6,7-Dimorpholinoalkoxy quinazoline derivatives as potent EGFR inhibitors with enhanced antiproliferative activities against tumor cells

Antistaphylococcal Triazole-Based Molecular Hybrids: Design, Synthesis and Activity

BACKGROUND

In the era of resistance, the design and search for new "small" molecules with a narrow spectrum of activity that target a protein or enzyme specific to a certain bacterium with high selectivity and minimal side effects remains an urgent problem of medicinal chemistry. In this regard, we developed and successfully implemented a strategy for the search for new hybrid molecules, namely, the not broadly known [2-(3-R-1H-[1,2,4]-triazol-5-yl)phenyl]amines. They can act as "building blocks" and allow for the introduction of certain structural motifs into the desired final products in order to enhance the antistaphylococcal effect.

METHODS

The "one-pot" synthesis of the latter is based on the conversion of substituted 4-hydrazinoquinazolines or substituted 2-aminobenzonitriles and carboxylic acid derivatives to the target products. The possible molecular mechanism of the synthesized compounds (DNA gyrase inhibitors) was investigated and discussed using molecular docking, and their further study for antistaphylococcal activity was substantiated.

RESULTS

A significant part of the obtained compounds showed high antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (MIC: 10.1-62.4 µM) and 5-bromo-2-(3-(furan-3-yl)-1H-1,2,4-triazol-5-yl)aniline and 5-fluoro-2-(3-(thiophen-3-yl)-1H-1,2,4-triazol-5-yl)aniline, with MICs of 5.2 and 6.1 µM, respectively, approaching the strength of the effect of the reference drug, "Ciprofloxacin" (MIC: 4.7 µM). The conducted SAR and ADME analyses confirm the prospects of the further structural modification of these compounds. The obtained [2-(3-R-1H-[1,2,4]-triazol-5-yl)phenyl]amines reveal significant antimicrobial activity and deserve further structural modification and detailed study as effective antistaphylococcal agents. The SAR analysis revealed that the presence of a cycloalkyl or electron-rich heterocyclic fragment in the third position of the triazole ring was essential for the antibacterial activity of the obtained compounds. At the same time, the introduction of a methyl group into the aniline moiety led to an enhancement of activity. The introduction of halogen into the aniline fragment has an ambiguous effect on the level of antistaphylococcal activity and depends on the nature of the substituent in the third position.

CONCLUSIONS

Obtained [2-(3-R-1H-[1,2,4]-triazol-5-yl)phenyl]amines reveal significant antistaphylococcal activity and deserve for further detailed study as effective antibacterial agents.

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Novel Cationic Rhenium and Technetium-99m Complexes Bearing Quinazoline Derivative for Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Targeting

Background/Objectives: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays a vital role in cell proliferation and survival, with its overexpression linked to various malignancies, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Although EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are a key therapeutic strategy, acquired resistance and relapse remain challenges. This study aimed to synthesize and evaluate novel rhenium-based complexes incorporating EGFR TKIs to enhance anticancer efficacy, particularly in radiosensitization. Methods: We synthesized a rhenium tricarbonyl complex (Complex 2) and its 99mTc analog (Complex 2') by incorporating triphenylphosphine instead of bromine as the monodentate ligand and PF6- as the counter-ion, resulting in a positively charged compound that forms cationic structures. Cytotoxicity and EGFR inhibition were evaluated in A431 cells overexpressing EGFR using MTT assays, Western blotting, and flow cytometry. Radiosensitization was tested through MTT and clonogenic assays. The 99mTc complex's radiochemical yield, stability, and lipophilicity were also assessed. Results: Complex 2 exhibited significant cytotoxicity with an IC50 of 2.6 μM and EGFR phosphorylation inhibition with an IC50 of 130.6 nM. Both complex 1 and 2 induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest, with Complex 2 causing apoptosis. Radiosensitization was observed at doses above 2 Gy. Complex 2' demonstrated high stability and favorable lipophilicity (LogD7.4 3.2), showing 12% cellular uptake after 30 min. Conclusions: Complexes 2 and 2' show promise as dual-function anticancer agents, offering EGFR inhibition, apoptosis induction, and radiosensitization. Their potential as radiopharmaceuticals warrants further in-depth investigation in preclinical models.

