The hedgehog signaling pathway plays an important role in vertebrate embryonic development, tissue homeostasis, and tumorigenesis. Constitutive activation of Hh signaling in various human tumors leads to GLI-mediated transcription and tumor progression. Based on the preliminary screening of a large library of known triterpenes that exhibited interesting Hh inhibitory activity, we designed and synthesized a new series of triterpenoid analogues containing aromatic heterocyclic substituents at position C-2 to enhance their interference with Hh signaling. In this study, we evaluated the effect of 15 synthesized triterpenoids on cell proliferation and Hh pathway activity in relevant cancer cell lines. Among these compounds, two derivatives, 11a and 11b, both featuring a furan ring at position C-2, demonstrated potent inhibitory effects on proliferation and induced cell death in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and prostate cancer cell lines exhibiting hyper-activated Hh signaling. Moreover, these compounds significantly reduced GLI-mediated transcription in cell-based reporter assays. Detailed immunoblot analyses revealed that compounds 11a and 11b decreased the expression of endogenous GLI1 protein and its target genes associated with tumor progression and proliferation, such as Cyclin D1, N-Myc, and Bcl-2, in A549 and DU-145 cancer cells. These findings suggest that the antiproliferative effects of 11a and 11b are mediated through inhibition of the Hh signaling pathway and are promising candidates for the development of new anticancer therapies targeting Hh-dependent tumors.
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Identifikace buněčných cílů aktivních látek má zásadní význam pro optimalizaci léčiv a minimalizaci jejich nežádoucích vedlejších účinků. Komplexní povaha biologických systémů ztěžuje tuto identifikaci, ale mikroskopické metody, zejména fenotypové testování, reprezentované metodou „Cell Painting“, představují cenný nástroj pro pochopení vlivu látek na úrovni buněk a organel. Tyto metody umožňují rychlé testování rozsáhlých knihoven látek a nabízejí unikátní pohled na mechanismus jejich účinku pozorováním chování buněk, pomocí hodnocení jejich morfologie, pohyblivosti, dělení a migrace. Mikroskopie živých buněk čelí výzvám, jako je fototoxicita, což vyžaduje pečlivý výběr fluorescenčních značek a optimalizaci podmínek. Mezi syntetickými fluorescenčními sondami pro mikroskopii živých buněk vynikají BODIPY barviva se svou syntetickou univerzálností a fotofyzikálními vlastnostmi, které zajišťují minimální poškození vzorku během biozobrazování.
Target identification of active substances is critical in optimizing drugs and minimizing side effects. The complex nature of biological systems presents challenges; to meet them, however, microscopic methods, particularly phenotypic screening, represented by "Cell Painting" method and fluorescent probes, can be used as valuable tools for understanding the impact of various substances at the cellular and organelle levels. These methods enable rapid testing of large libraries of compounds and offer unique insights into their mechanism of action by observing cell behavior, assessing cell morphology, motility, division, and migration. However, live cell microscopy faces challenges like phototoxicity, requiring a careful selection of fluorescent labels and optimized conditions. Among synthetic probes for live cell microscopy, BODIPY dyes stand out for their synthetic versatility and photophysical properties, providing minimal sample damage during bioimaging.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a clinically-approved cancer treatment that is based on production of cytotoxic reactive oxygen species to induce cell death. However, its efficiency depends on distribution of photosensitizer (PS) and depth of light penetration through the tissues. Tendency of pathological cancer tissues to exhibit lower pH than healthy tissues inspired us to explore dual-targeted pH-activatable photosensitizers based on tunable near-infrared (NIR) boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) dyes. Our BODIPY PSs were designed to carry three main attributes: (i) biotin or cRGD peptide as an effective cancer cell targeting unit, (ii) amino moiety that is protonated in acidic (pH <6.5) conditions for pH-activation of the PS based on photoinduced electron transfer (PET) and (iii) hydrophilic groups enhancing the water solubility of very hydrophobic BODIPY dyes. Illumination of such compounds with suitable light (>640nm) allowed for high phototoxicity against HeLa (αvβ3 integrin and biotin receptor positive) and A549 (biotin receptor positive) cells compared to healthy MRC-5 (biotin negative) cells. Moreover, no dark toxicity was observed on selected cell lines (>10 μM) providing promising photosensitizers for tumour-targeted photodynamic therapy.
