No abstract

Because no drug exists that halts or even slows any neurodegenerative disease, developing effective therapeutics for any prion disorder is urgent. We recently reported two compounds (IND24 and IND81) with the 2-aminothiazole (2-AMT) chemical scaffold that almost doubled the incubation times in scrapie prion-infected, wild-type (wt) FVB mice when given in a liquid diet. Remarkably, oral prophylactic treatment with IND24 beginning 14 days prior to intracerebral prion inoculation extended survival from ∼120 days to over 450 days. In addition to IND24, we evaluated the pharmacokinetics and efficacy of five additional 2-AMTs; one was not followed further because its brain penetration was poor. Of the remaining four new 2-AMTs, IND114338 doubled and IND125 tripled the incubation times of RML-inoculated wt and Tg4053 mice overexpressing wt mouse prion protein (PrP), respectively. Neuropathological examination of the brains from untreated controls showed a widespread deposition of self-propagating, b-sheet-rich "scrapie" isoform (PrP Sc ) prions accompanied by a profound astrocytic gliosis. In contrast, mice treated with 2-AMTs had lower levels of PrP Sc and associated astrocytic gliosis, with each compound resulting in a distinct pattern of deposition. Notably, IND125 prevented both PrP Sc accumulation and astrocytic gliosis in the cerebrum. Progressive central nervous system dysfunction in the IND125-treated mice was presumably due to the PrP Sc that accumulated in their brainstems. Disappointingly, none of the four new 2-AMTs prolonged the lives of mice expressing a chimeric human/ mouse PrP transgene inoculated with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease prions.

An analysis of the binding interactions of several DNA-drug complexes that utilize carbohydrates for DNA recognition has been undertaken. It is proposed that the carbohydrate residues function as general minor groove binding elements, and the stereochemistry of aglycone attachment sites is generally disposed to promote a right-handed helical geometry that is complementary to right-handed DNA. The constitution and stereochemistry of the DNA double-strand cleaving agent calichemicin yj is consistent with this analysis.Docking experiments with computer-generated models of this drug and a dodecamer duplex that was found to serve as a calichemicin cleavage site were performed to gain insight into the origin of the drug's sequence-selective binding and cutting properties. A model is presented that provides a molecular level understanding of the double-strand cleavage patterns that result from the action of calichemicin yV on DNA.

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

Structure-activity relationships in the region of the phthalide ring of the inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase inhibitor mycophenolic acid have been explored. Replacement of the lactone ring with other cyclic moieties resulted in loss of potency, especially for larger groups. Replacement of the ring by acyclic substituents also indicated a strong sensitivity to steric bulk. A phenolic hydroxyl group, with an adjacent hydrogen bond acceptor, was found to be essential for high potency. The aromatic methyl group was essential for activity; the methoxyl group could be replaced by ethyl to give a compound with 2-4 times the potency of mycophenolic acid in vitro and in vivo.