Natural isothiocyanates of the genus Capparis as potential agonists of apoptosis and antitumor agents:Mechanisms and implications

In this editorial,we comment on a recent publication,which highlights the important findings from the study,including the antitumor and anti-inflammatory effects of isothiocyanates,their underlying mechanisms,and implications.Additionally,a related perspective is discussed.

Allyl isothiocyanate ameliorates lipid accumulation and inflammation in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease via the Sirt1/AMPK and NF-κB signaling pathways

BACKGROUND Allyl isothiocyanate(AITC),a classic anti-inflammatory and antitumorigenic agent,was recently identified as a potential treatment for obesity and insulin resistance.However,little is known about its direct impact on the liver.AIM To investigate the effect and underlying mechanism of AITC in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(commonly referred to as NAFLD).METHODS To establish a mouse and cellular model of NAFLD,C57BL/6 mice were fed a high fat diet(HFD)for 8 wk,and AML-12 cells were treated with 200μM palmitate acid for 24 h.For AITC treatment,mice were administered AITC(100 mg/kg/d)orally and AML-12 cells were treated with AITC(20μmol/L).RESULTS AITC significantly ameliorated HFD-induced weight gain,hepatic lipid accumulation and inflammation in vivo.Furthermore,serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels were markedly reduced in AITC-treated mice.Mechanistically,AITC significantly downregulated the protein levels of sterol regulatory elementbinding protein 1(SREBP1)and its lipogenesis target genes and upregulated the levels of proteins involved in fatty acidβ-oxidation,as well as the upstream mediators Sirtuin 1(Sirt1)and AMPactivated protein kinaseα(AMPKα),in the livers of HFD-fed mice.AITC also attenuated the nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB)signaling pathway.Consistently,AITC relieved palmitate acid-induced lipid accumulation and inflammation in AML-12 cells in vitro through the Sirt1/AMPK and NF-κB signaling pathways.Importantly,further studies showed that the curative effect of AITC on lipid accumulation was abolished by siRNA-mediated knockdown of either Sirt1 or AMPKαin AML-12 cells.CONCLUSION AITC significantly ameliorates hepatic steatosis and inflammation by activating the Sirt1/AMPK pathway and inhibiting the NF-κB pathway.Therefore,AITC is a potential therapeutic agent for NAFLD.

Antioxidant Activity of Isothiocyanate Extracts from Broccoli

Isothiocyanates(ITCs) extracts were prepared from fresh broccoli.Their antioxidant properties were evaluated by using the in vitro bioassays,including superoxide anion radical( 2 O·-) ,hydroxyl radical(HO·-) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydracyl(DPPH·) radical-scavenging methods,lipid peroxidation assay,and reducing power assay.The ITCs extracts exhibited significant dose-dependent antioxidant activities(P<0.01) .Its antioxidant-stability was affected by temperature and storage condition,although it was more stable than vitamin C(Vc) .GC-MS iden-tified sulforaphane in the ITCs extracts.The antioxidant activity of sulforaphane was approximately one tenth to one fifth of that of Vc.Sulforaphane was experimented to be one of dominating contributors to antioxidant capacity of ITCs extracts.However,there was no direct antioxidant activity found for benzyl isothiocyanate(BITC) in vitro. Therefore,it could be concluded that the general group(-N=C=S) was not the essential part for the antioxidant activity of sulforaphane.It is suggested that the ITCs extracts from broccoli can be developed into a promising food additive for healthy food.

Electro-optical properties of high birefringence liquid crystal compounds with isothiocyanate and naphthyl group

Liquid crystal（LC） compound with isothiocyanate and naphthyl group is an attractive high birefringence LC material,and can be used in optical devices. In this paper, the electro-optical properties of a series of this type of LC compounds were investigated. The melting points and enthalpy values of these LC compounds were higher than those of corresponding compounds with the phenyl group. These compounds exhibited high birefringence with a maximum value of 0.66. Fluorine substitution in the molecular almost does not affect the birefringence value. When these LC compounds with the naphthyl group were dissolved in a commercial LC mixture, the electro-optical properties depending on temperature were investigated. In the low-temperature region, LC mixtures with the naphthyl-group LC compounds exhibited higher viscosity than pure commercial LCs. In the high-temperature region, viscosity values very closely approached each other. When response performance was investigated, figure-of-merit（FoM） values were measured. The Fo M values of LC mixtures containing LC compounds with naphthyl group were lower than those of reference benzene LCs in the low-temperature region. However, in the high-temperature region, the results were reversed. These isothiocyanate LC compounds with naphthyl group can be applied in special fast-response LC device, particularly the ones used under high-temperature conditions.

