Hypoxia induces Wee1 expression and attenuates hydrogen peroxide-induced endothelial damage in MS1 cells

In an oxygen-depleted environment, endothelial cells initiate an adaptive pattern of synthesis, which may enable them to survive hypoxic crises. Using high-resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis in conjunction with mass spectroscopy, we obtained a 24 differential display of proteins in the pancreatic endothelial cell line, MS-1, at four time points following induction of hypoxia. The induction of Wee1 under hypoxia was confirmed both at the mRNA and protein levels. The phosphorylation of cell division cycle 2, which is downstream of Wee1, was also increased after hypoxic exposure. In addition, pre-exposure to hypoxia attenuated a decrease in hydrogen peroxide-induced cell number. The induction of bax (a pro-apoptotic protein) and reduction of bcl (an anti-apoptotic protein) after hypoxia stimulus were also attenuated by hypoxic pre-exposure. Moreover, hydrogen peroxide-induced morphologic damage did not appear in the wild-type Wee1-expressing cells. Taken together, our results suggest that Wee1 may have important role in hypoxia- induced pathophysiological situations in endothelial cells.     

β-MnO2和α-Mn2O3纳米棒的自牺牲模板法制备、 表征和应用

在150 ℃下, 仅以高锰酸钾溶液和无水乙醇为原料, 通过水热反应合成前驱体γ-MnOOH纳米棒. 以γ-MnOOH纳米棒为自牺牲模板, 分别在350和600 ℃下煅烧90 min, 制备出高纯度的β-MnO₂和α-Mn₂O₃纳米棒. 采用X射线粉末衍射(XRD)、 扫描电子显微镜(SEM)及热重分析(TGA)等对所制备的样品进行表征. 结果表明, 前驱物γ-MnOOH为高纯度的纳米棒状晶体, 直径约100~300 nm, 长度可达数微米, 且终产物β-MnO₂和α-Mn₂O₃均具有较高的纯度, 也很好地保持了前驱物的纳米棒状结构. 以二者为锰源, 通过固相反应合成出尖晶石LiMn₂O₄正极材料. 当充放电倍率为0.5 C时, 其首次放电比容量分别可达到120.4和123.9 mA·h/g, 而且表现出良好的循环性能和倍率性能.     

水相介质中碳酸钾/硫脲联合促进邻位氨基溴转变成α,β-脱氢氨的研究

建立了在水相介质中, 在碳酸钾/硫脲联合促进下, 具有邻位氨基溴的酯和邻位氨基溴的酮在室温下发生溴化氢消除反应, 高收率地制备α,β-脱氢氨(功能化烯胺)的新方法. 共考察了23种不同结构α,β-邻位氨基溴的酯和α,β-邻位氨基溴的酮的反应情况, 证明该方法具有广泛的适应性. 实验发现, 无论底物为α-氨基-β-溴结构还是α-溴-β-氨基结构, 反应过程中都要经过一个氮丙啶过程, 而氮丙啶的开环是区域专一的, 因此产物具有区域专一性(烯键上的氨基均处在羰基的α-位). 所有产物的结构均经过核磁共振波谱及高分辩率质谱确证. 克量级放大实验结果表明, 该方法具有一定的用于工业化生产的可行性.     

基于乙酸为溶剂和催化剂的芳乙酮Mannich反应

采用乙酸作溶剂和催化剂, 将芳乙酮与甲醛和二级胺进行Mannich反应及热解反应, 并未得到预期的Mannich碱或α,β-不饱和酮(2), 而是以较高产率(65%~73%)生成了乙酸(2-芳甲酰基)烯丙酯(3a~3o). 通过核磁共振波谱、 高分辨质谱和红外光谱表征了化合物3a~3o的结构, 研究了此“异常”反应的发生条件, 并提出了可能的反应机理. 结果表明, 芳乙酮的特殊结构及反应中过量的乙酸是产生化合物3a~3o的决定因素.     

