Apoptosis induction, PARP-1 inhibition, and cell cycle analysis of leukemia cancer cells treated with novel synthetic 1,2,3-triazole-chalcone conjugates

Novel curcumin-based analogues as potential VEGFR2 inhibitors with promising metallic loading nanoparticles: synthesis, biological evaluation, and molecular modelling investigation

VEGFR2 inhibition has been established as a therapeutic approach for managing cancer. A series of curcumin-based analogues were designed, synthesized, and screened for their anticancer activity against MCF-7 and HepG-2 cell lines and WISH normal cells. Compounds 4b, 4d, 4e, and 4f showed potent cytotoxicity against MCF-7 with IC50 values of 0.49, 0.14, 0.01, and 0.32 μM, respectively, compared to curcumin (IC50 = 13.8 μM) and sorafenib (IC50 = 2.13 μM). Interestingly, compound 4e, the most active compound, exhibited potent VEGFR2 inhibition with an IC50 value of 11.6 nM (96.5% inhibition) compared to sorafenib with an IC50 value of 30 nM (94.8% inhibition). Additionally, compound 4e significantly induced apoptotic cell death in MCF-7 cells by 41.1% compared to a control group (0.8%), halting cell division during the G2/M phase by 39.8% compared to the control (21.7%). Molecular docking-coupled dynamics simulations highlighted the bias of the VEGFR2 pocket towards compound 4e compared to other synthesized compounds. Predicting superior binding affinities and relevant interactions with the pocket's key residues recapitulated in vitro findings towards higher inhibition activity for compound 4e. Furthermore, compound 4e with adequate pharmacokinetic and drug-likeness profiles in terms of ADME and safety characteristics can serve as a promising clinical candidate for future lead optimization and development. Notably, 4e-Fe2O3-humic acid NPs exhibited potent cytotoxicity with IC50 values of 2.41 and 13.4 ng mL-1 against MCF-7 and HepG-2 cell lines, respectively. Hence, compound 4e and its Fe2O3-humic acid-NPs could be further developed as promising anti-breast cancer agents.

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.

Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors as anticancer agents: An outlook on clinical progress, synthetic strategies, biological activity, and structure-activity relationship

Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) is considered an essential component in case of DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) damage, response by sensing DNA damage and engaging DNA repair proteins. Those proteins repair the damaged DNA via an aspect of posttranslational modification, known as poly (ADP-Ribosyl)ation (PARylation). Specifically, PARP inhibitors (PARPi) have shown better results when administered alone in a variety of cancer types with BRCA (Breast Cancer gene) mutation. The clinical therapeutic benefits of PARP inhibitors have been diminished by their cytotoxicity, progression of drug resistance, and limitation of indication, regardless of their tremendous clinical effectiveness. A growing number of PARP-1 inhibitors, particularly those associated with BRCA-1/2 mutations, have been identified as potential cancer treatments. Recently, several researchers have identified various promising scaffolds, which have resulted in the resuscitation of the faith in PARP inhibitors as cancer therapies. This review provided a comprehensive update on the anatomy and physiology of the PARP enzyme, the profile of FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and CFDA (China Food and Drug Administration)-approved drugs, and small-molecule inhibitors of PARP, including their synthetic routes, biological evaluation, selectivity, and structure-activity relationship.

Discovery of gefitinib-1,2,3-triazole derivatives against lung cancer via inducing apoptosis and inhibiting the colony formation

A series of 20 novel gefitinib derivatives incorporating the 1,2,3-triazole moiety were designed and synthesized. The synthesized compounds were evaluated for their potential anticancer activity against EGFR wild-type human non-small cell lung cancer cells (NCI-H1299, A549) and human lung adenocarcinoma cells (NCI-H1437) as non-small cell lung cancer. In comparison to gefitinib, Initial biological assessments revealed that several compounds exhibited potent anti-proliferative activity against these cancer cell lines. Notably, compounds 7a and 7j demonstrated the most pronounced effects, with an IC50 value of 3.94 ± 0.17 µmol L-1 (NCI-H1299), 3.16 ± 0.11 µmol L-1 (A549), and 1.83 ± 0.13 µmol L-1 (NCI-H1437) for 7a, and an IC50 value of 3.84 ± 0.22 µmol L-1 (NCI-H1299), 3.86 ± 0.38 µmol L-1 (A549), and 1.69 ± 0.25 µmol L-1 (NCI-H1437) for 7j. These two compounds could inhibit the colony formation and migration ability of H1299 cells, and induce apoptosis in H1299 cells. Acute toxicity experiments on mice demonstrated that compound 7a exhibited low toxicity in mice. Based on these results, it is proposed that 7a and 7j could potentially be developed as novel drugs for the treatment of lung cancer.

Design, synthesis, and mechanistic insight of novel imidazolones as potential EGFR inhibitors and apoptosis inducers

As regards to the structural analysis and optimization of diverse potential EGFR inhibitors, two series of imidazolyl-2-cyanoprop-2-enimidothioates and ethyl imidazolylthiomethylacrylates were designed and constructed as potential EGFR suppressors. The cytotoxic effect of the prepared derivatives was assessed toward hepatic, breast, and prostate cancerous cells (Hep-G2, MCF-7, and PC-3). Three derivatives 3d, 3e, and 3f presented potent antiproliferative activity and selectivity against the examined tumor cells showing IC50 values at low micromolar levels. Hence, successive biological assays were applied to determine the probable mechanism of action of the new compounds. They exhibited significant EGFR suppression with an IC50 range of 0.137-0.507 µM. The most effective EGFR inhibitor 3f arrested the MCF-7 cell cycle at the S phase by inducing the apoptotic pathway that was confirmed via increasing the expression of Caspases 8, 9, and Bax, which are associated with Bcl-2 decline. Additionally, molecular docking displayed a distinctive interaction between 3f and EGFR binding pocket. Overall, this work introduces some novel imidazolyl-2-cyanoprop-2-enimidothioates and ethyl imidazolylthiomethylacrylates as potential cytotoxic and EGFR inhibitors that deserve further research in tumor therapy.

