Aurantiamide-related dipeptide derivatives are formyl peptide receptor 1 antagonists

Development of potent isoflavone-based formyl peptide receptor 1 (FPR1) antagonists and their effects in gastric cancer cell models

Formyl peptide receptor-1 (FPR1) is a G protein-coupled chemoattractant receptor that plays a crucial role in the trafficking of leukocytes into the sites of bacterial infection and inflammation. Recently, FPR1 was shown to be expressed in different types of tumor cells and could play a significant role in tumor growth and invasiveness. Starting from the previously reported FPR1 antagonist 4, we have designed a new series of 4H-chromen-2-one derivatives that exhibited a substantial increase in FPR1 antagonist potency. Docking studies identified the key interactions for antagonist activity. The most potent compounds in this series (24a and 25b) were selected to study the effects of the pharmacological blockade of FPR1 in NCl-N87 and AGS gastric cancer cells. Both compounds potently inhibited cell growth through a combined effect on cell proliferation and apoptosis and reduced cell migration, while inducing an increase in angiogenesis, thus suggesting that FPR1 could play a dual role as oncogene and onco-suppressor.

Key Genes Associated With Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common metabolic and endocrinopathies disorder in women of reproductive age and non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD) is one of the most common liver diseases worldwide. Previous research has indicated potential associations between PCOS and NAFLD, but the underlying pathophysiology is still not clear. The present study aims to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between PCOS and NAFLD through the bioinformatics method, and explore the associated molecular mechanisms.

Methods: The microarray datasets GSE34526 and GSE63067 were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and analyzed to obtain the DEGs between PCOS and NAFLD with the GEO2R online tool. Next, the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis for the DEGs were performed. Then, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed and the hub genes were identified using the STRING database and Cytoscape software. Finally, NetworkAnalyst was used to construct the network between the targeted microRNAs (miRNAs) and the hub genes.

Results: A total of 52 genes were identified as DEGs in the above two datasets. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that DEGs are mostly enriched in immunity and inflammation related pathways. In addition, nine hub genes, including TREM1, S100A9, FPR1, NCF2, FCER1G, CCR1, S100A12, MMP9, and IL1RN were selected from the PPI network by using the cytoHubba and MCODE plug-in. Then, four miRNAs, including miR-20a-5p, miR-129-2-3p, miR-124-3p, and miR-101-3p, were predicted as possibly the key miRNAs through the miRNA-gene network construction.

Conclusion: In summary, we firstly constructed a miRNA-gene regulatory network depicting interactions between the predicted miRNA and the hub genes in NAFLD and PCOS, which provides novel insights into the identification of potential biomarkers and valuable therapeutic leads for PCOS and NAFLD.