α-氨基酸及其酯化物侧链对其β-环糊精复合物稳定常数的影响

为了探索α-氨基酸及其酯化物的侧链R基团对其与环糊精非共价复合物结合强度的影响, 将一定摩尔比的β-环糊精(β-CD)分别与L型正缬氨酸(n-Val)、 亮氨酸(Leu)、 苯丙氨酸(Phe)、 天冬氨酸(Asp)、 天冬氨酸-4-苄酯(Asp-4-benzyl ester)和天冬氨酸-4-叔丁酯(Asp-4-t-butyl ester)在室温下混合, 反应平衡后采用电喷雾电离质谱进行竞争反应检测, 并以改进的质谱滴定结合曲线拟合法计算结合常数. 结果表明, 它们均可形成摩尔比为1∶1的非共价复合物. 在2组竞争反应中, 复合物的结合强度顺序分别为[β-CD∶Asp-4-benzyl ester+H]⁺>[β-CD∶Asp-4-t-butyl ester+H]⁺>[β-CD∶Asp+H]⁺以及[β-CD∶Phe+H]⁺>[β-CD∶Leu+H]⁺>[β-CD∶n-Val+H]⁺. 质谱滴定曲线拟合法测得[β-CD∶n-Val+H]⁺, [β-CD∶Asp+H]⁺, [β-CD∶Asp-4-t-butyl ester+H]⁺, [β-CD∶Asp-4-benzyl ester+H]⁺, [β-CD∶Leu+H]⁺和[β-CD∶Phe+H]⁺的稳定常数(lgK_st)分别为1.81, 2.54, 3.14, 3.26, 3.36和3.67, 结合强度依次增强. 竞争反应的定性分析结果与质谱滴定定量法测得结合强度结果的趋势一致. 由于所选用的α-氨基酸及其酯化物客体的羧基端(—COOH)和氨基端(—NH₂)均相同, 且都为亲水基团, 仅有侧链R基团不同, 因此在溶液中客体分子受疏水驱动与β-CD主体靠近并结合时, 侧链R基团的疏水力和极性2个因素起重要作用. 由于客体分子体积小, 其碳端的羧基还可与β-CD大口或小口边缘的羟基形成氢键, 使复合物更加稳定.     

双-β-咔啉衍生物的设计、合成及抗肿瘤活性

以去氢骆驼蓬碱为原料, 经过脱甲基、 烷基化等步骤, 合成了一系列双-β-咔啉衍生物. 目标化合物均经核磁共振谱(NMR)和质谱(MS)进行结构确证. 以顺铂为阳性对照药, 采用四甲基偶氮唑盐(MTT)法考察了目标化合物体外抗肿瘤(Bel-7402, 786-0, BGC-823, A375, 769-P和MCF7等6株细胞)活性. 结果表明, 化合物4g和4o与阳性对照药相比具有良好的抗肿瘤活性, 其半抑制浓度(IC₅₀)值均小于10 μmol/L. 初步构效关系研究表明, 当桥链亚甲基数目为8~10, β-咔啉环上9-丁基或9-异丁基取代时, 化合物的抗肿瘤活性较强.     

Synthesis and Systematic Study on the Effect of Different PEG Units on Stability of PEGylated,Integrin-αvβ6-Specific A20FMDV2 Analogues in Rat Serum and Human Plasma

A20FMDV2 is a 20-mer peptide that exhibits high selectivity and affinity for the tumour-related αvβ6 integrin that can compete with extracellular ligands for the crucial RGD binding site, playing a role as a promising αvβ6-specific inhibitor for anti-cancer therapies. Unfortunately, the clinical value of A20FMDV2 is limited by its poor half-life in blood caused by rapid renal excretion and its reported high susceptibility to serum proteases. The incorporation of poly (ethylene glycol) chains, coined PEGylation, is a well-established approach to improve the pharmacokinetic properties of drug molecules. Here, we report a systematic study on the incorporation of a varying number of ethylene glycol units (1–20) into the A20FMDV2 peptide to establish the effects of PEGylation size on the peptide stability in both rat serum and human plasma. In addition, the effect of acetyl and propionyl PEGylation handles on peptide stability is also described. Selected peptide analogues were assessed for integrin-αvβ6-targeted binding, showing good specificity and activity in vitro. Stability studies in rat serum established that all of the PEGylated peptides displayed good stability, and an A20FMDV2 peptide containing twenty ethylene glycol units (PEG₂₀) was the most stable. Surprisingly, the stability testing in human plasma identified shorter PEGs (PEG₂ and PEG₅) as more resistant to degradation than longer PEGs, a trend which was also observed with affinity binding to integrin αvβ6.     

羟丙基-β-环糊精对1-羟基芘与牛血清白蛋白相互作用的影响

在模拟生理条件下, 利用荧光光谱、 圆二色光谱和紫外-可见吸收光谱探究了羟丙基-β-环糊精(HPCD)对1-羟基芘(1-OHPyr)与牛血清白蛋白(BSA)相互作用的影响及其相关机制. 结果表明, 291 K下HPCD可使1-OHPyr与BSA的结合常数降低为1.45×10⁵ L/mol; 导致1-OHPyr-BSA体系中BSA的α-螺旋含量恢复, 色氨酸(TRP)残基周围微环境的极性变化减弱; 致使1-OHPyr及BSA的荧光寿命均延长, 且二者的结合距离增大. 初步研究结果表明, HPCD与1-OHPyr的包络作用是HPCD影响BSA与1-OHPyr结合的主要原因.     

