Antiproliferative activity of 2,3-disubstituted indoles toward apoptosis-resistant cancers cells

Copper-catalyzed tandem cyclization reaction of ethynylbenzoxazinones and thiols: facile construction of 2-thiomethylene indoles

The first successful copper-catalyzed decarboxylative cyclization reaction of ethynylbenzoxazinones and thiols has been developed. A rarely studied α-addition process to a copper-allenylidene intermediate promoted this reaction. Using this protocol, a range of 2-thiomethylene indole compounds have been obtained. This methodology offers significant advantages including mild reaction conditions, cheap catalysts, good yields and broad substrate compatibility.

Synthesis of benzofuro[3,2-b]indoline amines via deamination-interrupted Fischer indolization and their unexpected reactivity towards nucleophiles

We report the access to the benzofuro[3,2-b]indoline framework via an interrupted Fischer indolization and its unexpected reactivity towards allyl nucleophiles.

Wittig derivatization of sesquiterpenoid polygodial leads to cytostatic agents with activity against drug resistant cancer cells and capable of pyrrolylation of primary amines

Many types of cancer, including glioma, melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), among others, are resistant to proapoptotic stimuli and thus poorly responsive to current therapies based on the induction of apoptosis in cancer cells. The current investigation describes the synthesis and anticancer evaluation of unique C12-Wittig derivatives of polygodial, a sesquiterpenoid dialdehyde isolated from Persicaria hydropiper (L.) Delabre. These compounds were found to undergo an unprecedented pyrrole formation with primary amines in a chemical model system, a reaction that could be relevant in the biological environment and lead to the pyrrolation of lysine residues in the target proteins. The anticancer evaluation of these compounds revealed their promising activity against cancer cells displaying various forms of drug resistance, including resistance to proapoptotic agents. Mechanistic studies indicated that compared to the parent polygodial, which displays fixative general cytotoxic action against human cells, the C12-Wittig derivatives exerted their antiproliferative action mainly through cytostatic effects explaining their activity against apoptosis-resistant cancer cells. The possibility for an intriguing covalent modification of proteins through a novel pyrrole formation reaction, as well as useful activities against drug resistant cancer cells, make the described polygodial-derived chemical scaffold an interesting new chemotype warranting thorough investigation.

Activity of 2-aryl-2-(3-indolyl)acetohydroxamates against drug-resistant cancer cells

Many types of tumor, including glioma, melanoma, non-small cell lung, esophageal, and head and neck cancer, among others, are intrinsically resistant to apoptosis induction and poorly responsive to current therapies with proapoptotic agents. In addition, tumors often develop multidrug resistance based on the cellular efflux of chemotherapeutic agents. Thus, novel anticancer agents capable of overcoming these intrinsic or developed tumor resistance mechanisms are urgently needed. We describe a series of 2-aryl-2-(3-indolyl)acetohydroxamic acids that are active against apoptosis- and multidrug-resistant cancer cells as well as glioblastoma neurosphere stemlike cell cultures derived from patients. Thus, the described compounds serve as a novel chemical scaffold for the development of potentially highly effective clinical cancer drugs.

Synthesis of novel β-carboline based chalcones with high cytotoxic activity against breast cancer cells

A series of novel β-carboline based chalcones was synthesized and evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against a panel of human cancer cell lines. Among them we found that two of the compounds 7c and 7d, showed marked anti-proliferative activity in a panel of solid tumor cell lines with highest effect in breast cancer. The compounds 7c and 7d showed an IC50 of 2.25 and 3.29 μM, respectively against human breast cancer MCF-7 cell line. Further, the compound 7c markedly induced DNA fragmentation and apoptosis in breast cancer cells.