Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry - Online First

MMP1 (matrix metallopeptidase 1) plays a significant role in the degradation of collagen fibres within the extracellular matrix, and has been linked to a multitude of biological processes, including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, periodontal disease, and tumor invasion.

In order to discover inhibitors of MMP1 that originate from the phytochemicals of the dandelion (Taraxacum mongolicum Hand.-Mazz.).

The herbal constituents of the dandelion were retrieved from the HERB database. A multifaceted approach including molecular docking, MMP1 enzyme assays, and molecular dynamics simulations was used to identify potential MMP1 inhibitors among the chemical compounds present in the dandelion.

A total of 61 chemical constituents of the dandelion were collated from the HERB database. A potential MMP1 inhibitor was identified through a combination of molecular docking and an MMP1 enzyme bioactivity assay. Cichoric acid demonstrated pronounced inhibitory activity against MMP1, with an IC50 value of 7.81 ± 2.60 μM. Molecular dynamics simulations and binding free energy calculations indicated that the nonpolar interaction energies of LEU181, ARG214, VAL215, HIS218, GLU219, HIS228, PRO238, and SER239 played a primary role in the binding of cichoric acid to MMP1.

The integration of molecular modeling and bioactivity testing proved an effective method for the rapid discovery of targeted small molecule inhibitors. Cichoric acid demonstrated potent MMP1 inhibitory activity and thus represented a promising candidate for further development.

Globally, breast cancer (BC) affects a greater number of women than any other kind of cancer, and it is the second leading cause of death after lung cancer. The current standard of care for cancer treatment is the surgical excision of the malignant tumor followed by adjuvant therapy with chemotherapy or radiation. Regrettably, the side effects of radiation and chemotherapy frequently cause harm to healthy tissues and organs, hence limiting the effectiveness of these treatments in addressing BC. Recently, various nanoparticles (NPs) have been discovered and manufactured with the capacity to selectively target cancerous cells while minimizing harm to normal cells or organs. As a result, the utilization of NPs-mediated targeted drug delivery systems (DDS) has emerged as a promising method for treating BC.

The primary aim of this review was to provide a concise overview of the function of different nanoparticles in the specific delivery of anticancer medications to eradicate breast cancer.

The present review paper performed a literature inspection using several search engines such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct.

In addition to their ability to selectively target tumor cells and minimize side effects, nanoparticles (NPs) possess other distinctive characteristics that make them highly desirable for cancer treatment. These include low toxicity, excellent compatibility, ease of preparation, high photoluminescence for in vivo bioimaging, and the capacity to efficiently load drugs due to their adjustable surface functionalities.

This study provides a comprehensive examination of recent therapeutic studies that utilize various nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery systems as alternatives to established therapy techniques for breast cancer. This study will elucidate the importance of nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery systems (DDS) and provide a roadmap for identifying the optimal approach for future targeted drug delivery, specifically for the treatment of breast cancer.

Cellular aging is a complicated event known for gradually reducing homeostasis, leading to a higher susceptibility to diseases and mortality. Since the behavior of Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSCs) is potentially affected by plasma-derived exosomes, this study aimed to investigate whether the plasma-derived exosome of young and elderly human donors can deliver “youth” or “aging” signals into human umbilical cord blood-derived HSCs in vitro.

Exosomes were isolated from four young (Y-exo) and four old (O-exo) donors. Umbilical cord blood-derived HSCs were exposed to two concentrations of exosomes (5 and 10 μg/mL). Then, lineage differentiation (CD41 and CD38), the mRNA and protein expression of IL-1β and IL-6, and NFκB activity were evaluated using flow cytometry, qRT-PCR Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) methods, and western blot techniques, respectively.

The lineage-specific markers CD41 and CD38 expression were increased after exposure to O-exo compared to Y-exo at the concentration of 10 μg/mL (P<0.001). The HSCs treated with 10 μg/mL O-exo increased protein and mRNA expression of IL-1β and IL-6 compared to Y-exo at 10 μg/mL concentration (P<0.01). Furthermore, a significant difference was seen in p-NF-κB levels between O-exo and Y-exo at the concentration of 10 μg/mL (P=0.0014).

Our findings advocated the concept that circulating exosomes of old and young individuals may differently affect the pathways involved in the aging process in HSCs.Therefore, exosomes may be applied as therapeutic agents for regenerative medicine.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a notorious superbug responsible for causing ‘Gonorrhoea’ in humans. Recently, it has been classified as a high-priority pathogen by the World Health Organization due to its increasing resistance to available antibiotics. A multi-prolonged approach is needed to combat the growing problem of drug resistance caused by N. gonorrhoeae. This study evaluates Glutamate Racemase (GR), a moonlight protein of N. gonorrhoeae (Ng-GR), as a novel therapeutic target with potential for both inhibitor design and peptide vaccine development. Ng-GR plays a crucial role in the peptidoglycan biosynthetic pathway and is highly conserved across bacterial species. Additionally, this protein moonlights to perform a secondary function by binding to DNA gyrase in various organisms.

Homology modeling, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations were used to design inhibitors targeting the moonlight function of Ng-GR. The immunogenicity of this protein was assessed using ABCPred-2.0, BepiPred-2.0, and ProPred softwares.

