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In the wake of health disasters associated with the chronic use of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor drugs, it has been widely proposed that modulation of downstream prostanoid synthases or receptors might provide more specificity than simply shutting down the entire COX cascade for anti-inflammatory benefits. The pathogenic actions of COX-2 have long been thought attributable to the prostaglandin E2 (PGE(2)) signaling through its Gα(s)-coupled EP2 receptor subtype; however, the truly selective EP2 antagonists did not emerge until 2011. These small molecules provide game-changing tools to better understand the EP2 receptor in inflammation-associated conditions. Their applications in preclinical models also reshape our knowledge of PGE(2)/EP2 signaling as a node of inflammation in health and disease. As we celebrate the 10-year anniversary of this breakthrough, the exploration of their potential as drug candidates for next-generation anti-inflammatory therapies has just begun. The first decade of EP2 antagonists passes, while their future looks brighter than ever.

Purpose A targeted drug delivery system that combines protein-arginine deiminase type-4 (PAD4) inhibitors YW3-56 (356) with PTT of NPs is constructed to both decrease the accumulation of gold in metabolic organs and reduce the dose of chemotherapeutic agents. Patients and Methods In vitro cytotoxicity test and in vivo S180 tumor-bearing mice model were used to compare antitumor activity of 356-modified gold nanospheres and nanorods. The A549 tumor-bearing mice model was also exploited in antitumor assessment. In addition, ICP-MS, blood cell analyzer and blood biochemistry analyzer are applied for assessing the biosafety of NPs. Results Both 356-modified gold nanospheres and nanorods showed antitumor activity. However, 356-loaded gold nanorods are found to have better tumor inhibitory activity than 356-loaded gold nanospheres in the presence of laser and without laser irradiation. Thus, 356-loaded gold nanorods are selected to be applied for chemo-photothermal combined therapy on in vivo. We find that combination therapy could inhibit tumor growth and reduce lung tumor metastasis and inflammatory infiltration compared with individual therapy. It triggers apoptosis in tumor tissue observed by TUNEL assay and TEM pictures. Conclusion Thus, an RGD targeting and PAD4 inhibitor-loaded system are established based on chemo-photothermal combined therapy. It could inhibit tumor growth, prevent lung metastasis and improve biosafety., Graphical Abstract

The dicarbonylation of 1,3‐butadiene to adipic acid derivatives offers the potential for a more cost‐efficient and environmentally benign industrial process. However, the complex reaction network of regioisomeric carbonylation and isomerization pathways, make a selective and direct transformation particularly difficult. Here, we report surprising solvent effects on this palladium‐catalysed process in the presence of 1,2‐bis‐di‐tert‐butylphosphin‐oxylene (dtbpx) ligands, which allow adipate diester formation from 1,3‐butadiene, carbon monoxide, and methanol with 97 % selectivity and 100 % atom‐economy under scalable conditions. Under optimal conditions a variety of di‐ and triesters from 1,2‐ and 1,3‐dienes can be obtained in good to excellent yields., High value‐added conversion: From gas to nylon precursor. This 100 % atom economic and industrially relevant process is strongly influenced by the system polarity.

Covering: up to August 2020The dramatic increase in the identification of dimeric natural products generated by microorganisms and plants has played a significant role in drug discovery. The biosynthetic pathways of these products feature inherent dimerization reactions, which are valuable for biosynthetic applications and chemical transformations. The extraordinary mechanisms of the dimerization of secondary metabolites should advance our understanding of the uncommon chemical rules for natural product biosynthesis, which will, in turn, accelerate the discovery of dimeric reactions and molecules in nature and provide promising strategies for the total synthesis of natural products through dimerization. This review focuses on the enzymes involved in the dimerization in the biosynthetic pathway of microbial natural products, with an emphasis on cytochrome P450s, laccases, and intermolecular [4 + 2] cyclases, along with other atypical enzymes. The identification, characterization, and catalytic landscapes of these enzymes are also introduced.

Objective Peptidyl alkaloids, a series of important natural products can be assembled by fungal non-ribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs). However, many of the NRPSs associated gene clusters are silent under laboratory conditions, and the traditional chemical separation yields are low. In this study, we aim to discovery and efficiently prepare fungal peptidyl alkaloids assembled by fungal NRPSs. Methods Bioinformatics analysis of gene cluster containing NRPSs from the genome of Penicillium thymicola, and heterologous expression of the putative gene cluster in Aspergillus nidulans were performed. Isolation, structural identification, and biological evaluation of the product from heterologous expression were carried out. Results The putative tri-modular NRPS AncA was heterologous-expressed in A. nidulans to give anacine (1) with high yield, which showed moderate and selective cytotoxic activity against A549 cell line. Conclusion Heterologous expression in A. nidulans is an efficient strategy for mining fungal peptidyl alkaloids.

Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is an aggressive malignancy with poor prognosis even under chemotherapy. Kaposi sarcoma–associated herpesvirus (KSHV), one of the human oncogenic viruses, is the principal causative agent. Currently, there is no specific treatment for PEL; therefore, developing new therapies is of great importance. Sphingolipid metabolism plays an important role in determining the fate of tumor cells. Our previous studies have demonstrated that there is a correlation between sphingolipid metabolism and KSHV+ tumor cell survival. To further develop sphingolipid metabolism-targeted therapy, after screening a series of newly synthesized ceramide analogs, here, we have identified compounds with effective anti-PEL activity. These compounds induce significant PEL apoptosis, cell-cycle arrest, and intracellular ceramide production through regulation of ceramide synthesizing or ceramide metabolizing enzymes and dramatically suppress tumor progression without visible toxicity in vivo. These new compounds also increase viral lytic gene expression in PEL cells. Our comparative transcriptomic analysis revealed their mechanisms of action for inducing PEL cell death and identified a subset of novel cellular genes, including AURKA and CDCA3, controlled by sphingolipid metabolism, and required for PEL survival with functional validation. These data provide the framework for the development of promising sphingolipid-based therapies against this virus-associated malignancy.

