Inflammatory Related Reactions in Humans and in Canine Breast Cancers, A Spontaneous Animal Model of Disease

Inflammatory cells are emerging markers in various cancers in human trials. The relationship between the inflammatory cells response, cancer grade, and progression has been investigated experimentally in a spontaneous canine model of breast cancer and in the unselected population (18–64 years.o.) under anti-HER2 treatments that represent the most prevalent population in this cancer type. The canine data (N samples = 101) were collected retrospectively for diagnosis in our regional area and evaluated by immunohistochemistry and haemato-chemistry. The inflammatory and immune-related adverse reactions (ADR) in humans were evaluated using EudraVigilance. The “Proportional Reporting Ratio” (PRR) of the mabs was calculated for each ADR with values >2 indicative of high risk. In dogs, we found elevated immunostaining of CD68-macrophages in the lymph node of the aggressive cancer G3 and infiltrating CD20+-lymphocyte. A high density of CD20 + lymphocytes was observed in G1 and a decrease in the density was observed with the histological degree of the tumors. The animals with the sample in G1 showed reduced serum platelet and neutrophil count and elevated lymphocytes and the opposite in severely affected animals. Inflammatory reactions with edema, skin reactions, extravasation, loss of effectiveness, and platelet count decrease (PRR > 13) were found with trastuzumab emtansine in humans, in the absence of immune system reactions. Trastuzumab i.v.-s.c. showed immune system reactions, loss of effectiveness, intolerances with drug withdrawal, technological issues (PRR > 7), and neutrophil count decrease reports. These reactions were less frequently reported for pertuzumab i.v. Case reports of platelet and neutrophil count decrease were not associated with disease progression with a better outcome in humans as in canine breast cancer. Therefore, infiltrating CD68-macrophages are associated with G3, while infiltrating CD20⁺ and elevated serum lymphocytes in parallel with reduced platelet and neutrophil count play a favorable role in human and canine breast cancer.

Promoting GAINs (Give Attention to Limitations in Assays) over PAINs Alerts: no PAINS, more GAINs

Many concepts and guidelines in medicinal chemistry have been introduced to aid in successful drug discovery and development. An example is the concept of Pan-Assay Interference Compounds (PAINS) and the elimination of such nuisance compounds from high-throughput screening (HTS) libraries. PAINs, along with other guidelines in medicinal chemistry, are like double-edged swords. If used appropriately, they may be beneficial for drug discovery and development. However, rigid and blind use of such concepts can hinder productivity. In this perspective, we introduce GAINS (give attention to limitations in assays) and highlight its relevance for successful drug discovery.

Assessing Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Breast Cancer: A Proposal for Combining Immunohistochemistry and Gene Expression Analysis to Refine Scoring

Scoring of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in breast cancer specimens has gained increasing attention, as TILs have prognostic and predictive value in HER2+ and triple-negative breast cancer. We evaluated the intra- and interrater variability when scoring TILs by visual inspection of hematoxylin and eosin-stained tissue sections. We further addressed whether immunohistochemical staining of these sections for immune cell surface markers CD45, CD3, CD4, and CD8 and combination with nanoString nCounter® gene expression analysis could refine TIL scoring. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded and fresh-frozen core needle biopsies of 12 female and treatment-naive breast cancer patients were included. Scoring of TILs was performed twice by three independent pathologists with a washout period of 3 days. Increasing intra- and interrater variability was observed with higher TIL numbers. The highest reproducibility was observed on tissue sections stained for CD3 and CD8. The latter TIL scores correlated well with the TIL scores obtained through nanoString nCounter® gene expression analysis. Gene expression analysis also revealed 104 and 62 genes that are positively and negatively related to both TIL scores. In conclusion, integration of immunohistochemistry and gene expression analysis is a valuable strategy to refine TIL scoring in breast tumors.

Natural product drug discovery in the artificial intelligence era

Natural products (NPs) are primarily recognized as privileged structures to interact with protein drug targets. Their unique characteristics and structural diversity continue to marvel scientists for developing NP-inspired medicines, even though the pharmaceutical industry has largely given up. High-performance computer hardware, extensive storage, accessible software and affordable online education have democratized the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in many sectors and research areas. The last decades have introduced natural language processing and machine learning algorithms, two subfields of AI, to tackle NP drug discovery challenges and open up opportunities. In this article, we review and discuss the rational applications of AI approaches developed to assist in discovering bioactive NPs and capturing the molecular "patterns" of these privileged structures for combinatorial design or target selectivity.

Investigational antiviral drugs for the treatment of COVID-19 patients

In the current pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), antiviral drugs are at the center of attention because of their critical role against severe acute respiratory disease syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In addition to designing new antivirals against SARS-COV-2, a drug repurposing strategy is a practical approach for treating COVID-19. A brief insight about antivirals would help clinicians to choose the best medication for the treatment of COVID-19. In this review, we discuss both novel and repurposed investigational antivirals, focusing on in vitro, in vivo, and clinical trial studies.

Pharmacophore Modelling and Virtual Screening Studies for the Discovery of Natural Product-Based PDE 3/4 Dual Inhibitors for COPD

Background:

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) is a chronic and progressive lung disease with a steady increase in prevalence over the recent years. Current treatment options of COPD are aimed at symptomatic relief without the ability to cure COPD, and certain corticosteroid treatments cause patients to be susceptible to infections. Newer studies have hinted that PDE3/4 dual inhibitors may produce a higher efficacy and better safety profile compared to current alternatives. These novel inhibitors may potentially improve the control of COPD exacerbation without increasing the risk of infections. Thus, our study aims to identify and refine natural compounds with PDE3/4 dual inhibitory activities through molecular modelling techniques.

Method:

A two-sided approach through ligand-based and structure-based pharmacophore modelling was employed, followed by virtual screening and molecular docking to identify lead compounds with PDE3/4 dual inhibition activity.

Results:

Pharmacophore based screening of Universal Natural Products Database (UNPD) resulted in identification of one compound for each pharmacophore model, namely UNPD1558 and UNPD139455, with high binding affinities towards both PDE3B and PDE4B. The two compounds were subsequently docked with PDE3B and PDE4B to study their interactions with the active site residues. Structural modifications of the compounds were proposed based on the docking results, to optimise their binding affinity and physicochemical properties.

Conclusion:

Compound 25a4 and compound 28, which were designed based on the structures of UNPD1558 and UNPD139455, respectively, showed improved binding affinity for both PDE3B and PDE4B. These lead compounds showed promising results as drug candidates and their PDE3/4 dual inhibitory properties should be further investigated through in vivo and in vivo studies.

