A New Class of 1-Aryl-5,6-dihydropyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline Derivatives as Reversers of P-Glycoprotein-Mediated Multidrug Resistance in Tumor Cells

Nature-Inspired 1-Phenylpyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline Scaffold for Novel Antiproliferative Agents Circumventing P-Glycoprotein-Dependent Multidrug Resistance

Previous studies have shown that some lamellarin-resembling annelated azaheterocyclic carbaldehydes and related imino adducts, sharing the 1-phenyl-5,6-dihydropyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline (1-Ph-DHPIQ) scaffold, are cytotoxic in some tumor cells and may reverse multidrug resistance (MDR) mediated by P-glycoprotein (P-gp). Herein, several novel substituted 1-Ph-DHPIQ derivatives were synthesized which carry carboxylate groups (COOH, COOEt), nitrile (CN) and Mannich bases (namely, morpholinomethyl derivatives) in the C2 position, as replacements of the already reported aldehyde group. They were evaluated for antiproliferative activity in four tumor cell lines (RD, HCT116, HeLa, A549) and for the ability of selectively inhibiting P-gp-mediated MDR. Lipophilicity descriptors and molecular docking calculations helped us in rationalizing the structure-activity relationships in the P-gp inhibition potency of the investigated 1-Ph-DHPIQs. As a main outcome, a morpholinomethyl Mannich base (8c) was disclosed which proved to be cytotoxic to all the tested tumor cell lines in the low micromolar range (IC50 < 20 μM) and to inhibit in vitro the efflux pumps P-gp and MRP1 responsible for MDR, with IC50s of 0.45 and 12.1 μM, respectively.

Progress on synthesis and structure-activity relationships of lamellarins over the past decade

Lamellarins are polyaromatic alkaloids isolated from marine organisms, including mollusks, tunicates, and sponges. Currently, over 60 structurally distinct natural lamellarins have been reported, and most of them exhibit promising biological activities, such as topoisomerase inhibition, mitochondrial function inhibition, multidrug resistance reversing, and anti-HIV activity. There has also been a significant progress on the synthetic study of lamellarins which has been regularly updated by numerous medicinal chemists as well. This review provides a detailed summary of the synthesis, pharmacology, and structural modification of lamellarins over the past decades.

Pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline scaffolds for developing anti-cancer agents

Fused pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines have emerged as compelling molecules with remarkably potent cytotoxic activity and topoisomerase inhibitors. This comprehensive review delves into the intricate world of this family of compounds, analyzing the natural marine lamellarins known for their diverse and complex chemical structures, exploring structure-activity relationships (SARs), and highlighting their remarkable versatility. The review emphasizes their fundamental role as topoisomerase inhibitors and cytotoxic agents, as well as some crucial aspects of the chemistry of pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines, exploring synthetic strategies in total synthesis and molecular diversification trends, highlighting their importance in the field of medicinal chemistry and beyond.

In-vitro and in-silico studies of annelated 1,4,7,8-tetrahydroazocine ester derivatives as nanomolar selective inhibitors of human butyrylcholinesterase

Based on previous finding showing 2,3,6,11-tetrahydro-1H-azocino[4,5-b]indole as suitable scaffold of novel inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), a main target of drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, herein we investigated diverse newly and previously synthesized β-enamino esters (and ketones) derivatives of 1,4,7,8-tetrahydroazocines (and some azonines) fused with benzene, 1H-indole, 4H-chromen-4-one and pyrimidin-4(3H)-one. Twenty derivatives of diversely annelated eight-to-nine-membered azaheterocyclic ring, prepared through domino reaction of the respective tetrahydropyridine and azepine with activated alkynes, were assayed for the inhibitory activity against AChE and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). As a major outcome, compound 7c, an alkylamino derivative of tetrahydropyrimido[4,5-d]azocine, was found to be a highly potent BChE-selective inhibitor, which showed a noncompetitive/mixed-type inhibition mechanism against human BChE with single digit nanomolar inhibition constant (Ki = 7.8 ± 0.2 nM). The four-order magnitude BChE-selectivity of 7c clearly reflects the effect of lipophilicity upon binding to the BChE binding cavity. The ChEs' inhibition data, interpreted by chemoinformatic tools and an in-depth in-silico study (molecular docking combined with molecular dynamics calculations), not only highlighted key structural factors enhancing inhibition potency and selectivity toward BChE, but also shed light on subtle differences distinguishing the binding sites of equine BChE from the recombinant human BChE. Compound 7c inhibited P-glycoprotein with IC50 of 0.27 μM, which may support its ability to permeate blood-brain barrier, and proved to be no cytotoxic in human liver cancer cell line (HepG2) at the BChE bioactive concentrations. Overall, the biological profile allows us to envision 7c as a promising template to improve design and development of BChE-selective ligands of pharmaceutical interest, including inhibitors and fluorogenic probes.

