Mizuki Watanabe

Live‐Cell Imaging of Endogenous mRNAs with a Small Molecule

Determination of subcellular localization and dynamics of mRNA is increasingly important to understanding gene expression. A new convenient and versatile method is reported that permits spatiotemporal imaging of specific non-engineered RNAs in living cells. The method uses transfection of a plasmid encoding a gene-specific RNA aptamer, combined with a cell-permeable synthetic small molecule, the fluorescence of which is restored only when the RNA aptamer hybridizes with its cognitive mRNA. The method was validated by live-cell imaging of the endogenous mRNA of β-actin. Application of the technology to mRNAs of a total of 84 human cytoskeletal genes allowed us to observe cellular dynamics of several endogenous mRNAs including arfaptin-2, cortactin, and cytoplasmic FMR1-interacting protein 2. The RNA-imaging technology and its further optimization might permit live-cell imaging of any RNA molecules.

Three-Dimensional Structural Diversity-Oriented Peptidomimetics Based on the Cyclopropylic Strain

Conformationally restricted peptidomimetics comprising eight stereoisomeric scaffolds with three-dimensional structural diversity were designed based on the structural features of cyclopropane, that is, cyclopropylic strain, which mimic wide-ranging tetrapeptide conformations covering β-turns through β-strands. Stereoselective synthesis of the designed peptidomimetics led to the identification of nonpeptidic melanocortin-4 receptor ligands.

Vitamin D Metabolite, 25-Hydroxyvitamin D, Regulates Lipid Metabolism by Inducing Degradation of SREBP/SCAP

Sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs) are transcription factors that control lipid homeostasis. SREBP activation is regulated by a negative feedback loop in which sterols bind to SREBP cleavage-activating protein (SCAP), an escort protein essential for SREBP activation, or to insulin-induced genes (Insigs) (endoplasmic reticulum [ER] anchor proteins), sequestering the SREBP-SCAP-Insig complex in the ER. We screened a chemical library of endogenous molecules and identified 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) as an inhibitor of SREBP activation. Unlike sterols and other SREBP inhibitors, 25OHD impairs SREBP activation by inducing proteolytic processing and ubiquitin-mediated degradation of SCAP, thereby decreasing SREBP levels independently of the vitamin D receptor. Vitamin D supplementation has been proposed to reduce the risk of metabolic diseases, but the mechanisms are unknown. The present results suggest a previously unrecognized molecular mechanism of vitamin D-mediated lipid control that might be useful in the treatment of metabolic diseases.

Synthetic Molecules that Protect Cells from Anoikis and Their Use in Cell Transplantation

One of the major problems encountered in cell transplantation is the low level of survival of transplanted cells due to detachment-induced apoptosis, called anoikis. The present study reports on the chemical synthesis and biological evaluation of water-soluble molecules that protect suspended cells from anoikis. The synthetic molecules bind to and induce clusters of integrins and heparan-sulfate-bound syndecans, two classes of receptors that are important for extracellular matrix-mediated cell survival. Molecular biological analysis indicates that such molecules prolong the survival of suspended NIH3T3 cells, at least in part, by promoting clustering of syndecan-4 and integrin β1 on the cell surface, leading to the activation of small GTPase Rac-1 and Akt. In vivo experiments using animal disease models demonstrated the ability of the molecules to improve cell engraftment. The cluster-inducing molecules may provide a starting point for the design of new synthetic tools for cell-based therapy.

Synthesis of mevalonate-and fluorinated mevalonate prodrugs and their in vitro human plasma stability

The mevalonate pathway is essential for the production of many important molecules in lipid biosynthesis. Inhibition of this pathway is the mechanism of statin cholesterol-lowering drugs, as well as the target of drugs to treat osteoporosis, to combat parasites, and to inhibit tumor cell growth. Unlike the human mevalonate pathway, the bacterial pathway appears to be regulated by diphosphomevalonate (DPM). Enzymes in the mevalonate pathway act to produce isopentenyl diphosphate, the product of the DPM decarboxylase reaction, utilize phosphorylated (charged) intermediates, which are poorly bioavailable. It has been shown that fluorinated DPMs (6-fluoro- and 6,6,6-trifluoro-5-diphosphomevalonate) are excellent inhibitors of the bacterial pathway; however, highly charged DPM and analogs are not bioavailable. To increase cellular permeability of mevalonate analogs, we have synthesized various prodrugs of mevalonate and 6-fluoro- and 6,6,6-trifluoromevalonate that can be enzymatically transformed to the corresponding DPM or fluorinated DPM analogs by esterases or amidases. To probe the required stabilities as potentially bioavailable prodrugs, we measured the half-lives of esters, amides, carbonates, acetals, and ketal promoieties of mevalonate and the fluorinated mevalonate analogs in human blood plasma. Stability studies showed that the prodrugs are converted to the mevalonates in human plasma with a wide range of half-lives. These studies provide stability data for a variety of prodrug options having varying stabilities and should be very useful in the design of appropriate prodrugs of mevalonate and fluorinated mevalonates.