- MeSH
- biotin * chemie MeSH
- buňky A549 MeSH
- cyklické peptidy chemie farmakologie MeSH
- fotochemoterapie * MeSH
- fotosenzibilizující látky * chemie farmakologie MeSH
- HeLa buňky MeSH
- infračervené záření MeSH
- koncentrace vodíkových iontů MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- sloučeniny boru * chemie farmakologie MeSH
- viabilita buněk účinky léků MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Waldenströmova makroglobulinémie (WM) patří k low-grade B-lymfomům. Je definována přítomností lymfoplazmocytárního lymfomu v kostní dřeni a monoklonálního imunoglobulinu typu IgM (M-IgM) v séru. Příznaky nemoci, anémie a trombocytopenie, mohou souviset s masou patologických buněk, stejně jako systémové zánětlivé projevy (B-symptomy). Velké spektrum symptomů však způsobuje M-IgM. Koncentrace M-IgM u WM nekoreluje s masou patologických buněk. Spektrum poruch způsobených M-IgM je vzhledem k diverzitě patofyziologických mechanizmů a lokalizaci poškození značně široké. Poškození může vzniknout depozicí kompletní molekuly nebo její části ve formě agregátů, amorfních, krystalických, mikrotubulárních či fibrilárních struktur. M-IgM může také pacienta poškozovat autoprotilátkovou aktivitou namířenou proti antigenům vlastních tkání. Dále může M-IgM tvořit imunitní komplexy a aktivovat komplement. Výjimečně může B buněčný klon indukovat tvorbu cytokinů. Proto je velmi obtížené včas rozpoznat symptomatickou formu WM. V této publikaci popisujeme pacientku poškozenou depozity M-IgM a řetězců lambda. Diskuze je zaměřena na přehled všech forem poškození člověka depozity M-IgM, mezi něž patří i popsaný případ.
Waldenström’s macroglobulinaemia (WM) is a low-grade B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder characterised by an immunoglobulin IgM monoclonal gammopathy and bone marrow infiltration by lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma. Clinical features may be related to the overall disease burden, such as anaemia, thrombocytopenia, and constitutional inflammatory symptoms, or may be directly attributable to the IgM paraprotein. The concentration of monoclonal IgM can vary widely in WM. There is no direct relationship between the concentration of monoclonal immunoglobulin IgM and bone marrow infiltration. The spectrum of monoclonal immunoglobulin IgM-related disorders is large because of the diversity of involved organs and pathogenic mechanisms. Lesions commonly result from the deposition of all or part of the M-IgM as aggregates, amorphous, crystalline, microtubular, or fibrillar forms. Other mechanisms include autoantibody activity against a tissue antigen, formation of immune complexes, and complement activation. In addition, even a small B-cell clone may absorb biologically active molecules or induce cytokine secretion. In our case report, we describe a female patient with monoclonal IgM and lambda liver deposition and we discuss the frequency and variety of disorders caused by deposition of monoclonal IgM and free light chain.
- Klíčová slova
- imunokomplexy,
- MeSH
- amyloid imunologie klasifikace MeSH
- amyloidóza diagnóza imunologie klasifikace patologie MeSH
- hepatomegalie etiologie imunologie MeSH
- imunoglobulin M imunologie krev škodlivé účinky MeSH
- krevní nemoci diagnóza etiologie krev MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- Waldenströmova makroglobulinemie * diagnostické zobrazování diagnóza imunologie patologie MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- kazuistiky MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
BACKGROUND: Testing of pooled samples is an effective strategy for increasing testing capacity while saving resources and time. This study aimed to validate pooled testing and gather real-life data on its use for Covid-19 surveillance with a gargle lavage (GL) self-sampling strategy. METHODS: Two-stage pooled testing with pools of 6 and 12 samples was used for preventive testing of an asymptomatic population and Covid-19 surveillance in Czech schools. Both GL and nasopharyngeal swabs were used for sampling. RESULTS: In total, 61,111 samples were tested. The use of pooled testing for large-scale Covid-19 surveillance reduced consumable costs by almost 75% and increased testing capacity up to 3.8-fold compared to standard methods. RT-PCR experiments revealed a minimal loss of sensitivity (0-2.2%) when using pooled samples, enabling the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) genes with Ct values >35. The minor loss of sensitivity was counterbalanced by a significantly increased throughput and the ability to substantially increase testing frequencies. CONCLUSIONS: Pooled testing is considerably more cost-effective and less time-consuming than standard testing for large-scale Covid-19 surveillance even when the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 is fluctuating. Gargle lavage self-sampling is a non-invasive technique suitable for sample collection without a healthcare worker's assistance.
