Exploration of novel VEGFR2 tyrosine kinase inhibitors via design and synthesis of new alkylated indolyl-triazole Schiff bases for targeting breast cancer

Pyrrole-containing hybrids as potential anticancer agents: An insight into current developments and structure-activity relationships

Cancer poses a significant threat to human health. Therefore, it is urgent to develop potent anti-cancer drugs with excellent inhibitory activity and no toxic side effects. Pyrrole and its derivatives are privileged heterocyclic compounds with significant diverse pharmacological effects. These compounds can target various aspects of cancer cells and have been applied in clinical settings or are undergoing clinical trials. As a result, pyrrole has emerged as a promising drug scaffold and has been further probed to get novel entities for the treatment of cancer. This article reviews recent research progress on anti-cancer drugs containing pyrrole. It focuses on the mechanism of action, biological activity, and structure-activity relationships of pyrrole derivatives, aiming to assist in designing and synthesizing innovative pyrrole-based anti-cancer compounds.

Structural modification strategies of triazoles in anticancer drug development

The triazole functional group plays a pivotal role in the composition of biomolecules with potent anticancer activities, including numerous clinically approved drugs. The strategic utilization of the triazole fragment in the rational modification of lead compounds has demonstrated its ability to improve anticancer activities, enhance selectivity, optimize pharmacokinetic properties, and overcome resistance. There has been significant interest in triazole-containing hybrids in recent years due to their remarkable anticancer potential. However, previous reviews on triazoles in cancer treatment have failed to provide tailored design strategies specific to these compounds. Herein, we present an overview of design strategies encompassing a structure-modification approach for incorporating triazoles into hybrid molecules. This review offers valuable references and briefly introduces the synthesis of triazole derivatives, thereby paving the way for further research and advancements in the field of effective and targeted anticancer therapies.

Recent advances on quinoxalines as target-oriented chemotherapeutic anticancer agents through apoptosis

The current review outlines all possible recent synthetic platforms to quinoxaline derivatives and the potent stimulated apoptosis mechanisms targeted by anticancer therapies. The currently reported results disclosed that quinoxaline derivatives had promising anticancer potencies against a wide array of cancer cell lines, better than the reference drugs, through target inhibition. This review summarizes some potent quinoxaline derivatives with their synthesis strategies and their potential activities against various molecular targets. Quinoxalines can be considered an important scaffold for apoptosis inducers in cancer cells through inhibiting some molecular targets, so they can be further developed as target-oriented chemotherapeutics.

Synthesis of novel phthalazine-based derivatives with potent cytotoxicity against HCT-116 cells through apoptosis and VEGFR2 inhibition

The parent ethyl 3-(4-benzyl-1-oxophthalazin-2(1H)-yl) propanoate (3) has 25 compounds. Their respective mono, dipeptides and hydrazones derivatives were produced by chemoselective N-alkylation via addition reaction of 4-benzylphthalazin-1(2H)-one (2) with ethyl acrylate and anhydrous potassium carbonate to give ethyl 3-(4-benzyl-1-oxophthalazin-2(1H)-yl) propanoate (3). The ester 3 was hydrazinolyzed to give the corresponding hydrazide 3-(4-benzyl-1-oxophthalazin-2(1H)-yl) propanehydrazide (5), then azide 6 coupled with amino acid ester hydrochloride and/or amines to afford several parent esters 8a-c, then a series of hydrazinolyzed reactions occurred to give corresponding hydrazides 9a-c. The hydrazide 9a was subjected to the azide coupling procedure, which resulted in the formation of various dipeptides. Subsequently, it was condensed with various aldehydes to yield hydrazone derivatives 13a-d. Interestingly, compounds 9c, 12b, and 13c exhibited potent cytotoxicity with IC50 values of 1.58, 0.32 and 0.64 μM compared to sorafenib (IC50 = 2.93 μM). Compound 12b exhibited potent VEGFR2 inhibition by 95.2% with an IC50 value of 17.8 μM compared to sorafenib (94.7% and IC50 of 32.1 μM). For apoptosis activity, 12b-treatment induced apoptosis in HCT-116 cells by 21.7-fold, arresting the cell proliferation at S-phase. Finally, it formed a good binding affinity towards VEGFR2 protein with a binding energy of -10.66 kcal mol-1, and it formed binding interactions with the key interactive amino acids.

Discovery and Mechanistic Studies of Dual-Target Hits for Carbonic Anhydrase IX and VEGFR-2 as Potential Agents for Solid Tumors: X-ray, In Vitro, In Vivo, and In Silico Investigations of Coumarin-Based Thiazoles

A dual-targeting approach is predicted to yield better cancer therapy outcomes. Consequently, a series of coumarin-based thiazoles (5a-h, 6, and 7a-e) were designed and constructed as potential carbonic anhydrase (CA) and VEGFR-2 suppressors. The inhibitory actions of the target compounds were assessed against CA isoforms IX and VEGFR-2. The assay results showed that coumarin-based thiazoles 5a, 5d, and 5e can effectively inhibit both targets. 5a, 5d, and 5e cytotoxic effects were tested on pancreatic, breast, and prostate cancer cells (PANC1, MCF7, and PC3). Further mechanistic investigation disclosed the ability of 5e to interrupt the PANC1 cell progression in the S stage by triggering the apoptotic cascade, as seen by increased levels of caspases 3, 9, and BAX, alongside the Bcl-2 decline. Moreover, the in vivo efficacy of compound 5e as an antitumor agent was evaluated. Also, molecular docking and dynamics displayed distinctive interactions between 5e and CA IX and VEGFR-2 binding pockets.

Synthesis, topology, molecular docking and dynamics studies of o-phenylenediamine derivative

The N, N'-(1,2-phenylene) bis (1- (4- chlorophenyl) methanimine) (CS4) was synthesized and characterized by infrared (IR), absorption (UV-vis) and NMR (1H and 13C) spectral analyses. The structural parameters, vibrational frequencies, potential energy and the distribution analysis (PED) were calculated by using DFT with the basis set of B3LYP/cc-pVDZ and these spectral values were compared to the experimental values. HOMO and LUMO studied were performed in order to understand the stability and biological activity of the compound. The most reactive sites on the compound were investigated by utilizing MEP energy surface and Fukui function descriptor with the natural population analysis (NPA) of the charges. The study of the natural bond orbitals (NBO) reveals the delocalization of the intramolecular interaction of the charges in the compound. Additionally, topological investigations (ELF, LOL), determination of thermodynamic parameters and noncovalent interaction (NCI) study by using topology (RDG) analysis were also carried out. Finally, the molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations was carried out by examining against glycosylphosphatidylinositol phospholipase D inhibitor receptor for distinct protein targets (3MZG).Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Exploring pyrrolidinyl-spirooxindole natural products as promising platforms for the synthesis of novel spirooxindoles as EGFR/CDK2 inhibitors for halting breast cancer cells

