The synthesis and biological evaluation of new potent hydroxamate-based HDAC inhibitors with a novel alkoxyamide connecting unit linker region are described. Biological evaluation includes MTT and cellular HDAC assays on sensitive and chemoresistant cancer cell lines as well as HDAC profiling of selected compounds. Compound 19i (LMK235) (N-((6-(hydroxyamino)-6-oxohexyl)oxy)-3,5-dimethylbenzamide) showed similar effects compared to vorinostat on inhibition of cellular HDACs in a pan-HDAC assay but enhanced cytotoxic effects against the human cancer cell lines A2780, Cal27, Kyse510, and MDA-MB231. Subsequent HDAC profiling yielded a novel HDAC isoform selectivity profile of 19i in comparison to vorinostat or trichostatin A (TSA). 19i shows nanomolar inhibition of HDAC4 and HDAC5, whereas vorinostat and TSA inhibit HDAC4 and HDAC5 in the higher micromolar range.

Growing evidence supports the hypothesis that narcolepsy with cataplexy is an autoimmune disease. Using genome-wide association (GWA) in narcolepsy patients versus controls, with replication and fine mapping across three ethnic groups (3406 individuals of European ancestry, 2414 Asians, and 302 African Americans), we found a novel association between SNP rs2305795 in the 3′UTR of the purinergic receptor subtype 2Y11 (P2RY11) gene and narcolepsy (p(Mantel Haenszel)=6.1×10-10; odds ratio 1.28; n=5689). The disease-associated allele is correlated with a 3-fold lower expression of P2RY11 in CD8+ T lymphocytes (p=0.003) and natural killer (NK) cells (p=0.031) but not in other peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) types. The low expression variant is also associated with decreased P2RY11 mediated resistance to adenosine triphosphate (ATP) induced cell death in T lymphocytes (p=0.0007) and NK cells (p=0.001). These results identify P2RY11 as an important regulator of immune cell survival, with possible implications in narcolepsy and other autoimmune diseases.

Platinum plays a central role in the therapy of ovarian cancer, and the emergence of platinum resistance is a major obstacle for clinical management of the disease. We treated A2780 ovarian cancer cells by weekly cycles of cisplatin over a period of 6 months and unveiled that enhanced insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGF-IR) expression and autocrine IGF-I are associated with hyperactivation of the IGF-IR and phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase (PI3K) pathways in cisplatinresistant cells. IGF-IR expression levels increased during treatment cycles and correlated with cisplatin resistance. Purified IGF-I induced cisplatin resistance in diverse ovarian cancer cell lines, and small molecule inhibitors proved that IGF-IR and PI3K are essential for cisplatin resistance. Similar results were obtained with BG-1 ovarian cancer cells. Cytogenetic and array comparative genomic hybridization analyses revealed selection and de novo formation of chromosomal alterations during resistance development. An analysis of gene expression profiles of primary ovarian carcinomas identified the regulatory subunit PIK3R2 of PI3-kinase as a significant negative prognosis factor for ovarian cancer. We conclude that targeting the IGF-IR and the PI3K pathways is a promising new strategy to treat cisplatinresistant ovarian carcinomas.

A series of 4-phenethynyldihydrocinnamic acid agonists of the free fatty acid receptor 1 (FFA(1)) has been discovered and explored. The preferred compound 20 (TUG-424, EC(50) = 32 nM) significantly increased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion at 100 nM and may serve to explore the role of FFA(1) in metabolic diseases such as diabetes or obesity.

