Sustained therapeutic benefits by transient reduction of TDP-43 using ENA-modified antisense oligonucleotides in ALS/FTD mice.

The abnormal aggregation of TDP-43 into cytoplasmic inclusions in affected neurons is a pathological hallmark of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Although how TDP-43 forms cytoplasmic aggregates and causes neurodegeneration in patients with ALS/FTD remains unclear, reducing cellular TDP-43 levels is likely to prevent aggregation and to rescue neurons from TDP-43 toxicity. To address this issue, here we developed gapmer-type antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) against human TDP-43 using 2'-,4'--ethylene nucleic acids (ENAs), which are modified nucleic acids with high stability, and tested the therapeutic potential of lowering TDP-43 levels using ENA-modified ASOs.

Design and Synthesis of DDR1 Inhibitors with a Desired Pharmacophore Using Deep Generative Models.

Discoidin domain receptor 1 (DDR1) inhibitors with a desired pharmacophore were designed using deep generative models (DGMs). DDR1 is a receptor tyrosine kinase activated by matrix collagens and implicated in diseases such as cancer, fibrosis and hypoxia. Herein we describe the synthesis and inhibitory activity of compounds generated from DGMs.

Discovery of ASP5286: A novel non-immunosuppressive cyclophilin inhibitor for the treatment of HCV.

Evidence indicates that hepatitis C virus (HCV) utilizes cellular cyclophilin proteins in its replication, and cyclophilin inhibitors represent a new class of anti-HCV agents. We have established an efficient synthetic methodology to generate FR901459 derivatives via N, O-acyl migration reaction while avoiding total synthesis. Through a detailed structure-activity relationship study, we improved anti-HCV activity while decreasing immunosuppressive activity.

Molecular Basis for Allosteric Inhibition of GTP-Bound H-Ras Protein by a Small-Molecule Compound Carrying a Naphthalene Ring.

The ras oncogene products (H-Ras, K-Ras, and N-Ras) have been regarded as some of the most promising targets for anticancer drug discovery because their activating mutations are frequently found in human cancers. Nonetheless, molecular targeted therapy for them is currently unavailable. Here, we report the discovery of a small-molecule compound carrying a naphthalene ring, named KBFM123, which binds to the GTP-bound form of H-Ras.

Synthesis and structure activity relationships of glycine amide derivatives as novel Vascular Adhesion Protein-1 inhibitors.

Vascular Adhesion Protein-1 (VAP-1) is a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of several inflammatory-related diseases including diabetic microvascular complication. We identified glycine amide derivative 3 as a novel structure with moderate VAP-1 inhibitory activity. Structure-activity relationship studies of glycine amide derivatives revealed that the tertiary amide moiety is important for stability in rat blood and that the position of substituents on the left phenyl ring plays an important role in VAP-1 inhibitory activity.

Identification of natural diterpenes that inhibit bacterial wilt disease in tobacco, tomato and Arabidopsis.

The soil-borne bacterial pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum invades a broad range of plants through their roots, resulting in wilting of the plant, but no effective protection against this disease has been developed. Two bacterial wilt disease-inhibiting compounds were biochemically isolated from tobacco and identified as sclareol and cis-abienol, labdane-type diterpenes. When exogenously applied to their roots, sclareol and cis-abienol inhibited wilt disease in tobacco, tomato and Arabidopsis plants without exhibiting any antibacterial activity.

Crystal structure of human ERK2 complexed with a pyrazolo[3,4-c]pyridazine derivative.

A series of pyrazolopyridazine compounds were briefly investigated as ERK2 inhibitors. The crystal structure of ERK2 complexed with an allyl derivative was determined. The compound induces structural change including movement of the glycine-rich loop and peptide flip between Met108-Glu109.

Identification of a selective ERK inhibitor and structural determination of the inhibitor-ERK2 complex.

Selective inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) represents a potential approach for the treatment of cancer and other diseases; however, no selective inhibitors are currently available. Here, we describe an ERK-selective inhibitor, FR180204, and determine the structural basis of its selectivity. FR180204 inhibited the kinase activity of ERK1 and ERK2, with K(i) values 0.

Prevention of progressive joint destruction in adjuvant induced arthritis in rats by a novel matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor, FR217840.

Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) has been implicated in joint destruction of chronic arthritis diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. FR217840 (2R)-1-([5-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-thienyl]sulfonyl)-N-hydroxy-4-(methylsulfonyl)-2-piperazinecarboxamide is a potent, orally active synthetic MMP inhibitor that inhibits human collagenases (MMP-1, MMP-8 and MMP-13), gelatinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) and membrane type MMP (MT-MMP) (MT1-MMP/MMP-14). FR217840 also inhibits rat collagenase and gelatinase.

Prevention of progressive joint destruction in collagen-induced arthritis in rats by a novel matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor, FR255031.

FR255031 (2-[(7S)-7-[5-(4-ethylphenyl)-2-thienyl]-1,1-dioxido-4-(2-pyridinylcarbonyl)hexahydro-1,4-thiazepin-7-yl]-N-hydroxyacetamide) is a novel synthetic matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitor that inhibits human collagenases (MMP-1, MMP-8 and MMP-13), gelatinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) and membrane type 1 MMP (MT1-MMP/MMP-14). FR255031 also inhibits rat collagenase and gelatinase. We studied the effect of FR255031 and Trocade, an inhibitor of collagenase and MMP-14, on a rat collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model.

Improving quality and harvest period of protein crystals for structure-based drug design: effects of a gel and a magnetic field on bovine adenosine deaminase crystals.

The overall crystal quality as well as the harvest period of bovine adenosine deaminase containing a zinc ion at the active centre has been compared in three different environments: crystallization as a control, crystallization with agarose gel and crystallization in a high magnetic field. In crystallization with agarose gel, the probability of obtaining high-quality crystals was somewhat increased, but the harvest period was elongated. On the other hand, in crystallization in a magnetic field, the probability of obtaining high-quality crystals was greatly increased.