Isoxazole-9 reduces enhanced fear responses and retrieval in ethanol-dependent male rats.

Plasticity in the dentate gyrus (DG) is strongly influenced by ethanol, and ethanol experience alters long-term memory consolidation dependent on the DG. However, it is unclear if DG plasticity plays a role in dysregulation of long-term memory consolidation during abstinence from chronic ethanol experience. Outbred male Wistar rats experienced 7 weeks of chronic intermittent ethanol vapor exposure (CIE). Seventy-two hours after CIE cessation, CIE and age-matched ethanol-naïve Air controls experienced auditory trace fear conditioning (TFC). Rats were tested for cue-mediated retrieval in the fear context either twenty-four hours (24 hr), ten days (10 days), or twenty-one days (21 days) later. CIE rats showed enhanced freezing behavior during TFC acquisition compared to Air rats. Air rats showed significant fear retrieval, and this behavior did not differ at the three time points. In CIE rats, fear retrieval increased over time during abstinence, indicating an incubation in fear responses. Enhanced retrieval at 21 days was associated with reduced structural and functional plasticity of ventral granule cell neurons (GCNs) and reduced expression of synaptic proteins important for neuronal plasticity. Systemic treatment with the drug Isoxazole-9 (Isx-9; small molecule that stimulates DG plasticity) during the last week and a half of CIE blocked altered acquisition and retrieval of fear memories in CIE rats during abstinence. Concurrently, Isx-9 modulated the structural and functional plasticity of ventral GCNs and the expression of synaptic proteins in the ventral DG. These findings identify that abstinence-induced disruption of fear memory consolidation occurs via altered plasticity within the ventral DG, and that Isx-9 prevented these effects.

Discovery of Ketone-Based Covalent Inhibitors of Coronavirus 3CL Proteases for the Potential Therapeutic Treatment of COVID-19.

The novel coronavirus disease COVID-19 that emerged in 2019 is caused by the virus SARS CoV-2 and named for its close genetic similarity to SARS CoV-1 that caused severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2002. Both SARS coronavirus genomes encode two overlapping large polyproteins, which are cleaved at specific sites by a 3C-like cysteine protease (3CLpro) in a post-translational processing step that is critical for coronavirus replication. The 3CLpro sequences for CoV-1 and CoV-2 viruses are 100% identical in the catalytic domain that carries out protein cleavage. A research effort that focused on the discovery of reversible and irreversible ketone-based inhibitors of SARS CoV-1 3CLpro employing ligand-protease structures solved by X-ray crystallography led to the identification of 3 and 4. Preclinical experiments reveal 4 (PF-00835231) as a potent inhibitor of CoV-2 3CLpro with suitable pharmaceutical properties to warrant further development as an intravenous treatment for COVID-19.

Synthesis of Deoxyradicinin, an Inhibitor of Xylella fastidiosa and Liberibacter crescens, a Culturable Surrogate for Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus.

Pierce's disease of grapevine and citrus huanglongbing are caused by the bacterial pathogens Xylella fastidiosa and Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), respectively. Both pathogens reside within the plant vascular system, occluding water and nutrient transport, leading to a decrease in productivity and fruit marketability and ultimately death of their hosts. Field observations of apparently healthy plants in disease-affected vineyards and groves led to the hypothesis that natural products from endophytes may inhibit these bacterial pathogens. Previously, we showed that the natural product radicinin from Cochliobolus sp. inhibits X. fastidiosa. Herein we describe a chemical synthesis of deoxyradicinin and establish it as an inhibitor of both X. fastidiosa and Liberibacter crescens, a culturable surrogate for CLas. The key to this three-step route is a zinc-mediated enolate C-acylation, which allows for direct introduction of the propenyl side chain without extraneous redox manipulations.

Small Molecules Targeting Mycobacterium tuberculosis Type II NADH Dehydrogenase Exhibit Antimycobacterial Activity.

The generation of ATP through oxidative phosphorylation is an essential metabolic function for Mycobaterium tuberculosis (Mtb), regardless of the growth environment. The type II NADH dehydrogenase (Ndh-2) is the conduit for electrons into the pathway, and is absent in the mammalian genome, thus making it a potential drug target. Herein, we report the identification of two types of small molecules as selective inhibitors for Ndh-2 through a multicomponent high-throughput screen. Both compounds block ATP synthesis, lead to effects consistent with loss of NADH turnover, and importantly, exert bactericidal activity against Mtb. Extensive medicinal chemistry optimization afforded the best analogue with an MIC of 90 nm against Mtb. Moreover, the two scaffolds have differential inhibitory activities against the two homologous Ndh-2 enzymes in Mtb, which will allow precise control over Ndh-2 function in Mtb to facilitate the assessment of this anti-TB drug target.

