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Featured Papers to Celebrate the New Era of the Journal Pharmaceuticals

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A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2020) | Viewed by 15662

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Jean Jacques Vanden Eynde

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Guest Editor

Formerly Head, Department of Organic Chemistry (FS), University of Mons-UMONS, 7000 Mons, Belgium
Interests: heterocycles; medicinal chemistry; green chemistry; microwave-induced synthesis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In 2020, the journal Pharmaceuticals is experiencing a rebirth, and many events are planned for this year as indicated in the Editorial published on January 1^st (https://0-www-mdpi-com.brum.beds.ac.uk/1424-8247/13/1/6 ).

For example, in 2020, Pharmaceuticals will receive its first impact factor and will organize and sponsor the 6th edition of the series International Electronic Conferences on Medicinal Chemistry (https://sciforum.net/series/ecmc/latest).

Pharmaceuticals is now published on a monthly basis, and submissions are distributed into seven sections, namely, Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology, Biopharmaceuticals, Natural Products, Radiopharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutical Technology, and General.

In order to celebrate this renewal, we kindly invite you to submit a review or a research article to this Special Issue.

Dr. Jean Jacques Vanden Eynde
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceuticals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 3902 KiB

Open AccessArticle

ADP-Mediated Upregulation of Expression of CD62P on Human Platelets Is Critically Dependent on Co-Activation of P2Y1 and P2Y12 Receptors

by Ronald Anderson, Annette J. Theron, Helen C. Steel, Jan G. Nel and Gregory R. Tintinger

Pharmaceuticals 2020, 13(12), 420; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ph13120420 - 24 Nov 2020

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2300

Abstract

This study probed the differential utilization of P2Y1 and P2Y12 receptors in mobilizing CD62P (P-selectin) from intracellular granules following activation of human platelets with adenosine 5′-diphosphate (ADP, 100 µmol·L⁻¹) Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) was prepared from the blood of adult humans. CD62P was measured by flow cytometry following activation of PRP with ADP in the absence and presence of the selective antagonists of P2Y1 and P2Y12 receptors, MRS2500 and PSB0739 (both 0.155–10 µmol·L⁻¹), respectively. Effects of the test agents on ADP-activated, CD62P-dependent formation of neutrophil:platelet (NP) aggregates were also measured by flow cytometry, while phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) activity was measured according to Akt1 phosphorylation in platelet lysates. Treatment with MRS2500 or PSB0739 at 10 µmol·L⁻¹ almost completely attenuated (94.6% and 86% inhibition, respectively) ADP-activated expression of CD62P and also inhibited NP aggregate formation. To probe the mechanisms involved in P2Y1/P2Y12 receptor-mediated expression of CD62P, PRP was pre-treated with U73122 (phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor), 2-aminoethoxy-diphenyl borate (2-APB, inositol triphosphate receptor antagonist), calmidazolium chloride (calmodulin inhibitor), or wortmannin (PI3K inhibitor). U73122, 2-APB, and wortmannin caused almost complete inhibition of ADP-activated expression of CD62P, while calmidazolium chloride caused statistically significant, partial inhibition. PSB0739, but not MRS2500, caused potent inhibition of PI3K-mediated phosphorylation of Akt1. Optimal mobilization of CD62P by ADP-stimulated platelets is critically dependent on the co-activation of platelet P2Y1 and P2Y12 receptors. P2Y12 receptor activation is the key event in activation of PI3K, while activation of the P2Y1 receptor appears to create a high cytosolic Ca²⁺ environment conducive to optimum PI3K activity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Featured Papers to Celebrate the New Era of the Journal Pharmaceuticals)

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21 pages, 2870 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cycle Network Model of Prostaglandin H Synthase-1

by Alexey Goltsov, Maciej Swat, Kirill Peskov and Yuri Kosinsky

Pharmaceuticals 2020, 13(10), 265; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ph13100265 - 23 Sep 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2784

