Antibacterial features of material surface: strong enough to serve as antibiotics?

Bacteria are small but need big efforts to control. The use of antibiotics not only produces superbugs that are increasingly difficult to inactivate, but also raises environmental concerns with the growing consumption. It is now believed that the antibacterial task can count on some physiochemical features of material surfaces, which can be anti-adhesive or bactericidal without releasing toxicants. It is necessary to evaluate to what extent can we rely on the surface design since the actual application scenarios will need the antibacterial performance to be sharp, robust, environmentally friendly, and long-lasting. Herein, we review the recent laboratory advances that have been classified based on the specific surface features, including hydrophobicity, charge potential, micromorphology, stiffness and viscosity, and photoactivity, and the antibacterial mechanisms of each feature are included to provide a basic rationale for future design. The significance of anti-biofilms is also introduced, given the big role of biofilms in bacteria-caused damage. A perspective on the potential wide application of antibacterial surface features as a substitute or supplement to antibiotics is then discussed. Surface design is no doubt a solution worthy to explore, and future success will be a result of further progress in multiple directions, including mechanism study and material preparation.

Research progress on antitumor activity of XRP44X and analogues as microtubule targeting agents

Cancer threatens human health and life. Therefore, it is particularly important to develop safe and effective antitumor drugs. Microtubules, the main component of cytoskeleton, play an important role in maintaining cell morphology, mitosis, and signal transduction, which are one of important targets of antitumor drug research and development. Colchicine binding site inhibitors have dual effects of inhibiting proliferation and destroying blood vessels. In recent years, a series of inhibitors targeting this target have been studied and some progress has been made. XRP44X has a novel structure and overcomes some disadvantages of traditional inhibitors. It is also a multifunctional molecule that regulates not only the function of tubulin but also a variety of biological pathways. Therefore, the structure, synthesis, structure-activity relationship, and biological activity of XRP44X analogues reported in recent years were summarized in this paper, to provide a useful reference for the rational design of efficient colchicine binding site inhibitors.

New insights into bacterial mechanisms and potential intestinal epithelial cell therapeutic targets of inflammatory bowel disease

The global incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has increased rapidly in recent years, but its exact etiology remains unclear. In the past decade, IBD has been reported to be associated with dysbiosis of gut microbiota. Although not yet proven to be a cause or consequence of IBD, the common hypothesis is that at least some alterations in the microbiome are protective or pathogenic. Furthermore, intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) serve as a protective physical barrier for gut microbiota, essential for maintaining intestinal homeostasis and actively contributes to the mucosal immune system. Thus, dysregulation within the intestinal epithelium increases intestinal permeability, promotes the entry of bacteria, toxins, and macromolecules, and disrupts intestinal immune homeostasis, all of which are associated with the clinical course of IBD. This article presents a selective overview of recent studies on bacterial mechanisms that may be protective or promotive of IBD in biological models. Moreover, we summarize and discuss the recent discovery of key modulators and signaling pathways in the IECs that could serve as potential IBD therapeutic targets. Understanding the role of the IECs in the pathogenesis of IBD may help improve the understanding of the inflammatory process and the identification of potential therapeutic targets to help ameliorate this increasingly common disease.

PROTACs for BRDs proteins in cancer therapy: a review

BRDs proteins that recognise chromatin acetylation regulate gene expression, are epigenetic readers and master transcription coactivators. BRDs proteins are now emerging as targets for new therapeutic development. Blocking the function of any of BRDs proteins can be a control agent for diseases, such as cancer. Traditional drugs like enzyme inhibitors and protein–protein inhibitors have many limitations. The therapeutic efficacy of them remains to be proven. Recently, Proteolysis-Targeting Chimaeras (PROTACs) have become an advanced tool in therapeutic intervention as they remove disease-causing proteins. Extremely potent and efficacious small-molecule PROTACs of the BRDs proteins, based on available, potent, and selective BRDs inhibitors, have been reported. This review presents a comprehensive overview of the development of PROTACs for BRDs proteins regulation in cancer, and the chances and challenges associated with this area are also highlighted.