Synthesis of Pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines through Cu-Catalyzed Condensation/Addition/Oxidation/Cyclization Cascade

We have developed a copper-catalyzed synthesis of pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines with terminal alkynes, aldehydes, and tetrahydroisoquinolines. A variety of pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines have been prepared in 17-69% yield via a condensation/Mannich-type addition/oxidation/cyclization cascade sequence. Modifications through simple chemical transformations provided highly functionalized molecules containing a privileged framework.

Recent progress in the synthesis of pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines

Pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines occur frequently in a large number of bioactive natural products and pharmaceutically important molecules. The synthesis of pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline derivatives is an easy and useful way to produce artificial molecules with potential applications. A huge number of excellent methodologies for constructing pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines have been reported in the last decade. This review summarizes the recent advances in this research field covering from 2011 to 2021.

Unprecedented access to functionalized pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines from the domino reaction of isoquinolinium ylides and electrophilic benzannulated heterocycles

We have come across an unexpected reaction between electrophilic indoles and isoquinolinium methylides for accessing functionalized pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines. The reaction was found in general to yield the products in good yields. We also observed the formation of S-S-bridged bis-pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines from the reaction of 3-nitro benzothiophene and isoquinolinium methylides.

Homobivalent Lamellarin-Like Schiff Bases: In Vitro Evaluation of Their Cancer Cell Cytotoxicity and Multitargeting Anti-Alzheimer's Disease Potential

Marine alkaloids belonging to the lamellarins family, which incorporate a 5,6-dihydro-1-phenylpyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline (DHPPIQ) moiety, possess various biological activities, spanning from antiviral and antibiotic activities to cytotoxicity against tumor cells and the reversal of multidrug resistance. Expanding a series of previously reported imino adducts of DHPPIQ 2-carbaldehyde, novel aliphatic and aromatic Schiff bases were synthesized and evaluated herein for their cytotoxicity in five diverse tumor cell lines. Most of the newly synthesized compounds were found noncytotoxic in the low micromolar range (<30 μM). Based on a Multi-fingerprint Similarity Search aLgorithm (MuSSeL), mainly conceived for making protein drug target prediction, some DHPPIQ derivatives, especially bis-DHPPIQ Schiff bases linked by a phenylene bridge, were prioritized as potential hits addressing Alzheimer's disease-related target proteins, such as cholinesterases (ChEs) and monoamine oxidases (MAOs). In agreement with MuSSeL predictions, homobivalent para-phenylene DHPPIQ Schiff base 14 exhibited a noncompetitive/mixed inhibition of human acetylcholinesterase (AChE) with K_i in the low micromolar range (4.69 μM). Interestingly, besides a certain inhibition of MAO A (50% inhibition of the cell population growth (IC₅₀) = 12 μM), the bis-DHPPIQ 14 showed a good inhibitory activity on self-induced β-amyloid (Aβ)_1-40 aggregation (IC₅₀ = 13 μM), which resulted 3.5-fold stronger than the respective mono-DHPPIQ Schiff base 9.

Chemical molecular-based approach to overcome multidrug resistance in cancer by targeting P-glycoprotein (P-gp)

Multidrug resistance (MDR) remains one of the major impediments for efficacious cancer chemotherapy. Increased efflux of multiple chemotherapeutic drugs by transmembrane ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter superfamily is considered one of the primary causes for cancer MDR, in which the role of P-glycoprotein (P-gp/ABCB1) has been most well-established. The clinical co-administration of P-gp drug efflux inhibitors, in combination with anticancer drugs which are P-gp transport substrates, was considered to be a treatment modality to surmount MDR in anticancer therapy by blocking P-gp-mediated multidrug efflux. Extensive attempts have been carried out to screen for sets of nontoxic, selective, and efficacious P-gp efflux inhibitors. In this review, we highlight the recent achievements in drug design, characterization, structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies, and mechanisms of action of the newly synthetic, potent small molecules P-gp inhibitors in the past 5 years. The development of P-gp inhibitors will increase our knowledge of the mechanisms and functions of P-gp-mediated drug efflux which will benefit drug discovery and clinical cancer therapeutics where P-gp transporter overexpression has been implicated in MDR.

