Effect of an NGR Peptide on the Efficacy of the Doxorubicin Phospholipid Delivery System.

This study is a continuation of an investigation into the effect of a targeted component, a peptide with an NGR, on the properties of the previously developed doxorubicin phospholipid delivery system. The NGR peptide has an affinity for aminopeptidase N (known as the CD13 marker on the membrane surface of tumor cells) and has been extensively used to target drug delivery systems. This article presents the results of a study investigating the physical properties of the phospholipid composition with and without the peptide chain: particle size, zeta potential, stability in fluids, and dependence of doxorubicin release from nanoparticles at different pH levels (5.

Oxazolinyl derivatives of androst-16-ene as inhibitors of CYP17A1 activity and prostate carcinoma cells proliferation: Effects of substituents in oxazolinyl moiety.

Steroid derivatives modified with nitrogen containing heterocycles are known to inhibit activity of steroidogenic enzymes, decrease proliferation of cancer cells and attract attention as promising anticancer agents. Specifically, 2'-(3β-hydroxyandrosta-5,16-dien-17-yl)-4',5'-dihydro-1',3'-oxazole 1a potently inhibited proliferation of prostate carcinoma cells. In this study we synthesized and investigated five new derivatives of 3β-hydroxyandrosta-5,16-diene comprising 4'-methyl or 4'-phenyl substituted oxazolinyl cycle 1 (b-f).

Chondroitin Sulfate and Fucosylated Chondroitin Sulfate as Stimulators of Hematopoiesis in Cyclophosphamide-Induced Mice.

The immunosuppression and inhibition of hematopoiesis are considered to be reasons for the development of complications after intensive chemotherapy and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Chondroitin sulfate (), isolated from the fish , and fucosylated chondroitin sulfate (), isolated from the sea cucumber , were studied for their roles as stimulators of hematopoiesis in a model of cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppression in mice. The recombinant protein r G-CSF was applied as a reference.

High-density lipoprotein remodeling by phospholipid nanoparticles improves cholesterol efflux capacity and protects from atherosclerosis.

The efficiency of cholesterol efflux from cells promoted by high-density lipoproteins (HDLs) depends on HDL concentration and functional properties. The term "dysfunctional HDL" describes HDLs with impaired protective properties. Cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC) of HDL is reduced in patients with atherosclerosis, but the exact mechanisms underlying this impairment are not well characterized.

Implication of integrin α2β1 in senescence of SK-Mel-147 human melanoma cells.

This investigation addressed the impact of integrin-initiated signaling pathways on senescence of tumor cells. In a model of human SK-Mel-147 melanoma cells, the silencing of integrin α2β1 strongly reduced cell proliferation and enhanced the percentage of SA-β-Gal-positive cells, a phenotypic feature of cellular senescence. These changes were accompanied by a significant increase in the activity of Akt and mTOR protein kinases and also in the expression of p53 and p21 oncosuppressors.

Chlorin e6 embedded in phospholipid nanoparticles equipped with specific peptides: Interaction with tumor cells with different aminopeptidase N expression.

A promising direction in Biopharmaceuticals is the development of specific peptide-based systems to improve drug delivery. This approach may increase tumor specificity and drug penetration into the target cell. Similar systems have been designed for several antitumor drugs.

Implication of integrins α3β1 and α5β1 in invasion and anoikis of SK-Mel-147 human melanoma cells: non-canonical functions of protein kinase Akt.

Downregulation of integrins α3β1 and α5β1 strongly decreased cell colony formation and in vitro invasion and markedly enhanced anoikis in SK-Mel-147 human melanoma cells. These modifications were accompanied by a marked increase in the levels of active Akt protein kinase, which indicated it played a non-canonical function in the melanoma cells. Pharmacological inhibition of Akt1, an Akt isozyme, in cells depleted of α3β1 or α5β1 restored their invasive activity, while inhibition of the Akt 2 isoform did not cause a visible effect.

New steroidal oxazolines, benzoxazoles and benzimidazoles related to abiraterone and galeterone.