Cancer represents a global challenge, and the pursuit of developing new cancer treatments that are potent, safe, less prone to drug resistance, and associated with fewer side effects poses a significant challenge in cancer research and drug discovery. Drawing inspiration from pyrrolidinyl-spirooxindole natural products, a novel series of spirooxindoles has been synthesized through a one-pot three-component reaction, involving a [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction. The cytotoxicity against breast cancer cells (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) and safety profile against WISH cells of the newly developed library were assessed using the MTT assay. Compounds 5l and 5o exhibited notable cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cells (IC50 = 3.4 and 4.12 μM, respectively) and MDA-MB-231 cells (IC50 = 8.45 and 4.32 μM, respectively) compared to Erlotinib. Conversely, compounds 5a-f displayed promising cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cells with IC50 values range (IC50 = 5.87-18.5 μM) with selective activity against MDA-MB-231 cancer cells. Compound 5g demonstrated the highest cytotoxicity (IC50 = 2.8 μM) among the tested compounds. Additionally, compounds 5g, 5l, and 5n were found to be safe (non-cytotoxic) against WISH cells with higher IC50 values ranging from 39.33 to 47.2 μM. Compounds 5g, 5l, and 5n underwent testing for their inhibitory effects against EGFR and CDK-2. Remarkably, they demonstrated potent EGFR inhibition, with IC50 values of 0.026, 0.067, and 0.04 μM and inhibition percentages of 92.6%, 89.8%, and 91.2%, respectively, when compared to Erlotinib (IC50 = 0.03 μM, 95.4%). Furthermore, these compounds exhibited potent CDK-2 inhibition, with IC50 values of 0.301, 0.345, and 0.557 μM and inhibition percentages of 91.9%, 89.4%, and 88.7%, respectively, in contrast to Roscovitine (IC50 = 0.556 μM, 92.1%). RT-PCR analysis was performed on both untreated and 5g-treated MCF-7 cells to confirm apoptotic cell death. Treatment with 5g increased the gene expression of pro-apoptotic genes P53, Bax, caspases 3, 8, and 9 with notable fold changes while decreasing the expression of the anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-2. Molecular docking and dynamic simulations (100 ns simulation using AMBER22) were conducted to investigate the binding mode of the most potent candidates, namely, 5g, 5l, and 5n, within the active sites of EGFR and CDK-2.

New pyrazolylindolin-2-one based coumarin derivatives as anti-melanoma agents: design, synthesis, dual BRAFV600E/VEGFR-2 inhibition, and computational studies

Malignant melanoma is the most invasive skin cancer with the highest risk of death. The inhibition of BRAFV600E appears relevant for overcoming secondary resistance developed during melanoma treatment. BRAFV600E triggers angiogenesis via modification of the expression of angiogenic inducers, which play a crucial role in the metastasis of melanoma. Accordingly, the dual inhibition of the BRAFV600E/VEGFR-2 signaling pathway is considered a rational approach in the design of anti-melanoma candidates. In this study, a new class of pyrazolylindolin-2-one linked coumarin derivatives as dual BRAFV600E/VEGFR-2 inhibitors targeting A375 melanoma cells was designed. Target compounds were tailored to occupy the pockets of BRAFV600E and VEGFR-2. Most of the synthesized compounds demonstrated potent mean growth inhibitory activity against A375 cells. Compound 4j was the most active cytotoxic derivative, displaying an IC50 value at a low micromolar concentration of 0.96 μM with a significant safety profile. Moreover, 4j showed dual potent inhibitory activity against BRAFV600E and VEGFR-2 (IC50 = 1.033 and 0.64 μM, respectively) and was more active than the reference drug sorafenib. Furthermore, derivative 4j caused significant G0/G1 cell cycle arrest, induced apoptosis, and inhibited the migration of melanoma cells. Molecular docking showed that compound 4j achieved the highest ΔG value of -9.5 kcal mol-1 against BRAFV600E and significant ΔG of -8.47 kcal mol-1 against VEGFR-2. Furthermore, the structure-activity relationship study revealed that TPSA directly contributed to the anticancer activity of the tested compounds.

Antineoplastic indole-containing compounds with potential VEGFR inhibitory properties

Cancer is one of the most significant health challenges worldwide. Various techniques, tools and therapeutics/materials have been developed in the last few decades for the treatment of cancer, together with great interest, funding and efforts from the scientific society. However, all the reported studies and efforts seem insufficient to combat the various types of cancer, especially the advanced ones. The overexpression of tyrosine kinases is associated with cancer proliferation and/or metastasis. VEGF, an important category of tyrosine kinases, and its receptors (VEGFR) are hyper-activated in different cancers. Accordingly, they are known as important factors in the angiogenesis of different tumors and are considered in the development of effective therapeutic approaches for controlling many types of cancer. In this case, targeted therapeutic approaches are preferable to the traditional non-selective approaches to minimize the side effects and drawbacks associated with treatment. Several indole-containing compounds have been identified as effective agents against VEGFR. Herein, we present a summary of the recent indolyl analogs reported within the last decade (2012-2023) with potential antineoplastic and VEGFR inhibitory properties. The most important drugs, natural products, synthesized potent compounds and promising hits/leads are highlighted. Indoles functionalized and conjugated with various heterocycles beside spiroindoles are also considered.

ID4-dependent secretion of VEGFA enhances the invasion capability of breast cancer cells and activates YAP/TAZ via integrin β3-VEGFR2 interaction

Understanding the mechanisms of breast cancer cell communication underlying cell spreading and metastasis formation is fundamental for developing new therapies. ID4 is a proto-oncogene overexpressed in the basal-like subtype of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), where it promotes angiogenesis, cancer stem cells, and BRACA1 misfunction. Here, we show that ID4 expression in BC cells correlates with the activation of motility pathways and promotes the production of VEGFA, which stimulates the interaction of VEGFR2 and integrin β3 in a paracrine fashion. This interaction induces the downstream focal adhesion pathway favoring migration, invasion, and stress fiber formation. Furthermore, ID4/ VEGFA/ VEGFR2/ integrin β3 signaling stimulates the nuclear translocation and activation of the Hippo pathway member's YAP and TAZ, two critical executors for cancer initiation and progression. Our study provides new insights into the oncogenic roles of ID4 in tumor cell migration and YAP/TAZ pathway activation, suggesting VEGFA/ VEGFR2/ integrin β3 axis as a potential target for BC treatment.

Exploration of antiproliferative potential of modified triazole-benzohydrazone scaffold: Multitarget approach

A novel series of triazole-benzohydrazone hybrids was efficiently designed and synthesized as antiproliferative agents, targeting different kinases. All compounds were screened via the National Cancer Institute (NCI) against 60 cancer cell lines, where compounds 16, 17, and 18 exhibited growth inhibition percent (GI%) of various leukemia subpanels with values of 70.33%, 64.13%, and 76.03%, respectively. Compound 18 showed broad-spectrum antiproliferative efficacy toward most cancer cells, with outstanding potency regarding melanoma (MALME-3M GI% = 101.82%) and breast cancer cell lines (MCF7 GI% = 85.87%), while proving safe toward the WI-38 normal cell line, compared to doxorubicin. Multikinase investigation including vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2), mesenchymal epithelial transition factor (c-Met), proto-oncogene B-Raf, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, and phosphoinositide 3-kinase was accomplished to reveal its plausible mechanism of action, giving the ultimate potency against both VEGFR-2 and c-Met with IC50 values of 0.055 and 0.042 μM, respectively, while displaying moderate to good inhibition concerning the remaining kinases. DNA binding capability was excluded using the methyl green colorimetric assay. Further, it exhibited both early and late apoptotic induction by about 16- and 9.4-fold over the control, respectively, triggering cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase. Physicochemical properties and bioavailability radar plot inferred drug-likeness characteristics for compound 18. The molecular docking study assessed the binding pattern with the active sites of c-Met and VEGFR-2.

