Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences
Volume:16 Issue: 5, Oct 2021

Redirected chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells can recognize and eradicate cancer cells in a major histocompatibility complex independent manner. Genetic engineering of T cells through CAR expression has yielded great results in the treatment of hematological malignancies compared with solid tumors. There has been a constant effort to enhance the effectiveness of these living drugs, due to their limited success in targeting solid tumors. Poor T cell trafficking, tumor-specific antigen selection, and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment are considered as the main barriers in targeting solid tumors by CAR T-cells. Here, we reviewed the current state of CAR T-cell therapy in breast cancer, as the second cancer-related death in women worldwide, as well as some strategies adopted to keep the main limitations of CAR T-cells under control. Also, we summarized various approaches that have been developed to enhance the therapeutic outcomes of this treatment in solid tumors targeting.

Pyridopyrimidine and its derivatives have a variety of chemical and biological significances. Thiazole-containing compounds have also been reported to have a wide range of biological activities. Due to the valuable cytotoxic effects of both thiazole and pyridopyrimidinone derivatives, a series of pyridopyrimidinone-thiazole hybrids were synthesized in the present study.

Experimental approach:

Briefly, different acyl chlorides were reacted with 2-amino nicotinic acid followed by anhydride acetic to give the corresponding pyridobenzoxazinones. The aminothiazole derivative G was also prepared via</em> a multistep procedure and incorporated into the benzoxazinones to furnish the target pyridopyrimidinone, K1-K5. Furthermore, the cytotoxic activity of the final compounds was determined against MCF-7 and HeLa cell lines using MTT assay.

The results indicated that aromatic substitution on C2 of pyridopyrimidine nucleus was in favor of cytotoxic activity on both cell lines, of which, compound K5 bearing a chlorophenyl group showed the highest cytotoxicity.

Conclusion and implications:

 The results of the present study are valuable in terms of synthesis of hybrid molecules and also cytotoxic evaluations which can be useful for future investigations about the design of novel pyridopyrimidinone-thiazole hybrids possessing better cytotoxic activities.

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that involves diffused inflammation of the large intestine. Omega-3 fatty acid (FA) has been known to regulate the inflammatory response associated with ulcerative colitis pathogenesis. Perilla frutescens</em> is a valuable source of omega-3 FA and α-linolenic acid (ALA) contained in its seed oil. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of Perilla</em> seed oil (PSO) on colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in a mouse model.

Experimental approach:

PSO was extracted using a cold-pressed extractor and FA composition of PSO was analyzed by GC-MS. Acute colitis in mice was induced with 3% DSS in drinking water for 7 days. Some mice were treated with PSO (20, 100, 200 mg/kg BW) for 3 weeks before the DSS administration. Sulfasalazine was used as a positive control. The clinical features, histopathologic, serum, and gene expression of proinflammatory cytokines in the colon  were assessed.

PSO contained the highest proportion of ALA (61.51%). Furthermore, PSO pretreatment evidently reduced body weight loss, diminished diarrhea, gross bleeding, and DSS-induced colon shortening. PSO pretreatment attenuated histopathological changes in response to DSS-induced colitis. PSO pretreatment also markedly decreased inflammatory response in serum and the colon tissue of DSS-induced mice.

Conclusion and implication:

 ALA in PSO is suggested to be mainly responsible for the reduction of DSS-induced colitis through suppressing inflammatory markers. PSO could be further developed as a functional health supplement, which would be beneficial for anti-inflammation in the colonic mucosa.

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive brain disorder that is thought to be triggered via disruption of cholinergic neurons and enhanced oxidative stress. Therefore, antioxidant phytochemicals with the ability to fortify cholinergic function should help in preventing the progress of the disease. This study aimed at evaluating the combinational effects of two popular herbs one with anticholinesterase activity namely Piper nigrum and the other with antioxidant capacity, Cinnamomum zeylanicum.

Experimental approach: 

In this study, P. nigrum extract (PN) (50, 100 mg/kg, ip) and C. zeylanicum extract (CZ) (100, 200, 400 mg/kg, ip) and their combinations were administered for 8 days before the injection of scopolamine (1 mg/kg, ip). Mice were then tested for their memory using two behavioral models, namely the object recognition test and the passive avoidance task.