The G protein-coupled P2Y 11 receptor is involved in immune system modulation. In-depth physiological evaluation is hampered, however, by a lack of selective and potent ligands. By screening a library of sulfonic and phosphonic acid derivatives at P2Y 11 receptors recombinantly expressed in human 1321N1 astrocytoma cells (calcium and cAMP assays), the selective non-nucleotide P2Y 11 agonist NF546 [4,4Ј-(carbonylbis(imino-3,1-phenylene-carbonylimino-3,1-(4-methyl-phenylene)carbonylimino))-bis(1,3-xylene-␣,␣Ј-diphosphonic acid) tetrasodium salt] was identified. NF546 had a pEC 50 of 6.27 and is relatively selective for P2Y 11 over P2Y 1 , P2Y 2 , P2Y 4 , P2Y 6 , P2Y 12 , P2X 1 , P2X 2 , and P2X 2 -X 3 . Adenosine-5Ј-O-(3-thio)triphosphate (ATP␥S), a nonhydrolyzable analog of the physiological P2Y 11 agonist ATP, and NF546 use a common binding site as suggested by molecular modeling studies and their competitive behavior toward the nanomolar potency antagonist NF340 [4,4Ј-(carbonylbis(imino-3,1-(4-methyl-phenylene)carbonylimino))bis(naphthalene-2,6-disulfonic acid) tetrasodium salt] in Schild analysis. The pA 2 of NF340 was 8.02 against ATP␥S and 8.04 against NF546 (calcium assays). NF546 was further tested for P2Y 11 -mediated effects in monocyte-derived dendritic cells. Similarly to ATP␥S, NF546 led to thrombospondin-1 secretion and inhibition of lipopolysaccharide-stimulated interleukin-12 release, whereas NF340 inhibited these effects. Further, for the first time, it was shown that ATP␥S or NF546 stimulation promotes interleukin 8 (IL-8) release from dendritic cells, which could be inhibited by NF340. In conclusion, we have described the first selective, non-nucleotide agonist NF546 for P2Y 11 receptors in both recombinant and physiological expression systems and could show a P2Y 11 -stimulated IL-8 release, further supporting the immunomodulatory role of P2Y 11 receptors. Article, publication date, and citation information can be found at http://jpet.aspetjournals.org.

Four tetrahydroxanthone dimers (1-4) and four biogenetically related monomers (5-8), including the new derivatives 4-6, were isolated from the endophyte Phomopsis longicolla. The absolute configurations of 2-4 were established for the first time by TDDFT electronic circular dichroism calculations, and that of phomoxanthone A (1) was revised by X-ray crystallography. Phomoxanthone A (1) showed the strongest pro-apoptotic activity when tested against a panel of human cancer cell lines, including cisplatin-resistant cells, whereas it was up to 100-fold less active against healthy blood cells. It was also the most potent activator of murine T lymphocytes, NK cells, and macrophages, suggesting an activation of the immune system in parallel to its pro-apoptotic activity. This dual effect in combating cancer cells could help in fighting resistance during chemotherapy. Preliminary structure-activity studies of isolated compounds and derivatives obtained by semisynthesis (9a-11) hinted at the location of the biaryl axis and the presence of acetyl groups as important structural elements for the biological activity of the studied tetrahydroxanthones.

The free fatty acid 1 receptor (FFA1 or GPR40), which is highly expressed on pancreatic β-cells and amplifies glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, has emerged as an attractive target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Several FFA1 agonists containing the para-substituted dihydrocinnamic acid moiety are known. We here present a structure-activity relationship study of this compound family suggesting that the central methyleneoxy linker is preferable for the smaller compounds, whereas the central methyleneamine linker gives higher potency to the larger compounds. The study resulted in the discovery of the potent and selective full FFA1 agonist TUG-469 (29).

Bispidine (3,7-diazabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane, C7H14N2) analogues of cisplatin, carboplatin, and oxaliplatin have been prepared. (C7H14N2)PtCl2·DMF (1b), obtained from (1,5-hexadiene)PtCl2 and bispidine in DMF, is dimeric in the solid state. Dissolving 1b in hot N-methylformamide allows crystallization of the solvent-free polymeric (C7H14N2)PtCl2 (1a). Recrystallization of 1a,b from hot water yields the trihydrate (C7H14N2)PtCl2·3H2O (1c). Reaction of 1 with Ag2(cbdca) (cbdca = 1,1-cyclobutanedicarboxylate) in water affords the pentahydrate (C7H14N2)Pt{C4H6(CO2)2}·5H2O (2b), which loses water in vacuo to give (C7H14N2)Pt{C4H6(CO2)2} (2a). Reaction of 1 with AgNO3 in water, followed by addition of Na2C2O4, affords the water-free polymeric (C7H14N2)Pt(C2O4) (3). All complexes have been structurally characterized, revealing various patterns of N-H···Cl and N-H···O hydrogen bonds. In the hydrates 1c and 2b the complexes are embedded in intricate three-dimensional water networks. Complexes 1a, 2a, and 3 have been tested for their cytotoxicity against human cancer cell lines K562 (chronic myeloid leukemia), A2780 (ovarian cancer), and its platinum-resistant subline A2780 CisR and are compared to their parent analogues. The new complexes show significant cytotoxic activity along with a low platinum resistance factor.