyl malonates. Our reactions indicated that the intermediate species formed in the phosphine-catalyzed MBH reaction are an effective organic base to catalyze the Michael addition reactions of dialkyl malonates to the preformed MBH adducts.

Discovery of Potential Neuroprotective Agents against Paclitaxel-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy.

Chemotherapy-induced neurotoxicity is a common adverse effect of cancer treatment. No medication has been shown to be effective in the prevention or treatment of chemotherapy-induced neurotoxicity. Using minoxidil as an initial template for structural modifications in conjunction with an in vitro neurite outgrowth assay, an image-based high-content screening platform, and mouse behavior models, an effective neuroprotective agent CN016 was discovered. Our results showed that CN016 could inhibit paclitaxel-induced inflammatory responses and infiltration of immune cells into sensory neurons significantly. Thus, the suppression of proinflammatory factors elucidates, in part, the mechanism of action of CN016 on alleviating paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy. Based on excellent efficacy in improving behavioral functions, high safety profiles (MTD > 500 mg/kg), and a large therapeutic window (MTD/MED > 50) in mice, CN016 might have great potential to become a peripherally neuroprotective agent to prevent neurotoxicity caused by chemotherapeutics as typified by paclitaxel.

Organocatalytic tandem three-component reaction of aldehyde, alkyl vinyl ketone, and amide: one-pot syntheses of highly functional alkenes.

An EtPPh(2)- or PPh(3)-catalyzed tandem three-component reaction of aldehyde, alkyl vinyl ketone, and amide is developed. Its further application in one-pot syntheses of highly functional alkenes starting from aldehydes, alkyl vinyl ketones, and amides is realized. A wide variety of highly functional α,ß-unsaturated ketones can be furnished in 68-99% yields with high stereoselectivity (E/Z up to 98 : 2) within overall 3-29.5 h.

Organophosphane-Promoted Synthesis of Functionalized α,ß-Unsaturated Alkenes and Furanones via Direct ß-Acylation.

We report a phosphine-mediated direct ß-acylation of α,ß-unsaturated 1,3-diketones with acyl chlorides and a base. Functionalized furanones were also prepared by the reaction of cinnamic acid and acyl chloride according to our protocol via ß-acylation. Our studies revealed that α,ß-unsaturated 1,3-diketones with an electron-donating group at the second position favor the formation of ß-acylated products, whereas those with oxygen, such as anhydrides, favor furanones via an unprecedented C-acylation/cyclization sequence.

Development of Stem-Cell-Mobilizing Agents Targeting CXCR4 Receptor for Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation and Beyond.

The function of the CXCR4/CXCL12 axis accounts for many disease indications, including tissue/nerve regeneration, cancer metastasis, and inflammation. Blocking CXCR4 signaling with its antagonists may lead to moving out CXCR4+ cell types from bone marrow to peripheral circulation. We have discovered a novel series of pyrimidine-based CXCR4 antagonists, a representative (i.e., 16) of which was tolerated at a higher dose and showed better HSC-mobilizing ability at the maximal response dose relative to the approved drug 1 (AMD3100), and thus considered a potential drug candidate for PBSCT indication. Docking compound 16 into the X-ray crystal structure of CXCR4 receptor revealed that it adopted a spider-like conformation striding over both major and minor subpockets. This putative binding mode provides a new insight into CXCR4 receptor-ligand interactions for further structural modifications.

Synthesis of Functionalized Furans via Chemoselective Reduction/Wittig Reaction Using Catalytic Triethylamine and Phosphine.

An efficient protocol for the synthesis of highly functionalized furans via intramolecular Wittig reaction has been developed using catalytic amounts of phosphine and triethylamine. Silyl chloride served as the initial promoter to activate the phosphine oxide. Reduction of the activated phosphine oxide by hydrosilane resulted in generation of phosphine, while decomposition of Et3N·HCl resulted in regeneration of base, which mediated formation of phosphorus ylide. Remarkably, the in situ generated byproduct, Et3N·HCl, also catalyzes reduction of phosphine oxide.

Organocatalytic Enantioselective Synthesis of Tetrahydrofluoren-9-ones via Vinylogous Michael Addition/Henry Reaction Cascade of 1,3-Indandione-Derived Pronucleophiles.

An unprecedented organocatalytic enantioselective vinylogous Michael addition/Henry cyclization cascade is presented for the synthesis of highly substituted tetrahydrofluoren-9-ones 3 employing novel 1,3-indandione-derived pronucleophiles 1a-g and nitroalkenes 2. Following a very simple protocol, a wide range of products were obtained in good to excellent yields and with excellent enantioinduction (43-98% yield, up to 98% ee). The reaction proceeded with excellent diastereocontrol despite the simultaneous generation of four stereogenic centers. Surprisingly, when 2-(1-phenylethylidene)-1H-indandione (1h) was used as a pronucleophile, no cyclization was observed, and only Michael addition adducts 4a-x were furnished in very good yields and excellent enantioselectivities.

Direct ß-acylation of 2-arylidene-1,3-indandiones with acyl chlorides catalyzed by organophosphanes.

We have developed an organophosphane-catalyzed direct ß-acylation of a series of conjugated systems bearing ketone, amide and ester functionalities using acyl chlorides as trapping reagents. A wide variety of highly functional ketone derivatives were generated efficiently under very mild conditions with high yields according to our protocol. Our adducts can even be utilized as important building blocks for the synthesis of functional tri/tetracyclic pyridazine derivatives.

An efficient synthesis of trisubstituted oxazoles via chemoselective O-acylations and intramolecular Wittig reactions.

Preparation of new types of trisubstituted oxazoles is realized via chemoselective O-acylations and intramolecular Wittig reactions with ester functionalities using in situ formed phosphorus ylides as key intermediates. A plausible reaction mechanism for this undiscovered chemistry is also proposed based on the existence of expected and rearranged isomeric oxazoles.

Preparation of functional phosphorus zwitterions from activated alkanes, aldehydes, and tributylphosphine: synthesis of polysubstituted furo[3,2-c]coumarins.

A general preparation of new types of highly functional phosphorus zwitterions is realized via tandem three-component reactions using the corresponding functional alkanes, aldehydes, and Bu(3)P. Starting from our novel zwitterions as synthetic reagents with commercially available acid chlorides in a one-step procedure provides an attractive approach toward furo[3,2-c]coumarins.