A new approach for asymmetric synthesis of alkannin and shikonin is presented. The chiral centers of the targets were introduced via an asymmetric C-arylation of protected chiral glyceraldehyde in high de. The two e...A new approach for asymmetric synthesis of alkannin and shikonin is presented. The chiral centers of the targets were introduced via an asymmetric C-arylation of protected chiral glyceraldehyde in high de. The two enantiomers were prepared with the D-isopropylidenegly- ceraldehyde as the starting material.展开更多
Radiation encephalopathy is the main complication of cranial radiotherapy. It can cause necrosis of brain tissue and cognitive dysfunction. Our previous work had proved that a natural antioxidant shikonin possessed pr...Radiation encephalopathy is the main complication of cranial radiotherapy. It can cause necrosis of brain tissue and cognitive dysfunction. Our previous work had proved that a natural antioxidant shikonin possessed protective effect on cerebral ischemic injury. Here we investigated the effects of shikonin on carbon ion beam induced radiation brain injury in mice. Pretreatment with shikonin significantly increased the SOD and CAT activities and the ratio of GSH/GSSG in mouse brain tissues compared with irradiated group （P〈0.01）, while obviously reduced the MDA and PCO contents and the RO$ levels derived from of the brain mitochondria.展开更多
1 INTRODUCTIONThe production of secondary metabolites using plant cells has been the subject of much inter-est in recent years.Despite that tremendous research efforts had been made in this topic,notmany products have...1 INTRODUCTIONThe production of secondary metabolites using plant cells has been the subject of much inter-est in recent years.Despite that tremendous research efforts had been made in this topic,notmany products have reached the commercial stage.It is generally acknowledged that the mainproblem in this field is the lack of basic knowledge of the biosynthetic routes,and the mechanisms found to bring about the production of such secondary metabolites.There are,however,some techniques that have beneficial effects on the production and ex-展开更多
A novel total synthesis of （±）shikonin 1 was presented. The key intermediate 6 was achieved by the formylation of 1,8：4,5-bis（methylenedioxy）naphthalene 5 with N-methylformanilide in good yield. It was first...A novel total synthesis of （±）shikonin 1 was presented. The key intermediate 6 was achieved by the formylation of 1,8：4,5-bis（methylenedioxy）naphthalene 5 with N-methylformanilide in good yield. It was first reported that the addition of prenyllithium to 2-formyl-1,8：4,5- bismethylenedioxy naphthalene 6 gave 2-（1-hydroxy-4-methylpentyl） 1,8：4,5-bis（methylenedioxy） naphthalene 8 in 45% yield and 2-（1-hydroxy-2,2-dimethyl-3-butenyl）-1,8：4,5-bis（methylenedioxy）naphthalene 9 in 48% yield. After the electrooxide deprotection of 8, （±）shikonin 1 was prepared in high yield.展开更多
Objective:To investigate the potential anti-tumor mechanisms of naphthoquinone compound shikonin(SKN)extracted from the root of Chinese herbal medicine plant lithospermum(Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb.&Zucc.).Me...Objective:To investigate the potential anti-tumor mechanisms of naphthoquinone compound shikonin(SKN)extracted from the root of Chinese herbal medicine plant lithospermum(Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb.&Zucc.).Methods:We first observed that SKN treatment led to swelling and bubbles in HeLa cells that were similar to the phenotype of cell pyroptosis.Subsequently,the HeLa cells experienced a pyroptotic process with SKN,and this was then assessed using lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)release and propidium iodide(PI)/Hoechst double staining experiments.Pyroptosis is defined as gasdermin-mediated programmed necroptosis.To identify the potential pyroptosis machinery,two strategies were utilized that included a genome-wide clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats(CRISPR)-associated protein 9 screening experiment and a pyroptosis reconstitution assay executed by each of the five known gasdermins(GSDMA-E).Moreover,endogenous cleavage was also detected in a panel of tumor cell lines.Results:Compared with the control,both the LDH release and PI/Hoechst double-staining experiments suggested that SKN induced perforation and enhancement of the permeability of the cell membranes that resulted in pyroptosis in HeLa cells(P=.028 and P=.032,respectively).In addition,the reconstitution assays in human embryonic kidney 293T(HEK-293T)cells and endogenous cleavage assays in HeLa cells indicated that the pyroptosis was controlled by GSDME.In addition,we also found SKN could trigger pyroptosis in a panel of tumor cell lines in which the cellular morphologies were proportional to the GSDME expression levels.Additionally,the cleavage of GSDME was also detected,and this was indicative of a similar GSDME-mediated mechanism.Conclusion:Our study not only explained the molecular mechanism of cytotoxicity of SKN to various tumor cells,but also provided additional information for the potential clinical application of natural naphthoquinone compounds against cancer.展开更多
