Systemic treatment with a novel basic fibroblast growth factor mimic small-molecule compound boosts functional recovery after spinal cord injury.

Neurotrophic factors have been regarded having promising potentials for neuronal protection and regeneration, and thus promoting beneficial effects of kinesiological functions. They can be suspected to play important roles in cell/tissue grafting for various neural diseases. The clinical applications of such trophic factors to the central nervous system (CNS), however, have caused problematic side effects on account of the distinctive bioactive properties.

Fibroblast growth factor receptor modulators employing diamines with reduced phospholipidosis-inducing potential.

SUN13837 (1), a fibroblast growth factor receptor modulator, has been an attractive candidate for treating neurodegenerative diseases. However, one of its metabolites, N-benzyl-4-(methylamino)piperidine (BMP), turned out to possess phospholipidosis-inducing potential (PLIP) in vitro. To obtain SUN13837 analogs with reduced phospholipidosis risk, we replaced BMP with other diamines possessing low PLIP.

Discovery of 1,2,3-triazole-based fibroblast growth factor receptor modulators.

To avoid production of a phospholipidosis-inducing metabolite, we replaced the amide structure of SUN13837 (1) with a 1,2,3-triazole. The resulting 1,2,3-triazole analog of 1 (compound 2) displayed greater neuroprotective activity than 1. Structural modification of 2 yielded compound 10, which showed improved neuroprotective activity and negligible mechanism-based inactivation against CYP3A4.

Synthesis and evaluation of N-(4-benzylphenyl)piperazines as VGF inducers.

A series of compounds was discovered that induce the production of VGF mRNA in SH-SY5Y cells and exhibit cytoprotection under tunicamycin induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. The aminophenol ring and linker chain of the template SUN N8075 (1) was modified to yield compounds with higher efficacy and lower propensity for adverse effects.

SUN11602, a novel aniline compound, mimics the neuroprotective mechanisms of basic fibroblast growth factor.

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) offers some measure of protection against excitotoxic neuronal injuries by upregulating the expression of the calcium-binding protein calbindin-D28k (Calb). The newly synthesized small molecule 4-({4-[[(4-amino-2,3,5,6-tetramethylanilino)acetyl](methyl)amino]-1-piperidinyl}methyl)benzamide (SUN11602) mimics the neuroprotective effects of bFGF, and thus, we examined how SUN11602 exerts its actions on neurons in toxic conditions of glutamate. In primary cultures of rat cerebrocortical neurons, SUN11602 and bFGF prevented glutamate-induced neuronal death.

Abeta-induced BACE-1 cleaves N-terminal sequence of mPGES-2.

We previously indicated that amyloid beta (Abeta) augments protein levels of beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme-1 (BACE-1) through oxidative stress. In this study, we revealed that BACE-1 is involved in the cleavage of membrane-bound prostaglandin E2 synthase-2 (mPGES-2) in its N-terminal portion, which, in turn, enhanced the generation of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). PGE2 results in increased Abeta production, initiating a cell-injuring cycle.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate and curcumin suppress amyloid beta-induced beta-site APP cleaving enzyme-1 upregulation.

Beta-site APP cleaving enzyme-1 (BACE-1), is a rate-limiting enzyme for beta amyloid production. Beta amyloid induces the production of radical oxygen species and neuronal injury. Oxidative stress plays a key role in various neurological diseases such as ischemia and Alzheimer's disease.

Flavonols and flavones as BACE-1 inhibitors: structure-activity relationship in cell-free, cell-based and in silico studies reveal novel pharmacophore features.

Generation and accumulation of the amyloid beta peptide (Abeta) following proteolytic processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) by BACE-1 (Beta-site APP Cleaving Enzyme-1, beta-secretase) and gamma-secretase is a main causal factor of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Consequently, inhibition of BACE-1, a rate-limiting enzyme in the production of Abeta, is an attractive therapeutic approach for the treatment of AD. In this study, we discovered that natural flavonoids act as non-peptidic BACE-1 inhibitors and potently inhibit BACE-1 activity and reduce the level of secreted Abeta in primary cortical neurons.

Three distinct neuroprotective functions of myricetin against glutamate-induced neuronal cell death: involvement of direct inhibition of caspase-3.

The excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate can accumulate in the brain and is thought to be involved in the etiology of many neurodegenerative disorders, including ischemia and Alzheimer disease. Therefore, it is important to search for compounds that reduce glutamate neurotoxicity. This glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity is caused by intracellular Ca2+ overload via the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor NMDAR), reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and caspase-3 activation.

Multifunction of myricetin on A beta: neuroprotection via a conformational change of A beta and reduction of A beta via the interference of secretases.

Myricetin (3,3',4',5,5',7-hexahydroxyflavone) is classified as a flavonoid with strong antioxidant effects. Oxidative stress plays a key role in various neurological diseases such as ischemia and Alzheimer's disease (AD). To elucidate whether myricetin could counter the progress of AD, we examined the effects of myricetin on neurotoxicity induced by beta-amyloid (A beta), a component of senile plaques in the AD brain.

Distinct mechanisms underlie distinct polyphenol-induced neuroprotection.

Glutamate excitotoxicity is mediated by intracellular Ca(2+) overload, caspase-3 activation, and ROS generation. Here, we show that curcumin, tannic acid (TA) and (+)-catechin hydrate (CA) all inhibited glutamate-induced excitotoxicity. Curcumin inhibited PKC activity, and subsequent phosphorylation of NR1 of the NMDA receptor.