Proof-of-Concept Preclinical Use of Drosophila melanogaster in the Initial Screening of Immunomodulators

Drug discovery is a complex process, and the use of a comprehensive approach is deemed necessary to discover new chemical entities with novel mechanisms of action. This research was carried out to determine whether Drosophila melanogaster can serve as an appropriate model organism in the initial screening of drug candidates with immunomodulatory activities. To test this, we performed phenotypic assay and molecular analysis to investigate the immunomodulatory activities of aspirin, dexamethasone, curcumin, and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), that have been reported to yield such effects in the mammalian model system. In vivo survival analysis demonstrated that all drugs/compounds were relatively safe at the tested concentrations. In the infection assay, curcumin and EGCG showed a protective signature to bacterial infection in flies lacking Toll-mediated immune responses. Furthermore, dexamethasone and aspirin, drugs with immunosuppressive activity, could improve the survival of PGRP-LBΔ mutant flies with hyperactivated immune system. These phenotypes were supported by RT-qPCR-based molecular analysis, revealing that drugs/compounds used in this study could modulate the expression level of genes related to the immune system. In conclusion, while curcumin and EGCG could promote the improvement of fly survival against infection, aspirin and dexamethasone were able to suppress overactivation of immune responses in D. melanogaster. These results are in line with the ones observed in the mammalian model system, further emphasizing the notion that flies would serve as a prospective model organism in the initial screening of drug candidates for their immunomodulatory activities prior to further checking in the mammalian animal models. In the end, this will reduce the use of mammalian animal models for preliminary experiments in an effort to discover/repurpose drugs with immunomodulatory activity.

Class imbalance learning with Bayesian optimization applied in drug discovery

Machine intelligence (MI), including machine learning and deep learning, have been regarded as promising methods to reduce the prohibitively high cost of drug development. However, a dilemma within MI has limited its wide application: machine learning models are easier to interpret but yield worse predictive performance than deep learning models. Therefore, we propose a pipeline called Class Imbalance Learning with Bayesian Optimization (CILBO) to improve the performance of machine learning models in drug discovery. To demonstrate the efficacy of the CILBO pipeline, we developed an example model to predict antibacterial candidates. Comparison of the antibacterial prediction performance between our model and a well-known deep learning model published by Stokes et al. suggests that our model can perform as well as the deep learning model in drug activity prediction. The CILBO pipeline we propose provides a simple, alternative approach to accelerate preliminary screenings and decrease the cost of drug discovery.

Safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of single and multiple topical ophthalmic administration of imatinib mesylate in healthy subjects

For the long‐term efficacy of dry eye disease treatment, relieving underlying inflammation is necessary. Imatinib mesylate is a novel ophthalmic formulation of imatinib mesylate, which is expected to alleviate inflammation by inhibiting the discoidin domain receptor 1 activity. This study aims to evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetics of imatinib mesylate in healthy subjects. A randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study was conducted. In a single ascending dose, 16 subjects received a single eye drop of imatinib mesylate 0.1%, 0.3%, or matching placebo. In the multiple ascending dose (MAD), subjects received multiple eye drops of imatinib mesylate 0.1%, 0.3%, or matching placebo once daily for 7 days. Safety and tolerability were assessed by ophthalmic examination, including the visual analog scale (VAS) to monitor the burning sensation in the eyes. A total of four treatment‐emergent adverse events (TEAEs) occurred during the study. All TEAEs were mildly severe with no serious cases. VAS results in the 0.1% MAD group exhibited highest score of two points, whereas it was less than one point in others. Insignificant difference between the imatinib mesylate and placebo groups in the VAS results was seen. After a single dose administration of imatinib mesylate 0.1%, all plasma concentrations were below the lower limit of quantification. The peak plasma concentrations of imatinib were less than 0.54 µg/L in all groups. In conclusion, a single and multiple topical ophthalmic administration of imatinib mesylate was well‐tolerated in healthy subjects. Because there was minimal systemic exposure to imatinib, the adverse effect in the body seems to be insignificant.

Molecular Docking and Molecular Dynamics Simulations Discover Curcumin Analogue as a Plausible Dual Inhibitor for SARS-CoV-2

Recently, the world has been witnessing a global pandemic with no effective therapeutics yet, while cancer continues to be a major disease claiming many lives. The natural compound curcumin is bestowed with multiple medicinal applications in addition to demonstrating antiviral and anticancer activities. In order to elucidate the impact of curcumin on COVID-19 and cancer, the current investigation has adapted several computational techniques to unfold its possible inhibitory activity. Accordingly, curcumin and similar compounds and analogues were retrieved and assessed for their binding affinities at the binding pocket of SARS-CoV-2 main protease and DDX3. The best binding pose was escalated to molecular dynamics simulation (MDS) studies to assess the time dependent stability. Our findings have rendered one compound that has demonstrated good molecular dock score complemented by key residue interactions and have shown stable MDS results inferred by root mean square deviation (RMSD), radius of gyration (Rg), binding mode, hydrogen bond interactions, and interaction energy. Essential dynamics results have shown that the systemadapts minimum energy conformation to attain a stable state. The discovered compound (curA) could act as plausible inhibitor against SARS-CoV-2 and DDX3. Furthermore, curA could serve as a chemical scaffold for designing and developing new compounds.

& Reut

Introduction

Traditional medicine has an important place in human history and this since antiquity. Indeed, during Egyptian and Chinese civilization era, many detailed manuscripts, describing the therapeutic effect of plants, were found which suggest that folk medicine is the basis of the actual medicine.

Objective

To investigate the phytochemical and pharmacological properties of the n-butanol (n-BuOH) and ethyl acetate (EA) extracts of the aerial part of Centaurea tougourensis.

Methods

The phytochemical evaluation was done based on HPLC-DAD approach. The antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH and cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), while the hemostatic effect was performed using plasma recalcification time (PRT) method. The antidiabetic capacity was investigated by alpha-amylase inhibition assay and the photoprotective test was evaluated by the measurement of sun protection factor (SPF).

Results

13 phenolic compounds were identified in both extracts of C. tougourensis. These extracts showed antioxidant, haemostatic, antidiabetic and photoprotective properties with a dose-dependent manner. Amounts of n-BuOH activities were found higher, with a respective IC50 value of 0.72±0.07 μg/ml in DPPH assay, an A0.50 value lower than 3.125 μg/ml in CUPRAC assay besides a shortening rate percentage of coagulation (86.71%) in haemostatic assay, a moderate inhibition effect on alpha amylase activity with an IC50 value of (711.5±0.03 μg/ml) and a maximum sun protection factor of (56.035). These results were mostly found highly significant (p<0.001) when compared to respective standards.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated some pharmacological effects of C. tougourensis which suggests that our plant could be a good candidate to treat some illnesses related to oxidative stress, bleeding or skin cancer.

