Published papers

The isolation and evaluation of inhibitors of Fanconi F protein (FANCF) - haity and enhancer of split 1 (Hes1) complex are described. A high-throughput screening assay for small-molecule inhibitors of the FANCF-Hes1 complex was realized. Successful complex formation between fluorophore (Cy3)-labeled human FANCF and immobilized rat or human HES1 on a microplate was established. Screening of our plant extract library using this system resulted in the isolation of eight natural products, including two new flavonoid glycosides (3 and 4), from Wrightia religiosa. Of these compounds, 3, 5, and 7 showed potent inhibition of the FANCF-Hes1 complex formation. Compound 7 disrupted the FANCF-Hes1 complex more efficiently than the Hes1 dimer.

Neurogenin2 (Ngn2), an activator-type bHLH transcriptional factor, promotes differentiation of neural stem cells into neurons by transcription of pro-neural genes. To find neural stem cell accelerators from the extract library of natural resources, we used a two-step screening including a Ngn2 promoter reporter gene screening and differentiation assay screening of neural stem cells. A reporter gene assay that can detect Ngn2 promoter activity by luciferase expression was constructed using C3H10T1/2 cells. Using this primary cell-based screening, Butea superba was found to include Ngn2 promoter activators from our tropical plant extract libraries. Bioassay-guided fractionation of this plant extract led to the isolation of 18 natural products, including pterocarpans and isoflavonoids. Dehydromaackiain (1), formononetin (6), (-)-variabilin (13), (-)-medicarpin (14), rothindin (17) and ononin (18) showed 1.8-2.8 times higher Ngn2 promoter activity at 5 mu M compared with control. Of active natural compounds, 3'-methoxydaidzein (3) showed promotion of neurite outgrowth of C17.2 in a secondary screen. 3'-Methoxydaidzein (3) increased mRNA expression of pro-neural transcriptional factors (Ngn2, Ngn1, NeuroD2), a mature neuron-specific enzyme GAD1 and a pro-neural neurotrophic growth factor neurotrophin 3 (NT3) in C17.2 neural stem cells.

The aberrant hedgehog (Hh)/GLI signaling pathway causes the formation and progression of a variety of tumors. To search for Hh/GLI inhibitors, we screened for naturally occurring inhibitors of the transcriptional activator GLI1 by using a cell-based assay. We identified zerumbone (1), zerumbone epoxide (2), staurosporinone (9), 6-hydroxystourosporinone (10), orcyriaflavin C (71) and 5,6-dihydroxyarcyrioflovin A (12) as inhibitors of GLI-mediated transcription. In addition, we isolated physolins F (17) and B (18) from Physalis minima, which are also potent inhibitors. These compounds also inhibited GLI2-mediated transactivation. Semiquantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting analysis further revealed that 1, 9, 17, and 18 decreased Hh-related component expressions. We also show that inhibitors of GLI-mediated transactivation reduce the level of the antiapoptosis BcI2 expression. Finally, these identified compounds were cytotoxic to PANC1 pancreatic cancer cells, which express Hh/GLI components. These results strongly suggest that the cytotoxicity of the compounds to PANC1 cells correlates with their inhibition of GLI-mediated transcription.

The inhibition of the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway has emerged as an anti-cancer strategy. Three flavonoid glycosides including 2 new compounds (1-2) were isolated from Excoecaria agallocha as Hedgehog/GLI1-mediated transcriptional inhibitors and exhibited cytotoxicity against human pancreatic (PANC1) and prostate (DU145) cancer cells. Our data revealed that compound 1 clearly inhibited the expression of GLI-related proteins (PTCH and BCL-2) and blocked the translocation of GLI1 transcription factors into the nucleus in PANC1. Deleting the Smoothened (Smo) function in PANC1 treated with 1 led to downregulation of the mRNA expression of Ptch. This study describes the first Hh signaling inhibitor which blocks GLI1 movement into the nucleus without interfering with Smo. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The aberrant hedgehog (Hh)/GLI signaling pathway causes the formation and progression of a variety of tumors. We recently constructed a cell-based screening system to search for Hh/GLI signaling inhibitors from natural resources. Using our screening system, Adenium obesum was found to include Hh/GLI signaling inhibitors from our tropical plant extract libraries. Bioassay-guided fractionation of this plant extract led to the isolation of 17 cardiac glycosides (1-17), including 3 new compounds (4, 9, 16). These compounds showed strong inhibitory activities, especially the IC(50) of 17 is 0.11 mu M. The inhibition of GLI-related protein expression with 3, 9, 11, 15 and 17 was observed in human pancreatic cancer cells (PANC1), which express Hh/GLI components aberrantly. The expressions of GLI-related proteins PTCH and BCL2 were clearly inhibited. These compounds also showed selective cytotoxicity against two cancer cell lines, with less effect against normal cells (C3H10T1/2). RT-PCT examinations showed that Ptch mRNA expression by 3, 11, 15 and 17 was inhibited.

