Small molecule Hedgehog pathway antagonists.

Leveraging our quinolone-1-(2H)-one based Hedgehog signalling pathway (HSP) inhibitors we have developed two new classes of HSP inhibitors based on: l-tryptophan and benzo[1,3]dioxol-5-ylmethyl-[2-(1H-indol-3-yl)-ethyl]-amine. Synthesis of focused compound libraries identified six l-tryptophan based inhibitors, and two stimulators, of Gli at 10 μM compound concentration. 2,4-Dichloro-13 and indole 16 suppressed mRNA expression of Ptch in Shh LIGHT2 cells, with 13 suppressing and 16 stimulating Gli mRNA expression.

Dynamin 2 is essential for mammalian spermatogenesis.

The dynamin family of proteins play important regulatory roles in membrane remodelling and endocytosis, especially within brain and neuronal tissues. In the context of reproduction, dynamin 1 (DNM1) and dynamin 2 (DNM2) have recently been shown to act as key mediators of sperm acrosome formation and function. However, little is known about the roles that these proteins play in the developing testicular germ cells.

Developmental expression of Musashi-1 and Musashi-2 RNA-binding proteins during spermatogenesis: analysis of the deleterious effects of dysregulated expression.

Spermatogenesis is a complex developmental process whereby diploid spermatogenic stem cells become haploid and undergo a series of morphological changes to produce physically mature spermatozoa. Crucial to this process are a number of RNA-binding proteins, responsible for the posttranscriptional control of essential mRNAs and particularly pertinent to the two periods of inactive transcription that occur in spermatogenesis. One such group of RNA-binding proteins is the Musashi family, specifically Musashi-1 (MSI1) and Musashi-2 (MSI2), which act as key translational regulators in various stem cell populations and have been linked with the induction of tumorigenesis.