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Homosecoiridoids (1-15) were isolated from the flower buds of Lonicera japonica. Compounds 1-4, designated as loniphenyruviridosides A-D, possess unprecedented skeletons featuring phenylpyruvic acid derived moieties coupled with an iridoid or a secoiridoid nucleus. Compounds 5-15 (lonijaposides D-N) are additional examples of the unusual pyridinium alkaloid-coupled secoiridoids (lonijaposides A-C). The validity of the CD data to determine the configuration of the secoiridoid derivatives is discussed on the basis of detailed CD data analysis and semisynthesis of 2 and 3 with the co-occurring secologanic acid. The configuration of secologanic acid was determined by a single-crystal X-ray crystallographic analysis using anomalous scattering of Cu Kα radiation. Biosynthetic pathways of the homosecoiridoids were postulated. Compounds 1-4 inhibited STAT-3 activity of HELF cells, and lonijaposides F (7), H (9), I (10), and K (12) showed activity against the release of glucuronidase in rat polymorphonuclear leukocytes induced by platelet-activating factor.

Four steroids, a homopregnene (1) and three heptanorergosterane derivatives (2-4), nine tremulane sesquiterpenes (5-13), and 18 known compounds have been isolated from cultures of the fungus Phellinus igniarius. Their structures and absolute configurations were elucidated by spectroscopic data analysis. In preliminary in vitro assays, at 10(-5) M, compounds 8, 9, 13, and 3beta-hydroxy-11,12-O-isopropyldrimene (14) showed significant vascular-relaxing activities against phenylephrine-induced vasoconstriction with relaxing rates of 35.7%, 45.4%, 46.6%, and 32.1%, respectively, as compared with the blank control.

Beclin 1/Atg6 is an essential component of the evolutionary conserved PtdIns(3)-kinase (Vps34) protein complex that regulates macroautophagy (autophagy) in eukaryotic cells and also interacts with antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family members, Bcl-2, and Bcl-x L .To elucidate the physiological function of Beclin 1, we generated transgenic mice producing a green fluorescent Beclin 1 protein (Beclin 1-GFP) under Beclin 1 endogenous regulation. The beclin 1-GFP transgene is functional because it completely rescues early embryonic lethality in beclin 1-deficient mice. The transgenic mice appear normal, with undetected change in basal autophagy levels in different tissues, despite the additional expression of functional Beclin 1-GFP. Staining of Beclin 1-GFP shows mostly diffuse cytoplasmic distribution in various tissues. Detailed analysis of the transgene expression by flow cytometry reveals a Bcl-2-like biphasic expression pattern in developing T and B cells, as well as differential regulation of expression in mature versus immature thymocytes following in vitro stimulation. Moreover, thymocytes expressing high Beclin 1-GFP levels appear increasingly sensitive to glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis in vitro. Our results, therefore, support a role for Beclin 1 in lymphocyte development involving cross talk between autophagy and apoptosis.

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As “Michael acceptors” may induce promiscuous responses in mammalian cells by reacting with various proteins, we modified the cinnamamide of our previous hydrazide-based HDAC inhibitors (HDACIs) to deactivate the Michael reaction. Representative compound 11h is 2–5 times more potent than lead compound 17 in both HDAC inhibitory activity (IC50 = 0.43–3.01 nM) and cell-based antitumor assay (IC50 = 19.23–61.04 nM). The breakthrough in the pharmacokinetic profile of 11h (oral bioavailability: 112%) makes it a lead-in-class oral active agent, validated in the in vivo anti-AML study (4 mg/kg p.o., TGI = 78.9%). Accumulated AcHH3 and AcHH4 levels in tumor tissue directly correlate with the in vivo efficacy, as panobinostat with lower AcHH3 and AcHH4 levels than 11h displays limited activity. To the best of our knowledge, this work contributes the first report of in vivo antitumor activity of hydrazide-based HDACIs. The outstanding pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic and antitumor activity of 11h could potentially extend the clinical application of current HDACIs.