Preparation and Performance of Fluorescein Isothiocyanate⁃Labeled Fluorescent Starch and Polyvinyl Alcohol for Warp Sizing

In order to solve the problems of low accuracy and poor variety adaptability of the current measurement method of the permeability and coating property of sizing paste in textile industry, taking starch and polyvinyl alcohol(PVA) as the representatives of the most commonly used textile sizes, various concentrations of fluorescent molecules fluorescein isothiocyanate(FITC) were used to label starch and PVA to prepare fluorescein(F)-starch and F-PVA fluorescent sizes with different degrees of labeling(DLs) for the first time, respectively. Then the starch and PVA derivatives were employed to size pure cotton warp yarns. After preparing the sections of the sized yarns, the permeability and coating percentage of starch and PVA paste to the yarns were calculated by using a fluorescence microscope and the Photoshop software, respectively. The results demonstrate that F-starch and F-PVA with appropriate DL of 0.791% and 0.161%, respectively, exhibit good fluorescence property and similar sizing performance to the sizing performance of unlabeled starch and PVA. It is considered that fluorescence labeling of sizing agents with fluorescein units can provide an innovative way for the accurate determination of the permeability and coating property of sizing paste to warp yarns.

Natural isothiocyanates of the genus Capparis as potential agonists of apoptosis and antitumor drugs

BACKGROUND Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC/MS)analysis,we examined the composition of volatile components present in the yellow and green fruits,seeds,and jam of the scrambling shrub Capparis cartilaginea(C.cartilaginea).These plant samples were collected from Kibbutz Yotvata in Israel.In all the tested samples,isothiocyanates were identified.Utilizing the PASS program,we ascertained the biological activity of these isothiocyanates present in the Capparis genus.The study results highlighted that all isothiocyanates could potentially act as apoptosis agonists,making them strong candidates for antitumor drugs.This information holds significant value for the fields of medicinal chemistry,pharmacology,and practical medicine.AIM To investigate the volatile components present in the yellow and green fruits,seeds,and jam of the C.cartilaginea shrub using GC/MS analysis,to detect isothiocyanates in all the analyzed plant samples,and to assess the biological activity of these isothiocyanates utilizing the PASS program.METHODS We utilized two primary methods to analyze the volatile compounds present in the yellow and green fruits,seeds,and jams of the C.cartilaginea,native to Israel.We identified biologically active isothiocyanates in these samples.Their anticipated biological activities were determined using the PASS program,with the most dominant activities being apoptosis agonist,anticarcinogenic,and antineoplastic specifically for genitourinary cancer.RESULTS Fruits,seeds,and jams containing isothiocyanates,which exhibit antineoplastic and anticarcinogenic activities,could be suggested for cancer prevention and management.Specific isothiocyanates,with therapeutic potential in this realm,could be recommended as potent anticancer agents in practical medicine following clinical trials.CONCLUSION The discovery that isothiocyanates exhibit potent antineoplastic and anticarcinogenic activities was unexpected.Additionally,certain isothiocyanates demonstrated antifungal,antiviral(specifically against arbovirus),and antiparasitic properties.

Studies on Rare Earth Complexes with Crown Ether (ⅩⅩⅣ)——Synthesis and Characterization of Complexes of Lanthanide Isothiocyanates with Dibenzo-30-crown-10

Introduction The study of metal complexes with the crown ether is a quite interesting research field, but the research has mainly focused on the metal complexes with some crown ethers with a relatively small cavity such as 12-crown-4, 15-crown-5 and 18- crown-6 as well as their derivatives. Crown ethers with a larger cavity contain more oxygen atoms, so they have the ability to form the complexes of a higher co-

Synthesis and Determination of Standard Molar Enthalpies of Formation for Complexes of Rare Earth Isothiocyanates with Glycine

Four solid complexes of rare earth isothiocyanates with glycine were synthesized. They were characterized by chemical analysis, elemental analysis, Infrared spectra, X-ray powder diffraction and TO-DSC analysis. Their chemical formulae were proved to be RE(NCS)2.Gly .H2O, where RE is La, Ce, Pr or Nd. The integral heats of solution of RE(NCS)3.3Gly. H2O in water, of RE(NCS)2. 7H2O in aqueous glycine solution and of glycine in water have been measured calorimetricaliy at 298. 15K. By means of a thermochemical cycle suggested in this paper, the standard molar enthalpies of formation for RE(NCS)2. 3Gly.H2O(c) were obtained and their lattice energies were calculated.

