Inhibiting de novo ceramide synthesis restores mitochondrial and protein homeostasis in muscle aging

Disruption of mitochondrial function and protein homeostasis plays a central role in aging. However, how these processes interact and what governs their failure in aging remain poorly understood. Here, we showed that ceramide biosynthesis controls the decline in mitochondrial and protein homeostasis during muscle aging. Analysis of transcriptome datasets derived from muscle biopsies obtained from both aged individuals and patients with a diverse range of muscle disorders revealed that changes in ceramide biosynthesis, as well as disturbances in mitochondrial and protein homeostasis pathways, are prevalent features in these conditions. By performing targeted lipidomics analyses, we found that ceramides accumulated in skeletal muscle with increasing age across Caenorhabditis elegans, mice, and humans. Inhibition of serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT), the rate-limiting enzyme of the ceramide de novo synthesis, by gene silencing or by treatment with myriocin restored proteostasis and mitochondrial function in human myoblasts, in C. elegans, and in the skeletal muscles of mice during aging. Restoration of these age-related processes improved health and life span in the nematode and muscle health and fitness in mice. Collectively, our data implicate pharmacological and genetic suppression of ceramide biosynthesis as potential therapeutic approaches to delay muscle aging and to manage related proteinopathies via mitochondrial and proteostasis remodeling.

Functional induction of P-glycoprotein efflux pump by phenyl benzenesulfonamides: Synthesis and biological evaluation of T0901317 analogs

N-(2,2,2-Trifluoroethyl)-N-[4-[2,2,2-trifluoro-1-hydroxy-1-(trifluoromethyl)ethyl]phenyl]-benzenesulfonamide (T0901317, 6) is a potent activator of pregnane-X-receptor (PXR), which is a nuclear receptor controlling P-gp expression. Herein, we aimed to investigate P-gp induction activity of T0901317 and establish its structure-activity relationship. T0901317 along with a series of N-triazolyl-methylene-linked benzenesulfonamides were synthesized and screened for P-gp induction activity using a rhodamine-123 based efflux assay in the P-gp overexpressing human adenocarcinoma LS-180 cells, wherein several compounds showed potent P-gp induction activity at 5 μM. Treatment with benzene sulphonamides led to the decrease in intracellular accumulation of a fluorescent P-gp substrate rhodamine-123 up to 48% (control 100%). In the western-blot studies, T0901317 (6) and its triazole linked analog 26e at 5 μM displayed induction of P-gp expression in LS180 cells. These compounds were non-toxic in LS-180 and human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells (IC50 > 50 μM). The compound 26e showed significant P-gp induction even at 0.3 μM, indicating an excellent therapeutic window. These results clearly indicate promise of this class of compounds as potential agents to enhance amyloid-β clearance in Alzheimers patients.

Crystal structure of ethyl 2-[2-(4-methyl-benzo-yl)-5-p-tolyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl]acetate

In the title compound, C22H22N2O3, the plane of the five-membered ring is oriented at dihedral angles of 45.4 (1) and 52.5 (1)° to the phenyl rings. Furthermore, this ring makes an angle of 85.2 (2)° with the plane of the ethyl acetate substituent. The mol-ecular structure is affected by an intra-molecular C-H⋯O hydrogen bond between an H atom from the p-tolyl group and the carbonyl O atom of the acetate. The methyl group of the ethyl acetate residue is disordered over two sites with equal occupancies. The crystal structure features inter-molecular C-H⋯O and C-H⋯N inter-actions. One of the C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds forms a C(5) chain motif extending along the a axis. In addition, C-H⋯N contacts form inversion dimers with R 2 (2)(12) ring motifs, linking the imidazole ring system to the benzene ring of the p-tolyl substituent.

Four-component domino strategy for the combinatorial synthesis of novel 1,4-dihydropyrano[2,3-c]pyrazol-6-amines

An efficient one-pot four-component domino protocol for the combinatorial synthesis of novel 1,4-dihydropyrano[2,3-c]pyrazol-6-amines has been achieved. This transformation presumably occurs via cyclization-Knoevenagel condensation-Michael addition-tautomerism-intramolecular O-cyclization-elimination sequence of reactions. The significant features of this reaction include expedient one-pot process, short reaction time, no column chromatographic purification, excellent yield, and readily available starting materials.