Design, synthesis and antitumor activity of 4-arylamine substituted pyrimidine derivatives as noncovalent EGFR inhibitors overcoming C797S mutation

Clinical researches have shown that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a key target for treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Many EGFR inhibitors were successfully developed as ani-tumor drugs to treat NSCLC patients. Unfortunately, drug resistances were found in clinic. To overcome C797S mutation in EGFR, a novel series of 4-arylamine substituted pyrimidine derivatives were designed and synthesized under the principle of structure-based drug design. Interestingly, compounds 6e and 9i demonstrated the best anti-proliferative activity against A549, NCI-H1975, and HCC827 cells. In particular, the IC50 values against HCC827 cells reached to 24.6 nM and 31.6 nM, which were much lower than human normal cells 2BS and LO2. Furthermore, compounds 6e and 9i showed extraordinary activity against EGFR19del/T790M/C797S (IC50 = 16.06 nM and 37.95 nM) and EGFRL858R/T790M/C797S (IC50 = 11.81 nM and 26.68 nM), which were potent than Osimertinib (IC50 = 52.28 nM and 157.60 nM). Further studies have shown that compounds 6e and 9i could pertain inhibition of HCC827 colony formation, and arrest HCC827 cells at G2/M phase. Moreover, the most promising compound 6e could inhibit the migration of HCC827 cells, induce HCC827 cells apoptosis, and significantly inhibit the phosphorylation of EGFR, AKT and Erk1/2. In vivo xenograft mouse model with HCC827 cells, compound 6e resulted in remarkable tumor regression without obvious toxicity. In addition, molecular docking studies suggested that compound 6e could firmly combine with T790M-mutant, T790 M/C797S-mutant, and L858R/T790 M/C797S-mutant EGFR kinases as ATP-competitive inhibitor.

Structure-Activity Relationship Studies Based on Quinazoline Derivatives as EGFR Kinase Inhibitors (2017-Present)

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays a critical role in the tumorigenesis of various forms of cancer. Targeting the mutant forms of EGFR has been identified as an attractive therapeutic approach and led to the approval of three generations of inhibitors. The quinazoline core has emerged as a favorable scaffold for the development of novel EGFR inhibitors due to increased affinity for the active site of EGFR kinase. Currently, there are five first-generation (gefitinib, erlotinib, lapatinib, vandetanib, and icotinib) and two second-generation (afatinib and dacomitinib) quinazoline-based EGFR inhibitors approved for the treatment of various types of cancers. The aim of this review is to outline the structural modulations favorable for the inhibitory activity toward both common mutant (del19 and L858R) and resistance-conferring mutant (T790M and C797S) EGFR forms, and provide an overview of the newly synthesized quinazoline derivatives as potentially competitive, covalent or allosteric inhibitors of EGFR.

Novel 4-Amino-Quinazoline Moieties Ligated Platinum(IV) Prodrugs Overcome Cisplatin Resistance in EGFRWT Human Lung Cancer