Seven new oxazoline, benzoxazole and benzimidazole derivatives were synthesized from 3β-acetoxyandrosta-5,16-dien-17-carboxylic, 3β-acetoxyandrost-5-en-17β-carboxylic and 3β-acetoxypregn-5-en-21-oic acids. Docking to active site of human 17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase revealed that all oxazolines, as well as benzoxazoles and benzimidazoles comprising Δ could form stable complexes with enzyme, in which steroid moiety is positioned similarly to that of abiraterone and galeterone, and nitrogen atom coordinates heme iron, while 16,17-saturated benzoxazoles and benzimidazoles could only bind in a position where heterocycle is located nearly parallel to heme plane. Modeling of the interaction of new benzoxazole and benzimidazole derivatives with androgen receptor revealed the destabilization of helix 12, constituting activation function 2 (AF2) site, by mentioned compounds, similar to one induced by known antagonist galeterone.

Implication of integrin α2β1 in anoikis of SK-Mel-147 human melanoma cells: a non-canonical function of Akt protein kinase.

Suppression of anoikis, a kind of apoptosis caused by disruption of contacts between cell and extracellular matrix, is an important prerequisite for cancer cell metastasis. In this communication, we demonstrate that shRNA-mediated depletion of α2 integrin subunit induces anoikis and substantially decreases colony-forming potential in SK-Mel-147 human melanoma cells. Suppression of α2β1 upregulates the levels of pro-apoptotic protein p53 and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p21 and p27.

New azole derivatives of [17(20)E]-21-norpregnene: Synthesis and inhibition of prostate carcinoma cell growth.

A number of isoxazole, 1,2,3-triazole, tetrazole, and 1,2,4-oxadiazole derivatives of [17(20)E]-21-norpregnene comprising 3β-hydroxy-5-ene and 3-oxo-4-ene fragments were prepared. Among the key steps for the synthesis of isoxazoles, 1,2,3-triazoles, and tetrazoles were (i) 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of nitrile oxides or azides to acetylenes or nitriles and ii) dehydration of 17β-hydroxy-17α-methylene-azoles to [17(20)E]-21-norpregnene derivatives. 1,2,4-Oxadiazoles were prepared through the formation of acetimidamides.

Conjugates of 17-substituted testosterone and epitestosterone with pyropheophorbide a differing in the length of linkers.

Conjugates of 17α-substituted testosterone (1 and 2) and 17β-substituted epitestosterone (3 and 4) with pyropheophorbide a were synthesized. The scheme consisted of synthesis of 17α-hydroxy-3-oxopregn-4-en-21-oic and 17β-hydroxy-3-oxopregn-4-en-21-oic acids, and their coupling with pyropheophorbide a by means of either ethylene diamine, or 1,5-diamino pentane linkers. Mutual influence of steroidal and macrocyclic fragments in conjugates molecules was dependent on configuration of C17 and length of linker, that was established by analysis of H NMR spectra and molecular models of conjugates.

FOXQ1 controls the induced differentiation of melanocytic cells.

Oncogenic transcription factor FOXQ1 has been implicated in promotion of multiple transformed phenotypes in carcinoma cells. Recently, we have characterized FOXQ1 as a melanoma tumor suppressor that acts via repression of N-cadherin gene, and invasion and metastasis. Here we report that FOXQ1 induces differentiation in normal and transformed melanocytic cells at least partially via direct transcriptional activation of MITF gene, melanocytic lineage-specific regulator of differentiation.

Comparison of [17(20)E]-21-Norpregnene oxazolinyl and benzoxazolyl derivatives as inhibitors of CYP17A1 activity and prostate carcinoma cells growth.

Four new 4,5-dihydro-1,3-oxazole, and four new benzo-[d]-oxazole derivatives of [17(20)E]-21-norpregnene, differing in the structure of steroid moiety, were synthesized and evaluated for their potency to inhibit 17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase (CYP17A1) activity. Among new compounds, the only oxazolinyl derivative comprising 5-oxo-4,5-seco-3-yn- moiety potently inhibited CYP17A1. Binding modes of the oxazolinyl derivatives of [17(20)E]-21-norpregnene were analyzed by molecular dynamics simulations, and model of alternate, water-bridged type II interaction was proposed for these compounds.

Integrin α5β1 simultaneously controls EGFR-dependent proliferation and Akt-dependent pro-survival signaling in epidermoid carcinoma cells.

