Mahta Mansouri, Madeline G Dans, Zijun Low, Katie Loi, Kate E Jarman, Jocelyn S Penington, Deyun Qiu, Adele M Lehane, Benigno Crespo, Franciso-Javier Gamo, Delphine Baud, Stephen Brand, Paul F Jackson, Alan F Cowman, Brad E Sleebs
The spread of drug-resistant Plasmodium strains is diminishing the effectiveness of current antimalarials, highlighting the importance of discovering new therapeutics with novel targets. A screen of the Jumpstarter library against P. falciparum identified W482 with a pyrimidine-2,4-diamine scaffold. Structure-activity relationships reveal the importance of the pyrimidine core and its endocyclic nitrogen, while alternative amines are tolerated in the 4-position. Bulky and hydrophobic carboxamides or substituted phenyl ureas display the most potent antiplasmodial activity. Resistance selection and whole genome sequencing reveal an amplification of the gene encoding the ABCI3 transporter protein W482-resistant parasites. W482 is found to exhibit greater activity against parasites with reduced expression of ABCI3, confirming that resistance is related to the transporter. W482 arrests asexual parasites at the ring to trophozoite transition stage and exhibits a fast-killing profile with a lag phase of 24 h. Improving the antiparasitic activity alongside metabolic stability and solubility remains a challenge in the future development of the pyrimidine-2,4-diamine class.
{"title":"Exploration and Characterization of the Antimalarial Activity of Pyrimidine-2,4-Diamines for which Resistance is Mediated by the ABCI3 Transporter.","authors":"Mahta Mansouri, Madeline G Dans, Zijun Low, Katie Loi, Kate E Jarman, Jocelyn S Penington, Deyun Qiu, Adele M Lehane, Benigno Crespo, Franciso-Javier Gamo, Delphine Baud, Stephen Brand, Paul F Jackson, Alan F Cowman, Brad E Sleebs","doi":"10.1002/cmdc.202500739","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cmdc.202500739","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The spread of drug-resistant Plasmodium strains is diminishing the effectiveness of current antimalarials, highlighting the importance of discovering new therapeutics with novel targets. A screen of the Jumpstarter library against P. falciparum identified W482 with a pyrimidine-2,4-diamine scaffold. Structure-activity relationships reveal the importance of the pyrimidine core and its endocyclic nitrogen, while alternative amines are tolerated in the 4-position. Bulky and hydrophobic carboxamides or substituted phenyl ureas display the most potent antiplasmodial activity. Resistance selection and whole genome sequencing reveal an amplification of the gene encoding the ABCI3 transporter protein W482-resistant parasites. W482 is found to exhibit greater activity against parasites with reduced expression of ABCI3, confirming that resistance is related to the transporter. W482 arrests asexual parasites at the ring to trophozoite transition stage and exhibits a fast-killing profile with a lag phase of 24 h. Improving the antiparasitic activity alongside metabolic stability and solubility remains a challenge in the future development of the pyrimidine-2,4-diamine class.</p>","PeriodicalId":147,"journal":{"name":"ChemMedChem","volume":" ","pages":"e202500739"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145740171","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Henrik Petlund, Elif Tezel, Goda Sypalyte, M Asunción Molina, Lucy Costley-Wood, Petra Ágota Szilágyi, Athanasios Chatzitakis
Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction (ECO2R) to high-value chemicals is a promising method to upcycle emitted CO2, but it is also a fascinating scientific challenge. Catalyst materials, as well as cell configurations, play a pivotal role in the efficacy and efficiency of the ECO2R reaction, which also dictates reaction pathways and product selectivity. In this work, we employ the isotopological Zr- and Ce-based UiO-67 metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that contain Pd species in a zero-gap gas diffusion cathode electrode configuration, where the water content, i.e., relative humidity (RH) level, in the CO2 gas stream can be varied. We show that only UiO-67-based MOFs containing Pd embedded in their pores can produce syngas, while the product selectivity can be controlled by varying the RH levels in the gas stream. The pristine MOFs (precatalysts) undergo chemical and structural transformation during the ECO2R reaction, forming the active catalysts toward CO2 electroreduction to syngas. Our work highlights the effect of water content on the selectivity during ECO2R, but also the need for predictive catalyst design for effective electroreduction of CO2 to high-value chemicals.
