Discovery of a small-molecule bromodomain-containing protein 4 inhibitor that induces AMP-activated protein kinase-modulated autophagy-associated cell death in breast cancer

OBJECTIVE To discover a small-molecule bromodomain-containing protein 4(BRD4)inhibitor that induces AMP-activated protein kinase-modulated autophagy-associated cell death in breast cancer and exploreits potential mechanisms.METHODS BRD4 interactors were analyzed by PPI network prediction and The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)analysis.The interaction between BRD4 and AMPK was confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation assay.Novel BRD4 inhibitors were designed and synthesized based upon pharmacophore analysis of BRD4(1),then screened by antiproliferative activity and Alpha Screen of BRD4(1).The selectivity of the best candidate compound 8f was validated by co-crystallization,FRET assay and co-immuno precipitation assay.The mechanisms of 8f were investigated by fluorescence microscopy,electron microscopy,Western blotting,immunocytochemistry,si RNA and GFP-m RFP-LC3 plasmid transfections,as well as immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence.Potential mechanisms were discovered by i TRAQ-based proteomics analysis and the therapeutic effect of 8f was assessed by xenograft breast cancer mouse and zebrafish models.RESULTS We identified that BRD4 interacted with AMPK,which was remarkably downregulated in breast cancer.We next designed and synthesized 49 candidate compounds,and eventually discovered a selective small-molecule inhibitor of BRD4(8f).Subsequently,8f was discovered to induce autophagyassociated cell death(ACD)by BRD4-AMPK interaction,and thus activating AMPK-m TOR-ULK1-modulated autophagic pathway in breast cancer cells.Interestingly,the i TRAQ-based proteomics analyses revealed that 8f induced ACD pathways,involved in HMGB1,VDAC1/2 and e EF2.Moreover,8f displayed a therapeutic potential on both xenograft breast cancer mouse and zebrafish models.CONCLUSION We discovered a novel small-molecule inhibitor of BRD4 that induces BRD4-AMPK-modulated ACD in breast cancer,which may provide a candidate drug for future cancer therapy.

Transient Folate Deprivation in Combination with Small-molecule Compounds Facilitates the Generation of Somatic Cell-derived Pluripotent Stem Cells in Mice

Induced pluripotent stem cells （iPSCs） can be propagated indefinitely, while maintaining the capacity to differentiate into all cell types in the body except for the extra-embryonic tissues. This iPSC technology not only represents a new way to use individual-specific stem cells for regenerative medicine but also constitutes a novel method to obtain large numbers of disease-specific cells for biomedical re- search. However, the low efficiency of reprogramming and genomic integration of oncogenes and viral vectors limit the potential application of iPSCs. Chemical-induced reprogramming offers a novel ap- proach to generating iPSCs. In this study, a new combination of small-molecule compounds （SMs） （so- dium butyrate, A-83-01, CHIR99021, Y-27632） under conditions of transient folate deprivation was used to generate iPSC. It was found that transient folate deprivation combined with SMs was sufficient to permit reprogramming from mouse embryonic fibroblasts （MEFs） in the presence of transcription factors, Oct4 and Klf4, within 25 days, replacing Sox2 and c-Myc, and accelerated the generation of mouse iPSCs The resulting cell lines resembled mouse embryonic stem （ES） cells with respect to proliferation rate, morphology, pluripotency-associatedmarkers and gene expressions. Deprivation of folic acid, combined with treating MEFs with SMs, can improve the inducing efficiency of iPSCs and reduce their carcino- genicity and the use of exogenous reprogramming factors.

