Tricyclic sulfonamides incorporating benzothiopyrano[4,3-c]pyrazole and pyridothiopyrano[4,3-c]pyrazole effectively inhibit α- and β-carbonic anhydrase: X-ray crystallography and solution investigations on 15 isoforms

Synthesis and Evaluation of Amide and Thiourea Derivatives as Carbonic Anhydrase (CA) Inhibitors

Series of sulfonamide-substituted amide (9-11), benzamide (12-15), and 1,3-disubstituted thiourea (17-26) derivatives were synthesized from a common precursor, i.e., substituted benzoyl chlorides. Structures of all of the synthesized compounds were characterized by spectroscopic techniques (1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR),13C NMR, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)). All of the amide (9-15) and thiourea (17-26) derivatives were screened against human carbonic anhydrases, hCA-II, hCA IX, and hCA-XII. Sulfonamide-substituted amides 9, 11, and 12 were found to be excellent selective inhibitors with IC50 values of 0.18 ± 0.05, 0.17 ± 0.05, and 0.58 ± 0.05 μM against hCA II, hCA IX, and hCA XII, respectively. Compound 9 was found to be highly selective for hCA II and about 6-fold more potent as compared to the standard antagonist, acetazolamide. Safe toxicity profiling of the most potent and selective compounds was determined against normal BHK-21 and HEK-293 T cells. Molecular docking studies were performed, which described the type of interactions between the synthesized compounds and enzyme proteins. In addition, in silico absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) studies were performed, which showed that all of the synthesized molecules fulfilled the druggability criteria.

A close look into the biological and synthetic aspects of fused pyrazole derivatives

The fusion of pyrazole scaffold with other skeletons creates a class of attractive molecules, demonstrating significant biological and chemical potentiality in the development of medicinal chemistry. Over the past few decades, numerous biologically active molecules featuring fused pyrazole moieties have been excavated and synthesized, some of which represented by sildenafil have been marketed as drugs, and the biological importance together with chemical synthesis strategies of fused pyrazole compounds, including structural modification based on lead compounds, have been steadily progressing. In this review, we focused our attention on the biological importance of fused pyrazoles and highlighted recent progress in the synthesis of this framework over the past 10 years. What' s more, the limitations, challenges, and future prospects were proposed, wishing to provide references for the development of pyrazole fused frameworks in the field of medicinal chemistry. Contents.

New antiproliferative agents derived from tricyclic 3,4-dihydrobenzo[4,5]imidazo[1,2-a][1,3,5]triazine scaffold: Synthesis and pharmacological effects

A series of novel 3,4-dihydrobenzo[4,5]imidazo[1,2-a][1,3,5]triazine (BIT) derivatives were designed and synthesized. In vitro antiproliferative activity was detected toward two human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell lines (CaCo-2 and HT-29) and one human dermal microvascular endothelial cell line (HMVEC-d). The most active compounds, namely 2-4 and 8, were further investigated to clarify the mechanism behind their biological activity. Through immunofluorescence assay, we identified the target of these molecules to be the microtubule cytoskeleton with subsequent formation of dense microtubule accumulation, particularly at the periphery of the cancer cells, as observed in paclitaxel-treated cells. Overall, these results highlight BIT derivatives as robust and feasible candidates deserving to be further developed in the search for novel potent antiproliferative microtubule-targeting agents.

Tetrahydroquinazole-based secondary sulphonamides as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors: synthesis, biological evaluation against isoforms I, II, IV, and IX, and computational studies

A library of variously decorated N-phenyl secondary sulphonamides featuring the bicyclic tetrahydroquinazole scaffold was synthesised and biologically evaluated for their inhibitory activity against human carbonic anhydrase (hCA) I, II, IV, and IX. Of note, several compounds were identified showing submicromolar potency and excellent selectivity for the tumour-related hCA IX isoform. Structure-activity relationship data attained for various substitutions were rationalised by molecular modelling studies in terms of both inhibitory activity and selectivity.