Administration of scopolamine significantly impaired memory performance in both memory paradigms. In the passive avoidance test (PAT) model, PN at doses up to 100 mg/kg and CZ at doses up to 400 mg/kg did not significantly alter the memory impairment induced by scopolamine. The combination of these two plant extracts did not change the PAT parameters. In the object recognition test (ORT) model, however, administration of 100 mg/kg CZ alone and a combination of PN (50 mg/kg) with CZ (400 mg/kg), significantly increased the recognition index (P < 0.05).

Conclusion and implications: 

Two plant extracts when administered alone or in combinations affected the memory performance differently in two memory paradigms. In the PAT model, the extracts did not show any memory improvement, in ORT, however, some improvements were observed after plant extracts.

Alzheimer’s disease is considered one of the lead causes of elderly death around the world. A significant decrease in acetylcholine level in the brain is common in most patients with Alzheimer’s disease, therefore acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors such as donepezil and rivastigmine are widely used for patients with limited therapeutic results and major side effects.

Experimental approach:

A series of isoindoline-1,3-dione -N-benzyl pyridinium hybrids were designed, synthesized and evaluated as anti-Alzheimer agents with cholinesterase inhibitory activities. The structure of the compounds were confirmed by various methods of analysis such as HNMR, CNMR, and FT-IR. Molecular modeling studies were also performed to identify the possible interactions between neprilysin and synthesized compounds.

The biological screening results indicated that all synthesized compounds displayed potent inhibitory activity with IC50</sub> values ranging from 2.1 to 7.4 µM. Among synthesized compounds, para-fluoro substituted compounds 7a and 7f exhibited the highest inhibitory potency against AChE (IC50</sub> = 2.1 µM). Molecular modeling studies indicated that the most potent compounds were able to interact with both catalytic and peripheral active sites of the enzyme. Also, some of the most potent compounds (7a, 7c, and 7f) demonstrated a neuroprotective effect against H2</sub>O2</sub>-induced cell death in PC12 neurons.

Conclusion and implications:

The synthesized compounds demonstrated moderate to good AChE inhibitory effect with results higher than rivastigmine.

Prostate cancer (PC) is the second most prevalent cancer in men. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is the main biomarker for screening PC. An increase in PSA could lead to false-positive results. Thus, more appropriate markers should be investigated. In the present study, JPX and LINC00641 expression levels were measured in tumoral prostate tissue compared with the non-tumor tissue.

Experimental approach:

43 pairs of prostate tumoral and non-tumor tissue were prepared. The expression levels of JPX and LINC00641 were investigated by RT-qPCR.

Significant upregulation of LINC00641 (2.47 ± 0.5 vs</em> 1.41 ± 0.2) and downregulation of JPX (1.42 ± 0.6 vs</em> 2.83 ± 1.0) were observed in PC tissues compared with the normal tissues (their adjacent non-tumoral tissues).

Conclusion and implications:

Dysregulation of JPX and LINC00641 in PC patients could be used in the future as a prognostic biomarker in PC.

Diabetes is a group of multifactorial disorders characterized by chronic-elevated blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia). Natural remedies are used as alternative medications to treat diabetes. Here, we tested the protective effect of the plant extracts of the Rosaceae family on improving insulin secretion and repairing the pancreatic beta cells in diabetic rats.

Experimental approach:

The oligosaccharide fraction was isolated from the Rosaceae family of herbs. LC-MS/MS was applied to characterize the isolated fractions. The male Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups, 10 each, including the control group with no intervention, diabetic rats without treatment, diabetic rats that received the extract of Malus domestica</em> (apple), Cydonia oblonga </em>(quince), Prunus persica</em> (nectarine), and Prunus persica</em> (peach), separately. Rats were monitored for the weight, fasting plasma glucose, and insulin levels. The effect of extracts in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats on the pancreatic islets was evaluated by morphometric analysis.

LC-MS/MS results indicated a similar mass spectrum of isolated fractions from nectarine and peach with Rosa canina. </em>Oral administration of nectarine and peach extracts to STZ-induced diabetic rats showed restoration of blood glucose levels to normal levels with a concomitant increase in insulin levels. Morphometric analysis of pancreatic sections revealed the increase in number, diameter, volume, and area of the pancreatic islets in the diabetic rats treated with extracts compared to the untreated diabetic rats.

Nectarine and peach extracts’ anti-diabetic properties improved insulin secretion and pancreatic beta-cell function and subsequently led to restoring pancreatic islet mass in STZ-induced diabetic rats.

This study was designed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activities of S. pilifera</em> (HESP) in two sub-acute models of inflammation and clarified some possible mechanisms.