Efficient small-molecule donor with improved structural order and molecular aggregation enabled by side-chain modification

Side-chain modification is a proven effective approach for morphology manipulation in organic solar cells(OSCs).However,in-depth analysis and investigation involving side-chain modification towards morphology improvement,including molecular microstructure,orientating packing and aggregation are urgent for all-small-molecule(ASM)systems.Herein,employing a fluorine-modified two-dimension benzodithiophene(BDT)as central unit,we contrastively synthesized two small-molecule donors,namely BDT-F-SR and BDT-F-R,each welding alkylthio side-chains on thienyl of central BDT unit and the other grafted non-sulfuric alkyl side-chains.As predicted,the synergetic side-chain modification of fluorination and alkyl changeover triggers diverse molecular dipole moments and orientations,resulting in different molecular energy levels,thermal stabilities,molecular planarity and order.Eventually,together with the preeminent small-molecule acceptor Y6,BDT-F-R-based ASM OSCs obtain enhanced power conversion efficiency(PCE)of 13.88%compared to BDT-F-SR-based devices(PCE of 12.75%)with more suitable phase-separation and balanced carrier mobilities.The contrast results reveal that alkyl sidechains seem to be a more satisfactory partner for fluorine-modified 2D BDT-based small-molecule donors compared to alkylthio pendants,and highlight the significance of subtle side-chain modification for molecular structural order fun-tuning and morphology control,laying the foundation for efficient ASM OSCs.

Design,synthesis,and evaluation of fluoroquinolone derivatives as microRNA-21 small-molecule inhibitors

MicroRNA-21(miRNA-21)is highly expressed in various tumors.Small-molecule inhibition of miRNA-21 is considered to be an attractive novel cancer therapeutic strategy.In this study,fluoroquinolone derivatives A1eA43 were synthesized and used as miRNA-21 inhibitors.Compound A36 showed the most potent inhibitory activity and specificity for miRNA-21 in a dual-luciferase reporter assay in HeLa cells.Compound A36 significantly reduced the expression of mature miRNA-21 and increased the protein expression of miRNA-21 target genes,including programmed cell death protein 4(PDCD4)and phosphatase and tensin homology deleted on chromosome ten(PTEN),at 10 μM in HeLa cells.The Cell Counting Kit-8 assay(CCK-8)was used to evaluate the antiproliferative activity of A36;the results showed that the IC_(50) value range of A36 against six tumor cell lines was between 1.76 and 13.0 μM.Meanwhile,A36 did not display cytotoxicity in BEAS-2B cells(lung epithelial cells from a healthy human donor).Furthermore,A36 significantly induced apoptosis,arrested cells at the G_(0)/G_(1) phase,and inhibited cell-colony formation in HeLa cells.In addition,mRNA deep sequencing showed that treatment with A36 could generate 171 dysregulated mRNAs in HeLa cells,while the expression of miRNA-21 target gene dual-specificity phosphatase 5(DUSP5)was significantly upregulated at both the mRNA and protein levels.Collectively,these findings demonstrated that A36 is a novel miRNA-21 inhibitor.

Small-Molecule Ligands as Challenge for Positron Emission Tomography of Peptide Receptors in Neurons and Microglia of the Brain

Neuropeptide and chemokine receptors of the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family belong to different classes and subgroups providing different docking sites and special binding behavior at extracellular and also transmembrane domains for small molecules potentially suitable for positron emission tomography (PET). The contribution gives an overview updating developments of small-molecule, nonpeptide ligands at a selection of peptide and chemokine receptors, expressed in neurons and microglia of the brain, regarding the last five years. Orexin 1 and orexin 2 receptors (OX1R;OX2R) and neuropeptide Y1 and Y2 receptors (NPY1R, NPY2R) were chosen as representatives of Class A neuropeptide receptors, chemokine receptor CX3C (CX3CR1) as Class A, protein-activated receptor, highly expressed in activated microglia, and corticotropin releasing factor receptor 1 (CRFR1) as representative Class B1 receptor. Structural differences between binding domains and their endogenous ligands as well as parallel expression in different types of cells and generally low density of these receptors in brain tissue are factors making the search for selective and sensitive ligands more difficult than for classical GPCR receptors. Main progress in ligand development is observed for NPY receptor antagonists and orexin receptor antagonists. For orexin receptors, search for suitable ligands can be supported with modelling approaches, as recently the complete molecular structure of these receptors is available. Small molecules, binding at CRFR1, as for other Class B1 receptor ligands, in PET and investigations of pharmacodynamics revealed rather allosteric binding modes, although, the complete crystal structure of CRFR1 as prototype of Class B1 provides, hitherto, improved possibilities for understanding binding mechanisms. Highly specific as a marker of microglia among?the GPCRs, CX3CR1 is focused as target of PET during inflammation of brain and spinal cord.