The anti-breast cancer therapeutic potential of 1,2,3-triazole-containing hybrids

Breast cancer, as one of the most common invasive malignancies and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women globally, poses a significant challenge in the world health system. Substantial advances in diagnosis and treatment have significantly improved the survival rate of breast cancer patients, but the number of incidences and deaths of breast cancer are projected to increase by 40% and 50%, respectively, by 2040. Chemotherapy is one of the principal treatments for breast cancer therapy, but multidrug resistance and severe side effects remain the major obstacles to the success of treatment. Hence, there is a vital need to develop novel chemotherapeutic agents to combat this deadly disease. 1,2,3-Triazole, which can be effectively constructed by click chemistry, not only can serve as a linker to connect different anti-breast cancer pharmacophores but also is a valuable pharmacophore with anti-breast cancer potential and favorable properties such as hydrogen bonding, moderate dipole moment, and enhanced water solubility. Particularly, 1,2,3-triazole-containing hybrids have demonstrated promising in vitro and in vivo anti-breast cancer potential against both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant forms and possessed excellent selectivity by targeting different biological pathways associated with breast cancer, representing privileged scaffolds for the discovery of novel anti-breast cancer candidates. This review concentrates on the latest advancements of 1,2,3-triazole-containing hybrids with anti-breast cancer potential, including work published between 2020 and the present. The structure-activity relationships (SARs) and mechanisms of action are also reviewed to shed light on the development of more effective and multitargeted candidates.

Structure-based development of 3,5-dihydroxybenzoyl-hydrazineylidene as tyrosinase inhibitor; in vitro and in silico study

A series of new analogs of 3,5-dihydroxybenzoyl-hydrazineylidene conjugated to different methoxyphenyl triazole (11a-n) synthesized using click reaction. The structures of all synthesized compounds were characterized by FTIR, 1H, 13C-NMR spectroscopy, and CHO analysis. The tyrosinase inhibitory potential of the synthesized compounds was studied. The newly synthesized scaffolds were found to illustrate the variable degree of the inhibitory profile, and the most potent analog of this series was that one bearing 4-methoxyphenyl moiety, and exhibited an IC50 value of 55.39 ± 4.93 µM. The kinetic study of the most potent derivative reveals a competitive mode of inhibition. Next, molecular docking studies were performed to understand the potent inhibitor's binding mode within the enzyme's binding site. Molecular dynamics simulations were accomplished to further investigate the orientation and binding interaction over time and the stability of the 11m-tyrosinase complex.

Novel benzochromenes: design, synthesis, cytotoxicity, molecular docking and mechanistic investigations

Aim: A novel series of fused benzochromenes with expected cytotoxicity and HIF-1α inhibition was identified. Materials & methods: A bioisosterism-aided approach was applied to design new benzochromenes and assess their cytotoxicity against three cancer cell lines. The probable mechanistic effect and the in silico docking and pharmacokinetic profiles of the most effective derivatives were evaluated. Results: Compounds 3, 4, 5, 8 and 11 showed potent antiproliferative activity and excellent selectivity. Compound 8 showed significant HIF-1α inhibition with an IC50 value of 3.372 μM. It also enhanced apoptosis and arrested the HepG2 cell cycle at both the G0/G1 and S stages. Conclusion: Compound 8 was identified as a new potential anticancer candidate.

New phenothiazine conjugates as apoptosis inducing agents: Design, synthesis, In-vitro anti-cancer screening and 131I-radiolabeling for in-vivo evaluation

Phenothiazines (PTZs) are a group of compounds characterized by the presence of the 10H-dibenzo-[b,e]-1,4-thiazine system. PTZs used in clinics as antipsychotic drugs with other diverse biological activities. The current aim of the study is to investigate and understand the effect of potent PTZs compounds using a group of In-vitro and In-vivo assays. A total of seventeen novel phenothiazine derivatives have been designed, synthesized, and evaluated primarily in-vitro for their ability to inhibit proliferation activity against NCI-60 cancer cell lines, including several multi-drug resistant (MDR) tumor cell lines. Almost all compounds were active and displayed promising cellular activities with GI50 values in the sub-micromolar range. Four of the most promising derivatives (4b, 4h, 4g and 6e) have been further tested against two selected sensitive cancer cell lines (colon cancer; HCT-116 and breast cancer; MDA-MB231). The apoptosis assay showed that all the selected compounds were able to induce early apoptosis and compound 6e was able to induce additional cellular necrosis. Cell cycle assay showed all selected compounds were able to induce cell cycle arrest at sub-molecular phase of G0-G1 with compound 6e induced cell cycle arrest at G2M in HCT-116 cells. Accordingly, the apoptotic effect of the selected compounds was extensively investigated on genetic level and Casp-3, Casp-9 and Bax gene were up-regulated with down-regulation of Bcl-2 gene suggesting the activation of both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. In-vivo evaluation of the antitumor activity of compound 4b in solid tumor bearing mice showed promising therapeutic effect with manifestation of dose and time dependent toxic effects at higher doses. For better evaluation of the degree of localization of 4b, its 131I-congener (131I-4b) was injected intravenously in Ehrlich solid tumor bearing mice that showed good localization at tumor site with rapid distribution and clearance from the blood. In-silico study suggested NADPH oxidases (NOXs) as potential molecular target. The compounds introduced in the current study work provided a cutting-edge phenothiazine hybrid scaffold with promising anti-proliferation action that may suggest their anti-cancer activity.