{"title":"Gas-Phase Electrocatalytic CO<sub>2</sub> Reduction on Pd-Embedded UiO-67 Metal-Organic Framework Precatalysts Under Varying Relative Humidity Conditions.","authors":"Henrik Petlund, Elif Tezel, Goda Sypalyte, M Asunción Molina, Lucy Costley-Wood, Petra Ágota Szilágyi, Athanasios Chatzitakis","doi":"10.1002/cssc.202501929","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cssc.202501929","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Electrocatalytic CO<sub>2</sub> reduction (ECO<sub>2</sub>R) to high-value chemicals is a promising method to upcycle emitted CO<sub>2</sub>, but it is also a fascinating scientific challenge. Catalyst materials, as well as cell configurations, play a pivotal role in the efficacy and efficiency of the ECO<sub>2</sub>R reaction, which also dictates reaction pathways and product selectivity. In this work, we employ the isotopological Zr- and Ce-based UiO-67 metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that contain Pd species in a zero-gap gas diffusion cathode electrode configuration, where the water content, i.e., relative humidity (RH) level, in the CO<sub>2</sub> gas stream can be varied. We show that only UiO-67-based MOFs containing Pd embedded in their pores can produce syngas, while the product selectivity can be controlled by varying the RH levels in the gas stream. The pristine MOFs (precatalysts) undergo chemical and structural transformation during the ECO<sub>2</sub>R reaction, forming the active catalysts toward CO<sub>2</sub> electroreduction to syngas. Our work highlights the effect of water content on the selectivity during ECO<sub>2</sub>R, but also the need for predictive catalyst design for effective electroreduction of CO<sub>2</sub> to high-value chemicals.</p>","PeriodicalId":149,"journal":{"name":"ChemSusChem","volume":" ","pages":"e202501929"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145740189","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yongnan Jiang, Qingling Zhang, Yuhan Zhang, Xinlu Yu, Bo Jia, Yulong Dong, Yalong Wu, Kelong Fan, Xinquan Gu, Lei Ji, Wei Jiang, Bin Liu
Current intravesical therapies for bladder cancer after resection are limited by poor tissue penetration, off-target effects, and insufficient efficacy. To address these challenges, this study designs a thermo-responsive hydrogel (PNH) that encapsulates chitosan (CS)-coated Fe/Mn bimetallic nanozymes (FMCC) together with cholesterol oxidase (ChOx). FMCC displays multiple enzyme-mimicking activities, including peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione oxidase (GSHox). ChOx amplifies this catalytic cascade, enhancing reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and inducing ferroptosis-mediated tumor cell death. The CS coating improves mucosal adhesion and tissue permeability, thereby facilitating intravesical delivery. Upon near-infrared (NIR) irradiation, FMCC generates heat that liquefies the hydrogel, enabling spatiotemporally controlled drug release and providing mild photothermal therapy (MPTT). This photothermal effect acts synergistically with ferroptosis induction and immune modulation, concurrently minimizing damage to normal tissues. In parallel, ChOx disrupts cholesterol-rich membrane rafts and promotes pro-inflammatory M1 macrophage polarization. Released Mn2+ ions further potentiate immune activation by stimulating the cGAS-STING pathway, driving IFN-β and IL-6 secretion, dendritic cell maturation, and T cell infiltration. Together, this nanozyme-hydrogel system integrates tissue penetration, metabolic disruption, and immune stimulation, representing a promising strategy for localized bladder cancer therapy.