A chemo‐, regio‐, and stereoselective mono‐hydroamidation of (un)symmetrical 1,3‐diynes is described. Key for the success of this novel transformation is the utilization of an advanced palladium catalyst system with the specific ligand Neolephos. The synthetic value of this general approach to synthetically useful α‐alkynyl‐α, β‐unsaturated amides is showcased by diversification of several structurally complex molecules and marketed drugs. Control experiments and density‐functional theory (M06L‐SMD) computations also suggest the crucial role of the substrate in controlling the regioselectivity of unsymmetrical 1,3‐diynes., The advanced Pd catalyst system with Neolephos as a ligand enables highly selective hydroamidation of unbiased (un)symmetrical 1,3‐diynes. In this way, a wide range of synthetically useful α‐alkynyl‐α,β‐unsaturated amides are afforded in good to high yields with excellent chemo‐, regio‐, and stereoselectivities.

To achieve the well-dispersed Ni–NiS dual-cocatalysts anchored CdS, the samples have been successfully constructed by a cheap and convenient method of hydroxy acid assisted hydrothermal method. Based on the coordination and reduction effects of hydroxy acids, Ni2+ can be facilely transformed into the high dispersed dual-function sites of Ni0 electrons trap and NiS holes reservoir. The highly dispersed Ni–NiS dual-cocatalysts not only provide more dual-function active sites but also present distinctly enhanced visible light absorption, effectively separated electron hole pairs and quickly migrated charge carriers. The optimized Ni–NiS/CdS–CA presented an excellent photocatalytic H2 generation rate of 57.88 mmol·h−1·g−1, which is about 15.35 times higher than that of NiS/CdS. Moreover, the stability can be distinctly increased by modulating the surface cover of Ni–NiS with a suitable Ni/(Ni + Cd) atomic ratio. This work would provide a unique strategy to design the high effective photocatalysts with high dispersed bi-function dual cocatalysts. The well-dispersed Ni-NiS dual-cocatalysts anchored CdS in situ have been successfully constructed via the coordination and reduction effects of hydroxy acid assisted hydrothermal method. Ni-NiS/CdS-CA not only presents dual-function active sites but also exhibits distinctly enhanced visible light absorption, effectively separated electron hole pairs and quickly migrated charge carriers, resulting in a remarkable enhancement in photocatalytic H2 evolution activity.

Here, we describe a selective palladium catalyst system for chemodivergent functionalization of alkynes with syngas. In the presence of the advanced ligand L2 bearing 2-pyridyl substituent as a bui...

A carbonylation path to a nylon precursor Adipic acid and its esters are manufactured on a massive scale, primarily to produce nylon. However, the standard route requires large quantities of corrosive nitric acid. J. Yang et al. present an efficient alternative route whereby a palladium catalyst adds carbon monoxide to each end of butadiene (see the Perspective by Schaub). Both reactants are available at commodity scale, and the reaction produces no by-products. An optimized bidentate phosphine ligand bearing a pyridine substituent for proton shuttling proved key to attaining the necessary selectivity. Science , this issue p. 1514 ; see also p. 1447

Fulvestrant-3-boronic acid (ZB716), an oral selective estrogen receptor degrader (SERD) under clinical development, has been investigated in ADME studies to characterize its absorption, metabolism, and pharmacokinetics. ZB716 was found to have high plasma protein binding in human and animal plasma, and low intestinal mucosal permeability. ZB716 had high clearance in hepatocytes of all species tested. ZB716 was metabolized primarily by CYP2D6 and CYP3A. In human liver microsomes, ZB716 demonstrated relatively low inhibition of CYP1A2, 2C8, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, and 3A4 (when testosterone was used as the substrate), and no inhibition of CYP2B6 and 3A4 (when midazolam was used as the substrate). In assays for enzyme activity, ZB716 induced CYP1A2, 2B6, and 3A4 in a concentration-dependent manner. Single-dose and repeated-dose pharmacokinetic studies in rats and dogs showed oral bioavailability, dose-proportional drug exposure, and drug accumulation as measured by maximum concentration and area under the concentration–time curve (AUC).

The stereoselective synthesis of conjugated dienes was realized for the first time via Pd-catalyzed alkoxycarbonylation of easily available 1,3-diynes. Key to success is the utilization of the specific ligand 1,1'-ferrocenediyl-bis(tert-butyl(pyridin-2-yl)phosphine) (L1), which allows this novel transformation to proceed at room temperature. A range of 1,2,3,4-tetrasubstituted conjugated dienes are obtained in this straightforward access in high yields and selectivities. The synthetic utility of the protocol is showcased in the concise synthesis of several important intermediates for construction of natural products rac-cagayanin, rac-galbulin, rac-agastinol, and cannabisin G.

The first catalyst for the alkoxycarbonylation of gem-difluoroalkenes is described. This novel catalytic transformation proceeds in the presence of Pd(acac)2 /1,2-bis((di-tert-butylphosphan-yl)methyl)benzene (btbpx) (L4) and allows for an efficient and straightforward access to a range of difluoromethylated esters in high yields and regioselectivities. The synthetic utility of the protocol is showcased in the practical synthesis of a Cyclandelate analogue using this methodology as the key step.