Individual and combined relationship of serum uric acid and alanine aminotransferase on metabolic syndrome in adults in Qingdao, China

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Associations of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and serum uric acid (SUA) with metabolic syndrome (MetS) remain controversial. We aimed to explore individual and combined effects of ALT and SUA on MetS in community residents.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A population-based cross-sectional survey involving randomly selected Chinese adults aged 35-74 years was conducted in 2009 in Qingdao, China, and 4642 participants were included in the current study. Based on a combination of SUA and ALT levels in the tertile, subjects were grouped into Group 1-9. The individual and combined relations of SUA and ALT to MetS were analyzed by logistic regression models. The prevalence of MetS was 28.50% in males and 22.30% in females. ALT and SUA were independently associated with MetS and ORs (95% CIs) were 1.55 (1.42-1.70) and 1.92 (1.72-2.14), respectively, after adjusting for potential confounders. With the elevation of ALT and SUA levels, the risk of developing MetS increased. Compared to Group 1, ORs (95% CIs) of combined ALT and SUA for MetS were 2.21 (1.70-2.88), 4.02 (3.10-5.21), 2.19 (1.62-2.97), 2.53 (1.91-3.34), 4.69 (3.60-6.12), 1.76 (1.17-2.64), 3.65 (2.63-5.06) and 7.15 (5.41-9.46) in Group 2-9, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

ALT and SUA were both related to MetS independently. Combined elevation of ALT and SUA levels could increase the risk of MetS and its components than an elevation in SUA and ALT alone. Therefore, measures should be taken to lower SUA and ALT levels to reduce the risk of having MetS.

Proteolysis-targeting chimaeras (PROTACs) as pharmacological tools and therapeutic agents: advances and future challenges

Proteolysis-targeting chimaeras (PROTACs) have been developed to be an emerging technology for targeted protein degradation and attracted the favour of academic institutions, large pharmaceutical enterprises, and biotechnology companies. The mechanism is based on the inhibition of protein function by hijacking a ubiquitin E3 ligase for protein degradation. The heterobifunctional PROTACs contain a ligand for recruiting an E3 ligase, a linker, and another ligand to bind with the protein targeted for degradation. To date, PROTACs targeting ∼70 proteins, many of which are clinically validated drug targets, have been successfully developed with several in clinical trials for diseases therapy. In this review, the recent advances in PROTACs against clinically validated drug targets are summarised and the chemical structure, cellular and in vivo activity, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of these PROTACs are highlighted. In addition, the potential advantages, challenges, and prospects of PROTACs technology in disease treatment are discussed.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel diarylpyridine derivatives as tubulin polymerisation inhibitors

A set of novel diarylpyridines as anti-tubulin agents were designed, synthesised using a rigid pyridine as a linker to fix the cis-orientation of ring-A and ring-B. All of the target compounds were evaluated for their in vitro antiproliferative activities. Among them, 10t showed remarkable antiproliferative activities against three cancer cell lines (HeLa, MCF-7 and SGC-7901) in sub-micromolar concentrations. Consistent with its potent antiproliferative activity, 10t also displayed potent anti-tubulin activity. Cellular mechanism investigation elucidated 10t disrupted the cellular microtubule structure, arrested cell cycle at G2/M phase and induces apoptosis. Molecular modelling studies showed that 10t could bind to the colchicine binding site on microtubules. These results provide motivation and further guidance for the development of new CA-4 analogues.

Review of preclinical data of PF-07304814 and its active metabolite derivatives against SARS-CoV-2 infection

Main protease (M^pro) is a superior target for anti-SARS-COV-2 drugs. PF-07304814 is a phosphate ester prodrug of PF-00835231 that is rapidly metabolized into the active metabolite PF-00835231 by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and then suppresses SARS-CoV-2 replication by inhibiting M^pro. PF-07304814 increased the bioavailability of PF-00835231 by enhancing plasma protein binding (PPB). P-glycoprotein (P-gp) inhibitors and cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) inhibitors increased the efficacy of PF-00835231 by suppressing its efflux from target cells and metabolism, respectively. The life cycle of SARS-CoV-2 is approximately 4 h. The mechanisms and efficacy outcomes of PF-00835231 occur simultaneously. PF-00835231 can inhibit not only cell infection (such as Vero E6, 293T, Huh-7.5, HeLa^{+angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)}, A549^+ACE2, and MRC-5) but also the human respiratory epithelial organ model and animal model infection. PF-07304814 exhibits a short terminal elimination half-life and is cleared primarily through renal elimination. There were no significant adverse effects of PF-07304814 administration in rats. Therefore, PF-07304814 exhibits good tolerability, pharmacology, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and safety in preclinical trials. However, the Phase 1 data of PF-07304814 were not released. The Phase 2/3 trial of PF-07304814 was also suspended. Interestingly, the antiviral activities of PF-00835231 derivatives (compounds 5–22) are higher than, similar to, or slightly weaker than those of PF-00835231. In particular, compound 22 exhibited the highest potency and had good safety and stability. However, the low solubility of compound 22 limits its clinical application. Prodrugs, nanotechnology and salt form drugs may solve this problem. In this review, we focus on the preclinical data of PF-07304814 and its active metabolite derivatives to hopefully provide knowledge for researchers to study SARS-CoV-2 infection.

