Fralin Life Sciences Institute

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Note: In 2019, the Biocomplexity Institute became part of the Fralin Life Sciences Institute.

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Antimalarial 5,6-Dihydro-alpha-pyrones from Cryptocarya rigidifolia: Related Bicyclic Tetrahydro-alpha-Pyrones Are Artifacts
Liu, Yixi; Rakotondraibe, L. Harinantenaina; Brodie, Peggy J.; Wiley, Jessica D.; Cassera, Maria B.; Miller, James S.; Ratovoson, F.; Rakotobe, Etienne; Rasamison, Vincent E.; Kingston, David G. I. (American Chemical Society, 2015-06-01)
Antiproliferative Compounds from Cleistanthus boivinianus from the Madagascar Dry Forest
Liu, Yixi; Young, Kelly; Rakotondraibe, L. Harinantenaina; Brodie, Peggy J.; Wiley, Jessica D.; Cassera, Maria B.; Callmander, Martin W.; Rakotondrajaona, R.; Rakotobe, Etienne; Rasamison, Vincent E.; TenDyke, Karen; Shen, Yongchun; Kingston, David G. I. (American Chemical Society, 2015-07-01)
Antiproliferative triterpenoid saponins from Leptaulus citroides Baill. from the Madagascar rain forest
Su, Qingxi; Brodie, Peggy J.; Liu, Yixi; Miller, James S.; Andrianjafy, Naina M.; Antsiferana, Rabodo; Rasamison, Vincent E.; Kingston, David G. I. (Springer, 2016)
Bioassay-guided fractionation of EtOH extracts obtained from the roots and wood of the Madagascan plant Leptaulus citroides Baill. (Cardiopteridaceae) led to the isolation of ethyl esters of three new triterpenoid saponins (1–3) and the known sesquiterpenoid cinnamosmolide (4). The structures of 1–3 were elucidated by extensive 1D and 2D NMR experiments and mass spectrometry. Compounds 1, 2, and 4 showed moderate cytotoxicity against the A2780 human ovarian cancer cell line with IC50 values of 2.8, 10.2 and 2.0 lM, respectively.
HIV-1 drug discovery: targeting folded RNA structures with branched peptides
Wynn, Jessica E.; Santos, Webster L. (The Royal Society of Chemistry, 2015-04-28)
Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is an RNA virus that is prone to high rates of mutation. While the disease is managed with current antiretroviral therapies, drugs with a new mode of action are needed. A strategy towards this goal is aimed at targeting the native three-dimensional fold of conserved RNA structures. This perspective highlights medium-sized peptides and peptidomimetics used to target two conserved RNA structures of HIV-1. In particular, branched peptides have the capacity to bind in a multivalent fashion, utilizing a large surface area to achieve the necessary affinity and selectivity toward the target RNA.
Identification of a novel mitochondrial uncoupler that does not depolarize the plasma membrane
Kenwood, Brandon M.; Weaver, Janelle L.; Bajwa, Amandeep; Poon, Ivan K.; Byrne, Frances L.; Murrow, Beverley A.; Calderone, Joseph A.; Huang, Liping; Divakaruni, Ajit S.; Tomsig, Jose L.; Okabe, Kohki; Lo, Ryan H.; Coleman, G. Cameron; Columbus, Linda; Yan, Zhen; Saucerman, Jeffrey J.; Smith, Jeffrey S.; Holmes, Jeffrey W.; Lynch, Kevin R.; Ravichandran, Kodi S.; Uchiyama, Seiichi; Santos, Webster L.; Rogers, George W.; Okusa, Mark D.; Bayliss, Douglas A.; Hoehn, Kyle L. (Elsevier, 2013)
Dysregulation of oxidative phosphorylation is associated with increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production and some of the most prevalent human diseases including obesity, cancer, diabetes, neurodegeneration, and heart disease. Chemical 'mitochondrial uncouplers' are lipophilic weak acids that transport protons into the mitochondrial matrix via a pathway that is independent of ATP synthase, thereby uncoupling nutrient oxidation from ATP production. Mitochondrial uncouplers also lessen the proton motive force across the mitochondrial inner membrane and thereby increase the rate of mitochondrial respiration while decreasing production of reactive oxygen species. Thus, mitochondrial uncouplers are valuable chemical tools that enable the measurement of maximal mitochondrial respiration and they have been used therapeutically to decrease mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production. However, the