Abstract

The kinetic model of Prostaglandin H Synthase-1 (PGHS-1) was developed to investigate its complex network kinetics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) efficacy in different in vitro and in vivo conditions. To correctly describe the complex mechanism of PGHS-1 catalysis, we developed a microscopic approach to modelling of intricate network dynamics of 35 intraenzyme reactions among 24 intermediate states of the enzyme. The developed model quantitatively describes interconnection between cyclooxygenase and peroxidase enzyme activities; substrate (arachidonic acid, AA) and reducing cosubstrate competitive consumption; enzyme self-inactivation; autocatalytic role of AA; enzyme activation threshold; and synthesis of intermediate prostaglandin G₂ (PGG₂) and final prostaglandin H₂ (PGH₂) products under wide experimental conditions. In the paper, we provide a detailed description of the enzyme catalytic cycle, model calibration based on a series of in vitro kinetic data, and model validation using experimental data on the regulatory properties of PGHS-1. The validated model of PGHS-1 with a unified set of kinetic parameters is applicable for in silico screening and prediction of the inhibition effects of NSAIDs and their combination on the balance of pro-thrombotic (thromboxane) and anti-thrombotic (prostacyclin) prostaglandin biosynthesis in platelets and endothelial cells expressing PGHS-1. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Featured Papers to Celebrate the New Era of the Journal Pharmaceuticals)

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32 pages, 5271 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Synthesis, Optimization, Antifungal Activity, Selectivity, and CYP51 Binding of New 2-Aryl-3-azolyl-1-indolyl-propan-2-ols

by Nicolas Lebouvier, Fabrice Pagniez, Young Min Na, Da Shi, Patricia Pinson, Mathieu Marchivie, Jean Guillon, Tarek Hakki, Rita Bernhardt, Sook Wah Yee, Claire Simons, Marie-Pierre Lézé, Rolf W. Hartmann, Angélique Mularoni, Guillaume Le Baut, Isabelle Krimm, Ruben Abagyan, Patrice Le Pape and Marc Le Borgne

Pharmaceuticals 2020, 13(8), 186; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ph13080186 - 08 Aug 2020

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4454

Abstract

A series of 2-aryl-3-azolyl-1-indolyl-propan-2-ols was designed as new analogs of fluconazole (FLC) by replacing one of its two triazole moieties by an indole scaffold. Two different chemical approaches were then developed. The first one, in seven steps, involved the synthesis of the key intermediate 1-(1H-benzotriazol-1-yl)methyl-1H-indole and the final opening of oxiranes by imidazole or 1H-1,2,4-triazole. The second route allowed access to the target compounds in only three steps, this time with the ring opening by indole and analogs. Twenty azole derivatives were tested against Candida albicans and other Candida species. The enantiomers of the best anti-Candida compound, 2-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-3-(1H-indol-1-yl)-1-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)-propan-2-ol (8g), were analyzed by X-ray diffraction to determine their absolute configuration. The (−)-8g enantiomer (Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) = IC₈₀ = 0.000256 µg/mL on C. albicans CA98001) was found with the S-absolute configuration. In contrast the (+)-8g enantiomer was found with the R-absolute configuration (MIC = 0.023 µg/mL on C. albicans CA98001). By comparison, the MIC value for FLC was determined as 0.020 µg/mL for the same clinical isolate. Additionally, molecular docking calculations and molecular dynamics simulations were carried out using a crystal structure of Candida albicans lanosterol 14α-demethylase (CaCYP51). The (−)-(S)-8g enantiomer aligned with the positioning of posaconazole within both the heme and access channel binding sites, which was consistent with its biological results. All target compounds have been also studied against human fetal lung fibroblast (MRC-5) cells. Finally, the selectivity of four compounds on a panel of human P450-dependent enzymes (CYP19, CYP17, CYP26A1, CYP11B1, and CYP11B2) was investigated. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Featured Papers to Celebrate the New Era of the Journal Pharmaceuticals)

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Review

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27 pages, 3019 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Role of Proteomics in Bacterial Response to Antibiotics

by Foteini Tsakou, Rosa Jersie-Christensen, Håvard Jenssen and Biljana Mojsoska

Pharmaceuticals 2020, 13(9), 214; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ph13090214 - 27 Aug 2020

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 5313

Abstract

For many years, we have tried to use antibiotics to eliminate the persistence of pathogenic bacteria. However, these infectious agents can recover from antibiotic challenges through various mechanisms, including drug resistance and antibiotic tolerance, and continue to pose a global threat to human health. To design more efficient treatments against bacterial infections, detailed knowledge about the bacterial response to the commonly used antibiotics is required. Proteomics is a well-suited and powerful tool to study molecular response to antimicrobial compounds. Bacterial response profiling from system-level investigations could increase our understanding of bacterial adaptation, the mechanisms behind antibiotic resistance and tolerance development. In this review, we aim to provide an overview of bacterial response to the most common antibiotics with a focus on the identification of dynamic proteome responses, and through published studies, to elucidate the formation mechanism of resistant and tolerant bacterial phenotypes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Featured Papers to Celebrate the New Era of the Journal Pharmaceuticals)

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