New 1,2,3-triazole/1,2,4-triazole hybrids linked to oxime moiety as nitric oxide donor selective COX-2, aromatase, B-RAFV600E and EGFR inhibitors celecoxib analogs: design, synthesis, anti-inflammatory/anti-proliferative activities, apoptosis and molecular modeling study

A new series of bis-triazole 19a-l was synthesised for the purpose of being hybrid molecules with both anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities and assessed for cell cycle arrest, NO release. Compounds 19c, 19f, 19h, 19 l exhibited COX-2 selectivity indexes in the range of 18.48 to 49.38 compared to celecoxib S.I. = 21.10), inhibit MCF-7 with IC50 = 9-16 μM compared to tamoxifen (IC50 = 27.9 μM). and showed good inhibitory activity against HEP-3B with IC50 = 4.5-14 μM compared to sorafenib (IC50 = 3.5 μM) (HEP-3B). Moreover, derivatives 19e, 19j, 19k, 19 l inhibit HCT-116 with IC50 = 5.3-13.7 μM compared to 5-FU with IC50 = 4.8 μM (HCT-116). Compounds 19c, 19f, 19h, 19 l showed excellent inhibitory activity against A549 with IC50 = 3-4.5 μM compared to 5-FU with IC50 = 6 μM (A549). Compounds 19c, 19f, 19h, 19 l inhibit aromatase (IC50 of 22.40, 23.20, 22.70, 30.30 μM), EGFR (IC50 of 0.112, 0.205, 0.169 and 0.066 μM) and B-RAFV600E (IC50 of 0.09, 0.06, 0.07 and 0.05 μM).

Small molecule tractable PARP inhibitors: Scaffold construction approaches, mechanistic insights and structure activity relationship

Diverse drug design strategies viz. molecular hybridization, substituent installation, scaffold hopping, isosteric replacement, high-throughput screening, induction and separation of chirality, structure modifications of phytoconstituents and use of structural templates have been exhaustively leveraged in the last decade to load the chemical toolbox of PARP inhibitors. Resultantly, numerous promising scaffolds have been pinpointed that in turn have led to the resuscitation of the credence to PARP inhibitors as cancer therapeutics. This review briefly presents the physiological functions of PARPs, the pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics, and the interaction profiles of FDA-approved PARP inhibitors. Comprehensively covered is the section on the drug design strategies employed by drug discovery enthusiasts for furnishing PARP inhibitors. The impact of structural variations in the template of designed scaffolds on enzymatic and cellular activity (structure-activity relationship studies) has been discussed. The insights gained through the biological evaluation such as profiling of physicochemical properties andin vitroADME properties, PK assessments, and high-dose pharmacology are covered.

Design and Synthesis of Novel α-Methylchalcone Derivatives, Anti-Cervical Cancer Activity, and Reversal of Drug Resistance in HeLa/DDP Cells

In this study, a collection of newly developed α-methylchalcone derivatives were synthesized and assessed for their inhibitory potential against human cervical cancer cell lines (HeLa, SiHa, and C33A) as well as normal human cervical epithelial cells (H8). Notably, compound 3k exhibited substantial inhibitory effects on both HeLa and HeLa/DDP cells while demonstrating lower toxicity toward H8 cells. Furthermore, the compound 3k was found to induce apoptosis in both HeLa and HeLa/DDP cells while also inhibiting the G2/M phase, resulting in a decrease in the invasion and migration capabilities of these cells. When administered alongside cisplatin, 3k demonstrated a significant reduction in the resistance of HeLa/DDP cells to cisplatin, as evidenced by a decrease in the resistance index (RI) value from 7.90 to 2.10. Initial investigations into the underlying mechanism revealed that 3k did not impact the expression of P-gp but instead facilitated the accumulation of rhodamine 123 in HeLa/DDP cells. The results obtained from CADD docking analysis demonstrated that 3k exhibits stable binding to microtubule proteins and P-gp targets, forming hydrogen bonding interaction forces. Immunofluorescence analysis further revealed that 3k effectively decreased the fluorescence intensity of α and β microtubules in HeLa and HeLa/DDP cells, resulting in disruptions in cell morphology, reduction in cell numbers, nucleus coagulation, and cell rupture. Additionally, Western blot analysis indicated that 3k significantly reduced the levels of polymerized α and β microtubule proteins in both HeLa and HeLa/DDP cell lines while concurrently increasing the expression of dissociated α and β microtubule proteins. The aforementioned findings indicate a potential correlation between the inhibitory effects of 3k on HeLa and HeLa/DDP cells and its ability to inhibit tubulin and P-gp.

Synthesis, Cytotoxic, and Computational Screening of Some Novel Indole-1,2,4-Triazole-Based S-Alkylated N-Aryl Acetamides

Molecular hybridization has emerged as the prime and most significant approach for the development of novel anticancer chemotherapeutic agents for combating cancer. In this pursuit, a novel series of indole-1,2,4-triazol-based N-phenyl acetamide structural motifs 8a-f were synthesized and screened against the in vitro hepatocellular cancer Hep-G2 cell line. The MTT assay was applied to determine the anti-proliferative potential of novel indole-triazole compounds 8a-f, which displayed cytotoxicity potential as cell viabilities at 100 µg/mL concentration, by using ellipticine and doxorubicin as standard reference drugs. The remarkable prominent bioactive structural hybrids 8a, 8c, and 8f demonstrated good-to-excellent anti-Hep-G2 cancer chemotherapeutic potential, with a cell viability of (11.72 ± 0.53), (18.92 ± 1.48), and (12.93 ± 0.55), respectively. The excellent cytotoxicity efficacy against the liver cancer cell line Hep-G2 was displayed by the 3,4-dichloro moiety containing indole-triazole scaffold 8b, which had the lowest cell viability (10.99 ± 0.59) compared with the standard drug ellipticine (cell viability = 11.5 ± 0.55) but displayed comparable potency in comparison with the standard drug doxorubicin (cell viability = 10.8 ± 0.41). The structure-activity relationship (SAR) of indole-triazoles 8a-f revealed that the 3,4-dichlorophenyl-based indole-triazole structural hybrid 8b displayed excellent anti-Hep-G2 cancer chemotherapeutic efficacy. The in silico approaches such as molecular docking scores, molecular dynamic simulation stability data, DFT, ADMET studies, and in vitro pharmacological profile clearly indicated that indole-triazole scaffold 8b could be the lead anti-Hep-G2 liver cancer therapeutic agent and a promising anti-Hep-G2 drug candidate for further clinical evaluations.

