A proteomic landscape of pharmacologic perturbations for functional relevance

Pharmacological perturbation studies based on protein-level signatures are fundamental for drug discovery. In the present study, we used a mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomic platform to profile the whole proteome of the breast cancer MCF7 cell line under stress induced by 78 bioactive compounds. The integrated analysis of perturbed signal abundance revealed the connectivity between phenotypic behaviors and molecular features in cancer cells. Our data showed functional relevance in exploring the novel pharmacological activity of phenolic xanthohumol, as well as the noncanonical targets of clinically approved tamoxifen, lovastatin, and their derivatives. Furthermore, the rational design of synergistic inhibition using a combination of histone methyltransferase and topoisomerase was identified based on their complementary drug fingerprints. This study provides rich resources for the proteomic landscape of drug responses for precision therapeutic medicine.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for quantification of MMAE-conjugated ADCs and total antibodies in cynomolgus monkey sera

Antibody-drug conjugates(ADCs)are commonly heterogeneous and require extensive assessment of exposure-efficacy and exposure-safety relationships in preclinical and clinical studies.In this study,we report the generation of a monoclonal antibody against monomethyl auristatin E(MMAE)and the development,validation,and application of sensitive and high-throughput enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays(ELISA)to measure the concentrations of MMAE-conjugated ADCs and total antibodies(tAb,antibodies in ADC plus unconjugated antibodies)in cynomolgus monkey sera.These assays were successfully applied to in vitro plasma stability and pharmacokinetic(PK)studies of SMADC001,an MMAE-conjugated ADC against trophoblast cell surface antigen 2(TROP-2).The plasma stability of SMADC001 was better than that of similar ADCs coupled with PEG4-Val-Cit,Lys(m-dPEG24)-Cit,and Val-Cit linkers.The developed ELISA methods for the calibration standards of ADC and tAb revealed a correlation between serum concentrations and the OD450 values,with R2 at 1.000,and the dynamic range was 0.3-35.0 ng/mL and 0.2-22.0 ng/mL,respectively;the intra-and inter-assay accuracy bias%ranged from -12.2% to -5.2%,precision ranged from -12.4% to -1.4%,and the relative standard deviation(RSD)was less than 6.6% and 8.7%,respectively.The total error was less than 20.4%.The development and validation steps of these two assays met the acceptance criteria for all addressed validation parameters,which suggested that these can be applied to quantify MMAE-conjugated ADCs,as well as in PK studies.Furthermore,these assays can be easily adopted for development of other similar immunoassays.

Development of SV2A Ligands for Epilepsy Treatment:A Review of Levetiracetam,Brivaracetam,and Padsevonil

Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder that is primarily treated with antiseizure medications(ASMs).Although dozens of ASMs are available in the clinic,approximately 30%of epileptic patients have medically refractory seizures;other limitations in most traditional ASMs include poor tolerability and drug-drug interactions.Therefore,there is an urgent need to develop alternative ASMs.Levetiracetam(LEV)is a first-line ASM that is well tolerated,has promising efficacy,and has little drug-drug interaction.Although it is widely accepted that LEV acts through a unique therapeutic target synaptic vesicle protein(SV)2A,the molecular basis of its action remains unknown.Even so,the next-generation SV2A ligands against epilepsy based on the structure of LEV have achieved clinical success.This review highlights the research and development(R&D)process of LEV and its analogs,brivaracetam and padsevonil,to provide ideas and experience for the R&D of novel ASMs.

Aggregation-caused quenching to crystallization-induced emission transformation:hydration-induced luminescence in crystal curcumin with tunable thermochromism for in vivo tracking

The development of solid-state materials with switchable luminescence in response to stimuli remains a challenge,especially for organic materials.While crystal water significantly impacts the absorption spectra of organic crystals,it is unclear whether the emission spectra of organic luminescent materials can be systematically manipulated by water.In this study,we successfully obtained curcumin monohydrate(Form X),a channel-type hydrate exhibiting crystallization-induced emission(CIE)at 608 nm(orange fluorescence),which contrasted with the conventional forms of aggregation-caused quenching(ACQ).Thermal treatment induced the release of hydration water,resulting in a new anhydrate(Form IV)that emitted yellow-green fluorescence with the emission peak at 575 nm.Additionally,this approach can be used to track the absorption of curcumin crystals following subcutaneous or intramuscular delivery.The hydratemediated single-crystal-to-single-crystal transition(SCSC)and its associated luminescence transition were reversible and responsive to temperature,offering a green approach for synthesizing and designing aggregation-induced-emission(AIE)-based intelligent luminescent devices for detecting air humidity or drug absorption.

