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Tammam MA, Gamal El-Din MI, Aouidate A, El-Demerdash A. Cephalostatins and ritterazines: Distinctive dimeric marine-derived steroidal pyrazine alkaloids with intriguing anticancer activities. Bioorg Chem 2024; 151:107654. [PMID: 39029319 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2024] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024]
Abstract
Cephalostatins and ritterazines represent fascinating classes of dimeric marine derived steroidal alkaloids with unique chemical structures and promising biological activities. Originally isolated from marine tube worms and the tunicate Ritterella tokioka collected off the coast of Japan, cephalostatins and ritterazines display potent anticancer effects by inducing apoptosis, disrupting cell cycle progression, and targeting multiple molecular pathways. This review covers the chemistry and bioactivities of 45 cephalostatins and ritterazines from 1988 to 2024, highlighting their complex structures and medicinal contributions. With insights into their structure activity relationships (SAR). Key structural elements, such as the pyrazine ring and 5/6 spiroketal moieties, are found crucial for their biological effects, suggesting interactions with lipid membranes or hydrophobic protein domains. Additionally, the formation of oxocarbenium ions from spiroketal cleavage may enhance their potency by covalently modifying DNA. The pharmacokinetics, ADMET and Drug likeness properties of these steroidal alkaloids are thoroughly addressed. Drug likeness analysis shows that these compounds fit well with the Rule of 4 (Ro4) for Protein-Protein Interaction Drugs (PPIDs), underscoring their potential in this area. Ten compounds (20, 27, 33, 34, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, and 45) have demonstrated favourable pharmacokinetic and ADMET profiles, making them promising candidates for further research. Future efforts should focus on alternative administration routes, structural modifications, and innovative delivery systems, such as prodrugs and nanoparticles, to improve bioavailability and therapeutic effects. Advances in synthetic chemistry, mechanistic insights, and interdisciplinary collaborations will be essential for translating cephalostatins and ritterazines into effective anticancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed A Tammam
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Fayoum University, Fayoum 63514, Egypt
| | - Mariam I Gamal El-Din
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain-Shams University, 11566 Cairo, Egypt; Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7UQ, UK
| | - Adnane Aouidate
- School of Applied Sciences-Ait Melloul, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco
| | - Amr El-Demerdash
- School of Pharmacy, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK; Department of Biochemistry and Metabolism, the John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK; Division of Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt.
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Nawasreh M, Tahtamouni L. Performance of Green Desymmetrization Methods toward Bioactive Cephalostatin Analogues. Curr Med Chem 2024; 31:3327-3344. [PMID: 37157200 DOI: 10.2174/0929867330666230508145058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Since the discovery of cephalostatins, which have shown remarkable activity against human cancer cells, they have attracted the attention of researchers to target the synthesis of such impressive, complicated molecules using the green desymmetrization approach. In the current review, we report the progress in the desymmetrization of symmetrical bis-steroidal pyrazines (BSPs) as an approach toward potentially active anti-- cancer agents, namely cephalostatins/ ritterazines. The achievement of synthesizing a gram-scaled prodrug with comparable activity to the potent natural cephalostatins using green methods is our primary target. These synthetic methods can be scaled up based on the symmetrical coupling (SC) of two steroidal units of the same type. Our secondary target is the discovery of new green pathways that help in structural reconstruction programming toward the total synthesis of at least one potentially active family member. The strategy is based on functional group interconversions with high flexibility and brevity using green selective methods. The introduction of controlling groups using nontrivial reconstruction methodologies forms the backbone of our work. After certain modifications to the symmetrical BSP starting material, the resulting analogs underwent several chemoselective transformations through three main routes in rings F, D, and C. One of these routes is the chemoselective spiroketal opening (ring-F). The second route was the functionalization of the Δ14,15 bond (ring-D), including chlorination/dechlorination, in addition to epoxidation/ oxygenation processes. Finally, the introduction of the C-11 methoxy group as a directing group on ring-C led to several chemoselective transformations. Moreover, certain transformations on C-12 (ring-C), such as methylenation, followed by hydroboration- oxidation, led to a potentially active analog. The alignment of these results directs us toward the targets. Our efforts culminated in preparing effective anti-cancer prodrugs (8, 24, 30, and 31), which are able to overcome cancer drug resistance (chemoresistance) by inducing the atypical endoplasmic reticulum-mediated apoptosis pathway, which works through the release of Smac/Diablo and the activation of caspase-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mansour Nawasreh
- Scientific Basic Sciences Department, Faculty of Engineering Technology, Al-Balqa Applied University, Marka 11134, Amman, Jordan
| | - Lubna Tahtamouni
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
