Discovery of pyrazolone spirocyclohexadienone derivatives with potent antitumor activity.

Starting from easy accessible pyrazoletetrahydropyran acetals, a series of new pyrazolone spirocyclohexadienone derivatives were synthesized and assayed for antitumor activity. Compound 10s was identified to possess good antitumor activity. It could induce MDA-MB-231 cancer cell apoptosis in a concentration dependent manner and arrest the cell cycle progression mainly at the G1 phase.

Reduction of hemoglobin, not iron, inhibited maturation of red blood cells in male rats exposed to high intensity endurance exercises.

The existence of sports anemia, induced by strenuous or long-term exercise and characterized by decreases of red blood cells (RBCs), hemoglobin and iron content, remains to be doubtful. To observe the effects of endurance exercise on RBCs and explain the underlying reason, we designed this study by observing RBCs parameters and iron metabolism in 8-weeks training rats and effects of iron supplement or protein supplement on RBCs. Results showed that erythrocyte counts, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume and hemoglobin content decreased while RBC distribution width increased in exercised rats at later stage during 8 weeks training.

HNF-4alpha Negatively Regulates Hepcidin Expression Through BMPR1A in HepG2 Cells.

Hepcidin synthesis is reported to be inadequate according to the body iron store in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) undergoing hepatic iron overload (HIO). However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We hypothesize that hepatocyte nuclear factor-4α (HNF-4α) may negatively regulate hepcidin expression and contribute to hepcidin deficiency in NAFLD patients.

Facile construction of pyrrolo[1,2-b]isoquinolin-10(5H)-ones via a redox-amination-aromatization-Friedel-Crafts acylation cascade reaction and discovery of novel topoisomerase inhibitors.

An efficient redox-amination-aromatization-Friedel-Crafts acylation cascade process from trans-4-hydroxyproline and 2-formylbenzoic acids has been developed for the synthesis of pyrrolo[1,2-b]isoquinolin-10(5H)-ones. Compound 3h was identified as a new potent dual topoisomerase I/II inhibitor.

The Effects of Portulaca oleracea on Hypoxia-Induced Pulmonary Edema in Mice.

Portulaca oleracea L. (PO) is known as "a vegetable for long life" due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and other pharmacological activities. However, the protective activity of the ethanol extract of PO (EEPO) against hypoxia-induced pulmonary edema has not been fully investigated.

Hyperinsulinemia induces hepatic iron overload by increasing liver TFR1 via the PI3K/IRP2 pathway.

Dysmetabolic iron overload syndrome (DIOS) is frequently observed, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. We propose the hypothesis that hyperinsulinemia, a common characteristic of DIOS, may stimulate liver transferrin receptor 1 (TFR1) expression via the PI3K/iron regulatory protein 2 (IRP2) pathway, leading to the occurrence of DIOS. The hepatic iron content, serum iron parameters, and expressions of TFRs and IRPs in the liver were determined in rats with temporary or long-lasting hyperinsulinemia induced by acute or chronic administration of insulin.

Hepcidin is directly regulated by insulin and plays an important role in iron overload in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Iron overload is frequently observed in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2), but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We hypothesize that hepcidin may be directly regulated by insulin and play an important role in iron overload in DM2. We therefore examined the hepatic iron content, serum iron parameters, intestinal iron absorption, and liver hepcidin expression in rats treated with streptozotocin (STZ), which was given alone or after insulin resistance induced by a high-fat diet.