Bisleucocurine A was found to bind at the ectopic site of Ng-GR, disrupting its crucial moonlight function and interfering its interaction with N. gonorroheae DNA Gyrase (Ng-gyrase). Interestingly, residues important for its moonlight function were also identified as key immunogenic sites using ABCPred-2.0, BepiPred-2.0, and ProPred softwares, enhancing the potential of this protein as a vaccine candidate.

The GR enzyme’s moonlight function is highlighted as a promising novel target for therapeutic intervention and vaccine development in N. gonorrohoeae.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a prominent neurodegenerative ailment characterized by the constraints of conventional therapies stemming from insufficient medication transport to the brain. This review examines the function of polymeric nanocarriers (PNCs) in improving therapeutic efficacy for Alzheimer's disease treatment.

We analyze the principal obstacles to Alzheimer's disease drug delivery: the blood-brain barrier, the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier, and multidrug resistance proteins. The review examines three categories of PNCs: polymeric nanoparticles, polymeric micelles, and dendrimers, and their capacity to surmount these obstacles. Literature investigations used search engines like PubMed, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect.

PNCs exhibit superior drug delivery via better biocompatibility, regulated release, and targeted delivery mechanisms. Recent studies demonstrate the effective delivery of several pharmaceuticals, including rivastigmine and galantamine, resulting in enhanced cognitive outcomes in Alzheimer's disease models. Patent research indicates an increase in innovation for PNC-based Alzheimer's disease treatments.

Despite ongoing hurdles in biocompatibility and scalability, PNCs exhibit significant potential to transform Alzheimer's disease treatment by improving medication delivery across biological barriers. Current investigations in nanotechnology and combinatorial medicines indicate a favorable outlook for PNC-based medicinal strategies.

Jieyu Fuwei Powder (JFP) is a modified prescription of traditional Chinede medicine used to treat functional dyspepsia (FD). However, its components and how it works are still unknown. Identifying the active ingredients of JFP and understanding its therapeutic mechanism for FD were the objectives of the study.

The compounds present in JFP were analyzed using the UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS technique. Potential targets for compounds and diseases were obtained from Swiss Target Prediction and GeneCards databases. A PPI network was created using the STRING database to identify key targets. The Metascape database was utilized for conducting GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses. Molecular docking identified active compound-target interactions, validated by FD zebrafish models.

In total, 65 compounds were identified from JFP and the key active ingredients were Tangeretin, Obovatol, Magnolignan C, Magnolol, Randaiol, Magnolignan A, Luteolin, and Naringenin. The PPI network was constructed, identifying five core targets: SRC, STAT3, PIK3R1, PIK3CA, and MAPK3. JFP primarily regulates anti-depression, promotes gastrointestinal peristalsis, and influences inflammation, according to the enrichment analysis of GO and KEGG pathways. The molecular docking results indicated a strong binding affinity between these five targets and their corresponding compounds. Therefore, the MAPK and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways are important in JFP's effects on FD pathology. Experiments using the zebrafish model confirmed that JFP and its main components could enhance gastrointestinal motility, thus demonstrating the effectiveness of the network pharmacology screening strategy.

The study revealed the active ingredients and mechanisms of JFP in treating FD, supporting its clinical application.

In this study, we report on the synthesis and characterization of new silicon (IV) phthalocyanine compounds (SiPcs) axially substituted with coumarin-linked derivatives, designed for potential application in photodynamic therapy (PDT) due to their photophysical properties.

Characterization was carried out using FT-IR, UV-Vis, MALDI-TOF-MS, and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. In dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), the SiPcs produced singlet oxygen with quantum yields of 0.17 to 0.19, assessed by the DPBF quenching method. DNA binding studies via UV-Vis spectroscopy and molecular docking suggested high binding affinities (ΔG⁰ values between -9.90 to -10.4 kcal/mol) and stable interactions with calf thymus DNA (ct-DNA).

The compounds showed promising inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), with IC50 values indicating higher potency and selectivity compared to galantamine, a known cholinesterase inhibitor.

The combined singlet oxygen generation, DNA binding, and enzyme inhibition data underscore the potential of these SiPc-coumarin derivatives as multifunctional agents for PDT and neuroprotective applications such as Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Prostate and pancreatic cancers pose significant global health challenges. This study explored the potential of compound 5b, a novel phthalimido-1,3-thiazole derivative, as an anticancer agent against these malignancies.

In vitro, compound 5b exhibited potent cytotoxic activity against both prostate (DU-145 and PC-3) and pancreatic (Panc-1 and Mia Paca-2) cancer cell lines. Notably, it significantly reduced colony formation in PC-3 cells, potentially hindering tumor growth. Furthermore, treatment with compound 5b suppressed cell migration and induced cell cycle arrest in the PC-3 line. Additionally, it triggered cell death through late apoptosis and necrosis at higher concentrations. Safety evaluations in mice revealed no mortality or adverse effects after a 30-day treatment with compound 5b. Key blood parameters (hematology) and biochemical markers of liver and kidney function remained unaltered.

Compound 5b significantly reduced colony formation, suppressed cell migration, and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis/necrosis in prostate cancer cells. In vivo, safety evaluations showed no adverse effects in treated mice, with blood and biochemical markers remaining normal.

These findings suggest that compound 5b holds promise for further development as a therapeutic option for prostate and pancreatic cancers. Its multimodal activity profile, targeting cell viability, migration, cell cycle progression, and cell death, warrants further investigation.