Inhibition studies on carbonic anhydrase isoforms I, II, IV and IX with N-arylsubstituted secondary sulfonamides featuring a bicyclic tetrahydroindazole scaffold

Carbonic Anhydrases (CAs) are pharmaceutically relevant targets for the treatment of several disease conditions. The ubiquitous localization of these enzymes and the high homology shared by the different isoforms represent substantial impediments for the discovery of potential drugs devoid of off-target side effects. As a consequence, substantial efforts are still needed to allow for the full realization of the pharmacological potential of CA modulators. In this contribution, starting from our previous studies, we describe the synthesis of a set of new bicyclic tetrahydroindazoles featuring a secondary sulfonamide. Biological evaluation of the inhibitory activity against the hCA I, II, IV, and IX isoforms allowed drawing a structure-activity relationship profile that was rationalized through theoretical studies. This allowed dissecting the new molecules into the single portions influencing the zinc chelation properties and the selectivity profile thereby offering a new platform for the discovery of new isotype selective CA inhibitors.

Progress in the development of human carbonic anhydrase inhibitors and their pharmacological applications: Where are we today?

Carbonic anhydrases (CAs, EC 4.2.1.1) are widely distributed metalloenzymes in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. They efficiently catalyze the reversible hydration of carbon dioxide to bicarbonate and H⁺  ions and play a crucial role in regulating many physiological processes. CAs are well-studied drug target for various disorders such as glaucoma, epilepsy, sleep apnea, and high altitude sickness. In the past decades, a large category of diverse families of CA inhibitors (CAIs) have been developed and many of them showed effective inhibition toward specific isoforms, and effectiveness in pathological conditions in preclinical and clinical settings. The discovery of isoform-selective CAIs in the last decade led to diminished side effects associated with off-target isoforms inhibition. The many new classes of such compounds will be discussed in the review, together with strategies for their development. Pharmacological advances of the newly emerged CAIs in diseases not usually associated with CA inhibition (neuropathic pain, arthritis, cerebral ischemia, and cancer) will also be discussed.

4-Substituted Benzenesulfonamides Incorporating Bi/Tricyclic Moieties Act as Potent and Isoform-Selective Carbonic Anhydrase II/IX Inhibitors

As a part of our efforts to expand chemical diversity in the carbonic anhydrases inhibitors (CAIs), three small series of polyheterocyclic compounds (4-6) featuring the primary benzenesulfonamide moiety linked to bi/tricyclic scaffolds were investigated. Highly effective inhibitors against the target tumor-associated hCA IX (low nanomolar/subnanomolar potency levels) showing significant functional selectivity profile toward hCA I, II, and IV isozymes were identified. Molecular docking studies clarified the reasons behind the activity and selectivity of the new compounds.

Probing Molecular Interactions between Human Carbonic Anhydrases (hCAs) and a Novel Class of Benzenesulfonamides

On the basis of X-ray crystallographic studies of the complex of hCA II with 4-(3,4-dihydro-1H-isoquinoline-2-carbonyl)benzenesulfonamide (3) (PDB code 4Z1J ), a novel series of 4-(1-aryl-3,4-dihydro-1H-isoquinolin-2-carbonyl)benzenesulfonamides (23-33) was designed. Specifically, our idea was to improve the selectivity toward druggable isoforms through the introduction of additional hydrophobic/hydrophilic functionalities. Among the synthesized and tested compounds, the (R,S)-4-(6,7-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-1H-2-carbonyl)benzenesulfonamide (30) exhibited a remarkable inhibition for the brain-expressed hCA VII (Ki = 0.20 nM) and selectivity over wider distributed hCA I and hCA II isoforms. By enantioselective HPLC, we solved the racemic mixture and ascertained that the two enantiomers (30a and 30b) are equiactive inhibitors for hCA VII. Crystallographic and docking studies revealed the main interactions of these inhibitors into the carbonic anhydrase (CA) catalytic site, thus highlighting the relevant role of nonpolar contacts for this class of hCA inhibitors.

Synthesis, characterization and in vitro inhibition of metal complexes of pyrazole based sulfonamide on human erythrocyte carbonic anhydrase isozymes I and II

Sulfonamides represent an important class of biologically active compounds. A sulfonamide possessing carbonic anhydrase (CA) inhibitory properties obtained from a pyrazole based sulfonamide, ethyl 1-(3-nitrophenyl)-5-phenyl-3-((5-sulfamoyl-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)carbamoyl)-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxylate (1), and its metal complexes with the Ni(II) for (2), Cu(II) for (3) and Zn(II) for (4) have been synthesized. The structures of metal complexes (2-4) were established on the basis of their elemental analysis, ¹H NMR, IR, UV-Vis and MS spectral data. The inhibition of two human carbonic anhydrase (hCA, EC 4.2.1.1) isoenzymes I and II, with 1 and synthesized complexes (2-4) and acetazolamide (AAZ) as a control compound was investigated in vitro by using the hydratase and esterase assays. The complexes 2, 3 and 4 showed inhibition constant in the range 0.1460-0.3930 µM for hCA-I and 0.0740-0.0980 µM for hCA-II, and they had effective more inhibitory activity on hCA-I and hCA-II than corresponding free ligand 1 and than AAZ.