Controlling fertility of rodent pests has become an effective means of controlling the population of grassland rodents in China. Recently, research has focused on how to select environmentally-friendly sterilants with...Controlling fertility of rodent pests has become an effective means of controlling the population of grassland rodents in China. Recently, research has focused on how to select environmentally-friendly sterilants without pollution effects, and to realize sustainable control of pest rodent populations. Sterilants from plant extracts have been mainly selected. In this study, mice were used as the experimental subjects for research on the anti-fertility effects of plant extracts of shikonin and the anti-fertility mechanism of shikonin extract was determined. The mice were divided into four groups, including one control group and three experimental groups. There were three applications of shikonin extract in different concentrations (5 mg·kg<sup>-1</sup>, 20 mg·kg<sup>-1</sup> and 50 mg·kg<sup>-1</sup>). The mice gavage experiments indicated that a shikonin concentration of 50 mg·kg<sup>-1</sup> had the expected anti-fertility effects. Mice copulation experiments showed that the 50 mg·kg<sup>-1</sup> shikonin treatment had significant anti-fertility effects on both female-treatment and female-male-treatment groups. The results of the PCR analysis on the AgRP and ghrelin mRNA from female ovaries and male testicles indicated that shikonin could control mice reproduction by regulating the pituitary gonadal axis. Shikonin, as plant source sterile agent, would have more ideal effects for functioned both sexes sterility.展开更多
A new facile route for the synthesis of dl-shikonin is presented. Reformatsky reaction assisted cross-coupling of 1, 4, 5, 8-tetramethoxynaphthalene-2-carbaldehyde and ethyl- bromoacetate was employed for introductio...A new facile route for the synthesis of dl-shikonin is presented. Reformatsky reaction assisted cross-coupling of 1, 4, 5, 8-tetramethoxynaphthalene-2-carbaldehyde and ethyl- bromoacetate was employed for introduction of the side chain of dl-shikonin.展开更多
Tumor vaccines are a promising avenue in cancer immunotherapy.Despite the progress in targeting specific immune epitopes,tumor cells lacking these epitopes can evade the treatment.Here,we aimed to construct an efficie...Tumor vaccines are a promising avenue in cancer immunotherapy.Despite the progress in targeting specific immune epitopes,tumor cells lacking these epitopes can evade the treatment.Here,we aimed to construct an efficient in situ tumor vaccine called Vac-SM,utilizing shikonin(SKN)to induce immunogenic cell death(ICD)and Mycobacterium smegmatis as an immune adjuvant to enhance in situ tumor vaccine efficacy.SKN showed a dose-dependent and time-dependent cytotoxic effect on the tumor cell line and induced ICD in tumor cells as evidenced by the CCK-8 assay and the detection of the expression of relevant indicators,respectively.Compared with the control group,the in situ Vac-SM injection in mouse subcutaneous metastatic tumors significantly inhibited tumor growth and distant tumor metastasis,while also improving survival rates.Mycobacterium smegmatis effectively induced maturation and activation of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells(DCs),and in vivo tumor-draining lymph nodes showed an increased maturation of DCs and a higher proportion of effector memory T-cell subsets with the Vac-SM treatment,based on flow cytometry analysis results.Collectively,the Vac-SM vaccine effectively induces ICD,improves antigen presentation by DCs,activates a specific systemic antitumor T-cell immune response,exhibits a favorable safety profile,and holds the promise for clinical translation for local tumor immunotherapy.展开更多
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China[32071532]for financial supports
文摘A new approach for asymmetric synthesis of alkannin and shikonin is presented. The chiral centers of the targets were introduced via an asymmetric C-arylation of protected chiral glyceraldehyde in high de. The two enantiomers were prepared with the D-isopropylidenegly- ceraldehyde as the starting material.
