Synthesis,Configuration Judgment and Potentiation Activity of (2S,3S,E)-4-(3,4-Dihydroxybenzylidene)-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5-oxotetrahydrofuran-2-carboxylic Acid

The title compound（2S,3S,E）-4-（3,4-dihydroxybenzylidene）-3-（3,4-dihydroxyphenyl）-5-oxotetrahydrofuran-2-carboxylic acid was synthesized and the 2D structure was characterized by ^1H-NMR ^13C-NMR and LCMS. The absolute configuration was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction of the key intermediate（2S,3S,E）-ethyl 4-（3,4-dimethoxybenzylidene）-3-（3,4-dimethoxyphenyl）-5-oxotetrahydrofuran-2-carboxylate. The crystal belongs to tetragonal system, space group P41 with a = 13.0665（2）, b = 13.0665（2）, c = 13.4735（2）A, V = 2300.4（6） A^3, Z = 4, Dc = 1.278 g/cm^3, μ（CuKα） = 0.801 mm^-1, F（000） = 936, S = 1.050, R = 0.0364 and wR（I 〉 2σ（I）） = 0.1071. X-ray diffraction results showed that the molecular structure is stabilized totally by Van der Waals force. The antibacterial activity tests showed that the title compound possesses slight synergistic effect against MRSA and Acinetobacter baumanii.

3,4-Secocycloartane Triterpenoids from the Cones of Pseudolarix amabilis

Four new 3,4-secocycloartane triterpenoids,pseudolactones A-D(1-4),were isolated from the ethanol extract of the cones of Pseudol arixamabilis.Their structures were established by extensive 1D-and 2D-NMR experiments.The cones of P.arixamabilis are enriched in the ring-expanded or cleaved cycloartane triterpenoids.This work provides new insight into cycloartane triterpenoids from the cones of P.arixamabilis.

Selective ischemic-hemisphere targeting Ginkgolide B liposomes with improved solubility and therapeutic efficacy for cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury

Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury(CI/RI)remains the main cause of disability and death in stroke patients due to lack of effective therapeutic strategies.One of the main issues related to CI/RI treatment is the presence of the blood-brain barrier(BBB),which affects the intracerebral delivery of drugs.Ginkgolide B(GB),a major bioactive component in commercially available products of Ginkgo biloba,has been shown significance in CI/RI treatment by regulating inflammatory pathways,oxidative damage,and metabolic disturbance,and seems to be a candidate for stroke recovery.However,limited by its poor hydrophilicity and lipophilicity,the development of GB preparations with good solubility,stability,and the ability to cross the BBB remains a challenge.Herein,we propose a combinatorial strategy by conjugating GB with highly lipophilic docosahexaenoic acid(DHA)to obtain a covalent complex GB-DHA,which can not only enhance the pharmacological effect of GB,but can also be encapsulated in liposomes stably.The amount of finally constructed Lipo@GB-DHA targeting to ischemic hemisphere was validated 2.2 times that of free solution in middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO)rats.Compared to the marketed ginkgolide injection,Lipo@GB-DHA significantly reduced infarct volume with better neurobehavioral recovery in MCAO rats after being intravenously administered both at 2 h and 6 h post-reperfusion.Low levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS)and high neuron survival in vitro was maintained via Lipo@GB-DHA treatment,while microglia in the ischemic brain were polarized from the pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype to the tissue-repairing M2 phenotype,which modulate neuroinflammatory and angiogenesis.In addition,Lipo@GB-DHA inhibited neuronal apoptosis via regulating the apoptotic pathway and maintained homeostasis by activating the autophagy pathway.Thus,transforming GB into a lipophilic complex and loading it into liposomes provides a promising nanomedicine strategy with excellent CI/RI therapeutic efficacy and industrialization prospects.

A novel route for the synthesis of androgen receptor antagonist enzalutamide

A novel route of enzalutamide was developed in five steps.Starting from 4-amino-2-(trifluoromethyl)benzonitrile(7)and Boc-2-aminoisobutyric acid(16),condensation,deprotection,Ullmann coupling,cyclization and amination provided enzalutamide in 41.0%total yield.This route avoids the using of toxic chemical,unstable intermediate and high-risk reaction.It is a potential efficient and economical procedure for industrialization.

