Evaluation of novel multifunctional organoselenium compounds as potential cholinesterase inhibitors against Alzheimer’s disease

Pharmacological evaluation and binding behavior of 4,4'-diamino-2,2'-stilbene disulfonic acid with metal ions using spectroscopic techniques

Industrial and human activities contribute significantly to the environmental contamination of heavy metal ions (HMIs), which have detrimental effects on aquatic life, plants, and animals, causing major toxicological problems. The commercially available 4,4'-diamino-2,2'-stilbenedisulfonic acid (DSD) has been playing a vital role in the detection of heavy metal ions and has significantly inhibited a variety of cancer cells in numerous field of modern science. The current investigation aimed to ensure the detection of heavy metals ions from the environment and fluorescence imaging of DSD in the treatment of cancer cells. Fluorescence and UV-Visible spectroscopic analysis was performed to sense the selective behavior of the probe DSD with several heavy metal ions, including Fe2+, K1+, Co2+, Ni2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, Pb2+, Mn2+, Sn2+, and Cr3+. Furthermore, DSD was subjected to examine enzyme inhibition such as anti-Alzheimer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, and antimicrobial activities in search of multifaceted drugs. Test compounds have demonstrated dose-dependent responses in the in-vitro enzyme inhibition assays for acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), cyclooxygenase (COX), and lipoxygenase (LOX), as well as antioxidant [DPPH = 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and ABTS = 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid]. The DSD were shown to be more effective than the conventional medication galantamine in inhibiting acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), with an IC50 value of 12.18 and 20.87 μM, which is equivalent to the standard drug. The results obtained has revealed that DSD has the potential to become an effective sensor for the detection of Sn2+ ions over competing metal ions due to the inhibition of photo-induced electron transfer pathway (PET). The MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide tetrazolium) test, demonstrated that DSD had strong anticancer effects against the brain cancer cell line NIH/3T3, HeLa and MCF-7 with an IC50 value of 32.59, 15.31 and 96.46 μM respectively. The antimicrobial testing has shown that DSD outperforms the standard drug cefixime against Candida albicans and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively. This study makes a substantial contribution to the ongoing search for efficient treatments for breast cancer.

Telescoping Synthesis of 4-Organyl-5-(organylselanyl)thiazol-2-amines Promoted by Ultrasound

In this work, we describe the synthesis of new 4-organyl-5-(organylselanyl)thiazol-2-amine hybrids through a one-pot two-step protocol. The transition metal-free method involves the use of ultrasound as an alternative energy source and Oxone® as oxidant. To obtain the products, a telescoping approach was used, in which 4-organylthiazol-2-amines were firstly prepared under ultrasonic irradiation, followed by the addition of diorganyl diselenides and Oxone®. Thus, 16 compounds were prepared, with yields ranging from 61 % to 98 %, using 2-bromoacetophenone derivatives and diorganyl diselenides as easily available starting materials.

de Oliveira A, Pascoal ACRF, Cruz AL, Nascimento V. New Chalcogen-Functionalized Naphthoquinones: Design, Synthesis, and Evaluation, In Vitro and In Silico, against Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Due to the growth in the number of patients and the complexity involved in anticancer therapies, new therapeutic approaches are urgent and necessary. In this context, compounds containing the selenium atom can be employed in developing new medicines due to their potential therapeutic efficacy and unique modes of action. Furthermore, tellurium, a previously unknown element, has emerged as a promising possibility in chalcogen-containing compounds. In this study, 13 target compounds (9a-i, 10a-c, and 11) were effectively synthesized as potential anticancer agents, employing a CuI-catalyzed Csp-chalcogen bond formation procedure. The developed methodology yielded excellent results, ranging from 30 to 85%, and the compounds were carefully characterized. Eight of these compounds showed promise as potential therapeutic drugs due to their high yields and remarkable selectivity against SCC-9 cells (squamous cell carcinoma). Compound 10a, in particular, demonstrated exceptional selectivity, making it an excellent choice for cancer cell targeting while sparing healthy cells. Furthermore, complementing in silico and molecular docking studies shed light on their physical features and putative modes of action. This research highlights the potential of these compounds in anticancer treatments and lays the way for future drug development efforts.