A bioconjugate leveraging xenoreactive antibodies to alleviate cocaine-induced behavior.

A method for potentiating the response to an anti-cocaine vaccine by leveraging xenoreactive antibodies against the carbohydrate epitope Galα1,3-Gal (GAL) was found to result in a highly specific anti-cocaine response that was able to significantly attenuate cocaine-induced locomotion at 20 mg kg-1 with superior efficacy compared to a standard conjugate.

Investigations of Enantiopure Nicotine Haptens Using an Adjuvanting Carrier in Anti-Nicotine Vaccine Development.

Despite efforts to produce suitable smoking cessation aids, addiction to nicotine continues to carry a substantive risk of recidivism. An attractive alternative to current therapies is the pharmacokinetic strategy of antinicotine vaccination. A major hurdle in the development of the strategy has been to elicit a sufficiently high antibody concentration to curb nicotine distribution to the brain. Herein, we detail investigations into a new hapten design, which was able to elicit an antibody response of significantly higher specificity for nicotine. We also explore the use of a mutant flagellin carrier protein with adjuvanting properties. These studies underlie the feasibility of improvement in antinicotine vaccine formulations to move toward clinical efficacy.

Flagellin as carrier and adjuvant in cocaine vaccine development.

Cocaine abuse is problematic, directly and indirectly impacting the lives of millions, and yet existing therapies are inadequate and usually ineffective. A cocaine vaccine would be a promising alternative therapeutic option, but efficacy is hampered by variable production of anticocaine antibodies. Thus, new tactics and strategies for boosting cocaine vaccine immunogenicity must be explored. Flagellin is a bacterial protein that stimulates the innate immune response via binding to extracellular Toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5) and also via interaction with intracellular NOD-like receptor C4 (NLRC4), leading to production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Reasoning that flagellin could serve as both carrier and adjuvant, we modified recombinant flagellin protein to display a cocaine hapten termed GNE. The resulting conjugates exhibited dose-dependent stimulation of anti-GNE antibody production. Moreover, when adjuvanted with alum, but not with liposomal MPLA, GNE-FliC was found to be better than our benchmark GNE-KLH. This work represents a new avenue for exploration in the use of hapten-flagellin conjugates to elicit antihapten immune responses.

A conjugate vaccine using enantiopure hapten imparts superior nicotine-binding capacity.

A leading nicotine conjugate vaccine was only efficacious for one-third of clinical trial participants, likely due in part to its use of racemic nicotine hapten, (±)-3'-AmNic. Immunization of male Wistar rats with (+)-, (-)-, or (±)-3'-AmNicSucTT and subsequent antibody immunoassays suggest that a vaccine using enantiopure (-)-3'-AmNic hapten imparts superior capacity to bind (-)-nicotine. Future nicotine vaccine clinical candidates must incorporate this design consideration (i.e., hapten enantiopurity) in order to maximize efficacy.

Pharmacophore reassignment for induction of the immunosurveillance cytokine TRAIL.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is an immunosurveillance cytokine that kills cancer cells but demonstrates little toxicity against normal cells. While investigating the TRAIL-inducing imidazolinopyrimidinone TIC10, a misassignment of its active structure was uncovered. Syntheses of the two isomers, corresponding to the published and reassigned structures, are reported. The ability of each to induce TRAIL expression in macrophages was investigated and it was found that only the compound corresponding to the reassigned structure shows the originally reported activity; the compound corresponding to the published structure is inactive. Importantly, this structural reassignment has furnished a previously unknown antitumor pharmacophore.

Dynamic vaccine blocks relapse to compulsive intake of heroin.