- MeSH
- COVID-19 * diagnóza epidemiologie MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- nazofarynx * virologie MeSH
- odběr biologického vzorku * metody MeSH
- SARS-CoV-2 * genetika izolace a purifikace MeSH
- senzitivita a specificita MeSH
- testování na COVID-19 průkazem nukleové kyseliny metody MeSH
- testování na COVID-19 metody MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
A series of triterpenoid pyrones was synthesized and subsequently modified to introduce phthalimide or phthalate moieties into the triterpenoid skeleton. These compounds underwent in vitro cytotoxicity screening, revealing that a subset of six compounds exhibited potent activity, with IC50 values in the low micromolar range. Further biological evaluations, including Annexin V and propidium iodide staining experiment revealed, that all compounds induce selective apoptosis in cancer cells. Measurements of mitochondrial potential, cell cycle analysis, and the expression of pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins confirmed, that apoptosis was mediated via the mitochondrial pathway. These findings were further supported by cell cycle modulation and DNA/RNA synthesis studies, which indicated a significant increase in cell accumulation in the G0/G1 phase and a marked reduction in S-phase cells, alongside a substantial inhibition of DNA synthesis. The activation of caspase-3 and the cleavage of PARP, coupled with a decrease in the expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL proteins, underscored the induction of apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway. Given their high activity and pronounced effect on mitochondria function, trifluoromethyl pyrones 1f and 2f, and dihydrophthalimide 2h have been selected for further development.
- MeSH
- apoptóza MeSH
- DNA metabolismus MeSH
- ftalimidy farmakologie MeSH
- kyseliny ftalové * MeSH
- membránový potenciál mitochondrií MeSH
- mitochondrie metabolismus MeSH
- nádorové buněčné linie MeSH
- nádory * farmakoterapie MeSH
- protinádorové látky * terapeutické užití MeSH
- pyrony farmakologie MeSH
- triterpeny * farmakologie MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Advancements in small-molecule research have created the need for sensitive techniques to accurately study biological processes in living systems. Fluorescent-labeled probes have become indispensable tools, particularly those that use boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) dyes. Terpenes and terpenoids are organic compounds found in nature that offer diverse biological activities, and BODIPY-based probes play a crucial role in studying these compounds. Monoterpene-BODIPY conjugates have exhibited potential for staining bacterial and fungal cells. Sesquiterpene-BODIPY derivatives have been used to study sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA), indicating their potential for drug development. Owing to their unique properties, diterpenes have been investigated using BODIPY conjugates to evaluate their mechanisms of action. Triterpene-BODIPY conjugates have been synthesized for biological studies, with different spacers affecting their cytotoxicity. Fluorescent probes, inspired by terpenoid-containing vitamins, have also been developed. Derivatives of tocopherol, coenzyme Q10, and vitamin K1 can provide insights into their oxidation-reduction abilities. All these probes have diverse applications, including the study of cell membranes to investigate immune responses and antioxidant properties. Further research in this field can help better understand and use terpenes and terpenoids in various biological contexts.