Novel indolyl 1,2,4-triazole derivatives as potential anti-proliferative agents: in silico studies, synthesis, and biological evaluation

A new series of indolyl 1,2,4-triazole scaffolds was designed, synthesised, and biologically evaluated for their inhibitory activity against both CDK4 and CDK6. The results ranged from 0.049 μM to 3.031 μM on CDK4 and from 0.075 μM to 1.11 μM on CDK6 when compared to staurosporine, with IC50 values of 1.027 and 0.402 μM, respectively. Moreover, all compounds were tested for their cytotoxicity against two breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. All of the synthesised compounds showed promising anti-proliferative activity, with two compounds Vf (IC50 = 2.91 and 1.914 μM, respectively) and Vg (IC50 = 0.891 and 3.479 μM, respectively) having potent cytotoxic activity in comparison to the reference staurosporine (IC50 = 3.144 and 4.385 μM, respectively). Vf and Vg were also found to significantly induce apoptosis to 45.33% and 37.26% (control = 1.91%) where Vf arrested the cell cycle at the S phase while Vg arrested the cycle at the G0/G1 phase. The binding mode and interactions of all compounds were studied and found to mimic those of the FDA approved CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib that was used as a reference throughout the study.

Discovery of Potent Indolyl-Hydrazones as Kinase Inhibitors for Breast Cancer: Synthesis, X-ray Single-Crystal Analysis, and In Vitro and In Vivo Anti-Cancer Activity Evaluation

According to data provided by the World Health Organization (WHO), a total of 2.3 million women across the globe received a diagnosis of breast cancer in the year 2020, and among these cases, 685,000 resulted in fatalities. As the incidence of breast cancer statistics continues to rise, it is imperative to explore new avenues in the ongoing battle against this disease. Therefore, a number of new indolyl-hydrazones were synthesized by reacting the ethyl 3-formyl-1H-indole-2-carboxylate 1 with thiosemicarbazide, semicarbazide.HCl, 4-nitrophenyl hydrazine, 2,4-dinitrophenyl hydrazine, and 4-amino-5-(1H-indol-2-yl)-1,2,4-triazole-3-thione to afford the new hit compounds, which were assigned chemical structures as thiosemicarbazone 3, bis(hydrazine derivative) 5, semicarbzone 6, Schiff base 8, and the corresponding hydrazones 10 and 12 by NMR, elemental analysis, and X-ray single-crystal analysis. The MTT assay was employed to investigate the compounds' cytotoxicity against breast cancer cells (MCF-7). Cytotoxicity results disclosed potent IC50 values against MCF-7, especially compounds 5, 8, and 12, with IC50 values of 2.73 ± 0.14, 4.38 ± 0.23, and 7.03 ± 0.37 μM, respectively, compared to staurosproine (IC50 = 8.32 ± 0.43 μM). Consequently, the activities of compounds 5, 8, and 12 in relation to cell migration were investigated using the wound-healing test. The findings revealed notable wound-healing efficacy, with respective percentages of wound closure measured at 48.8%, 60.7%, and 51.8%. The impact of the hit compounds on cell proliferation was assessed by examining their apoptosis-inducing properties. Intriguingly, compound 5 exhibited a significant enhancement in cell death within MCF-7 cells, registering a notable increase of 39.26% in comparison to the untreated control group, which demonstrated only 1.27% cell death. Furthermore, the mechanism of action of compound 5 was scrutinized through testing against kinase receptors. The results revealed significant kinase inhibition, particularly against PI3K-α, PI3K-β, PI3K-δ, CDK2, AKT-1, and EGFR, showcasing promising activity, compared to standard drugs targeting these receptors. In the conclusive phase, through in vivo assay, compound 5 demonstrated a substantial reduction in tumor volume, decreasing from 106 mm³ in the untreated control to 56.4 mm³. Moreover, it significantly attenuated tumor proliferation by 46.9%. In view of these findings, the identified leads exhibit promises for potential development into future medications for the treatment of breast cancer, as they effectively hinder both cell migration and proliferation.

Design and Synthesis of Novel Pyridine-Based Compounds as Potential PIM-1 Kinase Inhibitors, Apoptosis, and Autophagy Inducers Targeting MCF-7 Cell Lines: In Vitro and In Vivo Studies

2-((3-Cyano-4,6-dimethylpyridin-2-yl)oxy)acetohydrazide 1 was used as the precursor for the synthesis of 5-thioxo-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)methoxy)nicotinonitrile 2. The latter was alkylated with different alkylating agents to produce the S-alkylated products 3-6. Galactosylation of 5-thioxo-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)methoxy)nicotinonitrile 2 produces a mixture of S- and N-galactosides 8 and 9. The hydrazide 1 is converted to azide 10, coupled with glycine methyl ester hydrochloride and a set of amines to produce the target coupled amides 11-15. New compounds were assigned using NMR and elemental analysis. Compound 12 had potent cytotoxicity with IC50 values of 0.5 and 5.27 μM against MCF-7 and HepG2 cell lines compared with doxorubicin, which displayed the following IC50: 2.14 and 2.48 μM for the mentioned cell lines, respectively. Regarding the molecular target, compound 12 exhibited potent PIM-1 inhibition activity with 97.5% with an IC50 value of 14.3 nM compared to Staurosporine (96.8%, IC50 = 16.7 nM). Moreover, compound 12 significantly activated apoptotic cell death in MCF-7 cells, increasing the cell population by total apoptosis by 33.43% (23.18% for early apoptosis and 10.25% for late apoptosis) compared to the untreated control group (0.64%), and arresting the cell cycle at S-phase by 36.02% compared to control 29.12%. Besides, compound 12 caused tumor inhibition by 42.1% in solid tumors in the SEC-bearing mice. Results disclosed that compound 12 significantly impeded cell migration and cell proliferation by interfering with PIM-1 enzymatic activity via considerable apoptosis-induction, which made it an attractive lead compound for the development of chemotherapeutics to treat breast cancer.

Synthesis, molecular modeling Insights, and anticancer assessment of novel polyfunctionalized Pyridine congeners

The present study describes synthesizing a novel series of polyfunctionalized pyridine congeners 1-18 and assessed for cytotoxic efficacies versus HCT-116, MCF-7, and HepG-2 among one non-cancerous BJ-1 human normal cell. Most compounds were precisely potent anticancer candidate drugs. The molecular impact of the most active compounds 9, 10, 11, 13, 15, and 17 was evaluated after MCF-7 treatment. The gene expression of pro- and ant-apoptosis markers P53, Bax, Caspase-3 and Bcl-2 as well as VEGFR-2 and HER2 were determined. Compounds 13 and 15 induced upregulation of pro-apoptosis of P53, Bax, Caspase-3 and downregulation of anti-apoptosis Bcl-2 gene. However, compound 15 showed higher effect compared to 13 and respective control. Moreover, a slight reduction in HER2 gene expression was detected due to compound 15 treatment, while VEGFR-2 gene was upregulated. In agreement, the immunoblotting analysis showed higher accumulation of P53, Bax, Caspase-3 proteins and of decrease the Bcl-2 protein levels. Furthermore, docking studies united with molecular dynamic simulation exposed compounds 13 and 15 fitting in the middle of the active site at the interface linking the ATP binding site and the allosteric hydrophobic binding pocket. Finally, we performed Petra/Osiris/ Molinspiration (POM) analysis for the newly synthesized compounds. The evaluation of primary in silico parameters revealed significant differences among individual polyfunctionalized pyridine compounds, highlighting the most promising candidates. These preliminary results may help in coordinating and initiating other research projects focused on polyfunctionalized pyridine compounds, especially those with predicted bioactivity, low toxicity, optimal ADME parameters, and promising perspectives.

