Furan-2-carboxamide derivative, a novel microtubule stabilizing agent induces mitotic arrest and potentiates apoptosis in cancer cells

The vital role played by microtubules in the cell division process, marks them as a potential druggable target to decimate cancer. A novel furan-2-carboxamide based small molecule, is a selective microtubule stabilizing agent (MSA) with IC₅₀ ranging from 4 µM to 8 µM in different cancer cell lines. Inhibition of tubulin polymerization or stabilization of tubulin polymers abrogates chromosomal segregation during cell division, results in cell cycle arrest and leads to cell death due to the delayed repair mechanism. A novel furan-2-carboxamide based small molecule exhibited potent anti-proliferative and anti-metastatic property In-Vitro against the panel of cancer cells. Annexin V-FITC/PI, double staining reveals potent cytotoxic effect of SH09 against HeLa cells. FACS analysis displays induction of G2/M arrest and accumulation of subG1 population of cells upon treatment with SH09. Molecular docking study unveils SH09 binding affinity to the Taxol binding pocket of tubulin proteins and MM-GBSA also confirms strong binding energies of SH09 with tubulin proteins.

Metabolite Profiling of Alangium salviifolium Bark Using Advanced LC/MS and GC/Q-TOFTechnology

There is an urge for traditional herbal remedies as an alternative to modern medicine in treating several ailments. Alangium salviifolium is one such plant, used traditionally to treat several diseases. In several reports, there are findings related to the use of this plant extract that demonstrate its therapeutic value. However, very few attempts have been made to identify the extensive metabolite composition of this plant. Here, we performed metabolite profiling and identification from the bark of A. salviifolium by extracting the sample in organic and aqueous solvents. The organic and aqueous extracts were fraction-collected using the Agilent 1260 Analytical Scale Fraction Collection System. Each of the fractions was analyzed on Liquid Chromatogaphy/Quadrupole Time-of-Flight LC/Q-TOF and Gas Chromatography/Quadrupole Time-of-Flight GC/instruments. The Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS) analyses were performed using Hydrophilic Ineraction Liquid Chromatography (HILIC), as well as reversed-phase chromatography using three separate, orthogonal reverse phase columns. Samples were analyzed using an Agilent Jet Stream (AJS) source in both positive and negative ionization modes. The compounds found were flavonoids, fatty acids, sugars, and terpenes. Eighty-one secondary metabolites were identified as having therapeutic potential. The data produced was against the METLIN database using accurate mass and/or MS/MS library matching. Compounds from Alangium that could not be identified by database or library matching were subsequently searched against the ChemSpider) database of over 30 million structures using MSMS data and Agilent MSC software.In order to identify compounds generated by GC/MS, the data were searched against the AgilentFiehn GCMS Metabolomics Library as well as the Wiley/NIST libraries.

Novel 1,3,4-oxadiazole Targets STAT3 Signaling to Induce Antitumor Effect in Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the leading type of malignancy in terms of occurrence and mortality in the global context. STAT3 is an oncogenic transcription factor that is persistently activated in many types of human malignancies, including lung cancer. In the present report, new oxadiazole conjugated indazoles were synthesized and examined for their anticancer potential in a panel of cancer cell lines. Among the new compounds, 2-(3-(6-chloro-5-methylpyridin-3-yl)phenyl)-5-(1-methyl-1H-indazol-3-yl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole (CHK9) showed consistently good cytotoxicity towards lung cancer cells with IC50 values ranging between 4.8-5.1 µM. The proapoptotic effect of CHK9 was further demonstrated by Annexin-FITC staining and TUNEL assay. In addition, the effect of CHK9 on the activation of STAT3 in lung cancer cells was examined. CHK9 reduced the phosphorylation of STAT3Y705 in a dose-dependent manner. CHK9 had no effect on the activation and expression of JAK2 and STAT5. It also reduced the STAT3-dependent luciferase reporter gene expression. CHK9 increased the expression of proapoptotic (p53 and Bax) proteins and decreased the expression of the antiapoptotic (Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, BID, and ICAM-1) proteins. CHK9 displayed a significant reduction in the number of tumor nodules in the in vivo lung cancer model with suppression of STAT3 activation in tumor tissues. CHK9 did not show substantial toxicity in the normal murine model. Overall, CHK9 inhibits the growth of lung cancer cells and tumors by interfering with the STAT3 signaling pathway.

