Design, synthesis and evaluation of novel oxazaphosphorine prodrugs of 9-(2-phosphonomethoxyethyl)adenine (PMEA, adefovir) as potent HBV inhibitors.

A series of novel oxazaphosphorine prodrugs of 9-(2-phosphonomethoxyethyl)adenine (PMEA, adefovir) were synthesized and their anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) activity was evaluated in HepG2 2.2.15 cells, with adefovir dipivoxil as a reference drug. In the cell assays, compounds 7b and 7d exhibited anti-HBV activity comparable to that of adefovir dipivoxil, while compound 7c, with an IC(50) value of 0.12 microM, was found to be three times more potent than the reference compound. In vitro stability studies showed that (S(P),S)-7c, the diastereomer of compound 7c, was stable in human blood plasma but underwent rapid metabolism to release the parent drug PMEA in liver microsomes. The possible metabolic pathway of (S(P),S)-7c in human liver microsomes was described. These findings suggest that compound (S(P),S)-7c is a promising anti-HBV drug candidate for further development.

[Design and synthesis of a type of benzopyran derivatives with insulin-sensitizing activity].

Ten novel compounds were designed and synthesized on the basis of compound 1, their insulin-sensitizing activities were evaluated in 3T3-L1 cells. Results showed that compound 10 exhibited strong differentiation-stimulating activity on 3T3-L1 cells model, which indicated that compound 10 may possess well insulin-sensitizing activity.

[Design, synthesis and anti-HBV activity of L-amino acid ester prodrugs of acyclic nucleoside phosphonates].

To design and synthesis a series of novel L-amino acid esters prodrugs of acyclic nucleoside phosphonates with more potent anti-HBV activity, adefovir dipivoxil was used as lead compound, according to the results of enhanced oral bioavailability and antiviral activities of nucleoside L-amino acid ester prodrugs. Eleven novel L-amino acid ester prodrugs of acyclic nucleoside phosphonates were designed and synthesized, their anti-HBV activities were evaluated in HepG2 2.2.15 cells. Eight compounds exhibited antiviral activity, and compound 11 showed the most potent anti-HBV activity and highest selective index in vitro (EC50 0.0952 micromol x L(-1), SI 69523). Moreover, by analyzing the primary structure and activity relationship of these compounds, it could be suggested that L-amino acid ester strategy has significant potential in the acyclic nucleoside phosphonates prodrug design.

[Synthesis and biological activity of a series of benzopyran derivatives].

Thirteen benzopyran derivatives were synthesized and their activity stimulating the differentiation of preadipocytes into adipocytes were evaluated with 3T3-L1 cells. Compound 8 was also tested for its hypoglycemic activity on db diabetes mice model. Results indicated that compounds 3, 8 and 11 exhibited strong differentiation-stimulating activity on 3T3-L1 cells model, and compound 8 can reduce the blood-sugar level of db diabetes mice dramatically.

Synthesis and evaluation of a series of benzopyran derivatives as PPAR alpha/gamma agonists.

A series of benzopyran derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for PPAR alpha/gamma agonist activities. Most of the compounds exhibit reasonable PPAR alpha and PPAR gamma agonist activities. In particular, compounds 7b, 8b, 8e and 8h with remarkable PPARg EC(50) values of 0.001microM are excellent full PPAR gamma agonists with the functional potency about 130, 20 times stronger than that of leading compound 5 and rosiglitazone, respectively. Compounds 7a, 7c, 7d and 8a are dual PPAR alpha/gamma agonists, and all of them gave comparable or stronger PPAR alpha/gamma agonist efficacy than that of the corresponding positive control.

Insulin-releasing activity of a series of phenylalanine derivatives.

A series of phenylalanine derivatives were synthesized and their biological activities were evaluated. Compounds (S)-3 and (R)-3 exhibited more potent insulin-releasing activity than that of nateglinide, compound (S)-3 also showed insulin-sensitizing activity in vitro. Both compounds were tested for hypoglycemia effect in vivo.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of new N-linked 5-triazolylmethyl oxazolidinones.