most widely used protonophore uncouplers such as carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone (FCCP) and 2,4-dinitrophenol have off-target activity at other membranes that lead to a range of undesired effects including plasma membrane depolarization, mitochondrial inhibition, and cytotoxicity. These unwanted properties interfere with the measurement of mitochondrial function and result in a narrow therapeutic index that limits their usefulness in the clinic. To identify new mitochondrial uncouplers that lack off-target activity at the plasma membrane we screened a small molecule chemical library. Herein we report the identification and validation of a novel mitochondrial protonophore uncoupler (2-fluorophenyl){6-[(2-fluorophenyl)amino](1,2,5-oxadiazolo[3,4-e]pyrazin-5-yl)}amine, named BAM15, that does not depolarize the plasma membrane. Compared to FCCP, an uncoupler of equal potency, BAM15 treatment of cultured cells stimulates a higher maximum rate of mitochondrial respiration and is less cytotoxic. Furthermore, BAM15 is bioactive in vivo and dose-dependently protects mice from acute renal ischemic-reperfusion injury. From a technical standpoint, BAM15 represents an effective new tool that allows the study of mitochondrial function in the absence of off-target effects that can confound data interpretation. From a therapeutic perspective, BAM15-mediated protection from ischemia-reperfusion injury and its reduced toxicity will hopefully reignite interest in pharmacological uncoupling for the treatment of the myriad of diseases that are associated with altered mitochondrial function.
Inhibiting neurotransmitter reuptake
(United States Patent and Trademark Office, 2018-04-17)
This document relates to compounds as well as methods and materials involved in modulating neurotransmitter reuptake. For example, compounds, methods for synthesizing compounds, and methods for inhibiting neurotransmitter reuptake are provided. Specifically gamma-amino alcohol derivatives that inhibit the reuptake of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, epinephrine or norepinephrine are provided as therapeutic agents for the treatment of depression or anxiety in a mammalian subject.
Mechanism of sphingosine 1-phosphate clearance from blood
Kharel, Yugesh; Huang, Tao; Salamon, Anita; Harris, Thurl E.; Santos, Webster L.; Lynch, Kevin R. (Portland Press, 2020-03-06)
The interplay of sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) synthetic and degradative enzymes as well as S1P exporters creates concentration gradients that are a fundamental to S1P biology. Extracellular S1P levels, such as in blood and lymph, are high relative to cellular S1P. The blood-tissue S1P gradient maintains endothelial integrity while local S1P gradients influence immune cell positioning. Indeed, the importance of S1P gradients was recognized initially when the mechanism of action of an S1P receptor agonist used as a medicine for multiple sclerosis was revealed to be inhibition of T-lymphocytes’ recognition of the high S1P in efferent lymph. Furthermore, the increase in erythrocyte S1P in response to hypoxia influences oxygen delivery during high altitude acclimatization. However, understanding of how S1P gradients are maintained is incomplete. For example, S1P is synthesized but is only slowly metabolized by blood yet circulating S1P turns over quickly by an unknown mechanism. Prompted by the counterintuitive observation that blood S1P increases markedly in response to inhibition S1P synthesis (by sphingosine kinase 2 (SphK2)), we studied mice wherein several tissues were made deficient in either SphK2 or S1P degrading enzymes. Our data reveal a mechanism whereby S1P is de-phosphorylated at the hepatocyte surface and the resulting sphingosine is sequestered by SphK phosphorylation and in turn degraded by intracellular S1P lyase. Thus, we identify the liver as the primary site of blood S1P clearance and provide an explanation for the role of SphK2 in this process. Our discovery suggests a general mechanism whereby S1P gradients are shaped.