Composition analysis of Compound Shenhua Tablet,a seven-herb Chinese medicine for IgA nephropathy:evaluation of analyte-capacity of the assays

Compound Shenhua Tablet,a medicine comprising seven herbs,is employed in treating IgA nephropathy.This study aimed to meticulously analyze its chemical composition.Based on a list of candidate compounds,identified through extensive literature review pertinent to the tablet’s herbal components,the composition analysis entailed the systematic identification,characterization,and quantification of the constituents.The analyte-capacity of LC/ESI-MS-based and GC/EI-MS-based assays was evaluated.The identified and characterized constituents were quantified to determine their content levels and were ranked based on the constituents’daily doses.A total of 283 constituents,classified into 12 distinct categories,were identified and characterized in the Compound Shenhua Tablet.These constituents exhibited content levels of 1−10982μg·g^(−1),with daily doses of 0.01−395μmol·d^(−1).The predominant constituents,with daily doses of≥10μmol·d^(−1),include nine organic acids(citric acid,quinic acid,chlorogenic acid,cryptochlorogenic acid,gallic acid,neochlorogenic acid,isochlorogenic acid C,isochlorogenic acid B,and linoleic acid),five iridoids(specnuezhenide,nuezhenoside G13,nuezhenidic acid,secoxyloganin,and secologanoside),two monoterpene glycosides(paeoniflorin and albiflorin),a sesquiterpenoid(curzerenone),a triterpenoid(oleanolic acid),and a phenylethanoid(salidroside).Additionally,there were 83,126,and 55 constituents detected in the medicine with daily doses of 1–10,0.1–1,and 0.01–0.1μmol·d^(−1),respectively.The combination of the LC/ESI-MS-based and GC/EI-MS-based assays demonstrated a complementary relationship in their analyte-capacity for detecting the constituents present in the medicine.This comprehensive composition analysis establishes a solid foundation for further pharmacological research on Compound Shenhua Tablet and facilitates the quality evaluation of this complex herbal medicine.

A novel strategy for treating oncogene-mutated tumors by targeting tumor microenvironment and synergistically enhancing anti-PD-1 immunotherapy

Oncogenes are critical factors in tumorigenesis of diverse cancer types and play essential roles in tumor immune escape.Mutations in Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog(KRAS)and epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR)are among the most frequent gain-of-function alterations[1].After many years of in-depth research,inhibitors targeting EGFR or KRAS mutations have been successfully developed,however,their clinical benefit is relatively limited,and they will inevitably encounter the challenge of drug resistance.The emergence of resistance is attributed to secondary mutations in driver genes and other complicated factors.

Remodeling “cold” tumor immune microenvironment via epigenetic-based therapy using targeted liposomes with in situ formed albumin corona

There is a close connection between epigenetic regulation,cancer metabolism,and immunology.The combination of epigenetic therapy and immunotherapy provides a promising avenue for cancer management.As an epigenetic regulator of histone acetylation,panobinostat can induce histone acetylation and inhibit tumor cell proliferation,as well as regulate aerobic glycolysis and reprogram intratumoral immune cells.JQ1 is a BRD4 inhibitor that can suppress PD-L1 expression.Herein,we proposed a chemo-free,epigenetic-based combination therapy of panobinostat/JQ1 for metastatic colorectal cancer.A novel targeted binary-drug liposome was developed based on lactoferrin-mediated binding with the LRP-1 receptor.It was found that the tumor-targeted delivery was further enhanced by in situ formation of albumin corona.The lactoferrin modification and endogenous albumin adsorption contribute a dual-targeting effect on the receptors of both LRP-1 and SPARC that were overexpressed in tumor cells and immune cells(e.g.,tumor-associated macrophages).The targeted liposomal therapy was effective to suppress the crosstalk between tumor metabolism and immune evasion via glycolysis inhibition and immune normalization.Consequently,lactic acid production was reduced and angiogenesis inhibited;TAM switched to an anti-tumor phenotype,and the anti-tumor function of the effector CD8+T cells was reinforced.The strategy provides a potential method for remodeling the tumor immune microenvironment(TIME).