A screening study using a luciferase assay to identify natural products with inhibitory activity against Wnt signaling was carried out. Fractionation of the culture extract of an actinomycete, strain CKK179, led to the identification of nonactin (1), monactin (2), and dinactin (3) as active compounds. We examined the effects of dimeric dinactin (4), isolated from another actinomycete, Streptomyces sp. (YM09-028), on Wnt signaling activity and found that 1 - 4 inhibited TCF/beta-catenin transcriptional activity with IC50 values of 0.6 - 7.4 nM.

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease occur due to loss of the structure and function of neurons. For the potential treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, accelerators of neuronal differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs) have been focused on and a cell-based assay system for measuring Notch signaling pathway activity was constructed. Using this assay system, eight compounds isolated from Calotropis gigantea were identified as inhibitors of the Notch signaling pathway. Hes1 and Hes5 are target genes of the Notch signaling pathway, and compound 1, called uscharin, decreased the protein levels of Hes1 and Hes5 in assay cells and MEB5 cells (mouse NSCs). Furthermore, uscharin (1) enhanced the differentiation of MEB5 cells into neurons. The mechanism of uscharin (1) for the Notch signaling inhibitory activity would be acceleration of the degradation of the Notch intracellular domain (NICD) in the MEB5 cells.

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease occur due to loss of the structure and function of neurons. For the potential treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, accelerators of neuronal differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs) have been focused on and a cell-based assay system for measuring Notch signaling pathway activity was constructed. Using this assay system, eight compounds isolated from Calotropis gigantea were identified as inhibitors of the Notch signaling, pathway. Hes1 and Hes5 are target genes of the Notch signaling pathway, and compound 1, called uscharin, decreased the protein levels of Hes1 and Hes5 in assay cells and MEB5 cells (mouse NSCs). Furthermore, uscharin (1) enhanced the differentiation of MEB5 cells into neurons. The mechanism of uscharin (1) for the Notch signaling inhibitory activity would be acceleration of the degradation of the Notch intracellular domain (NICD) in the MEB5 cells.

New 2-alkyl-1a,25-dihydroxy-19-norvitamin D-3 analogs were efficiently synthesized. The C2-alkyl-A-ring precursors were prepared as (3R,5R)-4-alkyl-3,5-dihydroxycyclohexanones from (-)-quinic acid based on radical allylation at the C4 position of methyl (-)-quinicate. The novel CD-ring coupling partner, with the elongated two carbon unit, was synthesized from 25-hydroxy Grundmann's ketone, and applied to modified Julia olefination to construct a diene unit between the A-ring and the CD-ring. The coupling yields, including a deprotection step, were moderate (47-62%). After the separation of the diastereomers based on C2 stereochemistry using HPLC, the structure (2 alpha or 2 beta) was determined by H-1 NMR studies including NOE (nuclear Overhauser effect) experiments. It was also found that 1H NMR chemical shifts on the A-ring showed good correlation with DeLuca's 2-methyl- and 2-ethyl-1 alpha,25-dihydroxy-19-norvitamin D-3 analogs. Among the synthesized 19-norvitamin D-3 analogs, 2 alpha-(3-hydroxypropyl)-1a,25-dihydroxy-19-norvitamin D-3 (8a) showed almost the same potency in binding to the bovine thymus vitamin D receptor (VDR) as the natural hormone (1), while its beta-isomer had only a 3% affinity. Both 2 alpha-allyl- and 2 alpha-propyl-1 alpha, 25-dihydroxy-19-norvitamin D-3 and their 2 beta-analogs possessed a weak affinity for the VDR. The strong VDR ligand 8a was ca. 36-fold more potent in induction of HL-60 cell differentiation than 1 and, interestingly, even the weaker ligand, 2 beta-(3-hydroxypropyl)-1 alpha,25-dihydroxy-19-norvitamin D-3 (8b), showed a 67-fold higherpotency in cell differentiation activity than that of 1. Next, a novel rapid analyzing system of ligand-induced co-factor recruitment on VDR was developed using fluorophore labelled CoA and HCHO fixing of the complex. The efficiency of recruitment of co-activators would explain the discrepancy between the biological activity and the VDR affinity of the ligand.

A reporter gene assay that detects neurogenin 2 (Ngn2) promoter activity was utilized to identify compounds that induce neuronal differentiation. Ngn2 is a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor that activates transcription of pro-neural genes. Using this assay system and an activity-guided approach, seven phenolic compounds were isolated from the methanol extract of Oroxylum indicum: 1 oroxylin A, 2 chrysin, 3 hispidulin, 4 baicalein, 5 apigenin, 6 baicalin, and 7 isoverbascoside. Compounds 1 and 2 induced an estimated 2.7-fold increase in Ngn2 promoter activity, whereas 3 increased the activity by 2.5-fold. Furthermore, 1 and 2 enhanced neuronal differentiation of C17.2 cells, which are multipotent stem cells. [GRAPHICS] .

