Protrusion-localized STAT3 mRNA promotes metastasis of highly metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro.

Aim: Recent evidence shows that localization of mRNAs and their protein products at cellular protrusions plays a decisive function in the metastasis of cancer cells. The aim of this study was to identify the variety of proteins encoded by protrusion-localized mRNAs and their roles in the metastasis and invasion of liver cancer cells.

Methods: Highly metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HCCLM3 and non-metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma cell line SMMC-7721 were examined.

Theoretical study on the acidities of chiral phosphoric acids in dimethyl sulfoxide: hints for organocatalysis.

The pKa values of 41 chiral phosphoric acid-family catalysts in DMSO were predicted using the SMD/M06-2x/6-311++G(2df,2p)//B3LYP/6-31+G(d) method for the first time. The study showed that the calculated pKa's range from -4.23 to 6.

Synthesis of optically enriched spirocyclic benzofuran-2-ones by bifunctional thiourea-base catalyzed double-Michael addition of benzofuran-2-ones to dienones.

A highly enantioselective catalytic double-Michael addition reaction of substituted benzofuran-2-ones with divinyl ketones promoted by readily accessible tertiary amine-thiourea Cinchona alkaloids has been developed. A number of optically enriched spirocyclic benzofuran-2-ones were prepared in very good yields (up to 99 %), diastereoselectivities (up to 19:1 d.r.

Asymmetric Michael addition reactions of 3-substituted benzofuran-2(3H)-ones to nitroolefins catalyzed by a bifunctional tertiary-amine thiourea.

The current work reports an organocatalytic strategy for the asymmetric catalysis of chiral benzofuran-2(3H)-ones bearing 3-position all-carbon quaternary stereocenters. Accordingly, highly enantioselective Michael addition reactions of 3-substituted benzofuran-2(3H)-ones to nitroolefins have been developed by utilizing a bifunctional tertiary-amine thiourea catalyst. The reactions accommodate a number of nitroolefins and 3-substituted benzofuran-2(3H)-ones to give the desired chiral benzofuran-2(3H)-one products with moderate to excellent yields (up to 98%) and moderate to very good selectivities (up to 19 : 1 dr and up to 91% ee).

Chiral biscinchona alkaloid promoted asymmetric allylic alkylation of 3-substituted benzofuran-2(3H)-ones with Morita-Baylis-Hillman carbonates.

A highly diastereo- and enantioselective asymmetric allylic alkylation reaction with respect to prochiral 3-substituted benzofuran-2(3H)-ones and MBH carbonate by a chiral biscinchona alkaloid catalyst was investigated. The corresponding adducts, containing a quaternary center at the C3-position of the benzofuran-2(3H)-one as well as a vicinal tertiary center, were generally obtained in high yields (up to 97%) with very good diastereo- (up to 98:2 dr) and enantioselectivities (up to 95% ee).

PTD4-apoptin protein and dacarbazine show a synergistic antitumor effect on B16-F1 melanoma in vitro and in vivo.

PTD4-apoptin protein enters cells and harbors tumor-selective cell death activity. Dacarbazine is the mainstay of treatment for malignant melanoma. In this study, we investigated the cytotoxic effect of PTD4-apoptin protein and/or dacarbazine in mouse B16-F1 and human A875 and SK-MEL-5 melanoma cells in vitro and by means of a mouse B16-F1 melanoma model in vivo.