Synthesis and biological assessment of indole derivatives containing penta-heterocycles scaffold as novel anticancer agents towards A549 and K562 cells

Herein, a new series of 2-chloro-N-(5-(2-oxoindolin-3-yl)-4H-pyrazol-3-yl) acetamide derivatives containing 1,3,4-thiadiazole (10a-i) and 4H-1,2,4-triazol-4-amine (11a-r) moiety was designed, synthesised as novel anticancer agents. The antiproliferative activity values indicated that compound 10 b stood as the most potent derivative with IC₅₀ values of 12.0 nM and 10 nM against A549 and K562 cells, respectively. Mechanism investigation and docking studies of 10 b indicated that it possessed good apoptosis characteristic and dose-dependent growth arrest of A549 and K562 cells, blocked cell cycle into G2/M phase. Interestingly, 10 b suppressed the growth of A549 and K562 cells via modulation of EGFR and p53-MDM2 mediated pathway.

Identification of new benzimidazole-triazole hybrids as anticancer agents: multi-target recognition, in vitro and in silico studies

Multi-target inhibitors represent useful anticancer agents with superior therapeutic attributes. Here in, two novel series of benzimidazole-triazole hybrids were designed, synthesised as multi-target EGFR, VEGFR-2 and Topo II inhibitors, and evaluated for anticancer activity. Compounds 5a and 6g were the most potent analogues against four cancer cell lines, HepG-2, HCT-116, MCF-7 and HeLa, and were further evaluated for EGFR, VEGFR-2, and Topo II inhibition. Compound 5a was especially good inhibitor for EGFR (IC₅₀ = 0.086 µM) compared to Gefitinib (IC₅₀ = 0.052 µM), moderate VEGFR-2 inhibitor (IC₅₀ = 0.107 µM) compared to Sorafenib (IC₅₀ = 0.0482 µM), and stronger Topo II inhibitor (IC₅₀ = 2.52 µM) than Doxorubicin (IC₅₀ = 3.62 µM). Compound 6g exhibited moderate EGFR and VEGFR-2 inhibition and weaker Topo II inhibition. DNA binding assay, cell cycle analysis, apoptotic induction, molecular docking, and physicochemical studies were additionally implemented to explore the plausible mechanism of the active compounds.

Design, synthesis, molecular modelling and antitumor evaluation of S-glucosylated rhodanines through topo II inhibition and DNA intercalation

In the present study, 5-arylidene rhodanine derivatives 3a-f, N-glucosylation rhodanine 6, S-glucosylation rhodanine 7, N-glucoside rhodanine 8 and S-glucosylation 5-arylidene rhodanines 13a-c were synthesised and screened for cytotoxicity against a panel of cancer cells with investigating the effective molecular target and mechanistic cell death. The anomers were separated by flash column chromatography and their configurations were assigned by NMR spectroscopy. The stable structures of the compounds under study were modelled on a molecular level, and DFT calculations were carried out at the B3LYP/6-31 + G (d,p) level to examine their electronic and geometric features. A good correlation between the quantum chemical descriptors and experimental observations was found. Interestingly, compound 6 induced potent cytotoxicity against MCF-7, HepG2 and A549 cells, with IC₅₀ values of 11.7, 0.21, and 1.7 µM, compared to Dox 7.67, 8.28, and 6.62 µM, respectively. For the molecular target, compound 6 exhibited topoisomerase II inhibition and DNA intercalation with IC₅₀ values of 6.9 and 19.6 µM, respectively compared to Dox (IC₅₀ = 9.65 and 31.27 µM). Additionally, compound 6 treatmnet significantly activated apoptotic cell death in HepG2 cells by 80.7-fold, it induced total apoptosis by 34.73% (23.07% for early apoptosis, 11.66% for late apoptosis) compared to the untreated control group (0.43%) arresting the cell population at the S-phase by 49.6% compared to control 39.15%. Finally, compound 6 upregulated the apoptosis-related genes, while it inhibted the Bcl-2 expression. Hence, glucosylated rhodanines may serve as a promising drug candidates against cancer with promising topoisomerase II and DNA intercalation.

The anti-breast cancer potential of indole/isatin hybrids

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies and the major contributor to cancer mortality in women globally, with a high degree of heterogeneity and a dismal prognosis. As drug resistance is responsible for most BC fatalities and advanced BC is currently considered incurable, finding innovative anti-BC chemotherapeutics is urgently required. Indole and its analog isatin (indole-1H-2,3-dione) are prominent pharmacophores in the development of novel medications, and their derivatives exhibit strong anticancer activities, also against BC. In particular, indole/isatin hybrids exhibit significant potency against BC including multidrug-resistant forms and excellent selectivity by influencing a variety of biological targets associated with the disease, supplying helpful building blocks for the identification of potential new BC treatment options. This review includes articles from 2020 to the present and provides insights into the in vitro and in vivo anti-BC potential, molecular mechanisms, and structure-activity relationships (SARs) of indole/isatin hybrids that may be helpful in the development of innovative anti-BC chemotherapeutics.

New 1,2,3-Triazole/1,2,4-triazole Hybrids as Aromatase Inhibitors: Design, Synthesis, and Apoptotic Antiproliferative Activity

A novel series of 1,2,3-triazole/1,2,4-triazole hybrids 5a, 5b, and 6a-i was designed and synthesized as antiproliferative agents targeting aromatase enzymes. The antiproliferative activity of the new hybrids against four cancer cells was studied using Erlotinib as a control. Compounds 6a and 6b demonstrated the highest antiproliferative activity among these hybrids, with GI50 values of 40 nM and 35 nM, respectively. Compound 6b was the most potent derivative, with a GI50 of 35 nM, comparable to Erlotinib's GI50 of 33 nM. Compound 6b inhibited all cancer cell lines with comparable efficacy to Erlotinib. Compounds 5a, 5b, and 6a-i were tested for inhibitory action against aromatase as a potential target for their antiproliferative activity. Results revealed that compounds 6a and 6b were the most potent aromatase inhibitors, with IC50 values of 0.12 ± 0.01 µM and 0.09 ± 0.01 µM, respectively, being more potent than the reference Ketoconazole (IC50 = 2.6 ± 0.20 µM) but less potent than Letrozole (IC50 = 0.002 ± 0.0002). These findings indicated that compounds 6a and 6b had significant aromatase inhibitory action and are potential antiproliferative candidates. The findings were further linked to molecular docking investigations, which gave models of strong interactions with the aromatase domain for inhibitors with high binding scores.

