Cytotoxic effect of a non-peptidic small molecular inhibitor of the p53-HDM2 interaction on tumor cells

AIM: To investigate if non-peptidic small molecular inhibitors of the p53-HDM2 interaction could restore p53 function and kill tumor cells.METHODS: A series of non-peptidic small HDM2 inhibitors were designed by computer-aided model and synthesized by chemical method. Syl-155 was one of these inhibitors. Cytotoxic effect of syl-155 on three tumor cell lines with various states of p53, HT1080 (wild-type p53), KYSE510 (mutant p53), MG63 (p53 deficiency) was evaluated by MTT assay, Western blot and flow cytometry.RESULTS: Syl-155 stimulated the accumulation of p53 and p21 protein in HT1080 cells expressing wild-type p53, but not in KYSE510 and MG63 cells. Consequently, syl-155 induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in HT1080 cells.CONCLUSION: Non-peptidic small molecular inhibitors of the p53-HDM2 interaction show promise in treatment of tumors expressing wild-type p53.

YPD-30, a prodrug of YPD-29B, is an oral small-molecule inhibitor targeting PD-L1 for the treatment of human cancer

PD-1 and PD-L1 antibodies have brought about extraordinary clinical benefits for cancer patients,and their indications are expanding incessantly.Currently,most PD-1/PD-L1 agents are administered intravenously,which may be uncomfortable for some cancer patients.Herein,we develop a novel oral-delivered small molecular,YPD-29B,which specifically targets human PD-L1.Our data suggested that YPD-29B could potently and selectively block the interaction between PD-L1 and PD-1,but did not inhibit any other immune checkpoints.Mechanistically,YPD-29B induced human PD-L1 dimerization and internalization,which subsequently activated T lymphocytes and therefore overcomes immunity tolerance in vitro.YDP-29B was modified as the YPD-30 prodrug to improve druggability.Using humanized mice with human PD-1 xenografts of human PD-L1 knock-in mouse MC38 cancer cells,we demonstrated that YPD-30 exhibited significant antitumor activity and was well tolerated in vivo.Taken together,our results indicate that YPD-30 serves as a promising therapeutic candidate for anti-human PD-L1 cancer immunotherapy.

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor(MIF)in CNS diseases:Functional regulation and potential therapeutic indication

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor(MIF)is a multifunctional protein that possesses cytokine,enzyme,and endocrine activities and acts as a chaperone-like molecule.Owing to its immune-inflammatory regulatory prop-erties,the role of MIF has long been an attractive target in research on various autoimmune and inflammatory disorders.MIF is also widely expressed in the central nervous system(CNS),and its potential roles in CNS disor-ders have become a focus to elucidate the physiological and pathological effects of MIF and to explore its potential significance in the treatment of CNS diseases.Previously,the majority of work on MIF functional regulation was focused on MIF tautomerase inhibitors.However,mounting information has indicated that the functions of MIF extend far beyond its tautomerase activity.Here,we review the recent advances in understanding the complex roles of MIF in the pathogenesis of CNS disorders as well as the discovery and design of small molecules targeted to tautomerase and nuclease of MIF.