New compounds based on 1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b] pyridine as potent TNIK inhibitors against colorectal cancer cells. Molecular modeling studies

Cancer is a disease caused by the incorrect transformation of cells that proliferate abnormally, and it is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. As a result, new compounds with potential anticancer activity must be designed. In this article, three – dimensional Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship is used to study thirty-one compounds of 1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine derivatives as potent TNIK inhibitors against colorectal cancer cells. Their pIC50 varied from 7.37 to 9.92. The two contours, Molecular Field Analysis (CoMFA) and Comparative Molecular Similarity Indices (CoMSIA) are critical in determining the nature of the groups that enhance or reduce activity. The models CoMFA and CoMSIA indicate strong reliability with (Q2 = 0.65; R2 = 0.86; rtest2 = 0.97) and (Q2= 0.74; R2 = 0. 96; rtest2 = 0. 95), respectively. Based on the good findings produced by the contour maps generated by the approach model, we have suggested five drugs with strong activity against colorectal cancer cells. In addition, the ADMET characteristics of these newly designed compounds were examined in silico. These compounds were further evaluated by molecular docking, showing that two molecules, Y4 and Y5, exhibit favorable interactions with the targeted receptor and a high total score. Our vision is to develop new medicines with strong TNIK inhibitory activities that target Traf2 and Nck-interacting kinase TNIK as a therapeutic target

Ouabain protects against adverse developmental programming of the kidney

The kidney is extraordinarily sensitive to adverse fetal programming. Malnutrition, the most common form of developmental challenge, retards the formation of functional units, the nephrons. The resulting low nephron endowment increases susceptibility to renal injury and disease. Using explanted rat embryonic kidneys, we found that ouabain, the Na,K-ATPase ligand, triggers a calcium–nuclear factor-κB signal, which protects kidney development from adverse effects of malnutrition. To mimic malnutrition, kidneys were serum deprived for 24 h. This resulted in severe retardation of nephron formation and a robust increase in apoptosis. In ouabain-exposed kidneys, no adverse effects of serum deprivation were observed. Proof of principle that ouabain rescues development of embryonic kidneys exposed to malnutrition was obtained from studies on pregnant rats given a low-protein diet and treated with ouabain or vehicle throughout pregnancy. Thus, we have identified a survival signal and a feasible therapeutic tool to prevent adverse programming of kidney development