ALT-803 in the treatment of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer: Preclinical and clinical evidence and translational potential

Bladder cancer (BCa) is one of the most common malignant tumors that cause death. Approximately 75%–85% of BCa develop into non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is the gold standard for avoiding cystectomy in the treatment of NMIBC. Unfortunately, up to 30% of patients do not respond to BCG treatment, and up to 70% of BCG responders relapse. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved valrubicin (1998) and pembrolizumab (2020) for the treatment of BCG-unresponsive (BCGu) NMBIC. However, the complete remission rate for valrubicin and pembrolizumab was only 16% and 40.6%, respectively. ALT-803 (N-803) is an IL-15 superagonist and reduces tumor burden by promoting the proliferation and activation of NK cells and CD8⁺ T cells. The FDA received (23 May 2022) and accepted to review (28 July 2022) the marketing submission of ALT-803 plus BCG for the treatment of BCGu NMIBC. However, the FDA previously rejected the application for oportuzumab monatox (OM) due to a lack of data comparing it with pembrolizumab on August 20, 2021. Interestingly, the clinical efficacy and safety of ALT-803 were higher than that of pembrolizumab and OM, suggesting that ALT-803 may be approved by FDA. This review aims to further knowledge of the preclinical and clinical evidence of ALT-803 in the treatment of NMIBC and discuss its translational potential.

Inhibitory Effect of Isoliquiritigenin in Niemann-Pick C1-Like 1-Mediated Cholesterol Uptake

Isoliquiritigenin (ISL) is a flavonoid with a chalcone structure extracted from the natural herb Glycyrrhiza glabra. Its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidant, and anticancer activities have been extensively studied. Moreover, ISL also possess hypolipidemic and atherosclerosis-reducing effects. However, its cholesterol-lowering mechanisms have not been reported yet. Niemann Pick C1 Like 1 (NPC1L1) is a specific transporter of cholesterol uptake. In this study, we found for the first time that ISL downregulates NPC1L1 expression and competitively inhibits cellular cholesterol uptake by binding to NPC1L1 in a concentration-dependent manner in vitro. This study provides a theoretical basis for further investigation of the molecular mechanisms of its cholesterol-lowering effect in vivo and inspired emerging drug research for cholesterol-lowering purposes through NPC1L1 inhibition.

Advances And Challenges In Using Nirmatrelvir And Its Derivatives Against Sars-Cov-2 Infection

On 22 December 2021, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first M^pro inhibitor, i.e., oral antiviral nirmatrelvir (PF-07321332)/ritonavir (Paxlovid), for the treatment of early severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Nirmatrelvir inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection, but high doses or long-term treatment may cause embryonic developmental toxicity and changes in host gene expression. The chiral structure of nirmatrelvir plays a key role in its antiviral activity. Ritonavir boosts the efficacy of nirmatrelvir by inactivating cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) expression and occupying the plasma protein binding sites. Multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1) inhibitors may increase the efficacy of nirmatrelvir. However, paxlovid has many contraindications. Some patients treated with paxlovid experience a second round of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) symptoms soon after recovery. Interestingly, the antiviral activity of nirmatrelvir metabolites, such as compounds 12−18, is similar to or higher than that of nirmatrelvir. Herein, we review the advances and challenges in using nirmatrelvir and its derivatives with the aim of providing knowledge to drug developers and physicians in the fight against COVID-19.