基金supported by Key Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China(U1432248)National Natural Science Foundation of China(11175222,11305226)
文摘Radiation encephalopathy is the main complication of cranial radiotherapy. It can cause necrosis of brain tissue and cognitive dysfunction. Our previous work had proved that a natural antioxidant shikonin possessed protective effect on cerebral ischemic injury. Here we investigated the effects of shikonin on carbon ion beam induced radiation brain injury in mice. Pretreatment with shikonin significantly increased the SOD and CAT activities and the ratio of GSH/GSSG in mouse brain tissues compared with irradiated group （P〈0.01）, while obviously reduced the MDA and PCO contents and the RO$ levels derived from of the brain mitochondria.
文摘1 INTRODUCTIONThe production of secondary metabolites using plant cells has been the subject of much inter-est in recent years.Despite that tremendous research efforts had been made in this topic,notmany products have reached the commercial stage.It is generally acknowledged that the mainproblem in this field is the lack of basic knowledge of the biosynthetic routes,and the mechanisms found to bring about the production of such secondary metabolites.There are,however,some techniques that have beneficial effects on the production and ex-
文摘A novel total synthesis of （±）shikonin 1 was presented. The key intermediate 6 was achieved by the formylation of 1,8：4,5-bis（methylenedioxy）naphthalene 5 with N-methylformanilide in good yield. It was first reported that the addition of prenyllithium to 2-formyl-1,8：4,5- bismethylenedioxy naphthalene 6 gave 2-（1-hydroxy-4-methylpentyl） 1,8：4,5-bis（methylenedioxy） naphthalene 8 in 45% yield and 2-（1-hydroxy-2,2-dimethyl-3-butenyl）-1,8：4,5-bis（methylenedioxy）naphthalene 9 in 48% yield. After the electrooxide deprotection of 8, （±）shikonin 1 was prepared in high yield.
基金This research was supported by the Program for the Research Startup Fund Program at the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine(90011451310011)the Key Research Fund for Drug Discovery in Chinese Medicine at the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine(1000061223740)+1 种基金the Experimental Technology Standardization Research Project at the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine(2021-SYJS-009)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine(2020-JYB-ZDGG-057).
文摘Objective:To investigate the potential anti-tumor mechanisms of naphthoquinone compound shikonin(SKN)extracted from the root of Chinese herbal medicine plant lithospermum(Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb.&Zucc.).Methods:We first observed that SKN treatment led to swelling and bubbles in HeLa cells that were similar to the phenotype of cell pyroptosis.Subsequently,the HeLa cells experienced a pyroptotic process with SKN,and this was then assessed using lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)release and propidium iodide(PI)/Hoechst double staining experiments.Pyroptosis is defined as gasdermin-mediated programmed necroptosis.To identify the potential pyroptosis machinery,two strategies were utilized that included a genome-wide clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats(CRISPR)-associated protein 9 screening experiment and a pyroptosis reconstitution assay executed by each of the five known gasdermins(GSDMA-E).Moreover,endogenous cleavage was also detected in a panel of tumor cell lines.Results:Compared with the control,both the LDH release and PI/Hoechst double-staining experiments suggested that SKN induced perforation and enhancement of the permeability of the cell membranes that resulted in pyroptosis in HeLa cells(P=.028 and P=.032,respectively).In addition,the reconstitution assays in human embryonic kidney 293T(HEK-293T)cells and endogenous cleavage assays in HeLa cells indicated that the pyroptosis was controlled by GSDME.In addition,we also found SKN could trigger pyroptosis in a panel of tumor cell lines in which the cellular morphologies were proportional to the GSDME expression levels.Additionally,the cleavage of GSDME was also detected,and this was indicative of a similar GSDME-mediated mechanism.Conclusion:Our study not only explained the molecular mechanism of cytotoxicity of SKN to various tumor cells,but also provided additional information for the potential clinical application of natural naphthoquinone compounds against cancer.
