Selective activation of TNFR1 and NF-κB inhibition by a novel biyouyanagin analogue promotes apoptosis in acute leukemia cells

Background: Acquired resistance towards apoptosis is a hallmark of cancer. Elimination of cells bearing activated oncogenes or stimulation of tumor suppressor mediators may provide a selection pressure to overcome resistance. KC-53 is a novel biyouyanagin analogue known to elicit strong anti-inflammatory and anti-viral activity. The current study was designed to evaluate the anticancer efficacy and molecular mechanisms of KC-53 against human cancer cells. Methods: Using the MTT assay we examined initially how KC-53 affects the proliferation rates of thirteen representative human cancer cell lines in comparison to normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and immortalized cell lines. To decipher the key molecular events underlying its mode of action we selected the human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 and the acute lymphocytic leukemia CCRF/CEM cell lines that were found to be the most sensitive to the antiproliferative effects of KC-53. Results: KC-53 promoted rapidly and irreversibly apoptosis in both leukemia cell lines at relatively low concentrations. Apoptosis was characterized by an increase in membrane-associated TNFR1, activation of Caspase-8 and proteolytic inactivation of the death domain kinase RIP1 indicating that KC-53 induced mainly the extrinsic/death receptor apoptotic pathway. Regardless, induction of the intrinsic/mitochondrial pathway was also achieved by Caspase-8 processing of Bid, activation of Caspase-9 and increased translocation of AIF to the nucleus. FADD protein knockdown restored HL-60 and CCRF/CEM cell viability and completely blocked KC-53-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, KC-53 administration dramatically inhibited TNFα-induced serine phosphorylation on TRAF2 and on IκBα hindering therefore p65/NF-κΒ translocation to nucleus. Reduced transcriptional expression of pro-inflammatory and pro-survival p65 target genes, confirmed that the agent functionally inhibited the transcriptional activity of p65. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate, for the first time, the selective anticancer properties of KC-53 towards leukemic cell lines and provide a detailed understanding of the molecular events underlying its dual anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic properties. These results provide new insights into the development of innovative and targeted therapies for the treatment of some forms of leukemia

Plasma-jet systems - experiment and model

In the present work we study the ow of working gas through a plasmajet system. In this work we describe the basic principle of hollow cathode discharge and its use for technological applications, mainly for thin layers coating. One of the important parameters during the deposition is the speed of the working gas ow and with it the sputtered target material towards the substrate. Because of the reproducibility and precision of the experiments it is important to know the relation between the working gas ow and external parameters of the experiment, e.g. ow of the gas and the pressure in the chamber. This is the reason why measurements of ions velocity using Langmuire electrostatic probe and pulse regime of plasmajet were done. Measured data are compared with a computer model, which was developed in this work. This model describes the ow of the working gas by solving Navier-Stokes equation for compressible Newtonian uids. The results of this model are compared with results from the paper describing the ow through the hollow cathode. It shows good agreement inside the cathode. The model is giving dierent results when comparing to measured data which are from the area outside the cathode. Part of the model description is a discussion of the temperature dependence of the ow

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Epidithio‑, Epitetrathio‑, and bis-(Methylthio)diketopiperazines: Synthetic Methodology, Enantioselective Total Synthesis of Epicoccin G, 8,8′-<i>epi</i>-<i>ent</i>-Rostratin B, Gliotoxin, Gliotoxin G, Emethallicin E, and Haematocin and Discovery of New Antiviral and Antimalarial Agents

An improved sulfenylation method for the preparation of epidithio-, epitetrathio-, and bis-(methylthio)­diketopiperazines from diketopiperazines has been developed. Employing NaHMDS and related bases and elemental sulfur or bis­[bis­(trimethylsilyl)­amino]­trisulfide (<b>23</b>) in THF, the developed method was applied to the synthesis of a series of natural and designed molecules, including epicoccin G (<b>1</b>), 8,8′-<i>epi</i>-<i>ent</i>-rostratin B (<b>2</b>), gliotoxin (<b>3</b>), gliotoxin G (<b>4</b>), emethallicin E (<b>5</b>), and haematocin (<b>6</b>). Biological screening of selected synthesized compounds led to the discovery of a number of nanomolar antipoliovirus agents (i.e., <b>46</b>, 2,2′-<i>epi</i>-<b>46</b>, and <b>61</b>) and several low-micromolar anti-Plasmodium falciparum lead compounds (i.e., <b>46</b>, 2,2′-<i>epi</i>-<b>46</b>, <b>58</b>, <b>61</b>, and <b>1</b>)

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Epidithio‑, Epitetrathio‑, and bis-(Methylthio)diketopiperazines: Synthetic Methodology, Enantioselective Total Synthesis of Epicoccin G, 8,8′-<i>epi</i>-<i>ent</i>-Rostratin B, Gliotoxin, Gliotoxin G, Emethallicin E, and Haematocin and Discovery of New Antiviral and Antimalarial Agents