Anti-proliferative activity and characterization data on oxadiazole derivatives

This data in brief article explains the anti-cancer activity and characterization of oxadiazoles [1]. The main objective of this article was to provide general synthetic procedures, spectral discussion and physical data on the new oxadiazole tethered indazole (OTDs). This article discusses the ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, mass spectroscopy, HPLC and melting point of the synthetic compounds. MTT assay was used to determine the anti-proliferative activity in hepatocellular cell lines.

Cyclization of Active Methylene Isocyanides with α-Oxodithioesters Induced by Base: An Expedient Synthesis of 4-Methylthio/Ethoxycarbonyl-5-acylthiazoles

Cyclization of tosylmethyl isocyanide with α-oxodithioesters in the presence of KOH is reported for the synthesis of 4-methylthio-5-acylthiazoles. Similarly, ethyl isocyanoacetate underwent cyclization with α-oxodithioesters to form 4-ethoxycarbonyl-5-acylthiazoles in the presence of DBU/EtOH. Mechanisms for the formation of thiazoles are proposed. These thiazoles can also be obtained by Takeda reaction, in which thiazole-4,5-anhydride is acylated with aromatic compounds followed by esterification; however, that approach requires two steps and suffers from the formation of a regioisomeric mixture of products.

I2-Catalyzed transformation of o-aminobenzamide to o-ureidobenzonitrile using isothiocyanates

The present work describes an unexpected and unique protocol for the iodine catalysed synthesis of o-ureidobenzonitriles using o-aminobenzamides and isothiocyanates via intramolecular rearrangement. The metal-free route achieved here is insensitive to moisture and applicable to the synthesis of a wide variety of o-ureidobenzonitriles with excellent yields even in a scalable fashion.

Identification and characterization of novel SCR7-based small-molecule inhibitor of DNA end-joining, SCR130 and its relevance in cancer therapeutics

Targeting DNA repair with small-molecule inhibitors is an attractive strategy for cancer therapy. Majority of DNA double-strand breaks in mammalian cells are repaired through nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ). It has been shown that small-molecule inhibitors of NHEJ can block efficient repair inside cancer cells, leading to cell death. Previously, we have reported that SCR7, an inhibitor of NHEJ can induce tumor regression in mice. Later studies have shown that different forms of SCR7 can inhibit DNA end-joining in Ligase IV-dependent manner. Recently, we have derivatized SCR7 by introducing spiro ring into core structure. Here, we report the identification of a novel inhibitor of NHEJ, named SCR130 with 20-fold higher efficacy in inducing cytotoxicity in cancer cell lines. SCR130 inhibited DNA end-joining catalyzed by rat tissue extract. Specificity analysis revealed that while SCR130 was specific to Ligase IV, it showed minimal or no effect on Ligase III and Ligase I mediated joining. Importantly, SCR130 exhibited the least cytotoxicity in Ligase IV-null cell line as compared with wild type, confirming Ligase IV-specificity. Furthermore, we demonstrate that SCR130 can potentiate the effect of radiation in cancer cells when used in combination with γ-radiation. Various cellular assays in conjunction with Western blot analysis revealed that treatment with SCR130 led to loss of mitochondrial membrane potential leading to cell death by activating both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways of apoptosis. Thus, we describe a novel inhibitor of NHEJ with higher efficacy and may have the potential to be developed as cancer therapeutic.

The reaction of arylmethyl isocyanides and arylmethylamines with xanthate esters: a facile and unexpected synthesis of carbamothioates

An unexpected formation of carbamothioates by a sodium hydride-mediated reaction of arylmethyl isocyanides with xanthate esters in DMF is reported. The products thus obtained were compared with the carbamothioates obtained by the sodium hydride-mediated condensation of the corresponding benzylamines and xanthate esters in DMF. To account for these unexpected reactions, a mechanism is proposed in which the key steps are supported by quantum chemical calculations.

