Chemical structure and plant kinin activity— the activity of urea and thiourea derivatives

Forchlorfenuron-Induced Mitochondrial Respiration Inhibition and Metabolic Shifts in Endometrial Cancer

Forchlorfenuron (FCF) is a widely used plant cytokinin that enhances fruit quality and size in agriculture. It also serves as a crucial pharmacological tool for the inhibition of septins. However, the precise target of FCF has not yet been fully determined. This study reveals a novel target of FCF and elucidates its downstream signaling events. FCF significantly impairs mitochondrial respiration and mediates metabolic shift toward glycolysis, thus making cells more vulnerable to glycolysis inhibition. Interestingly, FCF's impact on mitochondrial function persists, even in cells lacking septins. Furthermore, the impaired mitochondrial function leads to the degradation of HIF-1α, facilitated by increased cellular oxygen. FCF also induces AMPK activation, suppresses Erk1/2 phosphorylation, and reduces the expression of HER2, β-catenin, and PD-L1. Endometrial cancer is characterized by metabolic disorders such as diabetes and aberrant HER2/Ras-Erk1/2/β-catenin signaling. Thus, FCF may hold promise as a potential therapeutic in endometrial cancer.

Lewis Acid Assisted Brønsted Acid Catalysed Decarbonylation of Isocyanates: A Combined DFT and Experimental Study

An efficient and mild reaction protocol for the decarbonylation of isocyanates has been developed using catalytic amounts of Lewis acidic boranes. The electronic nature (electron withdrawing, electron neutral, and electron donating) and the position of the substituents (ortho/meta/para) bound to isocyanate controls the chain length and composition of the products formed in the reaction. Detailed DFT studies were undertaken to account for the formation of the mono/di‐carboxamidation products and benzoxazolone compounds.

Hapten synthesis and polyclonal antibody-based immunoassay development for the analysis of forchlorfenuron in kiwifruit

High-affinity polyclonal antibodies directed against the synthetic cytokinin forchlorfenuron (CPPU) were produced from three immunizing haptens with equivalent spacer arms located at different positions. A competitive immunoassay was developed with a limit of detection in buffer of 12.42 +/- 3.06 ng/L. In addition, the ability of the produced antibodies to recognize a set of synthetic CPPU analogues was studied. It was evidenced that the linker position had a strong impact on the specificity of the generated polyclonals, which were more sensitive to changes at moieties of the target analyte located furthest from the derivatization site of the immunogen. Finally, matrix effects of gold and green kiwifruit over assay parameters were evaluated. Excellent recoveries and low coefficients of variation were found with just a 100-fold dilution of the sample in buffer, hence indicating the effectiveness of the developed immunoassay as an analytical tool for monitoring this agrochemical in kiwifruit samples.

Urea derivatives on the move: cytokinin-like activity and adventitious rooting enhancement depend on chemical structure

Urea derivatives are synthetic compounds, some of which have proved to be positive regulators of cell division and differentiation. N-phenyl-N'-(2-chloro-4-pyridyl)urea (forchlorofenuron, CPPU) and N-phenyl-N'-(1,2,3-thiadiazol-5-yl)urea (thidiazuron, TDZ), well known urea cytokinin representatives, are extensively used in in vitro plant morphogenesis studies, as they show cytokinin-like activity often exceeding that of adenine compounds. In recent years, renewed interest in structure-activity relationship studies allowed identification of new urea cytokinins and other urea derivatives that specifically enhance adventitious root formation. In this review, we report the research history of urea derivatives, new insights into their biological activity, and recent progress on their mode of action.

Cytokinin activity of some substituted ureas and thioureas

N , N '-Diphenylurea was shown to have reproducible cytokinin activity . Some 500 ureas, mainly of the N -monosubstituted and N , N '-disubstituted types, were tested an d about one half of these were active. Attempts were made to correlate chemical structure with biological activity. Although there are some exceptions to nearly every generalization it has been possible to formulate some principles. (1) Phenyl urea was the simplest active compound. (2) An HNCONH bridge conferred higher activity than an HNCSNH linkage and any other tested arrangement of the bridge gave inactive com pounds. (3) Compounds in which both amino hydrogen atoms on one or both sides of the bridge were substituted were of low activity or were inactive. (4) Many com pounds of the type R NHCONH 2 in which R = a substituted phenyl ring were tested. Ring substitution generally increased the activity and the highest activity was associated with meta substitution and the lowest with ortho . Compounds with electron-attracting substituents were generally more active than those with electron-donating substituents. Pyridyl compounds were active but com pounds with non-planar rings were inactive. (5) In compounds of the type R NHCONH R ' in which R and R ' were phenyl or substituted phenyl groups the highest activities were usually found in com pounds with one unsubstituted phenyl ring. Those with two substituted phenyl groups generally had lower activity. Some ureas showed detectable activity at 0.1 parts/10 6 . This was about four times less active than kinetin when tested in the tobacco pith assay.

GIBBERELLIN, AS A REGULATOR OF PROTEIN AND RIBONUCLEIC ACID SYNTHESIS DURING SENESCENCE IN LEAF CELLS OF TARAXACUM OFFICINALE

The addition of gibberellin A3 (GA) to leaf discs of Taraxacum officinale Weber retards their senescence and delays the decline in the levels of chlorophyll, protein, and RNA. Incorporation of 14C leucine and 14C adenine into protein and RNA respectively was increased by GA. This enhancement of protein and RNA synthesis did not occur if the discs were supplied with actinomycin D before treatment with gibberellin. If, however, actinomycin D was added after the gibberellin treatment then the stimulatory effect of the hormone was maintained. These results suggest that the retarding action of gibberellins on leaf senescence could be mediated through a regulation of RNA synthesis that is DNA dependent.