Chemical biology of salinomycin

Cancer stem cells (CSC) have been shown to be refractory to conventional therapeutic agents, can promote metastasis, and have been linked to cancer relapse. The natural product Salinomycin has been identified by means of high throughput phenotypic screening as a selective killer of CSC in vitro and in vivo. In this article we comprehensively review the chemistry of Salinomycin, documenting early total syntheses, along with strategies that have been developed over the years to effectively modify this natural product at key positions with the view to establish a robust structure-activity-relationship and to delineate the complex mechanism of action of this fascinating molecule in the context of cancer research. Then, we document the biology of Salinomycin, putting forward phenotypic alterations that have been observed in the relevant biological models and highlighting how chemistry has been instrumental in discovering unprecedented physiological features of cancer stem cells that can be exploited for therapeutic benefits.     

Controlling the Fenton Reaction for Soil Remediation

ABSTRACT

This paper describes the use elemental iron to control the Fenton reaction, a process in which ferrous ion reacts with hydrogen peroxide. It is widely believed that the Fenton reaction produces free radicals that can degrade organic chemicals. By using elemental iron in place of ferrous iron, we found that the vigor of the Fenton reaction can be controlled, and therefore can be used more effectively to remediate contaminated soil.

Laboratory studies were done to compare the elemental iron approach with the original ferrous salt approach. It was found that elemental iron can increase the effectiveness of the Fenton reaction in degrading organic chemical such as Pentachlorophenol (PCP). The mechanism of control lies in the production of ferrous irons from elemental iron in the presence of hydrogen peroxide.     

Antioxidant Activity of Deferasirox and Its Metal Complexes in Model Systems of Oxidative Damage: Comparison with Deferiprone

Deferasirox is an orally active, lipophilic iron chelating drug used on thousands of patients worldwide for the treatment of transfusional iron overload. The essential transition metals iron and copper are the primary catalysts of reactive oxygen species and oxidative damage in biological systems. The redox effects of deferasirox and its metal complexes with iron, copper and other metals are of pharmacological, toxicological, biological and physiological importance. Several molecular model systems of oxidative damage caused by iron and copper catalysis including the oxidation of ascorbic acid, the peroxidation of linoleic acid micelles and the oxidation of dihydropyridine have been investigated in the presence of deferasirox using UV-visible and NMR spectroscopy. Deferasirox has shown antioxidant activity in all three model systems, causing substantial reduction in the rate of oxidation and oxidative damage. Deferasirox showed the greatest antioxidant activity in the oxidation of ascorbic acid with the participation of iron ions and reduced the reaction rate by about a 100 times. Overall, deferasirox appears to have lower affinity for copper in comparison to iron. Comparative studies of the antioxidant activity of deferasirox and the hydrophilic oral iron chelating drug deferiprone in the peroxidation of linoleic acid micelles showed lower efficiency of deferasirox in comparison to deferiprone.     

过渡金属同晶替换的铁氧化物及其在非均相Fenton反应中的应用

过渡金属同晶替换的铁氧化物因其具有稳定、高效和可重复利用等特点而被广泛应用于催化处理难降解有机物领域。本文综述了这种新型催化剂的制备过程、过渡金属的同晶替换对催化剂物理化学性质(如比表面积、表面羟基数量、铁离子溶出量及热稳定性)的影响以及促进非均相Fenton反应的催化机制(氧化还原电对结构及氧空位理论)。本文还探讨了这种新型铁氧化物在难降解有机物处理中的应用进展,为后续研究提供了新的思路。     

Molecular docking study of natural alkaloids as multi-targeted hedgehog pathway inhibitors in cancer stem cell therapy

Cancer is responsible for millions of deaths throughout the world every year. Increased understanding as well as advancements in the therapeutic aspect seems suboptimal to restrict the huge deaths associated with cancer. The major cause responsible for this is high resistance as well as relapse rate associated with cancers. Several evidences indicated that cancer stem cells (CSC) are mainly responsible for the resistance and relapses associated with cancer. Furthermore, agents targeting a single protein seem to have higher chances of resistance than multitargeting drugs. According to the concept of network model, partial inhibition of multiple targets is more productive than single hit agents. Thus, by fusing both the premises that CSC and single hit anticancer drugs, both are responsible for cancer related resistances and screened alkaloids for the search of leads having CSC targeting ability as well as the capability to modulating multiple target proteins. The in silico experimental data indicated that emetine and cortistatin have the ability to modulate hedgehog (Hh) pathway by binding to sonic hedgehog (Hh), smoothened (Smo) and Gli protein, involved in maintenance CSCs. Furthermore, solamargine, solasonine and tylophorine are also seems to be good lead molecules targeting towards CSCs by modulating Hh pathway. Except solamargine and solasonine, other best lead molecules also showed acceptable in silico ADME profile. The predicted lead molecules can be suitably modified to get multitargeting CSC targeting agent to get rid of associate resistances.     