Silver nanoparticles formulation of Marrubium alysson L. phenolic extract potentiates cytotoxicity through apoptosis with molecular docking study as Bcl-2 inhibitors

Crude or semi-purified extracts of plants can play a significant role as antitumor agents. They were used as stabilizing and reducing agents in the preparation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) that allows these particles to have more efficient cytotoxic activity. In the current study, the extract of Marrubium alysson L., a plant of common occurrence in Egypt was used to synthesize AgNPs for the first time, where comparison of anticancer activity of crude and phenolic extracts with the AgNPs were extensively studied against cancer cell lines PC-3 and HCT-116. Interestingly, AgNPs of the crude extract exhibited promising cytotoxicity with IC50 values of 10.4 and 16.3 μg/ml, while AgNPs of the phenolic extract exhibited very potent cytotoxicity with IC50 values of 2.66 and 1.34 μg/ml compared to Doxorubicin (as a standard reference drug) that exhibited IC50 values of 5.13 and 4.36 μg/ml, respectively against the tested cells. Additionally, AgNPs of the phenolic extract induced apoptosis in HCT-116 with a higher ratio than in PC-3 cells. It induced apoptosis in PC-3 cells by 79.3-fold change, while it induced total colon apoptotic cell death by 228.3-fold change compared to untreated control. Finally, the apoptotic activity of AgNPs of the phenolic extract in the treated PC-3 and HCT-116 cells was confirmed using RT-PCR. As a result, AgNPs of the phenolic extract could be considered a promising anticancer candidate through apoptosis-induction.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

New Schiff bases derived from dimethylpyridine-1,2,4-triazole hybrid as cytotoxic agents targeting gastrointestinal cancers: Design, synthesis, biological evaluation and molecular docking studies

In this research, a series of novel hybrid structures of dimethylpyridine-1,2,4-triazole Schiff bases were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxic potency on several human gastrointestinal cancer cells (EPG, Caco-2, LoVo, LoVo/Dx, HT29) and normal colonic epithelial cells (CCD 841 CoN). Schiff base 4h was the most potent compound against gastric EPG cancer cells (CC50 = 12.10 ± 3.10 μM), being 9- and 21-fold more cytotoxic than 5-FU and cisplatin, respectively. Moreover, it was not toxic to normal cells. Regarding the cytotoxicity against colorectal cancer cells, compounds 4d and 4l exhibited good activity against HT29 cells (CC50 = 52.80 ± 2.80 μM and 61.40 ± 10.70 μM, respectively), and were comparable to or more potent than cisplatin and 5-FU. Also, they were less toxic to normal cells with a higher selectivity index (SI, CCD 841 CoN/HT29 = 4.20 and 2.85, respectively) than reference drugs (SI, CCD 841 CoN/HT29 < 1). Selected Schiff bases were subjected to the P-glycoprotein inhibition assay. Schiff bases 4d, 4e, and 4l influenced P-gp efflux function, significantly increasing the accumulation of rhodamine 123 in colon cancer cell lines. Further mechanistic studies showed that compound 4l induced apoptotic cell death through a caspase-dependent mechanism and by regulating the p53-MDM2 signaling pathway in HT29 cells. Also, physicochemical predictions of compounds 4d, 4e, 4h, and 4i were examined in silico. The results revealed that the compounds possessed promising drug-likeness profiles.

A New Saponin (Zygo-albuside D) from Zygophyllum album Roots Triggers Apoptosis in Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma (A549 Cells) through CDK-2 Inhibition

Phytochemical study of the ethyl acetate root extract of Zygophyllum album has resulted in the isolation of a new saponin, Zygo-albuside D (1), along with two known compounds; (3-O-[β-D-quinovopyranosyl]-quinovic acid) (2), which is first reported in the root, and catechin (3), first reported in the genus. Their chemical structures were established by NMR and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). The new saponin (1) exhibited promising cytotoxicity with IC50 values of 3.5 and 5.52 μM on A549 and PC-3 cancer cell lines, respectively, compared to doxorubicin with IC50 values of 9.44 and 11.39 μM on A549 and PC-3 cancer cell lines, respectively. While it had an IC50 value of 46.8 μM against WISH cells. Investigating apoptosis-induction, compound 1 induced total apoptotic cell death in A549 lung cancer cells by 32-fold; 21.53% compared to 0.67% in the untreated control cells. Finally, it upregulated the pro-apoptotic genes and downregulated the antiapoptotic gene using gene expression levels. Compound 1 exhibited remarkable CDK-2 target inhibition by 96.2% with an IC50 value of 117.6 nM compared to Roscovitine. The molecular docking study further confirmed the binding affinity of compound 1 as CDK2 and Bcl2 inhibitors that led to apoptosis induction in A549 cancer cells. Hence, this study highlights the importance of compound 1 in the design of a new anticancer agent with specific mechanisms.

Synthesis of phthalazine-based derivatives as selective anti-breast cancer agents through EGFR-mediated apoptosis: in vitro and in silico studies

The parent 2-(4-benzyl-1-oxophthalazin-2(1H)-yl)-acetohydrazide (4) has twenty-nine compounds. The starting material for their corresponding mono, dipeptides and reactions with active methylene compounds were produced by chemoselective N-alkylation of 4-Benzyl-2H-phthalazin-1-one (2) with ethyl chloroacetate to afford (4-benzyl-1-oxo-1H-phthalazin-2-yl) methyl acetate (3). The ester 3 was hydrazinolyzed to give hydrazide 4, then azide 5 coupled with amino acid ester hydrochloride and/or amines to produce several monopeptides, then the methyl (2-(4-benzyl-1-oxophthalazin-2(1H)-yl) acetyl) glycinate (7a) was hydrazinolyzed to produce corresponding hydrazide 2-(4-benzyl-1-oxophthalazin-2(1H)-yl)-N-(2-hydrazineyl-2-oxo ethyl) acetamide (8a). The hydrazide 8a under azide coupling method was coupled with amino acid ester hydrochloride and/or amines to produce several dipeptides, and the hydrazide 8a was also condensed and/or cyclized with several carbonyl compounds. The cytotoxicity of the synthesized compounds was tested using MTT assay, as well as apoptosis-induction through EGFR inhibition. Compounds 11d, 12c and 12d exhibited potent cytotoxic activities with IC₅₀ values of 0.92, 1.89 and 0.57 μM against MDA-MB-231 cells compared to Erlotinib (IC₅₀ = 1.02 μM). Interestingly compound 12d exhibited promising potent EGFR inhibition with an IC₅₀ value 21.4 nM compared to Erlotinib (IC₅₀ = 80 nM). For apoptosis, compound 12d induced apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells by 64.4-fold (42.5% compared to 0.66 for the control); hence, this compound may serve as a potential target-oriented anti-breast cancer agent. These results agreed with the molecular docking studies that highlighted the binding disposition of compound 12d towards EGFR protein. Hence, compound 12d may serve as a potential and selective anti-breast cancer agent.