Glutathione Peroxidase-like Antioxidant Activity of 1,3-Benzoselenazoles: Synthesis and In Silico Molecular Docking Studies as Pancreatic Lipase Inhibitors

The synthesis of 1,3-benzoselenazoles was achieved by the reaction of corresponding bis[3-amino-N-(p-tolyl)benzamide-2-yl] diselenide, bis[3-amino-N-(4-methoxyphenyl)benzamide-2-yl] diselenide, and bis[3-amino-N-(4-(dimethylamino)phenyl) benzamide-2-yl] diselenide with aryl aldehydes. The 1,3-benzoselenazoles continued to exist as planar molecules due to the presence of secondary Se···O interactions as revealed by the single-crystal X-ray analysis. The presence of secondary Se···O interactions in 1,3-benzoselenazoles was confirmed using natural bond orbital (NBO) and atoms in molecules (AIM) calculations. Nucleus-independent chemical shift (NICS) values suggested the presence of aromatic character in a five-membered benzoselenazole heterocyclic ring. The glutathione peroxidase (GPx)-like antioxidant activity of all 1,3-benzoselenazoles was assessed using a thiophenol assay, exhibiting greater antioxidant activity than Ph2Se2 used as a reference. The most active catalyst carrying a strong electron-donating group (-NMe2) at the ortho-position to the benzoselenazole ring was further investigated at different concentrations of thiophenol, H2O2, and 1,3-benzoselenazoles as catalyst for determining their catalytic parameters. Moreover, the potential applications of all 1,3-benzoselenazoles against pancreatic lipase (PL) have been identified using in silico interactions between the active sites of the 1LPB protein as evaluated using a molecular docking study.

Sodium selenite preserves rBM-MSCs' stemness, differentiation potential, and immunophenotype and protects them against oxidative stress via activation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway

BACKGROUND

The physiological level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is necessary for many cellular functions. However, during the in-vitro manipulations, cells face a high level of ROS, leading to reduced cell quality. Preventing this abnormal ROS level is a challenging task. Hence, here we evaluated the effect of sodium selenite supplementation on the antioxidant potential, stemness capacity, and differentiation of rat-derived Bone Marrow MSCs (rBM-MSCs) and planned to check our hypothesis on the molecular pathways and networks linked to sodium selenite's antioxidant properties.

METHODS

MTT assay was used to assess the rBM-MSCs cells' viability following sodium selenite supplementation (concentrations of: 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 µM). The expression level of OCT-4, NANOG, and SIRT1 was explored using qPCR. The adipocyte differentiation capacity of MSCs was checked after Sodium Selenite treatment. The DCFH-DA assay was used to determine intracellular ROS levels. Sodium selenite-related expression of HIF-1α, GPX, SOD, TrxR, p-AKT, Nrf2, and p38 markers was determined using western blot. Significant findings were investigated by the String tool to picture the probable molecular network.

RESULTS

Media supplemented with 0.1 µM sodium selenite helped to preserve rBM-MSCs multipotency and keep their surface markers presentation; this also reduced the ROS level and improved the rBM-MSCs' antioxidant and stemness capacity. We observed enhanced viability and reduced senescence for rBM-MSCs. Moreover, sodium selenite helped in rBM-MSCs cytoprotection by regulating the expression of HIF-1 of AKT, Nrf2, SOD, GPX, and TrxR markers.

CONCLUSIONS

We showed that sodium selenite could help protect MSCs during in-vitro manipulations, probably via the Nrf2 pathway.