Identification of a novel 1,2 oxazine that can induce apoptosis by targeting NF-κB in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

•

10 new 1,2-Oxazines were synthesized and evaluated for their anticancer activity.

•

3i is lead cytotoxic agent which increased SubG1 cell population of HCC cells.

•

p65 siRNA transfection significantly reduced the 3i induced DNA fragmentation.

•

3i decreased DNA binding and NF-κB-dependent luciferase reporter gene expression.

Constitutive activation of NF-κB is associated with proinflammatory diseases and suppression of the NF-κB signaling pathway has been considered as an effective therapeutic strategy in the treatment of various cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Herein, we report the synthesis of 1,2 oxazines and their anticancer potential. The antiproliferative studies presented 3-((4-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)piperidin-1-yl)methyl)-4-phenyl-4,4a,5,6,7,7a-hexahydrocyclopenta [e][1,2]oxazine(3i) as a lead cytotoxic agent against HCC cells. Flow cytometric analysis showed that 3i caused a substantial increase in the subG1 cell population. Annexin-V-FITC-PI staining showed a significant increase in the percentage of apoptotic cells on treatment with 3i. Transfection with p65 siRNA significantly reduced the 3i induced DNA fragmentation indicating that 3i may primarily mediate its proapoptotic effects by abrogating the NF-κB signaling. In addition, treatment of HCC cells with 3i decreased the DNA binding ability of NF-κB and NF-κB-dependent luciferase expression. Taken together, this report introduces 1,2-oxazine that potently targets the NF-κB signaling pathway in HCC cells.

Acid-Catalyzed Condensation of o-Phenylenediammines and o-Aminophenols with α-Oxodithioesters: A Divergent and Regio­selective Synthesis of 2-Methylthio-3-aryl/Heteroarylquinoxalines and 2-Acylbenzoxazoles

o-Phenylenediammines and o-aminophenols were reacted with α-oxodithioesters in a highly regioselective fashion to give 2-methylthio-3-aryl/heteroarylquinoxalines and 2-acylbenzoxazoles in 55–94% and 45–86%, respectively, in the presence of p-toluene sulfonic acid catalyst. Control experiments involving reaction of aniline with a α-oxodithioester indicated that the thiocarbonyl group is more reactive than the carbonyl group. Based on this, probable mechanisms for the formation of quinoxalines and benzoxazoles are given. Biological targets of the quinoxalines and benzoxazoles were identified by bioinformatics. It was found that quinoxalines have good binding affinity with human dual-specificity tyrosine-phosphorylation-regulated kinase 1A and benzoxazoles with human carboxylesterase.

Discovery of Novel Approach for Regioselective Synthesis of Thioxotriaza-Spiro Derivatives via Oxalic Acid

A vital approach for the synthesis of a range of novel thioxotriaza-spiro derivatives is described. These new heterocyclic systems are obtained via oxalic acid catalyzed reaction of α,β-unsaturated ketones in the presence of 5,6-diamino-2-mercaptopyrimidine-4-ols; thus, spiro rings are constructed in one step. Notably, this transformation involves condensation of an amino group followed by enamine reaction with alkenes and subsequent reaction promoted by oxalic acid to afford spiro compounds with excellent regioselectivity.