A new series of oxazolidinones bearing N-linked 5-triazolylmethyl group have been synthesized and their in vitro antibacterial activities (MIC) were evaluated against a spectrum of resistant and susceptible Gram-positive organisms. Some of the analogues in this series displayed activity superior to linezolid and vancomycin. Furthermore, in vivo efficacies and pharmacokinetic properties of the selected compounds were also disclosed herein; the selected compounds showed reasonable bioavailability as well as in vivo efficacy comparable to that of linezolid.

Synthesis and antibacterial activity of novel fluoroquinolones containing substituted piperidines.

The design and synthesis of new fluoroquinolone antibacterial agents having substituted piperidine rings at the C-7 position are described. Most of the new compounds demonstrated high in vitro antibacterial activity. Several of them exhibited significant activities against gram-positive organisms, which were more potent than those of gemifloxacin, Linezolid, and vancomycin.

Synthesis and antibacterial activity of oxazolidinones containing triazolyl group.

A new series of oxazolidinones containing triazolyl group has been synthesized and tested for in vitro antibacterial activity by MIC determination against a panel of resistant and susceptible Gram-positive organisms. Most of the analogs in this series displayed activity superior to linezolid and vancomycin in vitro. Further, in vivo efficacies of the selected oxazolidinones were also disclosed herein.

Insulin-sensitizing effects of a novel alpha-methyl- alpha -phenoxylpropionate derivative in vitro.

AIM: To examine the insulin sensitizing effects of a novel alpha-methyl-alpha- phenoxylpropionate derivative YY20 in insulin-sensitive cell lines. METHODS: The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR gamma) agonist bioactivities of YY20 were detected by a preadipocyte differentiation assay. RT-PCR and Western blotting analysis were used to detect the expression of the target gene or protein. The effects of YY20 on insulin-mediated glucose consumption were determined in the HepG2 human hepatocellular carcinoma line. RESULTS: YY20 could enhance the differentiation of preadipocytes to adipocytes and upregulate the gene expression of PPAR gamma 2, as well as the protein expression of insulin receptor substrate- 1 (IRS-1), glucose transporter-4 (GLUT4), and adiponectin (ACRP30). The effects on GLUT4 and ACRP30 could be reversed by the PPAR gamma inhibitor SR-202. Furthermore, YY20 efficiently reduced glucose consumptions in HepG2 cells after 24 h culture, and the effects were related to insulin and YY20 concentrations. CONCLUSION: YY20, a potential insulin-sensitizing agent like rosiglitazone, could enhance glucose consumption in HepG2 cells in a concentration- and insulindependent manner. It may improve the insulin resistance associated with type 2 diabetes.

Design and synthesis of novel bis(L-amino acid) ester prodrugs of 9-[2-(phosphonomethoxy)ethyl]adenine (PMEA) with improved anti-HBV activity.

A series of novel bis(L-amino acid) ester prodrugs of 9-[2-(phosphonomethoxy)ethyl] adenine (PMEA) was synthesized and their anti-HBV activity was evaluated in HepG 2 2.2.15 cells. Compounds 11, 12, 21, 22, 26, and 27 demonstrated more potent anti-HBV activity and higher selective index (SI) than adefovir dipivoxil, which was used as a positive control. Compound 11, which was found to be the most potent one, was five times more potent than adefovir dipivoxil with EC50 value of 0.095 microM and CC50 value of 6636 microM. The SI value (>69,000) of compound 11 was 60 times and 24 times higher than those of adefovir dipivoxil and lamivudine, respectively. In vitro stability studies showed that compound 11 was relatively more stable than adefovir dipivoxil with t1/2 of 270 min. These findings suggested that compound 11 could be considered as a promising candidate for further in vivo studies.

Antibacterial activity of YC-20, a new oxazolidinone.

OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: YC-20 is a novel oxazolidinone that has targeted activity against Gram-positive bacteria. The in vitro activity of YC-20 and 6 comparators against 522 clinical isolates of Gram-positive species was determined. RESULTS: YC-20 is a potent oxazolidinone with all isolates tested displaying MIC50 and MIC90 values of <0.5 and 2 mg/L, respectively. MICs of YC-20 for all isolates tested, with the exception of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus epidermidis, were similar or lower than those of linezolid. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests a potential new antibiotic for the treatment of infections with Gram-positive bacteria.

[Design, synthesis and insulin-sensitizing activity of indole derivatives].

AIM: To design and synthesize compounds with insulin-sensitizing activity. METHODS: Using association principle of drug design, ten title compounds were designed and synthesized on the basis of known compounds with insulin-sensitizing activity, and their insulin-sensitizing activity were evaluated on 3T3-L1 pre-adipocyte cells. RESULTS: One of the synthesized compounds showed strong insulin-sensitizing activity in vitro. CONCLUSION: This compound may possess good sugar-lowering activity, and will be chosen for further hypoglycemic evaluation in vivo.

Synthesis and phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitory activity of novel pyrido[1,2-e]purin-4(3H)-one derivatives.

Synthesis and primary SAR of a novel series of 2-phenylpyrido[1,2-e]purin-4(3H)-one derivatives with piperazinyl sulfonamide substituents were described herein. As potential PDE5 inhibitors for erectile dysfunction (ED) treatment, representative compounds exhibit improved selectivity versus PDE1 and PDE6. Meanwhile, compound 3e demonstrated functional efficacy on rabbit corpus cavernosum strip in vitro.

Syntheses and antibacterial activity of a series of 3-(pyridine-3-yl)-2-oxazolidinone.

The syntheses of substituted piperazinyl pyridyl oxazolidinones 8-16 are described. Their in vitro activities against Gram-positive organisms such as Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus and enterococcus were evaluated by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination. Compound 8 and 10 were found to be superior to linezolid.

Structure-based discovery of potassium channel blockers from natural products: virtual screening and electrophysiological assay testing.

Potassium ion (K(+)) channels are attractive targets for rational drug design. Based upon a three-dimensional model of the eukaryotic K(+) channels, the docking virtual screening approach was employed to search the China Natural Products Database. Compounds were ranked according to the relative binding energy, favorable shape complementarity, and potential of forming hydrogen bonds with the K(+) channel. Four candidate compounds found by virtual screening were investigated by using the whole-cell voltage-clamp recording in rat dissociated hippocampal neurons. When applied extracellularly, compound 1 markedly depressed the delayed rectifier K(+) current (I(K)) and fast transient K(+) current (I(A)), whereas compounds 2, 3, and 4 exerted a more potent and selective inhibitory effect on I(K). Intracellular application of the four compounds had no effect on both the K(+) currents.

Synthesis and insulin-sensitizing activity of a novel kind of benzopyran derivative.

A series of benzopyran derivatives was synthesized and their insulin-sensitizing activities were evaluated in 3T3-L1 cells. Compounds 6 and 11 exhibited more potent insulin-sensitizing activity than rosiglitazone.

Synthesis and antibacterial activity of oxazolidinone containing sulphonyl group.

A series of oxazolidinone derivatives carrying sulphonyl group was synthesized and their antibacterial activity was evaluated in vitro. Many of such compounds demonstrated potent antibacterial activity. The activity of a novel compound (YC-20) was 2-4-fold more potent than that of linezolid.

Brownian dynamics simulations of the recognition of the scorpion toxin maurotoxin with the voltage-gated potassium ion channels.

