Discovery of 4-(Piperazin-1-yl)-7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine Derivatives as Akt Inhibitors

Extensive investigation of benzylic N-containing substituents on the pyrrolopyrimidine skeleton as Akt inhibitors with potent anticancer activity

Continuous optimization of benzylic substituents on 1-(4-(7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4-yl)piperazin-1-yl)-2-phenylethan-1-one structure as Akt inhibitors was described in this paper. Particularly, compounds 8 and 14g exhibited high enzymatic potency against all Akt isoforms and antiproliferative effects in mantle cell lymphoma cell lines, as well as favorable cytotoxicities in patient primary cancer cells. Low micromolar doses of both 8 and 14g dose-dependently induced cell apoptosis and G₂/M cell cycle arrest, also suppressed the phosphorylation level of Akt downstream targets GSK3β and S6.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of AKT inhibitors bearing a piperidin-4-yl appendant

A series of AKT inhibitors possessing a piperidin-4-yl side chain was designed and synthesized. Some of them showed high AKT1 inhibitory activity and potent anti-proliferative effect on PC-3 prostate cancer cells in the preliminary screening. Further studies revealed the most potent compound, 10h, as a pan-AKT inhibitor. Compound 10h was able to inhibit the cellular phosphorylation of AKT effectively and induce apoptosis of PC-3 cells. It also showed high metabolic stability in human liver microsomes. Preclinical characterization of 10h, a promising lead AKT inhibitor, as a potential anti-prostate cancer therapeutic needs to be further investigated.

Structural optimization elaborates novel potent Akt inhibitors with promising anticancer activity

Targeting of Akt has been validated as a well rationalized approach to cancer treatment, and represents a promising therapeutic strategy for aggressive hematologic malignancies. We describe herein an exploration of novel Akt inhibitors for cancer therapy through structural optimization of previously described 4-(piperazin-1-yl)-7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine derivatives. Our studies yielded a novel series of pyrrolopyrimidine based phenylpiperidine carboxamides capable of potent inhibition of Akt1. Notably, 10h exhibited robust antiproliferative effects in both mantle cell lymphoma cell lines and primary patient tumor cells. Low micromolar doses of 10h induced cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in G₂/M phase, and significantly downregulated the phosphorylation of Akt downstream effectors GSK3β and S6 in Jeko-1 cells.