Mapping the ATP-binding domain of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) with coumarin- and isocoumarin-derived inhibitors

NHC-Catalyzed Reaction of Carboxylic Acids Using Allene Ketones as Substrates and Activating Reagents

We present a new reaction between carboxylic acids and allene ketones mediated by N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalysts, which exhibit, in principle, nearly perfect atom economy. In this new approach, allene ketones act as both an activating reagent and a reactant. All atoms in the substrates end up in the product without the need for coupling reagents. The present study aims to encourage further explorations of NHC catalytic reactions with alternative activation strategies and better atom economy.

Benzazole Substituted Iminocoumarins as Potential Antioxidants with Antiproliferative Activity

BACKGROUND

Benzazole and coumarin derivatives are one of the most privileged heterocyclic substructures in the medicinal chemistry with well-known biological features, which include a wide range of versatile biological activities as well as excellent spectroscopic characteristics thus offering their potential application in many research fields.

OBJECTIVE

The prepared iminocoumarins were synthesized to evaluate their antioxidative potential by using ABTS and FRAP assays and in vitro antiproliferative activity.

METHODS

A series of coumarin derivatives containing a 2-benzazole motif were synthesized and evaluated for their antioxidative capacity and antiproliferative activity. Their molecular structure incorporates a push-pull functionality: an electron donor donating group at the 7-position with an electron-withdrawing group, such as benzimidazole, benzothiazole and imidazopyridine fragment at the 3-position.

RESULTS

The iminocoumarins bearing different substituents on 7-position were evaluated for their antiproliferative activity on tree cancer cells with only 4 compounds showing the antiproliferative activity. The most active derivative was N,N-diethylamino substituted benzimidazole derivative 4d and imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine analogue 6b, both also displayed selective activity toward CEM with submicromolar inhibitory concentration (0.059 μM; 0.17 ± 0.09, respectively). The inhibitory effect of 4d and 6b derivatives on the cell-cycle progression of HeLa cells was studied. A flow cytometric analysis of the HeLa cells indicated an appreciable cell-cycle arrest in a dose-dependent manner. Antioxidant properties were studied by ABTS and FRAP assays and obtained results revealed that the most promising antioxidant has proven to be compound 3b while other compounds, in general, showed moderate to very low antioxidative capacity in both assays.

CONCLUSION

Unsubstituted benzimidazole derivatives bearing hydroxyl group on iminocoumarin nuclei exhibited the most prominent antioxidant potential in ABTS assay (3b; 40.5 ± 0.01). The most significant and selective antiproliferative activity was displayed by compounds 4d and 6b (0.059 μM; 0.17 ± 0.09, respectively), which were chosen as lead compounds for further optimization and rational design to obtain more active and selective antiproliferative agents.

Additive- and column-free synthesis of rigid bis-coumarins as fluorescent dyes for G-quadruplex sensing via disaggregation-induced emission

A novel and efficient method to synthesize rigid bis-coumarins based on the dimerization of coumarinyl aldehydes was developed. This procedure is additive- and column-free, providing a facile and environment-friendly way to prepare fluorophores. The prepared novel fluorescent bis-coumarins exhibit favorable photophysical properties with good sensitivity and selectivity towards G-quadruplexes (G4s).

Hybrid Molecules Composed of 2,4-Diamino-1,3,5-triazines and 2-Imino-Coumarins and Coumarins. Synthesis and Cytotoxic Properties

A series of 2-imino-2H-chromen-3-yl-1,3,5-triazine compounds 5⁻12, which are namely hybrids of 2,4-diamino-1,3,5-triazines and 2-imino-coumarins, was synthesized by reacting 2-(4,6-diamine-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)acetonitriles 1⁻4 with 2-hydroxybenzaldehydes. After this, upon heating in aqueous DMF, 2-imino-2H-chromen-3-yl-1,3,5-triazines 10 and 12 were converted into the corresponding 2H-chromen-3-yl-1,3,5-triazines 13 and 14, which are essentially hybrids of 2,4-diamino-1,3,5-triazines and coumarins. The in vitro anticancer activity of the newly prepared compounds was evaluated against five human cancer cell lines: DAN-G, A-427, LCLC-103H, SISO and RT-4. The greatest cytotoxic activity displayed 4-[7-(diethylamino)-2-imino-2H-chromen-3-yl]-6-(4-phenylpiperazin-1-yl)-1,3,5-triazin-2-amine (11, IC₅₀ in the range of 1.51⁻2.60 μM).

Rapid synthesis of 3-amino isocoumarin derivatives from ynamides

A novel and efficient fast synthesis of 3-amino isocoumarins in good to excellent yields is reported.

Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase (PI3K) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-related kinase (PIKK) inhibitors: importance of the morpholine ring

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases (PI3Ks) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-related protein kinases (PIKKs) are two related families of kinases that play key roles in regulation of cell proliferation, metabolism, migration, survival, and responses to diverse stresses including DNA damage. To design novel efficient strategies for treatment of cancer and other diseases, these kinases have been extensively studied. Despite their different nature, these two kinase families have related origin and share very similar kinase domains. Therefore, chemical inhibitors of these kinases usually carry analogous structural motifs. The most common feature of these inhibitors is a critical hydrogen bond to morpholine oxygen, initially present in the early nonspecific PI3K and PIKK inhibitor 3 (LY294002), which served as a valuable chemical tool for development of many additional PI3K and PIKK inhibitors. While several PI3K pathway inhibitors have recently shown promising clinical responses, inhibitors of the DNA damage-related PIKKs remain thus far largely in preclinical development.

DNA-dependent protein kinase and its inhibition in support of radiotherapy

PURPOSE

Radiotherapy has been used as a treatment of almost 50% of all malignant tumors. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the recent knowledge in the field of molecular mechanisms of radiation-induced double-stranded breaks (DSB) repair. This paper gives particular emphasis to a key DNA repair enzyme, DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), which plays a pivotal role in non-homologous end-joining. Furthermore, we discuss possibilities of DNA-PK inhibition and other molecular approaches employed in order to facilitate radiotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

We have reviewed the recent studies using novel potent and selective small-molecular DNA-PK inhibitors and we conclude that targeted inhibition of DNA repair proteins like DNA-PK in cancer cells, in combination with ionizing radiation, improves the efficacy of cancer therapy while minimizing side-effects of ionizing radiation. Moreover, the recent discovery of short interfering RNA (siRNA) and signal interfering DNA (siDNA)-based therapeutics, or small peptides and RNA, shows a new opportunity of selective and safe application of biological treatment. All of these approaches are believed to contribute to more personalized anti-cancer therapy.

Synthesis, DNA-PK inhibition, anti-platelet activity studies of 2-(N-substituted-3-aminopyridine)-substituted-1,3-benzoxazines and DNA-PK and PI3K inhibition, homology modelling studies of 2-morpholino-(7,8-di and 8-substituted)-1,3-benzoxazines

A number of new 2-(pyridin-3-ylamino)-4H-(substituted) benz[e]-1,3-oxazin-4-ones were synthesized 10a-g. These were then reacted with the hydro-halogen salt of 2, 3 and 4-(halo-methyl) pyridine in the presence of Cs(2)CO(3) to give eighteen new 2-(N-substituted (pyridin-3-ylmethyl) amino)-substituted-1,3-benzoxazines (compounds 11a-i, 13a-c, and 15a-f). X-ray crystallography was used to confirm that the 2-N-substituted structures 11 and 13 were formed rather than the 3-N-substitution analogues 12 and 14. Eleven of the new compounds were tested for their effect on collagen induced platelet aggregation and it was found that the most active inhibitory compound was 8-methyl-2-(pyridin-3-yl(pyridin-3-ylmethyl)amino)-7-(pyridin-3-ylmethoxy)-4H-benz[e]-1,3-oxazin-4-one 15e with an IC(50) of 10 ± 2 μM. DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) inhibition data for 12 previously prepared 2-morpholino substituted-1,3-benzoxazines (compounds 19-31) were measured and showed high to moderate activity where the most active compound was compound 27 with an IC(50) of 0.28 μM. Furthermore DNA-PK inhibition data for six newly prepared 2-(N-substituted (pyridin-3-ylmethyl) amino)-substituted-1,3-benzoxazines (compounds 11b, 13a-b, 15a-b and 15e) and 8-methyl-7-(pyridin-3-ylmethoxy)-3-(pyridin-3-ylmethyl)-2H-benz[e]-1,3-oxazin-2,4(3H)-dione 17d were measured and moderate to low inhibitory activity was observed, with the most active of the compounds in this series being 8-methyl-2-(pyridin-3-yl(pyridin-3-ylmethyl)amino)-7-(pyridin-3-ylmethoxy)-4H-benz[e]-1,3-oxazin-4-one 15e with an IC(50) of 2.5 μM. PI3K inhibition studies revealed that compound 27 is highly potent (IC(50) for PI3Kα = 0.13 μM, PI3Kβ = 0.14 μM, PI3Kγ = 0.72 μM, PI3Kδ = 2.02 μM). Compound 22 with 7-[2-(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)ethoxy] group shows greater inhibition of DNA-PK over PI3K. Docking of some 2-morpholino-substituted-1,3-benzoxazine compounds 19-31 within the binding pocket and structure-activity relationships (SAR) analyses were performed with results agreeing well with observed activities.