The recognition of the scorpion toxin maurotoxin (MTX) by the voltage-gated potassium (Kv1) channels, Kv1.1, Kv1.2, and Kv1.3, has been studied by means of Brownian dynamics (BD) simulations. All of the 35 available structures of MTX in the Protein Data Bank (http://www.rcsb.org/pdb) determined by nuclear magnetic resonance were considered during the simulations, which indicated that the conformation of MTX significantly affected both the recognition and the binding between MTX and the Kv1 channels. Comparing the top five highest-frequency structures of MTX binding to the Kv1 channels, we found that the Kv1.2 channel, with the highest docking frequencies and the lowest electrostatic interaction energies, was the most favorable for MTX binding, whereas Kv1.1 was intermediate, and Kv1.3 was the least favorable one. Among the 35 structures of MTX, the 10th structure docked into the binding site of the Kv1.2 channel with the highest probability and the most favorable electrostatic interactions. From the MTX-Kv1.2 binding model, we identified the critical residues for the recognition of these two proteins through triplet contact analyses. MTX locates around the extracellular mouth of the Kv1 channels, making contacts with its beta-sheets. Lys23, a conserved amino acid in the scorpion toxins, protrudes into the pore of the Kv1.2 channel and forms two hydrogen bonds with the conserved residues Gly401(D) and Tyr400(C) and one hydrophobic contact with Gly401(C) of the Kv1.2 channel. The critical triplet contacts for recognition between MTX and the Kv1.2 channel are Lys23(MTX)-Asp402(C)(Kv1), Lys27(MTX)-Asp378(D)(Kv1), and Lys30(MTX)-Asp402(A)(Kv1). In addition, six hydrogen-bonding interactions are formed between residues Lys23, Lys27, Lys30, and Tyr32 of MTX and residues Gly401, Tyr400, Asp402, Asp378, and Thr406 of Kv1.2. Many of them are formed by side chains of residues of MTX and backbone atoms of the Kv1.2 channel. Five hydrophobic contacts exist between residues Pro20, Lys23, Lys30 and Tyr32 of MTX and residues Asp402, Val404, Gly401, and Arg377 of the Kv1.2 channel. The simulation results are in agreement with the previous molecular biology experiments and explain the binding phenomena between MTX and Kv1 channels at the molecular level. The consistency between the results of the BD simulations and the experimental data indicated that our three-dimensional model of the MTX-Kv1.2 channel complex is reasonable and can be used in additional biological studies, such as rational design of novel therapeutic agents blocking the voltage-gated channels and in mutagenesis studies in both the toxins and the Kv1 channels. In particular, both the BD simulations and the molecular mechanics refinements indicate that residue Asp378 of the Kv1.2 channel is critical for its recognition and binding functionality toward MTX. This phenomenon has not been appreciated in the previous mutagenesis experiments, indicating this might be a new clue for additional functional study of Kv1 channels.

Molecular docking and 3D-QSAR studies on gag peptide analogue inhibitors interacting with human cyclophilin A.

The interaction of a series gag peptide analogues with human cyclophilin A (hCypA) have been studied employing molecular docking and 3D-QSAR approaches. The Lamarckian Genetic Algorithm (LGA) and divide-and-conquer methods were applied to locate the binding orientations and conformations of the inhibitors interacting with hCypA. Good correlations between the calculated interaction free energies and experimental inhibitory activities suggest that the binding conformations of these inhibitors are reasonable. A novel interaction model was identified for inhibitors 11, 15, and 17 whose N-termini were modified by addition of the deaminovaline (Dav) group and the C-termini of 15 and 17 were modified by addition of a benzyl group. Accordingly, two new binding sites (sites A and D in Figure 1) were revealed, which show a strong correlation with inhibitor potency and thus can be used as a starting point for new inhibitor design. In addition, two predictive 3D-QSAR models were obtained by CoMFA and CoMSIA analyses based on the binding conformations derived from the molecular docking calculations. The reasonable r(cross)(2) (cross-validated) values 0.738 and 0.762 were obtained for CoMFA and CoMSIA models, respectively. The predictive ability of these models was validated by four peptide analogues test set. The CoMFA and CoMSIA field distributions are in general agreement with the structural characteristics of the binding groove of hCypA. This indicates the reasonableness of the binding model of the inhibitors with hCypA. Considering all these results together with the valuable clues of binding from references published recently, reasonable pharmacophore elements have been suggested, demonstrating that the 3D-QSAR models about peptide analogue inhibitors are expected to be further employed in predicting activities of the novel compounds for inhibiting hCypA.