Molecular overlay-guided design of new CDK2 inhibitor thiazepinopurines: Synthesis, anticancer, and mechanistic investigations

Adopting the molecular overlay approach, three novel sets of thiazepinopurines with expected cytotoxicity and CDK2 inhibition potential were designed and synthesized. This was accomplished through the heteroannelation of purines, for the first time, with thiazepine. The obtained thiazepinopurines derivatives were assessed for their cytotoxicity toward tumor cells of three different types, HepG2, MCF-7, and PC-3 as well as one normal cell (WI38). Among the studied compounds, 3b and 3c exhibited significant antiproliferative activity against tumor cells presenting IC50 range of 5.52-17.09 µM in comparison with Roscovitine (9.32-13.82 µM). Additionally, both compounds displayed superior selectivity indices (SI = 3.00-7.15) toward tested cancer cells. The 4-chlorophenyl analog 3b has shown the best selectivity index, and hence it has been subjected to additional investigations to determine its proper mechanistic effect. Accordingly, the CDK2 inhibition potential, apoptosis induction, and cell cycle analysis of MCF-7 were evaluated. Results revealed that this analog displayed a potent CDK2 inhibition potential with an IC50 value of 0.219 µM. Findings also showed that 3b was thought to arrest MCF-7 cell cycle at S phase together with apoptosis induction by the increased expression of Bax, Caspase-8, and -9 markers with a concomitant decrease in Bcl-2 expression. Besides, the probable interaction of 3b with CDK2 binding pocket was investigated by molecular docking.

Novel 1,2,4-triazoles derived from Ibuprofen: synthesis and in vitro evaluation of their mPGES-1 inhibitory and antiproliferative activity

Some novel triazole-bearing ketone and oxime derivatives were synthesized from Ibuprofen. In vitro cytotoxic activities of all synthesized molecules against five cancer lines (human breast cancer MCF-7, human lung cancer A549, human prostate cancer PC-3, human cervix cancer HeLa, and human chronic myelogenous leukemia K562 cell lines) were evaluated by MTT assay. In addition, mouse embryonic fibroblast cells (NIH/3T3) were also evaluated to determine the selectivity. Compounds 18, 36, and 45 were found to be the most cytotoxic, and their IC50 values were in the range of 17.46-68.76 µM, against the tested cancer cells. According to the results, compounds 7 and 13 demonstrated good anti-inflammatory activity against the microsomal enzyme prostaglandin E2 synthase-1 (mPGES-1) enzyme at IC50 values of 13.6 and 4.95 µM. The low cytotoxicity and non-mutagenity of these compounds were found interesting. Also, these compounds significantly prevented tube formation in angiogenesis studies. In conclusion, the anti-inflammatory and angiogenesis inhibitory activities of these compounds without toxicity suggested that they may be promising agents in anti-inflammatory treatment and they may be supportive agents for the cancer treatment.

Development of a New Benzofuran-Pyrazole-Pyridine-Based Molecule for the Management of Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a substantial burden for patients with the disease. The known medications for the disease target the mitigation of the disease's symptoms. So, drug development for the management of osteoarthritis represents an important challenge in the medical field. This work is based on the development of a new benzofuran-pyrazole-pyridine-based compound 8 with potential anti-inflammatory and anti-osteoarthritis properties. Microanalytical and spectral data confirmed the chemical structure of compound 8. The biological assays indicated that compound 8 produces multifunctional activity as an anti-osteoarthritic candidate via inhibition of pro-inflammatory mediators, including RANTES, CRP, COMP, CK, and LPO in OA rats. Histopathological and pharmacokinetic studies confirmed the safety profile of the latter molecule. Accordingly, compound 8 is considered a promising anti-osteoarthritis agent and deserves deeper investigation in future trials.

Aminopyridone-linked benzimidazoles: a fragment-based drug design for the development of CDK9 inhibitors

Aim: A fragment-based design and synthesis of three novel series of aminopyridone-linked benzimidazoles as potential anticancer candidates with significant CDK9 inhibition was implemented. Materials & methods: All synthesized compounds were submitted to National Cancer Institute, 60 cell lines and seven-dose cytotoxicity toward three cancer cells. Results: Compounds 2, 4a, 4c, 4d, 6a and 8a exhibited significant cytotoxicity and selectivity with IC50 range of 7.61-57.75 μM. Regarding the mechanism either in vitro or in silico, 4a, 6a and 8a displayed potent CDK9 inhibition with IC50 value of 0.424-8.461 μM. Compound 6a arrested the cell cycle at S phase and induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. Conclusion: Compound 6a is a promising CDK9 inhibitor that warrants additional research for cancer treatment.