文摘Controlling fertility of rodent pests has become an effective means of controlling the population of grassland rodents in China. Recently, research has focused on how to select environmentally-friendly sterilants without pollution effects, and to realize sustainable control of pest rodent populations. Sterilants from plant extracts have been mainly selected. In this study, mice were used as the experimental subjects for research on the anti-fertility effects of plant extracts of shikonin and the anti-fertility mechanism of shikonin extract was determined. The mice were divided into four groups, including one control group and three experimental groups. There were three applications of shikonin extract in different concentrations (5 mg·kg<sup>-1</sup>, 20 mg·kg<sup>-1</sup> and 50 mg·kg<sup>-1</sup>). The mice gavage experiments indicated that a shikonin concentration of 50 mg·kg<sup>-1</sup> had the expected anti-fertility effects. Mice copulation experiments showed that the 50 mg·kg<sup>-1</sup> shikonin treatment had significant anti-fertility effects on both female-treatment and female-male-treatment groups. The results of the PCR analysis on the AgRP and ghrelin mRNA from female ovaries and male testicles indicated that shikonin could control mice reproduction by regulating the pituitary gonadal axis. Shikonin, as plant source sterile agent, would have more ideal effects for functioned both sexes sterility.
文摘A new facile route for the synthesis of dl-shikonin is presented. Reformatsky reaction assisted cross-coupling of 1, 4, 5, 8-tetramethoxynaphthalene-2-carbaldehyde and ethyl- bromoacetate was employed for introduction of the side chain of dl-shikonin.
基金Acknowledgments This work was supported by grants from the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China （863 Program） （2006AA02A306）, the National Natural Science Foundation of China （No. 39900082） and the PhD Program Foundation of Ministry of Education of China （No. 204090188）. We thank Dr Courtney M Heney （Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University） for critically reading the manuscript.
基金This work was supported National Key R＆D Program of China （No. 2017YFE0102200）, National Natural Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholar of China （81625024） and National Natural Science Foundation of China （81773753） to B. Yang.
基金supported by grants from the Natural Science Foundation of Huai'an Science and Technology Bureau(Grant No.HAB202312)the Science and Technology Development Fund of the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University(Grant No.XYFY2021018).
文摘Tumor vaccines are a promising avenue in cancer immunotherapy.Despite the progress in targeting specific immune epitopes,tumor cells lacking these epitopes can evade the treatment.Here,we aimed to construct an efficient in situ tumor vaccine called Vac-SM,utilizing shikonin(SKN)to induce immunogenic cell death(ICD)and Mycobacterium smegmatis as an immune adjuvant to enhance in situ tumor vaccine efficacy.SKN showed a dose-dependent and time-dependent cytotoxic effect on the tumor cell line and induced ICD in tumor cells as evidenced by the CCK-8 assay and the detection of the expression of relevant indicators,respectively.Compared with the control group,the in situ Vac-SM injection in mouse subcutaneous metastatic tumors significantly inhibited tumor growth and distant tumor metastasis,while also improving survival rates.Mycobacterium smegmatis effectively induced maturation and activation of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells(DCs),and in vivo tumor-draining lymph nodes showed an increased maturation of DCs and a higher proportion of effector memory T-cell subsets with the Vac-SM treatment,based on flow cytometry analysis results.Collectively,the Vac-SM vaccine effectively induces ICD,improves antigen presentation by DCs,activates a specific systemic antitumor T-cell immune response,exhibits a favorable safety profile,and holds the promise for clinical translation for local tumor immunotherapy.