Nonlinear Intestinal Absorption of Fluorescein Isothiocyanate Dextran 4, 000 Caused by Absorptive and Secretory Transporting System

The mechanism of the nonlinear concentration dependence of the intestinal absorption of fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran 4,000 (FD-4) was studied using in situ rat intestinal loops and the in vitro Ussing-type chamber method. The intestinal absorption rate constant of FD-4, as evaluated by the intestinal loop method, increased significantly in a nonlinear fashion as the FD-4 concentration increased up to 0.2 mM and tended to decrease at concentrations higher than 0.2 mM. The mucosal-to-serosal permeation of FD-4 across rat ileal sheets, as evaluated by the in vitro Ussing-type chamber method, also increased in a nonlinear fashion in the low concentration range (0.01 - 0.02 mM), before decreasing as the concentration increased further, whereas serosal-to-mucosal permeation decreased in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, mucosal-to-serosal flux and serosal-to-mucosal flux were increased and reduced in the presence of the metabolic inhibitor 2, 4-dinitrophenol, respectively. These results suggest that FD-4 is predominantly secreted into the intestinal lumen by an efflux transport system.

Synthesis of ethoxycarbonyl isothiocyanate by orthogonal design

Using Schiff base as a phase transfer catalyst, ethoxycarbonyl isothiocyanate was synthesized by reacting ethyl chloroformate with sodium thiocyanate. In order to get the best synthetic technology, an orthogonal test （L9（34）） was applied. The results show that reaction temperature, reaction time, content of catalyst and molar ratio of sodium thiocyanate to ethyl chloroformate are the main factors influencing the yield. The four factors chosen for the present investigation are based on the results of a single-factor test. The optimum synthetic technology is determined as follows： reaction temperature 35 ℃, reaction time 3 h, the content of catalyst （molar fraction based on ethyl chloroformate） 1.5% and molar ratio of sodium thiocyanate to ethyl chloroformate 1.1. Under the optimized synthetic technology, the experimental yield reaches 96.8%.

REACTION OF α-(1H-1,2,4-TRIAZOL-1-YL)ACETOPHENONE WITH PHENYL ISOTHIOCYANATE

Reaction of α-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)acetophenone with phenyl isothiocyanate in the presence of a base and subse- quent alkylation leads to the ketene S,N-acetal(2),(4),(7), (8);thiazolidone(3),thiazolidine(5)and 1,3-thiazine(6),

Tissue distribution of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides in rat tissue by fluorescein isothiocyanate labeling

To date, in vivo investigations of polysaccharide’s pharmacokinetics are significantly restricted by the difficulty in their detection. This study was conducted to establish the quantitative determination of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides(LBPs) based on fluorescein isothiocyanate(FITC) pre-labeling and to investigate their tissue distribution in rat. We obtained the calibration curves linear over the range of 0.0–25 μg/m L in rat tissue samples with correlation coefficients greater than 0.99. The inter-day and intra-day precisions(RSD, %) were within 15%, and the relative recovery ranged 95.2%–102.4%, with RSD range 1.48%–9.58%, indicating that this experiment was suitable for the determination of LBPs. The fluorescence intensity was measured after 24 h storage at room temperature, 3 times of freeze-cycle and cryopreservation at –20 ℃ for 15 day, these results indicated that the stability of the samples was good. LBP-FITC was mainly absorbed by the small intestine and stomach, and mainly excreted in the urine through the kidney;this distinct difference in the tissue distribution of LBPs could be attributed to the size of these LBPs in relation to the pore sizes of the vascular beds in the kidney and liver. Results showed in this study enable us to comprehensively understand the biological effects of LBPs following its oral ingestion.

