Doxorubicin and DNA minor groove-binding oligopeptide conjugates as anticancer agents

Effect of Doxorubicin on the Near-Infrared Optical Properties of Indocyanine Green

In recent years, chemo-photothermal therapy (chemo-PTT) has been extensively studied for the upgradation of cancer treatment. The combined therapeutic approach reduces the overall cytotoxicity and enhances the therapeutic effect against the cancerous cells. In chemo-PTT, Indocyanine green (ICG) dye, a near-infrared chromophore, is used for PTT in combination with doxorubicin (DOX), a chemotherapeutic drug. ICG and DOX work very efficiently in synergy against cancer. However, the effect of DOX on the optical properties of ICG has not been studied yet. Here, for the first time, we report the effect of DOX on the optical properties of ICG in detail. DOX interacts with ICG and induces the aggregation of ICG even at a low concentration. The coincubation of both the molecules causes H and J aggregations in ICG. However, the J aggregation becomes more prominent with an increasing DOX concentration. These findings suggest that the optical properties of ICG change upon incubation with the DOX, which might affect the efficacy of PTT.

Synthesis and Evaluation of Dibenzothiophene Analogues as Pin1 Inhibitors for Cervical Cancer Therapy

The peptidyl-prolyl isomerase Pin1 is correlated with the progression of cervical cancer via regulating numerous oncogenic and tumor suppressor pathways. p65 is a crucial regulator of tumorigenesis that is regulated by Pin1, and p65 signaling suppression can enhance the antitumor efficacy of doxorubicin (DOX). Here, we utilized a structural mimicry approach to synthesize a series of dibenzothiophene analogues and evaluated their ability to inhibit Pin1 activity. Compound 1a was identified as a potent Pin1 inhibitor that inhibited p65 signaling in vitro and in cervical cancer cells. Moreover, compound 1a enhanced the cytotoxicity of DOX in cervical cancer cells via reducing p65 nuclear accumulation and enhancing DOX uptake. These compounds are promising scaffolds for developing more potent Pin1 inhibitors against cervical cancer, either alone or in combination with anticancer drugs such as DOX.