Synthesis of Novel Indole Analogues of Mycophenolic Acid as Potential Antineoplastic Agents

Immunosuppressive properties of amino acid and peptide derivatives of mycophenolic acid

Mycophenolic acid (MPA) was coupled with amino acids and biologically active peptides including derivatives of tuftsin to modify its immunosuppressive properties. Both amino acid unit in the case of simple MPA amides and modifications within peptide moiety of MPA - tuftsin conjugates influenced the observed activity. Antiproliferative potential of the obtained conjugates was investigated in vitro and MPA amides with threonine methyl ester and conjugate of MPA with retro-tuftisin occurred to be more selective against PBMC in comparison to parent MPA. Both amino acid and peptide derivatives of MPA acted as inosine-5'-monophosphate dehydrogenaze (IMPDH) inhibitors.

Zinc Chloride Catalyzed Amino Claisen Rearrangement of 1-N-Allylindolines: An Expedient Protocol for the Synthesis of Functionalized 7-Allylindolines

7-Allylindolines are valuable synthons for designing biologically active molecular libraries. Lewis acid catalyzed amino-Claisen rearrangement provides a one pot synthetic entry to these heteroarenes. In this context, Zinc chloride (ZnCl2)–N,N-dimethylformamide system efficiently catalyzed amino-Claisen rearrangements of 1-N-allylindolines to 7-allylindolines. The rearrangement is influenced by stereoelectronic effects of substituents present in 1-N-allylindolines. The substrates containing electron donating functionalities underwent rearrangement at lower temperature than substrates with electron withdrawing functional groups. The regioselectivity of the process is governed by the substitution pattern on allyl moiety in 1-N-allylindoline as well as ZnCl2 catalyst loading in the reaction system.

Synthesis and antiproliferative activity of new mycophenolic acid conjugates with adenosine derivatives

New conjugates of mycophenolic acid (MPA) and adenosine derivatives were synthesized and assessed as potential immunosuppressants on Jurkat cell line and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from healthy donors. As compared to MPA, all compounds were found to be more active against Jurkat cell line. The antiproliferative activities were compared with MPA and adenosine, in both 2',3'-O-isopropylidene protected and free hydroxyl groups possessing forms. The obtained results were also discussed in terms of selectivity index, defined as SI = IC₅₀/EC₅₀.

Synthesis of New 3-Heteroarylindoles as Potential Anticancer Agents

2-(3-(1H-Indol-3-yl)-5-(p-tolyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)-4-substituted-5-(substituted diazenyl)thiazoles and 2-(1H-indol-3-yl)-9-substituted-4,7-disubstituted pyrido[3,2-e][1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyrimidin-5(7H)-ones were synthesized via reaction of hydrazonoyl halides with each of 3-(1H-indol-2-yl)-5-(p-tolyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazole-1-carbothioamide and 7-(1H-indol-3-yl)-2- thioxo-5-substituted-2,3-dihydropyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4(1H)-ones, respectively. Also, hydrazonoyl halides were reacted with N’-(1-(1H-indol-3-yl)ethylidene)-2-cyanoacetohydrazide to afford 1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives. Structures of the new synthesis were elucidated on the basis of elemental analysis, spectral data, and alternative synthetic routes whenever possible. Fifteen of the new compounds have been evaluated for their antitumor activity against the MCF-7 human breast carcinoma cell line. The results indicated that many of the tested compounds showed moderate to high anticancer activity when compared with doxorubicin as a reference drug.

Enhancement of Mycophenolate Mofetil Permeation for Topical Use by Eucalyptol and N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone

Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is a prodrug of mycophenolic acid (MPA) which can be metabolized by esterase. MMF has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) for treatment of psoriasis patient with skin symptoms. However, it remains unclear whether MMF is efficiently effective to treat skin symptoms developed from psoriasis. The insufficient amount of MMF penetrating through the skin results in the treatment failure due to the difficulty in MMF penetration through the stratum corneum. Skin permeation enhancers such as eucalyptol (EUL) and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) potentially aid in increasing skin penetration. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a concentration ratio (% w/v) between two enhancers (EUL and NMP). The results showed that EUL enhanced MMF permeation with an enhancement ratio (ER) of 3.44 while NMP was not able to promote the penetration of MMF. Interestingly, the synergistic effect of the two enhancers was observed with a suitable ratio given that the ER was 8.21. EUL and NMP are promising enhancers for the development of MMF based skin product.

{2-[1-(3-Methoxycarbonylmethyl-1H-indol-2-yl)-1-methyl-ethyl]-1H-indol-3-yl}-acetic acid methyl ester (MIAM): its anti-cancer efficacy and intercalation mechanism identified via multi-model systems

{2-[1-(3-Methoxycarbonylmethyl-1H-indol-2-yl)-1-methyl-ethyl]-1H-indol-3-yl}-acetic acid methyl ester (MIAM) was provided as a DNA-intercalator. For the comprehensive evaluation of this new intercalator, an assay system consisting of cell, S180 mouse, healthy mouse, spectrum, non-spectrum, and gel electrophoresis models was constructed. On the cell (S180, K562, MCF-7, HeLa and HepG2) models, MIAM selectively inhibited the viability of HeLa. On the S180 mouse model, 0.89, 8.9, 89 and 890 μmol kg(-1) of MIAM dose-dependently inhibited the tumor growth. Even at a dose of 890 μmol kg(-1), MIAM did not damage the treated S180 mice. The safety of MIAM was supported by a high spleen index and an obvious increase of body weight of the treated S180 mice. On the healthy mouse model the LD(50) value of MIAM is higher than 890 μmol kg(-1). The ultraviolet (UV), fluorescence, circular dichroism (CD), relative viscosity, melting curve, and gel electrophoresis assays of DNA with or without MIAM consistently supported an intercalation mechanism for MIAM.

Synthesis of some monocyclic analogues of mycophenolic acid via the Johnson ortho ester Claisen rearrangement

The synthesis of some monocyclic analogues of mycophenolic acid in which the lactone ring has been eliminated, leaving the aromatic ring intact and the same oxygenated substituents flanking the hexenoic acid side chain with an (E)-geometry at the double bond, has been accomplished via the Johnson ortho ester Claisen rearrangement. The synthetic methodology reported here allows the preparation of mycophenolic acid analogues bearing alkyl substituents at the alpha- and beta-positions on the side chain.

Synthesis, molecular modeling, and evaluation of nonphenolic indole analogs of mycophenolic acid

Based on the promising activity of an indole-3-carboxamide derivative, a nonphenolic analog of mycophenolic acid (MPA), we report herein the synthesis of a compound containing two important features for the activity of MPA, the ring methoxy and methyl. The synthesis was accomplished using two strategies; a method dependent on stepwise building of the hexenoate side chain followed by the indolecarboxamide ring system, and a convergent route that depended on 1,3-sigmatropic rearrangement as a key step. Docking experiments on both Chinese Hamster and Human Type-II inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) showed that this compound has potential binding interactions with the NAD site. The analogs showed no activity against MCF7-S, MCF7-R, or IGR-OV1 cancer cells.