Impact of Soil Texture and Organic Matter Content on Methyl Isothiocyanate Volatilization from Soil Columns

Metam sodium （MS; sodium N-methyl dithiocarbamate） has emerged as a promising soil fumigant in the US to replace methyl bromide （MeBr）. Metam potassium （MK; potassium N-methyl dithiocarbamate） and MS break down into the volatile gas methyl isothiocyanate （MITC） to control soil borne pests. Many studies have focused on MS, but MK has not been studied as thoroughly. The objective of this research was to determine the effect of increasing organic matter （OM） treatments and soil texture to minimize the off-gassing of MS and MK. Bench-scale soil column studies were performed to simulate organic matter treatments that may decrease the volatilization loss of MITC. Incorporation depth of OM simulated surface tillage （0-15 cm） practices. Soil was packed in steel columns and MS or MK was applied at a depth of 15 cm and MITC volatilization was measured using gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy. Volatilization of MITC behaved similarly for MS and MK with MITC movement impacted by soil texture. MITC volatilization was lower from a sandy clay loam than a sandy soil. Surface incorporation of OM did not significantly decrease MITC volatilization. These results suggest that soil texture is the dominant factor reducing MITC off-gassing and prolonging the time needed to control soil borne pests.

Isothiocyanates Induce Apoptosis in Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells through a Redox-Mediated Mechanism

Purpose Lung cancer is one of the most aggressive cancer types, and is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Isothiocyanates are natural compounds found in

Hydrogen sutfide protects colon cancer cells from chemopreventative agent β-phenylethyl isothiocvanate induced apoptosis

AIM:Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a prominent gaseous constituent of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract with known cytotoxic properties. Endogenous concentrations of H2S are reported to range between 0.2-3.4 mmol/L in the GI tract of mice and humans. Considering such high levels we speculate that, at non-toxic concentrations, H2S may interact with chemical agents and alter the response of colonic epithelium cells to such compounds. The GI tract is a major site for the absorption of phytochemical constituents such as isothiocyanates, flavonoids, and carotenoids, with each group having a role in the prevention of human diseases such as colon cancer. The chemopreventative properties of the phytochemical agent p-phenyethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) are well recognized. However, little is currently known about the physiological or biochemical factors present in the GI tract that may influence the biological properties of ITCs. The current study was undertaken to determine the effects of H2S on PEITC mediated apoptosis in colon cancer cells. METHODS: Induction of apoptosis by PEITC in human colon cancer HCT116 cells was assessed using classic apoptotic markers namely SubGl population analysis, caspase-3 like activity and nuclear fragmentation and condensation coupled with the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrasodium bromide) viability assay and LDH leakage. RESULTS: PEITC significantly induced apoptosis in HCT116 cells as assessed by SubGl population formation, nuclear condensation, LDH leakage and caspase-3 activity after 24 h, these data being significant from control groups (P<0.01). In contrast, co-treatment of cells with physiological concentrations of H2S (0.1-1 mmol/L) prevented PEITC mediated apoptosis as assessed using the parameters described. CONCLUSION: PEITC effectively induced cell death in the human adenocarcinoma cell line HCT116 in vitro through classic apoptotic mechanisms. However, in the presence of H2S, apoptosis was abolished. These data suggest that H2S may play a significant role in the response of colonic epithelial cells to beneficial as well as toxic agents present within the GI tract.

Sesquiterpenoids and 2-(2-Phenylethyl)chromone Derivatives from the Resinous Heartwood of Aquilaria sinensis

One novel spirolactone,aquilarisinolide(1),three new sesquiterpenoids,(2R,4S,5R,7R)-2-hydroxyeremophila-9,11-dien-8-one(2),(1R,4S,5S,7R,11R)-13-hydroxyepidaphnauran-9-en-8-one(3),and(4R,5S,7R,8S,10S,13R)-8,13-dihydroxyrotunda-1,11-dien-3-one(4),together with 13 known compounds(5-17)were isolated from the resinous heartwood of Aquilaria sinensis(Thymelaeaceae).The structures of the new compounds were elucidated based on the analysis of NMR and MS data and theoretical calculations their ECD spectra.The isolated compounds were evaluated for their protective activities against PC12 cell injury induced by corticosterone(CORT)and 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridine ion(MPP+),as well as inhibitory activities against BACE1.Compound 4,5,6-dihydroxy-2-(2-phenylethyl)chromone(5),daphnauranol B(7),6-methoxy-2-[2-(3-methyoxyphenyl)ethyl]chromone(10),isoagarotetrol(14),and 1-hydroxy-1,5-diphenylpentan-3-one(16)showed significant protective effects on CORT-induced injury in PC12 cells at a concentration of 20μM(P<0.001).Isoagarotetrol(14)showed a significant protective effect on MPP+-induced injury in PC12 cells at a concentration of 20μM(P<0.001),while compound 4 showed a moderate activity(P<0.01).The BACE1-inhibitory activities of all tested compounds were very weak with less than 30%inhibition at a concentration of 20μM.