Recombinant adeno-associated virus 8 vector in gene therapy:Opportunities and challenges

In recent years,significant breakthroughs have been made in the field of gene ther-apy.Adeno-associated virus(AAV)is one of the most promising gene therapy vectors and a powerful tool for delivering the gene of interest.Among the AAV vectors,AAV serotype 8(AAv8)has attracted much attention for its efficient and stable gene transfection into specific tissues.Currently,recombinant AAv8 has been widely used in gene therapy research on a va-riety of diseases,including genetic diseases,cancers,autoimmune diseases,and viral diseases.

New phenylbutenoids and terpene glycosides from Ginkgo biloba leaves

Our continued works on the chemical constituents of Ginkgo biloba(G.biloba)leaves has led to the isolation of two novel phenylbutenoids(1,2),along with five previously unidentified terpene glycosides(3−7).Among them,compounds 1 and 2 represent unique(Z)-phenylbutenoids,3−6 are megastigmane glycosides,and 7 is identified as a rare bilobanone glycoside(Fig.1).This study marks the first reported isolation of phenylbutenoid and bilobanone glycoside from G.biloba.The chemical structures of these compounds were elucidated through extensive spectroscopic analysis,including HR-ESI-MS and various 1D and 2D NMR experiments.Furthermore,the absolute configurations of these molecules were determined using Mosher’s method,ECD experiments,and Cu-KαX-ray crystallographic analyses.

A novel TNKS/USP25 inhibitor blocks the Wnt pathway to overcome multi-drug resistance in TNKS-overexpressing colorectal cancer

Modulating Tankyrases(TNKS),interactions with USP25 to promote TNKS degradation,rather than inhibiting their enzymatic activities,is emerging as an alternative/specific approach to inhibit the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.Here,we identified UAT-B,a novel neoantimycin analog isolated from Streptomyces conglobatus,as a small-molecule inhibitor of TNKS-USP25 protein-protein interaction(PPI)to overcome multi-drug resistance in colorectal cancer(CRC).The disruption of TNKS-USP25 complex formation by UAT-B led to a significant decrease in TNKS levels,triggering cell apoptosis through modulation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.Importantly,UAT-B successfully inhibited the CRC cells growth that harbored high TNKS levels,as demonstrated in various in vitro and in vivo studies utilizing cell line-based and patient-derived xenografts,as well as APC^(min/+)spontaneous CRC models.Collectively,these findings suggest that targeting the TNKS-USP25 PPI using a small-molecule inhibitor represents a compelling therapeutic strategy for CRC treatment,and UAT-B emerges as a promising candidate for further preclinical and clinical investigations.

Enhancing immunotherapy efficacy against MHC-I deficient triple-negative breast cancer using LCL161-loaded macrophage membranedecorated nanoparticles

Current cytotoxic T lymphocyte(CTL)activating immunotherapy requires a major histocompatibility complex I(MHC-I)-mediated presentation of tumor-associated antigens,which malfunctions in around half of patients with triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC).Here,we create a LCL161-loaded macrophage membrane decorated nanoparticle(LMN)for immunotherapy of MHC-I-deficient TNBC.SIRPa on the macrophage membrane helps LMNs recognize CD47-expressing cancer cells for targeted delivery of LCL161,which induces the release of high mobility group protein 1 and proinflammatory cytokines from cancer cells.The released cytokines and high mobility group protein 1 activate antitumor immunity by increasing the intratumoral density of the phagocytic macrophage subtype by 15 times and elevating the intratumoral concentration of CTL lymphotoxin by 4.6 folds.LMNs also block CD47-mediated phagocytosis suppression.LMNs inhibit the growth of MHC-I-deficient TNBC tumors,as well as those resistant to combined therapy of anti-PDL1 antibody and albumin-bound paclitaxel,and prolong the survival of animals,during which process CTLs also play important roles.This macrophage membrane-decorated nanoparticle presents a generalizable platform for increasing macrophagemediated antitumor immunity for effective immunotherapy of MHC-I-deficient cancers.