Method for the conversion of cephalomannine to taxol and for the preparation of n-acyl analogs of taxol
(United States Patent and Trademark Office, 1995-11-28)
The natural product cephalomannine can be converted to the important anticancer natural product taxol by a simple process involving the steps of dihydroxylation to give cephalomannine-diols, diol cleavage, benzoylation at the 2'-position and reaction with a 1,2-diamine. The same process when applied to mixtures of taxol and cephalomannine makes it possible to separate taxol from cephalomannine-diols by simple flash-chromatography after the dihydroxylation step. If the benzoylation step is avoided in the above sequence of conversions, the process leads to the free amine (N-debenzoyltaxol). In addition, the selection of an acylating reagent other than that with the benzoyl group for acylation of the free amine (N-debenzoyltaxol), allows the preparation of taxol analogs with other N-acyl substituents.
Mobilization studies in mice deficient in sphingosine kinase 2 support a crucial role of the plasma level of sphingosine-1-phosphate in the egress of hematopoietic stem progenitor cells
Adamiak, Mateusz; Chelvarajan, Lakshman; Lynch, Kevin R.; Santos, Webster L.; Abdel-Latif, Ahmed; Ratajczak, Mariusz Z. (2017-09-12)
Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive lipid involved in cell signaling and, if released from cells, also plays a crucial role in regulating the trafficking of lympho-hematopoietic cells, including primitive hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs). It has been demonstrated that S1P chemoattracts HSPCs, and its level in peripheral blood creates a gradient directing egress of these cells during mobilization. In this paper we analyzed hematopoiesis in mice deficient in sphingosine kinase 2 (Sphk2-KO mice) and studied the effect of this mutation on plasma S1P levels. We found that Sphk2-KO mice have normal hematopoiesis, and, in contrast to Sphk1-KO mice, the circulating S1P level is highly elevated in these animals and correlates with the fact that HSPCs in Sphk2-KO animals, also in contrast to Sphk1-KO animals, show enhanced mobilization. These results were recapitulated in wild type (WT) animals employing an Sphk2 inhibitor. We also administered an inhibitor of the S1P-degrading enzyme S1P lyase, known as tetrahydroxybutylimidazole (THI), to WT mice and observed that this resulted in an increase in S1P level in PB and enhanced mobilization of HSPCs. In sum, our results support a crucial role for S1P gradients in blood plasma in the mobilization process and indicate that small-molecule inhibitors of Sphk2 and Sgpl1 could be employed as mobilization-facilitating compounds. At the same time, further studies are needed to explain the unexpected effect of Sphk2 inhibition on increasing S1P levels in plasma.
Nitrogen-Containing Dimeric nor-Multiflorane Triterpene from a Turraea sp.
Rasamison, Vincent E.; Rakotondraibe, L. Harinantenaina; Slebodnick, Carla; Brodie, Peggy J.; Ratsimbason, Michael; TenDyke, Karen; Shen, Yongchun; Randrianjanaka, Lucien M.; Kingston, David G. I. (American Chemical Society, 2014-05-16)
The new triterpene turranoic acid (1) and thenew N-containing nor-triterpene turraenine (2), along with triptocallic acid B (3) and esculentoic acid (4) were isolated from leaves of a Turraea sp. Compounds 1-3 showed weak to moderate in vitro antiplasmodial activity against the chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum strain FCM29. Compound 1 also displayed weak cytotoxic activity against the non-small lung cancer cell line H522-T1 with an IC50 value of 16.4 μM.
