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Cholesterol gallstone disease is a common global condition. This study investigated the role of plant sterols (PS) in the prevention of gallstone formation and the underlying mechanisms. Adult male mice were fed a lithogenic diet (LD) alone or supplemented with PS (LD-ps), phospholipids (LD-pl) or both PS and phospholipids (LD-ps/pl) for 8 weeks. Incidences of gallstone formation were compared among the groups. Lipids in the bile, liver and serum were analyzed. The expression of genes involved in cholesterol absorption, transport and metabolism in the liver and small intestine was determined. The incidences of gallstone formation were 100% (10/10), 20% (2/10), 100% (10/10) and 40% (4/10) in the LD, LD-ps, LD-pl and LD-ps/pl groups, respectively. Serum cholesterol and intestinal cholesterol absorption were decreased in PS-supplemented mice. The expression of genes related to cholesterol transport and metabolism in the liver was down-regulated by dietary PS. PS supplementation decreased Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 expression in the small intestine and reduced intestinal cholesterol absorption. Our results demonstrated that PS could inhibit intestinal cholesterol absorption and thus prevent cholesterol gallstone formation.

BackgroundHepatic lipid metabolism regulates biliary composition and influences the formation of cholesterol gallstones. The genes Hmgcr and Cyp7a1, which encode key liver enzymes, are regulated by circadian rhythm-related transcription factors. We aimed to investigate the effect of circadian rhythm disruption on hepatic cholesterol and bile acid metabolism and the incidence of cholesterol stone formation.MethodsAdult male C57BL/6J mice were fed either a lithogenic diet (LD) only during the sleep phase (time-restricted lithogenic diet feeding, TRF) or an LD ad libitum (non-time-restricted lithogenic diet feeding, nTRF) for 4 weeks. Food consumption, body mass gain, and the incidence of gallstones were assessed. Circulating metabolic parameters, lipid accumulation in the liver, the circadian expression of hepatic clock and metabolic genes, and the gut microbiota were analyzed.ResultsTRF caused a dysregulation of the circadian rhythm in the mice, characterized by significant differences in the circadian expression patterns of clock-related genes. In TRF mice, the circadian rhythms in the expression of genes involved in bile acid and cholesterol metabolism were disrupted, as was the circadian rhythm of the gut microbiota. These changes were associated with high biliary cholesterol content, which promoted gallstone formation in the TRF mice.ConclusionDisordered circadian rhythm is associated with abnormal hepatic bile acid and cholesterol metabolism in mice, which promotes gallstone formation.

We report herein the design and synthesis of “novel imidazo [1,2- a ]pyridine-3-carboxamides (IPAs)” bearing a variety of different linkers, based on the structure of IMB-1402 discovered in our lab. Results reveal that 2,6-dimethyl- N -[2-(phenylamino)ethyl] IPAs with an electron-donating group on the benzene ring as a potent scaffold. Compounds 26g and 26h have considerable activity (MIC: 0.041–2.64 μM) against drug-sensitive/resistant MTB strains, and they have acceptable safety indices against MTB H37Rv with the SI values of 4395 and 1405, respectively. Moreover, N -[2-(piperazin-1-yl)ethyl] moiety was also identified as a potentially alternative linker (compound 31 ), opening a new direction for further SAR studies.

The design and synthesis of novel chiral ligands plays an important role in asymmetric catalysis. In this feature article, we describe our recent studies of synthesis, characteration and application of novel chiral macrocyclic ligands. Novel chiral 22-membered macrocyclic ligands have been synthesized and the structures have been determined by an X-ray diffraction study. The catalytic systems in situ generated from the chiral macrocyclic ligand ( R , R , R , R )- 22 and the cheap, readily available Fe3(CO)12 exhibited high activity and excellent enantioselectivity with up to 99% ee in the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation as well as asymmetric hydrogenation of a wide variety of ketones.

We report herein the design and synthesis of a series of novel 5-bromo-7-azaindolin-2-one derivatives containing a 2,4-dimethyl-1H-pyrrole-3-carboxamide moiety. These newly synthesized derivatives were evaluated for in vitro activity against selected cancer cell lines by MTT assay. Results revealed that some compounds exhibit broad-spectrum antitumor potency, and the most active compound 23p (IC50: 2.357–3.012 μM) was found more potent than Sunitinib (IC50: 31.594–49.036 μM) against HepG2, A549 and Skov-3, respectively.

We report herein the design and synthesis of a series of novel imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine amide-cinnamamide hybrids linked via an alkyl carbon chain. All 38 new hybrids were evaluated for their antimycobacterial activity against M. tuberculosis (MTB) H37Rv ATCC 27294 using the microplate Alamar Blue assay (MABA). Although the hybrids are less active than the two reference compounds, the promising activity (MICs: 4 μg/mL) of 2,6-dimethylimidazo[1,2-a]pyridine amide-cinnamamide hybrids 11e and 11k could be a good starting point to further find new lead compounds against multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis.

A series of novel fluoroquinolone derivatives containing an 3-alkoxyimino-4-(cyclopropylanimo)methylpyrrolidine moiety were designed, synthesized and evaluated for their biological activity. Our results revealed that 19b2 shows good activity against MTB H37Rv ATCC 27294 (MIC