Harnessing ortho-Quinone Methides in Natural Product Biosynthesis and Biocatalysis

The implementation of ortho-quinone methide (o-QM) intermediates in complex molecule assembly represents a remarkably efficient strategy designed by Nature and utilized by synthetic chemists. o-QMs have been taken advantage of in biomimetic syntheses for decades, yet relatively few examples of o-QM-generating enzymes in natural product biosynthetic pathways have been reported. The biosynthetic enzymes that have been discovered thus far exhibit tremendous potential for biocatalytic applications, enabling the selective production of desirable compounds that are otherwise intractable or inherently difficult to achieve by traditional synthetic methods. Characterization of this biosynthetic machinery has the potential to shine a light on new enzymes capable of similar chemistry on diverse substrates, thus expanding our knowledge of Nature's catalytic repertoire. The presently known o-QM-generating enzymes include flavin-dependent oxidases, hetero-Diels-Alderases, S-adenosyl-l-methionine-dependent pericyclases, and α-ketoglutarate-dependent nonheme iron enzymes. In this review, we discuss their diverse enzymatic mechanisms and potential as biocatalysts in constructing natural product molecules such as cannabinoids.

Identification of Key Histone Modifications and Hub Genes for Colorectal Cancer Metastasis

Background:

Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) and its reverse Mesenchymal- Epithelial Transition (MET) are essential for tumor cells metastasis. However, the effect of epigenetic modifications on this transition is unclear.

Objective:

We aimed to explore the key histone modifications and hub genes of EMT/MET during Colorectal Cancer (CRC) metastasis.

Method:

The differentially expressed genes and differentially histone modified genes were identified. Based on the histone modification features, the up- and down-regulated genes were predicted by Random Forest algorithm. Through protein-protein interaction network and Cytoscape analysis, the hub genes with histone modification changes were selected. GO, KEGG and survival analyses were performed to confirm the importance of the hub genes.

Results:

It was found that H3K79me3 plays an important role in EMT/MET. And the 200-300bp and 400-500bp downstream of TSS may be the key regulatory regions of H3K79me3. Moreover, we found that the expression of the hub genes was down-regulated in EMT and then up-regulated in MET. And the changes of the hub genes expression were consistent with the changes of H3K79me3 signal in the specific regions of the genome. Finally, the hub genes KRT8 and KRT18 were involved in the metastasis process and were significantly related to the survival time.

Conclusion:

H3K79me3 may be crucial for EMT/MET, and the hub genes KRT8 and KRT18 may be the key genes in this process.

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes predict improved overall survival after post-mastectomy radiotherapy: a study of the randomized DBCG82bc cohort

BACKGROUND

The predictive value of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) on the benefit from radiotherapy (RT) remains unclear. Our aim was to investigate the association between TILs and post-mastectomy RT (PMRT) regarding the risk of recurrence and survival in a randomized cohort.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Stromal TILs were histologically estimated in 1011 tumors from high-risk breast cancer (BC) patients from the DBCG82bc trial. Patients were diagnosed between 1982 and 90, treated with total mastectomy and partial axillary lymph node dissection, randomized to ± PMRT followed by adjuvant systemic treatment. A competing risk model, Kaplan-Meier analysis and multivariate Cox regression analysis were used for correlating TILs and clinical outcome.

RESULTS

106 of 1011 patients (10.5%) showed high TILs using a 30% cut-off. In multivariate regression analysis, a high level of TILs was an independent factor associated with lower risk of distant metastasis (DM) and improved overall survival (OS), but without association with loco-regional control. High TILs were associated with a significantly greater OS after PMRT at 20 years compared to low TILs (8% improvement for low TILs (23% to 31%) vs. 22% for high TILs (26% to 48%), interaction-test: p = 0.028). The association between TILs and PMRT was more pronounced among estrogen-receptor negative (ER-) tumors, and patients having ER-/low TILs tumors showed no OS benefit from PMRT at 20 years (-4% improvement for low TILs (28% to 24%) vs. 23% for high TILs (20% to 43%). A similar trend in the association between high TILs and reduced risk of DM after PMRT was seen.

CONCLUSION

High TILs predict improved OS from PMRT in BC patients, and the association appeared especially strong for ER- tumors. A trend in the association between high TILs and reduced risk of DM after PMRT was seen. These findings may indicate that RT triggers an immune response inducing a systemic effect outside the treatment field.

Scopoletin stimulates the secretion of insulin via a KATP channel-dependent pathway in INS-1 pancreatic β cells

OBJECTIVES

In this study, we investigated whether scopoletin stimulated the secretion of insulin in pancreatic β cells as well as the underlying mechanism involved in this process.

METHODS

We incubated the INS-1 pancreatic β cells with various concentrations of glucose (1.1, 5.6 or 16.7 mM) in the presence or absence of scopoletin. We then analysed the secretion of insulin in the cells treated with insulin secretion inhibitors or secretagogues. The intracellular influx of calcium induced by scopoletin was also analysed using the Fluo-2 AM dye.

KEY FINDINGS

We found that scopoletin (1-20 µM) markedly induced the secretion of insulin in a glucose concentration-dependent manner compared with the control. At depolarizing concentrations of potassium chloride (KCl), scopoletin markedly enhanced the insulin secretion compared with the cells which were treated only with KCl. Moreover, the treatment with diazoxide-opening K+ATP channel and verapamil blocking Ca2+ channel significantly decreased the scopoletin-induced increase in insulin secretion. After the pre-treatment of cells with a Ca2+ fluorescent dye, treatment with 20 µM scopoletin resulted in a significant increase in the influx of intracellular Ca2+, exhibiting fluorescence changes in various spectra.

CONCLUSIONS

Scopoletin stimulates the secretion of insulin via a K+ATP channel-dependent pathway in the INS-1 pancreatic β cells.

Neuraminidase Inhibitor of Garcinia atroviridis L. Fruits and Leaves Using Partial Purification and Molecular Characterization

Neuraminidase (NA) is an enzyme that prevents virions from aggregating within the host cell and promotes cell-to-cell spread by cleaving glycosidic linkages to sialic acid. The best-known neuraminidase is the viral neuraminidase, which present in the influenza virus. Thus, the development of anti-influenza drugs that inhibit NA has emerged as an important and intriguing approach in the treatment of influenza. Garcinia atroviridis L. (GA) dried fruits (GAF) are used commercially as seasoning and in beverages. The main objective of this study was to identify a new potential neuraminidase inhibitor from GA. A bioassay-guided fractionation method was applied to obtain the bioactive compounds leading to the identification of garcinia acid and naringenin. In an enzyme inhibition study, garcinia acid demonstrated the highest activity when compared to naringenin. Garcinia acid had the highest activity, with an IC₅₀ of 17.34–17.53 µg/mL or 91.22–92.21 µM against Clostridium perfringens-NA, and 56.71–57.85 µg/mL or 298.32–304.31 µM against H1N1-NA. Based on molecular docking results, garcinia acid interacted with the triad arginine residues (Arg118, Arg292, and Arg371) of the viral neuraminidase, implying that this compound has the potential to act as a NA enzyme inhibitor.