肿瘤患者放疗前后血清八种微量元素含量的研究

对临床、病理、放射线或CT检查确诊的82名癌肿患者，在放疗前后和对42名健康人进行了微量元素铁、锌、铜、锰、硒，铬、钴、镍的分析。研究结果显示：1．癌肿患者血清铜、镍、锰、铬、钴的含量比健康人高，而血清锌、铁、硒的含量却比健康人低；2．血清Cu／Zn、Cr／Zn、Co／Zn、Ni／Zn的比值癌肿患者均比健康人高，而Fe、Zn、Se／Zn的比值却相反。因此，可根据血清铜升高、血清锌降低，血清铜／锌比值升高的特点。用于癌肿的早期诊断；3．癌肿患者放疔后血清铁、锌含量进一步下降，铜、锰、铬的含量也出现降低，唯有硒的含量有所上升。因此，放疗时应注意补充铁、锌、铜元素。     

Fe‐DPA as Catalyst for Oxidation of Organic Contaminants: Evidence of Homogeneous Fenton Process

Fenton‐type reactions using transition metal complexes in the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to hydroxyl radical generation have received special attention due to their advantages over classical homogeneous processes involving soluble iron salts. Thus, the goal of this study was to investigate the use of an iron complex with the ligand pyridine‐2,6‐dicarboxylic acid (dipicolinic acid or DPA) as a homogeneous catalyst for the oxidation of the quinoline. The synthesized iron complex showed a molar ratio of 1:2 metal/ligand and was efficient in the quinoline oxidation at pH values near neutrality. The tests were monitored by mass spectrometry that allows identification of the different intermediates and showed complete oxidation of the quinolone compound. Moreover, in order to shed some light on the formation of hydroxyl radicals and the overall reaction mechanism, some theoretical calculations at the DFT level were performed. The results of this study demonstrated that the iron‐DPA complex is a good catalyst for the oxidation of quinoline by a Fenton‐like mechanism. All theoretical data show good agreement with experimental results.     

用X-光电子能谱对热处理的四苯基铁卟啉化学修饰电极的研究

本文用XPS、DTA、和TG分析了解四苯基铁卟啉和四苯基铁卟啉化学修饰电极的热分解行为。由XPS谱图揭示了玻璃炭与四苯基铁卟啉之间的相互作用, 进而阐述了经热处理的四苯基铁卟啉化学修饰电极的表面结构与电催化稳定性的关系。从四苯基铁卟啉化学修饰电极的XPS价态谱发现Fe中心离子的3d电子在电极的电催化活性中的作用。     

The Molecular Basis of Different Approaches for the Study of Cancer Stem Cells and the Advantages and Disadvantages of a Three-Dimensional Culture

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a rare tumor subpopulation with high differentiation, proliferative and tumorigenic potential compared to the remaining tumor population. CSCs were first discovered by Bonnet and Dick in 1997 in acute myeloid leukemia. The identification and isolation of these cells in this pioneering study were carried out through the flow cytometry, exploiting the presence of specific cell surface molecular markers (CD34⁺/CD38⁻). In the following years, different strategies and projects have been developed for the study of CSCs, which are basically divided into surface markers assays and functional assays; some of these techniques also allow working with a cellular model that better mimics the tumor architecture. The purpose of this mini review is to summarize and briefly describe all the current methods used for the identification, isolation and enrichment of CSCs, describing, where possible, the molecular basis, the advantages and disadvantages of each technique with a particular focus on those that offer a three-dimensional culture.     

Chemical modification of iron oxide surface with organosilicon and organophosphorous compounds

The feasibility of modifying iron oxides (α-Fe₂O₃, γ-Fe₂O₃, and an oxide covering the surface of carbonyl iron) with various organosilicon and organophosphorous compounds has been studied. It has been shown that the surfaces of these oxides can be successfully modified with ethoxysilanes and diethyl ester of butylphosphonic acid. Resultant grafted layers have being found to be rather hydrolytically and thermally stable. The effect of the modification on the corrosion and erosion stability of carbonyl iron has been investigated. It has been demonstrated that the modifying layers can efficiently protect carbonyl iron particles from corrosion.     

