Synthetic Route to a Benzooxazole Derivative with Heparanase Inhibitory Activity

The synthesis of a benzooxazol-5-yl acetic acid derivative (9) with strong heparanase and angiogenesis inhibitory activity, and thus possible commercial interest, is described in detail.     

胶原-磺化羧甲基壳聚糖/硅橡胶皮肤再生材料的制备及其对小型猪烫伤创面全层皮肤缺损的修复研究

制备了一种胶原-磺化羧甲基壳聚糖/硅橡胶皮肤再生材料,并以小型猪为模型,考察了其对烫伤全层皮肤缺损的修复性能.首先合成了磺化羧甲基壳聚糖,并对其结构进行了表征.制备了胶原-磺化羧甲基壳聚糖多孔支架,采用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)研究了磺化羧甲基壳聚糖含量对支架微结构的影响.随着磺化羧甲基壳聚糖含量的增大,胶原-磺化羧甲基壳聚糖支架从纤维结构向片状结构转化,且支架的孔径相对变大.采用体外成纤维细胞培养实验证明胶原-磺化羧甲基壳聚糖支架无明显细胞毒性.进一步将胶原-磺化羧甲基壳聚糖支架与硅橡胶膜复合,构建具有双层结构的皮肤再生材料.以小型猪为模型,评价了其对深度烫伤创面的修复性能.大体观察和组织学分析结果显示,胶原-磺化羧甲基壳聚糖/硅橡胶皮肤再生材料具有更快的血管化性能,且经该材料处理的创面能有效支持薄自体皮片的移植成活,实现深度烫伤创面的全层修复.     

Synthesis,Characterization, and Biological Evaluation of a Dual-Action Ligand Targeting αvβ3 Integrin and VEGF Receptors

A dual-action ligand targeting both integrin α_Vβ₃ and vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFRs), was synthesized via conjugation of a cyclic peptidomimetic α_Vβ₃ Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) ligand with a decapentapeptide. The latter was obtained from a known VEGFR antagonist by acetylation at the Lys13 side chain. Functionalization of the precursor ligands was carried out in solution and in the solid phase, affording two fragments: an alkyne VEGFR ligand and the azide integrin α_Vβ₃ ligand, which were conjugated by click chemistry. Circular dichroism studies confirmed that both the RGD and VEGFR ligand portions of the dual-action compound substantially adopt the biologically active conformation. In vitro binding assays on isolated integrin α_Vβ₃ and VEGFR-1 showed that the dual-action conjugate retains a good level of affinity for both its target receptors, although with one order of magnitude (10/20 times) decrease in potency. The dual-action ligand strongly inhibited the VEGF-induced morphogenesis in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVECs). Remarkably, its efficiency in preventing the formation of new blood vessels was similar to that of the original individual ligands, despite the worse affinity towards integrin α_Vβ₃ and VEGFR-1.     

Cortistatins E, F, G, and H, four novel steroidal alkaloids from marine sponge Corticium simplex

Four novel steroidal alkaloids named cortistatins E (1), F (2), G (3), and H (4) have been isolated from the marine sponge Corticium simplex. The chemical structures of these four cortistatins, which are unique abeo-9(10-19)-stigmastane-type steroidal alkaloids having oxabicyclo[3.2.1]octene and N-methyl piperidine or 3-methylpyridine units in the side chain, were elucidated by the detailed 2D-NMR analysis. These four compounds showed only weak anti-proliferative activity against human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) at 0.35-1.9 μM concentrations in contrast to cortistatin A (5), which was isolated as a highly selective inhibitor of proliferation of HUVECs from the same marine sponge.     

