CCR2-Mediated Uptake of Constitutively Produced CCL2: A Mechanism for Regulating Chemokine Levels in the Blood.

C-C chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) is a key driver of monocyte/macrophage trafficking to sites of inflammation and has long been considered a target for intervention in autoimmune disease. However, systemic administration of CCR2 antagonists is associated with marked increases in CCL2, a CCR2 ligand, in the blood. This heretofore unexplained phenomenon complicates interpretation of in vivo responses to CCR2 antagonism.

CCR2 antagonism leads to marked reduction in proteinuria and glomerular injury in murine models of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS).

Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) comprises a group of uncommon disorders that present with marked proteinuria, nephrotic syndrome, progressive renal failure and characteristic glomerular lesions on histopathology. The current standard of care for patients with FSGS include immunosuppressive drugs such as glucocorticoids followed by calcineurin inhibitors, if needed for intolerance or inadequate response to glucocorticoids. Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone (RAAS) blockers are also used to control proteinuria, an important signature of FSGS.

Immunosuppressive myeloid cells induced by chemotherapy attenuate antitumor CD4+ T-cell responses through the PD-1-PD-L1 axis.

In recent years, immune-based therapies have become an increasingly attractive treatment option for patients with cancer. Cancer immunotherapy is often used in combination with conventional chemotherapy for synergistic effects. The alkylating agent cyclophosphamide (CTX) has been included in various chemoimmunotherapy regimens because of its well-known immunostimulatory effects.

Experimental evidence for the use of CCR2 antagonists in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Objective: CCR2 inhibition has produced promising experimental and clinical anti-hyperglycemic effects. These results support the thesis that insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes (T2D) are associated with chronic unresolved inflammation. The aim of this study was to provide a broad analysis of the various physiological changes occurring in mouse models of T2D in connection with pharmacological CCR2 inhibition.

Characterization of CCX140-B, an orally bioavailable antagonist of the CCR2 chemokine receptor, for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and associated complications.

The following manuscript was published as a Fast Forward article on February 29, 2012: Sullivan TJ, Dairaghi DJ, Krasinski A, Miao Z, Wang Y, Zhao BN, Baumgart T, Berahovich R, Ertl LS, Pennell A, Seitz L, Miao S, Ungashe S, Wei Z, Johnson D, Boring L, Tsou C-L, Charo IF, Bekker P, Schall TJ, and Jaen JC, Characterization of CCX140-B, an orally bioavailable antagonist of the CCR2 chemokine receptor, for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and associated complications. J Pharmacol Exp Ther jpet.111.

Molecular basis of interactions of cholinesterases with tight binding inhibitors.

Among the large variety of reversible inhibitors that bind to cholinesterases (ChE), only a few exhibit exquisitely strong binding reflected in low femtomolar to picomolar equilibrium dissociation constants. These tight binding inhibitors owe their high affinity to distinctive modes of interaction with the enzyme: naturally occurring snake toxins, the fasciculins, share a large 1000 angstroms2 complementary surface for its complex with acetylcholinesterases (AChE; EC 3.1.

In situ selection of lead compounds by click chemistry: target-guided optimization of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors.

The target-guided, in situ click chemistry approach to lead discovery has been successfully employed for discovering acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors by incubating a selected enzyme/tacrine azide combination with a variety of acetylene reagents that were not previously known to interact with the enzyme's peripheral binding site. The triazole products, formed by the enzyme, were identified by HPLC-mass spectrometry analysis of the crude reaction mixtures. The target-guided lead discovery search was also successful when performed with reagent mixtures containing up to 10 components.

In situ click chemistry: enzyme inhibitors made to their own specifications.

The in situ click chemistry approach to lead discovery employs the biological target itself for assembling inhibitors from complementary building block reagents via irreversible connection chemistry. The present publication discusses the optimization of this target-guided strategy using acetylcholinesterase (AChE) as a test system. The application of liquid chromatography with mass spectroscopic detection in the selected ion mode for product identification greatly enhanced the sensitivity and reliability of this method.

Direct synthesis of 1,5-disubstituted-4-magnesio-1,2,3-triazoles, revisited.

After revisiting earlier works reporting the regioselective synthesis of 1,5-disubstituted-1,2,3-triazoles via the addition of bromomagnesium acetylides to azides, much improved yields of the products were obtained for a wide array of azides and alkynes. The intermediates of that reaction can be trapped with different electrophiles to regioselectively form 1,4,5-trisubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles. [reaction: see text]