Novel Treatment Approaches to Combat Trichomoniasis, a Neglected and Sexually Transmitted Infection Caused by Trichomonas vaginalis: Translational Perspectives

The multistep translational science behind new drugs comprehends the entire process through laboratory, clinical, and community observations turned into health interventions. The development of new drug options from discovering targets and leading compounds in basic research for implementing therapeutic guidelines contributes to the emergence of health policies essential for infection control. This review updates the translational research in the scenario of the most common non-viral sexually transmitted infection (STI), trichomoniasis. Paradoxically to its high occurrence, it is considered neglected since notification is not mandatory. It turns into a stable disease with health complications, and receives little emphasis from public health programs to control STI. Although related to curable STIs, the current drugs, metronidazole and tinidazole, present therapeutic failures. The need for new options to treat trichomoniasis is established by basic research studies and patents revealing novel synthetic compounds and natural products presenting anti-Trichomonas vaginalis activities, mainly based on in vitro findings. Clinical trials are still focused on new routes of administration for conventional drugs. In addition, nanotechnology approaches are in their infancy, shedding light on potential possibilities for creating more effective, targeted, and safe delivery systems. Overall, the novel proposed approaches need, in addition to pharmaceutical development and efficacy assessments, to ensure that the quality requirements for their use as medicines are met. It is essential to overcome these issues to cross the “Death Valley” of drug discovery and to advance in the translational science criteria in the trichomoniasis drug development field.

Nobiletin as a chemopreventive natural product against cancer, a comprehensive review

As a leading cause of death, second only to heart disease, cancer has always been one of the burning topics in medical research. When targeting multiple signal pathways in tumorigenesis chemoprevention, using natural or synthetic anti-cancer drugs is a vital strategy to reduce cancer damage. However, toxic effects, multidrug resistance (MDR) as well as cancer stem cells (CSCs) all prominently limited the clinical application of conventional anticancer drugs. With low side effects, strong biological activity, unique mechanism, and wide range of targets, natural products derived from plants are considered significant sources for new drug development. Nobiletin is one of the most attractive compounds, a unique flavonoid primarily isolated from the peel of citrus fruits. Numerous studies in vitro and in vivo have suggested that nobiletin and its derivatives possess the eminent potential to become effective cancer chemoprevention agents through various cellular and molecular levels. This article aims to comprehensively review the anticancer efficacy and specific mechanisms of nobiletin, enhancing our understanding of its chemoprevention properties and providing the latest research findings. At the end of this review, we also give some discussion and future perspectives regarding the challenges and opportunities in nobiletin efficient exploitation.

Adverse effects associated with use of specific dietary supplements: The US Military Dietary Supplement Use Study

Dietary supplements (DSs) are used by 50% of Americans and 70% of United States military service members (SMs); some have adverse effects (AEs). This cross-sectional investigation examined AEs associated with specific DSs. A stratified random sample of SMs from the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Navy was obtained. Volunteers completed a questionnaire reporting AEs for 96 generic and 62 specific DSs. The highest prevalence (≥1 AE) in specific DS categories was 35% prohormones, 33% weight loss supplements, 26% pre/post workout supplements, 14% herbal products, 12% multivitamin/multiminerals, 11% protein/amino acids, 9% muscle building supplements, 7% other DSs, 6% joint health products, and 5% individual vitamins/minerals. Specific DSs of concern (with proportion reporting AEs) included: Libido Max® (35%), Hydroxycut Hardcore® (33%), OxyElite® (33%), Roxylean® (31%), Growth Factor 9® (30%), Super HD® (29%), Hydroxycut Advanced® (29%), Lipo 6® (28%), The Ripper® (27%), Test Booster® (27%), Xenadrine Xtreme Thermogenic® (27%), C4 Extreme® (26%), and C4 Origional® (25%). Products marketed for weight loss, use before/after workout, and prohormones had the highest AE prevalence. DSs can contain substances with independent/additive AEs and/or interact with other ingredients or prescribed medications. Methods described here could provide a continuous surveillance system detecting dangerous DSs entering the market.

Degradation of HIF-1α induced by curcumol blocks glutaminolysis and inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition and invasion in colorectal cancer cells

Colorectal cancer (CRC) has high morbidity and mortality. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is associated with CRC progression and metastasis. Glutaminolysis is essential for malignancy of cancer cells. Here, we examined the effects of curcumol on CRC EMT. We observed that curcumol suppressed invasion and migration in human CRC cells associated with upregulation of epithelial markers E-cadherin and Zonula occludens 1 and downregulation of mesenchymal markers N-cadherin and Vimentin as well as EMT-related transcription factors Snail and Twist. Curcumol increased intracellular levels of glutamine but decreased intracellular levels of glutamate, α-ketoglutarate, ATP, glutathione, and tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolites, suggesting interruption of glutaminolysis. Next, curcumol repressed glutaminase 1 (Gls1) mRNA and protein expression, and overexpression of Gls1 promoted EMT and abolished curcumol effects on CRC cell EMT. Molecular examinations showed that curcumol stimulated protein degradation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and prevented its nuclear accumulation in CRC cells. HIF-1α agonist deferoxamine (DFO) promoted HIF-1α binding to Gls1 promoter and increased Gls1 expression but abolished curcumol's inhibitory effects on Gls1 expression. DFO also enhanced EMT and invasion and migration in CRC cells and eliminated curcumol effects. Furthermore, mouse CRC models were established with in vivo overexpression of HIF-1α and Gls1. Curcumol effectively inhibited CRC growth, metastasis, and EMT in mice, which was abrogated by overexpression of HIF-1α or Gls1. Altogether, stimulation of HIF-1α degradation was required for curcumol to disrupt EMT and repress invasion and migration in CRC cells through inhibiting Gls1-mediated glutaminolysis. Curcumol could be a promising candidate for intervention of CRC metastasis. • Curcumol inhibits EMT and blocks glutaminolysis in CRC cells. • Inhibition of Gls1 is required for curcumol blockade of glutaminolysis and EMT. • Curcumol induces HIF-1α degradation leading to inhibition of Gls1 and blockade of glutaminolysis and EMT. • Curcumol suppresses CRC growth and metastasis via inhibiting HIF-1α, glutaminolysis and EMT in mice.

