Human hepatic stem cells (hHpSCs), which are pluripotent precursors of hepatoblasts and thence of hepatocytic and biliary epithelia, are located in ductal plates in fetal livers and in Canals of Hering in adult livers. They can be isolated by immunoselection for epithelial cell adhesion molecule–positive (EpCAM+) cells, and they constitute ∼0.5–2.5% of liver parenchyma of all donor ages. The self-renewal capacity of hHpSCs is indicated by phenotypic stability after expansion for >150 population doublings in a serum-free, defined medium and with a doubling time of ∼36 h. Survival and proliferation of hHpSCs require paracrine signaling by hepatic stellate cells and/or angioblasts that coisolate with them. The hHpSCs are ∼9 μm in diameter, express cytokeratins 8, 18, and 19, CD133/1, telomerase, CD44H, claudin 3, and albumin (weakly). They are negative for α-fetoprotein (AFP), intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM) 1, and for markers of adult liver cells (cytochrome P450s), hemopoietic cells (CD45), and mesenchymal cells (vascular endothelial growth factor receptor and desmin). If transferred to STO feeders, hHpSCs give rise to hepatoblasts, which are recognizable by cordlike colony morphology and up-regulation of AFP, P4503A7, and ICAM1. Transplantation of freshly isolated EpCAM+ cells or of hHpSCs expanded in culture into NOD/SCID mice results in mature liver tissue expressing human-specific proteins. The hHpSCs are candidates for liver cell therapies.

We report the design and characterization of UNC3866, a potent antagonist of the methyl-lysine (Kme) reading function of the Polycomb CBX and CDY families of chromodomains. Polycomb CBX proteins regulate gene expression by targeting Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 to sites of H3K27me3 via their chromodomains. UNC3866 binds the chromodomains of CBX4 and CBX7 most potently with a Kd of ∼100 nM for each, and is 6- to 18-fold selective versus seven other CBX and CDY chromodomains while being highly selective versus >250 other protein targets. X-ray crystallography revealed that UNC3866 closely mimics the interactions of the methylated H3 tail with these chromodomains. UNC4195, a biotinylated derivative of UNC3866, was used to demonstrate that UNC3866 engages intact PRC1 and that EED incorporation into PRC1 is isoform-dependent in PC3 prostate cancer cells. Finally, UNC3866 inhibits PC3 cell proliferation, a known CBX7 phenotype, while UNC4219, a methylated negative control compound, has negligible effects.

Abnormal activation of Mer kinase has been implicated in the oncogenesis of many human cancers including acute lymphoblastic and myeloid leukemia, non-small cell lung cancer, and glioblastoma. We have discovered a new family of small molecule Mer inhibitors, pyrazolopyrimidine sulfonamides, that potently inhibit the kinase activity of Mer. Importantly, these compounds do not demonstrate significant hERG activity in the PatchXpress assay. Through structure-activity relationship studies, 35 (UNC1062) was identified as a potent (IC50 = 1.1 nM) and selective Mer inhibitor. When applied to live tumor cells, UNC1062 inhibited Mer phosphorylation and colony formation in soft agar. Given the potential of Mer as a therapeutic target, UNC1062 is a promising candidate for further drug development.

To better understand the contribution of methyl-lysine (Kme) binding proteins to various disease states, we recently developed and reported the discovery of 1 (UNC3866), a chemical probe that targets two families of Kme binding proteins, CBX and CDY chromodomains, with selectivity for CBX4 and -7. The discovery of 1 was enabled in part by the use of molecular dynamics simulations performed with CBX7 and its endogenous substrate. Herein, we describe the design, synthesis and structure-activity relationship studies that led to the development of 1 and provide support for our model of CBX7-ligand recognition by examining the binding kinetics of our antagonists with CBX7 as determined by surface-plasmon resonance.

The damX gene product of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is a protein located in the inner membrane. DamX migrates as a 70-kDa protein in SDS-PAGE even though the predicted protein size is 46 kDa. Synthesis of DamX protein occurs in both exponential- and stationary-phase cultures. Disruption of damX causes severe sensitivity to bile. Lack of the outer membrane protein AsmA suppresses bile sensitivity in Salmonella damX mutants.