Peptidomics analysis of plasma in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Background: This study aimed to explore the differential expression of peptides associated with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients, enabling identification of potential functional peptides to provide the basis for the novel intervention targets for AS. Material and Methods: 3 AS patients and 3 healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study. The expression profiles for peptides present in the plasma of AS patients and the healthy individual were analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The physicochemical properties and biological functions of identified peptides were further analyzed by bioinformatics. The results of peptide identification were verified by cell viability analysis, using CCK8 and Edu staining assay, and the differential peptides relevant to the disease were screened. Results: 52 differential peptides were successfully identified using mass spectrometry. 44 peptides were up-regulated, while eight were down-regulated. FGA-peptide (sequences: DSGEGDFLAEGGGVRGPR), C4A-peptide (sequences: NGFKSHAL), and TUBB-peptide (sequences: ISEQFTAMFR) were screened out that could significantly promote the proliferation of fibroblasts in AS patients. Bioinformatics analysis showed these differentially expressed peptides might be associated with "MHC class I protein binding" and "pathogenic Escherichia coli infection" pathways, which might further affect the progression of AS. Conclusion: This pilot study shows 3 differentially expressed peptides may have the potential function for the occurrence and development of AS, may provide novel insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms of AS based on peptide omics.

Design, synthesis, and anti-influenza A virus activity evaluation of novel indole containing derivatives of triazole.

We designed and synthesized 18 substituted indole derivatives containing a triazole scaffold as novel anti-influenza A virus candidates using a bio-isosteric and scaffold-hopping strategy from the lead compound 4-32-2. Most of the target compounds (eg: 6, 7a, 7d, 7f-j, 7l, 7m, 7o, 7q) exhibited potent anti-influenza A virus activity and low cytotoxicity in vitro. In particular, 7a exhibited the most potent anti-IAV activity (IC50: 1.34 ± 0.13 µM) with low cytotoxicity (CC50: > 100 µM), and high selectivity index (SI: > 74.63), which provides a new chemical scaffold for the development of novel anti-IAV drug.

Discovery of 1,8-naphthalidine derivatives as potent anti-hepatic fibrosis agents via repressing PI3K/AKT/Smad and JAK2/STAT3 pathways.

Liver fibrosis is one of the most common pathological consequences of chronic liver diseases (CLD). To develop effective antifibrotic strategies, a novel class of 1-(substituted phenyl)-1,8-naphthalidine-3-carboxamide derivatives were designed and synthesized. By means of the collagen type I α 1 (COL1A1)-based screening and cytotoxicity assay in human hepatic stellate cell (HSC) line LX-2, seven compounds were screened out from total 60 derivatives with high inhibitory effect and relatively low cytotoxicity for further COL1A1 mRNA expression analysis. It was found that compound 17f and 19g dose-dependently inhibited the expression of fibrogenic markers, including α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), matrix metalloprotein 2 (MMP-2), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and transforming growth factor ß1 (TGFß1) on both mRNA and protein levels. Further mechanism studies indicated that they might suppress the hepatic fibrogenesis via inhibiting both PI3K/AKT/Smad and non-Smad JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathways. Furthermore, 19g administration attenuated hepatic histopathological injury and collagen accumulation, and reduced fibrogenesis-associated protein expression in liver tissues of bile duct ligation (BDL) rats, showing significant antifibrotic effect in vivo. These findings identified 1,8-naphthalidine derivatives as potent anti-hepatic fibrosis agents, and provided valuable information for further structure optimization.

Discovery and optimization of 2-((1H-indol-3-yl)thio)-N-benzyl-acetamides as novel SARS-CoV-2 RdRp inhibitors.

The emerging severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for the global pandemic coronavirus disease (COVID-19), but no specific antiviral drug has been proven effective for controlling this pandemic to date. In this study, several 2-((indol-3-yl)thio)-N-benzyl-acetamides were identified as SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) inhibitors. After a two-round optimization, a new series of 2-((indol-3-yl)thio)-N-benzyl-acetamides was designed, synthesized, and evaluated for SARS-CoV-2 RdRp inhibitory effect. Compounds 6b2, 6b5, 6c9, 6d2, and 6d5 were identified as potent inhibitors with IC50 values of 3.35 ± 0.21 µM, 4.55 ± 0.2 µM, 1.65 ± 0.05 µM, 3.76 ± 0.79 µM, and 1.11 ± 0.05 µM, respectively; the IC50 of remdesivir (control) was measured as 1.19 ± 0.36 µM. All of the compounds inhibited RNA synthesis by SARS-CoV-2 RdRp. The most potent compound 6d5, which showed a stronger inhibitory activity against the human coronavirus HCoV-OC43 than remdesivir, is a promising candidate for further investigation.