Five new 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromone derivatives and three new sesquiterpenoids from the heartwood of Aquilaria sinensis, an aromatic medicine in China

Five new 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromone derivatives,(5S,6R,7R,8S,7ʹR)-7ʹ-hydroxyagarotetrol(1),(5S,6R,7R,8S,7ʹS)-7ʹ-hydroxyagarotetrol(2),(6S,7S,8R)-2-[2-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethyl]-6,7,8-trihydroxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrochromone(3),(6S,7S,8R)-2-(2-phenylethyl)-6,7,8-trihydroxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrochromone(4),(5S,6R,7S,8R)-2-(2-phenylethyl)-5,6,7-trihydroxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-8-[2-(2-phenylethyl)-7-methoxychromonyl-6-oxy]chromone(5),three new sesquiterpenoids,(4S,5S,7S,8S,10S,13R)-7,8,13-trihydroxyrotunda-1,11-dien-3-one(6),(4S,5S,7S,8S,10S,13S)-7,8,13-trihydroxyrotunda-1,11-dien-3-one(7),and(4R,5S,7S,8S,10S,13S)-7,8,13-trihydroxyrotunda-1,11-dien-3-one(8),along with 14 known compounds were isolated from the resinous heartwood of Aquilaria sinensis(Thymelaeaceae).The chemical structures of these new compounds were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR and MS data,single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis,and electronic circular dichroism(ECD)calculations.The neuroprotective activities of these isolates were evaluated using an in vitro model of rat adrenal pheochromocytoma(PC12)cell injury induced by corticosterone.At concentrations from 5 to 40μM,compounds 4 and 6,agarotetrol(9),and 6-hydroxy-2-(2-phenylethyl)chromone(17)showed significant protective activities against corticosterone-induced PC12 cell injury(P<0.001).

Facile Synthesis of 5-Hydroxy-2-(2-phenylethyl)chromone

5-Hydroxy-2-（2-phenylethyl）chromone（l） was synthesized from 2,6-dihydroxyacetophenone（7） obtained via four-steps resorcinol-reacting with phenylpropionic acid, the procedures involved are Baker-Venkataraman rear-rangement and cyclization which are easy to conduct, the overall yield is 32%.

苯基异硫氰酸酯类液晶材料的稳定性

苯基异硫氰酸酯化合物可制成向列相液晶材料。这类材料不仅具有高双折射率,还具有低黏度的特性,在液晶光学器件中应用时可实现快速响应。然而,这类液晶材料存在稳定性问题,导致其制成的液晶器件无法长时间稳定运行。本文研究发现,在加速老化实验中,100℃处理1000 h后,该材料的双折射率下降了8.5%。通过高效液相色谱法和质谱法分析,确认羟基化合物会引起异硫氰酸酯基团的离解,导致材料稳定性欠佳。最后,在设计的无水环境下进行老化实验,结果显示材料的降解程度大幅降低,在相同条件下双折射率仅下降1.1%。本研究为这类材料的应用提供了重要的指导方案。

ANIT诱导胆汁淤积模型病变与恢复研究

目的本研究旨在建立一种模拟胆汁淤积及其自然恢复周期的动物模型,并探究胆汁淤积的病理机制,为临床防治该疾病提供科学依据。方法选用6~8周龄的昆明雄性小鼠,体质量为18~22 g,造模后按照恢复时间节点(0、2、4周)分为3组。每组分为3个子组,分别接受不同剂量(10、20、30 mg/kg)的α-萘异硫氰酸酯(ANIT)灌胃处理,持续诱导4周,建立胆汁淤积性肝损伤(CLI)模型。在第4周后停止ANIT处理,分别收集第4、6、8周的肝脏和血清样本,观察肝组织病理变化,检测血清生化指标和组织炎症因子。结果病理学结果显示,随着ANIT剂量的增加,炎性细胞浸润、胆管上皮细胞增生加剧;肝药酶等生化指标和炎症因子水平随ANIT剂量增加而升高,但在停止造模后,随着恢复期的延长,部分检测指标逐渐恢复。结论使用剂量不大于20 mg/kg的ANIT诱导4周的胆汁淤积模型小鼠,其肝损伤具有自然恢复性。