Identification of the exosomal PD-L1 inhibitor to promote the PD-1 targeting therapy of gastric cancer.

Programmed death 1/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) targeting therapy is widely applied in clinics for gastric cancer treatment. Nevertheless, the clinical response is not well acceptable due to the exosomal PD-L1. Hence, abrogation of the exosomal PD-L1 may be a strategy to sensitize the gastric cancer cell to PD-1 targeting therapy. With the aid of CD63 targeting antibody and PD-L1 targeting aptamer, HTRF based assay was established to quantify the exosomal PD-L1, and applied to our in-house compound library, resulting in the identification of moclobemide. Further optimization of moclobemide lead to EP16, which can inhibit the generation of exosomal PD-L1 with IC50 = 0.108 µM. By applying EP16 to gastric cancer cell line coupled with T-cell activity related experiment, it was validated to activate T-cell and can promote the response of PD-1 targeting therapy for gastric cancer treatment in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, our findings give a promising tool to promote the sensitivity of anti-PD-1 for gastric cancer treatment, and EP16 can serve as a leading compound for exosomal PD-L1 abrogation.

Exploring the synthetic approaches and clinical prowess of established macrocyclic pharmaceuticals.

Macrocyclic compounds, characterized by cyclic structures, often originate from either modified forms of unicyclic canonical molecules or natural products. Within the field of medicinal chemistry, there has been a growing fascination with drug-like macrocycles in recent years, primarily due to compelling evidence indicating that macrocyclization can significantly influence both the biological and physiochemical properties, as well as the selectivity, when compared to their acyclic counterparts. The approval of contemporary pharmaceutical agents like Lorlatinib underscore the notable clinical relevance of drug-like macrocycles. Nonetheless, the synthesis of these drug-like macrocycles poses substantial challenges, primarily stemming from the complexity of ring-closing reactions, which are inherently dependent on the size and geometry of the bridging linker, impacting overall yields. Nevertheless, macrocycles offer a promising avenue for expanding the synthetic toolkit in medicinal chemistry, enabling the creation of bioactive compounds. To shed light on the subject, we delve into the clinical prowess of established macrocyclic drugs, spanning various therapeutic areas, including oncology, and infectious diseases. Case studies of clinically approved macrocyclic agents illustrate their profound impact on patient care and disease management. As we embark on this journey through the world of macrocyclic pharmaceuticals, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of their synthesis and clinical applications, shedding light on the pivotal role they play in modern medicine.

Unlocking the synthetic approaches and clinical application of approved small-molecule drugs for gastrointestinal cancer treatment: A comprehensive exploration.

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers encompass a group of malignancies affecting the digestive system, including the stomach, esophagus, liver, colon, rectum and pancreas. These cancers represent a significant global health burden, necessitating effective treatment strategies. Small-molecule drugs have emerged as crucial therapeutic options in the fight against GI cancers due to their oral bioavailability, targeted mechanisms of action, and well-established safety profiles. The review then elucidates the clinical applications and synthetic methods of clinically approved small-molecule drugs for the treatment of GI cancer, shedding light on their mechanisms of action and their potential in mitigating GI cancer progression. The review also discusses future prospects and the evolving landscape of small-molecule drug development in GI oncology, highlighting the potential for personalized medicine. In summary, this review provides valuable insights into cutting-edge strategies for harnessing clinically approved small-molecule drugs to combat GI cancer effectively.

Discovery of neddylation E2s inhibitors with therapeutic activity.

Neddylation is the writing of monomers or polymers of neural precursor cells expressed developmentally down-regulated 8 (NEDD8) to substrate. For neddylation to occur, three enzymes are required: activators (E1), conjugators (E2), and ligators (E3). However, the central role is played by the ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes E2M (UBE2M) and E2F (UBE2F), which are part of the E2 enzyme family. Recent understanding of the structure and mechanism of these two proteins provides insight into their physiological effects on apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and genome stability. To treat cancer, it is therefore appealing to develop novel inhibitors against UBE2M or UBE2F interactions with either E1 or E3. In this evaluation, we summarized the existing understanding of E2 interaction with E1 and E3 and reviewed the prospective of using neddylation E2 as a pharmacological target for evolving new anti-cancer remedies.

The clinical characteristics and treatment of intestinal hamartomas.