Developing bioactive axial ligands ligated platinum(IV) complexes with advantages over monotherapy and drug combinations is an efficient strategy to ameliorate the clinical defects of platinum(II) drugs. In this article, a series of 4-amino-quinazoline moieties (privileged pharmacophores of well-studied EGFR inhhibitors) ligated platinum(IV) were synthesized and evaluated for their anticancer activities. Among the complex, 17b demonstrated higher cytotoxicity against the tested lung cancer cells (including CDDP-resistant A549/CDDP cells) while lower cytotoxicity toward human normal cells than Oxaliplatin (Oxa) or cisplatin (CDDP). Mechanistic investigation demonstrated that the enhanced intracellular uptake of 17b efficiently elevated the of reactive oxygen species levels by 6.1 times more than Oxa. Detailed mechanisms of overcoming CDDP resistance revealed that 17b significantly induced apoptosis via inducing severe DNA damage, disturbing mitochondrial transmembrane potentials, efficiently disturbing EGFR-PI3K-Akt signaling transduction and activating a mitochondria-dependent apoptosis pathway. Besides, 17b significantly inhibited migration and invasion in A549/CDDP cells. In vivo tests exhibited that 17b obtained superior antitumor effect and attenuated systemic toxicity in A549/CDDP xenografts. All these results emphasized that the antitumor action of 17b differed from that of. classical platinum(II) drugs and provided a novel practical method to overcome CDDP resistance in lung cancer.

Medicinal Chemistry of Quinazolines as Anticancer Agents Targeting Tyrosine Kinases

Cancer is a large group of diseases that can affect any organ or body tissue due to the abnormal cellular growth with the unknown reasons. Many of the existing chemotherapeutic agents are highly toxic with a low level of selectivity. Additionally, they lead to development of therapeutic resistance. Hence, the development of targeted chemotherapeutic agents with low side effects and high selectivity is required for cancer treatment. Quinazoline is a vital scaffold well-known to be linked with several biological activities. The anticancer activity is one of the prominent biological activities of this scaffold. Several established anticancer quinazolines work by different mechanisms on the various molecular targets. The aim of this review is to present different features of medicinal chemistry as drug design, structure activity relationship, and mode of action of some targeted anticancer quinazoline derivatives. It gives comprehensive attention on the chemotherapeutic activity of quinazolines in the viewpoint of drug discovery and its development. This review provides panoramic view to the medicinal chemists for supporting their efforts to design and synthesize novel quinazolines as targeted chemotherapeutic agents.

Design, synthesis and molecular docking of new fused 1H-pyrroles, pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidines and pyrrolo[3,2-e][1, 4]diazepine derivatives as potent EGFR/CDK2 inhibitors

A new series of 1H-pyrrole (6a-c, 8a-c), pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidines (9a-c) and pyrrolo[3,2-e][1, 4]diazepines (11a-c) were designed and synthesised. These compounds were designed to have the essential pharmacophoric features of EGFR Inhibitors, they have shown anticancer activities against HCT116, MCF-7 and Hep3B cancer cells with IC₅₀ values ranging from 0.009 to 2.195 µM. IC₅₀ value of doxorubicin is 0.008 µM, compounds 9a and 9c showed IC₅₀ values of 0.011 and 0.009 µM respectively against HCT-116 cells. Compound 8b exerted broad-spectrum activity against all tested cell lines with an IC₅₀ value less than 0.05 µM. Compound 8b was evaluated against a panel of kinases. This compound potently inhibited CDK2/Cyclin A1, DYRK3 and GSK3 alpha kinases with 10-23% compared to imatinib (1-10%). It has also arrested the cell cycle of MCF-7 cells at the S phase. Its antiproliferative activity was further augmented by molecular docking into the active sites of EGFR and CDK2 cyclin A1.

Discovery of new 1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine derivatives as anticancer agents targeting EGFRWT and EGFRT790M

New 1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine derivatives were designed and synthesised to act as epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors (EGFRIs). The synthesised derivatives were assessed for their in vitro anti-proliferative activities against A549 and HCT-116 cancer cells. Compounds 8, 10, 12a, and 12b showed potent anti-proliferative activities. Compound 12b was the most promising member with IC50 values of 8.21 and 19.56 µM against A549 and HCT-116, respectively. Compounds 8, 10, 12a, and 12b were evaluated for their kinase inhibitory activities against wild EGFR (EGFRWT). Compound 12b was the most potent member showing an IC50 value of 0.016 µM. In addition, compound 12b showed noticeable activity against mutant EGFR (EGFRT790M) (IC50 = 0.236 µM). Flow cytometric analyses revealed that compound 12b is a good apoptotic inducer and can arrest the cell cycle at S and G2/M phases. Furthermore, it produced an 8.8-fold increase in BAX/Bcl-2 ratio. Molecular docking studies were carried out against EGFRWT and EGFRT790M.