An improved sulfenylation method for the preparation of epidithio-, epitetrathio-, and bis-(methylthio)­diketopiperazines from diketopiperazines has been developed. Employing NaHMDS and related bases and elemental sulfur or bis­[bis­(trimethylsilyl)­amino]­trisulfide (<b>23</b>) in THF, the developed method was applied to the synthesis of a series of natural and designed molecules, including epicoccin G (<b>1</b>), 8,8′-<i>epi</i>-<i>ent</i>-rostratin B (<b>2</b>), gliotoxin (<b>3</b>), gliotoxin G (<b>4</b>), emethallicin E (<b>5</b>), and haematocin (<b>6</b>). Biological screening of selected synthesized compounds led to the discovery of a number of nanomolar antipoliovirus agents (i.e., <b>46</b>, 2,2′-<i>epi</i>-<b>46</b>, and <b>61</b>) and several low-micromolar anti-Plasmodium falciparum lead compounds (i.e., <b>46</b>, 2,2′-<i>epi</i>-<b>46</b>, <b>58</b>, <b>61</b>, and <b>1</b>)

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Epidithio‑, Epitetrathio‑, and bis-(Methylthio)diketopiperazines: Synthetic Methodology, Enantioselective Total Synthesis of Epicoccin G, 8,8′-<i>epi</i>-<i>ent</i>-Rostratin B, Gliotoxin, Gliotoxin G, Emethallicin E, and Haematocin and Discovery of New Antiviral and Antimalarial Agents

An improved sulfenylation method for the preparation of epidithio-, epitetrathio-, and bis-(methylthio)­diketopiperazines from diketopiperazines has been developed. Employing NaHMDS and related bases and elemental sulfur or bis­[bis­(trimethylsilyl)­amino]­trisulfide (<b>23</b>) in THF, the developed method was applied to the synthesis of a series of natural and designed molecules, including epicoccin G (<b>1</b>), 8,8′-<i>epi</i>-<i>ent</i>-rostratin B (<b>2</b>), gliotoxin (<b>3</b>), gliotoxin G (<b>4</b>), emethallicin E (<b>5</b>), and haematocin (<b>6</b>). Biological screening of selected synthesized compounds led to the discovery of a number of nanomolar antipoliovirus agents (i.e., <b>46</b>, 2,2′-<i>epi</i>-<b>46</b>, and <b>61</b>) and several low-micromolar anti-Plasmodium falciparum lead compounds (i.e., <b>46</b>, 2,2′-<i>epi</i>-<b>46</b>, <b>58</b>, <b>61</b>, and <b>1</b>)

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Epidithio‑, Epitetrathio‑, and bis-(Methylthio)diketopiperazines: Synthetic Methodology, Enantioselective Total Synthesis of Epicoccin G, 8,8′-<i>epi</i>-<i>ent</i>-Rostratin B, Gliotoxin, Gliotoxin G, Emethallicin E, and Haematocin and Discovery of New Antiviral and Antimalarial Agents

An improved sulfenylation method for the preparation of epidithio-, epitetrathio-, and bis-(methylthio)­diketopiperazines from diketopiperazines has been developed. Employing NaHMDS and related bases and elemental sulfur or bis­[bis­(trimethylsilyl)­amino]­trisulfide (<b>23</b>) in THF, the developed method was applied to the synthesis of a series of natural and designed molecules, including epicoccin G (<b>1</b>), 8,8′-<i>epi</i>-<i>ent</i>-rostratin B (<b>2</b>), gliotoxin (<b>3</b>), gliotoxin G (<b>4</b>), emethallicin E (<b>5</b>), and haematocin (<b>6</b>). Biological screening of selected synthesized compounds led to the discovery of a number of nanomolar antipoliovirus agents (i.e., <b>46</b>, 2,2′-<i>epi</i>-<b>46</b>, and <b>61</b>) and several low-micromolar anti-Plasmodium falciparum lead compounds (i.e., <b>46</b>, 2,2′-<i>epi</i>-<b>46</b>, <b>58</b>, <b>61</b>, and <b>1</b>)

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Epidithio‑, Epitetrathio‑, and bis-(Methylthio)diketopiperazines: Synthetic Methodology, Enantioselective Total Synthesis of Epicoccin G, 8,8′-<i>epi</i>-<i>ent</i>-Rostratin B, Gliotoxin, Gliotoxin G, Emethallicin E, and Haematocin and Discovery of New Antiviral and Antimalarial Agents

An improved sulfenylation method for the preparation of epidithio-, epitetrathio-, and bis-(methylthio)­diketopiperazines from diketopiperazines has been developed. Employing NaHMDS and related bases and elemental sulfur or bis­[bis­(trimethylsilyl)­amino]­trisulfide (<b>23</b>) in THF, the developed method was applied to the synthesis of a series of natural and designed molecules, including epicoccin G (<b>1</b>), 8,8′-<i>epi</i>-<i>ent</i>-rostratin B (<b>2</b>), gliotoxin (<b>3</b>), gliotoxin G (<b>4</b>), emethallicin E (<b>5</b>), and haematocin (<b>6</b>). Biological screening of selected synthesized compounds led to the discovery of a number of nanomolar antipoliovirus agents (i.e., <b>46</b>, 2,2′-<i>epi</i>-<b>46</b>, and <b>61</b>) and several low-micromolar anti-Plasmodium falciparum lead compounds (i.e., <b>46</b>, 2,2′-<i>epi</i>-<b>46</b>, <b>58</b>, <b>61</b>, and <b>1</b>)