Genetically-engineered“all-in-one”vaccine platform for cancer immunotherapy

An essential step for cancer vaccination is to break the immunosuppression and elicit a tumor-specific immunity.A major hurdle against cancer therapeutic vaccination is the insufficient immune stimulation of the cancer vaccines and lack of a safe and efficient adjuvant for human use.We discovered a novel cancer immunostimulant,trichosanthin(TCS),that is a clinically used protein drug in China,and developed a well-adaptable protein-engineering method for making recombinant protein vaccines by fusion of an antigenic peptide,TCS,and a cell-penetrating peptide(CPP),termed an"allin-one"vaccine,for transcutaneous cancer immunization.The TCS adjuvant effect on antigen presentation was investigated and the antitumor immunity of the vaccines was investigated using the different tumor models.The vaccines were prepared via a facile recombinant method.The vaccines induced the maturation of DCs that subsequently primed CD8^(+)T cells.The TCS-based immunostimulation was associated with the STING pathway.The general applicability of this genetic engineering strategy was demonstrated with various tumor antigens(i.e.,legumain and TRP2 antigenic peptides)and tumor models(i.e.,colon tumor and melanoma).These findings represent a useful protocol for developing cancer vaccines at low cost and time-saving,and demonstrates the adjuvant application of TCSdan old drug for a new application.

An Anomeric Base-Tolerant Ester of 8-Alkynyl-1-naphthoate for Gold(I)-Catalyzed Glycosylation Reaction

Given the extreme complexity and diversity of carbohydrates,efficient approaches to the homogeneous oligosaccharide remain limited.Chemical synthesis represents one of the most reliable methods to access homogeneous samples,which mainly relies on the key glycosylation reaction.Consistent with enormous efforts to develop leaving groups for establishing robust glycosylation protocols,we herein disclose a structurally novel leaving group of 8-phenylethynyl-1-naphthoate that is able to enable efficient glycosylation reactions under the extremely mild condition of gold(I)-catalysis.Notably,the anomeric naphthoate possesses the unprecedent character of base-stability in sharp contrast to the conventional ester groups at anomeric position of carbohydrates,which endows high compatibility with a variety of chemical transformations.Furthermore,the present glycosylation protocol with 8-phenylethynyl-1-naphthoate as leaving group is able to realize minimally protected glycosylation processes.Mechanistic studies reveal a unique structure of 8-phenylethynyl-1-naphthoate that accounts for the reason for these characteristics.

In-depth urinary and exosome proteome profiling analysis identifies novel biomarkers for diabetic kidney disease

Diabetic kidney disease(DKD)is a major microvascular complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM).Monitoring the early diagnostic period and disease progression plays a crucial role in treating DKD.In this study,to comprehensively elucidate the molecular characteristics of urinary proteins and urinary exosome proteins in type 2 DKD,we performed large-scale urinary proteomics(n=144)and urinary exosome proteomics(n=44)analyses on T2DM patients with albuminuria in varying degrees.The dynamics analysis of the urinary and exosome proteomes in our study provides a valuable resource for discovering potential urinary biomarkers in patients with DKD.A series of potential biomarkers,such as SERPINA1 and transferrin(TF),were detected and validated to be used for DKD diagnosis or disease monitoring.The results of our study comprehensively elucidated the changes in the urinary proteome and revealed several potential biomarkers reflecting the progression of DKD,which provide a reference for DKD biomarker screening.

Localized delivery of nanomedicine and antibodies for combating COVID-19

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)pandemic has been a major health burden in the world.So far,many strategies have been investigated to control the spread of COVID-19,including social distancing,disinfection protocols,vaccines,and antiviral treatments.Despite the significant achievement,due to the constantly emerging new variants,COVID-19 is still a great challenge to the global healthcare system.It is an urgent demand for the development of new therapeutics and technologies for containing the wild spread of SARS-CoV-2.Inhaled administration is useful for the treatment of lung and respiratory diseases,and enables the drugs to reach the site of action directly with benefits of decreased dose,improved safety,and enhanced patient compliance.Nanotechnology has been extensively applied in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.In this review,the inhaled nanomedicines and antibodies,as well as intranasal nanodrugs,for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 are summarized.