Discovery of Anilino-1,4-naphthoquinones as Potent EGFR Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors: Synthesis, Biological Evaluation, and Comprehensive Molecular Modeling

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been recognized as one of the attractive targets for anticancer drug development. Herein, a set of anilino-1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives (3-18) was synthesized and investigated for their anticancer and EGFR inhibitory potentials. Among all tested compounds, three derivatives (3, 8, and 10) were selected for studying EGFR inhibitory activity (in vitro and in silico) due to their most potent cytotoxic activities against six tested cancer cell lines (i.e., HuCCA-1, HepG2, A549, MOLT-3, MDA-MB-231, and T47D; IC50 values = 1.75-27.91 μM), high selectivity index (>20), and good predicted drug-like properties. The experimental results showed that these three promising compounds are potent EGFR inhibitors with nanomolar IC50 values (3.96-18.64 nM). Interestingly, the most potent compound 3 bearing 4-methyl substituent on the phenyl ring displayed 4-fold higher potency than the known EGFR inhibitor, erlotinib. Molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation, and MM/GBSA-based free energy calculation revealed that van der Waals force played a major role in the accommodations of compound 3 within the ATP-binding pocket of EGFR. Additionally, the 4-CH3 moiety of the compound was noted to be a key chemical feature contributing to the highly potent EGFR inhibitory activity via its formations of alkyl interactions with A743, K745, M766, and L788 residues as well as additional interactions with M766 and T790.

Targeting EGFR Tyrosine Kinase: Design, Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Novel Quinazolinone Derivatives

Impaired cell cycle regulation and disturbance in signal transduction pathway are two major causes of a condition defined as cancer, one of the significant reasons for mortality worldwide. Epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) have been commonly used as anticancer agents, and the majority of this medications possess quinazoline moiety as a heteroaromatic core. In this study, two novel series of EGFR-TKIs containing quinazolinone core were designed and synthesized. Most compounds showed reasonable inhibitory activity against EGFR-TK compared to that of erlotinib, a reversible inhibitor of this enzyme. Compound 8b, 2-((2-chlorobenzyl)amino)-6-phenoxyquinazolin-4(1H)-one, with an IC₅₀ value of 1.37 nM exhibited the highest potency. Molecular docking study of compound 8b showed that it had the same direction of erlotinib and formed proper hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions with the important amino acid residues of the active site. Based on in-silico calculations of ADME properties, our novel compounds have the potential to be orally active agents.

Synthesis and preliminary structure-activity relationship study of 3-methylquinazolinone derivatives as EGFR inhibitors with enhanced antiproliferative activities against tumour cells

In this paper, a set of 3-methylquniazolinone derivatives were designed, synthesised, and studied the preliminary structure-activity relationship for antiproliferative activities. All target compounds performed significantly inhibitory effects against wild type epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase (EGFRwt-TK) and tumour cells (A431, A549, MCF-7, and NCI-H1975). In particular, compound 4d 3-fluoro-N-(4-((3-methyl-4-oxo-3,4-dihydroquinazolin-2-yl)methoxy)phenyl)benzamide showed higher antiproliferative activities against all tumour cells than Gefitinib (IC50 of 3.48, 2.55, 0.87 and 6.42 μM, respectively). Furthermore, compound 4d could induce apoptosis of MCF-7 cells and arrest in G2/M phase at the tested concentration. Molecular docking and ADMET studies showed that compound 4d could closely form many hydrogen bonds with EGFRwt-TK. Therefore, compound 4d is potential to develop as novel anti-cancer drug.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel 2,4-disubstituted quinazoline derivatives targeting H1975 cells via EGFR-PI3K signaling pathway