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de la Calle CM, Shee K, Yang H, Lonergan PE, Nguyen HG. The endoplasmic reticulum stress response in prostate cancer. Nat Rev Urol 2022; 19:708-726. [PMID: 36168057 DOI: 10.1038/s41585-022-00649-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
In order to proliferate in unfavourable conditions, cancer cells can take advantage of the naturally occurring endoplasmic reticulum-associated unfolded protein response (UPR) via three highly conserved signalling arms: IRE1α, PERK and ATF6. All three arms of the UPR have key roles in every step of tumour progression: from cancer initiation to tumour growth, invasion, metastasis and resistance to therapy. At present, no cure for metastatic prostate cancer exists, as targeting the androgen receptor eventually results in treatment resistance. New research has uncovered an important role for the UPR in prostate cancer tumorigenesis and crosstalk between the UPR and androgen receptor signalling pathways. With an improved understanding of the mechanisms by which cancer cells exploit the endoplasmic reticulum stress response, targetable points of vulnerability can be uncovered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire M de la Calle
- Department of Urology, Helen Diller Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kevin Shee
- Department of Urology, Helen Diller Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Heiko Yang
- Department of Urology, Helen Diller Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Peter E Lonergan
- Department of Urology, Helen Diller Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Urology, St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
- Department of Surgery, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Hao G Nguyen
- Department of Urology, Helen Diller Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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Nawasreh MM. Novel Epoxidation/Oxygenation Method toward Bioactive Cephalostatins Using Common Alkaline Metals. ChemistrySelect 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/slct.202103756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M. M. Nawasreh
- Scientific Basic Sciences Dept./Faculty of Engineering Technology-Al-Balqa Applied University P.B. 15008, Marka 11134 Amman Jordan
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Abbas AH, Mahmood AAR, Tahtamouni LH, Al-Mazaydeh ZA, Rammaha MS, Alsoubani F, Al-bayati RI. A novel derivative of picolinic acid induces endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptosis in human non-small cell lung cancer cells: synthesis, docking study, and anticancer activity. PHARMACIA 2021. [DOI: 10.3897/pharmacia.68.e70654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Thirteen new derivatives of picolinic acid (4–7) were designed and synthesized from the starting parent molecule, picolinic acid. The new compounds were characterized by ATR-FTIR, 1HNMR, and CHNS analysis. A molecular docking study was performed to evaluate the binding affinity of the synthesized compounds toward EGFR kinase domain that indicated occupation of the critical site of EGFR kinase pocket and excellent positioning of the compounds in the pocket. The cytotoxic activity of the compounds against two human cancer cell lines (A549 and MCF-7), the non-tumorigenic MCF10A cell line, and white blood cells (WBC) was evaluated using the MTT assay. Compound 5 showed anticancer activity against A549 lung cancer cells (IC50 = 99.93 µM) but not against MCF-7 breast cancer cells or normal cells. Compound 5 mediated cytotoxicity in A549 lung cancer cells by inducing apoptotic cell death, as suggested by fragmented nuclei after DAPI staining, and agarose gel electrophoresis. Moreover, compound 5 triggered the activation of caspases 3, 4 and 9. However, compound 5 treatment did not affect the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria to the cytosol, as compared to the vehicle-treated control cells. Nevertheless, compound 5-treated cells reported greater release of smac/DIABLO to the cytosol. In the same context, both compound 5 and thapsigargin (specific inhibitor of sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA)) enhanced eIF2 phosphorylation, reflecting the activation of the atypical ER stress pathway and the potential applicability of compound 5 in lung cancer treatment.
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Al-Bayati AI, Razzak Mahmood AA, Al-Mazaydeh ZA, Rammaha MS, Al-bayati RI, Alsoubani F, Tahtamouni LH. Synthesis, docking study, and in vitro anticancer evaluation of new flufenamic acid derivatives. PHARMACIA 2021. [DOI: 10.3897/pharmacia.68.e66788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Novel compounds (6–10) were synthesized and confirmed by spectroscopic analysis, including AT-IR, 1HNMR and CHNS. Their cytotoxic effect was evaluated by MTT assay against two cancer cell lines and two normal cell types. Compound 7 exhibited anticancer activity against MCF-7 breast cancer cell line (GI50 = 63.9 µg/ml, 148 µM), without any effect against A549 lung cancer cells, or the normal cells. Compound 7 caused cytotoxicity in MCF-7 breast cancer cells by apoptotic cell death, as suggested by fragmented nuclei after DAPI staining and agarose gel electrophoresis. In addition, treating MCF-7 cells with compound 7 resulted in an increase in the level of caspase 9 mRNA level, and its activation. Moreover, compound 7-treated MCF-7 cells showed enhanced cytochrome c release from the mitochondria to the cytosol, signifying an induction of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. Finally, compound 7 exhibited epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) kinase inhibitory activity at (EC50 = 0.13 µM), which was matched by molecular docking studies that showed compound 7 might be an important EGFR kinase inhibitor.
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