活细胞药物体内可视化研究进展

活细胞药物的研发以及治疗的成功实施均需要充分阐明移植后的细胞命运,这对活细胞药物的有效性和安全性至关重要。为了解决这一问题,细胞成像技术进入人们视线,利用可视化技术对活细胞药物进行无创示踪,可以了解活细胞药物在体内的分布、归巢、活性等,有助于确定最佳的移植细胞数量、优化给药方案、提高移植效率、增强作用的靶向性、降低潜在的靶外积累风险。本文从放射性核素成像技术、磁共振成像技术、磁颗粒成像技术、计算机断层扫描成像技术、荧光成像技术以及多模态成像技术综述了活细胞药物体内无创可视化示踪的研究进展,旨在指导应用合适的造影剂和示踪技术,获得活细胞药物在体内的生物学行为,为活细胞药物研发及其移植治疗提供更加合理的科学依据。

Urocortin, the neuropeptide, inhibits the viability of ECV304 cells and rat vascular smooth muscle cells

Objective: This study aims to investigate the effects of urocortin (Ucn) on the viability of endothelial cells (ECV304) and rat vascular muscle cells (VSMC). Methods: Rat aortic VSMC were isolated from the rats' thoracic aorta. We studied the effect of Ucn on the viability of ECV304 cells and VSMC by using a tetrazolium (MTT) assay.Results: Ucn (10 -7 mol/L) inhibited the viability of ECV304 cells and VSMC. Inhibition rates are 13% and 15%, respectively(P<0.05, compared with Control). This inhibition was not dependent on the affecting time and was not affected by the addition of ATP-sensitive potassium channel (KATP channel) blocker, glybenclamide (Gly, 10 mol/L). Conclusion: Ucn inhibits the viability of ECV304 and VSMC. Our results suggest that Ucn may be a new vasoactive agent and may have a beneficial effect in the process of vascular remodeling (VR).

Cytochrome P450 Directed Prodrug Activation Therapy in Research of Cancer Enzymology

Cancer enzymology is a promising filiation of bio-medical sciences. In thepast decades, enzymes, such as GST(glutathione S-transferase) , PKC(protein kinase C) , Topo(DNAtopoisomerases), TK(tyrosine kinase), CD (bacterial cytosine deaminase), CPG2(carboxypeptidase G2) ,and PNP (purine nucleoside phosphorylase), have been known to bear close relations to cancer. Theirspecific expression and influence on the process of tumor initiation, promotion and progressionattract scientists to apply them as a biochemical marker of certain malignant tumor, a predictor ofresponse in cancer chemotherapy; to apply them to drug design, tumor prevention and as adjuvant toradiotherapy or surgery.

Helicobacter pylori neutrophil activating protein as target for new drugs against H.pylori inflammation

Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori) infection is among the most common human infections and the major risk factor for peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer.With-in this work we present the implication of C-terminal region of H.pylori neutrophil activating protein in the stimulation of neutrophil activation as well as the evi-dence that the C-terminal region of H.pylori activating protein is indispensable for neutrophil adhesion to endothelial cells,a step necessary to H.pylori inflammation.In addition we show that arabino galactan proteins derived from chios mastic gum,the natural resin of the plant Pistacia lentiscus var.Chia inhibit neutrophil activation in vitro.

Cellular processing determinants for the activation of damage signals in response to topoisomerase I-linked DNA breakage

Recent studies have suggested an involvement of processing pathways for the initiation of cellular responses induced by topoisomerase-targeting drugs. Here, we showed that cellular exposure to camptothecin （CPT） induced formation of topoisomerase I cleavable complex （TOPlcc）, degradation of TOP1 and activation of DNA damage responses （DDR）. Transcription and proteasome-dependent proteolysis, but not replication, were involved in CPTo indneed TOPl degradation, while none of above three processing activities affected TOPlcc formation. Replication- and transcription-initiated proeessing （RIP and TIP） of TOPlee were identified as two independent pathways, which contribute distinctly to various CPT-activated DDR. Specifically, in cycling cells, RIP-processed TOPlec triggered the CPT-induced RPA pbosphorylation. At higher CPT dosages, the TIP pathway is required for other DDR activation, including ATM, p53 and Chkl/2 phosphorylation. The TIP pathway was further demonstrated to be S-phase independent by using three nonreplicating cell models. Furthermore, the effect of proteasome inhibitors mimicked that of transcription inhibition on the CPT-induced activation of DDR, suggesting the involvement of proteasome in the TIP pathway. Interestingly, the TIP pathway was important for TOPlcc-activated, but not ionization radiationactivated ATM, p53 and Chk2 phosphorylation. We have also found that pharmacological interferences of TIP and RIP pathways distinctively modulated the CPT-induced cell killing with treatments at low and high dosages, respec- tively. Together, our results support that both RIP and TIP pathways of TOPlcc are required for the activation of CPT-induced DDR and cytotoxicity.

Possible Mechanism of Action of Neurokinin-1 Receptors （NK1R） Antagonists

Recently, NK1R （Neurokinin-1 receptors） take attention as new and promising target in anticancer drug development area. It has been proved that non-peptide NK1R antagonists L-733,060, aprepitant and L-732,138 inhibited tumor growth in several cancer cell lines. For the development of novel NK1R antagonists as antitumor agents, heterocyclic compounds which were previously synthesized by our team, tested for their cytotoxic activities in several cancer cell lines in this study. Among the tested compounds, a benzothiazole derivative BSN-009 inhibited colon cancer cell lines growth by 57.53% by comparing the activity to the control drug aprepitant. Molecular modeling studies such as molecular docking and pharmacophore generation were performed with known NK1R antagonists and BSN-009 by using Discovery Studio 3.5 in order to explain their binding modes to NK1R. BSN-009 may be a good anticancer drug candidate as a possible NK1R antagonist and is worthy to carry on the anticancer studies.