Multicomponent Reaction for the Synthesis of 5,6-Dihydropyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines

A multicomponent reaction between isatin, tetrahydroisoquinoline, and terminal alkyne in the presence of benzoic acid for the synthesis of N-(substituted-2-(2-phenyl-5,6-dihydropyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolin-3-yl)phenyl)-3,4-dihydroisoquinoline-2(1H)-carboxamides is described. This three-component reaction proceeds via sequential formation of spirooxindole, generation of isocyanate functionality via cleavage of the C2-C3 bond in the isatin subunit of spirooxindole, and addition of the second molecule of tetrahydroisoquinoline to the isocyanate group to offer title compounds. Expansion of the protocol to four-component by including an additional primary amine affords 1-substituted-3-(2-(2-phenyl-5,6-dihydropyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolin-3-yl)phenyl)urea in low to moderate yields. However, the reaction of intermediate spirooxindole with tetrahydroisoquinoline or any primary or secondary amine produced the title compound in excellent yields.

Pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline scaffold in drug discovery: advances in synthesis and medicinal chemistry

Pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline (PIq) is a nitrogen heterocyclic scaffold of diverse alkaloids endowed with several biological activities, including antiretroviral and antitumor activities. Several 5,6-dihydro-PIq (DHPIq) alkaloids, belonging to the lamellarins' family, have proved to be cytotoxic to tumor cells, as well as reversers of multidrug resistance. In this review, we provide an overview of the main achievements over the last decade in the synthetic approaches to access libraries of PIq compounds along with a survey, as comprehensive as possible, of bioactivity, mechanism of action, pharmacophore and structure-activity relationships of synthetic analogs of DHPIq-based alkaloids. The focus is mainly on the potential exploitation of the (DH)PIq scaffold in design and development of novel antitumor drugs.

3-benzazecine-based cyclic allene derivatives as highly potent P-glycoprotein inhibitors overcoming doxorubicin multidrug resistance

Aim: Enamino 3-benzazecine compounds, incorporating the C6-C8 allene system, were synthesized and evaluated in vitro as inhibitors of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and/or multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (MRP1), two efflux pumps mainly connected with multidrug resistance (MDR) in cancer cells. Results & methodology: Most of the synthesized compounds were selective P-gp inhibitors in Calcein-AM uptake assay. Structure–activity relationships (SARs) pointed out that CO2Me derivatives are more potent than acetyl derivatives, and 10,11-dimethoxy compounds are five to tenfold more potent inhibitors than the respective unsubstituted compounds, and that the P-gp inhibition potency is mainly related to volume parameters. Conclusion: Nanomolar P-gp inhibitors, such as 23 (IC50 = 4.2 nM), restored the antiproliferative activity of doxorubicin in multidrug-resistant cells. The observed activities showed that 3-benzazecine-based compounds may be promising MDR reversers.

1,2,3,4-Tetrahydroisoquinoline/2H-chromen-2-one conjugates as nanomolar P-glycoprotein inhibitors: Molecular determinants for affinity and selectivity over multidrug resistance associated protein 1

A series of coniugates bearing a 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline motif linked to substituted 7-hydroxy-2H-chromen-2-ones was synthesized and assayed through calcein-AM test in Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells overexpressing P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and closely related multidrug resistance associated protein 1 (MRP1) to probe the interference with efflux mechanisms mediated by P-gp and MRP1, respectively. A number of substituents at C3 and C4 of coumarin nucleus along with differently sized and shaped spacers was enrolled to investigate the effects of focused structural modifications over affinity and selectivity. Linker length and flexibility played a key role in enhancing P-gp affinity as proved by the most potent P-gp modulator (3h, IC₅₀ = 70 nM). A phenyl ring within the spacer (3k, 3l, 3o) and bulkier groups (Br in 3r, Ph in 3u) at coumarin C3 led to derivatives showing nanomolar activity (160 nM < IC₅₀ < 280 nM) along with outstanding selectivity over MRP1 (SI > 350). Molecular docking calculations carried out on a human MDR1 homology model structure contributed to gain insights into the ligands' binding modes. Some compounds (3d, 3h, 3l, 3r, 3t, 3u) reversed MDR thereby restoring doxorubicin cytotoxicity when co-administered with the drug into MDCK-MDR1 cells.