Background Many studies have found that ruthenium complexes possess unique biochemical characteristics and inhibit tumor growth or metastasis. Results Here, we report the novel dual-targeting ruthenium candidate 2b, which has both antitumor and antimetastatic properties and targets tumor sites through the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect and transferrin/transferrin receptor (TF/TFR) interaction. The candidate 2b is composed of ruthenium-complexed carboline acid and four chloride ions. In vitro, 2b triggered DNA cleavage and thus blocked cell cycle progression and induced apoptosis via the PARP/ATM pathway. In vivo,2b inhibited not only Lewis lung cancer (LLC) tumor growth but also lung metastasis. We detected apoptosis and decreased CD31 expression in tumor tissues, and ruthenium accumulated in the primary tumor tissue of C57BL/6 mice implanted with LLC cells. Conclusions Thus, we conclude that 2b targets tumors, inhibits tumor growth and prevents lung metastasis.

An unprecedented and challenging defluorinative carbonylation was achieved. Enabled by a Pd/Cu cooperative catalyst system, the first example of defluorinative carbonylative coupling has been established. With gem-difluoroalkenes and aryl iodides as the substrates, this methodology offers flexible and facile access to privileged α-fluorochalcones under mild reaction conditions in moderate-to-excellent yields. Mechanistic studies indicated transmetalation between palladium and copper intermediates as a crucial step of the catalytic cycle.

Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) is a bone-derived hormone that binds to binary FGFR/α-Klotho receptor complexes in the kidney tubules to inhibit phosphate reabsorption and 1,25(OH)2D production. Excess FGF23 causes X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) and tumor induced osteomalacia (TIO). Recently, Burosumab, an FGF23 blocking antibody, was approved for treating these hypophosphatemic disorders. A small molecule inhibitor that specifically binds to FGF23 to prevent activation of FGFR/α-Klotho complexes has potential advantages over a systemically administered FGF23 blocking antibody. We previously identified the small molecule ZINC13407541 (N-[[2-(2-phenylethenyl)cyclopenten-1-yl]methylidene]hydroxylamine) as a therapeutic lead FGF23 antagonist. Additional structure-activity studies developed a series of ZINC13407541 analogues with enhanced drug-like properties. In this study, we tested in a pre-clinicalHypmouse homologue of XLH a direct connect analogue (8n) [(E)-2-(4-(tert-butyl)phenyl)cyclopent-1-ene-1-carbaldehyde oxime] that exhibited the greatest stability in microsomal assays, and13a[(E)-2-((E)-4-methylstyryl)benzaldehyde oxime] that exhibited increasedin vitropotency. We found that pharmacological inhibition of FGF23 with either of these compounds blocked FGF23 signaling and significantly increased serum phosphate and 1,25(OH)2D concentrations inHypmice. Long-term parenteral treatment with8nor13aalso enhanced linear bone growth, increased mineralization of bone, and narrowed the growth plate inHypmice. The more potent13acompound showed greater therapeutic efficacy inHypmice. Further optimization of these FGF23 inhibitors may lead to versatile drugs to treat FGF23-mediated disorders.

A general and direct synthesis of dicarboxylic acids including industrially important adipic acid by palladium-catalyzed dicarbonylation of allylic alcohol is reported. Specifically, the combination of PdCl2 and a bisphosphine ligand (HeMaRaphos) promotes two different carbonylation reactions with high activity and excellent selectivity.

The emergence of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) strains has made tuberculosis (TB) control more difficult. Aurone derivatives have demonstrated promising anti-bacterial activities, but their effects against Mtb have not been thoroughly determined. In this study, we aimed to develop anti-TB compounds from aurone analogs. We used a fluorescent protein tdTomato labeled Mtb CDC1551 strain to screen 146 synthesized aurone derivatives for effective anti-TB compounds. The 9504, 9505, 9501, 9510, AA2A, and AA8 aurones inhibited the growth of Mtb with minimal inhibitory concentrations of 6.25, 12.5, 25, 25, 25, and 50 μM, respectively. We also examined cytotoxicities of the six leads against the human liver cell line HepG2, the primate kidney cell line Vero and human monocyte THP-1 derived macrophages. Three of the aurone leads (9504, 9501, and 9510) showed low cytotoxic effects on all three cell lines and high Mtb inhibitory efficacy (selectivity index > 10). Aurone 9504, 9501, AA2A, or AA8 significantly reduced the Mtb load in the lungs of infected mice after a 12-days treatment. We determined that the aurone leads inhibit Mtb chorismate synthase, an essential enzyme for aromatic acid synthesis. Our studies demonstrate the promise of synthetic aurones as novel anti-TB therapeutics.

For the first time, the monoalkoxycarbonylation of easily available 1,3‐diynes to give synthetically useful conjugated enynes has been realized. Key to success was the design and utilization of the new ligand 2,2′‐bis(tert‐butyl(pyridin‐2‐yl)phosphanyl)‐1,1′‐binaphthalene (Neolephos), which permits the palladium‐catalyzed selective carbonylation under mild conditions, providing a general preparation of functionalized 1,3‐enynes in good‐to‐high yields with excellent chemoselectivities. Synthetic applications that showcase the possibilities of this novel methodology include an efficient one‐pot synthesis of 4‐aryl‐4H‐pyrans as well as the rapid construction of various heterocyclic, bicyclic, and polycyclic compounds., Precise synthesis: The new “built‐in‐base” ligand Neolephos was designed and applied in the Pd‐catalyzed monocarbonylation of 1,3‐diynes. The precise synthesis of conjugated enynes was achieved in good‐to‐high yield with excellent chemo‐ and stereoselectivity. The presented methodology can be used for simple diversification of natural products and pharmaceuticals.