Design, synthesis, and antibacterial evaluation of PFK-158 derivatives as potent agents against drug-resistant bacteria.

Infections caused by antibiotic resistant bacteria are a major health concern throughout the world. It is well known that PFK-158 can enhance the antibacterial effect of polymyxin, but its own anti-bactericidal effect is rarely discussed. In order to investigate the anti-bactericidal effect of PFK-158 and its derivatives, PFK-158 and 35 derivatives were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their antibacterial activities. Compounds A1, A3, A14, A15 and B6 exhibited potent antibacterial effect against both clinical drug sensitive and resistant Gram-positive bacteria, and they are 2-8 folds more potent than levofloxacin against Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus epidermidis (MRSE). A significant synergistic effect of these compounds and polymyxin against drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, which is similar to PFK-158 was also observed. The result can provided a new and broader prospect for the development of new medicine against drug-resistant bacteria.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of HIV-1 protease inhibitors with morpholine derivatives as P2 ligands in combination with cyclopropyl as P1' ligand.

A series of novel HIV-1 protease inhibitors has been designed and synthesized, which contained morpholine derivatives as the P2 ligands and hydrophobic cyclopropyl as the P1' ligand at the meantime in this study, with the aim of improving the interactions between the active sites of HIV-1 protease and the inhibitors. Twenty-eight compounds were synthesized and assessed, among which inhibitors m18 and m1 exhibited excellent inhibitory effect on the activity of HIV-1 protease with IC50 value of 47 nM and 53 nM, respectively. The molecular modeling of m1 revealed possible hydrogen bondings or van der Waals between the inhibitor and the protease, worthy of in-depth study.

Design, synthesis, and biological activity evaluation of a series of pleuromutilin derivatives with novel C14 side chains.

In this work, according to the 'me-too me-better' design strategy, a peculiar side chain different from lefamulin at C14 position of pleuromutilin was introduced. A series of novel thioether pleuromutilin derivatives containing cyclohexane in the C14 chain was synthesized by ten-step synthesis reaction. All derivatives were characterized by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and High Resolution Mass Spectrometer (HRMS). Furthermore, majority of derivatives displayed moderate antibacterial activity in vitro. However, the compound 2C and 2J exhibited comparable or superior antibacterial activity to lefamulin. The summarized structure-activity relationship not only made the variety of pleuromutilin derivatives more diverse, but also provided new ideas for its design and development.

Design and synthesis of 2-((1H-indol-3-yl)thio)-N-phenyl-acetamides as novel dual inhibitors of respiratory syncytial virus and influenza virus A.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza A virus (IAV) are two of the most common viruses that cause substantial morbidity and mortality in infants, young children, elderly persons, and immunocompromised individuals worldwide. Currently, there are no licensed vaccines or selective antiviral drugs against RSV infections and most IAV strains become resistant to clinical anti-influenza drug. Here, we described the discovery of a series of 2-((1H-indol-3-yl)thio)-N-phenyl-acetamide as novel and potent RSV and IAV dual inhibitors. Thirty-five derivatives were designed, prepared, and evaluated for their anti-RSV and anti-IAV activities. Among the tested compounds, 14'c, 14'e, 14'f, 14'h, and 14'i exhibited excellent activity against both RSV and IAV, which showed low micromolar to sub-micromolar EC50 values. Further, compounds 14'c and 14'e were identified as the most promising dual inhibitors with lesser cytotoxicity than the clinical drug, ribavirin. These findings may contribute to the development of a lead compound for the treatment of RSV and/or IAV infections.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of new HIV-1 protease inhibitors with purine bases as P2-ligands.

Introducing purine bases to P2-ligands might enhance the potency of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (HIV-1) protease inhibitory because of the carbonyl and NH groups promoting the formation of extensive H-bonding interactions. In this work, thirty-three compounds are synthesized and evaluated, among which inhibitors 16a, 16f and 16j containing N-2-(6-substituted-9H-purin-9-yl)acetamide as the P2-ligands along with 4-methoxylphenylsulfonamide as the P2'-ligand, display potent inhibitory effect on the activity of HIV-1 protease with IC50 43 nM, 42 nM and 68 nM in vitro, respectively.

