Novel chemotherapeutic agent FX-9 activates NF-κB signaling and induces G1 phase arrest by activating CDKN1A in a human prostate cancer cell line.

BACKGROUND: The aminoisoquinoline FX-9 shows pro-apoptotic and antimitotic effects against lymphoblastic leukemia cells and prostate adenocarcinoma cells. In contrast, decreased cytotoxic effects against non-neoplastic blood cells, chondrocytes, and fibroblasts were observed. However, the actual FX-9 molecular mode of action is currently not fully understood. METHODS: In this study, microarray gene expression analysis comparing FX-9 exposed and unexposed prostate cancer cells (PC-3 representing castration-resistant prostate cancer), followed by pathway analysis and gene annotation to functional processes were performed. Immunocytochemistry staining was performed with selected targets. RESULTS: Expression analysis revealed 0.83% of 21,448 differential expressed genes (DEGs) after 6-h exposure of FX-9 and 0.68% DEGs after 12-h exposure thereof. Functional annotation showed that FX-9 primarily caused an activation of inflammatory response by non-canonical nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling. The 6-h samples showed activation of the cell cycle inhibitor CDKN1A which might be involved in the secondary response in 12-h samples. This secondary response predominantly consisted of cell cycle-related changes, with further activation of CDKN1A and inhibition of the transcription factor E2F1, including downstream target genes, resulting in G1-phase arrest. Matching our previous observations on cellular level senescence signaling pathways were also found enriched. To verify these results immunocytochemical staining of p21 Waf1/Cip1 (CDKN1A), E2F1 (E2F1), PAI-1 (SERPNE1), and NFkB2/NFkB p 100 (NFKB2) was performed. Increased expression of p21 Waf1/Cip1 and NFkB2/NFkB p 100 after 24-h exposure to FX-9 was shown. E2F1 and PAI-1 showed no increased expression. CONCLUSIONS: FX-9 induced G1-phase arrest of PC-3 cells through activation of the cell cycle inhibitor CDKN1A, which was initiated by an inflammatory response of noncanonical NF-κB signaling.

The Pharmacogenomics Research Network Translational Pharmacogenetics Program: Outcomes and Metrics of Pharmacogenetic Implementations Across Diverse Healthcare Systems.

Numerous pharmacogenetic clinical guidelines and recommendations have been published, but barriers have hindered the clinical implementation of pharmacogenetics. The Translational Pharmacogenetics Program (TPP) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Pharmacogenomics Research Network was established in 2011 to catalog and contribute to the development of pharmacogenetic implementations at eight US healthcare systems, with the goal to disseminate real-world solutions for the barriers to clinical pharmacogenetic implementation. The TPP collected and normalized pharmacogenetic implementation metrics through June 2015, including gene-drug pairs implemented, interpretations of alleles and diplotypes, numbers of tests performed and actionable results, and workflow diagrams. TPP participant institutions developed diverse solutions to overcome many barriers, but the use of Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC) guidelines provided some consistency among the institutions. The TPP also collected some pharmacogenetic implementation outcomes (scientific, educational, financial, and informatics), which may inform healthcare systems seeking to implement their own pharmacogenetic testing programs.

Zwitterionic phosphonium ligands: synthesis, characterization and application in telomerization of 1,3-butadiene.

Novel zwitterionic phosphonium alkylsulfonate ligands are chemoselectively synthesized from N-heterocyclic phosphines and cyclic sulfones in one step in good to excellent yields. Their in situ generated palladium complexes showed high productivity in the industrial telomerization of 1,3-butadiene with methanol. Optimal results are obtained in the presence of cyclohexyl-substituted ligands under mild conditions and at metal loadings as low as 0.001 mol%.

Applying homogeneous catalysis for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals.

This article describes recent achievements of my research group in the Leibniz-Institut für Katalyse e.V. in the area of applied homogeneous catalysis for the synthesis of biologically active compounds. Special focus is given on the development of novel and practical palladium and copper catalysts for the functionalization of haloarenes and haloheteroarenes.

Over-representation of Samoan/Pacific Islanders among patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections at a large family practice clinic in Anchorage, Alaska, 1996-2000.

Two pediatricians in Anchorage observed that among patients of Samoan/Pacific Islander (S/PI) descent, bacterial wound cultures that grew Staphylococcus aureus often yielded methicillin-resistant isolates. The Alaska Section of Epidemiology performed chart reviews of patients that visited a large family practice clinic in Anchorage, Alaska, from 1996 through April 2000, and who were diagnosed with a skin infection. Eight of 204 patients were identified with culture-confirmed MRSA infections. Eighty percent (4 of 5) of S/PI patients had resistant isolates compared with 12% (4 of 34) of non S/PI patients (Yates corrected chi2 = 8.61, p-value = 0.003). Although subject to limitations, these data support similar findings documented by other studies that suggest MRSA infections disproportionately affect persons of S/PI origin. This study also suggests that it would be prudent to reduce the threshold of clinical suspicion for obtaining a skin culture among S/PI patients in Alaska, and avoid beta-lactam antibiotics until culture results are received.

Internal olefins to linear amines.

The selective synthesis of linear amines from internal olefins or olefin mixtures was achieved through a catalytic one-pot reaction consisting of an initial olefin isomerization followed by hydroformylation and reductive amination. Key to the success is the use of specially designed phosphine ligands in the presence of rhodium catalysts. This reaction constitutes an economically attractive and environmentally favorable synthesis of linear aliphatic amines.

A convenient rhodium-catalyzed intermolecular hydroamination procedure for terminal alkynes.

The first rhodium-catalyzed intermolecular hydroamination of alkynes is presented. Terminal alkynes react efficiently with anilines in the presence of cationic rhodium(I) catalysts under very mild reaction conditions (e.g., base and acid free at room temperature) to yield up to 99% of the corresponding imines. An easy one-pot protocol for the synthesis of secondary amines was developed by combining this alkyne amination reaction with in situ addition of organolithium reagents.

Facile three-component coupling procedure for the synthesis of substituted tetrahydroisoindole-1,3-diones from alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes.

[reaction: see text]. A new one-pot procedure for the efficient synthesis of a small library of amino-functionalized tetrahydroisoindole-1,3-dione derivatives was developed. This three-component coupling reaction comprises subsequent condensation and Diels-Alder reactions of ubiquitous available starting materials (alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes, amide, and maleimide). The synthesized compounds share a substituted tetrahydroisoindole motif in an endo fashion.

Palladium catalyst systems for cross-coupling reactions of aryl chlorides and olefins.

A detailed investigation into the influence of phosphines, additives, bases and solvents on the Heck coupling reaction of 4-trifluoromethyl-1-chlorobenzene (2) is presented. It is shown that a number of catalyst systems exist for efficient cross coupling of electron-deficient aryl chlorides with various olefins. Basicity and steric demand of the ligand are two factors which determine the success of the reaction. In addition the phosphine/palladium ratio, the correct type and amount of additive, and finally the use of an appropriate base and solvent are also important. The optimised reaction conditions are applied for the arylation of styrene, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate and N,N-dimethyl acrylic amide with various aryl chlorides.