AIM: To evaluate the anti-cancer and anti-tumor activities of ceramide analog 315 in nude mice. METHODS: Nude mice (n=10) were injected bilaterally with 5×10(6) MDA-MB-231 cells on each side. Tumors were allowed to form for two weeks. The mice were then divided into two groups (n=5 in each group). The control group mice were injected with 25 μL of DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxde) and the treatment group mice were injected with 10 mg/kg of analog 315 (in DMSO, 25 μL volume) every day for a period of 3 weeks. Animal weights and tumors were measured every week for 3 weeks. RESULTS: At the end of the experimental period, control animals had retained excess fluid, and showed larger tumor sizes compared to the treated group (2.95 g vs. 1.67 g). A 45% reduction in tumor size and 80% decrease in tumor volume were observed in the treatment group. There was a significant increase in the weights of liver (10%) and spleen (19%) between the control and treated animals. Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining of MDA-MB-231 tumor sections revealed more acellular necrotic regions in tumors from the treatment groups compared to the ones from the control group. Ki67, a proliferation marker was higher in number in control tumor section (71.8 ±12.8) compared to the treatment tumor section (37.4±10.4), (P

// Shanchun Guo 1, 2 , Changde Zhang 1, 2 , Melyssa Bratton 2, 3 , Madhusoodanan Mottamal 1, 2 , Jiawang Liu 1, 2 , Peng Ma 2, 3 , Shilong Zheng 1, 2 , Qiu Zhong 1, 2 , Lin Yang 4 , Thomas E. Wiese 2, 3 , Yong Wu 5 , Matthew J. Ellis 6 , Margarite Matossian 7 , Matthew E. Burow 7 , Lucio Miele 8 , Rene Houtman 9 and Guangdi Wang 1, 2 1 Department of Chemistry, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA 70125, USA 2 RCMI Cancer Research Center, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA 70125, USA 3 College of Pharmacy, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA 70125, USA 4 College of Pharmacy Chongqing Medical and Pharmaceutical College, University Town, Chongqing, 401331, China 5 Department of Internal Medicine, Charles Drew University, Los Angeles, CA 90059, USA 6 Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA 7 Section of Hematology & Medical Oncology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA 8 Department of Genetics, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA 9 Nuclear Receptor Group, PamGene International, 5211HH Den Bosch, The Netherlands Correspondence to: Guangdi Wang, email: gwang@xula.edu Keywords: steroidal oral SERD; breast cancer; estrogen receptor mutant; Y537S; bioavailability Received: October 12, 2017 Accepted: December 27, 2017 Published: January 08, 2018 ABSTRACT Advances in oral SERDs development so far have been confined to nonsteroidal molecules such as those containing a cinnamic acid moiety, which are in earlystage clinical evaluation. ZB716 was previously reported as an orally bioavailable SERD structurally analogous to fulvestrant. In this study, we examined the binding details of ZB716 to the estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) by computer modeling to reveal its interactions with the ligand binding domain as a steroidal molecule. We also found that ZB716 modulates ERα-coregulator interactions in nearly identical manner to fulvestrant. The ability of ZB716 to inhibit cell growth and downregulate ER expression in endocrine resistant, ERα mutant breast cancer cells was demonstrated. Moreover, in both the MCF-7 xenograft and a patient derived xenograft model, orally administered ZB716 showed superior efficacy in blocking tumor growth when compared to fulvestrant. Importantly, such enhanced efficacy of ZB716 was shown to be attributable to its markedly higher bioavailability, as evidenced in the final plasma and tumor tissue concentrations of ZB716 in mice where drug concentrations were found significantly higher than in the fulvestrant treatment group.

A catalytic oxidative carbonylation reaction was developed for the synthesis of polysubstituted maleimides from alkynes and amines with air as a green oxidant. This novel transformation proceeds in the presence of palladium chloride without the need for expensive ligands or additives and has a broad substrate scope affording a variety of maleimides in good to high yields.

// Changde Zhang 1, 2 , Shanchun Guo 1, 2 , Lin Yang 3 , Jiawang Liu 1, 2 , Shilong Zheng 1, 2 , Qiu Zhong 1, 2 , Qiang Zhang 1, 2 and Guangdi Wang 1, 2 1 Department of Chemistry, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA 70125, USA 2 RCMI Cancer Research Center, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA 70125, USA 3 Chongqing Medical and Pharmaceutical College, Chongqing, 401331, China Correspondence to: Guangdi Wang, email: gwang@xula.edu Keywords: ZB716 metabolism, oral SERD, pharmacokinetics, sulfation, glucuronidation Received: July 04, 2017 Accepted: September 18, 2017 Published: October 10, 2017 ABSTRACT ZB716 is a selective estrogen receptor downregulator (SERD) with excellent oral bioavailability and superior efficacy. In this study, we investigate the in vitro and in vivo metabolism and the pharmacokinetics of ZB716 by incubation with liver microsomes, liver cytosol, and by orally dosing rodents. Metabolic products were identified and quantified by a combination of liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. The metabolic profile of ZB716 showed fulvestrant and ZB716-sulfone as the two major oxidative metabolites. ZB716 also underwent some degree of sulfation and glucuronidation in vitro . The major oxidative metabolites of ZB716 were found in rat plasma, feces, and urine samples. No sulfation and glucuronidation metabolites from ZB716 were found in plasma. Limited amounts of sulfate conjugates and glucuronides of ZB716 were detected in feces. The glucuronidation on 3-OH position of fulvestrant was the main metabolite found in urine, suggesting that this specific site of phase 2 metabolism is blocked in ZB716 and formation of glucuronide 3-fulvestrant must be preceded by metabolic transformation of ZB716 to fulvestrant. The pharmacokinetic study of ZB716 showed a half-life (t 1/2 ) at 17.03 hour, the area under curve value (AUC) of 1451.82 ng/ml*h, and the maximum plasma concentration (C max ) at 158.12 ng/mL reached at 2 h after a single dose of 10 mg/kg by oral gavage. Overall this study elucidated important metabolic characteristics of ZB716, an oral SERD that has demonstrated superior bioavailability and efficacy in preclinical studies conducted so far.