Molecular Regulation of Betulinic Acid on α3β4 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors

Betulinic acid (BA) is a major constituent of Zizyphus seeds that have been long used as therapeutic agents for sleep-related issues in Asia. BA is a pentacyclic triterpenoid. It also possesses various anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects. Current commercially available sleep aids typically use GABAergic regulation, for which many studies are being actively conducted. However, few studies have focused on acetylcholine receptors that regulate wakefulness. In this study, we utilized BA as an antagonist of α3β4 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α3β4 nAChRs) known to regulate rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep and wakefulness. Effects of BA on α3β4 nAChRs were concentration-dependent, reversible, voltage-independent, and non-competitive. Site-directed mutagenesis and molecular-docking studies confirmed the binding of BA at the molecular level and showed that the α3 subunit L257 and the β4 subunit I263 residues affected BA binding. These data demonstrate that BA can bind to a binding site different from the site for the receptor’s ligand, acetylcholine (ACh). This suggests that BA may be an effective antagonist that is unaffected by large amounts of ACh released during wakefulness and REM sleep. Based on the above experimental results, BA is likely to be a therapeutically useful sleep aid and sedative.     

α-氨基酸各官能团对其Co(Ⅱ)配合物可逆氧合性能的影响

选择氧合性能良好的组氨酸(His)-Co(Ⅱ)作为研究对象, 分别掩蔽—NH₂、 取代—O^-和去除—COO^-, 得到短肽、 伪肽和多胺等类组氨酸结构. 采用UV-Vis光谱法研究了α-氨基酸中的3个官能团对其Co(Ⅱ)配合物氧合性能的影响. 对比研究表明: α-氨基酸中—NH₂对其Co(Ⅱ)配合物的吸氧性具有决定作用; —COO^-对其Co(Ⅱ)配合物氧合作用的可逆性起关键作用; 而—O^-对其Co(Ⅱ)配合物的吸氧性影响不大. 在前期研究结果的基础上, 对α-氨基酸-Co(Ⅱ)配合物可逆吸收和释放O₂的机理进行了探讨.     

Thromboxane A2 modulates migration, proliferation, and differentiation of adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Prostanoid metabolites are key mediators in inflammatory responses, and accumulating evidence suggests that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can be recruited to injured or inflamed tissues. In the present study, we investigated whether prostanoid metabolites can regulate migration, proliferation, and differentiation potentials of MSCs. We demonstrated herein that the stable thromboxane A₂ (TxA₂) mimetic U46619 strongly stimulated migration and proliferation of human adipose tissue-derived MSCs (hADSCs). Furthermore, U46619 treatment increased expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), a smooth muscle marker, in hADSCs, suggesting differentiation of hADSCs into smooth muscle-like cells. U46619 activated ERK and p38 MAPK, and pretreatment of the cells with the MEK inhibitor U0126 or the p38 MAPK inhibitor SB202190 abrogated the U46619-induced migration, proliferation, and α-SMA expression. These results suggest that TxA₂ plays a key role in the migration, proliferation, and differentiation of hADSCs into smooth muscle-like cells through signaling mechanisms involving ERK and p38 MAPK.     

Orphan nuclear receptor small heterodimer partner inhibits angiotensin II-stimulated PAI-1 expression in vascular smooth muscle cells

Angiotensin II is a major effector molecule in the development of cardiovascular disease. In vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), angiotensin II promotes cellular proliferation and extracellular matrix accumulation through the upregulation of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) expression. Previously, we demonstrated that small heterodimer partner (SHP) represses PAI-1 expression in the liver through the inhibition of TGF-β signaling pathways. Here, we investigated whether SHP inhibited angiotensin II-stimulated PAI-1 expression in VSMCs. Adenovirus-mediated overexpression of SHP (Ad-SHP) in VSMCs inhibited angiotensin II- and TGF-β-stimulated PAI-1 expression. Ad-SHP also inhibited angiotensin II-, TGF-β- and Smad3-stimulated PAI-1 promoter activity, and angiotensin II-stimulated AP-1 activity. The level of PAI-1 expression was significantly higher in VSMCs of SHP^-/- mice than wild type mice. Moreover, loss of SHP increased PAI-1 mRNA expression after angiotensin II treatment. These results suggest that SHP inhibits PAI-1 expression in VSMCs through the suppression of TGF-β/Smad3 and AP-1 activity. Thus, agents that target the induction of SHP expression in VSMCs might help prevent the development and progression of atherosclerosis.     