In order to find new and highly effective anti-tumor drugs with targeted therapeutic effects, a series of novel 4-aminoquinazoline derivatives containing N-phenylacetamide structure were designed, synthesized and evaluated for antitumor activity against four human cancer cell lines (H1975, PC-3, MDA-MB-231 and MGC-803) using MTT assay. The results showed that the compound 19e had the most potent antiproliferative activity against H1975, PC-3, MDA-MB-231 and MGC-803 cell lines. At the same time, compound 19e could significantly inhibit the colony formation and migration of H1975 cells. Compound 19e also arrested the H1975 cell cycle in the G1 phase and mediated cell apoptosis, promoted the accumulation of ROS in H1975 cells. Furthermore, compound 19e exerted antitumor effect in vitro by reducing the expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and increasing the pro-apoptotic protein Bax and p53. Mechanistically, compound 19e could significantly decreased the phosphorylation of EGFR and its downstream protein PI3K in H1975 cells. Which indicated that compound 19e targeted H1975 cell via interfering with EGFR-PI3K signaling pathway. Molecular docking showed that compound 19e could bind into the active pocket of EGFR. Those work suggested that compound 19e would have remarkable implications for further design of anti-tumor agents.

Design, synthesis and antitumor activity of icotinib derivatives

EGFR-TK pathway is of high importance for the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLC), and it will be challenging to develop anti-tumor drugs that could inhibit both EGFR wild-type and mutant tumor cells. Here, a series of icotinib derivatives containing 1,2,3-triazole moiety were designed and synthesized through copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reactions. Preliminary CCK-8 assay showed that the prepared icotinib-1,2,3-triazole compounds such as a7 or a12 demonstrated potent in vitro antitumor activity against the NSCLC cells expressing both wild type EGFR and mutational EGFR. Further, the mechanism of action for compounds a7 and a12 induced NSCLC cells death was also detailed, and the results suggested a possible induced NSCLC cells death via inducing mitochondrial apoptosis and arresting cell cycle. Remarkably, the inhibition of EGFR by these icotinib derivatives was also studied. The results showed that compound a12 was a potent inhibitor for EGFR with IC₅₀ value of 1.49 μM. Combining these results, an EGFR inhibitor a12 represents a promising new anti-NSCLC candidate that could induce apoptosis and arrest cell cycle.

Therapeutic progression of quinazolines as targeted chemotherapeutic agents

Presently cancer is a grave health issue with predominance beyond restrictions. It can affect any organ of the body. Most of the available chemotherapeutic drugs are highly toxic, not much selective and eventually lead to the development of resistance. Therefore, a target specific palliative approach for the treatment of cancer is required. Remarkable advancements in science have illuminated various molecular pathways responsible for cancer. This has resulted in abundant opportunities to develop targeted anticancer agents. Quinazoline nucleus is a privileged scaffold with significant diversified pharmacological activities. Numerous established anticancer quinazoline derivatives constitute a new class of chemotherapeutic agents which are found to act by inhibiting various protein kinases as well as other molecular targets. A recent update on various quinazoline derivatives acting on different types of molecular targets for the treatment of cancer has been compiled in this review. Brief SAR studies of quinazoline derivatives acting through different mechanisms of action have been highlighted. The comprehensive medicinal chemistry aspects of these agents in this review provide a panoramic view to the biologists as well as medicinal chemists working in this area and would assist them in their efforts to design and synthesize novel quinazoline based anticancer compounds.