A practical and enantioselective palladium-catalyzed diboration of 1,1-disubstituted allenes is developed by employing a P-chiral monophosphorus ligand, BI-DIME. A series of diboronic esters containing a chiral tertiary boronic ester moiety are formed in excellent yields and ee's with the palladium loading as low as 0.2 mol%. DFT calculations revealed a concerted mechanism of oxidative addition of bis(pinacolato)diboron and allene insertion, as well as a critical dispersion effect on the origins of the enantioselectivity. The method is successfully applied to the concise and enantioselective synthesis of brassinazole.

Development of orally bioavailable nonsteroidal selective estrogen receptor downregulators (SERDs) provides clinical opportunities for the long-term treatment and adjuvant therapy of breast cancer at all stages. We describe the design, synthesis, and identification of a boron-modified GW7604 derivative (GLL398, 9), a SERD candidate, in which a boronic acid functional group replaces the phenolic hydroxyl group of GW7604. Compound 9 strongly binds to ERα in a fluorescence resonance energy transfer binding assay (IC50 = 1.14 nM) and potently degrades ERα in MCF-7 breast cancer cells (IC50 = 0.21 μM). Most importantly, the introduction of the boronic acid group confers superior oral bioavailability of 9 (AUC = 36.9 μg·h/mL) in rats as compared to GW7604 (AUC = 3.35 μg·h/mL). The strikingly favorable pharmacokinetic property of 9 makes it a promising oral SERD suitable for clinical evaluation.

Diels-Alder reactions are among the most powerful synthetic transformations to construct complex natural products. Despite that increasing of enzymatic intramolecular Diels-Alder reactions have been discovered, natural intermolecular Diels-Alderases are rarely described. Here, we report an intermolecular hetero-Diels-Alder reaction in the biosynthesis of tropolonic sesquiterpenes and functionally characterize EupfF as the first fungal intermolecular hetero-Diels-Alderase. We demonstrate that EupfF catalyzed the dehydration of a hydroxymethyl-containing tropolone (5) to generate a reactive tropolone o-quinone methide (6) and might further stereoselectively control the subsequent intermolecular hetero-Diels-Alder reaction with (1E,4E,8Z)-humulenol (8) to produce enantiomerically pure neosetophomone B (1). Our results reveal the biosynthetic pathway of 1 and expand the repertoire of activities of Diels-Alder cyclases.

Cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYPs) are important phase I enzymes involved in the metabolism of endogenous and xenobiotic compounds mainly through mono-oxygenation reactions into more polar and easier to excrete species. In addition to their role in detoxification, they play important roles in the biosynthesis of endogenous compounds and the bioactivation of xenobiotics. Coumarins, phytochemicals abundant in food and commonly used in fragrances and cosmetics, have been shown to interact with P450 enzymes as substrates and/or inhibitors. In this review, these interactions and their significance in pharmacology and toxicology are discussed in detail.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis lipid metabolism pathways facilitate access to carbon and energy sources during infection. M. tuberculosis gene Rv1075c was annotated as a conserved hypothetical protein. We identified that Rv1075c amino acid sequence shares similarities with other bacterial lipase/esterases and we demonstrated that it has esterase activity, with preference for short-chain fatty acids, particularly acetate, with highest activity at 45°C, pH 9. Site-direct mutagenesis revealed its activity triad as Ser80, Asp244, and His247. We further determined that rRv1075c hydrolyzed triacetin and tributyrin, and it was mainly distributed in cell wall and membrane. Its expression was induced at pH 4.5, mimicking the acidic phagosome of macrophages. Mutation of Rv1075c led to reduced bacterial growth in THP-1 cells and human peripheral blood mononuclear cell-derived macrophages, and attenuated M. tuberculosis infection in mice. Our data suggest that Rv1075c is involved in ester and fatty acid metabolism inside host cells.

Herein, we report a general and efficient Pd-catalysed alkoxycarbonylation of sterically hindered and demanding olefins including a variety of tri-, tetra-substituted and 1,1-disubstituted alkenes. In the presence of 1,3-bis(tert-butyl(pyridin-2-yl)phosphanyl)propane L3 or 1,4-bis(tert-butyl(pyridin-2-yl)phosphanyl)butane L4 the desired esters are obtained in good yields and selectivities. Similar transformation is obtained using tertiary ether as showcased in the carbonylation of MTBE to the corresponding linear ester in high yield and selectivity.

A class of novel diphosphine ligands bearing pyridine substituents was designed and synthesized for the first time. The resulting palladium complexes of L1 allow for chemo- and regioselective dialkoxycarbonylation of various aromatic and aliphatic alkynes affording a wide range of 1,4-dicarboxylic acid diesters in high yields and selectivities. Kinetic studies suggest the generation of 1,4-dicarboxylic acid diesters via cascade hydroesterification of the corresponding alkynes. Based on these investigations, the chemo- and regioselectivities of alkyne carbonylations can be controlled as shown by switching the ligand from L1 to L3 or L9 to give α,β-unsaturated esters.

Despite promising therapeutic utilities for treatment of hematological malignancies, histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) drugs have not proven as effective in the treatment of solid tumors. To expand the clinical indications of HDACi drugs, we developed novel boron-containing prodrugs of belinostat (2), one of which efficiently releases active 2 through a cascade of reactions in cell culture and demonstrates activities comparable to 2 against a panel of cancer cell lines. Importantly, prodrug 7 is more efficacious than belinostat in vivo, not only inhibiting the growth of tumor but also reducing tumor volumes in an MCF-7 xenograft tumor model owing to its superior biocompatibility, which suggests its clinical potential in the treatment of solid tumors.