- MeSH
- fluorescenční barviva chemie MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- molekulární struktura MeSH
- sloučeniny boru * chemie farmakologie MeSH
- terpeny * chemie farmakologie MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- přehledy MeSH
Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) is a non-RTK cytoplasmic kinase predominantly expressed by hemopoietic lineages, particularly B-cells. A new oxindole-based focused library was designed to identify potent compounds targeting the BTK protein as anticancer agents. This study used rational approaches like structure-based pharmacophore modeling, docking, and ADME properties to select compounds. Molecular dynamics simulations carried out at 20 ns supported the stability of compound 9g within the binding pocket. All the compounds were synthesized and subjected to biological screening on two BTK-expressing cancer cell lines, RAMOS and K562; six non-BTK cancer cell lines, A549, HCT116 (parental and p53-/-), U2OS, JURKAT, and CCRF-CEM; and two non-malignant fibroblast lines, BJ and MRC-5. This study resulted in the identification of four new compounds, 9b, 9f, 9g, and 9h, possessing free binding energies of -10.8, -11.1, -11.3, and -10.8 kcal/mol, respectively, and displaying selective cytotoxicity against BTK-high RAMOS cells. Further analysis demonstrated the antiproliferative activity of 9h in RAMOS cells through selective inhibition of pBTK (Tyr223) without affecting Lyn and Syk, upstream proteins in the BCR signaling pathway. In conclusion, we identified a promising oxindole derivative (9h) that shows specificity in modulating BTK signaling pathways.
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Microtubule dynamic is exceptionally sensitive to modulation by small-molecule ligands. Our previous work presented the preparation of microtubule-targeting estradiol dimer (ED) with anticancer activity. In the present study, we explore the effect of selected linkers on the biological activity of the dimer. The linkers were designed as five-atom chains with carbon, nitrogen or oxygen in their centre. In addition, the central nitrogen was modified by a benzyl group with hydroxy or methoxy substituents and one derivative possessed an extended linker length. Thirteen new dimers were subjected to cytotoxicity assay and cell cycle profiling. Dimers containing linker with benzyl moiety substituted with one or more methoxy groups and longer branched ones were found inactive, whereas other structures had comparable efficacy as the original ED (e.g. D1 with IC50 = 1.53 μM). Cell cycle analysis and immunofluorescence proved the interference of dimers with microtubule assembly and mitosis. The proposed in silico model and calculated binding free energy by the MM-PBSA method were closely correlated with in vitro tubulin assembly assay.
- MeSH
- apoptóza MeSH
- ethinylestradiol * chemie farmakologie MeSH
- kontrolní body fáze G2 buněčného cyklu účinky léků MeSH
- mikrotubuly MeSH
- modulátory tubulinu * chemie farmakologie MeSH
- nádorové buněčné linie MeSH
- protinádorové látky * chemie farmakologie MeSH
- triazoly * chemie farmakologie MeSH
- tubulin * metabolismus MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
A series of heterocyclic chloroquine hybrids, containing a chain of two carbon atoms at position four of the quinolinic chain and acting as a link between quinoline and several benzoyl groups, is synthesized and screened in vitro as an inhibitor of β-hematin formation and in vivo for its antimalarial activity against chloroquine-sensitive strains of Plasmodium berghei ANKA in this study. The compounds significantly reduced haeme crystallization, with IC50 values < 10 μM. The values were comparable to chloroquine's, with an IC50 of 1.50 ± 0.01 μM. The compounds 4c and 4e prolonged the average survival time of the infected mice to 16.7 ± 2.16 and 14.4 ± 1.20 days, respectively. We also studied the effect of the compounds 4b, 4c, and 4e on another important human parasite, Leishmania mexicana, which is responsible for cutaneous leishmaniasis, demonstrating a potential leishmanicidal effect against promasigotes, with an IC50 < 10 μM. Concerning the possible mechanism of action of these compounds on Lesihmania mexicana, we performed experiments demonstrating that these three compounds could induce the collapse of the parasite mitochondrial electrochemical membrane potential (Δφ). The in vitro cytotoxicity assays against mammalian cancerous and noncancerous human cell lines showed that the studied compounds exhibit low cytotoxic effects. The ADME/Tox analysis predicted moderate lipophilicity values, low unbound fraction values, and a poor distribution for these compounds. Therefore, moderate bioavailability was expected. We calculated other molecular descriptors, such as the topological polar surface area, according to Veber's rules, and except for 2 and 4i, the rest of the compounds violated this descriptor, demonstrating the low antimalarial activity of our compounds in vivo.
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
