Background: Familial hyperaldosteronism type I is caused by the generation of a chimeric aldosterone synthase enzyme (ASCE) which is regulated by ACTH instead of angiotensin II. We have reported that in vitro, the wild-type (ASWT) and chimeric aldosterone synthase (ASCE) enzymes are inhibited by progesterone and estradiol does not affect their activity. Aim: To explore the direct action of testosterone on ASWT and ASCE enzymes. Material and Methods: HEK-293 cells were transiently transfected with vectors containing the full ASWT or ASCE cDNAs. The effect of testosterone on AS enzyme activities was evaluated incubating HEK-cells transfected with enzyme vectors and adding deoxycorticosterone (DOC) alone or DOC plus increasing doses of testosterone. Aldosterone production was measured by HPLC-MS/MS. Docking of testosterone within the active sites of both enzymes was performed by modelling in silico. Results: In this system, testosterone inhibited ASWT (90% inhibition at five pM, 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) =1.690 pM) with higher efficacy andpotency than ASCE (80% inhibition at five pM, IC50=3.176 pM). Molecular modelling studies showed different orientation of testosterone in ASWT and ASCE crystal structures. Conclusions: The inhibitory effect of testosterone on ASWT or ASCE enzymes is a novel non-genomic testosterone action, suggesting that further clinical studies are needed to assess the role of testosterone in the screening and diagnosis of primary aldosteronism.

A series of six-membered lactam derivatives containing C, O and S atoms in position 4 were synthesized using microwave methodology through coupling reactions. The novel compounds were synthesized following two step reaction to yield fifteen derivatives. The final derivative N-(4-(3-oxotiomorpholin)phenyl) hexanamide was selectively toxic to the HCT-116 cell line over the HeLa cancerous and HEK-293 human non-malignant control cells with low inhibition Factor Xa (FXa) activity. The new products were characterized by spectral data including 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), infrared (IR) and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). Cytotoxicity of products on HCT-116, HeLa, HEK-293 cell lines and FXa activity assays are also reported.

Cerebrotendinous Xanthomatosis (CTX), a rare lipid storage disorder, is caused by recessive loss-of-function mutations of the 27-sterol hydroxylase (CYP27A1), producing an alteration of the synthesis of bile acids, with an accumulation of cholestanol. Clinical characteristics include juvenile cataracts, diarrhea, tendon xanthomas, cognitive impairment and other neurological manifestations. Early diagnosis is critical, because treatment with chenodeoxycholic acid may prevent neurological damage. We studied the CYP27A1 gene in two Chilean CTX patients by sequencing its nine exons, exon-intron boundaries, and cDNA from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Patient 1 is a compound heterozygote for the novel substitution c.256-1G > T that causes exon 2 skipping, leading to a premature stop codon in exon 3, and for the previously-known pathogenic mutation c.1183C > T (p.Arg395Cys). Patient 2 is homozygous for the novel mutation c.1185-1G > A that causes exon 7 skipping and the generation of a premature stop codon in exon 8, leading to the loss of the crucial adrenoxin binding domain of CYP27A1.

A novel approach to the development of a new class of HIV-1 RT inhibitors is reported. The 1-benzoyl-2-aryl-1H-benzimidazole series was designed as a combination of two previously reported active scaffolds, the benzimidazole and benzoyl moieties. The active compounds of the series effectively blocked the reverse transcription in the micromolar range in an in vitro assay containing the wild-type enzyme. We have demonstrated that the 2-nitrophenyl C-2 substituent is an important structural feature for the desired biological activity in this series. Molecular docking experiments suggest that the active compounds adopt a butterflylike conformation within the binding pocket of the enzyme, with the benzoyl moiety located in an extended hydrophobic region defined mainly by Tyrl 81, Tyrl 88, and Trp229