Background Individuals’ peak bone mineral density (BMD) achieved and maintained at ages 20–40 years is the most powerful predictor of low bone mass and osteoporotic fractures later in life. The aim of this study was to identify metabolomic factors associated with peak BMD variation in US Caucasian women. Methods A total of 136 women aged 20–40 years, including 65 subjects with low and 71 with high hip BMD, were enrolled. The serum metabolites were assessed using a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method. The partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) method and logistic regression models were used, respectively, to examine the associations of metabolomic profiles and individual metabolites with BMD. Results The low and high BMD groups could be differentiated by the detected serum metabolites using PLS-DA (P permutation = 0.008). A total of 14 metabolites, including seven amino acids and amino acid derivatives, five lipids (including three bile acids), and two organic acids, were significantly associated with the risk for low BMD. Most of these metabolites are novel in that they have never been linked with BMD in humans earlier. The prediction model including the newly identified metabolites significantly improved the classification of the groups with low and high BMD. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve without and with metabolites were 0.88 (95% CI: 0.83–0.94) and 0.97 (95% CI: 0.94–0.99), respectively (P for the difference = 0.0004). Conclusion Metabolomic profiling may improve the risk prediction of osteoporosis among Caucasian women. Our findings also suggest the potential importance of the metabolism of amino acids and bile acids in bone health.

Yuji Wang,1 Jingcheng Tang,1 Haimei Zhu,1 Xueyun Jiang,1 Jiawang Liu,1 Wenyun Xu,1 Haiping Ma,1 Qiqi Feng,1 Jianhui Wu,1 Ming Zhao,1,2 Shiqi Peng1 1Beijing Area Major Laboratory of Peptide and Small Molecular Drugs, Engineering Research Center of Endogenous Prophylactic of Ministry of Education of China, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2Faculty of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan Abstract: The hot water extract of Rabdosia rubescens was traditionally used as an antithrombotic medicine. To explore its antithrombotic utility and mechanism, we carried out a series of invitro and invivo assays in this study. Invitro platelet aggregation assay showed that the half maximal inhibitory concentration values of aqueous extract of R. rubescens leaves (AERL) inhibiting platelet aggregation induced by thrombin, arachidonic acid, adenosine diphosphate, and platelet-activating factor ranged from 0.12 mg/mL to 1.43 mg/mL. The minimal effective oral dose of AERL inhibiting the rats from forming thrombus was 25 mg/kg. Both invitro and invivo actions were correlated with AERL concentration-dependently inhibiting sP-selectin release. In water, AERL formed nanoparticles, and their size depended on the concentration. Docking the five nucleotides, 21phenolic acids, and four diterpenoids identified by high-performance liquid chromatography–photodiode array detector/(-)electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry analysis into the active site of P-selectin, rosmarinic acid was predicted to be the antithrombotic ingredient of AERL. In flow cytometry analysis, 1 µM of rosmarinic acid effectively inhibited sP-selectin release in arachidonic acid-activated platelets. In a rat model, 5 mg/kg of oral rosmarinic acid effectively inhibited thrombosis. Keywords: R. rubescens, sP-selectin, antithrombotic ingredient&nbsp

Cytochrome P450's (CYP's) constitute a diverse group of over 500 monooxygenase hemoproteins, catalyzing transformations that involve xenobiotic metabolism, steroidogenesis and other metabolic processes. Over-production of the steroid hormone cortisol is implicated in the progression of diseases such as diabetes, heart failure and hypertension, stroke, Cushing's syndrome, obesity and renal failure, among others. The biosynthesis of cortisol involves a cascade of cholesterol metabolizing reactions regulated through three major CYP proteins: 17α–hydroxylase-C17/20-lyase (CYP17), 21-hydroxylase (CYP21), and 11β-hydroxylase (CYP11B1). Excess activities of these enzymes are linked to the progression of malignancies including prostate, breast, ovarian, and uterine cancers. A series of novel functionalized dioxane analogs have been developed and recently patented as CYP17, CYP21, and CYP11B1 inhibitors, which lead to the modulation of cortisol production as a method for treating, delaying, slowing, and inhibiting the implicated diseases. The findings disclosed in this patent have been analyzed and compared with the literature data on inhibitors of CYP17, CYP21, and CYP11B1. The compiled data provide insight into the novel functionality of the compounds described in the patent. In this regard, an objective opinion on the effectiveness and novel biochemistry of these compounds in comparison to current CYP inhibitors used in the treatment of cortisol-related diseases is presented in this paper.

An enantioselective alkoxycarbonylation-amination cascade process of terminal allenes with CO, methanol, and arylamines has been developed. It proceeds under mild conditions (room temperature, ambient pressure CO) via oxidative Pd(II) catalysis using an aromatic spiroketal-based diphosphine (SKP) as a chiral ligand and a Cu(II) salt as an oxidant and affords a wide range of α-methylene-β-arylamino acid esters (36 examples) in good yields with excellent enantioselectivity (up to 96% ee) and high regioselectivity (branched/linear > 92:8). Preliminary mechanistic studies suggested that the reaction is likely to proceed through alkoxycarbonylpalladation of the allene followed by an amination process. The synthetic utility of the protocol is showcased in the asymmetric construction of a cycloheptene-fused chiral β-lactam.