A screening of natural products using a luciferase assay targeting the Wnt signaling pathway was carried out, and the bioassay-guided fractionation of Excoecaria indica (Euphorbiaceae) collected from Bangladesh afforded three phorbol esters (1 3). These compounds exhibited Wnt signal-augmenting effects with 1 causing a 25-fold increase in TCF/beta-catenin (TOP) transcriptional activity at 95 nM.

Hedgehog (Hh) signaling plays an important role in embryonic development, cell maintenance and cell proliferation. Moreover, Hh signaling contributes to the growth of cancer cells. Physalins are highly oxidized natural products with a complex structure. Physalins (1-7) were isolated from Solanum nigrum (Solanaceae) collected in Bangladesh by using our cell-based assay. The isolated physalins included the previously reported Hh inhibitors 5 and 6. Compounds 1 and 4 showed strong inhibition of GLI1 transcriptional activity, and exhibited cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines with an aberrant activation of Hh signaling. Compound 1 inhibited the production of the Hh-related proteins patched (PTCH) and BCL2. Analysis of the structures of different physalins showed that the left part of the physalins was important for Hh inhibitory activity. Interestingly, physalin H (1) disrupted GLI1 binding to its DNA binding domain, while the weak inhibitor physalin G (2) did not show inhibition of GLI1-DNA complex formation.

Fuligocandins A and B, cycloanthranilylproline derivatives isolated from the myxomycete Fuligo candida, were synthesized efficiently by a Meyer-Schuster rearrangement, which gave Z-isomer with high selectivity. The absolute stereochemistry at C-11a of the natural products was determined to be S by comparison of the optical rotation of the natural products with synthetic counterparts derived from L-proline. This report is the first total synthesis of optically active fuligocandin B.

In a screening program on natural products that can abrogate tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) resistance, four new prenylated flavonoid and resveratrol derivatives (1-4) were isolated from Artocarpus communis, together with eight known prenylflavonoids (5-12). The structures of 1-4 were elucidated spectroscopically. Pannokin E (1) (2 mu M) and artonin E (5) (3 mu M) potently exhibited the ability to overcome TRAIL resistance. Artonin E (5) induced caspase-dependent apoptosis in combination with TRAIL, increased caspase 3/7 activity, and enhanced the protein levels of p53 and DR5. Moreover, this substance decreased cell viability in combination with TRAIL and enhanced the protein levels of DR5, and these effects were mediated by increases in the production of ROS (reactive oxygen species). Thus, artonin E (5) was found to induce extrinsic apoptotic cell death by the ROS- and p53-mediated up-regulation of DR5 expression in AGS cells.

In a screening program for bioactive natural products which can overcome Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-resistance, three prenylflavonoids, named pannokin A-C, were isolated from a MeOH extract of Artocarpus champeden (Moraceae) roots, together with three known prenylflavonoids. The structures of pannokin A-C were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis. These of the prenylflavonoids in combination with TRAIL, showed cytotoxic activity in sensitizing TRAIL-resistant human gastric adenocarcinoma (AGS) cells. Of these compounds, heterophyllin increased caspase 3/7 activity when combined with TRAIL in AGS cells, and enhanced the expression of DR4 and DR5 mRNA. Moreover, heterophyllin up-regulated mRNA expression of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-homologous protein (CHOP) which was reported to be an important regulator of DR5 expression. Thus, heterophyllin was presumed to cause a CHOP-dependent up-regulation of DR5 expression resulting in apoptosis in AGS cells. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Notch signaling plays crucial roles in cell differentiation and proliferation, but aberrant activation of this signaling results in tumorigenesis and cancer progression. Notch signaling is thus a promising drug target for oncotherapy, and the development of Notch signaling inhibitors is eagerly awaited. Notch inhibitory activity-guided fractionation of a Spilanthes acmella extract led to the identification of five sesquiterpene lactones: tagitinin A (1), 1β,2α-epoxytagitinin C (2), tagitinin C (3), orizabin (4), and 2α-hydroxytirotundin (5). 1β,2α-Epoxytagitinin C (2) exhibited Notch signaling inhibition, with an IC50 of 25.6 μM, and was further evaluated for its activity against HPB-ALL, a Notch-activated leukemia cell line. Compound 2 showed potent cytotoxicity against HPB-ALL (IC50 1.7 μM) and arrested the cell cycle at the G2/M phase, but did not induce apoptotic cell death. Notch inhibitory mechanism analysis suggested that compound 2 transcriptionally suppresses Notch1 mRNA. In addition, we found that oxidative stress induction is critical for Notch signaling inhibition and the cytotoxicity of compound 2. This is the first mechanism of small molecule Notch inhibition. Our results demonstrate that 1β,2α-epoxytagitinin C (2) is a potential anti-leukemia agent and further investigation of this compound is warranted. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].