Orientin, a Bio-Flavonoid from Trigonella hamosa L., Regulates COX-2/PGE-2 in A549 Cell Lines via miR-26b and miR-146a

Cancer is a severe health condition and considered one of the major healthcare issues and is in need of innovative strategy for a cure. The current study aimed to investigate the chemical profile of Trigonella hamosa L. and a potential molecular approach to explain its regulation in cancer progression through an inflammatory mediator (COX-2) in A549 non-small lung cancer cell lines via in silico, mechanistic and molecular aspects. T. hamosa was extracted and then subjected to a CCK-8 cell viability assay in different cancer cell lines including MDA-MB-231, A549 and HCT-116. Total extract was subjected to several chromatographic techniques to yield orientin (OT); the structure was elucidated by inspection of NMR spectroscopic data. To achieve anticancer effects of OT, a cell viability assay using a CCK-8 kit, immunoprecipitation by Western blot, cell migration using a wound healing assay, cell invasion using a Matrigel-Transwell assay, apoptosis by AO/EB dual staining, flow cytometric analysis and DAPI staining, a silenced COX-2 model to determine PGE-2 production and real-time PCR and Western blot of BCL-2, CYP-1A1, iNOS and COX-2 markers were carried out. The results demonstrated that OT decreased the cell proliferation and controlled cell migration and invasive properties. OT destabilized the COX-2 mRNA and downregulated its expression in A549 cell lines. Virtual binding showed interaction (binding energy −10.43) between OT and COX-2 protein compared to the selective COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib (CLX) (binding energy −9.4). The OT-CLX combination showed a superior anticancer effect. The synergistic effect of OT-CLX combination was noticed in controlling the migration and invasion of A549 cell lines. OT-CLX downregulated the expression of BCL-2, iNOS and COX-2 and activated the proapoptotic gene CYP-1A1. OT mitigated the COX-2 expression via upregulation of miR-26b and miR-146a. Interestingly, COX-2-silenced transfected A549 cells exhibited reduced expression of miR-26b and miR-146a. The findings confirmed the direct interaction of OT with COX-2 protein. PGE-2 expression was quantified in both naïve and COX-2-silenced A549 cells. OT downregulated the release of PGE-2 in both tested conditions. These results confirmed the regulatory effect of OT on A549 cell growth in a COX-2-dependent manner. OT activated apoptosis via activation of CYP-1A1 expression in an independent manner. These results revealed that the OT-CLX combination could serve as a potential synergistic treatment for effective inflammatory-mediated anticancer strategies.

Cheminformatic analysis of natural product-based drugs and chemical probes

Covering: 1981 to 2019Natural products continue to play a major role in drug discovery, with half of new chemical entities based structurally on a natural product. Herein, we report a cheminformatic analysis of the structural and physicochemical properties of natural product-based drugs in comparison to top-selling brand-name synthetic drugs, and a selection of chemical probes recently discovered from diversity-oriented synthesis libraries. In this analysis, natural product-based drugs covered a broad range of chemical space based on size, polarity, and three-dimensional structure. Natural product-based structures were also more prevalent in top-selling drugs of 2018 compared to 2006. Further, the drugs clustered well according to biosynthetic origins, but less so based on therapeutic classes. Macrocycles occupied distinctive and relatively underpopulated regions of chemical space, while chemical probes largely overlapped with synthetic drugs. This analysis highlights the continued opportunities to leverage natural products and their pharmacophores in modern drug discovery.

Genetic Manipulation and Bioreactor Culture of Plants as a Tool for Industry and Its Applications

In recent years, there has been a considerable increase in interest in the use of transgenic plants as sources of valuable secondary metabolites or recombinant proteins. This has been facilitated by the advent of genetic engineering technology with the possibility for direct modification of the expression of genes related to the biosynthesis of biologically active compounds. A wide range of research projects have yielded a number of efficient plant systems that produce specific secondary metabolites or recombinant proteins. Furthermore, the use of bioreactors allows production to be increased to industrial scales, which can quickly and cheaply deliver large amounts of material in a short time. The resulting plant production systems can function as small factories, and many of them that are targeted at a specific operation have been patented. This review paper summarizes the key research in the last ten years regarding the use of transgenic plants as small, green biofactories for the bioreactor-based production of secondary metabolites and recombinant proteins; it simultaneously examines the production of metabolites and recombinant proteins on an industrial scale and presents the current state of available patents in the field.

Combined Positive Score for Programmed Death Ligand-1 Expression and Inflammatory Microenvironment in Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors

Background and Objectives: GISTs are the most frequent type of mesenchymal neoplasm of the digestive tract. The prognosis is mainly determined by tumor dimensions, mitotic rate and location, but other less well-documented factors can influence evolution and survival. The immune microenvironment and checkpoint molecule expression were proven to impact the prognosis in different types of cancer. The aim of this study was to determine PD-L1 expression in GISTs and to evaluate the level of intratumoral immune infiltration in relation to prognostic variables and survival. Materials and Methods: Sixty-five GISTs diagnosed in the same institution between 2015 and 2018 were immunohistochemically tested for PD-L1 and evaluated using CPS. Immune cells were emphasized, with CD3, CD4, CD8, CD20 and CD68 antibodies and quantified. All data were processed using statistical tools. Results: The median age was 61 years (range, 28–78) and 36 patients (55.4%) were males. The location of the tumors was predominantly gastric (46%), followed by the small bowel (17%) and colorectal (6%). In addition, 11% were EGISTs and 20% were secondary tumors (11% metastases and 9% local recurrences). PD-L1 had a variable expression in tumor and inflammatory cells, with a CPS ranging from 0 to 100. Moreover, 64.6% of cases were PD-L1 positive with no significant differences among categories of variables, such as the age and the sex of the patient, tumor location, the primary or secondary character of the tumor, dimensions, mitotic rate, the risk of disease progression and tumor cell type. Immune cells had a variable distribution throughout the tumors. CD3+ lymphocytes were the most frequent type. CD20+ cells were identified in a larger number in tumors ≤5 cm (p = 0.038). PD-L1-positive tumors had a higher number of immune cells, particularly CD3+, CD20+ and CD68+, in comparison to PD-L1-negative ones (p = 0.032, p = 0.051, p = 0.008). Epithelioid and mixed cell-type tumors had a higher number of CD68+ cells. Survival was not influenced by PD-L1 expression; instead, it was decreased in multifocal tumors (p = 0.0001) and in cases with Ki67 ≥ 50% (p = 0.008). Conclusions: PD-L1-positive expression and the presence of different immune cell types, in variable quantities, can contribute to a better understanding of the complex interactions between tumor cells and the microenvironment, with a possible therapeutic role in GISTs.