1. The polycyclic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pyrene, 1-hydroxypyrene, 1-nitropyrene and 1-acetylpyrene, were found to induce Type I binding spectra with human cytochrome P450 (P450) 2A13 and were converted to various mono- and di-oxygenated products by this enzyme. 2. Pyrene was first oxidized by P450 2A13 to 1-hydroxypyrene which was further oxidized to di-oxygenated products, i.e. 1,8- and 1,6-dihydroxypyrene. Of five other human P450s examined, P450 1B1 catalyzed pyrene oxidation to 1-hydroxypyrene at a similar rate to P450 2A13 but was less efficient in forming dihydroxypyrenes. P450 2A6, a related human P450 enzyme, which did not show any spectral changes with these four PAHs, showed lower activities in oxidation of these compounds than P450 2A13. 3. 1-Nitropyrene and 1-acetylpyrene were also found to be efficiently oxidized by P450 2A13 to several oxygenated products, based on mass spectrometry analysis. 4. Molecular docking analysis supported preferred orientations of pyrene and its derivatives in the active site of P450 2A13, with lower interaction energies (U values) than observed for P450 2A6 and that several amino acid residues (including Ala-301, Asn-297 and Ala-117) play important roles in directing the orientation of these PAHs in the P450 2A13 active site. In addition, Phe-231 and Gly-329 were found to interact with pyrene to orient this compound in the active site of P450 1B1. 5. These results suggest that P450 2A13 is one of the important enzymes that oxidizes these PAH compounds and may determine how these chemicals are detoxicated and bioactivated in humans.

A spiro bisphosphine oxide (SpinPO) was found to be an efficient chiral Lewis base catalyst in asymmetric reductive aldol reaction of enones and aldehydes in the presence of trichlorosilane as the reductant, affording a variety of β-hydroxyketones in good yields with moderate to high levels of diastereo- and enantioselectivities.

A new class of palladium catalysts, based on heterocyclic diphosphines, was rationally designed and synthesized. Application of one of these catalysts allows novel Markovnikov-selective carbonylation of non-activated alkynes with heteroarenes to give the corresponding branched α,β-unsaturated ketones in excellent yields (up to 97 %) and regioselectivities (b/l up to 99:1). In addition to heteroarenes, other common nucloephiles (alcohol, phenol, amine, and amide) furnish the desired carbonylation products smoothly in high yields.

Palladium-catalyzed regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselective allylic alkylation of β-ketocarbonyls with Morita-Baylis-Hillman adducts has been developed using a spiroketal-based diphosphine (SKP) as the ligand, thus affording a range of densely functionalized products bearing vicinal tertiary and all-carbon quaternary stereodyad in high selectivities. The utility of the protocol was demonstrated by the facile synthesis of some complex molecules by simple product transformations.

The flavone backbone is a well-known pharmacophore present in a number of substrates and inhibitors of various P450 enzymes. In order to find highly potent and novel P450 family I enzyme inhibitors, an acetylene group was incorporated into six different positions of flavone. The introduction of an acetylene group at certain locations of the flavone backbone lead to time-dependent inhibitors of P450 1A1. 3'-Ethynylflavone, 4'-ethynylflavone, 6-ethynylflavone, and 7-ethynylflavone (KI values of 0.035-0.056 μM) show strong time-dependent inhibition of P450 1A1, while 5-ethynylflavone (KI value of 0.51 μM) is a moderate time-dependent inhibitor of this enzyme. Meanwhile, 4'-ethynylflavone and 6-ethynylflavone are highly selective inhibitors toward this enzyme. Especially, 6-ethynylflavone possesses a Ki value of 0.035 μM for P450 1A1 177- and 15-fold lower than those for P450s 1A2 and 1B1, respectively. The docking postures observed in the computational simulations show that the orientation of the acetylene group determines its capability to react with P450s 1A1 and 1A2. Meanwhile, conformational analysis indicates that the shape of an inhibitor determines its inhibitory selectivity toward these enzymes.

With the widespread use of O-alkoxyresorufin dealkylation assays since the 1990s, thousands of inhibitors of cytochrome P450 family 1 enzymes (P450s 1A1, 1A2, and 1B1) have been identified and studied. Generally, planar polycyclic molecules such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, stilbenoids, and flavonoids are considered to potentially be effective inhibitors of these enzymes, however, the details of the structure-activity relationships and selectivity of these inhibitors are still ambiguous. In this review, we thoroughly discuss the selectivity of many representative P450 family 1 inhibitors reported in the past 20 years through a meta-analysis.

Ceramide serves as a central mediator in sphingolipid metabolism and signaling pathways, regulating many fundamental cellular responses. It is referred to as a ‘tumor suppressor lipid’, since it powerfully potentiates signaling events that drive apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and autophagic responses. In the typical cancer cell, ceramide levels and signaling are usually suppressed by overexpression of ceramide-metabolizing enzymes or downregulation of ceramide-generating enzymes. However, chemotherapeutic drugs as well as radiotherapy increase intracellular ceramide levels, while exogenously treating cancer cells with short-chain ceramides leads to anticancer effects. All evidence currently points to the fact that the upregulation of ceramide levels is a promising anticancer strategy. In this review, we exhibit many anticancer ceramide analogs as downstream receptor agonists and ceramide-metabolizing enzyme inhibitors.

Naturally occurring flavonoids are known to be metabolized by several cytochrome P450 enzymes including P450s 1A1, 1A2, 1B1, 2C9, 3A4, and 3A5. In general flavonoids can act as substrates, inducers, and/or inhibitors of P450 enzymes. The position of the substituents on the flavone backbone has been shown to impact the biological activity against P450 enzymes. To explore the effect of a propargyl ether substitution on flavones and flavanones, 2´-flavone propargyl ether (2´-PF), 3´-flavone propargyl ether (3´-PF), 4´-flavone propargyl ether (4´-PF), 5-flavone propargyl ether (5-PF), 6-flavone propargyl ether (6-PF), 7-flavone propargyl ether (7-PF), 6-flavanone propargyl ether (6-PFN), and 7- flavanone propargyl ether (7-PFN) were synthesized. All of the newly synthesized compounds and the parent hydroxy flavones were tested for both direct inhibition and mechanism-based inhibition of cytochrome P450 enzymes 1A1, 1A2, 2A6, and 2B1. The flavone propargyl ether derivatives were found to be more potent inhibitors of P450s 1A1 and 1A2. None of the flavones and flavanones in our study showed any inhibition of P450 2A6. Only 2´-PF and 6-PFN inhibited P450 2B1. 3´-PF showed direct inhibition of P450 1A1 with the highest observed potency of 0.02 µM, in addition to its ability to cause mechanism-based inhibition with KI and kinactivation values of 0.24 µM and 0.09 min-1 for this enzyme. 7- Hydroxy flavone also exhibited mechanism-based inhibition of P450 1A1 with KI and kinactivation values of 2.43 µM and 0.115 min-1. Docking studies and QSAR studies on P450 enzymes 1A1 and 1A2 were performed which revealed important insights into the nature of binding of these molecules and provided us with good QSAR models that can be used to design new flavone derivatives.