Prudent tactics to sail the boat of PARP inhibitors as therapeutics for diverse malignancies

INTRODUCTION

PARP inhibitors block the DNA-repairing mechanism of PARP and represent a promising class of anti-cancer therapy. The last decade has witnessed FDA approvals of several PARP inhibitors, with some undergoing advanced-stage clinical investigation. Medicinal chemists have invested much effort to expand the structure pool of PARP inhibitors. Issues associated with the use of PARP inhibitors that make their standing disconcerting in the pharmaceutical sector have been addressed via the design of new structural assemblages.

AREA COVERED

In this review, the authors present a detailed account of the medicinal chemistry campaigns conducted in the recent past for the construction of PARP1/PARP2 inhibitors, PARP1 biased inhibitors, and PARP targeting bifunctional inhibitors as well as PARP targeting degraders (PROTACs). Limitations associated with FDA-approved PARP inhibitors and strategies to outwit the limitations are also discussed.

EXPERT OPINION

The PARP inhibitory field has been rejuvenated with numerous tractable entries in the last decade. With numerous magic bullets in hand coupled with unfolded tactics to outwit the notoriety of cancer cells developing resistance toward PARP inhibitors, the dominance of PARP inhibitors as a sagacious option of targeted therapy is highly likely to be witnessed soon.

A Novel MDM2-Binding Chalcone Induces Apoptosis of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) represents ~90% of all oral cancers, being the eighth most common cancer in men. The overall 5-year survival rate is only 39% for metastatic cancers, and currently used chemotherapeutics can cause important side effects. Thus, there is an urgency in developing new and effective anti-cancer agents. As both chalcones and 1,2,3-triazoles are valuable pharmacophores/privileged structures in the search for anticancer compounds, in this work, new 1,2,3-triazole-chalcone hybrids were synthesized and evaluated against oral squamous cell carcinoma. By using different in silico, in vitro, and in vivo approaches, we demonstrated that compound 1f has great cytotoxicity and selectivity against OSCC (higher than carboplatin and doxorubicin) and other cancer cells in addition to showing minimal toxicity in mice. Furthermore, we demonstrate that induced cell death occurs by apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase. Moreover, we found that 1f has a potential affinity for MDM2 protein, similar to the known ligand nutlin-3, and presents a better selectivity, pharmacological profile, and potential to be orally absorbed and is not a substrate of Pg-P when compared to nutlin-3. Therefore, we conclude that 1f is a good lead for a new chemotherapeutic drug against OSCC and possibly other types of cancers.

Design and synthesis of novel uracil-linked Schiff bases as dual histone deacetylase type II/topoisomerase type I inhibitors with apoptotic potential

Aim: The previously reported dual histone deacetylase type II (HDAC II) / topoisomerase type I (Topo I) inhibitors suffer pharmacokinetic limitations because of their huge molecular weights. Materials & methods: We report the design and synthesis of a smarter novel set of uracil-linked Schiff bases (19-30) as dual HDAC II/Topo I inhibitors keeping the essential pharmacophoric features. Cytotoxicity of all compounds was assessed against three cancer cell lines. Studies of their effects on the apoptotic BAX and antiapoptotic BCL2 genes, molecular docking studies, and absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion studies were conducted. Results: Compounds 22, 25 and 30 exhibited significant activities. The bromophenyl derivative 22 displayed the best selectivity index, with IC50 values against HDAC II and Topo I of 1.12 and 13.44 μM, respectively. Conclusion: Compound 22 could be considered a lead HDAC II/Topo I inhibitor.

Anticancer Activity of Chalcones and Its Derivatives: Review and In Silico Studies

Chalcones are direct precursors in the biosynthesis of flavonoids. They have an α,β-unsaturated carbonyl system which gives them broad biological properties. Among the biological properties exerted by chalcones, their ability to suppress tumors stands out, in addition to their low toxicity. In this perspective, the present work explores the role of natural and synthetic chalcones and their anticancer activity in vitro reported in the last four years from 2019 to 2023. Moreover, we carried out a partial least square (PLS) analysis of the biologic data reported for colon adenocarcinoma lineage HCT-116. Information was obtained from the Web of Science database. Our in silico analysis identified that the presence of polar radicals such as hydroxyl and methoxyl contributed to the anticancer activity of chalcones derivatives. We hope that the data presented in this work will help researchers to develop effective drugs to inhibit colon adenocarcinoma in future works.

Syntheses and evaluation of acridone derivatives as anticancer agents targeting Kras promoter i-motif structure

Two series of novel acridone derivatives were designed and synthesized, with their anticancer activity evaluated. Most of these compounds showed potent antiproliferative activity against cancer cell lines. Among them, compound C4 with dual 1,2,3-triazol moieties exhibited the most potent activity against Hep-G2 cells with IC₅₀ value determined to be 6.29 ± 0.93 μM. Subsequent experiments showed that C4 could bind to and destabilize Kras gene promoter i-motif structure without significant interaction with its corresponding G-quadruplex. C4 could down-regulate Kras expression in Hep-G2 cells, possibly due to its interaction with the Kras i-motif. Further cellular studies indicated that C4 could induce apoptosis of Hep-G2 cells, possibly related to its effect on mitochondrial dysfunction. These results indicated that C4 could be further developed as a promising anticancer agent.