Design, synthesis, and docking studies of novel pyrazole-based scaffolds and their evaluation as VEGFR2 inhibitors in the treatment of prostate cancer

Since VEGFR-2 plays a crucial role in tumor growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis, it is a prospective target for cancer treatment. In this work, a series of 3-phenyl-4-(2-substituted phenylhydrazono)-1H-pyrazol-5(4H)-ones (3a-l) were synthesized and investigated for their cytotoxicity against the PC-3 human cancer cell line compared to Doxorubicin and Sorafenib as reference drugs. Two compounds 3a and 3i showed comparable cytotoxic activity with IC₅₀ values of 1.22 and 1.24 μM compared to the reference drugs (IC₅₀ = 0.932, 1.13 μM). Compound 3i was found to be the most effective VEGFR-2 inhibitor using in vitro testing of the synthesized compounds, with nearly 3-fold higher activity than Sorafenib (30 nM), with IC₅₀ 8.93 nM. Compound 3i significantly stimulated total apoptotic prostate cancer cell death 55.2-fold (34.26% compared to 0.62% for the control) arresting the cell cycle at the S-phase. The genes involved in apoptosis were also impacted, with proapoptotic genes being upregulated and antiapoptotic Bcl-2 being downregulated. These results were supported by docking studies of these two compounds within the active site of the VEGFR2 enzyme. Finally, in vivo, the study revealed the potentiality of compound 3i to inhibit tumor proliferation by 49.8% reducing the tumor weight from 234.6 mg in untreated mice to 83.2 mg. Therefore, 3i could be a promising anti-prostate cancer agent.

Design, Synthesis, Computational Investigations, and Antitumor Evaluation of N-Rhodanine Glycosides Derivatives as Potent DNA Intercalation and Topo II Inhibition against Cancer Cells

Nitrogen and sulfur glycosylation was carried out via the reaction of rhodanine (1) with α-acetobromoglucose 3 under basic conditions. Deacetylation of the protected nitrogen nucleoside 4 was performed with CH₃ONa in CH₃OH without cleavage of the rhodanine ring to afford the deprotected nitrogen nucleoside 6. Further, deacetylation of the protected sulfur nucleoside 5 was performed with CH₃ONa in CH₃OH with the cleavage of the rhodanine ring to give the hydrolysis product 7. The protected nitrogen nucleosides 11a-f were produced by condensing the protected nitrogen nucleoside 4 with the aromatic aldehydes 10a-f in C₂H₅OH while using morpholine as a secondary amine catalyst. Deacetylation of the protected nitrogen nucleosides 11a-f was performed with NaOCH₃/CH₃OH without cleavage of the rhodanine ring to afford the deprotected nitrogen nucleosides 12a-f. NMR spectroscopy was used to designate the anomers' configurations. To examine the electrical and geometric properties derived from the stable structure of the examined compounds, molecular modeling and DFT calculations using the B3LYP/6-31+G (d,p) level were carried out. The quantum chemical descriptors and experimental findings showed a strong connection. The IC₅₀ values for most compounds were very encouraging when evaluated against MCF-7, HepG2, and A549 cancer cells. Interestingly, IC₅₀ values for 11a, 12b, and 12f were much lower than those for Doxorubicin (7.67, 8.28, 6.62 μM): (3.7, 8.2, 9.8 μM), (3.1, 13.7, 21.8 μM), and (7.17, 2.2, 4.5 μM), respectively. Against Topo II inhibition and DNA intercalation, when compared to Dox (IC₅₀ = 9.65 and 31.27 μM), compound 12f showed IC₅₀ values of 7.3 and 18.2 μM, respectively. In addition, compound 12f induced a 65.6-fold increase in the rate of apoptotic cell death in HepG2 cells, with the cell cycle being arrested in the G2/M phase as a result. Additionally, it upregulated the apoptosis-mediated genes of P53, Bax, and caspase-3,8,9 by 9.53, 8.9, 4.16, 1.13, and 8.4-fold change, while it downregulated the Bcl-2 expression by 0.13-fold. Therefore, glucosylated Rhodanines may be useful as potential therapeutic candidates against cancer because of their topoisomerase II and DNA intercalation activity.

1-Benzyl-5-bromo-3-hydrazonoindolin-2-ones as Novel Anticancer Agents: Synthesis, Biological Evaluation and Molecular Modeling Insights

Human health is experiencing several obstacles in the modern medical era, particularly cancer. As a result, the cancer therapeutic arsenal should be continually expanded with innovative small molecules that preferentially target tumour cells. In this study, we describe the development of two small molecule series (7a–d and 12a–e) based on the 1-benzyl-5-bromoindolin-2-one scaffold that connected through a hydrazone linker to a 4-arylthiazole (7a–d) or 4-methyl-5-(aryldiazenyl)thiazole (12a–e) moiety. The anticancer activity of all the reported indolin-2-one derivatives was assessed against breast (MCF-7) and lung (A-549) cancer cell lines. The 4-arylthiazole-bearing derivatives 7c and 7d revealed the best anticancer activity toward MCF-7 cells (IC50 = 7.17 ± 0.94 and 2.93 ± 0.47, respectively). Furthermore, the VEGFR-2 inhibitory activity for 7c and 7d was evaluated. Both molecules disclosed good inhibitory activity, and their IC50 values were equal to 0.728 µM and 0.503 µM, respectively. Additionally, the impacts of 7d on the cell cycle phases as well as on the levels of different apoptotic markers (caspase-3, caspase-9, Bax, and Bcl-2) were assessed. Molecular docking and dynamic simulations are carried out to explore the binding mode of 7d within the VEGFR-2 active site.

Utility of Ultrasound Imaging Features in Diagnosis of Breast Cancer

Background Currently, breast cancer (BC) is considered one of the most prevalent cancer worldwide in women and represents a global health challenge. Early diagnosis is the keystone in the management of BC patients. This study aims to assess the utility of ultrasonography (US) features of malignancy in the diagnosis of BC. Methods This retrospective cross-sectional study involved the electronic records of 326 female patients who were diagnosed with BC. A cross-tabulation test was performed to identify the association between the presence of each US feature (yes/no), and the final US diagnosis (benign/malignant). The strength of association of each feature was measured using the odds ratio (OR) which was assumed to be significant when > 1, with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Results The mean age of the female patients involved in this study was 45.36 ±12.16 years old (range, 17-90 years). Cross-tabulation test showed a significant association between the malignancy tumor and the irregular shape of the lesion (p < 0.001, OR=7.162, CI 2.726-18.814), non-circumscribed margins (p < 0.001, OR = 9.031, CI 3.200-25.489), tissue distortion (p < 0.001, OR = 18.095, CI 5.944-55.091), and the lymph node enlargement (p < 0.001, OR = 5.705, CI 2.332-13.960). Conclusion US imaging features of malignancy have a high sensitivity and positive predictive value for detection of the BC. However, the specificity of breast US imaging features is much lower because of the overlapping features in benign and malignant breast lesions. Breast lesions with an irregular shape, not circumscribed irregular or spiculated margins, hypo-echogenicity, tissue distortion, and those with lymphadenopathy have the highest likelihood of malignancy despite the low specificity. US is a highly valuable, safe, and affordable imaging modality with high diagnostic accuracy for BC.