Discovery of new pyrimidine-5-carbonitrile derivatives as anticancer agents targeting EGFRWT and EGFRT790M

A new series of pyrimidine-5-carbonitrile derivatives has been designed as ATP mimicking tyrosine kinase inhibitors of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). These compounds were synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxic activities against a panel of four human tumor cell lines, namely colorectal carcinoma (HCT-116), hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG-2), breast cancer (MCF-7), and non-small cell lung cancer cells (A549). Five of the synthesized compounds, 11a, 11b, 12b, 15b and 16a, were found to exhibit moderate antiproliferative activity against the tested cell lines and were more active than the EGFR inhibitor erlotinib. In particular, compound 11b showed 4.5- to 8.4-fold erlotinib activity against HCT-116, HepG-2, MCF-7, and A549 cells with IC50 values of 3.37, 3.04, 4.14, and 2.4 μM respectively. Moreover, the most cytotoxic compounds that showed promising IC50 values against the four cancer cell lines were subjected to further investigation for their kinase inhibitory activities against EGFRWT and EGFRT790M using homogeneous time resolved fluorescence (HTRF) assay. Compound 11b was also found to be the most active compound against both EGFRWT and mutant EGFRT790M, exhibiting IC50 values of 0.09 and 4.03 μM, respectively. The cell cycle and apoptosis analyses revealed that compound 11b can arrest the cell cycle at the G2/M phase and induce significant apoptotic effects in HCT-116, HepG-2, and MCF-7 cells. Additionally, compound 11b upregulated the level of caspase-3 by 6.5 fold in HepG-2 when compared with the control. Finally, molecular docking studies were carried out to examine the binding mode of the synthesized compounds against the proposed targets; EGFRWT and EGFRT790M. Additional in silico ADMET studies were performed to explore drug-likeness properties.

Synthesis of a New Phenyl Chlormethine-Quinazoline Derivative, a Potential Anti-Cancer Agent, Induced Apoptosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Through Mediating Sirt1/Caspase 3 Signaling Pathway

Quinazoline derivatives display multiple pharmacological activities and target various biological receptors. Based on the skeleton of quinazoline core, we designed and synthesized three new quinazoline-phenyl chlormethine conjugates (I–III) bearing a Schiff base (C = N) linker, and investigated their anti-tumor effects on HepG2-xenografted tumor and human cancer cell line HepG2. Among these compounds, compound II showed better inhibitory effect against HepG2 cells. In the present study, TUNEL staining, western blot, molecular docking, and siRNA were used to investigate the inhibitory mechanism of compound II towards hepatoma. Compound II inhibited HepG2-xenografted tumor growth in nude mice. Moreover, Compound II not only up-regulated Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and active-caspase 3 level, but also down-regulated Sirt1 expression and its activity, as well as PGC-1α expression. Furthermore, compound II also significantly suppressed the promotion of HepG2 cell proliferation, as evidenced by MTT assay and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay. Of note, the cytotoxicity of Compound II on HepG2 cells mainly via regulating Sirt1/caspase 3 signaling pathway, consisting with the results in vivo. Intriguingly, z-DEVD-FMK, a caspase 3 inhibitor, almost abolished the inhibitory effects of compound II. Of note, knockdown of caspase 3 by siRNA significantly reversed the inhibitory effect of compound II on HepG2. Interestingly, compound II directly bonded to Sirt1, indicating that Sirt1 might be a promising therapeutic target of compound II. In summary, our findings reveal that compound II, a new synthetical phenyl chlormethine-quinazoline derivative, contributes to the apoptosis of HepG2 cells both in vivo and in vitro through mediating Sirt1/caspase 3 singling pathway. These findings demonstrate that compound II may be a new potent agent against hepatocellular carcinoma.