Exploring the cytotoxic effect and CDK-9 inhibition potential of novel sulfaguanidine-based azopyrazolidine-3,5-diones and 3,5-diaminoazopyrazoles

Regarding the structural analysis of variable effective CDK-9 suppressors, we record the design and synthesis of two new sets of sulfaguanidine-based azopyrazolidine-3,5-diones and 3,5-diaminoazopyrazoles with expected anticancer and CDK-9 inhibiting activity. In the designed molecules, the pyrazole ring and sulphaguanidine fragment were linked together for the first time through diazo linkers as they are expected to enhance the anticancer activity and CDK degrading interaction. All derivatives have been estimated regarding their cytotoxic activity toward three tumor cells where CDK overexpression has been reported (HePG2, HCT-116, and MCF-7). Among these, four derivatives VII, VIII, X, and XIII exerted potent cytotoxicity against the chosen tumor cells presenting IC₅₀ range equal to 2.86-25.89 µM. As well cytotoxicity on non-cancer cells and CDK-9 inhibition assay have been also assessed for these candidates to evaluate their selectivity indices and enzyme inhibition. The 3,5-diaminopyrazole-1-carboxamide derivative XIII showed a superior combined profile as cytotoxic with high selectivity toward cancer cells (HePG2: IC₅₀ = 6.57 µM, SI = 13.31; HCT-116: IC₅₀ = 9.54 µM, SI = 9.16; MCF-7: IC₅₀ = 7.97 µM, SI = 10.97). Accordingly, it has been chosen to evaluate its probable mechanistic effect both in vitro (via enzyme assay, apoptosis induction, and cell cycle study) as well as in silico (through molecular docking). Overall, this work introduces the 3,5-diaminopyrazole-1-carboxamide derivative XIII as a potent CDK-9 inhibitor candidate (IC₅₀ = 0.16 µM) that merits further investigations for the management of breast, colorectal, and hepatic malignancies.

Chalcones and Gastrointestinal Cancers: Experimental Evidence

Colorectal (CRC) and gastric cancers (GC) are the most common digestive tract cancers with a high incidence rate worldwide. The current treatment including surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy has several limitations such as drug toxicity, cancer recurrence or drug resistance and thus it is a great challenge to discover an effective and safe therapy for CRC and GC. In the last decade, numerous phytochemicals and their synthetic analogs have attracted attention due to their anticancer effect and low organ toxicity. Chalcones, plant-derived polyphenols, received marked attention due to their biological activities as well as for relatively easy structural manipulation and synthesis of new chalcone derivatives. In this study, we discuss the mechanisms by which chalcones in both in vitro and in vivo conditions suppress cancer cell proliferation or cancer formation.

Phenylpyrazolone-1,2,3-triazole Hybrids as Potent Antiviral Agents with Promising SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Inhibition Potential

COVID-19 infection is now considered one of the leading causes of human death. As an attempt towards the discovery of novel medications for the COVID-19 pandemic, nineteen novel compounds containing 1,2,3-triazole side chains linked to phenylpyrazolone scaffold and terminal lipophilic aryl parts with prominent substituent functionalities were designed and synthesized via a click reaction based on our previous work. The novel compounds were assessed using an in vitro effect on the growth of SARS-CoV-2 virus-infested Vero cells with different compound concentrations: 1 and 10 μM. The data revealed that most of these derivatives showed potent cellular anti-COVID-19 activity and inhibited viral replication by more than 50% with no or weak cytotoxic effect on harboring cells. In addition, in vitro assay employing the SARS-CoV-2-Main protease inhibition assay was done to test the inhibitors' ability to block the common primary protease of the SARS-CoV-2 virus as a mode of action. The obtained results show that the one non-linker analog 6h and two amide-based linkers 6i and 6q were the most active compounds with IC₅₀ values of 5.08, 3.16, and 7.55 μM, respectively, against the viral protease in comparison to data of the selective antiviral agent GC-376. Molecular modeling studies were done for compound placement within the binding pocket of protease which reveal conserved residues hydrogen bonding and non-hydrogen interactions of 6i analog fragments: triazole scaffold, aryl part, and linker. Moreover, the stability of compounds and their interactions with the target pocket were also studied and analyzed by molecular dynamic simulations. The physicochemical and toxicity profiles were predicted, and the results show that compounds behave as an antiviral activity with low or no cellular or organ toxicity. All research results point to the potential usage of new chemotype potent derivatives as promising leads to be explored in vivo that might open the door to rational drug development of SARS-CoV-2 Main protease potent medicines.

A novel class of phenylpyrazolone-sulphonamides rigid synthetic anticancer molecules selectively inhibit the isoform IX of carbonic anhydrases guided by molecular docking and orbital analyses

All the previously reported phenylpyrazoles as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (CAIs) were found to have small sizes and high levels of flexibility, and hence showed low selectivity profiles toward a particular isoform of CA. Herein, we report the development of a more rigid ring system bearing a sulfonamide hydrophilic head and a lipophilic tail to develop novel molecules that are suggested to have a better selectivity toward a special CA isoform. Accordingly, three novel sets of pyrano[2,3-c]pyrazoles attached with sulfonamide head and aryl hydrophobic tail were synthesized to enhance the selectivity toward a specific isoform of human carbonic anhydrases (hCAs). The impact of both attachments on the potency and selectivity has been extensively discussed in terms of in vitro cytotoxicity evaluation under hypoxic conditions, structure-activity relationship and carbonic anhydrase enzyme assay. All of the new candidates displayed good cytotoxic activities against breast and colorectal carcinomas. Results of the carbonic anhydrase enzyme assay demonstrated the preferential of compounds 22, 24 and 27 to inhibit the isoform IX of hCAs selectively. Wound-healing assay has also been performed and revealed the potential of 27 to decrease the wound closure percentage in MCF-7 cells. Molecular docking and molecular orbital analysis have finally been conducted. Results indicate the potential binding interactions of 24 and 27 with several crucial amino acids of the hCA IX.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Design, synthesis, cytotoxic activities, and molecular docking of chalcone hybrids bearing 8-hydroxyquinoline moiety with dual tubulin/EGFR kinase inhibition