Cells as strain-cued automata

We argue in favor of representing living cells as automata and review demonstrations that autonomous cells can form patterns by responding to local variations in the strain fields that arise from their individual or collective motions. An autonomous cell's response to strain stimuli is assumed to be effected by internally-generated, internally-powered forces, which generally move the cell in directions other than those implied by external energy gradients. Evidence of cells acting as strain-cued automata have been inferred from patterns observed in nature and from experiments conducted in vitro. Simulations that mimic particular cases of pattern forming share the idealization that cells are assumed to pass information among themselves solely via mechanical boundary conditions, i.e., the tractions and displacements present at their membranes. This assumption opens three mechanisms for pattern formation in large cell populations: wavelike behavior, kinematic feedback in cell motility that can lead to sliding and rotational patterns, and directed migration during invasions. Wavelike behavior among ameloblast cells during amelogenesis (the formation of dental enamel) has been inferred from enamel microstructure, while strain waves in populations of epithelial cells have been observed in vitro. One hypothesized kinematic feedback mechanism, “enhanced shear motility”, accounts successfully for the spontaneous formation of layered patterns during amelogenesis in the mouse incisor. Directed migration is exemplified by a theory of invader cells that sense and respond to the strains they themselves create in the host population as they invade it: analysis shows that the strain fields contain positional information that could aid the formation of cell network structures, stabilizing the slender geometry of branches and helping govern the frequency of branch bifurcation and branch coalescence (the formation of closed networks). In simulations of pattern formation in homogeneous populations and network formation by invaders, morphological outcomes are governed by the ratio of the rates of two competing time dependent processes, one a migration velocity and the other a relaxation velocity related to the propagation of strain information. Relaxation velocities are approximately constant for different species and organs, whereas cell migration rates vary by three orders of magnitude. We conjecture that developmental processes use rapid cell migration to achieve certain outcomes, and slow migration to achieve others. We infer from analysis of host relaxation during network formation that a transition exists in the mechanical response of a host cell from animate to inanimate behavior when its strain changes at a rate that exceeds 10⁻⁴–10⁻³ s⁻¹. The transition has previously been observed in experiments conducted in vitro.     

Periodic solutions of angiogenesis models with time lags

To enrich the dynamics of mathematical models of angiogenesis, all mechanisms involved are time-dependent. We also assume that the tumor cells enter the mechanisms of angiogenic stimulation and inhibition with some delays. The models under study belong to a special class of nonlinear nonautonomous systems with delays. Explicit sufficient and necessary conditions for the existence of the positive periodic solutions were obtained via topological methods. Numerical examples illustrate our findings. Some open problems are presented for further studies.     

Extracorporeal cardiac shock wave therapy for ischemic heart disease

Prognosis of severe ischemic heart disease with no indication of percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting still remains poor. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy was introduced for medical therapy more than 20 years ago to break up kidney stones. We have demonstrated that extracorporeal cardiac shock wave therapy at a low level of ~10% of energy density that used for urinary lithotripsy treatment, effectively induces coronary angiogenesis and improves myocardial ischemia in a porcine model of chronic myocardial ischemia in vivo. On the basis of the promising results in animal studies, we have recently developed a new, non-invasive angiogenic therapy with low-energy shock waves for ischemic heart disease. Our extracorporeal cardiac shock wave therapy improved symptoms and myocardial ischemia in patients with severe coronary artery disease. These beneficial effects of the shock wave therapy persisted for at least 12 months. Importantly, no procedural complications or adverse effects were noted. These results indicate that our extracorporeal cardiac shock wave therapy is an effective and non-invasive treatment for ischemic heart disease. To further confirm the usefulness and safety of our SW therapy, we are currently conducting the second clinical trial in a randomized and placebo-controlled manner.      

A Concise Synthesis of Fumagillol

A 13-step synthesis of (±)-fumagillol ( 1 ), the direct precursor of the potent angiogenesis inhibitors TNP-470 and fumagillin, from crotonaldehyde, diethylamine, and acrolein (see the scheme) has been achieved. The synthesis features a remarkable hetero-Claisen rearrangement. Small-molecule inhibitors of angiogenesis are promising chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases.     

17400鲨鱼软骨血管生成抑制因子的纯化及生物学活性研究

采用盐酸胍抽提、膜超滤、丙酮分级沉淀、Sephadex-75柱层析和C₄反相高效液相色谱等分离步骤,从广东阳江鲨鱼软骨中纯化获得新的鲨鱼软骨血管生成抑制因子SCAI-c(SharkCartilageAngiogenesis In-hibitor-c,SCAI-c);SDS-PAGE电泳银染显示为一条带,根据蛋白质的相对迁移率计算,分子量为17400;它对鸡胚绒毛尿囊膜血管的形成具有显著抑制效应,并有明显的浓度依赖关系.SCAI-c与SCAI-a具有类似的生物学特征.     

Design,synthesis and biological evaluation of biphenylurea derivatives as VEGFR-2 kinase inhibitors(Ⅱ)

Inhibition of VEGFR-2 signaling pathway is one of the most promising approaches for the treatment of cancer. In this paper, we reported the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of a series of biphenylurea derivatives as VEGFR-2 inhibitors. Among these compounds, 39 exhibited potent inhibitory activity against VEGFR-2 both in vitro and in vivo. The antiangiogenesis activity of 39 was further confirmed by both tube formation assay and chick chorioallantoic membrane assay.