Discovery of new thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidine derivatives targeting EGFRL858R/T790M NSCLCs by the conformation constrained strategy

Studies on the third-generation of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) targeting EGFR^L858R/T790M mutant remain hotspots, specifically for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In the current study, a new series of EGFR-TKIs with thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidine derivatives(6a-6r) bearing quinolin-2(1H)-ones were designed and synthesized, through conformational constrained strategy from the third generation of EGFR-TKI olmutinib. In vitro structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies indicated that compounds 6a, 6l, 6m, 6n and 6o exhibited good selective inhibition to EGFR^L858R/T790M (IC₅₀ ≤ 250 nM) over wild type EGFR (IC₅₀ > 10000 nM). The observed selectivity of compounds 6l and 6o was also proved by the computational molecular docking and the cellular thermal shift assay. These compounds had good growth inhibitory effect on the four tested cancer cell lines. Specifically, 6o could significantly inhibit the colony formation, wound healing and the expression of p-EGFR and its downstream p-ERK in EGFR^L858R/T790M H1975 lung cancer cells. Our findings suggest that the thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidine compounds, especially 6l and 6o, can selectively target the mutant EGFR^L858R/T790M in vitro and at cellular level and may serve as the lead compounds for generating new series of the third-generation EGFR-TKIs.

Synthesis and Antiproliferative Activities of Novel Substituted 5-Anilino-α-Glucofuranose Derivatives

In order to find novel antitumor candidate agents with high efficiency and low toxicity, 14 novel substituted 5-anilino-α-glucofuranose derivatives have been designed, synthesized and evaluated for antiproliferative activities in vitro. Their structures were characterized by NMR (¹ H and ¹³ C) and HR-MS, and configuration (R/S) at C(5) was identified by two-dimensional ¹ H,¹ H-NOESY-NMR spectrum. Their antiproliferative activities against human tumor cells were investigated by MTT assay. The results demonstrated that most of the synthesized compounds had antiproliferative effects comparable to the reference drugs gefitinib and lapatinib. In particular, (5R)-5-O-(3-chloro-4-{[5-(4-fluorophenyl)thiophen-2-yl]methyl}anilino)-5-deoxy-1,2-O-(1-methylethylidene)-α-glucofuranose (9da) showed the most potent antiproliferative effects against SW480, A431 and A549 cells, with IC₅₀ values of 8.57, 5.15 and 15.24 μm, respectively. This work suggested 5-anilino-α-glucofuranose as an antitumor core structure that may open a new way to develop more potent anti-cancer agents.

Novel 4-arylaminoquinazolines bearing N,N-diethyl(aminoethyl)amino moiety with antitumour activity as EGFRwt-TK inhibitor

Herein, four novel 4-arylaminoquinazoline derivatives with N,N-diethyl(aminoethyl)amino moiety were designed, synthesised and evaluated on biological activities in vitro. All synthesised compounds have inhibitory effects against tumour cells (SW480, A549, A431 and NCI-H1975). In particular, 4-(3-chloro-4-(3-fluorobenzyloxy)phenylamino)-6-(5-((N,N-diethyl(aminoethyl))aminomethyl)furan-2-yl)quinazoline (6a) and 6-(5-((N,N-diethylethyl)aminomethyl)furan-2-yl)-4-(4-(E)-(propen-1-yl)phenylamino)quinazoline (6d) were potent antitumour agents which showed high antiproliferative activities against tumour cells in vitro. Moreover, compound 6a could induce late apoptosis of A549 cells at high concentrations and arrest cell cycle of A549 cells in the G0/G1 phase at tested concentrations. Also, compound 6a could inhibit the activity of wild type epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase (EGFR^wt-TK) with IC₅₀ value of 15.60 nM. Molecular docking showed that compound 6a formed three hydrogen bonds with EGFR^wt-TK, while lapatinib formed only two hydrogen bonds with the receptor protein. It is believed that this work would be giving a reference for developing anti-cancer drugs targeted EGFR-TK.