Design, Synthesis, and Cytotoxic Activity of 3-Aryl-N-hydroxy-2-(sulfonamido)propanamides in HepG2, HT-1080, KB, and MCF-7 Cells.

A new series of (sulfonamido)propanamides (6a1-6a13, 6b1-6b15, 7c1-7c5, 6d1-6d5, 6e1-6e6) was designed and synthesized. All the synthesized compounds were characterized by NMR and mass spectrometry. The target compounds were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxic activity against hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2), fibrosarcoma (HT-1080), mouth epidermal carcinoma (KB), and breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) cell lines with the sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay, with gemcitabine and mitomycin C as positive controls. Most of these compounds exhibit a more potent cytotoxic effect than the positive control group on various cancer cell lines and the most potent compound, 6a7, shows the IC50 values of 29.78±0.516 µm, 30.70±0.61 µm, and 64.89±3.09 µm in HepG2, HT-1080, KB, and MCF-7 cell lines, respectively. Thus, these compounds with potent cytotoxic activity have potential for development as new chemotherapy agents.

Antibacterial Activity and Structure-Activity Relationship of a Series of Newly Synthesized Pleuromutilin Derivatives.

A series of novel thioether or sulfoxide-type pleuromutilin derivatives containing heteroaromatic substituents at the end of C14 side chain were designed and synthesized. All of the derivatives were evaluated for their in vitro antibacterial activity. Some of them showed good to excellent antibacterial activity comparable to retapamulin and azamulin in most of the tested Gram-positive pathogens. In this work, a five-membered heterocyclic moiety, a pyrimidine-heterocyclic moiety, or a benzoheterocyclic moiety was introduced in the C14 side chain to increase the structural diversity of the pleuromutilin derivatives. The antibacterial results reveal that the thioether-containing pleuromutilin derivatives exert a more potency activity than the sulfoxide-type derivatives against Gram-positive pathogens. The structure-activity relationship summarized in this work may provide with some interesting clues as to which functionalities are beneficial for high antimicrobial activity of the pleuromutilin derivatives.

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Substituted Indole and Its Analogs as Influenza A Virus Inhibitors.

Influenza A virus (IAV), a highly pathogenic virus to human beings, is most susceptible to mutation and thus causes rapid, severe global pandemics resulting in millions of fatalities worldwide. Since resistance to the existing anti-influenza drugs is developing, innovative inhibitors with a different mode of action are urgently needed. The lead compound 6092B-E5 has proven to be an effective antiviral reagent in our previous work. Using the principles of substitution and bioisosterism of the indole ring, six series of novel anti-IAV target products were designed, synthesized and evaluated for their antiviral effect in this work. Compounds D1 , D3 , D9 , G1 , G3 , G12 and G23 were identified as promising anti-IAV candidates with excellent anti-IAV efficacy (IC50 values of 3.06-5.77 µm) and low cytotoxicity (CC50 values up to and beyond 100 µm). This work represents a successful application of the substitution and bioisosteric replacement strategy for the discovery of novel antiviral molecules that can be used for further structural optimization.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel HIV-1 protease inhibitors with pentacyclic triterpenoids as P2-ligands.

The design, synthesis and SAR study of a new series of HIV-1 protease inhibitors with pentacyclic triterpenoids as P2 ligands and phenylsulfonamide as P2' ligands were discussed. These compounds exhibited micromolar inhibitory potency, among which compound T1c displayed HIV-1 protease inhibition with IC50 values of 0.12 µM, which was 67 times the inhibitory activity of its raw material Ursolic acid (8.0 µM).

An Efficient Synthesis of Acenaphtho[1,2-b]indole Derivatives via Domino Reaction.

A concise and efficient synthesis of acenaphtho[1,2-b]indole derivatives via the domino reactions of enaminones with acenaphthoquinone catalyzed by l-proline has been developed. This protocol has the advantages of good yields, operational convenience and high regioselectivity.

One-Pot Syntesis of 3-Functionalized 4-Hydroxycoumarin under Catalyst-Free Conditions.