Carbohydrate functionalized iron(III) complexes as biomimetic siderophores

Catechol functionalized iron(III) glycodendrimers have been prepared using a self-assembly process for targeting a specific strain of E. coli bacteria and have been shown to exhibit carbohydrate-lectin mediated iron delivery in growth promotion assay.     

Unlocking the Secrets of Cancer Stem Cells with γ-Secretase Inhibitors: A Novel Anticancer Strategy

The dysregulation of Notch signaling is associated with a wide variety of different human cancers. Notch signaling activation mostly relies on the activity of the γ-secretase enzyme that cleaves the Notch receptors and releases the active intracellular domain. It is well-documented that γ-secretase inhibitors (GSIs) block the Notch activity, mainly by inhibiting the oncogenic activity of this pathway. To date, several GSIs have been introduced clinically for the treatment of various diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and various cancers, and their impacts on Notch inhibition have been found to be promising. Therefore, GSIs are of great interest for cancer therapy. The objective of this review is to provide a systematic review of in vitro and in vivo studies for investigating the effect of GSIs on various cancer stem cells (CSCs), mainly by modulation of the Notch signaling pathway. Various scholarly electronic databases were searched and relevant studies published in the English language were collected up to February 2020. Herein, we conclude that GSIs can be potential candidates for CSC-targeting therapy. The outcome of our study also indicates that GSIs in combination with anticancer drugs have a greater inhibitory effect on CSCs.     

Influence of luminol on the chemiluminescence intensity in Fenton’s reaction

The kinetics of Fe⁺² oxidation and buildup of luminol oxidation products during Fenton’s reaction at pH 2 have been calculated. The characteristics of the process in neutral (pH 6) and alkaline (pH 12) media have been evaluated. The calculation results have been compared with experimental data on the yield of chemiluminescence induced by Fenton’s reagent and luminol. It has been shown that trivalent iron ions suppress the luminol emission. The presence of iron or another transition metal in the sample can significantly reduce the chemiluminescence quantum yield after luminol introduction if.     

Synthesis and evaluation of iron chelators with masked hydrophilic moieties

Synthetic iron chelators based on the natural siderophore ferrichrome have previously been shown to bind Fe(III) with high affinity (pKf > 27) and have shown no toxicity to mammalian cell cultures in vitro. A new class of lipophilic ferrichrome analogues carrying acetoxymethyl ester moieties has been synthesized. We have shown that these molecules penetrate rapidly through cell membranes and turn highly hydrophilic while inside the cells, upon esterase mediated hydrolysis of the lipophilic termini. The intracellular retention was visualized by labeling these analogues with a fluorescent naphthalic diimide probe. The prohydrophilic iron chelators have been shown to inhibit the metal-catalyzed intracellular formation of reactive oxygen species with high effectivity, and preliminary results suggest these molecules to be potent antimalarial agents.     

On the efficiency of intrinsic compensation of iron content variations in radioanalytical determinations of ash in coal

The influence of iron on ash content determination on radiometric ways has been investigated. Principles of different methods of diminishing errors caused by variation in iron content have been demonstrated and discussed. The effectiveness of intrinsic iron compensation has been checked by coal samples of different chemical and mineralogical composition. It has been shown that the compensation of variations in iron content, is lim ed.     

The application of thiosalts in analysis: A new scheme of qualitative analysis - Part C

1. Seveial modifications for improving the efficiency of the new scheme of qualitative analysis have been proposed. 2. It has been shown that 1N sodium sulphide is a more efficient and convenient reagent and may be substituted for concentrated ammonium sulphide. 3. If sodium carbonate is added along with sodium, sulphide, barium, strontium and calcium are precipitated completely with the sulphides and hydroxides and the division of these metals into two groups is prevented. 4. It has been shown that the tedious separation of cerium and thorium from the iron group by means of oxalic acid is unnecessary and these metals can be tested for conveniently with the metals of the iron group. 5. The division of thallium into the iron and copper groups can be avoided and the metal precipitated completely with the copper group by adding potassium iodide in the treatment with 1N hydrochloric acid. 6. Modified procedures liave been provided tor the detection of nickel, tellurium and gold.     