Advances in Trop2-targeted therapy: Novel agents and opportunities beyond breast cancer

Trop2 is a transmembrane glycoprotein and calcium signal transducer with limited expression in normal human tissues. It is consistently overexpressed in a variety of malignant tumors and participates in several oncogenic signaling pathways that lead to tumor development, invasion, and metastasis. As a result, Trop2 has become an attractive therapeutic target in cancer treatment. The anti-Trop2 antibody-drug conjugate (Trodelvy™, sacituzumab govitecan) has been approved to treat metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. However, it is still unclear whether the success observed in Trop2-positive breast cancer could be replicated in other tumor types, owing to the differences in the expression levels and functions of Trop2 across cancer types. In this review, we summarize the recent progress on the structures and functions of Trop2 and highlight the potential diagnostic and therapeutic value of Trop2 beyond breast cancer. In addition, the promising novel Trop2-targeted agents in the clinic were discussed, which will likely alter the therapeutic landscape of Trop2-positive tumors in the future.

Advances in antitumor research of CA-4 analogs carrying quinoline scaffold

Combretastatin A-4 (CA-4) is a potent inhibitor of tubulin polymerization and a colchicine binding site inhibitor (CBSI). The structure-activity relationship study of CA-4 showed that the cis double bond configuration and the 3,4,5-trimethoxy group on the A ring were important factors to maintain the activity of CA-4. Therefore, starting from this condition, chemists modified the double bond and also substituted 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl with various heterocycles, resulting in a new generation of CA-4 analogs such as chalcone, Flavonoid derivatives, indole, imidazole, etc. Quinoline derivatives have strong biological activity and have been sought after by major researchers for their antitumor activity in recent years. This article reviews the research progress of novel CA-4 containing quinoline analogs in anti-tumor from 1992 to 2022 and expounds on the pharmacological mechanisms of these effective compounds, including but not limited to apoptosis, cell cycle, tubulin polymerization inhibition, immune Fluorescence experiments, etc., which lay the foundation for the subsequent development of CA-4 containing quinoline analogs for clinical use.

Recent advances in bacteria-mediated cancer therapy

Cancer is among the leading cause of deaths worldwide. Although conventional therapies have been applied in the fight against the cancer, the poor oxygen, low extracellular pH, and high interstitial fluid pressure of the tumor microenvironment mean that these treatments fail to completely eradicate cancer cells. Recently, bacteria have increasingly been considered to be a promising platform for cancer therapy thanks to their many unique properties, such as specific tumor-targeting ability, high motility, immunogenicity, and their use as gene or drug carriers. Several types of bacteria have already been used for solid and metastatic tumor therapies, with promising results. With the development of synthetic biology, engineered bacteria have been endowed with the controllable expression of therapeutic proteins. Meanwhile, nanomaterials have been widely used to modify bacteria for targeted drug delivery, photothermal therapy, magnetothermal therapy, and photodynamic therapy, while promoting the antitumor efficiency of synergistic cancer therapies. This review will provide a brief introduction to the foundation of bacterial biotherapy. We begin by summarizing the recent advances in the use of many different types of bacteria in multiple targeted tumor therapies. We will then discuss the future prospects of bacteria-mediated cancer therapies.

First Discovery of Cholesterol-Lowering Activity of Parthenolide as NPC1L1 Inhibitor

Elevated cholesterol significantly increases the risk of developing atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. The key to treating hypercholesterolemia is lowering plasma cholesterol levels. There have been no studies on the cholesterol-lowering potential of parthenolide (PTL), a naturally occurring small molecule from Tanacetum parthenium. Here, we first put forth PTL’s cholesterol-lowering ability to inhibit cellular uptake of cholesterol in a dose-dependent manner. Its performance was on par with the positive control drug, ezetimibe. Niemann–Pick C1 Like-1 (NPC1L1) has been identified as a potential therapeutic target for hypercholesterolemia. The interaction of PTL with NPC1L1 could be explained by the results of molecular docking and filipin staining further reinforces this hypothesis. Furthermore, PTL reduced the expression of NPC1L1 in HepG2 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, which suggests that PTL functions as a potential NPC1L1 inhibitor with therapeutic potential for hypercholesterolemia.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of 9-aryl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole derivatives as potential tubulin polymerization inhibitors

A series of new 9-aryl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole derivatives as tubulin polymerization inhibitors were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for antitumor activity. All newly prepared compounds were tested for their anti-proliferative activity in vitro against three different cancer cells (SGC-7901, HeLa, and MCF-7). Among the designed compounds, compound 7k displayed the strongest anti-proliferative activity against HeLa cells with IC₅₀ values of 8.7 ± 1.3 μM. In addition, 7k could inhibit the polymerization of tubulin and disrupt the microtubule network of cells. Further mechanism studies revealed that 7k arrested cell cycle at the G2/M phase and induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Molecular docking analysis confirmed that 7k may bind to colchicine binding sites on microtubules. Our study aims to provide a new strategy for the development of antitumor drugs targeting tubulin.