Potential role and therapeutic implications of glutathione peroxidase 4 in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder with a complex and incompletely understood pathogenesis. Despite extensive research, a cure for Alzheimer's disease has not yet been found. Oxidative stress mediates excessive oxidative responses, and its involvement in Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis as a primary or secondary pathological event is widely accepted. As a member of the selenium-containing antioxidant enzyme family, glutathione peroxidase 4 reduces esterified phospholipid hydroperoxides to maintain cellular redox homeostasis. With the discovery of ferroptosis, the central role of glutathione peroxidase 4 in anti-lipid peroxidation in several diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, has received widespread attention. Increasing evidence suggests that glutathione peroxidase 4 expression is inhibited in the Alzheimer's disease brain, resulting in oxidative stress, inflammation, ferroptosis, and apoptosis, which are closely associated with pathological damage in Alzheimer's disease. Several therapeutic approaches, such as small molecule drugs, natural plant products, and non-pharmacological treatments, ameliorate pathological damage and cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease by promoting glutathione peroxidase 4 expression and enhancing glutathione peroxidase 4 activity. Therefore, glutathione peroxidase 4 upregulation may be a promising strategy for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. This review provides an overview of the gene structure, biological functions, and regulatory mechanisms of glutathione peroxidase 4, a discussion on the important role of glutathione peroxidase 4 in pathological events closely related to Alzheimer's disease, and a summary of the advances in small-molecule drugs, natural plant products, and non-pharmacological therapies targeting glutathione peroxidase 4 for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Most prior studies on this subject used animal models, and relevant clinical studies are lacking. Future clinical trials are required to validate the therapeutic effects of strategies targeting glutathione peroxidase 4 in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Investigating Müller glia reprogramming in mice: a retrospective of the last decade, and a look to the future

Müller glia,as prominent glial cells within the retina,plays a significant role in maintaining retinal homeostasis in both healthy and diseased states.In lower vertebrates like zebrafish,these cells assume responsibility for spontaneous retinal regeneration,wherein endogenous Müller glia undergo proliferation,transform into Müller glia-derived progenitor cells,and subsequently regenerate the entire retina with restored functionality.Conversely,Müller glia in the mouse and human retina exhibit limited neural reprogramming.Müller glia reprogramming is thus a promising strategy for treating neurodegenerative ocular disorders.Müller glia reprogramming in mice has been accomplished with remarkable success,through various technologies.Advancements in molecular,genetic,epigenetic,morphological,and physiological evaluations have made it easier to document and investigate the Müller glia programming process in mice.Nevertheless,there remain issues that hinder improving reprogramming efficiency and maturity.Thus,understanding the reprogramming mechanism is crucial toward exploring factors that will improve Müller glia reprogramming efficiency,and for developing novel Müller glia reprogramming strategies.This review describes recent progress in relatively successful Müller glia reprogramming strategies.It also provides a basis for developing new Müller glia reprogramming strategies in mice,including epigenetic remodeling,metabolic modulation,immune regulation,chemical small-molecules regulation,extracellular matrix remodeling,and cell-cell fusion,to achieve Müller glia reprogramming in mice.

Photocatalytic synthesis of small-molecule drugs by porous framework materials

Small-molecule drugs are widely used in daily life.There are still issues with the current industrial synthesis techniques for small-molecule drugs,such as the use of expensive metal catalysts,convoluted reaction processes,and non-recyclable catalysts.The benefits of photocatalytic organic synthesis over conventional techniques are mild conditions,environmental friendliness,and great selectivity.Porous framework materials can precisely modulate catalytic sites'electronic state and ligand structure to improve photocatalytic performance.In particular,MOFs,COFs and PCCs based photocatalysts have received extensive research interest due to their unique morphology,structural adjustability,high photocatalytic performance,unique recyclability,excellent chemical stability,easy synthesis and low cost.Therefore,a key area for future research is the development of porous framework materials as photocatalysts for the synthesis of small-molecule drugs or drug precursors.