The study aims to investigate the intestinal (small and large intestine) clinical features and treatment of hamartoma. Nowadays, with the rapid development of new technologies, digestive system endoscopy has been proven to be an effective device for treatment, rather than just a diagnostic tool. Such development plays a revolutionary role in diagnosis and treatment for digestive diseases. And endoscopic treatment was used in this study (LED light source, wavelength 580 ∼ 595 nm, power 200 W). A retrospective analysis of 20 cases of intestinal hamartomas performed from January 2012 to January 2016 to summarize its clinical characteristics and follow-up study on the therapeutic effect of the patients. There were 8 cases for endoscopic operation, and 12 cases for surgical operation. Comparison of tumor size between endoscopic and surgical estimated by using Wilcoxon rank sum test for tumor length (Z = -3.134, p = 0.001), and for tumor diameter (Z = -2.920, p = 0.002). The results of this study showed that intestinal hamartomas and gender have no significant relationship. The incidence of the disease is concentrated under 60 years, the incidence of the small intestine is significantly higher than that of the large intestine, and the rate of misdiagnosis is high. Endoscopic and surgical treatment are the main treatment, the prognosis is good, and after the radical resection, the recurrence was less.

Gao's double-way approach for laparoscopic D2 radical surgery for gastric cancer.

Laparoscopic D2 radical surgery for gastric cancer is minimally invasive but complex. In this path: (1) Repeated operation of lesser curvature side; (2) The gastrohepatic ligament is relatively fixed. Hence, it is not easy to expose the suprapancreatic area; and (3) It is not easy to dissect No. 1, 12 lymph nodes. This area may not be sufficiently cleaned or surrounding vessels may be injured during a resection. So it is critical to choose position fixing, and a clear, fast and convenient operation path. The author, based on his experience, has established a set of procedural steps called "Gao's double-way", lesser omentum approach and traditional greater omentum approach, which are described in detail in this article. The path of this first approach is described as a "W" type of dissection. The second way is the traditional greater omentum approach, whose path is described as a "M" type of dissection. This will enable laparoscopic surgeons to select a suitable path. This new approach not only simplifies the surgery but also provides more space for the subsequent operation, thereby making the surgery more simple, safe and easy.

An improved multidimensional MPA procedure for bidirectional earthquake excitations.

Presently, the modal pushover analysis procedure is extended to multidimensional analysis of structures subjected to multidimensional earthquake excitations. an improved multidimensional modal pushover analysis (IMMPA) method is presented in the paper in order to estimate the response demands of structures subjected to bidirectional earthquake excitations, in which the unidirectional earthquake excitation applied on equivalent SDOF system is replaced by the direct superposition of two components earthquake excitations, and independent analysis in each direction is not required and the application of simplified superposition formulas is avoided. The strength reduction factor spectra based on superposition of earthquake excitations are discussed and compared with the traditional strength reduction factor spectra. The step-by-step procedure is proposed to estimate seismic demands of structures. Two examples are implemented to verify the accuracy of the method, and the results of the examples show that (1) the IMMPA method can be used to estimate the responses of structure subjected to bidirectional earthquake excitations. (2) Along with increase of peak of earthquake acceleration, structural response deviation estimated with the IMMPA method may also increase. (3) Along with increase of the number of total floors of structures, structural response deviation estimated with the IMMPA method may also increase.

Attenuation of hepatic fibrosis through ultrasound-microbubble-mediated HGF gene transfer in rats.

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to explore the feasibility of ultrasound-microbubble-mediated hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) gene transfer for treating rat hepatic fibrosis induced by CCl(4). METHODS: Forty-eight male SD rats were divided into ultrasound-microbubble-HGF group (U-M-HGF group), ultrasound-HGF group (U-HGF group), microbubble-HGF group (M-HGF group), HGF group (HGF group), CCl(4) group (control group), and normal group. The serum levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), total protein, albumin (ALB), and globulin (GLB) and the ratio of ALB/GLB were determined after treatment. The degree of hepatic fibrosis was evaluated by histopathological numerical scores. The protein expressions of HGF, collagen I, collagen III, and α-smooth muscle antibody (α-SMA) were detected by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Ultrasound-microbubble-mediated HGF therapy significantly reduced the serum level of ALT and AST to 59.88% and 49.18% of the control group, respectively. Ultrasound-microbubble-mediated HGF therapy prevented liver fibrosis, with an obvious decrease in fibrosis areas and extracellular matrix production of collagen I, collagen III, and α-SMA. The gene therapy could induce HGF delivery into the fibrotic liver effectively. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound-microbubble-mediated HGF gene therapy can reduce liver fibrosis, which provides a novel strategy for gene therapy of chronic liver disease.

