Targeting macrophage migration inhibitory factor to inhibit T cell immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment and improve cancer outcomes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the 7th most common cancer globally with a 40-50 % survival rate. Although macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is overexpressed in most solid tumors and promotes tumor growth and invasion, the therapeutic potential of MIF inhibition in HNSCC is yet to be explored. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of CPSI-1306, a small-molecule MIF inhibitor, on HNSCC cell growth and cancer associated signaling pathways in vitro, as well as its impact on T cells in the HNSCC tumor microenvironment in vivo.

Syntheses of bis(pyrrolylaldiminato)aluminum complexes for the polymerisation of lactide.

Seven bis(pyrrolylaldiminato)aluminum methyl complexes were synthesized from the reactions of AlMe3 and two equiv. of the corresponding pyrrolylaldimine ligands. The ligands were modified to have different steric hindrances (C6H5 (1), 2,6-Me2C6H3 (2), 2,4,6-Me3C6H2 (3), 2,6-Et2C6H3 (4) and 2,6-(i)Pr2C6H3 (5)) and electronic contributions (4-CF3C6H4 (6) and 4-OMeC6H4 (7)).

Facile alcoholysis of L-lactide catalysed by Group 1 and 2 metal complexes.

Alkyl (S)-lactate and alkyl (S,S)-lactyllactate were rapidly and conveniently synthesized from L-lactide using Group 1 and 2 metal complexes as catalyst in alcohol.