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Drugs That Changed Society: Microtubule-Targeting Agents Belonging to Taxanoids, Macrolides and Non-Ribosomal Peptides. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27175648. [PMID: 36080414 PMCID: PMC9457747 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27175648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
During a screening performed by the National Cancer Institute in the 1960s, the terpenoid paclitaxel was discovered. Paclitaxel expanded the treatment options for breast, lung, prostate and ovarian cancer. Paclitaxel is only present in minute amounts in the bark of Taxia brevifolia. A sustainable supply was ensured with a culture developed from Taxus chinensis, or with semi-synthesis from other taxanes. Paclitaxel is marketed under the name Taxol. An intermediate from the semi-synthesis docetaxel is also used as a drug and marketed as Taxotere. O-Methylated docetaxel is used for treatment of some paclitaxel-resistant cancer forms as cabazitaxel. The solubility problems of paclitaxel have been overcome by formulation of a nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel (NAB-paclitaxel, Abraxane). The mechanism of action is affinity towards microtubules, which prevents proliferation and consequently the drug would be expected primarily to be active towards cancer cells proliferating faster than benign cells. The activity against slowly growing tumors such as solid tumors suggests that other effects such as oncogenic signaling or cellular trafficking are involved. In addition to terpenoids, recently discovered microtubule-targeting polyketide macrolides and non-ribosomal peptides have been discovered and marketed as drugs. The revolutionary improvements for treatment of cancer diseases targeting microtubules have led to an intensive search for other compounds with the same target. Several polyketide macrolides, terpenoids and non-ribosomal peptides have been investigated and a few marketed.
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Yang J, Wang L, Guan X, Qin JJ. Inhibiting STAT3 signaling pathway by natural products for cancer prevention and therapy: In vitro and in vivo activity and mechanisms of action. Pharmacol Res 2022; 182:106357. [PMID: 35868477 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2022.106357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) plays a critical role in signal transmission from the plasma membrane to the nucleus, regulating the expression of genes involved in essential cell functions and controlling the processes of cell cycle progression and apoptosis. Thus, STAT3 has been elucidated as a promising target for developing anticancer drugs. Many natural products have been reported to inhibit the STAT3 signaling pathway during the past two decades and have exhibited significant anticancer activities in vitro and in vivo. However, there is no FDA-approved STAT3 inhibitor yet. The major mechanisms of these natural product inhibitors of the STAT3 signaling pathway include targeting the upstream regulators of STAT3, directly binding to the STAT3 SH2 domain and inhibiting its activation, inhibiting STAT3 phosphorylation and/or dimerization, and others. In the present review, we have systematically discussed the development of these natural product inhibitors of STAT3 signaling pathway as well as their in vitro and in vivo anticancer activity and mechanisms of action. Outlooks and perspectives on the associated challenges are provided as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Yang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lingling Wang
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiaoqing Guan
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Key Laboratory of Prevention, Diagnosis and Therapy of Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310022, China.
| | - Jiang-Jiang Qin
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Key Laboratory of Prevention, Diagnosis and Therapy of Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310022, China.
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Srinivasulu V, Srikanth G, Khanfar MA, Abu-Yousef IA, Majdalawieh AF, Mazitschek R, Setty SC, Sebastian A, Al-Tel TH. Stereodivergent Complexity-to-Diversity Strategy en Route to the Synthesis of Nature-Inspired Skeleta. J Org Chem 2022; 87:1377-1397. [PMID: 35014258 DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.1c02698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The complexity-to-diversity (CtD) strategy has become one of the most powerful tools used to transform complex natural products into diverse skeleta. However, the reactions utilized in this process are often limited by their compatibility with existing functional groups, which in turn restricts access to the desired skeletal diversity. In the course of employing a CtD strategy en route to the synthesis of natural product-inspired compounds, our group has developed several stereodivergent strategies employing indoloquinolizine natural product analogues as starting materials. These transformations led to the rapid and diastereoselective synthesis of diverse classes of natural product-like architectures, including camptothecin-inspired analogues, azecane medium-sized ring systems, arborescidine-inspired systems, etc. This manifestation required a drastic modification of the synthetic design that ultimately led to modular and diastereoselective access to a diverse collection of various classes of biologically significant natural product analogues. The reported strategies provide a unique platform that will be broadly applicable to other late-stage natural product transformation approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vunnam Srinivasulu
- Sharjah Institute for Medical Research, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, Sharjah, UAE
| | - Gourishetty Srikanth
- Department of Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, American University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 26666, Sharjah, UAE
| | - Monther A Khanfar
- College of Science, Department of Chemistry, Pure and Applied Chemistry Group, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, Sharjah, UAE
| | - Imad A Abu-Yousef
- Department of Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, American University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 26666, Sharjah, UAE
| | - Amin F Majdalawieh
- Department of Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, American University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 26666, Sharjah, UAE
| | - Ralph Mazitschek
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, United States
| | - Subbaiah Chennam Setty
- Department of Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, American University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 26666, Sharjah, UAE
| | - Anusha Sebastian
- Sharjah Institute for Medical Research, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, Sharjah, UAE
| | - Taleb H Al-Tel
- Sharjah Institute for Medical Research, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, Sharjah, UAE.,College of Pharmacy, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, Sharjah, UAE
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