Monosaccharide analysis and fingerprinting identification of polysaccharides from Poria cocos and Polyporus umbellatus by HPLC combined with chemometrics methods

Objective:Poria cocos and Polyporus umbellatus are similar medicinal fungi in traditional Chinese medicines.A method for fingerprint analysis of monosaccharide composition of polysaccharides by HPLC combined with chemometrics methods has been developed for characterization and discrimination of them in this research.Methods:The polysaccharides were extracted by decocting in water,and then completely hydrolyzed with hydrochloride.Monosaccharides in the hydrolyzates were derivatized with 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone(PMP)for HPLC analysis.More than 20 batches of P.cocos and P.umbellatus from different regions were analyzed.Results:The fingerprints of P.cocos showed five common characteristic peaks,which were identified by comparing with the reference substances.The five peaks corresponded to the derivatives of mannose,ribose,glucose,galactose,and fucose.At the same time,the fingerprints of P.umbellatus showed eight common characteristic peaks,of which seven were identified as the derivatives of mannose,ribose,rhamnose,glucose,galactose,xylose,and fucose.Moreover,the similarity of their fingerprints was respectively calculated by the Similarity Evaluation System for Chromatographic Fingerprint of TCM published by China Pharmacopoeia Committee(Version 2004 A).And the data were further processed by hierarchical cluster analysis(HCA)and principal component analysis(PCA).The similarity evaluation and HCA indicated that there were no significant difference in P.cocos or P.umbellatus samples from different geographical regions,but PCA was performed to characterize the difference in monosaccharide constituents between P.cocos and P.umbellatus,and linear discriminant analysis(LDA)showed the overall correct classification rate was 100%.Conclusion:The fingerprint analysis method of monosaccharide composition of water-soluble polysaccharides can distinguish P.cocos and P.umbellatus,and can be applied for the authentication or quality control for P.cocos and P.umbellatus.

Comparative pharmacokinetics of naringin and neohesperidin after oral administration of flavonoid glycosides from Aurantii Fructus Immaturus in normal and gastrointestinal motility disorders mice

Objective: To compare the pharmacokinetics of naringin and neohesperidin after oral administration of Zhishi total flavonoid glycosides(ZSTFG) extracted from Aurantii Fructus Immaturus in normal and gastrointestinal motility disorders(GMD) mice.Methods: ZSTFG was orally given to normal and GMD mice induced by atropine or dopamine. The plasma samples were incubated with β-glucuronidase/sulfatase, the total(free + conjugated) naringenin and hesperitin were extracted with acetonitrile. The validated HPLC-MS/MS method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study.Results: The results showed that, compared with the normal group, AUC0–∞, AUC0–tand Cmaxfor total naringenin and hesperitin were significantly higher(P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), while CLZ/F for total naringenin and hesperitin was significantly lower(P < 0.01) in the GMD group. Tmax, t1/2 z, MRT0-t, and MRT0-∞for naringenin were longer(P < 0.01) in the GMD group than those in the normal group.Conclusion: The results showed that there were significant differences in pharmacokinetic parameters of naringenin and hesperitin between normal and GMD groups. It was suggested that the absorption of naringenin and hesperitin was increased, and the elimination processes of naringenin and hesperitin were slower in the GMD group than the normal group. The data are of value for further pharmacological studies of ZSTFG and would be useful to provide a reference for improving the therapeutic regimen of ZSTFG in clinical trials.

YGS40, an active fraction of Yi-Gan San, reduces hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells

In our previous study, we have elucidated the chemical profile ofYGS40, a fraction of Yi-Gan San （YGS）, used for the treatment of Alzheimer＇s disease （AD）. Oxidative stress-induced apoptosis is implicated in neurodegenerative disorders such as AD. The aim of the present study was to explore the protective effects of YGS40 against hydrogen peroxide （H202）-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells and the underlying mechanisms. PC12 cells were exposed to 100 μmol·L 1 of H202 for 12 h with or without YGS40 pretreatment. Cytotoxicity was determined by MTT （3, （4, 5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl） 2, 5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide） and lactate dehydrogenase （LDH） release assays; apoptosis was detected by Annexin V/propidium iodide coupled staining and by determining caspase-3 activity and Bax and Bcl-2 protein levels. Mitochondrial membrane potential （MMP） was assessed by the retention of rhodamine123; and the activities of superoxide dismutase （SOD） and malondialdehyde （MDA） were measured using commercially available enzymatic kits. Pretreatment with YGS40 significantly prevented H2O2-induced cytotoxicity and protected the cells against H2O2-triggered apoptosis characterized by extemalization of membrane phosphatidylserine and caspase-3 activation and the increased ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 in PC12 cells. Further studies showed that YGS40 suppressed H2O2-induced MMP loss, increased SOD activity, and decreased MDA level. These findings suggest that YGS40 may be beneficial for the prevention and treatment of oxidative stress-mediated disorders.