Trigonella teheranica: a valuable source of phytochemicals with antibacterial, antioxidant and cytotoxic properties

Trigonella genus is a member of Fabaceae family, which is used as medicinal plant. The aim of this study was investigation of phytochemicals and some biological activities of Trigonella teheranica for the first time. The essential oils (EOs) of different parts (leaves, fruits and roots) were obtained and analyzed by GC-MS. Also, their chloroform and methanol extracts were prepared, too. The antimicrobial effects, antioxidant activities and cytotoxic effects against cancer (MDA-MB-231, MRC5 and HT-29) cell lines were investigated. N-hexadecanoic acid was the major compound of leaves and fruits EOs, and hexanal was abundant component of roots EO. The extracts showed stronger antibacterial effects than volatile oils against Gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis. All methanol extracts showed strong antioxidant effects, while the volatile oils, especially of leaves was the most effective in cytotoxic assay. Also, three derivatives of coumaric acid were isolated and identified from T. teheranica.

Pathogenesis of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) encompasses a heterogeneous group of fundamentally different diseases with different histologic, genomic, and immunologic profiles, which are aggregated under this term because of their lack of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 expression. Massively parallel sequencing and other omics technologies have demonstrated the level of heterogeneity in TNBCs and shed light into the pathogenesis of this therapeutically challenging entity in breast cancer. In this review, we discuss the histologic and molecular classifications of TNBC, the genomic alterations these different tumor types harbor, and the potential impact of these alterations on the pathogenesis of these tumors. We also explore the role of the tumor microenvironment in the biology of TNBCs and its potential impact on therapeutic response. Dissecting the biology and understanding the therapeutic dependencies of each TNBC subtype will be essential to delivering on the promise of precision medicine for patients with triple-negative disease.

Hesperidin inhibits biofilm formation, virulence and staphyloxanthin synthesis in methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus by targeting SarA and CrtM: an in vitro and in silico approach

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus is considered multidrug resistant bacterium due to developing biofilm formation associated with antimicrobial resistance mechanisms. Therefore, inhibition of biofilm formation is an alternative therapeutic action to control MRSA infections. The present study revealed the non-antibacterial biofilm inhibitory potential of hesperidin against ATCC strain and clinical isolates of S. aureus. Hesperidin is a flavanone glycoside commonly found in citrus fruit. Hesperidin has been shown to exhibits numerous pharmacological activities. The present study aimed to evaluate the antibiofilm and antivirulence potential of hesperidin against MRSA. Results showed that hesperidin treatment significantly impedes lipase, hemolysin, autolysin, autoaggregation and staphyloxanthin production. Reductions of staphyloxanthin production possibly increase the MRSA susceptibility rate to H₂O₂ oxidative stress condition. In gene expression study revealed that hesperidin treatment downregulated the biofilm-associated gene (sarA), polysaccharide intracellular adhesion gene (icaA and icaD), autolysin (altA), fibronectin-binding protein (fnbA and fnbB) and staphyloxanthin production (crtM). Molecular docking analysis predicted the ability of hesperidin to interact with SarA and CrtM proteins involved in biofilm formation and staphyloxanthin production in MRSA.

Future Directions for the Discovery of Natural Product-Derived Immunomodulating Drugs

Drug discovery from natural sources is going through a renaissance, having spent many decades in the shadow of synthetic molecule drug discovery, despite the fact that natural product-derived compounds occupy a much greater chemical space than those created through synthetic chemistry methods. With this new era comes new possibilities, not least the novel targets that have emerged in recent times and the development of state-of-the-art technologies that can be applied to drug discovery from natural sources. Although progress has been made with some immunomodulating drugs, there remains a pressing need for new agents that can be used to treat the wide variety of conditions that arise from disruption, or over-activation, of the immune system; natural products may therefore be key in filling this gap. Recognising that, at present, there is no authoritative article that details the current state-of-the-art of the immunomodulatory activity of natural products, this in-depth review has arisen from a joint effort between the International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (IUPHAR) Natural Products and Immunopharmacology, with contributions from a Powered by Editorial Manager® and ProduXion Manager® from Aries Systems Corporation number of world-leading researchers in the field of natural product drug discovery, to provide a "position statement" on what natural products has to offer in the search for new immunomodulatory argents. To this end, we provide a historical look at previous discoveries of naturally occurring immunomodulators, present a picture of the current status of the field and provide insight into the future opportunities and challenges for the discovery of new drugs to treat immune-related diseases.

The isoquinoline PRL-295 increases the thermostability of Keap1 and disrupts its interaction with Nrf2

Transcription factor Nrf2 and its negative regulator Keap1 orchestrate a cytoprotective response against oxidative, metabolic, and inflammatory stress. Keap1 is a drug target, with several small molecules in drug development. Here, we show that the isoquinoline PRL-295 increased Keap1 thermostability in lysates from cells expressing fluorescently tagged Keap1. The thermostability of endogenous Keap1 also increased in intact cells and murine liver following PRL-295 treatment. Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging–Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FLIM-FRET) experiments in cells co-expressing sfGFP-Nrf2 and Keap1-mCherry further showed that PRL-295 prolonged the donor fluorescence lifetime, indicating disruption of the Keap1-Nrf2 protein complex. Orally administered PRL-295 to mice activated the Nrf2transcriptional target NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) in liver and decreased the levels of plasma alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase upon acetaminophen-induced hepatic injury. Thus, PRL-295 engages the Keap1 protein target in cells and in vivo, disrupting its interaction with Nrf2, leading to activation of Nrf2-dependent transcription and hepatocellular protection.

•

PRL-295 increases the thermostability of Keap1 in cells and in the murine liver

•

PRL-295 disrupts the Keap1-Nrf2 protein complex in single live cells

•

Orally administered PRL-295 activates the Nrf2 transcriptional target NQO1 in murine liver

•

Orally administered PRL-295 to mice decreases acetaminophen-induced hepatic injury

A risk scoring system based on tumor microenvironment cells to predict prognosis and immune activity in triple-negative breast cancer

The tumor microenvironment (TME) interacting with the malignant cells plays a vital role in cancer development. Herein, we aim to establish and verify a scoring system based on the characteristics of TME cells for prognosis prediction and personalized treatment guidance in patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). 158 TNBC samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were included as the training cohort, and Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium (METABRIC) (N = 297), as well as GSE58812 (N = 107), were included as the validation cohort. The enrichment scores of 64 immune and stromal cells were estimated by the xCell algorithm. In the training cohort, cells with prognostic significance were found out using univariate Cox regression analysis and further applied to the random survival forest (RSF) model. Based on the scores of M2 macrophages, CD8+ T cells, and CD4+ memory T cells, a risk scoring system was constructed, which divided TNBC patients into 4 phenotypes (M2low, M2highCD8+ThighCD4+Thigh, M2highCD8+ThighCD4+Tlow, and M2highCD8+Tlow). Furthermore, types 1 and 2 patients were merged into the low-risk group, while types 3 and 4 patients were in the high-risk group. The low-risk group had superior survival outcomes than the high-risk one, which was further confirmed in the validation cohort. Moreover, in the low-risk group, immune-related pathways were significantly enriched, and a higher level of antitumoral immune cells and immune checkpoint molecules, including PD-L1, PD-1, and CTLA-4, could be observed. Additionally, consistent results were achieved in the SYSUCC cohort when the scoring system was applied. In summary, this novel scoring system might predict the survival and immune activity of patients and might serve as a potential index for immunotherapy.