{"title":"NIR-Activatable Domino Cascade Catalysis Nanozyme Reactor for Multi-Mechanism Synergistic Immunotherapy in Bladder Cancer.","authors":"Yongnan Jiang, Qingling Zhang, Yuhan Zhang, Xinlu Yu, Bo Jia, Yulong Dong, Yalong Wu, Kelong Fan, Xinquan Gu, Lei Ji, Wei Jiang, Bin Liu","doi":"10.1002/advs.202513913","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202513913","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Current intravesical therapies for bladder cancer after resection are limited by poor tissue penetration, off-target effects, and insufficient efficacy. To address these challenges, this study designs a thermo-responsive hydrogel (PNH) that encapsulates chitosan (CS)-coated Fe/Mn bimetallic nanozymes (FMCC) together with cholesterol oxidase (ChOx). FMCC displays multiple enzyme-mimicking activities, including peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione oxidase (GSHox). ChOx amplifies this catalytic cascade, enhancing reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and inducing ferroptosis-mediated tumor cell death. The CS coating improves mucosal adhesion and tissue permeability, thereby facilitating intravesical delivery. Upon near-infrared (NIR) irradiation, FMCC generates heat that liquefies the hydrogel, enabling spatiotemporally controlled drug release and providing mild photothermal therapy (MPTT). This photothermal effect acts synergistically with ferroptosis induction and immune modulation, concurrently minimizing damage to normal tissues. In parallel, ChOx disrupts cholesterol-rich membrane rafts and promotes pro-inflammatory M1 macrophage polarization. Released Mn<sup>2+</sup> ions further potentiate immune activation by stimulating the cGAS-STING pathway, driving IFN-β and IL-6 secretion, dendritic cell maturation, and T cell infiltration. Together, this nanozyme-hydrogel system integrates tissue penetration, metabolic disruption, and immune stimulation, representing a promising strategy for localized bladder cancer therapy.</p>","PeriodicalId":117,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Science","volume":" ","pages":"e13913"},"PeriodicalIF":14.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145740206","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Junhai Zhu, Kaifang Yang, Pengfei Zhang, Hao Yuan, Nan Yan, Longxiang Zhang, Meiyu Jia, Yue Wang
Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) causes acute, highly contagious enteric disease in pigs, leading to severe economic losses, particularly due to high mortality in suckling piglets. Currently, no specific antiviral drugs are available. In this study, we evaluated the anti-PEDV potential of celastrol, a natural triterpenoid derived from Tripterygium wilfordii, in Vero E6 cells. We found that celastrol significantly inhibited PEDV replication in a dose-dependent manner, primarily targeting the postentry stage of the viral life cycle. Network pharmacology analysis highlighted apoptosis as a key signaling pathway, and mechanistic studies revealed that celastrol enhanced PEDV-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, which triggered apoptosis and suppressed viral RNA synthesis, protein expression, and progeny production. Importantly, inhibition of ROS abolished celastrol’s antiviral activity, confirming a ROS-dependent mechanism. Furthermore, celastrol demonstrated inhibitory effects against porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) in vitro. These findings suggest celastrol as a promising candidate for the prevention and control of PED and other swine viral infections.
{"title":"Celastrol Inhibits Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus Replication by Promoting ROS-Mediated Apoptosis","authors":"Junhai Zhu, Kaifang Yang, Pengfei Zhang, Hao Yuan, Nan Yan, Longxiang Zhang, Meiyu Jia, Yue Wang","doi":"10.1155/tbed/4020619","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/tbed/4020619","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) causes acute, highly contagious enteric disease in pigs, leading to severe economic losses, particularly due to high mortality in suckling piglets. Currently, no specific antiviral drugs are available. In this study, we evaluated the anti-PEDV potential of celastrol, a natural triterpenoid derived from <i>Tripterygium wilfordii</i>, in Vero E6 cells. We found that celastrol significantly inhibited PEDV replication in a dose-dependent manner, primarily targeting the postentry stage of the viral life cycle. Network pharmacology analysis highlighted apoptosis as a key signaling pathway, and mechanistic studies revealed that celastrol enhanced PEDV-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, which triggered apoptosis and suppressed viral RNA synthesis, protein expression, and progeny production. Importantly, inhibition of ROS abolished celastrol’s antiviral activity, confirming a ROS-dependent mechanism. Furthermore, celastrol demonstrated inhibitory effects against porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) in vitro. These findings suggest celastrol as a promising candidate for the prevention and control of PED and other swine viral infections.</p>","PeriodicalId":234,"journal":{"name":"Transboundary and Emerging Diseases","volume":"2025 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/tbed/4020619","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145739861","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}