Approches radicalaires pour la fonctionnalisation directe de quinones à visée anticancereuse

Dans le cadre d un programme de recherche dédié à la découverte de petites molécules à visée anticancéreuse, nous avons envisagé de concevoir des composés originaux dérivés de quinones. Notre premier objectif a été d élaborer des mimes non-peptidiques de la protéine Smac, susceptibles de participer à relancer le phénomène d apoptose, dont la structure est rigidifiée par des contraintes conformationnelles. Par ailleurs, les kinases et les phosphatases, jouant des rôles complémentaires de phosphorylation / déphosphorylation dans le cadre du contrôle du cycle cellulaire notamment, apparaissent aussi comme des cibles intéressantes. Une étude attentive de leurs inhibiteurs connus nous a permis de mettre en avant des analogies structurales qui nous ont conduit à vouloir synthétiser des motifs fonctionnalisés de dérivés de naphtoquinones.L introduction directe de chaînes latérales aliphatiques sur nos substrats, par création de liaisons de type C(sp2) C(sp3), a été rendue possible grâce au développement d une méthodologie de décarboxylation radicalaire. Dans les conditions réactionnelles mises au point, le couple Ag(I)/S2O82- est utilisé comme initiateur radicalaire et autorise la génération de radicaux alkyles par décarboxylation d acides aminés. L introduction directe de cycles aromatiques fonctionnalisés, via la création de liaisons de type C(sp2) C(sp2), a été réalisée par l intermédiaire de la génération de radicaux aryles issus de sels de diazonium stables ou d anilines. Les procédés décrits dans ce manuscrit nous ont permis d apporter certains éclaircissements sur la réactivité des substrats et sur les mécanismes réactionnels impliqués.In our ongoing course dedicated to the discovery of small anticancer molecules, we designed novel quinone derivatives. Our first objective was to fashion non-peptidic Smac mimics, able to trigger apoptosis in tumor cells, displaying a structure rigidified by conformational restrictions. Otherwise, the kinases and the phosphatases, acting as phosphorylating / dephosphorylating agents mostly in the control of the cell cycle, were thought to be other relevant biological targets. An intent study of their known inhibitors allowed us to underline trends in their chemical structure and made us plan the synthesis of functionalized naphthoquinones.A dedicated approach involving radical decarboxylation of amino acids allowed the introduction of aliphatic side chains on our substrates though C(sp2) C(sp3) bond formation. Ag(I)/S2O82- was used as alkyl radical initiator and the direct C-H alkylation of the quinonic positions could take place. C(sp2) C(sp2) bonds were created through aryl radicals generation from stable diazonium salts or anilines which allowed the direct C-H arylation of quinones. The procedures described along this manuscript let us formulate several advances on the substrates reactivity and on the reaction mechanisms involved.BORDEAUX1-Bib.electronique (335229901) / SudocSudocFranceF

Thioredoxin Glutathione Reductase from Schistosoma mansoni: An Essential Parasite Enzyme and a Key Drug Target

Using both genetic and biochemical approaches, David Williams and colleagues show that the parasite thioredoxin glutathione reductase meets all the major criteria to be a key target for antischistosomal chemotherapy

Correction: Thioredoxin Glutathione Reductase from Schistosoma mansoni: An Essential Parasite Enzyme and a Key Drug Target

Correction: Thioredoxin Glutathione Reductase from Schistosoma mansoni: An Essential Parasite Enzyme and a Key Drug Targe

Low temperature exposure induces browning of bone marrow stem cell derived adipocytes in vitro

Brown and beige adipocytes are characterised as expressing the unique mitochondrial uncoupling protein (UCP)1 for which the primary stimulus in vivo is cold exposure. The extent to which cold-induced UCP1 activation can also be achieved in vitro, and therefore perform a comparable cellular function, is unknown. We report an in vitro model to induce adipocyte browning using bone marrow (BM) derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), which relies on differentiation at 32°C instead of 37°C. The low temperature promoted browning in adipogenic cultures, with increased adipocyte differentiation and upregulation of adipogenic and thermogenic factors, especially UCP1. Cells exhibited enhanced uncoupled respiration and metabolic adaptation. Cold-exposed differentiated cells showed a marked translocation of leptin to adipocyte nuclei, suggesting a previously unknown role for leptin in the browning process. These results indicate that BM-MSC can be driven to forming beige-like adipocytes in vitro by exposure to a reduced temperature. This in vitro model will provide a powerful tool to elucidate the precise role of leptin and related hormones in hitherto functions in the browning process

Thymidine Kinase 2 Deficiency-Induced Mitochondrial DNA Depletion Causes Abnormal Development of Adipose Tissues and Adipokine Levels in Mice

Mammal adipose tissues require mitochondrial activity for proper development and differentiation. The components of the mitochondrial respiratory chain/oxidative phosphorylation system (OXPHOS) are encoded by both mitochondrial and nuclear genomes. The maintenance of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is a key element for a functional mitochondrial oxidative activity in mammalian cells. To ascertain the role of mtDNA levels in adipose tissue, we have analyzed the alterations in white (WAT) and brown (BAT) adipose tissues in thymidine kinase 2 (Tk2) H126N knockin mice, a model of TK2 deficiency-induced mtDNA depletion. We observed respectively severe and moderate mtDNA depletion in TK2-deficient BAT and WAT, showing both tissues moderate hypotrophy and reduced fat accumulation. Electron microscopy revealed altered mitochondrial morphology in brown but not in white adipocytes from TK2-deficient mice. Although significant reduction in mtDNA-encoded transcripts was observed both in WAT and BAT, protein levels from distinct OXPHOS complexes were significantly reduced only in TK2-deficient BAT. Accordingly, the activity of cytochrome c oxidase was significantly lowered only in BAT from TK2-deficient mice. The analysis of transcripts encoding up to fourteen components of specific adipose tissue functions revealed that, in both TK2-deficient WAT and BAT, there was a consistent reduction of thermogenesis related gene expression and a severe reduction in leptin mRNA. Reduced levels of resistin mRNA were found in BAT from TK2-deficient mice. Analysis of serum indicated a dramatic reduction in circulating levels of leptin and resistin. In summary, our present study establishes that mtDNA depletion leads to a moderate impairment in mitochondrial respiratory function, especially in BAT, causes substantial alterations in WAT and BAT development, and has a profound impact in the endocrine properties of adipose tissues