A concise and efficient one-pot synthesis of 3-functionalized 4-hydroxycoumarin derivatives via a three-component domino reaction of 4-hydroxycoumarin, phenylglyoxal and 3-arylaminocyclopent-2-enone or 4-arylaminofuran-2(5H)-one under catalyst-free and microwave irradiation conditions is described. This synthesis involves a group-assisted purification process, which avoids traditional recrystallization and chromatographic purification methods.

Small molecule T63 suppresses osteoporosis by modulating osteoblast differentiation via BMP and WNT signaling pathways.

Osteoporosis results from the imbalance between bone resorption and bone formation, and restoring the normal balance of bone remodeling is highly desirable for identification of better treatment. In this study, using a cell-based high-throughput screening model representing Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) transcriptional activity, we identified a novel small-molecular-weight compound, T63, as an efficient up-regulator of osteogenesis. T63 increased the alkaline phosphatase (ALPL) activity and mineralization as well as gene expression of Alpl and other osteogenic marker genes in mouse osteoblasts and mesenchymal stem cell-like cells. Upon induction of osteoblast differentiation, T63 inhibited adipogenic differentiation in the pluripotent mesenchymal cells. Consistently, T63 up-regulated RUNX2 mRNA and protein levels, and knockdown of RUNX2 reduced the osteogenic role of T63. Mechanistically, T63 activated both BMPs and WNT/ß-catenin signaling pathways. Inhibition of either signaling pathway with specific inhibitor suppressed T63-induced RUNX2 expression and the osteogenic phenotypes. Moreover, T63 markedly protected against bone mass loss in the ovariectomized and dexamethasone treated rat osteoporosis model. Collectively, our data demonstrate that T63 could be a promising drug candidate and deserves further development for potential therapeutics in osteoporosis.

[Definition and Control Indicators of Volatile Organic Compounds in China].

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are the most complex of a wide range of pollutants that harms human health and ecological environment. However, various countries around the world differ on its definition and control indicators. Its definition, control indicators and monitoring methods of our country and local standards were also different. Based on detailed analysis of the definitions and control indicators of VOCs, the recommendations were proposed: the definition of VOCs should be different according to the different concerns between "air quality management" and "pollution emissions management"; base on different control way from production source, technological process, terminal emission, total discharge control, the control indicators system consists of 10 indicators; to formulate industry VOCs emissions standards, the most effective control way and indicators should be chosen according to characteristics of production process, way of VOCs emissions and possible control measures, etc.

[Study on feasible emission control level of air pollutions for cement industry ].

The revised National Emission Standard of Air Pollutions for Cement Industry has been issued, which will be effective for the new enterprises and the existing enterprises on Mar. 1st, 2014 and July 1st, 2015, respectively. In the process of revision, the key technical issues on determination of standard limits was how to determine the feasible emission control level of air pollutions. Feasible emission control requirements were put forward, according to air pollutants emission, technologies, environmental management requirements and foreign standards, etc. The main contents of the revised standard include expanding the scope of application, increasing the pollutants, improving the particulate and NO emissions control level, and increasing special emission limits applied to key areas of air pollutants. The standard will become the gripper of pollution prevention, total emission reduction, structural adjustment and optimization of the layout, and will promote scientific and technical progression for the cement industry.

[A comparative study on domestic and foreign emission standards of air pollutants for cement industry].

The new National Emission Standard of Air Pollutants for Cement Industry (GB 4915-2013) becomes effective on Mar. 1st, 2014. It will play an important role in pollution prevention, total emission reduction, structure adjustment, and layout optimization for cement industry. Based on the research of emission standard in China, U. S., EU and Japan, the similarities and differences in the pollutant projects, control indicators, limits and means of implementation were discussed and advice was proposed, with the purpose to provide a reference for revision of emission standard, and to improve the level of environmental management and pollution control.

[Revision process and thinking of emission standard of air pollutants for cement industry].

The new National Emission Standard of Air Pollutants for Cement Industry (GB 4915-2013) was released recently, which is the third revision since the first release in 1985. This paper reviewed the revision process for the emission standard of air pollutants in cement industry, analyzed the impact of environmental protection situation and management policies changes on the content and form of the standard. The standard formulating principles and several key issues together constitute the base of emission standard, which are not only important to complete the theories and methods of emission standard development, but also important to improve the environmental management and pollution control level.