A potent synthetic nanobody with broad-spectrum activity neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 virus and the Omicron variant BA.1 through a unique binding mode

The major challenge to controlling the COVID pandemic is the rapid mutation rate of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, leading to the escape of the protection of vaccines and most of the neutralizing antibodies to date. Thus, it is essential to develop neutralizing antibodies with broad-spectrum activity targeting multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants. Here, we report a synthetic nanobody (named C5G2) obtained by phage display and subsequent antibody engineering. C5G2 has a single-digit nanomolar binding affinity to the RBD domain and inhibits its binding to ACE2 with an IC₅₀ of 3.7 nM. Pseudovirus assays indicated that monovalent C5G2 could protect the cells from infection with SARS-CoV-2 wild-type virus and most of the viruses of concern, i.e., Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Omicron variants. Strikingly, C5G2 has the highest potency against Omicron BA.1 among all the variants, with an IC₅₀ of 4.9 ng/mL. The cryo-EM structure of C5G2 in complex with the spike trimer showed that C5G2 binds to RBD mainly through its CDR3 at a conserved region that does not overlap with the ACE2 binding surface. Additionally, C5G2 binds simultaneously to the neighboring NTD domain of the spike trimer through the same CDR3 loop, which may further increase its potency against viral infection. Third, the steric hindrance caused by FR2 of C5G2 could inhibit the binding of ACE2 to RBD as well. Thus, this triple-function nanobody may serve as an effective drug for prophylaxis and therapy against Omicron as well as future variants.

The role of NPC1L1 in cancer

Lipid metabolism appears to play significant roles in the development of cancer. Numerous studies have shown that the evolution of malignancies, including breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers, involves cholesterol in a profound manner. A crucial part in the intestinal absorption of cholesterol is played by Niemann–Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1), a cholesterol transporter protein that is widely expressed in the small intestine and liver. The importance of NPC1L1 in tumor prognosis has been demonstrated in investigations in the interim. NPC1L1 also has the potential to develop into a new therapeutic target and a cancer marker. There is, however, no comprehensive review that summarizes NPC1L1’s function in cancer. To this end, we outlined NPC1L1’s functions in carcinogenesis and treatment, along with resources that can be used to further comprehend the connection between NPC1L1 and tumors.

Recent Advances on the Role of ATGL in Cancer

The hypoxic state of the tumor microenvironment leads to reprogramming lipid metabolism in tumor cells. Adipose triglyceride lipase, also known as patatin-like phospholipase= domain-containing protein 2 and Adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), as an essential lipid metabolism-regulating enzyme in cells, is regulated accordingly under hypoxia induction. However, studies revealed that ATGL exhibits both tumor-promoting and tumor-suppressing effects, which depend on the cancer cell type and the site of tumorigenesis. For example, elevated ATGL expression in breast cancer is accompanied by enhanced fatty acid oxidation (FAO), enhancing cancer cells’ metastatic ability. In prostate cancer, on the other hand, tumor activity tends to be negatively correlated with ATGL expression. This review outlined the regulation of ATGL-mediated lipid metabolism pathways in tumor cells, emphasizing the Hypoxia-inducible factors 1 (HIF-1)/Hypoxia-inducible lipid droplet-associated (HIG-2)/ATGL axis, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)/G0/G1 switch gene 2 (G0S2)/ATGL axis, and fat-specific protein 27 (FSP-27)/Early growth response protein 1 (EGR-1)/ATGL axis. In the light of recent research on different cancer types, the role of ATGL on tumorigenesis, tumor proliferation, and tumor metastasis was systemically reviewed.