The development and benefits of metformin in various diseases

Metformin has been used for the treatment of type II diabetes mellitus for decades due to its safety,low cost,and outstanding hypoglycemic effect clinically.The mechanisms underlying these benefits are complex and still not fully understood.Inhibition of mitochondrial respiratory-chain complex I is the most described downstream mechanism of metformin,leading to reduced ATP production and activation of AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK).Meanwhile,many novel targets of metformin have been gradually discovered.In recent years,multiple pre-clinical and clinical studies are committed to extend the indications of metformin in addition to diabetes.Herein,we summarized the benefits of metformin in four types of diseases,including metabolic associated diseases,cancer,aging and age-related diseases,neurological disorders.We comprehensively discussed the pharmacokinetic properties and the mechanisms of action,treatment strategies,the clinical application,the potential risk of metformin in various diseases.This review provides a brief summary of the benefits and concerns of metformin,aiming to interest scientists to consider and explore the common and specific mechanisms and guiding for the further research.Although there have been countless studies of metformin,longitudinal research in each field is still much warranted.

Highly oxygenated clerodane furanoditerpenoids from the leaves and twigs of Croton yunnanensis

The phytochemical investigation of the leaves and twigs of Croton yunnanensis resulted in the isolation of eight new clerodane furanoditerpenoids,named croyunfuranoids A-H(1-8),along with three known analogs(9-11).The structures of these compounds were elucidated using spectroscopic analyses,and their absolute configurations were determined through a combination of electronic circular dichroism(ECD)calculations and single-crystal X-ray diffraction.Notably,Croyunfuranoid D(4)is identified as a rare 18,19-dinor-clerodane diterpenoid.Additionally,the structure of a previously reported diterpenoid,crotonyunnan B,was revised.All isolated compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory activities on nitric oxide(NO)production in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages.Among them,compounds 5 and 6 demonstrated significant inhibitory effects,with IC_(50)values of 20.33±2.31 and 22.80±1.31μmol·L^(-1),respectively.

Anti-inflammatory germacrane-type sesquiterpene lactones from Vernonia sylvatica

Nine new germacranolides,sylvaticalides A−H(1-9),and three known analogues(10-12)were isolated from the aeri-al part of Vernonia sylvatica.Their structures were established using comprehensive spectroscopic analysis,including high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy(HR-ESI-MS)and 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)spectra.Their absolute configurations were determined by X-ray diffraction experiments.The anti-inflammatory activities of all isolated compounds were as-sessed by evaluating their inhibitory effects on the nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB)pathway,which was activated by lipopolysacchar-ide(LPS)-stimulated human THP1-Dual cells,and the interferon-stimulated gene(ISG)pathway,activated by STING agonist MSA-2 in the same cell model.Compounds 1,2 and 6 showed inhibitory effects on the NF-κB and ISG signaling pathways,with IC_(50)values ranging from 4.12 to 10.57μmol·L^(−1).

Substrate and Functional Diversity of Protein Lysine Post-translational Modifica

Lysine post-translational modifications(PTMs)are widespread and versatile protein PTMs that are involved in diverse biological processes by regulating the fundamental functions of histone and non-histone proteins.Dysregulation of lysine PTMs is implicated in many diseases,and targeting lysine PTM regulatory factors,including writers,erasers,and readers,has become an effective strategy for disease therapy.The continuing development of mass spectrometry(MS)technologies coupled with antibody-based affinity enrichment technologies greatly promotes the discovery and decoding of PTMs.The global characterization of lysine PTMs is crucial for deciphering the regulatory networks,molecular functions,and mechanisms of action of lysine PTMs.In this review,we focus on lysine PTMs,and provide a summary of the regulatory enzymes of diverse lysine PTMs and the proteomics advances in lysine PTMs by MS technologies.We also discuss the types and biological functions of lysine PTM crosstalks on histone and non-histone proteins and current druggable targets of lysine PTM regulatory factors for disease therapy.

A Concise,Practical Chiral Resolution Approach of Racemic (E)-4,4-Dimethyl-1-(4-nitrophenyl) pent-1-en-3-ol to Its both Enantiomers via Strategy of Diastereomeric Ester Formation and Crystallization Using both N-Boc-D- and N-Boc-L-phenylglycines as Chiral Auxiliaries

Chiral secondary alcohols are an important class of functionalities commonly seen in drugs and other bioactive compounds.In an ongoing drug discovery program in our laboratories,a nitro-bearing racemic allylic secondary alcohol (±)-1 was discovered as a promising drug candidate,and in the following preclinical studies,a concise,reliable,practical synthetic approach to its both enantiomers with high optical purities was greatly needed.In the present study,we developed a chiral resolution approach of (±)-1 to its both enantiomers,i.e.,(+)-1 and (-)-1,via the strategy of diastereomeric ester formation and crystallization using both N-Boc-D- and N-Boc-L-phenylglycines as chiral auxiliaries.The absolute configurations of all the four key intermediates were unambiguously determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction,providing a solid foundation for the stereochemistry of the present study.The two enantiomers were obtained in high optical purities.This approach is characterized by scalability and practicality and is envisaged to enable the chiral resolution of other racemic secondary alcohols,especially those with labile groups,such as NO_(2);olefinic C=C bond.