Synthesis, carbonic anhydrase I and II inhibition studies of the 1,3,5-trisubstituted-pyrazolines

4-(3-(4-Substituted-phenyl)-5-phenyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-1-yl) benzenesulfonamides (9-16) were successfully synthesized and their chemical structures were confirmed by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, and HRMS spectra. Carbonic anhydrase I and II inhibitory effects of the compounds were investigated. K_i values of the compounds were in the range of 316.7 ± 9.6-533.1 ± 187.8 nM towards hCA I and 412.5 ± 115.4-624.6 ± 168.2 nM towards hCA II isoenzymes. While K_i values of the reference compound Acetazolamide were 278.8 ± 44.3 nM and 293.4 ± 46.4 nM towards hCA I and hCA II izoenzymes, respectively. Compound 14 with bromine and compound 13 with fluorine substituents can be considered as the leader compounds of the series because of the lowest K_i values in series to make further detailed carbonic anhydrase inhibiton studies.

Synthesis 4-[2-(2-mercapto-4-oxo-4H-quinazolin-3-yl)-ethyl]-benzenesulfonamides with subnanomolar carbonic anhydrase II and XII inhibitory properties

Condensation of substituted anthranilic acids with 4-isothiocyanatoethyl-benzenesulfonamide led to series of heterocyclic benzenesulfonamides incorporating 2-mercapto-quinazolin-4-one tails. These sulfonamides were investigated as inhibitors of the human carbonic anhydrase (hCA, EC 4.2.1.1) isoforms hCA I and II (cytosolic isozymes), as well as hCA XII (a transmembrane, tumor-associated enzyme also involved in glaucoma-genesis). The new sulfonamides acted as medium potency inhibitors of hCA I (KIs of 28.5-2954nM), being highly effective as hCA II (KIs in the range of 0.62-12.4nM) and XII (KIs of 0.54-7.11nM) inhibitors. All substitution patterns present in these compounds (e.g., halogens, methyl and methoxy moieties, in positions 6, 7 and/or 8 of the 2-mercapto-quinazolin-4-one ring) led to highly effective hCA II/XII inhibitors. These compounds should thus be of interest as preclinical candidates in pathologies in which the activity of these enzymes should be inhibited, such as glaucoma (CA II and XII as targets) or some tumors in which the activity of isoforms CA II and XII is dysregulated.

The synthesis of novel pyrazole-3,4-dicarboxamides bearing 5-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-sulfonamide moiety with effective inhibitory activity against the isoforms of human cytosolic carbonic anhydrase I and II

A series of 1-(3-substituted-phenyl)-5-phenyl-N(3),N(4)-bis(5-sulfamoyl-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)-1H-pyrazole-3,4-dicarboxamides (4-15) were synthesized. The structures of these pyrazole-sulfonamides were confirmed by FT-IR, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR and elemental analysis methods. Human cytosolic carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) isozymes (hCA I and II) were purified from erythrocyte cells by affinity chromatography. The inhibitory effects of newly synthesized derivatives (4-15) were investigated in vitro on esterase activities of these isozymes. The Ki values were determined as 0.119-3.999μM for hCA I and 0.084-0.878μM for hCA II. The results showed that the compound 6 for hCA I and the compound 11 for hCA II had the highest inhibitory effect. Beside that, the compound 8 had the lowest inhibition effect on both isozymes.