Translational Informatics for Natural Products as Antidepressant Agents

Depression, a neurological disorder, is a universally common and debilitating illness where social and economic issues could also become one of its etiologic factors. From a global perspective, it is the fourth leading cause of long-term disability in human beings. For centuries, natural products have proven their true potential to combat various diseases and disorders, including depression and its associated ailments. Translational informatics applies informatics models at molecular, imaging, individual, and population levels to promote the translation of basic research to clinical applications. The present review summarizes natural-antidepressant-based translational informatics studies and addresses challenges and opportunities for future research in the field.

Metagenomics revealing molecular profiling of microbial community structure and metabolic capacity in Bamucuo, Tibet.. [DOI: 10.1101/2022.01.18.476867] [Cited by in Crossref: 1] We performed a survey of the microorganisms in Bamucuo, Tibet, resulting in 160,212 (soil) and 135,994 (water) contigs by shotgun metagenomic methods. We discovered 74 new bacterial species and reconstructed their draft genomes, which were obtained from the 75 reconstructed almost complete metagenomic assembly genomes (MAG) in the soil and water samples. Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were found to be the most dominant bacterial phyla, while Euryarchaeota was the most dominant archaeal phylum. To our surprise, Pandoravirus salinus was found in the soil microbial community. We concluded that the microorganisms in Bamucuo fix carbon mainly through the 3-hydroxypropionic bi-cycle pathway.IMPORTANCEThe Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) is the highest plateau in the world, and the microorganisms there play vital ecological roles in the global biogeochemical cycle; however, detailed information on the microbial communities in QTP is still lacking, especially in high altitude areas above 4500 meters. This study, for the first time, characterized the microbial community composition and metabolic capacity in QTP high-altitude areas (with an altitude of 4,555 meters), confirmed that QTP is a huge and valuable resource bank in which more new non-resistant antibiotics and many other bioactive substances could be developed. In addition, the discovery of Pandoravirus salinus in the soil provides important information for further exploring this unique microorganism, and many draft genomes and the genome annotation information obtained in this study have laid the foundation for further in-depth study of the microbial ecology in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

We performed a survey of the microorganisms in Bamucuo, Tibet, resulting in 160,212 (soil) and 135,994 (water) contigs by shotgun metagenomic methods. We discovered 74 new bacterial species and reconstructed their draft genomes, which were obtained from the 75 reconstructed almost complete metagenomic assembly genomes (MAG) in the soil and water samples. Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were found to be the most dominant bacterial phyla, while Euryarchaeota was the most dominant archaeal phylum. To our surprise, Pandoravirus salinus was found in the soil microbial community. We concluded that the microorganisms in Bamucuo fix carbon mainly through the 3-hydroxypropionic bi-cycle pathway.

IMPORTANCE

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) is the highest plateau in the world, and the microorganisms there play vital ecological roles in the global biogeochemical cycle; however, detailed information on the microbial communities in QTP is still lacking, especially in high altitude areas above 4500 meters. This study, for the first time, characterized the microbial community composition and metabolic capacity in QTP high-altitude areas (with an altitude of 4,555 meters), confirmed that QTP is a huge and valuable resource bank in which more new non-resistant antibiotics and many other bioactive substances could be developed. In addition, the discovery of Pandoravirus salinus in the soil provides important information for further exploring this unique microorganism, and many draft genomes and the genome annotation information obtained in this study have laid the foundation for further in-depth study of the microbial ecology in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Incorporation of TILs in daily breast cancer care: how much evidence can we bear?

One of the most important developments in the breast cancer field has been an improved understanding of prognostic and predictive biomarkers, of which TILs are increasingly gaining importance. The evaluation of TILs by light microscopy on a H&E-stained section is workable in a daily practice setting. Reproducibility of reporting TILs is good, but heterogeneity is a cause of variation. TILs provide clinicians with important prognostic information for patients with TNBC, as early-stage TNBC with high TILs have > 98% 5-year survival and TILs predict benefit to immunotherapy. Importantly, while TILs do not have level of evidence IA, TILs should be used as a prognostic factor with caution and with other accepted prognostic variables, such as tumour size and lymph node status, to inform clinicians and patients on their treatment options. A framework on how to use the TILs in daily practice is proposed, including a co-assessment with PD-L1 for its predictive role to immunotherapy.

Bioactive Components in Traditional Foods Aimed at Health Promotion: A Route to Novel Mechanistic Insights and Lead Molecules?

Traditional foods and diets can provide health benefits beyond their nutrient composition because of the presence of bioactive compounds. In various traditional healthcare systems, diet-based approaches have always played an important role, which has often survived until today. Therefore, investigating traditional foods aimed at health promotion could render not only novel bioactive substances but also mechanistic insights. However, compared to pharmacologically focused research on natural products, investigating such nutrition-based interventions is even more complicated owing to interacting compounds, less potent and relatively subtle effects, the food matrix, and variations in composition and intake. At the same time, technical advances in 'omics' technologies, cheminformatics, and big data analysis create new opportunities, further strengthened by increasing insights into the biology of health and homeostatic resilience. These are to be combined with state-of-the-art ethnobotanical research, which is key to obtaining reliable and reproducible data. Unfortunately, socioeconomic developments and climate change threaten traditional use and knowledge as well as biodiversity. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Food Science and Technology, Volume 13 is March 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

The Use of Complementary Medicine During Childbearing Years: A Multi-Country Study of Women From the Middle East اس نه الطب التكميلي خلال سنوات الإنجاب: دراسة متعددة البلدان لنساء من الشرق الأوسط

The prevalence of self-prescribed complementary medicine (CM) use is an area of concern across the Middle East. We conducted a descriptive qualitative study to describe women’s use of CM during their childbearing years in Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Iran. The study conducted using face to face audio-recorded interviews with 70 participants. Our findings showed that women used several herbal plants to ease pain and discomfort during menstruation and/or during pregnancy and in postpartum care. Acupuncture, meditation, and massage were less likely to be used by women. The impact of CM was often described in relation to perceived usefulness and safety of herbs. Cultural beliefs and roles of women contributed to the use of herbs among women. Given the high use of herbal medicine, there is a need for discussion about the potential of adverse effects of some plants or their metabolites following self-medication during the childbearing years.

Tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes in oropharyngeal cancer: a validation study according to the criteria of the International Immuno-Oncology Biomarker Working Group

Background

The evaluation of immune response can aid in prediction of cancer behaviour. Here, we assessed the prognostic significance of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC).

Methods

A total of 182 patients treated for OPSCC were included in this study. Assessment of TILs was conducted on tumour sections stained with standard haematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. We used the scoring criteria proposed by the International Immuno-Oncology Biomarker Working Group.

Results

The multivariable analysis showed that TILs associated with disease-specific survival with a hazard ratio (HR) of 2.13 (95% CI 1.14–3.96; P = 0.017). Similarly, TILs associated significantly with overall survival with HR of 1.87 (95% CI 1.11–3.13; P = 0.018). In a sub-analysis of HPV-positive and HPV-negative cases separately, TILs showed a significant prognostic value in both groups (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

The evaluation of TILs as proposed by the International Immuno-Oncology Biomarker Working Group is a simple and promising method in prediction of survival of OPSCC. It is easily applicable and after further validation can be implemented in the routine pathological report as a basic immune parameter.

Algorithm-aided engineering of aliphatic halogenase WelO5* for the asymmetric late-stage functionalization of soraphens

Late-stage functionalization of natural products offers an elegant route to create novel entities in a relevant biological target space. In this context, enzymes capable of halogenating sp³ carbons with high stereo- and regiocontrol under benign conditions have attracted particular attention. Enabled by a combination of smart library design and machine learning, we engineer the iron/α-ketoglutarate dependent halogenase WelO5* for the late-stage functionalization of the complex and chemically difficult to derivatize macrolides soraphen A and C, potent anti-fungal agents. While the wild type enzyme WelO5* does not accept the macrolide substrates, our engineering strategy leads to active halogenase variants and improves upon their apparent k_cat and total turnover number by more than 90-fold and 300-fold, respectively. Notably, our machine-learning guided engineering approach is capable of predicting more active variants and allows us to switch the regio-selectivity of the halogenases facilitating the targeted analysis of the derivatized macrolides’ structure-function activity in biological assays.

The late-stage functionalization of unactivated carbon–hydrogen bonds is a difficult but important task, which has been met with promising but limited success through synthetic organic chemistry. Here the authors use machine learning to engineer WelO5* halogenase variants, which led to regioselective chlorination of inert C–H bonds on a representative polyketide that is a non-natural substrate for the enzyme.

Xanthohumol Protects the Rat Myocardium against Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury-Induced Ferroptosis

Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of cell death caused by the inactivation of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and accumulation of lipid peroxides. Ferroptosis has been found to participate in the ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury, leading to heart dysfunction and myocardial cell death. Xanthohumol (XN), a prenylated flavonoid isolated from Humulus lupulus, has multiple pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. This study is aimed at investigating whether XN could attenuate the I/R-induced ferroptosis in cardiomyocytes and the underlying mechanisms. Cardiomyocytes were treated with Fe-SP and RSL3, and the rat hearts were treated with I/R. The results from the present study show that XN was able to protect cardiomyocytes against Fe-SP- and RSL3-induced ferroptotic cell death by decreasing the production of lipid peroxidation and ROS, chelating iron, reducing the NRF2 protein level, and modulating the protein levels of GPX4. Moreover, XN significantly decreased the mRNA levels of ferroptosis markers, Ptgs2 and Acsl4, and the protein levels of ACSL4 and NRF2 and modulated the protein levels of GPX4 in I/R-treated hearts. The findings from the present study suggest that XN might have the therapeutic potential for the I/R-induced ferroptosis injury.

Targeting Histone Deacetylases: Opportunities for Cancer Treatment and Chemoprevention

The dysregulation of gene expression is a critical event involved in all steps of tumorigenesis. Aberrant histone and non-histone acetylation modifications of gene expression due to the abnormal activation of histone deacetylases (HDAC) have been reported in hematologic and solid types of cancer. In this sense, the cancer-associated epigenetic alterations are promising targets for anticancer therapy and chemoprevention. HDAC inhibitors (HDACi) induce histone hyperacetylation within target proteins, altering cell cycle and proliferation, cell differentiation, and the regulation of cell death programs. Over the last three decades, an increasing number of synthetic and naturally derived compounds, such as dietary-derived products, have been demonstrated to act as HDACi and have provided biological and molecular insights with regard to the role of HDAC in cancer. The first part of this review is focused on the biological roles of the Zinc-dependent HDAC family in malignant diseases. Accordingly, the small-molecules and natural products such as HDACi are described in terms of cancer therapy and chemoprevention. Furthermore, structural considerations are included to improve the HDACi selectivity and combinatory potential with other specific targeting agents in bifunctional inhibitors and proteolysis targeting chimeras. Additionally, clinical trials that combine HDACi with current therapies are discussed, which may open new avenues in terms of the feasibility of HDACi’s future clinical applications in precision cancer therapies.

Novel Diagnostic Biomarkers in Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is still a leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Less than half of cases are diagnosed when the cancer is locally advanced. CRC is a heterogenous disease associated with a number of genetic or somatic mutations. Diagnostic markers are used for risk stratification and early detection, which might prolong overall survival. Nowadays, the widespread use of semi-invasive endoscopic methods and feacal blood tests characterised by suboptimal accuracy of diagnostic results has led to the detection of cases at later stages. New molecular noninvasive tests based on the detection of CRC alterations seem to be more sensitive and specific then the current methods. Therefore, research aiming at identifying molecular markers, such as DNA, RNA and proteins, would improve survival rates and contribute to the development of personalized medicine. The identification of “ideal” diagnostic biomarkers, having high sensitivity and specificity, being safe, cheap and easy to measure, remains a challenge. The purpose of this review is to discuss recent advances in novel diagnostic biomarkers for tumor tissue, blood and stool samples in CRC patients.

Role of Bioactive Compounds in the Regulation of Mitochondrial Dysfunctions in Brain and Age-Related Neurodegenerative Diseases

Mitochondria are multifunctional organelles that participate in a wide range of metabolic processes, including energy production and biomolecule synthesis. The morphology and distribution of intracellular mitochondria change dynamically, reflecting a cell’s metabolic activity. Oxidative stress is defined as a mismatch between the body’s ability to neutralise and eliminate reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS). A determination of mitochondria failure in increasing oxidative stress, as well as its implications in neurodegenerative illnesses and apoptosis, is a significant developmental process of focus in this review. The neuroprotective effects of bioactive compounds linked to neuronal regulation, as well as related neuronal development abnormalities, will be investigated. In conclusion, the study of secondary components and the use of mitochondrial features in the analysis of various neurodevelopmental diseases has enabled the development of a new class of mitochondrial-targeted pharmaceuticals capable of alleviating neurodegenerative disease states and enabling longevity and healthy ageing for the vast majority of people.