A novel tumor-targeting treatment strategy uses energy restriction via co-delivery of albendazole and nanosilver

Although nanotechnology has been rapidly developed and applied in tumor targeting, the outcome of chemotherapy remains greatly restricted by the toxicity of cytotoxic drugs in normal tissues and cells. Therefore, the development of alternative delivery systems, with few side effects in normal cells, has attracted increasing attention. Energy restriction is a novel and promising approach to cancer treatment, which can restrict tumor growth via inhibition of cellular energy metabolism. In this study, a novel tumor targeting system, based on folate-conjugated bovine serum albumin （BSA）, was developed to co-deliver albendazole and nanosilver simultaneously, to restrain the energy metabolism of tumor cells. This nanosystem showed stronger anti-tumor efficacy than those using nanoparticles without folic acid modification, nanosilver, or albendazole, both in vitro and in vivo. This nanosystem depleted cellular ATP via direct inhibition of glycolytic enzymes and mitochondrial damage, resulting in inhibition of proliferation, cell-cycle arrest, and apoptosis of tumor cells. The enhanced anti-tumor activity contributed to the tumor-targeting ability of this system, resulting in specific energy inhibition in tumor cells. Toxicity evaluation was performed to confirm the safety of this system. This nanosystem provides an efficient and safe strate~ for tumor therapy.

Enhanced production of shikimic acid using a multi-gene co-expression system in Escherichia coli

Shikimic acid(SA) is the key synthetic material for the chemical synthesis of Oseltamivir, which is prescribed as the front-line treatment for serious cases of influenza. Multi-gene expression vector can be used for expressing the plurality of the genes in one plasmid, so it is widely applied to increase the yield of metabolites. In the present study, on the basis of a shikimate kinase genetic defect strain Escherichia coli BL21(?aro L/aro K, DE3), the key enzyme genes aro G, aro B, tkt A and aro E of SA pathway were co-expressed and compared systematically by constructing a series of multi-gene expression vectors. The results showed that different gene co-expression combinations(two, three or four genes) or gene orders had different effects on the production of SA. SA production of the recombinant BL21-GBAE reached to 886.38 mg·L^(-1), which was 17-fold(P < 0.05) of the parent strain BL21(?aro L/aro K, DE3).

Lenvatinib-and vadimezan-loaded synthetic high-density lipoprotein for combinational immunochemotherapy of metastatic triple-negative breast cancer

Metastatic triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC)is the most aggressive type of breast cancer.Combination of systemic chemotherapy and immune checkpoint blockade is effective but of limited benefit due to insufficient intratumoral infiltration of cytotoxic T lymphocytes(CTLs)and the accumulation of immunosuppressive cells.Herein,we designed a lenvatinib-and vadimezan-loaded synthetic high-density lipoprotein(LV-sHDL)for combinational immunochemotherapy of metastatic TNBC.The LV-sHDL targeted scavenger receptor class B type 1-overexpressing 4T1 cells in the tumor after intravenous injection.The multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor(TKI)lenvatinib induced immunogenic cell death of the cancer cells,and the stimulator of interferon genes(STING)agonist vadimezan triggered local inflammation to facilitate dendritic cell maturation and antitumor macrophage differentiation,which synergistically improved the intratumoral infiltration of total and active CTLs by 33-and 13-fold,respectively.LV-sHDL inhibited the growth of orthotopic 4T1 tumors,reduced pulmonary metastasis,and prolonged the survival of animals.The efficacy could be further improved when LV-sHDL was used in combination with antibody against programmed cell death ligand 1.This study highlights the combination use of multitargeted TKI and STING agonist a promising treatment for metastatic TNBC.

Study on genetic engineering of Acremonium chrysogenum, the cephalosporin C producer

Acremonium chrysogenum is an important filamentous fungus which produces cephalosporin C in industry.This review summarized the study on genetic engineering of Acremonium chrysogenum,including biosynthesis and regulation for fermentation of cephalosporin C,molecular techniques,molecular breeding and transcriptomics of Acremonium chrysogenum.We believe with all the techniques available and full genomic sequence,the industrial strain of Acremonium chrysogenum can be genetically modified to better serve the pharmaceutical industry.