The present study established thirteen novel 8-hydroxyquinoline/chalcone hybrids3a-mof hopeful anticancer activity. According to NCI screening and MTT assay results, compounds3d-3f, 3i,3k,and3ldisplayed potent growth inhibition on HCT116 and MCF7 cells compared to Staurosporine. Among these compounds,3eand3fshowed outstanding superior activity against HCT116 and MCF7 cells and better safety toward normal WI-38 cells than Staurosporine. The enzymatic assay revealed that3e,3d, and3ihad goodtubulin polymerization inhibition (IC₅₀ = 5.3, 8.6, and 8.05 µM, respectively) compared to the reference Combretastatin A4 (IC₅₀ = 2.15 µM). Moreover,3e,3l, and3fexhibited EGFR inhibition (IC₅₀ = 0.097, 0.154, and 0.334 µM, respectively) compared to Erlotinib (IC₅₀ = 0.056 µM). Compounds3eand3fwere investigated for their effects on the cell cycle, apoptosis induction, andwnt1/β-cateningene suppression. The apoptosis markers Bax, Bcl2, Casp3, Casp9, PARP1, and β-actin were detected by Western blot. In-silico molecular docking, physicochemical, and pharmacokinetic studies were implemented for the validation of dual mechanisms and other bioavailability standards. Hence, Compounds3eand3fare promising antiproliferative leads with tubulin polymerization and EGFR kinase inhibition.

The anticancer and EGFR-TK/CDK-9 dual inhibitory potentials of new synthetic pyranopyrazole and pyrazolone derivatives: X-ray crystallography, in vitro, and in silico mechanistic investigations

Treatment options for the management of breast cancer are still inadequate. This inadequacy is attributed to the lack of effective targeted medications, often resulting in the recurrence of metastatic disorders. Cumulative evidence suggests that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR-TK) and cyclin-dependent kinases-9 (CDK-9) overexpression correlates with worse overall survival in breast cancer patients. Pyranopyrazole and pyrazolone are privileged options for the development of anticancer agents. Inspired by this proven scientific fact, we report here the synthesis of two new series of suggested anticancer molecules incorporating both heterocycles together with their characterization by IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, 13C NMR-DEPT, and X-ray diffraction methods. An attempt to get the pyranopyrazole-gold complexes was conducted but unexpectedly yielded benzylidene-2,4-dihydro-3H-pyrazol-3-one instead. This unexpected result was confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis. All newly synthesized compounds were assessed for their anti-proliferative activity against two different human breast cancer cells, and the obtained results were compared with the reference drug Staurosporine. The target compounds revealed variable cytotoxicity with IC50 at a low micromolar range with superior selectivity indices. Target enzyme EGFR-TK and CDK-9 assays showed that compounds 22 and 23 effectively inhibited both biological targets with IC50 values of 0.143 and 0.121 µM, respectively. Molecular docking experiments and molecular dynamics simulation were also conducted to further rationalize the in vitro obtained results.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Novel fluorinated pyrazole-based heterocycles scaffold: cytotoxicity, in silico studies and molecular modelling targeting double mutant EGFR L858R/T790M as antiproliferative and apoptotic agents

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), also known as hepatoma, is the most prevalent type of primary liver cancer. It begins in the hepatocytes, the liver’s major cell type. Cancer that began in another region of the body but has spread to the liver is known as secondary cancer of life; several still unmet demands for better, less toxic therapy to treat this malignant tumor. Several novel pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine derivatives were synthesized as part of our goal to develop promising anticancer drugs. All the synthesized hybrids have been screened for their cytotoxicity effect against three cancer cell lines which are; HepG-2, HCT-116, and MCF-7. The liver cancer cells were found to be the most sensitive to the effect of the new molecules. A subsequent set of in vitro biological evaluation studies has been conducted on the most promising derivatives to identify their effect on such a cancer type. In HepG-2 cells, four derivatives (8a, 8b, 10c, and 11b) demonstrated good anticancer activity. The most efficacious compounds were 8b and 10c, which had IC50 values of 2.36 ± 0.14 and 1.14 ± 0.063 μM, respectively, higher than the reference medication Imatinib. The latter’s putative molecular effect has been investigated further by looking at its influence on the cell cycle, EGFR, and specific apoptotic and anti-apoptotic markers in HepG-2 cells. These findings indicated that 8b and 10c could trigger apoptosis by upregulating BAX and caspase-3 and cell cycle at the Pre-G1 and G2-M stages. The compounds 8b and 10c showed high potency for EGFR with IC50 equal to 0.098 and 0.079 μM, respectively. Compound 10c had the most effective inhibitory activity for EGFR L858R-TK with IC50 (36.79 nM). Additionally, in silico ADMET and docking studies were done for the most active hits, representing good results.

Graphical Abstract

Exploring the dual effect of novel 1,4-diarylpyranopyrazoles as antiviral and anti-inflammatory for the management of SARS-CoV-2 and associated inflammatory symptoms

COVID-19 and associated substantial inflammations continue to threaten humankind triggering death worldwide. So, the development of new effective antiviral and anti-inflammatory medications is a major scientific goal. Pyranopyrazoles have occupied a crucial position in medicinal chemistry because of their biological importance. Here, we report the design and synthesis of a series of sixteen pyranopyrazole derivatives substituted with two aryl groups at N-1 and C-4. The designed compounds are suggested to show dual activity to combat the emerging Coronaviruses and associated substantial inflammations. All compounds were evaluated for their in vitro antiviral activity and cytotoxicity against SARS-CoV infected Vero cells. As well, the in vitro assay of all derivatives against the SARS-CoV M^pro target was performed. Results revealed the potential of three pyranopyrazoles (22, 27, and 31) to potently inhibit the viral main protease with IC₅₀ values of 2.01, 1.83, and 4.60 μM respectively compared with 12.85 and 82.17 μM for GC-376 and lopinavir. Additionally, in vivo anti-inflammatory testing for the most active compound 27 proved its ability to reduce levels of two cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6). Molecular docking and dynamics simulation revealed consistent results with the in vitro enzymatic assay and indicated the stability of the putative complex of 27 with SARS-CoV-2 M^pro. The assessment of metabolic stability and physicochemical properties of 27 have also been conducted. This investigation identified a set of metabolically stable pyranopyrazoles as effective anti-SARS-CoV-2 M^pro and suppressors of host cell cytokine release. We believe that the new compounds deserve further chemical optimization and evaluation for COVID-19 treatment.

