Discovery of 2-amino-3-amido-5-aryl-pyridines as highly potent, orally bioavailable, and efficacious PERK kinase inhibitors.

The protein kinase R (PKR)-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK) is one of the three endoplasmic reticulum (ER) transmembrane sensors of the unfolded protein response (UPR) that regulates protein synthesis, alleviates cellular ER stress and has been implicated in tumorigenesis and prolonged cancer cell survival. In this study, we report a series of 2-amino-3-amido-5-aryl-pyridines that we have identified as potent, selective, and orally bioavailable PERK inhibitors. Amongst the series studied herein, compound (28) a (R)-2-Amino-5-(4-(2-(3,5-difluorophenyl)-2-hydroxyacetamido)-2-ethylphenyl)-N-isopropylnicotinamide has demonstrated potent biochemical and cellular activity, robust pharmacokinetics and 70% oral bioavailability in mice. Given these data, this compound (28) was studied in the 786-O renal cell carcinoma xenograft model. We observed dose-dependent, statistically significant tumor growth inhibition, supporting the use of this tool compound in additional mechanistic studies.

Molecular and biochemical characterization of a benzenoid/phenylpropanoid meta/para-O-methyltransferase from Rauwolfia serpentina roots.

The monoterpenoid indole alkaloids, reserpine and rescinnamine contain 3, 4, 5-trimethoxybenzoate or 3, 4, 5-trimethoxycinnamate, respectively, within their structures and they accumulate in different plant organs and particularly within roots of Rauwolfia serpentina. This plant also accumulates acylated sugars substituted with 3, 4, 5-trimethoxybenzoate and 3, 4, 5-trimethoxycinnamate. In the present study, transcriptome and metabolome analyses of R. serpentina roots allowed the identification of 7 candidate O-methytransferase (OMT) genes that might be associated with the formation of 3, 4, 5-trimethoxybenzoate and 3, 4, 5-trimethoxycinnamate and led to the molecular cloning of 4 genes for functional expression and analysis. Two candidate genes were expressed in E. coli and were shown to use different phenolics as methyl acceptors. RsOMT1, a member of the caffeoyl CoA-OMT-like family of genes, converted 3, 5 dimethoxy-4-hydroxycinnamic, caffeic and 3, 4, 5 trihydroxybenzoic acids to trimethoxycinnamic-, ferulic/isoferulic- and 3-methoxy, 4, 5 dihydroxybenzoic or 4-methoxy, 3, 5 dihydroxybenzoic acids, respectively, when supplied with these substrates. RsOMT3, a member of the caffeic acid-OMT-like family of genes, only converted caffeic acid to ferulic acid. Both enzymes showed considerable promiscuity with respect to various flavonoid substrates that they accepted. The para-O-methylation activity of RsOMT1 is quite rare and unusual for plant OMTs. The involvement of RsOMT1 and RsOMT3 in the assembly of trimethoxybenzoic and trimethoxycinnamic acids is discussed.

7-deoxyloganetic acid synthase catalyzes a key 3 step oxidation to form 7-deoxyloganetic acid in Catharanthus roseus iridoid biosynthesis.

Iridoids are key intermediates required for the biosynthesis of monoterpenoid indole alkaloids (MIAs), as well as quinoline alkaloids. Although most iridoid biosynthetic genes have been identified, one remaining three step oxidation required to form the carboxyl group of 7-deoxyloganetic acid has yet to be characterized. Here, it is reported that virus-induced gene silencing of 7-deoxyloganetic acid synthase (7DLS, CYP76A26) in Catharanthus roseus greatly decreased levels of secologanin and the major MIAs, catharanthine and vindoline in silenced leaves. Functional expression of this gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae confirmed its function as an authentic 7DLS that catalyzes the 3 step oxidation of iridodial-nepetalactol to form 7-deoxyloganetic acid. The identification of CYP76A26 removes a key bottleneck for expression of iridoid and related MIA pathways in various biological backgrounds.

Antioxidant enzyme activities are not broadly correlated with longevity in 14 vertebrate endotherm species.

The free radical theory of ageing posits that accrual of oxidative damage underlies the increased cellular, tissue and organ dysfunction and failure associated with advanced age. In support of this theory, cellular resistance to oxidative stress is highly correlated with life span, suggesting that prevention or repair of oxidative damage might indeed be essential for longevity. To test the hypothesis that the prevention of oxidative damage underlies longevity, we measured the activities of the five major intracellular antioxidant enzymes in brain, heart and liver tissue of 14 mammalian and avian species with maximum life spans (MLSPs) ranging from 3 years to over 100 years. Our data set included Snell dwarf mice in which life span is increased by approximately 50% compared to their normal littermates. We found that CuZn superoxide dismutase, the major cytosolic superoxide dismutase, showed no correlation with MLSP in any of the three organs. Similarly, neither glutathione peroxidase nor glutathione reductase activities correlated with MLSP. MnSOD, the sole mitochondrial superoxide dismutase in mammals and birds, was positively correlated with MLSP only for brain tissue. This same trend was observed for catalase. For all correlational data, effects of body mass and phylogenetic relatedness were removed using residual analysis and Felsenstein's phylogenetically independent contrasts. Our results are not consistent with a causal role for intracellular antioxidant enzymes in longevity, similar to recent reports from studies utilising genetic modifications of mice (Pérez et al., Biochim Biophys Acta 1790:1005-1014, 2009). However, our results indicate a specific augmentation of reactive oxygen species neutralising activities in brain associated with longevity.

Molecular mechanisms of oxidative stress resistance induced by resveratrol: Specific and progressive induction of MnSOD.

trans-Resveratrol (3,4',5-trihydroxystilbene; RES), a polyphenol found in particularly high concentrations in red wine, has recently attracted intense interest for its potentially beneficial effects on human health. Here, we report the effects of long-term exposure to micromolar concentrations of RES on antioxidant and DNA repair enzyme activities in a human cell line (MRC-5). RES had either no effect on, or reduced the activities of glutathione peroxidase, catalase and CuZn superoxide dismutase (SOD), in treatments lasting up to 2 weeks. RES failed to induce activities of the DNA base excision repair enzymes apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease and DNA polymerase beta. However, it dramatically and progressively induced mitochondrial MnSOD expression and activity. Two weeks exposure to RES increased MnSOD protein level 6-fold and activity 14-fold. Thus, long-term exposure of human cells to RES results in a highly specific upregulation of MnSOD, and this may be an important mechanism by which it elicits its effects in human cells.