Synthesis of a series of 3,4-methanoarginines as side-chain conformationally restricted analogues of arginine.

A series of optically active stereoisomers of 3,4-methanoarginine (1-4 and ent-1-ent-4) with trans/cis, D/L, and syn/anti stereochemical diversity, the side-chains of which were restricted in various special arrangements, was designed as biologically useful arginine mimetics. These conformationally restricted arginine analogues were synthesized effectively by using a series of chiral 3,4-methanoamino acid equivalents (7-10 and ent-7-ent-10) as the key synthetic units. Their biological evaluation with three isoforms of nitric oxide synthase showed that trans-3,4-methano-L-syn-arginine (2) was a good substrate, having close potency to L-arginine, and isoforms selectivities were also similar to those of l-arginine.

Synthesis of 8-Substituted Analogues of Cyclic ADP-4-Thioribose and Their Unexpected Identification as Ca2+-Mobilizing Full Agonists

A series of 8-substituted analogues of cyclic ADP-4-thioribose (cADPtR, 3), which is a stable equivalent of Ca2+-mobilizing second messenger cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR, 1), were designed as potential pharmacological tools for studies on cADPR-modulated Ca2+ signaling pathways. These 8-amino analogue (8-NH2-cADPtR, 4), 8-azido analogue (8-N3-cADPtR, 5), and 8-chloro analogue (8-Cl-cADPtR, 6) were efficiently synthesized, where the stereoselective N1-β-thioribosyladenine ring closure reaction via an α/β-equilibrium of the 1-aminothioribose derivative and construction of the characteristic 18-membered pyrophosphate ring by Ag+-promoted activation of a phenyl phosphorothioate type substrate were the two key steps. Although 8-NH2-cADPR (2) is a well-known potent antagonist against cADPR-inducing Ca2+-release, the 4-thioribose congener 8-NH2-cADPtR turned out unexpectedly to be a full agonist in sea urchin egg homogenate evaluation system. This important finding suggested that the ring-oxygen in the N1-ribose of cADPR analogues is essential for the antagonistic activity in the Ca2+-signaling pathway, which can contribute to clarify the structure-agonist/antagonist activity relationship.

Small-molecule inhibitors of SREBP activation – potential for new treatment of metabolic disorders

Sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs) are transcriptional factors that control lipid and cholesterol metabolism. Activation of SREBPs in response to a decrease in cellular sterols results in acceleration of the synthesis of fatty acids, triglycerides, and cholesterol. Aberrant SREBP activity has been linked to metabolic disease states, such as obesity, fatty liver, insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, and atherosclerosis. Thus, inhibition of SREBP activation is a potential therapeutic approach to treating metabolic disorders. This review focuses on direct or indirect small-molecule inhibitors of SREBP activation.

Design, Synthesis, and Identification of 4″α-Azidoethyl-cyclic ADP-Carbocyclic-ribose as a Highly Potent Analogue of Cyclic ADP-Ribose, a Ca2+-Mobilizing Second Messenger

Cyclic adenosine diphosphate-carbocyclic-ribose (cADPcR, 2) is a stable equivalent of cyclic adenosine diphosphate-ribose (cADPR, 1), a Ca(2+)-mobilizing second messenger. On the basis of the structure-activity relationship of cADPR-related compounds and three-dimensional structural modeling of cADPcR, we designed and synthesized cyclic-ADP-4″α-azidoethyl carbocyclic-ribose (N3-cADPcR, 3) to demonstrate that it has a highly potent Ca(2+)-mobilizing activity (EC50 = 24 nM). N3-cADPcR will be a useful precursor for the preparation of biological tools effective to investigate cADPR-mediated signaling pathways.

Design and Synthesis of Histamine H3/H4 Receptor Ligands with a Cyclopropane Scaffold

We previously designed and synthesized a series of histamine analogues with an imidazolylcyclopropane scaffold and identified potent non-selective antagonists for histamine H3 and H4 receptor subtypes. In this study, to develop H4 selective ligands, we newly designed and synthesized cyclopropane-based derivatives having an indole, benzimidazole, or piperazine structure, which are components of representative H4 selective antagonists such as JNJ7777120 and JNJ10191584. Among the synthesized derivatives, imidazolylcyclopropanes 12 and 13 conjugated with a benzimidazole showed binding affinity to the H3 and H4 receptors comparable to that of a well-known non-selective H3/H4 antagonist, thioperamide. These results suggest that the binding modes of the cyclopropane-based H3/H4 ligands in the H4 receptor can be different from those of the indole/benzimidazole-piperazine derivatives.