Experimental approach:

Colorimetric methods were used to determine total phenol and flavonoid contents.  Carrageenan or formalin-induced rat paw edema (seven days) and multiple application TPA-induced ear edema in mice (9 days) were used. The concentration of IL-1 and TNF-α were measured in the inflamed paw, as well as MDA levels in the serum and liver. Histopathological studies and in vitro</em> anti-inflammatory effects of the extract were also studied using heat-or hypotonicity-induced hemolysis in RBC humans.

Total phenol and flavonoid contents of HESP were 101.35 ± 2.96 mg GAE/g extract and 660.79 ± 10.06 mg RE g extract, respectively. Oral (100 and 200 mg/kg) and topical application (5 mg/ear) of HESP significantly inhibited formalin-induced paw edema and multiple TPA-induced ear edema. The extract also significantly decreased the serum and liver levels of MDA in the carrageenan and formalin tests. The elevated levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in the carrageenan-injected paw were not affected by HESP. The extract (50-800 µg/mL) inhibited heat-or hypotonicity-induced hemolysis. Histopathological examination of the inflamed tissues revealed that HESP inhibited congestion and leukocyte infiltration.

Conclusion and implications:

The findings confirmed the potent anti-inflammatory effects of S. pilifera</em> in two sub-acute inflammation models and suggested that these properties were not related to IL-1 and TNF-α, but could be attributed to inhibition of lipid peroxidation, membrane stabilization, and inhibition of leukocyte penetration. 

Synthesis and investigation of pharmacological activity of novel compounds are time and money-consuming. However, computational techniques, docking, and in silico studies have facilitated drug discovery research to design pharmacologically effective compounds.

Experimental approach:

In this study, a series of quinazoline derivatives were applied to quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) analysis. A collection of chemometric methods were conducted to provide relations between structural features and cytotoxic activity of a variety of quinazoline derivatives against breast cancer cell line. An in silico-screening was accomplished and new impressive lead compounds were designed to target the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-active site based on a new structural pattern. Molecular docking was performed to delve into the interactions, free binding energy, and molecular binding mode of the compounds against the EGFR target.

A comparison between different methods significantly indicated that genetic algorithm-partial least-squares were selected as the best model for quinazoline derivatives. In the current study, constitutional, functional, chemical, resource description framework, 2D autocorrelation, and charge descriptors were considered as significant parameters for the prediction of anticancer activity of quinazoline derivatives. In silico screening was employed to discover new compounds with good potential as anticancer agents and suggested to be synthesized. Also, the binding energy of docking simulation showed desired correlation with QSAR and experimental data.

Conclusion and implications:

 The results showed good accordance between binding energy and QSAR results. Compounds Q1</sub>-Q30 </sub>are desired to be synthesized and applied to in vitro evaluation.

The clinical use of the chemotherapeutic drug, doxorubicin (DXR), is significantly limited by its extensive multi-organ toxicity. Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) is over-expressed in oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis. DPP4 inhibitors have proven pleiotropic effects. The study investigates the protective effects of some DDP4 inhibitors; namely, saxagliptin (SAX) and vildagliptin (VIL) against DXR-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.

Experimental approach:

 Forty rats were divided into 4 groups. Group I served as normal control. Nephrotoxicity was induced in the remaining 3 groups by single-DXR injection (15 mg/kg, i.p.). Groups III and IV administered oral SAX (10 mg/ kg) and VIL (10 mg/ kg) for 2 weeks.

DXR-control rats showed deteriorated renal functions, elevated renal inflammatory parameters (tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)), up-regulated nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor containing pyrin domain 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and significant tubulointerstitial injury manifested by elevated neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin concentration and distorted renal histopathological pictures. Immunohistochemical studies showed increased iNOS and Bax positivity in renal tissues of DXR-control rats. Treatment with SAX and VIL significantly attenuated DXR-induced nephrotoxicity via alleviation of all the above-mentioned parameters when compared to DXR-control rats.

Conclusion and implications: 

The study elucidated the possible mechanisms beyond DXR-induced nephrotoxicity to be through inflammation plus tubulointerstitial injury. DXR nephrotoxicity has been linked to TNF-α, IL-1β, and NLRP3 inflammasome up-regulation and iNOS expression. The protective role of SAX and VIL in mitigating the tubular injury and inflammatory effects of DXR on renal tissues has been tested and proved.