Small-molecule agents for cancer immunotherapy

Cancer immunotherapy,exemplified by the remarkable clinical benefits of the immune checkpoint blockade and chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy,is revolutionizing cancer therapy.They induce long-term tumor regression and overall survival benefit in many types of cancer.With the advances in our knowledge about the tumor immune microenvironment,remarkable progress has been made in the development of small-molecule drugs for immunotherapy.Small molecules targeting PRR-associated pathways,immune checkpoints,oncogenic signaling,metabolic pathways,cytokine/chemokine signaling,and immune-related kinases have been extensively investigated.Monotherapy of smallmolecule immunotherapeutic drugs and their combinations with other antitumor modalities are under active clinical investigations to overcome immune tolerance and circumvent immune checkpoint inhibitor resistance.Here,we review the latest development of small-molecule agents for cancer immunotherapy by targeting defined pathways and highlighting their progress in recent clinical investigations.

Role of CD36 in central nervous system diseases

CD36 is a highly glycosylated integral membrane protein that belongs to the scavenger receptor class B family and regulates the pathological progress of metabolic diseases.CD36 was recently found to be widely expressed in various cell types in the nervous system,including endothelial cells,pericytes,astrocytes,and microglia.CD36 mediates a number of regulatory processes,such as endothelial dysfunction,oxidative stress,mitochondrial dysfunction,and inflammatory responses,which are involved in many central nervous system diseases,such as stroke,Alzheimer’s disease,Parkinson’s disease,and spinal cord injury.CD36 antagonists can suppress CD36 expression or prevent CD36 binding to its ligand,thereby achieving inhibition of CD36-mediated pathways or functions.Here,we reviewed the mechanisms of action of CD36 antagonists,such as Salvianolic acid B,tanshinone IIA,curcumin,sulfosuccinimidyl oleate,antioxidants,and small-molecule compounds.Moreover,we predicted the structures of binding sites between CD36 and antagonists.These sites can provide targets for more efficient and safer CD36 antagonists for the treatment of central nervous system diseases.

Approaches to Improving Selectivity During Photoelectrochemical Transformation of Small Molecules

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) small-molecule oxidation can selectively transform substrates into high-value-added fine chemicals and increase the rate of cathode hydrogen evolution. Nevertheless, achieving high-selectivity PEC oxidation of small molecules to produce specific products is a very challenging task. In general, selectivity can be improved by changing the surface catalyticsites of the photoanode and modulating the interfacial environments of the reactions. Herein, recent advances in approaches to improving selective PEC oxidation of small molecules are introduced. We first briefly discuss the basic concept and fundamentals of small-molecule PEC oxidation. The reported approaches to improving the performance of selective PEC oxidation of small molecules are highlighted from two aspects: (1) changing the surface properties of photoanodes by selecting suitable materials or modifying the photoanodes and (2) mediating the oxidation reactions using redox mediators. The PEC oxidation mechanism of these studies is emphasized. We also discuss the challenges in this research direction and offer a perspective on the further development of selective PEC-based small-molecule transformation.

Hybrid anionic block copolymerization:From organocatalysis-streamlined crossover to internally microphase-separated aggregates