[Development of a Ranking Tool for Scientificity, Transparency and Applicability of Clinical Practice Guidelines]

Objective: To address the limitations of existing methods and tools for evaluating clinical practice guidelines, we aimed to develop a comprehensive instrument focusing on the three main dimensions of guideline development: scientificity, transparency, applicability. We will use it to rank the guidelines according to the scores. We abbreviated it as STAR, and its reliability, validity and usability were also tested. Methods: A multidisciplinary expert working group was set up, including methodologists, statisticians, journal editors, medical professionals, and others. Scoping review, Delphi methods and hierarchical analysis were used to determine the final checklist of STAR. Results: The new instrument contained 11 domains and 39 items. Intrinsic reliability of each domain was indicated by Cronbach's α coefficient, with a average value of 0.646. The Cohen's kappa coefficients for methodological evaluators and clinical evaluators were 0.783 and 0.618. The overall content validity index was 0.905. The R2 for the criterion validity analysis was 0.76. The average score for usability of the items was 4.6, and the mean time spent to evaluate each guideline was 20 minutes. Conclusion: The instrument has good reliability, validity and evaluating efficiency, and can be used for evaluating and ranking guidelines more comprehensively.

Association of triglyceride-glucose index and the presence of low muscle mass in type 2 diabetes patients

Triglyceride-glucose index (TyG index) has been used in healthy individuals as a marker of insulin resistance. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) showed an increased risk of developing low muscle mass compared to control subjects. This study is performed to determine the association of TyG index with the presence of low muscle mass in T2DM patients. This study included 1098 T2DM patients who were recruited from the inpatients in Qilu Hospital (Qingdao). Skeletal muscle index (SMI) was measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Serum triglyceride and fasting plasma glucose were measured and used to calculate TyG index. 119 male subjects (20.2%) had low muscle mass, while 72 female subjects (14.1%) had low muscle mass in T2DM patients. TyG index was correlated with a decreased risk of low muscle mass in both male and female T2DM groups. TyG index was found to be positively correlated with SMI after multivariate adjustment in male subjects. When TyG index was ≤ 9.5, TyG index was positively correlated with SMI. However, when TyG index was > 9.5, there was not a significant association between TyG index and SMI. Moreover, TyG index was not correlated with SMI after multivariate analysis in female subjects. However, TyG index was positively correlated with SMI when TyG index was ≤ 9. When TyG index was > 9, TyG index was negatively correlated with SMI, however, the correlation was not statistically significant. TyG index is inversely correlated with the presence of low muscle mass in T2DM patients.

Recent advances in IAP-based PROTACs (SNIPERs) as potential therapeutic agents

Proteolytic targeting chimaeras (PROTACs) have been developed as an effective technology for targeted protein degradation. PROTACs are heterobifunctional molecules that can trigger the polyubiquitination of proteins of interest (POIs) by recruiting the ubiquitin-proteasome system, thereby inhibiting the intracellular level of POIs. To date, a variety of small-molecule PROTACs (CRBN, VHL, IAP, and MDM2-based PROTACs) have been developed. IAP-based PROTACs, also known as specific and nongenetic IAP-dependent protein erasers (SNIPERs), are used to degrade the target proteins closely related to diseases. Their structures consist of three parts, including target protein ligand, E3 ligase ligand, and the linker between them. So far, many SNIPERs have been extensively studied worldwide and have performed well in multiple diseases, especially cancer. In this review, we will present the most relevant advances in the field of SNIPERs and provide our perspective on the opportunities and challenges for SNIPERs to become therapeutic agents.

Myocyte enhancer factor 2D promotes hepatocellular carcinoma through AMOTL2/YAP signaling that inhibited by luteolin

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the deadliest malignancies in the world. There is a lack of effective treatment. Previous studies have shown that myocyte enhancer factor 2D (MEF2D) promotes the progression of HCC. Underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we reported experimental results obtained using double luciferase. Our results showed that AMOTL2, a negative regulator of Hippo/YAP signaling, and the MEF2 cis-acting element in the upstream region of its promoter bind to MEF2D, inhibiting its transcriptional expression. Studies confirmed that MEF2D affected the protein expression level of AMOTL2 and the YAP signaling activation. It promoted the migration and proliferation of hepatoma cells. We found that luteolin, a natural flavonoid, has anti-tumor activity in HCC cells by affecting YAP signaling transduction. In conclusion, we demonstrated that AMOTL2/YAP signaling is associated with MEF2D-related HCC progression. Luteolin is a promising anti-HCC compound for regulating this signaling.