Peripheral loss of EphA4 ameliorates TBI-induced neuroinflammation and tissue damage
Kowalski, Elizabeth A.; Chen, Jiang; Hazy, Amanda; Fritsch, Lauren E.; Gudenschwager-Basso, Erwin K.; Chen, Michael; Wang, Xia; Qian, Yun; Zhou, Mingjun; Byerly, Matthew; Pickrell, Alicia M.; Matson, John B.; Allen, Irving C.; Theus, Michelle H. (2019-11-11)
Background The continuum of pro- and anti-inflammatory response elicited by traumatic brain injury (TBI) is suggested to play a key role in the outcome of TBI; however, the underlying mechanisms remain ill -defined. Methods Here, we demonstrate that using bone marrow chimeric mice and systemic inhibition of EphA4 receptor shifts the pro-inflammatory milieu to pro-resolving following acute TBI. Results EphA4 expression is increased in the injured cortex as early as 2 h post-TBI and on CX3CR1gfp-positive cells in the peri-lesion. Systemic inhibition or genetic deletion of EphA4 significantly reduced cortical lesion volume and shifted the inflammatory profile of peripheral-derived immune cells to pro-resolving in the damaged cortex. These findings were consistent with in vitro studies showing EphA4 inhibition or deletion altered the inflammatory state of LPS-stimulated monocyte/macrophages towards anti-inflammatory. Phosphoarray analysis revealed that EphA4 may regulate pro-inflammatory gene expression by suppressing the mTOR, Akt, and NF-κB pathways. Our human metadata analysis further demonstrates increased EPHA4 and pro-inflammatory gene expression, which correlates with reduced AKT concurrent with increased brain injury severity in patients. Conclusions Overall, these findings implicate EphA4 as a novel mediator of cortical tissue damage and neuroinflammation following TBI.
Phenotypic screen for oxygen consumption rate identifies an anti-cancer naphthoquinone that induces mitochondrial oxidative stress
Byrne, Frances L.; Olzomer, Ellen M.; Marriott, Gabriella R.; Quek, Lake-Ee; Katen, Alice; Su, Jacky; Nelson, Marin E.; Hart-Smith, Gene; Larance, Mark; Sebesfi, Veronica F.; Cuff, Jeff; Martyn, Gabriella E.; Childress, Elizabeth; Alexopoulos, Stephanie J.; Poon, Ivan K.; Faux, Maree C.; Burgess, Antony W.; Reid, Glen; McCarroll, Joshua A.; Santos, Webster L.; Quinlan, Kate G. R.; Turner, Nigel; Fazakerley, Daniel J.; Kumar, Naresh; Hoehn, Kyle L. (2020-01)
A hallmark of cancer cells is their ability to reprogram nutrient metabolism. Thus, disruption to this phenotype is a potential avenue for anti-cancer therapy. Herein we used a phenotypic chemical library screening approach to identify molecules that disrupted nutrient metabolism (by increasing cellular oxygen consumption rate) and were toxic to cancer cells. From this screen we discovered a 1,4-Naphthoquinone (referred to as BH10) that is toxic to a broad range of cancer cell types. BH10 has improved cancer-selective toxicity compared to doxorubicin, 17-AAG, vitamin K3, and other known anti-cancer quinones. BH10 increases glucose oxidation via both mitochondrial and pentose phosphate pathways, decreases glycolysis, lowers GSH:GSSG and NAPDH/NAPD(+) ratios exclusively in cancer cells, and induces necrosis. BH10 targets mitochondrial redox defence as evidenced by increased mitochondrial peroxiredoxin 3 oxidation and decreased mitochondrial aconitase activity, without changes in markers of cytosolic or nuclear damage. Over-expression of mitochondria-targeted catalase protects cells from BH10-mediated toxicity, while the thioredoxin reductase inhibitor auranofin synergistically enhances BH10-induced peroxiredoxin 3 oxidation and cytotoxicity. Overall, BH10 represents a 1,4-Naphthoquinone with an improved cancer-selective cytotoxicity profile via its mitochondrial specificity.