Silver-Catalyzed Cascade Cyclization of Amino-NH-1,2,3-Triazoles with 2-Alkynylbenzaldehydes: An Access to Pentacyclic Fused Triazoles

An operationally simple Ag(I)-catalyzed approach for the synthesis of isoquinoline and quinazoline fused 1,2,3-triazoles was developed by a condensation and amination cyclization cascade of amino-NH-1,2,3-triazoles with 2-alkynylbenzaldehydes involving three new C-N bond formations in one manipulation, in which the group of -NH of the triazole ring serves as a nucleophile to form the quinazoline skeleton. The efficient protocol can be applied to a variety of substrates containing a range of functional groups, delivering novel pentacyclic fused 1,2,3-triazoles in good-to-excellent yields.

The effect of novel synthetic semicarbazone- and thiosemicarbazone-linked 1,2,3-triazoles on the apoptotic markers, VEGFR-2, and cell cycle of myeloid leukemia

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor II (VEGFR-2) has been proved as a rational target in cancer therapy. Although currently prescribed VEGFR-2 inhibitors are showing potent antitumor activity, they are often causing serious unwanted effects, restricting their extensive use as chemotherapeutics. Herein, after analyzing the structures of the effective VEGFR-2 inhibitor molecules, we report the synthesis of a new set of semicarbazone- and thiosemicarbazone-linked 1,2,3-triazoles with expected potency of inhibiting the VEGFR-2 signaling. The design of new compounds considered maintaining the essential pharmacophoric features of sorafenib for effective binding with the receptor target. All compounds have been evaluated for their growth inhibition effect against a panel of sixty cancer cells at the National Cancer Institute. Leukemia cancer cells, especially HL-60 and SR, were shown to be the most sensitive to the cytotoxic effect of new compounds. Thiosemicarbazones 21, 26, and 30 exhibited the best activity against almost all tested cancer cells. Therefore, a set of subsequent in vitro biological evaluations has been performed to understand the mechanistic effect of these compounds further. They inhibited the VEGFR-2 with IC₅₀ values of 0.128, 0.413, and 0.067 µM respectively compared with 0.048 µM of Sorafenib. The probable mechanistic effect of 30 has been further evaluated on a number of apoptotic and antiapoptotic markers including BAX, BCL2, caspase-3, and caspase-9. Results revealed the potential of the thiosemicarbazone-linked triazole 30 to induce both the early and the late apoptosis, elevate BAX/BCL2 ratio, induce caspase-3 & caspase-9, and arrest the HL-60 cell cycle at the G2/M and G0-G1 phases. Molecular docking of new semicarbazones and thiosemicarbazones into the proposed biological target receptor has also been performed. Results of docking studies proved the potential of new semicarbazone- and thiosemicarbazone-linked 1,2,3-triazoles to effectively bind with crucial residues of the VEGFR-2 binding pocket.

Rationale design, synthesis, cytotoxicity evaluation, and in silico mechanistic studies of novel 1,2,3-triazoles with potential anticancer activity

A new set of 1,2,3-triazoles was designed and synthesized to evaluate their potential to inhibit the growth of cancer cells.

Design and synthesis of novel quinazolinone–chalcone hybrids as potential apoptotic candidates targeting caspase-3 and PARP-1: in vitro, molecular docking, and SAR studies

Novel quinazolinone–chalcone hybrids as potential apoptotic candidates targeting caspase-3 and PARP-1.

In vitro and computational investigations of novel synthetic carboxamide-linked pyridopyrrolopyrimidines with potent activity as SARS-CoV-2-MPro inhibitors

An essential target for COVID-19 is the main protease of SARS-CoV-2 (M^pro). With the objective of targeting this receptor, a novel set of pyrido[1,2-a]pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines with terminal carboxamide fragments was designed, synthesized, and considered as an initial motif for the creation of effective pan-coronavirus inhibitors. Accordingly, nine derivatives (21–29) have been introduced for in vitro assay to evaluate their antiviral activity and cytotoxicity effect against COVID-19 virus using Vero cells. The obtained data revealed that the majority of these derivatives showed potent cellular anti-COVID-19 activity and prevent viral growth by more than 90% at two different concentrations with weak or even no detectable cytotoxic effect on Vero cells. Extensive molecular docking simulations highlighted proper non-covalent interaction of new compounds within the binding pocket of M^pro as a potential target for their antiviral activity. In vitro assay for all the synthesized derivatives against the viral M^pro target indicated that compounds 25 and 29 have promising inhibitory activity with IC₅₀ values at low micromolar concentrations. The molecular dynamic simulation results predicted the stability of compound 29 in the binding cavity of SARS-CoV-2 M^pro and hence supported the high inhibitory activity shown by the In vitro assay. These results suggested that compounds 25 and 29 merit further investigations as promising drug candidates for the management of SARS-CoV-2.

An essential target for COVID-19 is the main protease of SARS-CoV-2 (M^pro).

Self-[3+2] annulation reaction of pyridinium salts: synthesis of N-indolizine-substituted pyridine-2(1H)-ones

A self-[3+2] annulation reaction of pyridinium salts has been developed for the synthesis of N-indolizine-substituted pyridine-2(1H)-ones.