Molecular Dynamic Simulation Analysis on the Inclusion Complexation of Plumbagin with β-Cyclodextrin Derivatives in Aqueous Solution

Stable encapsulation of medically active compounds can lead to longer storage life and facilitate the slow-release mechanism. In this work, the dynamic and molecular interactions between plumbagin molecule with β-cyclodextrin (BCD) and its two derivatives, which are dimethyl-β-cyclodextrin (MBCD), and 2-O-monohydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPBCD) were investigated. Molecular dynamics simulations (MD) with GLYCAM-06 and AMBER force fields were used to simulate the inclusion complex systems under storage temperature (4 °C) in an aqueous solution. The simulation results suggested that HPBCD is the best encapsulation agent to produce stable host–guest binding with plumbagin. Moreover, the observation of the plumbagin dynamic inside the binding cavity revealed that it tends to orient the methyl group toward the wider rim of HPBCD. Therefore, HPBCD is a decent candidate for the preservation of plumbagin with a promising longer storage life and presents the opportunity to facilitate the slow-release mechanism.     

Pharmacophore Mapping Combined with dbCICA Reveal New Structural Features for the Development of Novel Ligands Targeting α4β2 and α7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors

The neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) belong to the ligand-gated ion channel (GLIC) group, presenting a crucial role in several biological processes and neuronal disorders. The α4β2 and α7 nAChRs are the most abundant in the central nervous system (CNS), being involved in challenging diseases such as epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, and anxiety disorder, as well as alcohol and nicotine dependencies. In addition, in silico-based strategies may contribute to revealing new insights into drug design and virtual screening to find new drug candidates to treat CNS disorders. In this context, the pharmacophore maps were constructed and validated for the orthosteric sites of α4β2 and α7 nAChRs, through a docking-based Comparative Intermolecular Contacts Analysis (dbCICA). In this sense, bioactive ligands were retrieved from the literature for each receptor. A molecular docking protocol was developed for all ligands in both receptors by using GOLD software, considering GoldScore, ChemScore, ASP, and ChemPLP scoring functions. Output GOLD results were post-processed through dbCICA to identify critical contacts involved in protein-ligand interactions. Moreover, Crossminer software was used to construct a pharmacophoric map based on the most well-behaved ligands and negative contacts from the dbCICA model for each receptor. Both pharmacophore maps were validated by using a ROC curve. The results revealed important features for the ligands, such as the presence of hydrophobic regions, a planar ring, and hydrogen bond donor and acceptor atoms for α4β2. Parallelly, a non-planar ring region was identified for α7. These results can enable fragment-based drug design (FBDD) strategies, such as fragment growing, linking, and merging, allowing an increase in the activity of known fragments. Thus, our results can contribute to a further understanding of structural subunits presenting the potential for key ligand-receptor interactions, favoring the search in molecular databases and the design of novel ligands.     

振动圆二色谱在轴手性β-双咔啉N—O衍生物立体化学研究中的应用

采用振动圆二色谱(VCD)方法研究了一个具有高度催化活性的轴手性结构的双咔啉N—O化合物的立体化学结构. 在B3LYP/6-311+G(d)水平上得到的计算结果表明, 对于具有负旋光值的双咔啉N—O化合物化合物, 其绝对构型是aS. 同时, 分别计算了双咔啉N—O化合物的电子圆二色谱(ECD)和旋光值, 并与实验结果进行了比较. 在化合物结构完全正确条件下, VCD, ECD和旋光数据均表明, 具有负旋光值的该化合物的绝对构型是aS.     

Effect of sildenafil citrate on interleukin-1beta-induced nitric oxide synthesis and iNOS expression in SW982 cells

The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of sildenafil citrate on IL-1β-induced nitric oxide (NO) synthesis and iNOS expression in human synovial sarcoma SW982 cells. IL-1β stimulated the cells to generate NO in both dose- and time-dependent manners. The IL-1β-induced NO synthesis was inhibited by guanylate cyclase (GC) inhibitor, LY83583. When the cells were treated with 8-bromo-cGMP, a hydrolyzable analog of cGMP, NO synthesis was increased upto 5-fold without IL-1β treatment suggesting that cGMP is an essential component for increasing the NO synthesis. Synoviocytes and chondrocytes contain strong cGMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity, which has biochemical features of PDE5. When SW982 cells were pretreated with sildenafil citrate (Viagra), a PDE5 specific inhibitor, sildenafil citrate significantly inhibited IL-1β-induced NO synthesis and iNOS expressions. From this result, we noticed that PDE5 activity is required for IL-1β-induced NO synthesis and iNOS expressions in human synovial sarcoma cells, and sildenafil citrate may be able to suppress an inflammatory reaction of synovium through inhibition of NO synthesis and iNOS expression by cytokines.