Synthesis of New Bioactive Indolyl-1,2,4-Triazole Hybrids As Dual Inhibitors for EGFR/PARP-1 Targeting Breast and Liver Cancer Cells

Cancer is the most severe disease worldwide. Every year, tens of millions of people are diagnosed with cancer, and over half of those people will ultimately die from the disease. Hence, the discovery of new inhibitors for fighting cancer is necessary. As a result, new indolyl-triazole hybrids were synthesized to target breast and liver cancer cells. The synthetic strategy involves glycosylation of the 4-aryltriazolethiones 3a-b with acetyl-protected α-halosugars in the presence of K₂CO₃ in acetone to give a mixture of β-S-glycosides 6a-b, 7a-b, and β-N-glycosides 8a-b, 9a-b. Chemo-selective S-glycosylation was achieved using NaHCO₃ in ethanol. The migration of glycosyl moiety from sulfur to nitrogen (S → N glycosylmigration) was achieved thermally without any catalyst. Alkylation of the triazole-thiones with 2-bromoethanol and 1-bromopropan-2-ol in the presence of K₂CO₃ yielded the corresponding S-alkylated products. The synthesized compounds were tested for their cytotoxicity using an MTT assay and for apoptosis induction targeting PARP-1 and EGFR. Compounds 12b, 13a, and 13b exhibited cytotoxic activities with promising IC₅₀ values of 2.67, 6.21, 1.07 μM against MCF-7 cells and 3.21, 8.91, 0.32 μM against HepG2 cells compared to Erlotinib (IC₅₀ = 2.51, 2.91 μM, respectively) as reference drug. Interestingly, compounds 13b induced apoptosis in MCf-7 and HepG2 cells, arresting the cell cycle at the G2/M and S phases, respectively. Additionally, the dual enzyme inhibition seen in compound 13b against EGFR and PARP-1 is encouraging, with IC₅₀ values of 62.4 nM compared to Erlotinib (80 nM) and 1.24 nM compared to Olaparib (1.49 nM), respectively. The anticancer activity was finally validated using an in vivo SEC-cancer model; compound 13b improved both hematological and biochemical analyses inhibiting tumor proliferation by 66.7% compared to Erlotinib's 65.7%. So, compound 13b may serve as a promising anticancer activity through dual PARP-1/EGFR target inhibition.

Design of new drugs for medullary thyroid carcinoma

Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is one of the common malignant endocrine tumors, which seriously affects human health. Although surgical resection offers a potentially curative therapeutic option to some MTC patients, most patients do not benefit from it due to the difficulty to access the tumors and tumor metastasis. The survival rate of MTC patients has improved with the recent advances in the research, which has improved our understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying MTC and enabled the development and approval of novel targeted drugs. In this article, we reviewed the molecular mechanisms related to MTC progression and the principle for the design of molecular targeted drugs, and proposed some future directions for prospective studies exploring targeted drugs for MTC.

Facile Synthesis of Some Coumarin Derivatives and Their Cytotoxicity through VEGFR2 and Topoisomerase II Inhibition

Novel semisynthetic coumarin derivatives were synthesized to be developed as chemotherapeutic anticancer agents through topoisomerase II, VEGFR2 inhibition that leads to apoptotic cancer cell death. The coumarin amino acids and dipeptides derivatives were prepared by the reaction of coumarin-3-carboxylic acid with amino acid methyl esters following the N,N-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) method and 1-hydroxy-benzotriazole (HOBt), as coupling reagents. The synthesized compounds were screened towards VEGFR2, and topoisomerase IIα proteins to highlight their binding affinities and virtual mechanism of binding. Interestingly, compounds 4k (Tyr) and 6c (β-Ala-L-Met) shared the activity towards the three proteins by forming the same interactions with the key amino acids, such as the co-crystallized ligands. Both compounds 4k and 6c exhibited potent cytotoxic activities against MCF-7 cells with IC₅₀ values of 4.98 and 5.85 µM, respectively causing cell death by 97.82 and 97.35%, respectively. Validating the molecular docking studies, both compounds demonstrated promising VEGFR-2 inhibition with IC₅₀ values of 23.6 and 34.2 µM, compared to Sorafenib (30 µM) and topoisomerase-II inhibition with IC₅₀ values of 4.1 and 8.6 µM compared to Doxorubicin (9.65 µM). Hence, these two promising compounds could be further tested as effective and selective target-oriented active agents against cancer.

Pyrazolyl-s-triazine with indole motif as a novel of epidermal growth factor receptor/cyclin-dependent kinase 2 dual inhibitors

A series of pyrazolyl-s-triazine compounds with an indole motif was designed, synthesized, and evaluated for anticancer activity targeting dual EGFR and CDK-2 inhibitors. The compounds were tested for cytotoxicity using the MTT assay. Compounds 3h, 3i, and 3j showed promising cytotoxic activity against two cancer cell lines, namely A549, MCF-7, and HDFs (non-cancerous human dermal fibroblasts). Compound 3j was the most active candidate against A549, with an IC₅₀ of 2.32 ± 0.21 μM. Compounds 3h and 3i were found to be the most active hybrids against MCF-7 and HDFs, with an IC₅₀ of 2.66 ± 0.26 μM and 3.78 ± 0.55 μM, respectively. Interestingly, 3i showed potent EGFR inhibition, with an IC₅₀ of 34.1 nM compared to Erlotinib (IC₅₀ = 67.3 nM). At 10 μM, this candidate caused 93.6% and 91.4% of EGFR and CDK-2 inhibition, respectively. Furthermore, 3i enhanced total lung cancer cell apoptosis 71.6-fold (43.7% compared to 0.61% for the control). Given the potent cytotoxicity exerted by 3i through apoptosis-mediated activity, this compound emerges as a promising target-oriented anticancer agent.

Comparative Cytotoxic Evaluation of Zygophyllum album Root and Aerial Parts of Different Extracts and Their Biosynthesized Silver Nanoparticles on Lung A549 and Prostate PC-3 Cancer Cell Lines

The current work demonstrates a comparative study between aerial and root parts of Zygophyllum album L. The total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid content (TFC), in addition to the antioxidant activity, of the crude extracts were investigated, where the aerial parts revealed a higher value overall. By means of UV–VIS and HPLC, rutin and caffeic acid were detected and then quantified as 5.91 and 0.97 mg/g of the plant extract, respectively. Moreover, the biosynthesis of AgNPs utilizing the crude extract of the arial parts and root of Z. album L. and the phenolic extracts was achieved in an attempt to enhance the cytotoxicity of the different plant extracts. The prepared AgNPs formulations were characterized by TEM and zeta potential measurements, which revealed that all of the formulated AgNPs were of a small particle diameter and were highly stable. The mean hydrodynamic particle size ranged from 67.11 to 80.04 nm, while the zeta potential ranged from 29.1 to 38.6 mV. Upon biosynthesis of the AgNPs using the extracts, the cytotoxicity of the tested samples was improved, so the polyphenolics AgNPs of the aerial parts exhibited a potent cytotoxicity against lung A549 and prostate PC-3 cancer cells with IC₅₀ values of 6.1 and 4.36 µg/mL, respectively, compared with Doxorubicin (IC₅₀ values of 6.19 and 5.13 µg/mL, respectively). Regarding the apoptotic activity, polyphenolics AgNPs of the aerial parts induced apoptotic cell death by 4.2-fold in PC-3 and 4.7-fold in A549 cells compared with the untreated control. The mechanism of apoptosis in both cancerous cells appeared to be via the upregulation proapoptotic genes; p53, Bax, caspase 3, 8, and 9, and the downregulation of antiapoptotic gene, Bcl-2. Hence, this formula may serve as a good source for anticancer agents against PC-3 and A549 cells.