Heroin addiction, a chronic relapsing disorder characterized by excessive drug taking and seeking, requires constant psychotherapeutic and pharmacotherapeutic interventions to minimize the potential for further abuse. Vaccine strategies against many drugs of abuse are being developed that generate antibodies that bind drug in the bloodstream, preventing entry into the brain and nullifying psychoactivity. However, this strategy is complicated by heroin's rapid metabolism to 6-acetylmorphine and morphine. We recently developed a "dynamic" vaccine that creates antibodies against heroin and its psychoactive metabolites by presenting multihaptenic structures to the immune system that match heroin's metabolism. The current study presents evidence of effective and continuous sequestration of brain-permeable constituents of heroin in the bloodstream following vaccination. The result is efficient blockade of heroin activity in treated rats, preventing various features of drugs of abuse: heroin reward, drug-induced reinstatement of drug seeking, and reescalation of compulsive heroin self-administration following abstinence in dependent rats. The dynamic vaccine shows the capability to significantly devalue the reinforcing and motivating properties of heroin, even in subjects with a history of dependence. In addition, targeting a less brain-permeable downstream metabolite, morphine, is insufficient to prevent heroin-induced activity in these models, suggesting that heroin and 6-acetylmorphine are critical players in heroin's psychoactivity. Because the heroin vaccine does not target opioid receptors or common opioid pharmacotherapeutics, it can be used in conjunction with available treatment options. Thus, our vaccine represents a promising adjunct therapy for heroin addiction, providing continuous heroin antagonism, requiring minimal medical monitoring and patient compliance.

Enhancing nicotine vaccine immunogenicity with liposomes.

A major liability of existing nicotine vaccine candidates is the wide variation in anti-nicotine immune responses among clinical trial participants. In order to address this liability, significant emphasis has been directed at evaluating adjuvants and delivery systems that confer more robust potentiation of the anti-nicotine immune response. Toward that end, we have initiated work that seeks to exploit the adjuvant effect of liposomes, with or without Toll-like receptor agonist(s). The results of the murine immunization study described herein support the hypothesis that a liposomal nicotine vaccine formulation may provide a means for addressing the immunogenicity challenge.

Scalable, divergent synthesis of meroterpenoids via "borono-sclareolide".

A scalable, divergent synthesis of bioactive meroterpenoids has been developed. A key component of this work is the invention of "borono-sclareolide", a terpenyl radical precursor that enables gram-scale preparation of (+)-chromazonarol. Subsequent synthetic operations on this key intermediate permit rapid access to a variety of related meroterpenoids, many of which possess important biological activity.

Practical radical cyclizations with arylboronic acids and trifluoroborates.

Practical radical cyclizations using organoboronic acids and trifluoroborates take place in water, open to air, and in a scalable fashion employing catalytic silver nitrate and stoichiometric potassium persulfate. Both Pschorr-type cyclizations and tandem radical cyclization/trap cascades are described, illustrating the utility of these mild conditions for the generation of polycyclic scaffolds.

Regio- and stereoselectivity of diethylaluminum azide opening of trisubstituted epoxides and conversion of the 3 degrees azidohydrin adducts to isoprenoid aziridines.

The regioisomer ratios (3 degrees,2 degrees /2 degrees,3 degrees ), and in some cases the stereochemistry, of vicinal azidohydrins formed in reactions of 11 trisubstituted terpene epoxides with Et(2)AlN(3) in toluene are reported. The more highly substituted azide usually predominated (3 degrees,2 degrees /2 degrees,3 degrees ratios >or= 40:1 to 2.5-1) in accord with a Markovnikov orientation and an S(N)1-like transition state. Reversed regioisomer ratios were observed with 6,7-epoxygeranyl acetate (1:2.5) and cis-1,2-epoxylimonene (1:3.3 to 1:10). The tertiary azido diols from 2,3-epoxygeraniol, 2,3-epoxyfarnesol, and 2,3-epoxynerol were formed as single isomers with inversion of configuration at C3 (>or= 35-40:1 for the C(10) azido diols). The regioselectivity was affected by the presence and proximity of oxy functional groups on the epoxide substrate (OH, OAc, and OSi-tBuMe(2)), the equivalents of Et(2)AlN(3), and additives (EtOAc or EtOH). The results and trends are rationalized by consideration of the structural and stereoelectronic characteristics of proposed diethylaluminum epoxonium ion intermediates and transition states, together with the nucleophilicity of the azide donor. Six of the 3 degrees,2 degrees azidohydrins were converted to the corresponding aziridines by primary-selective silylations of four azido diols, mesylations, and reductive cyclizations with LiAlH(4).