[Expression of RAG-1 in brain during mouse development].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of recombination activating gene-1 (RAG-1) and its localization in the mouse brain during the embryonic development. METHODS: The brain tissues of E (embryonic day) 11, E13, E15, E17, E19, P0 (the birth day) and adult mice were taken, the total RNA of brains were extracted and the changes of RAG-1 expression were detected with the method of RT-PCR. The freeze sections of brain tissues from each group were stained with immunohistochemistry method. RESULT: The expression of RAG-1 persisted from E11 to P0 brain and was steadily increased from E11 to E19; the results of RT-PCR were similar to that of immunohistochemistry. The positive-cells mainly appeared in the nucleus amygdalae, hypothalamus, thalamus and hippocampus at developmental stage. The expression began to appear in ventricular zone (VZ) and intermediate zone (IZ) of telecephalic vesicle, then gradually increased in subventricular zone (SVZ), corticle plate (CP) and subcorticle plate (SP). CONCLUSION: The expression of RAG-1 in mouse embryonic brain tissue is higher than that in the adult mouse, which may be related to the process of neuron development.

Effects of ciclamilast, a new PDE 4 PDE4 inhibitor, on airway hyperresponsiveness, PDE4D expression and airway inflammation in a murine model of asthma.

PDE4 (phosphodiesterase-4) plays a critical role in pathogenesis of allergic asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). PDE4 inhibitors are presently under clinical development for the treatment of asthma and/or COPD. Ciclamilast, a new PDE4 inhibitor, is a piclamilast (RP 73401) structural analogue, but has a more potent inhibitory effect on PDE4 and inflammation in the airway tissues and less side effects than that of piclamilast. In this study, we elucidate primarily on the roles of compound on PDE4 enzyme in physiological and pathological processes in a mouse model of asthma. The sensitized/challenged mice were reexposed to ovalbumin and airway response to inhaled methacholine was monitored. Orally administration of ciclamilast, in a dose-dependent manner, significantly inhibited changes in lung resistance and lung dynamic compliance, as well as upregulation of cAMP-PDE activity, increase of PDE4D mRNA expression, but not PDE4B from lung tissue in the murine model. In addition, the compound dose-dependently reduced mRNA expression of eotaxin, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-4, but slightly increased mRNA expression of interferon (IFN)-gamma from lung tissue. Further, levels of eotaxin, TNF-alpha and IL-4, and eosinophil and neutrophil accumulation in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were also significantly reduced. Pathological examination, goblet cell hyperplasia and inflammatory cells infiltration in lung tissue were suppressed by treatment with ciclamilast. A significant correlation was observed between the increases in PDE4D mRNA expression and airway hyperresponsiveness. These studies confirm that inhibitory effect of ciclamilast on airway hyperresponsiveness includes its inhibiting PDE4D mRNA expression, down-modulating PDE4 activity, anti-inflammation and anti-mucus hypersecretion, and ciclamilast may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of asthma.

Inhibition of phosphodiesterase activity, airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness by PDE4 inhibitor and glucocorticoid in a murine model of allergic asthma.

Phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) isozyme plays important roles in inflammatory and immunomodulatory cells. In this study, piclamilast, a selective PDE4 inhibitor, was used to investigate the role of PDE4 in respiratory function and inflammation in a murine asthma model. Sensitized mice were challenged with aerosolized ovalbumin for 7 days, piclamilast (1, 3 and 10 mg/kg) and dexamethasone (2 mg/kg) were orally administered once daily during the period of challenge. Twenty-four hours after the last challenge, airway hyperresponsiveness to methacholine was determined by whole-body plethysmography, airway inflammation and mucus secretion by histomorphometry, pulmonary cAMP-PDE activity by HPLC, cytokine levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and their mRNA expression in lung by ELISA and RT-PCR, respectively. In control mice, significant induction of cAMP-PDE activity was parallel to the increases of hyperresponsiveness, inflammatory cells, cytokine levels, mRNA expression as well as goblet cell hyperplasia. However, piclamilast dose-dependently and significantly improved airway resistance and dynamic compliance, and the maximal effect was similar to that of dexamethasone. Piclamilast treatment dose-dependently and significantly prevented the increase in inflammatory cell number and goblet cell hyperplasia, as well as production of cytokines, including eotaxin, TNFalpha and IL-4. Piclamilast exerted a weaker inhibitory effect than dexamethasone on eosinophils and neutrophils, had no effect on lymphocyte accumulation. Moreover, piclamilast inhibited up-regulation of cAMP-PDE activity and cytokine mRNA expression; the maximal inhibition of cAMP-PDE was greater than that exerted by dexamethasone, and was similar to dexamethasone on cytokine mRNA expression. This study suggests that inhibition of PDE4 by piclamilast robustly improves the pulmonary function, airway inflammation and goblet cell hyperplasia in murine allergenic asthma.