Phragmanthera austroarabica A.G.Mill. and J.A.Nyberg Triggers Apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 Cells In Vitro and In Vivo Assays: Simultaneous Determination of Selected Constituents

Phragmanthera austroarabica (Loranthaceae), a semi-parasitic plant, is well known for its high content of polyphenols that are responsible for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Gallic acid, catechin, and methyl gallate are bioactive metabolites of common occurrence in the family of Loranthaceae. Herein, the concentrations of these bioactive metabolites were assessed using high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC). Methyl gallate, catechin, and gallic acid were scanned at 280 nm. Their concentrations were assessed as 14.5, 6.5 and 43.6 mg/g of plant dry extract, respectively. Phragmanthera austroarabica extract as well as the three pure compounds were evaluated regarding the cytotoxic activity. The plant extract exhibited promising cytotoxic activity against MDA-MB-231 breast cells with the IC₅₀ value of 19.8 μg/mL while the tested pure compounds displayed IC₅₀ values in the range of 21.26–29.6 μg/mL. For apoptosis investigation, P. austroarabica induced apoptotic cell death by 111-fold change and necrosis by 9.31-fold change. It also activated the proapoptotic genes markers and inhibited the antiapoptotic gene, validating the apoptosis mechanism. Moreover, in vivo studies revealed a significant reduction in the breast tumor volume and weight in solid Ehrlich carcinoma (SEC) mice. The treatment of SEC mice with P. austroarabica extract improved both hematological and biochemical parameters with amelioration in the liver and kidney histopathology to near normal. Taken together, P. austroarabica extract exhibited promising anti-cancer activity through an apoptosis-induction.

Silver Nanoparticles Formulation of Flower Head’s Polyphenols of Cynara scolymus L.: A Promising Candidate against Prostate (PC-3) Cancer Cell Line through Apoptosis Activation

Cynara scolymus L. (Family: Compositae) or artichoke is a nutritious edible plant widely used for its hepatoprotective effect. Crude extracts of flower, bract, and stem were prepared and evaluated for their in vitro antioxidant activity and phenolic content. The flower crude extract exhibited the highest phenolic content (74.29 mg GAE/gm) as well as the best in vitro antioxidant activity using total antioxidant capacity (TAC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FEAP), and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhyazyl (DPPH) scavenging assays compared with ascorbic acid. Phenolic fractions of the crude extracts of different parts were separated and identified using high-performance liquid chromatography HPLC-DAD analysis. The silver nanoparticles of these phenolic fractions were established and tested for their cytotoxicity and apoptotic activity. Results showed that silver nanoparticles of a polyphenolic fraction of flower extract (Nano-TP/Flowers) exhibited potent cytotoxicity against prostate (PC-3) and lung (A549) cancer cell lines with IC₅₀ values of 0.85 μg/mL and 0.94 μg/mL, respectively, compared with doxorubicin as a standard. For apoptosis-induction, Nano-TP/Flowers exhibited apoptosis in PC-3 with a higher ratio than in A549 cells. It induced total prostate apoptotic cell death by 227-fold change while it induced apoptosis in A549 cells by 15.6-fold change. Nano-TP/Flowers upregulated both pro-apoptotic markers and downregulated the antiapoptotic genes using RT-PCR. Hence, this extract may serve as a promising source for anti-prostate cancer candidates.

New thiophene, thienopyridine and thiazoline-based derivatives: Design, synthesis and biological evaluation as antiproliferative agents and multitargeting kinase inhibitors

Multitargeting kinase inhibitors recently proved to be a profitable approach for conquering cancer proliferation. The current study represents the design and synthesis of new thiophene, thienopyridine, and thiazoline-based derivatives 4-14a,b. All the target compounds were examined in vitro against three cancer cell lines; the liver (HepG-2), breast (MCF-7), and colon (HCT-116) where the thiophene-based compounds 5a-c, demonstrated the most potent activity. Furthermore, the latter derivatives revealed a safety profile against WI-38 normal cell line of selectivity indices ranging from 4.43 to 17.44. In vitro enzyme assay of 5a-c revealed that the carbohydrazide analog 5c has the most promising multitargeting inhibiting activity against Pim-1, VEGFR-2, and EGFR^WT enzymes of IC₅₀ values; 0.037 ± 0.02, 0.95 ± 0.24, and 0.16 ± 0.05 µM, respectively. As it was the most potent analog, 5c was further subjected to cell cycle and apoptosis analysis. The results indicated that it induced preG1 arrest and an apoptotic effect in the early and late stages. Moreover, further apoptosis studies were carried out for 5c to evaluate its proapoptotic potential. Interestingly, 5c enhanced the levels of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, p53, and active caspase 3 by 18, 6.4, and 24 folds, respectively compared to the untreated cells. The antimicrobial evaluation showed that only compounds 3 and 5a produced broad-spectrum potency, while 5b and 5c exhibited outstanding antifungal effects. Finally, a molecular docking study was carried out to discover the probable interactions of compound 5c with the active sites of Pim-1, VEGFR-2, and EGFR^WT kinases.

Design and synthesis of new bis(1,2,4-triazolo[3,4-b][1,3,4]thiadiazines) and bis((quinoxalin-2-yl)phenoxy)alkanes as anti-breast cancer agents through dual PARP-1 and EGFR targets inhibition

A number of new 1,ω-bis((acetylphenoxy)acetamide)alkanes 5a–f were prepared then their bromination using NBS furnished the novel bis(2-bromoacetyl)phenoxy)acetamides 6a–f. Reaction of 6a–f with 4-amino-5-substituted-4H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiol 7a–d and with o-phenylenediamine derivatives 9a and b afforded the corresponding bis(1,2,4-triazolo[3,4-b][1,3,4]thiadiazine) derivatives 8a–l and bis(quinoxaline) derivatives 10a–e in good yields. The cytotoxicity of the synthesized compounds as well as apoptosis induction through PARP-1 and EGFR as molecular targets was evaluated. Three compounds, 8d, 8i and 8l, exhibited much better cytotoxic activities against MDA-MB-231 than the drug Erlotinib. Interestingly, compound 8i induced apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells by 38-fold compared to the control arresting the cell cycle at the G2/M phase, and its treatment upregulated P53, Bax, caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9 gene levels, while it downregulated the Bcl2 level. Compound 8i exhibited promising dual enzyme inhibition of PARP-1 (IC₅₀ = 1.37 nM) compared to Olaparib (IC₅₀ = 1.49 nM), and EGFR (IC₅₀ = 64.65 nM) compared to Erlotinib (IC₅₀ = 80 nM). These results agreed with the molecular docking studies that highlighted the binding disposition of compound 8i inside the PARP-1 and EGFR protein active sites. Hence, compound 8i may serve as a potential anti-breast cancer agent.

A series of bis(triazolothiadiazines) and bis(quinoxalines) were synthesized and tested for their cytotoxicity and apoptosis-induction through PARP-1 and EGFR as molecular targets. Compound 8i exhibited high cytotoxic activity and promising dual enzyme inhibition.

Quinoline–hydrazone hybrids as dual mutant EGFR inhibitors with promising metallic nanoparticle loading: rationalized design, synthesis, biological investigation and computational studies

A novel quinoline–hydrazone hybrid induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells through dual mutant EGFR inhibition with promising metallic nanoparticle loading.