A class of sulfonamides as carbonic anhydrase I and II inhibitors

Four groups of novel sulfonamide derivatives: (i) acetoxybenzamide, (ii) triacetoxybenzamide, (iii) hydroxybenzamide and (iv) trihydroxybenzamide, all having thiazole, pyrimidine, pyridine, isoxazole and thiadiazole moieties were prepared and their inhibitory effects were studied on two metalloenzymes, i.e. carbonic anhydrase isozymes (hCA I and II), purified from human erythrocyte cells by Sepharose-4B-l-tyrosine-sulfanilamide affinity chromatography. These enzymes are present in almost all living organisms to catalyse the synthesis of bicarbonate ion (HCO₃^-) from carbon dioxide and water. The sulfonamide derivatives were found to be active against hCA I and II in the range of 2.62-136.54 and 5.74-210.58 nM, respectively.

N-Acylsulfonamides strongly inhibit human carbonic anhydrase isoenzymes I and II

Sulfonamides represent a significant class of biologically active compounds that inhibit carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC.: 4.2.1.1) isoenzymes involved in different pathological and physiological events. Sulfonamide CA inhibitors are used therapeutically as diuretic, antiglaucoma, antiobesity and anticancer agents. A series of new sulfonamides were synthesized using imides and tosyl chloride as starting materials. These N-acylsulfonamides efficiently inhibited the cytosolic human carbonic anhydrase isoenzymes I, and II (hCA I, and II), with nanomolar range inhibition constants ranging between 36.4 ± 6.0-254.6 ± 18.0 and 58.3 ± 0.6-273.3 ± 2.5 nM, respectively.

N-(1-Oxy-2-picolyl)oxalamic acids as a new type of O,O-ligands for the Cu-catalyzed N-arylation of azoles with aryl halides in water or organic solvent

A new type of chelators was identified as efficient ligands for promoting Cu-catalyzed N-arylation of azoles with applicability to different solvents.

Transthyretin complexes with curcumin and bromo-estradiol: evaluation of solubilizing multicomponent mixtures

Crystallographic structure determination of protein-ligand complexes of transthyretin (TTR) has been hindered by the low affinity of many compounds that bind to the central cavity of the tetramer. Because crystallization trials are carried out at protein and ligand concentration that approach the millimolar range, low affinity is less of a problem than the poor solubility of many compounds that have been shown to inhibit amyloid fibril formation. To achieve complete occupancy in co-crystallization experiments, the minimal requirement is one ligand for each of the two sites within the TTR tetramer. Here we present a new strategy for the co-crystallization of TTR using high molecular weight polyethylene glycol instead of high ionic strength precipitants, with ligands solubilized in multicomponent mixtures of compounds. This strategy is applied to the crystallization of TTR complexes with curcumin and 16α-bromo-estradiol. Here we report the crystal structures with these compounds and with the ferulic acid that results from curcumin degradation.

Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibition with Benzenesulfonamides and Tetrafluorobenzenesulfonamides Obtained via Click Chemistry

A series of novel benzene- and 2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzenesulfonamide was synthesized by using a click chemistry approach starting from azido-substituted sulfonamides and alkynes, incorporating aryl, alkyl, cycloalkyl, and amino-/hydroxy-/halogenoalkyl moieties. The new compounds were medium potency inhibitors of the cytosolic carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) isoforms I and II and low nanomolar/subnanomolar inhibitors of the tumor-associated hCA IX and XII isoforms. The X-ray crystal structure of two such sulfonamides in adduct with hCA II allowed us to understand the factors governing inhibitory power.

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors: design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of novel sulfonyl semicarbazide derivatives

A series of novel sulfonyl semicarbazides 5-13 was designed, synthesized, and evaluated for human carbonic anhydrase (hCA) inhibition. The new sulfonyl semicarbazides were tested against a panel of hCA isoforms I, II, IX, and XII, using acetazolamide (AZA, 1) as standard. All the sulfonyl semicarbazides showed subnanomolar affinity for hCA XII (pK i range 0.59-0.79 nM) and high selectivity over hCA I (58-114-fold) and hCA IX (26-114-fold) compared to hCA II (5-20-fold except 11, 121-fold). The importance of the nature of para-substitution on the sulfonyl substituted aromatic ring for potency and selectivity against one hCA isoform versus others is discussed. Overall, the research work led to the development of highly potent and selective hCA inhibitors.

Non-classical β-carbonic anhydrase inhibitors-towards novel anti-mycobacterials

Mycobacterial carbonic anhydrases, such as the essential protein Rv3588c, are attractive drug targets since they constitute a different class of carbonic anhydrases than those found in humans.