Polyolefin-b-poly(ethylene oxide)(PEO)represents the most widely investigated amphiphilic block copolymers.So far,one-pot continuous synthesis of such hybrid block copolymers has only been fulfilled by anionic polymerization through sequen-tial addition of vinyl monomers and ethylene oxide(EO).It still remains challenging to achieve altogether high block efficiency,high polymerization efficiency,and high molar mass for PEO.Here,we report a one-pot hybrid block copolymerization approach to polyisoprene/polystyrene(PI/PS)-b-PEO,in which PI/PS are formed by sBuLi-initiated anionic vinyl-addition polymerization,then in situ employed as macroinitiators for the anionic ring-opening polymerization(ROP)of EO aided by an organic Lewis pair.The cooperative(dual-ion-complexing)catalytic effect of organobase and triethylborane is proven,for thefirst time,effective for lithium alkoxide initiator system,allowing to achieve at room temperature high ROP activity(complete EO conversion and PEO of 3–64 kg/mol reached in 1–6 h),narrow molar mass distribution,controlled block lengths and composition.Density functional the-ory calculation shows that phosphazene bases are particularly effective,compared with N-heterocyclic bases,for complexing with Li+and enhancing the nucleophilic-ity of oxyanion.The rate of ROP is also affected by Li+-induced aggregation of the chain-end ion pairs,which though can be offset by adequate catalyst loadings.The versatility of this approach is further demonstrated in the one-pot synthesis of tri-/tetrablock ter-/quaterpolymers constituted by PI,PS,PEO,and poly(propylene oxide).Of great interest,PS-b-PI-b-PEO triblock terpolymer with a specific com-position is found to form internally microphase-separated micellar aggregates when dispersed in water.

Molecularly engineered lignin to polyphenol via organocatalysis as an active sunscreen ingredient

Phenolation is one of the effective strategies to synthesize lignin-based polyphenols,improve lignin’s properties,and extend its value-added applications in biological,medicinal and cosmetic fields.Herein,by taking the structural feature advantage of lignin,an effective and green strategy was developed to molecularly engineer lignin into a robust lignin-3-(2-hydroxyphenyl)propionate ester(LPPE)derivative via a transesterification reaction between 3,4-dihydrocoumarin(DHC)and the aliphatic hydroxyls in lignin under organocatalysis.The strategy is optimized and the novel derivative was systematically characterized by ^(1)H,^(13)C and ^(31)P nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)and Fourier transform infrared(FT-IR)spectroscopy.The findings indicated that the successful introduction of 3-(2-hydroxyphenyl)propionate groups using a OH groups/DHC/organic base mo-lar ratio of 1꞉1꞉0.3 at 120℃ for 6 h increased the content of phenolic hydroxyl groups from 1.7931 to 3.0179 mmol/g,and the LPPE exhibited excellent ultraviolet-absorbing and antioxidant per-formance with up to 90%free radical scavenging activity within 20 min using 5 mg/mL of LPPE.In addition,good biocompatibility and a high Sun protection factor(SPF)value of 40.9 were achieved at 5%(w)dosage of LPPE in the cream,indicating its significant application potential in sunscreen.

Regulating the Electron-Deficient Component in A-DA1D-A Typed Small-Molecule Acceptors for High-Performance Organic Solar Cells

Fine-tuning of the electron-deficient unit in A-DA1D-A typed small-molecule acceptors (SMAs) plays a crucial role in developing efficient SMAs for organic solar cells (OSCs).Here,we developed a SMA based on benzo[4,5]thieno[2,3-b]quinoxaline,designated as QW1,as well as three SMAs based on 1-methylindoline-2,3-dione,identified as QW2,QW3,and QW4.Compared with QW2,QW1 displays slightly blue-shifted absorption spectra and a lower LUMO energy level due to the stronger electron-withdrawing capability of BTQx in contrast to MDO.On the other hand,the introduction of a bromine atom in QW3 and QW4 causes a blue shift in absorption and a reduction in the LUMO energy level compared to QW2.Density functional theory analysis reveals that QW1 exhibits the best molecular planarity,which endows QW1 with larger electron mobility and tighter molecular stacking.Consequently,PM6:QW1 device affords a better efficiency of 15.63% than those of the devices based on QW2 (14.25%),QW3 (13.21%) and QW4 (15.03%).Moreover,the QW4-based device yields the highest open-circuit voltage of 0.933 V,and the PM6:L8-BO:QW4 ternary device realizes a PCE of 19.03%.Overall,our work demonstrates that regulation of electron-deficient central units is an effective strategy to improve the photovoltaic performance of the resulting A-DA1D-A SMAs.