To delineate distinctive role of the components of α5β1 integrin-EGFR axis in control of epidermoid carcinoma cell proliferation, we performed individual inhibition of α5β1 and EGFR via genetic and phamacological methods, respectively. We demonstrated that pharmacological inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) significantly affected proliferation of A431 human cells by inducing the G0/G1 cell cycle arrest, whereas shRNA-mediated depletion of α5 subunit of α5β1 integrin led to a similar type of cell cycle arrest followed by significant apoptosis. Both treatments resulted in suppression of activated (phosphorylated) forms of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and Erk.

Fucans, but not fucomannoglucuronans, determine the biological activities of sulfated polysaccharides from Laminaria saccharina brown seaweed.

Sulfated polysaccharides from Laminaria saccharina (new name: Saccharina latissima) brown seaweed show promising activity for the treatment of inflammation, thrombosis, and cancer; yet the molecular mechanisms underlying these properties remain poorly understood. The aim of this work was to characterize, using in vitro and in vivo strategies, the anti-inflammatory, anti-coagulant, anti-angiogenic, and anti-tumor activities of two main sulfated polysaccharide fractions obtained from L. saccharina: a) L.

Synthesis and cytotoxicity evaluation of 22,23-oxygenated stigmastane derivatives.

Starting from (22E)-3alpha,5alpha-cyclo-6beta-methoxystigmast-22-ene eighteen derivatives of (22S,23S)-22,23-oxidostigmastane, (22R,23R)-22,23-oxidostigmastane, and (22R,23R)-22,23-dihydroxystigmastane were synthesized and screened for cytotoxicity in human hepatoma Hep G2 cells and human breast carcinoma MCF-7 cells using MTT assay. Four compounds of this series exhibited high cytotoxicity in both cells; three compounds were selectively toxic in MCF-7 cells, one compound was toxic in Hep G2 cells, rather than in MCF-7 cells; four compounds at low concentrations increased MTT test values over the control.

A comparative study of the anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant, antiangiogenic, and antiadhesive activities of nine different fucoidans from brown seaweeds.

The anti-inflammatory, antiangiogenic, anticoagulant, and antiadhesive properties of fucoidans obtained from nine species of brown algae were studied in order to examine the influence of fucoidan origin and composition on their biological activities. All fucoidans inhibited leucocyte recruitment in an inflammation model in rats, and neither the content of fucose and sulfate nor other structural features of their polysaccharide backbones significantly affected the efficacy of fucoidans in this model. In vitro evaluation of P-selectin-mediated neutrophil adhesion to platelets under flow conditions revealed that only polysaccharides from Laminaria saccharina, L.

Novel side chain modified Delta8(14)-15-ketosterols.

Synthesis of five novel Delta8(14)-15-ketosterols comprising modified side chains starting from ergosterol is described. Ergosteryl acetate was converted into (22E)-3beta-acetoxy-5alpha-ergosta-8(14),22-dien-15-one through three stages in 32% overall yield; further transformations of the product obtained led to (22E)-3beta-hydroxy-5alpha-ergosta-8(14),22-dien-15-one, (22S,23S)-3beta-hydroxy-22,23-oxido-5alpha-ergost-8(14)-en-15-one, (22R,23R)-3beta-hydroxy-22,23-oxido-5alpha-ergost-8(14)-en-15-one, (22R,23R)-5alpha-ergost-8(14)-en-15-on-3beta,22,23-triol and (22R,23R)-3beta-hydroxy-22,23-isopropylidenedioxy-5alpha-ergost-8(14)-en-15-one. New Delta8(14)-15-ketosterols were evaluated for their cytotoxicity and effects on sterol biosynthesis in human hepatoma Hep G2 cells in comparison with known 3beta-hydroxy-5alpha-cholest-8(14)-en-15-one.

Multidrug-resistant tumor cells with decreased malignancy: a role for integrin alphavbeta3.

We studied whether acquisition of multidrug resistance (MDR) by tumor cells can alter their integrin profile and malignant behavior. Hamster fibroblast cell line HET-SR-2SC-LNM was selected for MDR, yielding the 2SC/20 subline. Compared with the parental cells, the 2SC/20 subline weakly adhered to denatured collagen (dCol) which correlated with decreased expression of alphavbeta3, a dCol receptor.