Reaction of μ-carbido-dimeric iron(IV) octapropyltetraazaporphyrinate with dicumene peroxide and <Emphasis Type="Italic">tert</Emphasis>-butyl peroxide in benzene

We report the results of our studies into the oxidation reactions of μ-carbido-dimeric iron(IV) octapropyltetraazaporphyrinate with organic peroxides. Kinetic parameters have been determined, and a possible scheme of the process suggested. The nature of peroxide has been shown to influence the rates of redox transformations. The reaction has been shown to generate the μ-carbido-dimeric iron(IV) octapropyltetraazaporphyrinate radical cation through the dissociation of the О–О bond in the peroxide coordinated to the iron atom. The reaction product enters an aggregated state over time, and readily recovers the initial form in the presence of a nitrogen-containing base.     

Synergistic Roles of Curcumin in Sensitising the Cisplatin Effect on a Cancer Stem Cell-Like Population Derived from Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cell Lines

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent a small subpopulation within a tumour. These cells possess stem cell-like properties but also initiate resistance to cytotoxic agents, which contributes to cancer relapse. Natural compounds such as curcumin that contain high amounts of polyphenols can have a chemosensitivity effect that sensitises CSCs to cytotoxic agents such as cisplatin. This study was designed to investigate the efficacy of curcumin as a chemo-sensitiser in CSCs subpopulation of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using the lung cancer adenocarcinoma human alveolar basal epithelial cells A549 and H2170. The ability of curcumin to sensitise lung CSCs to cisplatin was determined by evaluating stemness characteristics, including proliferation activity, colony formation, and spheroid formation of cells treated with curcumin alone, cisplatin alone, or the combination of both at 24, 48, and 72 h. The mRNA level of genes involved in stemness was analysed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to evaluate the effect of curcumin on the CSC niche. A combined treatment of A549 subpopulations with curcumin reduced cellular proliferation activity at all time points. Curcumin significantly (p < 0.001) suppressed colonies formation by 50% and shrank the spheroids in CSC subpopulations, indicating inhibition of their self-renewal capability. This effect also was manifested by the down-regulation of SOX2, NANOG, and KLF4. Curcumin also regulated the niche of CSCs by inhibiting chemoresistance proteins, aldehyde dehydrogenase, metastasis, angiogenesis, and proliferation of cancer-related proteins. These results show the potential of using curcumin as a therapeutic approach for targeting CSC subpopulations in non-small cell lung cancer.     

Metal extraction in activation analysis

Our investigations have shown the perspectives of pyrometallurgical methods in activation analysis based on metal extraction (ME). The technique of rapid micromelting (MM) not requiring special equipment has been developed. It has been shown that in non-mixed liquid metal-molten salt systems different elements such as noble, rare and dispersed ones can be quantitatively extracted from geological samples to be analyzed into metal collectors (bismuth, lead, tin, copper, iron, etc.). The same meltings have been supposed for extraction into the ionic salt melts of the impurity elements from the analyzed metals.     

A Cyclometalated IrIII Complex Conjugated to a Coumarin Derivative Is a Potent Photodynamic Agent against Prostate Differentiated and Tumorigenic Cancer Stem Cells

A cyclometalated Ir^III complex conjugated to a far-red-emitting coumarin, Ir^III-COUPY ( 3 ), was recently shown as a very promising photosensitizer suitable for photodynamic therapy of cancer. Therefore, the primary goal of this work was to deepen knowledge on the mechanism of its photoactivated antitumor action so that this information could be used to propose a new class of compounds as drug candidates for curing very hardly treatable human tumors, such as androgen resistant prostatic tumors of metastatic origin. Conventional anticancer chemotherapies exhibit several disadvantages, such as limited efficiency to target cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are considered the main reason for chemotherapy resistance, relapse, and metastasis. Herein, we show, using DU145 tumor cells, taken as the model of hormone-refractory and aggressive prostate cancer cells resistant to conventional antineoplastic drugs, that the photoactivated conjugate 3 very efficiently eliminates both prostate bulk (differentiated) and prostate hardly treatable CSCs simultaneously and with a similar efficiency. Notably, the very low toxicity of Ir^III-COUPY conjugate in the prostate DU145 cells in the dark and its pronounced selectivity for tumor cells compared with noncancerous cells could result in low side effects and reduced damage of healthy cells during the photoactivated therapy by this agent. Moreover, the experiments performed with the 3D spheroids formed from DU145 CSCs showed that conjugate 3 can penetrate the inner layers of tumor spheres, which might markedly increase its therapeutic effect. Also interestingly, this conjugate induces apoptotic cell death in prostate cancer DU145 cells associated with calcium signaling flux in these cells and autophagy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating that a photoactivatable metal-based compound is an efficient agent capable of killing even hardly treatable CSCs.