有机不对称催化合成(2R,3S)-瑞波西汀

本文研究了一种有机不对称催化合成(2R,3S)-瑞波西汀的方法。以肉桂醛为起始原料,通过不对称环氧化氧化-酯化反应得到手性中间体(2S,3R)-3-苯基环氧乙烷-2-羧酸甲酯,再分别通过发生酯胺交换、醚化、环化、还原等反应得到目标产物(2R,3S)-瑞波西汀。该方法原料廉价易得,反应步骤简单,总产率较高,并且产物具有优异的对映选择性。

有机磷腈盐/三乙基硼二元催化体系协同催化环氧化物与二氢香豆素的开环交替共聚

通过使用有机磷腈盐催化剂三[三(二甲氨基)亚氨基]氯化磷(P_(4)^(+)Cl^(-))与三乙基硼(TEB)组成的二元协同催化体系,实现了3,4-二氢香豆素(DHC)与多种环氧化物的开环交替共聚.系统考察了聚合温度和催化剂用量等因素对聚合活性和选择性的影响.研究结果表明,通过优化聚合反应条件,P_(4)^(+)Cl^(-)/TEB催化体系对多种环氧化物与DHC的开环交替共聚表现出较高的催化活性和选择性,避免了分子内酯交换等副反应.研究了反应动力学,利用核磁共振氢谱(^(1)H NMR),体积排阻色谱(SEC)和基质辅助激光解吸/电离时间飞行质谱(MALDI-TOF-MS)对聚合物结构进行表征,结果表明产物为端基明确、分子量可控的高度交替结构的醚酯共聚物.

羟甲基噻喃酮衍生物的不对称有机催化合成

由脯氨酸出发合成了(S)-2-羟基-N-(吡咯烷-2-亚甲基)苯甲酰胺(1a)、(S)-3-羟基-N-(吡咯烷-2-亚甲基)-2-萘酰胺(1b)2种具有多氢键多活性中心有机催化剂,将其用于羟甲基噻喃酮衍生物的合成。结果表明,以二氯甲烷为溶剂,室温25℃时,用x=15%1a为催化剂,合成的羟甲基噻喃酮衍生物得到较好的产率(89%)和较高的对映选择性(92%)。该方法为具有生物药理活性的羟甲基噻喃酮的合成提供了重要途径。

有机催化4-羟基香豆素与靛红、丙二腈的不对称Michael加成/环化串联反应

含有杂环的光学活性螺环羟吲哚衍生物因其多种多样的生物活性而备受关注。靛红衍生物的不对称Michael/环化串联反应是构建手性螺环羟吲哚化合物的重要方法。本文将11种有机催化剂用于靛红、4-羟基香豆素与丙二腈的不对称Michael加成/环化串联反应。筛选出最佳的催化剂体系为:10 mol%金鸡纳碱衍生物催化剂1f,二氯甲烷(1 m L)为溶剂,室温反应。将最佳条件用于不同取代靛红的反应,以80~88%的产率和最高达96%的对映选择性获得了螺[羟吲哚-3,4′-吡喃色烯]化合物。本研究拓宽了该反应的催化剂类型和底物范围。

6-异丙基-3,4-二氢嘧啶类化合物的高效催化合成

开发了一种新型、简便的合成方法,在无溶剂条件下,以4,5-甲基-L-脯氨酸为催化剂,催化比吉内利反应(Biginelli reaction)高效合成6-异丙基-3,4-二氢嘧啶类化合物。反应条件温和,催化剂环保,产率优异(高达99%),可以获得广泛的具有显著生物活性的目标产物。

有机催化不对称Michael加成反应

有机催化的不对称合成反应是目前研究最为活跃的领域之一.不对称Michael加成反应是合成众多重要的手性合成子和药物中间体的有效手段.目前报道的催化Michael加成反应的有机催化剂主要有脯氨酸及其衍生物、手性咪唑啉酮、手性(硫)脲、金鸡纳碱衍生物等.对各类有机催化剂在有机催化不对称Michael加成反应中的应用,以及不对称诱导反应的机理、催化剂分子结构及反应条件对其催化活性和不对称诱导作用的影响进行了评述。