Application of Connectivity Map Database to Research on Chinese Materia Medica

The connectivity map（CMAP） database is established initially to connect biology, chemistry, and clinical conditions, which helps to discover the connection of disease-gene-drug. The CMAP approach has been applied in the field of drug discovery and development, which is widely recognized. In recently years, CMAP analysis has been applied in the research on Chinese materia medica（CMM）. The study of CMM is facing a wide range of challenges, such as complicated ingredients, multiple targets, multiple pathways of action and complex functioning mechanism. The idea of employing CMAP in the CMM research has brought a new perspective for researchers and provides a systematic method for elucidating the mechanism of CMM.The connectivity map （CMAP） database is established initially to connect biology, chemistry, and clinical conditions, which helps to discover the connection of disease-gene-drug. The CMAP approach has been applied in the field of drug discovery and development, which is widely recognized. In recently years, CMAP analysis has been applied in the research on Chinese materia medica （CMM）. The study of CMM is facing a wide range of challenges, such as complicated ingredients, multiple targets, multiple pathways of action and complex functioning mechanism. The idea of employing CMAP in the CMM research has brought a new perspective for researchers and provides a systematic method for elucidating the mechanism of CMM.

Small-molecule fluorescent probes for the detection of carbon dioxide

During the last few years, the preparation of novel fluorescent probes for the detection of carbon dioxide has attracted considerable attention since carbon dioxide plays extremely important roles in widespread fields including chemical, environmental, clinical analysis, and agri-food industry. This review focuses on the recent advances in the design principles, recognition mechanisms, and preparation of small-molecule fluorescent probes for the selective detection and monitoring of CO;. Moreover, their properties and functions will be discussed detailedly as well.

Preparation and characterization of a metered dose transdermal spray for testosterone

The objective of the present work was to develop a metered dose transdermal spray(MDTS)formulation for transdermal delivery of testosterone and to characterize its efficacy.Testosterone release from a series of formulations was assessed in vitro.Skin from hairless mice was used in permeation experiments with Franz diffusion cells.The spray pattern,pump seal efficiency,average weight per metered dose and dose uniformity were evaluated.An optimized formulation containing 10%(w/v)testosterone,9%(v/v)azone and 91%(v/v)ethanol was based on good skin permeation and acceptable drug concentration and permeation enhancer(PE)content.A skin irritation study indicated that the formulation was non-irritating in a rat model.An in vivo pharmacokinetic study indicated that the optimized formulation showed a different plasma concentration-time profile from that of the commercially available product Testopatchs.The Testopatchs product demonstrated a more sustainable drug release.The evaluation of the testosterone MDTS indicated that it could deliver reproducible amounts of the formulation per actuation.The results obtained showed that the MDTS is a potential alternative therapeutic system for transdermal testosterone delivery.

Our expedition in the construction of fluorescent supramolecular metallacycles

During the past few years, the construction of fluorescent supramolecular metallocycles has attracted extensive attention due to their diverse applications such as sensing, photoelectric devices, and mimicking complicated natural photo-processes. In this review, we will discuss how we entered the field of fluorescent supramolecular metallacycles and what we investigated in this field. The preparation of various fluorescent supramolecular metallacycles and their applications in monitoring the dynamics of coordination-driven self-assembly, sensing, catalysts, and supramolecular gels will be summarized.

Purification of Puerarin from Pueraria lobata by FCPC versus HSCCC Using Small-volume Columns

Objective To develop an efficient method for separating and purifying puerarin from the roots of Pueraria lobata.Methods Separation by fast centrifugal partition chromatography（FCPC）was processed with a biphasic solvent system composed of ethyl acetate-n-butanol-water（2：1：3）.The separation conditions were determined as follows：sample loading of 10 mg,flow rate of 2 mL/min,rotation speed of 2200 r/min,ascending mode,and detection wavelength of 254 nm.High speed countercurrent chromatography（HSCCC）was used as a comparative method with the rotation speed of 800 r/min,flow rate of 2.0 mL/min,and sample loading of 10 mg in tail-to-head mode.Results Puerarin was obtained by FCPC with a resolution of 0.90 and a purity above 99%,while a resolution below 0.50 and a purity below 90%by HSCCC.Compared with HSCCC,FCPC has the advantages with higher purity and better resolution.Conclusion FCPC is a powerful method to separate and purify puerarin.