Organoselenocyanates Tethered Methyl Anthranilate Hybrids with Promising Anticancer, Antimicrobial, and Antioxidant Activities

Novel methyl anthranilate-based organoselenocyanate hybrids were developed, and their structures were confirmed by the state-of-the-art spectroscopic techniques. Their antimicrobial potency was estimated against various microbial strains (e.g., Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus). The S. aureus and C. albicans strains were more sensitive than E. coli toward the organoselenocyanates. Interestingly, the azoic derivatives 4 and 9, methyl ester 6, and phenoxy acetamide 15 showed promising antimicrobial activity. Moreover, the antitumor potential was estimated against liver and breast carcinomas, as well as primary fibroblasts. Interestingly, the anticancer properties were more pronounced in the HepG2 cells. The organoselenocyanates 4, 6, 9, 10, and 15 showed interesting anti-HepG2 cytotoxic patterns. Additionally, organoselenocyanates 3, 4, and 10 exhibited promising antioxidant activities in the 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl in vitro assays compared to ascorbic acid. These data point to promising antimicrobial, anticancer, and antioxidant activities of organoselenocyanates 6, 9, and 15 warrant further studies.

Anticancer, Antimicrobial, and Antioxidant Activities of Organodiselenide-Tethered Methyl Anthranilates

Novel methyl anthranilate-based organodiselenide hybrids were synthesized, and their chemical structures were confirmed by state-of-the-art spectroscopic techniques. Their antimicrobial properties were assessed against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans microbial strains. Moreover, the antitumor potential was estimated against liver and breast carcinomas, as well as primary fibroblast cell lines. The Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans strains were more sensitive than Escherichia coli toward the OSe compounds. Interestingly, methyl 2-amino-5-(methylselanyl) benzoate (14) showed similar antifungal activity to the standard drug clotrimazole (IA% = 100%) and manifested promising antibacterial activity against E. coli (IA% = 91.3%) and S. aureus (IA% = 90.5%). Furthermore, the minimum inhibitory concentration experiments confirmed the antimicrobial activity of the OSe 14, which in turn was comparable to clotrimazole and ampicillin drugs. Interestingly, the anticancer properties were more pronounced in the HepG2 cells. The OSe 14 was the most cytotoxic (IC₅₀ = 3.57 ± 0.1 µM), even more than the Adriamycin drug (IC₅₀ = 4.50 ± 0.2 µM), and with therapeutic index (TI) 17 proposing its potential selectivity and safety. Additionally, OSe compounds 14 and dimethyl 5,5'-diselanediylbis(2-aminobenzoate) (5) exhibited promising antioxidants in the 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) in vitro assays with 96%, 92%, 91%, and 86% radical scavenging activities compared to 95% by vitamin C in the DPPH and ABTS assays, respectively. These results point to promising antimicrobial, anticancer, and antioxidant activities of OSe 14 and 5 and warrant further studies.

Novel Organoselenium Redox Modulators with Potential Anticancer, Antimicrobial, and Antioxidant Activities

Novel organic selenides were developed in good yields (up to 91%), and their chemical entities were confirmed by IR, MS, and ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy. Their anticancer and antimicrobial properties were estimated against different human cancer (MCF-7 and HepG2) and healthy (WI-38) cell lines, as well as several microbial strains (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans). Furthermore, the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) bioassays were used for the estimation of the antioxidant activities. Generally, cytotoxicity results were more pronounced against the MCF-7 cells than HepG2 cells. Compound 2-((4-((1-hydroxynaphthalen-2-yl)diazenyl)phenyl)selanyl)-N-phenylacetamide (9) was the most cytotoxic, even more than doxorubicin, with IC₅₀ of 3.27 ± 0.2 against 4.17 ± 0.2 µM and twelve-times more selective, respectively. Interestingly, compound 9 exhibited similar antimicrobial potential to reference antibacterial and antifungal drugs and comparable antioxidant activity to vitamin C. These results point to selective cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cells and interesting antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of some newly synthesized organic selenides, which in turn needs further in vitro studies.