Astaxanthin and its Effects in Inflammatory Responses and Inflammation-Associated Diseases: Recent Advances and Future Directions

Astaxanthin is a natural lipid-soluble and red-orange carotenoid. Due to its strong antioxidant property, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and immune modulation, astaxanthin has gained growing interest as a multi-target pharmacological agent against various diseases. In the current review, the anti-inflammation mechanisms of astaxanthin involved in targeting for inflammatory biomarkers and multiple signaling pathways, including PI3K/AKT, Nrf2, NF-κB, ERK1/2, JNK, p38 MAPK, and JAK-2/STAT-3, have been described. Furthermore, the applications of anti-inflammatory effects of astaxanthin in neurological diseases, diabetes, gastrointestinal diseases, hepatic and renal diseases, eye and skin disorders, are highlighted. In addition to the protective effects of astaxanthin in various chronic and acute diseases, we also summarize recent advances for the inconsistent roles of astaxanthin in infectious diseases, and give our view that the exact function of astaxanthin in response to different pathogen infection and the potential protective effects of astaxanthin in viral infectious diseases should be important research directions in the future.     

Pathway from N‐Alkylglycine to Alkylisonitrile Catalyzed by Iron(II) and 2‐Oxoglutarate‐Dependent Oxygenases

N‐alkylisonitrile, a precursor to isonitrile‐containing lipopeptides, is biosynthesized by decarboxylation‐assisted ‐N≡C group (isonitrile) formation by using N‐alkylglycine as the substrate. This reaction is catalyzed by iron(II) and 2‐oxoglutarate (Fe/2OG) dependent enzymes. Distinct from typical oxygenation or halogenation reactions catalyzed by this class of enzymes, installation of the isonitrile group represents a novel reaction type for Fe/2OG enzymes that involves a four‐electron oxidative process. Reported here is a plausible mechanism of three Fe/2OG enzymes, Sav607, ScoE and SfaA, which catalyze isonitrile formation. The X‐ray structures of iron‐loaded ScoE in complex with its substrate and the intermediate, along with biochemical and biophysical data reveal that ‐N≡C bond formation involves two cycles of Fe/2OG enzyme catalysis. The reaction starts with an Fe^IV‐oxo‐catalyzed hydroxylation. It is likely followed by decarboxylation‐assisted desaturation to complete isonitrile installation.     

Underestimated Color Centers: Defects as Useful Reducing Agents in Lanthanide‐Activated Luminescent Materials

Inorganic hosts, such as SrB₄O₇ or certain nitrides, intrinsically stabilize Eu²⁺ even when the dopant is an Eu³⁺‐based precursor and reducing conditions are not employed in the synthesis. Although this concept is well known in the synthesis of phosphorescent materials, the mechanistic details are scarcely understood. Herein, we demonstrate that trapped charge carriers, such as color centers, can also act as redox partners to stabilize certain oxidation states of activators. Eu‐activated CsMgCl₃ and CsMgBr₃ are used as examples. Upon doping with EuCl₃ and in the absence of reducing conditions during the synthesis, dominant cyan or green luminescence from Eu²⁺ ions was observed. Photoluminescence spectroscopy at 10 K revealed that the reduction is correlated to color centers localized at defects. Although defects are typically undesired in phosphors, we have shown that their role may be underestimated and they could be used on purpose in the preparation of selected inorganic phosphors.     

Chemical‐Reductant‐Free Electrochemical Deuteration Reaction using Deuterium Oxide

We report a method for the electrochemical deuteration of α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl compounds under catalyst‐ and external‐reductant‐free conditions, with deuteration rates as high as 99 % and yields up to 91 % in 2 h. The use of graphite felt for both the cathode and the anode was key to ensuring chemoselectivity and high deuterium incorporation under neutral conditions without the need for an external reductant. This method has a number of advantages over previously reported deuteration reactions that use stoichiometric metallic reductants. Mechanistic experiments showed that O₂ evolution at the anode not only eliminates the need for an external reductant but also regulates the pH of the reaction mixture, keeping it approximately neutral.     

New cadinane sesquiterpenoids from Mikania micrantha

Abstract

Chemical investigation of the aerial parts of Mikania micrantha led to the isolation of eight sesquiterpenoids and ten diterpenoids, including five cadinane sesquiterpenoids (1?5), three bisabolene sesquiterpenoids (6???8), nine ent-kaurane diterpenoids (9–17), and an abietane diterpenoid (18). Among them, 1???3 are new and feature a rare lactone or furan ring derived from C-6 isopropyl group side chain. Compound 18 was isolated from genus Mikania for the first time, and was also the first example of abietane-type diterpenoids from this plant. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analyses (1D and 2D NMR, HRESIMS, and ECD). All compounds were examined for their inhibitory effects on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells, and compound 18 exhibited pronounced inhibition on NO production (IC₅₀ = 11.04?µM), being comparable to the positive control, quercetin (IC₅₀ = 11.15?µM).     

A Predictive Model Towards Site‐Selective Metalations of Functionalized Heterocycles,Arenes, Olefins,and Alkanes using TMPZnCl⋅LiCl

The development of a predictive model towards site‐selective deprotometalation reactions using TMPZnCl?LiCl is reported (TMP=2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidinyl). The pK_a values of functionalized N‐, S‐, and O‐heterocycles, arenes, alkenes, or alkanes were calculated and compared to the experimental deprotonation sites. Large overlap (>80 %) between the calculated and empirical deprotonation sites was observed, showing that thermodynamic factors strongly govern the metalation regioselectivity. In the case of olefins, calculated frozen state energies of the deprotonated substrates allowed a more accurate prediction. Additionally, various new N‐heterocycles were analyzed and the metalation regioselectivities rationalized using the predictive model.     

Irreversible Amide‐Linked Covalent Organic Framework for Selective and Ultrafast Gold Recovery

Design of stable adsorbents for selective gold recovery with large capacity and fast adsorption kinetics is of great challenge, but significant for the economy and the environment. Herein, we show the design and preparation of an irreversible amide‐linked covalent organic framework (COF) JNU‐1 via a building block exchange strategy for efficient recovery of gold. JNU‐1 was synthesized through the exchange of 4,4′‐biphenyldicarboxaldehyde (BA) in mother COF TzBA consisting of 4,4′,4′′‐(1,3,5‐triazine‐2,4,6‐triyl)trianiline (Tz) and BA with terephthaloyl chloride. The irreversible amide linked JNU‐1 gave good stability, unprecedented fast kinetics, excellent selectivity and outstanding adsorption capacity for gold recovery. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy along with thermodynamic study and quantum mechanics calculation reveals that the excellent performance of JNU‐1 for gold recovery results from the formation of hydrogen bonds C(N)?H???Cl and coordinate interaction of O and Au. The rational design of irreversible bonds as both inherent linkage and functional groups in COFs is a promising way to prepare stable COFs for diverse applications.     

Photoredox/palladium-cocatalyzed enantioselective alkylation of secondary benzyl carbonates with 4-alkyl-1,4-dihydropyridines

A photoredox/palladium-cocatalyzed enantioselective alkylation of racemic secondary carbonates with 4-alkyl-1,4-dihydropyridines under visible light irradiation has been developed. The present study provides a method for the preparation of optically active diarylalkanes from racemic diarylmethyl carbonates by a dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformation(DYKAT).This photoredox/palladium dual catalysis strategy expands the scope of the asymmetric Pd-catalyzed benzylic substitution reaction and serves as its potential alternative and complement.