Photoacoustic microscopy reveals the hemodynamic basis of sphingosine 1-phosphate-induced neuroprotection against ischemic stroke
Cao, Rui; Li, Jun; Kharel, Yugesh; Zhang, Chenchu; Morris, Emily; Santos, Webster L.; Lynch, Kevin R.; Zuo, Zhiyi; Hu, Song (IvySpring, 2018-11-29)
Rationale: Emerging evidence has suggested that sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), a bioactive metabolite of sphingolipids, may play an important role in the pathophysiological processes of cerebral hypoxia and ischemia. However, the influence of S1P on cerebral hemodynamics and metabolism remains unclear. Material and Methods: Uniquely capable of high-resolution, label-free, and comprehensive imaging of hemodynamics and oxygen metabolism in the mouse brain without the influence of general anesthesia, our newly developed head-restrained multi-parametric photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) is well suited for this mechanistic study. Here, combining the cutting-edge PAM and a selective inhibitor of sphingosine kinase 2 (SphK2) that can increase the blood S1P level, we investigated the role of S1P in cerebral oxygen supply-demand and its neuroprotective effects on global brain hypoxia induced by nitrogen gas inhalation and focal brain ischemia induced by transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO). Results: Inhibition of SphK2, which increased the blood S1P, resulted in the elevation of both arterial and venous sO2 in the hypoxic mouse brain, while the cerebral blood flow remained unchanged. As a result, it gradually and significantly reduced the metabolic rate of oxygen. Furthermore, pre-treatment of the mice subject to tMCAO with the SphK2 inhibitor led to decreased infarct volume, improved motor function, and reduced neurological deficit, compared to the control treatment with a less potent R-enantiomer. In contrast, post-treatment with the inhibitor showed no improvement in the stroke outcomes. The failure for the post-treatment to induce neuroprotection was likely due to the relatively slow hemodynamic responses to the SphK2 inhibitor-evoked S1P intervention, which did not take effect before the brain injury was induced. Conclusions: Our results reveal that elevated blood S1P significantly changes cerebral hemodynamics and oxygen metabolism under hypoxia but not normoxia. The improved blood oxygenation and reduced oxygen demand in the hypoxic brain may underlie the neuroprotective effect of S1P against ischemic stroke.
The Quest for a Simple Bioactive Analog of Paclitaxel as a Potential Anticancer Agent
Kingston, David G. I.; Snyder, J. P. (American Chemical Society, 2014-08-01)
Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a platform for assessing sphingolipid lipid kinase inhibitors
Kharel, Yugesh; Agah, Sayeh; Huang, Tao; Mendelson, Anna J.; Eletu, Oluwafunmilayo T.; Barkey-Bircannl, Peter; Gesualdil, James; Smith, Jeffrey S.; Santos, Webster L.; Lynch, Kevin R. (PLOS, 2018-04-19)
Successful medicinal chemistry campaigns to discover and optimize sphingosine kinase inhibitors require a robust assay for screening chemical libraries and for determining rank order potencies. Existing assays for these enzymes are laborious, expensive and/or low throughput. The toxicity of excessive levels of phosphorylated sphingoid bases for the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, affords an assay wherein inhibitors added to the culture media rescue growth in a dose-dependent fashion. Herein, we describe our adaptation of a simple, inexpensive, and high throughput assay for assessing inhibitors of sphingosine kinase types 1 and 2 as well as ceramide kinase and for testing enzymatic activity of sphingosine kinase type 2 mutants. The assay was validated using recombinant enzymes and generally agrees with the rank order of potencies of existing inhibitors.
Transition metal diamine complexes with antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA)
Karpin, George W.; Morris, David M.; Ngo, Mai T.; Merola, Joseph S.; Falkinham, Joseph O. III (Royal Society of Chemistry, 2015-06)
Pentaalkylcyclopentadienyl (Cp*R) iridium (Ir) and cobalt (Co) 1,2-diamine complexes were synthesized. Susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus and recent patient methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolates to the transition metal–diamine complexes were measured by broth microdilution and reported as the MIC and MBC. Hemolytic activities of the transition metal-complexes as well as toxicity toward Vero cells were also measured. The transition metal complex of Cp*RIr with cis-1,2-diaminocyclohexane, had strong antibi- otic activity against S. aureus and MRSA (MIC = 4 μg mL−1, MBC = 8 μg mL−1) strains and killed 99% of S. aureus cells in 6 hours. Stronger antibiotic activity was associated with the presence of octyl linked to the cyclopentadienyl group and cyclohexane as the diamine backbone. Activity was greatly diminished by tri- or tetramethylation of the nitrogen of the diamine. A cyclopentadienylcobalt complex of cis-1,2-diamino- cyclohexane also showed significant anti-microbial activity against both S. aureus and MRSA strains. The absence of hemolytic activity, Vero cell cytotoxicity and the significant anti-microbial activity of several members of the family of compounds reported suggest this is an area worth further development.

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