Immunometabolic rewiring in macrophages for periodontitis treatment via nanoquercetin-mediated leverage of glycolysis and OXPHOS

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease marked by a dysregulated immune microenvironment, posing formidable challenges for effective treatment. The disease is characterized by an altered glucose metabolism in macrophages, specifically an increase in aerobic glycolysis, which is linked to heightened inflammatory responses. This suggests that targeting macrophage metabolism could offer a new therapeutic avenue. In this study, we developed an immunometabolic intervention using quercetin (Q) encapsulated in bioadhesive mesoporous polydopamine (Q@MPDA) to treat periodontitis. Our results demonstrated that Q@MPDA could reprogram inflammatory macrophages to an anti-inflammatory phenotype (i.e., from-M1-to-M2 repolarization). In a murine periodontitis model, locally administered Q@MPDA reduced the presence of inflammatory macrophages, and decreased the levels of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and TNF-α) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the periodontium. Consequently, it alleviated periodontitis symptoms, reduced alveolar bone loss, and promoted tissue repair. Furthermore, our study revealed that Q@MPDA could inhibit the glycolysis of inflammatory macrophages while enhancing oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), facilitating the shift from M1 to M2 macrophage subtype. Our findings suggest that Q@MPDA is a promising treatment for periodontitis via immunometabolic rewiring.

Neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus using ACE2-engineered extracellular vesicles

The spread of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)throughout the world has resulted in stressful healthcare burdens and global health crises.Developing an effective measure to protect people from infection is an urgent need.The blockage of interaction between angiotensin-converting enzyme 2(ACE2)and S protein is considered an essential target for anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-Co V-2)drugs.A full-length ACE2 protein could be a potential drug to block early entry of SARS-Co V-2 into host cells.In this study,a therapeutic strategy was developed by using extracellular vesicles(EVs)with decoy receptor ACE2 for neutralization of SARS-Co V-2.The EVs embedded with engineered ACE2(EVs-ACE2)were prepared;the EVs-ACE2 were derived from an engineered cell line with stable ACE2 expression.The potential effect of the EVs-ACE2 on anti-SARS-Co V-2 was demonstrated by both in vitro and in vivo neutralization experiments using the pseudovirus with the S protein(S-pseudovirus).EVs-ACE2 can inhibit the infection of S-pseudovirus in various cells,and importantly,the mice treated with intranasal administration of EVs-ACE2 can suppress the entry of S-pseudovirus into the mucosal epithelium.Therefore,the intranasal EVs-ACE2 could be a preventive medicine to protect from SARS-Co V-2 infection.This EVs-based strategy offers a potential route to COVID-19 drug development.

Structural insights into signal transduction of the purinergic receptors P2Y_(1)R and P2Y_(12)R

Dear Editor,The purinergic receptors(P2YRs)are involved in a variety of physiological processes,including proliferation,chemotaxis,cancer metastasis,cardiovascular events,neurodegenerative diseases and aging(Weisman et al.,2012).Thus far,eight human P2YRs have been characterized and are classified into two subfamilies based on their sequence homology and signal transduction mechanisms,including P2Y1 R-like receptors that signal preferentially through Gq/11 proteins and P2Y12R-like receptors that activate Gi/o proteins(Abbracchio et al.,2006).

Asponchimides A−E: new enantiomeric N-acetyldopamine trimers from Aspongopus chinensis

Five new racemic N-acetyldopamine (NADA) trimers, asponchimides A−E ( 1 − 5 ), were isolated from Aspongopus chinensis, a prominent traditional Chinese medicinal insect employed for alleviating pain, treating indigestion, and addressing kidney ailments. Compounds 1 − 5 were successfully resolved by chiral high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), yielding five pairs of enantiomers: (+)- and (−)-asponchimides A−E ( 1a / 1b − 5a / 5b ). Their structural identities were discerned by extensive spectroscopic analyses, including high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and their absolute configurations were determined by electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. Compounds 1 − 5 are pioneering instances of NADA trimers featuring a Δ7 double bond. When subjected to a series of bioassays, a majority of the compounds exhibited weak inhibitory activity against nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells.