Sanglifehrin A mitigates multiorgan fibrosis by targeting the collagen chaperone cyclophilin B.

Pathological deposition and crosslinking of collagen type I by activated myofibroblasts drives progressive tissue fibrosis. Therapies that inhibit collagen synthesis have potential as antifibrotic agents. We identify the collagen chaperone cyclophilin B as a major cellular target of the natural product sanglifehrin A (SfA) using photoaffinity labeling and chemical proteomics.

The cyclimids: Degron-inspired cereblon binders for targeted protein degradation.

Cereblon (CRBN) is an E3 ligase substrate adapter widely exploited for targeted protein degradation (TPD) strategies. However, achieving efficient and selective target degradation is a preeminent challenge with ligands that engage CRBN. Here, we report that the cyclimids, ligands derived from the C-terminal cyclic imide degrons of CRBN, exhibit distinct modes of interaction with CRBN and offer a facile approach for developing potent and selective bifunctional degraders.

A Versatile Isocyanate-Mediated Strategy for Appending Chemical Tags onto Drug-Like Small Molecules.

Target identification studies are a major hurdle in probe and drug discovery pipelines due to the need to chemically modify small molecules of interest, which can be time intensive and have low throughput. Here, we describe a versatile and scalable method for attaching chemical moieties to a small molecule, isocyanate-mediated chemical tagging (IMCT). By preparation of a template resin with an isocyanate capture group and a cleavable linker, nucleophilic groups on small molecules can be modified with an enforced one-to-one stoichiometry.

Sanglifehrin A mitigates multi-organ fibrosis in vivo by inducing secretion of the collagen chaperone cyclophilin B.

Pathological deposition and crosslinking of collagen type I by activated myofibroblasts drives progressive tissue fibrosis. Therapies that inhibit collagen synthesis by myofibroblasts have clinical potential as anti-fibrotic agents. Lysine hydroxylation by the prolyl-3-hydroxylase complex, comprised of cartilage associated protein, prolyl 3-hydroxylase 1, and cyclophilin B, is essential for collagen type I crosslinking and formation of stable fibers.

Enantioselective Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Sanglifehrin A and B and Analogs.

Sanglifehrin A and B are immunosuppressive macrocyclic natural products endowed with and differentiated by a unique spirocyclic lactam. Herein, we report an enantioselective total synthesis and biological evaluation of sanglifehrin A and B and analogs. Access to the spirocyclic lactam was achieved through convergent assembly of a key pyranone intermediate followed by a stereo-controlled spirocyclization.

Enantioselective Total Synthesis of the Putative Biosynthetic Intermediate Ambruticin J.

The family of anti-fungal natural products known as the ambruticins are structurally distinguished by a pair of pyran rings adorning a divinylcyclopropane core. Previous characterization of their biosynthesis, including the expression of a genetically modified producing organism, revealed that the polyketide synthase pathway proceeds via a diol intermediate, known as ambruticin J. Herein, we report the first enantioselective total synthesis of the putative PKS product, ambruticin J, according to a triply convergent synthetic route featuring a Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling and a Julia-Kocienski olefination for fragment assembly.

The Effect of Positive Emotion and Interpersonal Relationships to Adaptation of School Life on High School Athletic Class Students.

Background: Adaption for school life is important for all students. As for athletic students, since they need to cope with schoolwork and extensive training, adaption for school life could be very challenging. Taking this into consideration, the purpose of this study was to explore the factors which may help high school athletic students' adaption of school life.

A Binding Site Hotspot Map of the FKBP12-Rapamycin-FRB Ternary Complex by Photoaffinity Labeling and Mass Spectrometry-Based Proteomics.

Structural characterization of small molecule binding site hotspots within the global proteome is uniquely enabled by photoaffinity labeling (PAL) coupled with chemical enrichment and unbiased analysis by mass spectrometry (MS). MS-based binding site maps provide structural resolution of interaction sites in conjunction with identification of target proteins. However, binding site hotspot mapping has been confined to relatively simple small molecules to date; extension to more complex compounds would enable the structural definition of new binding modes in the proteome.

Conformation-guided analogue design identifies potential antimalarial compounds through inhibition of mitochondrial respiration.

The synthesis of a 2-methyl-substituted analogue of the natural product, neopeltolide, is reported in an effort to analyze the importance of molecular conformation and ligand-target interactions in relation to biological activity. The methyl substitution was incorporated via highly diastereoselective ester enolate alkylation of a late-stage intermediate. Coupling of the oxazole sidechain provided 2-methyl-neopeltolide and synthetic neopeltolide via total synthesis.

In Situ Investigation of Defect-Free Copper Nanowire Growth.

The fabrication and placement of high purity nanometals, such as one-dimensional copper (Cu) nanowires, for interconnection in integrated devices have been among the most important technological developments in recent years. Structural stability and oxidation prevention have been the key issues, and the defect control in Cu nanowire growth has been found to be important. Here, we report the synthesis of defect-free single-crystalline Cu nanowires by controlling the surface-assisted heterogeneous nucleation of Cu atomic layering on the graphite-like loop of an amorphous carbon (a-C) lacey film surface.

Direct Observation of Dual-Filament Switching Behaviors in Ta O -Based Memristors.

The Forming phenomenon is observed via in situ transmission electron microscopy in the Ag/Ta O /Pt system. The device is switched to a low-resistance state as the dual filament is connected to the electrodes. The results of energy dispersive spectrometer and electron energy loss spectroscopy analyses demonstrate that the filament is composed by a stack of oxygen vacancies and Ag metal.

Nickel/Platinum Dual Silicide Axial Nanowire Heterostructures with Excellent Photosensor Applications.

Transition metal silicide nanowires (NWs) have attracted increasing attention as they possess advantages of both silicon NWs and transition metals. Over the past years, there have been reported with efforts on one silicide in a single silicon NW. However, the research on multicomponent silicides in a single silicon NW is still rare, leading to limited functionalities.

Total Synthesis and Structural Reassignment of Lyngbyaloside C Highlighted by Intermolecular Ketene Esterification.

Lyngbyaloside C, a classic macrolide, isolated from Lyngbya bouilloni, has shown moderate anticancer activity against several cancer cell lines. Here, we report the first total synthesis and stereochemical configuration reassignment of lyngbyaloside C. The synthesis highlights a one-pot intermolecular ketene esterification reaction to form the crucial tertiary ester and tetrahydropyran.

Pharmacology and Clinical Effect of Platonin, a Cyanine Photosensitizing Dye: Potential Molecular Targets.

Platonin, a photosensitizing dye, is known to possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Platonin has been used to treat trauma, ulcers and some acute inflammations and it also reported to improve blood circulation and reduce mortality in endotoxin-induced rat models. Our previous studies established that platonin suppresses the lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-1β (IL-1β-+), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS).

Improved performance of CuInS2 quantum dot-sensitized solar cells based on a multilayered architecture.

This article describes a CuInS2 quantum dot (QD)-sensitized solar cell (QDSSC) with a multilayered architecture and a cascaded energy-gap structure fabricated using a successive ionic-layer adsorption and reaction process. We initially used different metal chalcogenides as interfacial buffer layers to improve unmatched band alignments between the TiO2 and CuInS2 QD sensitizers. In this design, the photovoltaic performance, in terms of the short-circuit current density (JSC), open-circuit voltage (VOC), fill factor (FF), and power conversion efficiency (PCE), was significantly improved.

Melatonin attenuates kainic acid-induced neurotoxicity in mouse hippocampus via inhibition of autophagy and α-synuclein aggregation.

In this study, the protective effect of melatonin on kainic acid (KA)-induced neurotoxicity involving autophagy and α-synuclein aggregation was investigated in the hippocampus of C57/BL6 mice. Our data showed that intraperitoneal injection of KA (20 mg/kg) increased LC3-II levels (a hallmark protein of autophagy) and reduced mitochondrial DNA content and cytochrome c oxidase levels (a protein marker of mitochondria). Atg7 siRNA transfection prevented KA-induced LC3-II elevations and mitochondria loss.