A modified flavonoid accelerates oligodendrocyte maturation and functional remyelination

Myelination delay and remyelination failure following insults to the central nervous system (CNS) impede axonal conduction and lead to motor, sensory and cognitive impairments. Both myelination and remyelination are often inhibited or delayed due to the failure of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) to mature into myelinating oligodendrocytes (OLs). Digestion products of the glycosaminoglycan hyaluronan (HA) have been implicated in blocking OPC maturation, but how these digestion products are generated is unclear. We tested the possibility that hyaluronidase activity is directly linked to the inhibition of OPC maturation by developing a novel modified flavonoid that functions as a hyaluronidase inhibitor. This compound, called S3, blocks some but not all hyaluronidases and only inhibits matrix metalloproteinase activity at high concentrations. We find that S3 reverses HA-mediated inhibition of OPC maturation in vitro, an effect that can be overcome by excess recombinant hyaluronidase. Furthermore, we find that hyaluronidase inhibition by S3 accelerates OPC maturation in an in vitro model of perinatal white matter injury. Finally, blocking hyaluronidase activity with S3 promotes functional remyelination in mice with lysolecithin-induced demyelinating corpus callosum lesions. All together, these findings support the notion that hyaluronidase activity originating from OPCs in CNS lesions is sufficient to prevent OPC maturation, which delays myelination or blocks remyelination. These data also indicate that modified flavonoids can act as selective inhibitors of hyaluronidase activity and can promote OPC maturation, making them excellent candidates to accelerate myelination or promote remyelination following perinatal and adult CNS insults.

Triazole-Pyridine Dicarbonitrile Targets Phosphodiesterase 4 to Induce Cytotoxicity in Lung Carcinoma Cells

Phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) is a key enzyme involved in the hydrolysis of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and widely expressed in several types of cancers. The inhibition of PDE4 results in an increased concentration of intracellular cAMP levels that imparts the anti-inflammatory response in the target cells. In the present report, two series of triazolo-pyridine dicarbonitriles and substituted dihydropyridine dicarbonitriles were synthesized using green protocol (TBAB in refluxed water). We next evaluated the title compounds for their cytotoxicity towards lung cancer (A549) cells and identified 7'-[4-(methylsulfonyl)phenyl]-5'-oxo-1',5'-dihydrospiro[cyclohexane-1,2'-[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyridine]-6',8'-dicarbonitrile (5h) and 7'-(1-methyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)-5'-oxo-1',5'-dihydrospiro[cyclohexane-1,2'-[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyridine]-6',8'-dicarbonitrile (5j) as lead analogs with the IC₅₀ values of 15.2 and 24.1 μm, respectively. Furthermore, all the new compounds were tested for PDE4 inhibitory activity and 5j showed relatively good inhibitory activity towards PDE4 with inhibition of 50.9 % at 10 μm. In silico analysis demonstrated the favorable interaction of the title compounds with the target enzyme. Taken together, the present study introduces a new scaffold for the development of novel PDE4 inhibitors to fight against inflammatory diseases.

Cyclization of Activated Methylene Isocyanides with Methyl N(N),N′-Di(tri)substituted Carbamimidothioate: A Novel Entry for the Synthesis of N,1-Aryl-4-tosyl/ethoxycarbonyl-1H-imidazol-5-amines

Base-induced cyclization of active methylene isocyanides with carbamimidothioates for the synthesis of N,1-aryl-4-tosyl/ethylcarboxy-1H-imidazol-5-amines is reported. The diversity of the reactions is exemplified by using various carbamimidothioates obtained from symmetrical N,N-disubstituted, unsymmetrical N,N,N-trisubstituted, and unsymmetrical N,N-disubstituted thioureas. This diversity is further enriched by different isocyanides. A mechanism for the formation of the title compounds is proposed.

The crystal structure of (RS)-7-chloro-2-(2,5-di-meth-oxy-phen-yl)-2,3-di-hydro-quinazolin-4(1H)-one: two hydrogen bonds generate an elegant three-dimensional framework structure

In the title compound, C61H15ClN2O3, the heterocyclic ring adopts an envelope conformation, folded across the N⋯N line, with the 2,5-di-meth-oxy-phenyl unit occupying a quasi-axial site. There are two N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds in the structure: one hydrogen bond links mol-ecules related by a 41 screw axis to form a C(6) chain, and the other links inversion-related pairs of mol-ecules to form an R 2 2(8) ring. The ring motif links all of the chains into a continuous three-dimensional framework structure. Comparisons are made with the structures of some related compounds.