Selective inhibition of P450 enzymes is the key to block the conversion of environmental procarcinogens to their carcinogenic metabolites in both animals and humans. To discover highly potent and selective inhibitors of P450s 1A1, 1A2, and 1B1, as well as to investigate active site cavities of these enzymes, 14 novel flavone derivatives were prepared as chemical probes. Fluorimetric enzyme inhibition assays were used to determine the inhibitory activities of these probes towards P450s 1A1, 1A2, 1B1, 2A6, and 2B1. A highly selective P450 1B1 inhibitor, 5-hydroxy-4′-propargyloxyflavone (5H4′FPE) was discovered. Some tested compounds also showed selectivity between P450s 1A1 and 1A2. Alpha-naphthoflavone-like and 5-hydroxyflavone derivatives preferentially inhibited P450 1A2, while beta-naphthoflavone-like flavone derivatives showed selective inhibition of P450 1A1. On the basis of structural analysis, the active site cavity models of P450 enzymes 1A1 and 1A2 were generated, demonstrating a planar long strip cavity and a planar triangular cavity, respectively.

The mechanism-based inactivation of cytochrome P450 2B4 (CYP2B4) by 9-ethynylphenanthrene (9EP) has been investigated. The partition ratio and kinact are 0.2 and 0.25 min–1, respectively. Intriguingly, the inactivation exhibits sigmoidal kinetics with a Hill coefficient of 2.5 and an S50 of 4.5 μM indicative of homotropic cooperativity. Enzyme inactivation led to an increase in mass of the apo-CYP2B4 by 218 Da as determined by electrospray ionization liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, consistent with covalent protein modification. The modified CYP2B4 was purified to homogeneity and its structure determined by X-ray crystallography. The structure showed that 9EP is covalently attached to Oγ of Thr 302 via an ester bond, which is consistent with the increased mass of the protein. The presence of the bulky phenanthrenyl ring resulted in inward rotations of Phe 297 and Phe 206, leading to a compact active site. Thus, binding of another molecule of 9EP in the active site is prohibited. However, resul...

Background: Members of the cytochrome P450 1A family metabolize many procarcinogens such as polycyclicaromatic hydrocarbons and heterocyclic amines. Inactivation of these enzymes is a prerequisite for cancer prevention and treatment in certain cases. Mechanism-based inhibition (time and co-factor dependent) is an effective method for the inactivation of these enzymes. Our recent study on emodin analogs revealed an anthraquinone with ortho-methylarylamine moiety that exhibited timedependent inhibition of P450 enzymes 1A1 and 1A2. Methods: To determine whether the amino group or the methyl group or both were responsible for the time-dependent inhibition of these enzymes, a set of eleven compounds containing the orthomethylarylamine moiety were identified through a database search, and studied for the inhibition of the P450 enzymes 1A1, 1A2, 2A6 and 2B1. Our earlier studies on carbazole derivatives provided us with highly selective P450 1A2 inhibitors. Glycine scanning studies were performed on the docked proteinligand complexes of compounds 1-20 in order to understand the contribution of different protein residues towards the ligand binding. Results: Four compounds were found to cause selective time-dependent inhibition of P450 1A1 with KI values ranging from 0.24 to 8.25 mM. These compounds exhibited only direct inhibition of P450 1A2. Molecular modeling studies of these molecules indicated that the shapes of the molecules, their binding modes, and the methyl substituent in close proximity (4.5-5.7 A) to the heme-Fe all contributed to their selective time-dependent inhibition activity on P450 1A1. Glycine scanning studies for P450 1A1 indicated that ligand interaction with Phe123 was the strongest binding contributor and similar studies for P450 1A2 indicated that ligand interactions with the phenylalanine residues 226 and 260 were the largest binding contributors. Conclusion: Four compounds have been identified that exhibit selective time-dependent inhibition of P450 1A1. Modeling studies have indicated that the proximity of the aromatic methyl group to the heme-Fe could be the main contributor for time-dependent inhibition. Future studies will focus on the confirmation of the involvement of the aromatic methyl group in enzyme inactivation.

An enantioselective alkoxycarbonylation-amination cascade process of terminal allenes with CO, methanol, and arylamines has been developed. It proceeds under mild conditions (room temperature, ambient pressure CO) via oxidative Pd(II) catalysis using an aromatic spiroketal-based diphosphine (SKP) as a chiral ligand and a Cu(II) salt as an oxidant and affords a wide range of α-methylene-β-arylamino acid esters (36 examples) in good yields with excellent enantioselectivity (up to 96% ee) and high regioselectivity (branched/linear > 92:8). Preliminary mechanistic studies suggested that the reaction is likely to proceed through alkoxycarbonylpalladation of the allene followed by an amination process. The synthetic utility of the protocol is showcased in the asymmetric construction of a cycloheptene-fused chiral β-lactam.