Multifloroside Suppressing Proliferation and Colony Formation, Inducing S Cell Cycle Arrest, ROS Production, and Increasing MMP in Human Epidermoid Carcinoma Cell Lines A431

Multifloroside (4), together with 10-hydroxyoleoside 11-methyl ester (1), 10-hydroxyoleoside dimethyl ester (2), and 10-hydroxyligustroside (3), are all secoiridoids, which are naturally occurring compounds that possess a wide range of biological and pharmacological activities. However, the anti-cancer activity of 1–4 has not been evaluated yet. The objective of this work was to study the anti-cancer activities of 1–4 in the human epidermoid carcinoma cell lines A431 and the human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines A549. The results indicate that 1–4 differ in potency in their ability to inhibit the proliferation of human A431 and A549 cells, and multifloroside (4) display the highest inhibitory activity against A431 cells. The structure-activity relationships suggest that the o-hydroxy-p-hydroxy-phenylethyl group may contribute to the anti-cancer activity against A431 cells. Multifloroside treatment can also inhibit cell colony formation, arrest the cell cycle in the S-phase, increase the levels of reactive-oxygen-species (ROS), and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), but it did not significantly induce cell apoptosis at low concentrations. The findings indicated that multifloroside (4) has the tendency to show selective anti-cancer effects in A431 cells, along with suppressing the colony formation, inducing S cell cycle arrest, ROS production, and increasing MMP.

Synthesis, crystal structure and biological activity of 6-(3-chloropropoxy)-4-(2-fluorophenylamino)-7-methoxyquinazoline

The title compound, 6-(3-chloropropoxy)-4-(2-fluorophenylamino)-7-methoxyquinazoline, was synthesized by selective nucleophilic attack at C-1 of 1-bromo-3-chloropropane by the potassium salt of 4-(2-fluorophenylamino)-7-methoxyquinazolin-6-ol, which was prepared from 7-methoxy-4-oxo-3,4-dihydroquinazolin-6-yl acetate in three steps. The compound crystallized as an ethyl acetate complex (C20H21ClFN3O3, Mr = 405.85), and X-ray crystallography showed that the crystal belongs to the orthorhombic system, space group Pbca with a = 12.7407(4) Å, b = 14.0058(5) Å, c = 21.7726(7) Å, α = 90°, β = 90° and γ = 90°. The whole molecule is stacked into a three-dimensional structure via weak N–H…N hydrogen bonding between molecules. The compound acts as an effective inhibitor on the proliferation of a lung cancer cell line.

Revealing quinquennial anticancer journey of morpholine: A SAR based review

Morpholine, a six-membered heterocycle containing one nitrogen and one oxygen atom, is a moiety of great significance. It forms an important intermediate in many industrial and organic syntheses. Morpholine containing drugs are of high therapeutic value. Its wide array of pharmacological activity includes anti-diabetic, anti-emetic, growth stimulant, anti-depressant, bronchodilator and anticancer. Multi-drug resistance in cancer cases have emerged in the last few years and have led to the failure of many chemotherapeutic drugs. Newer treatment methods and drugs are being developed to overcome this problem. Target based drug discovery is an effective method to develop novel anticancer drugs. To develop newer drugs, previously reported work needs to be studied. Keeping this in mind, last five year's literature on morpholine used as anticancer agents has been reviewed and summarized in the paper herein.

Facile synthetic approach towards vasorelaxant active 4-hydroxyquinazoline-4-carboxamides

A Facile synthetic approach is reported towards 4-hydroxyquinazoline-4-carboxamides 13a–i through ring expansion of 2,3-dioxoindoline-1-carboxamides 10a–c during secondary amine 11a–d nucleophilic reaction. Single crystal X-ray studies of 10c and 13d support the structures. Some of the synthesized quinazolinecarboxamides 13 show promising vasorelaxant properties with potency higher than that of Doxazosin through the pre-contracted (norepinephrine hydrochloride) rat aorta standard bioassay. Good molecular models (2D-QSAR, pharmacophore) describe the biological observations.

A set of vasorelaxant active 4-hydroxyquinazoline-4-carboxamides was obtained in a novel synthetic approach via secondary amine nucleophilic reaction with 2,3-dioxoindoline-1-carboxamides.