Design, synthesis, anticancer activity and docking studies of theophylline containing 1,2,3-triazoles with variant amide derivatives

Design, synthesis of benzimidazole tethered 3,4-dihydro-2H-benzo[e] [1, 3] oxazines as anticancer agents

A series of novel 3-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-benzo[e][1,3] oxazine analogues synthesized through a two-step synthetic protocol. The structure of the compounds were established by interpretation 1H NMR, 13C NMR and Mass spectral data recorded after purification. All the title compounds 4a-k were screened for their in vitro anti-cancer activity against two breast cancer cell lines MCF 7 and MDA-MB-231 by using Doxorubicin as standard reference. Compound 4e displayed superior activity against both the cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 with IC50 values of 8.60 ± 0.75 and 6.30 ± 0.54 µM respectively, compared to the Doxorubicin IC50 value of 9.11 ± 0.54 and 8.47 ± 0.47 µM. Compound 4i also indicated good activity with IC50 value of 9.85 ± 0.69 μM on par with Doxorubicin against MCF-7 cells. Compound 4g demonstrated best activity on par with standard reference to IC50 value of 8.52 ± 0.62 μM against MDA-MB-231 cell line. And all other compounds demonstrated good to moderate activity compared to Doxorubicin. Docking studies against EGFR showed that all the compounds have very good binding affinities towards the target. The predicted drug-likeness properties of all compounds enable them to be used as therapeutic agents.

Design and synthesis of Meldrum's acid based 7-azaindole anchored 1,2,3-triazole hybrids as anticancer agents

A series of Meldrum's acid, 7-azaindole and 1,2,3-triazole hybrids were synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro anticancer activity against five different cancer cell lines viz. MCF-7 (breast cancer), HeLa (cervical cancer), DU-145 (prostate cancer), HepG2 (liver cancer) and K562 (myelogenous leukemia cell). Among the series, compound 6b containing a 4-methyl substitution showed potent activity against HeLa cell line. Cell cycle analysis revealed that compound 6b induced cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and induced apoptosis. Apoptotic activity was further confirmed by Hoechst staining and Annexin V-FITC assay. Compound 6b has been found to exhibit higher activity in all four cell lines, with IC50 values of 6.67 ± 0.39 μM, 4.44 ± 0.32 μM, 12.38 ± 0.51 μM and 9.97 ± 0.25 μM against MCF-7, HeLa, DU-145 and HepG2 cell lines respectively. Compounds 6m (9.68 ± 0.10 μM) and 6n (9.52 ± 0.38 μM), which have dimethoxy and trimethoxy substitutions, respectively, have demonstrated significant anticancer activity against HeLa cells compared to the other cells. The molecular docking study of ligand 6b against the crystal structure of EGFR and Mcl-1 scored notable binding energy values and displayed important interactions like H-bond, π-cation and other hydrophobic interactions.

Utilizing machine learning to identify nifuroxazide as an inhibitor of ubiquitin-specific protease 21 in a drug repositioning strategy

Ubiquitin-specific protease (USP), an enzyme catalyzing protein deubiquitination, is involved in biological processes related to metabolic disorders and cancer proliferation. We focused on constructing predictive models tailored to unveil compounds boasting USP21 inhibitory attributes. Six models, Extra Trees Classifier, Random Forest Classifier, LightGBM Classifier, XGBoost Classifier, Bagging Classifier, and a convolutional neural network harnessed from empirical data were selected for the screening process. These models guided our selection of 26 compounds from the FDA-approved drug library for further evaluation. Notably, nifuroxazide emerged as the most potent inhibitor, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 14.9 ± 1.63 μM. The stability of protein-ligand complexes was confirmed using molecular modeling. Furthermore, nifuroxazide treatment of HepG2 cells not only inhibited USP21 and its established substrate ACLY but also elevated p-AMPKα, a downstream functional target of USP21. Intriguingly, we unveiled the previously unknown capacity of nifuroxazide to increase the levels of miR-4458, which was identified as downregulating USP21. This discovery was substantiated by manipulating miR-4458 levels in HepG2 cells, resulting in corresponding changes in USP21 protein levels in line with its predicted interaction with ACLY. Lastly, we confirmed the in vivo efficacy of nifuroxazide in inhibiting USP21 in mice livers, observing concurrent alterations in ACLY and p-AMPKα levels. Collectively, our study establishes nifuroxazide as a promising USP21 inhibitor with potential implications for addressing metabolic disorders and cancer proliferation. This multidimensional investigation sheds light on the intricate regulatory mechanisms involving USP21 and its downstream effects, paving the way for further exploration and therapeutic development.

Design, synthesis, and cytotoxicity of ibuprofen-appended benzoxazole analogues against human breast adenocarcinoma

A library of novel ibuprofen-appended benzoxazole analogues (7a-l) was synthesized via a series of nitration, reduction, and condensation-cyclization reactions and screened for their in vitro anticancer activity against human breast cancer MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines using doxorubicin as a standard reference. Compounds 7h and 7j displayed outstanding activity against the MCF-7 cell line with an IC50 value of 8.92 ± 0.91 μM and 9.14 ± 8.22 μM, respectively, compared to the doxorubicin IC50 value of 9.29 ± 1.02 μM. Compound 7h also exhibited outstanding activity against the MDA-MB-231 cell line with an IC50 value of 7.54 ± 0.95 μM compared to the doxorubicin IC50 value of 7.68 ± 5.36 μM. Compounds 7h, 7i, 7j, and 7g showed identical morphological changes to those showed by doxorubicin. The molecular docking study against ERα unveiled their best docking scores and binding interactions in agreement to experimental results. Pharmacokinetics prediction envisaged their drug-like properties suitable for therapeutic applications.

Recent Updates on Oncogenic Signaling of Aurora Kinases in Chemosensitive, Chemoresistant Cancers: Novel Medicinal Chemistry Approaches for Targeting Aurora Kinases

The Aurora Kinase family (AKI) is composed of serine-threonine protein kinases involved in the modulation of the cell cycle and mitosis. These kinases are required for regulating the adherence of hereditary-related data. Members of this family can be categorized into aurora kinase A (Ark-A), aurora kinase B (Ark-B), and aurora kinase C (Ark-C), consisting of highly conserved threonine protein kinases. These kinases can modulate cell processes such as spindle assembly, checkpoint pathway, and cytokinesis during cell division. The main aim of this review is to explore recent updates on the oncogenic signaling of aurora kinases in chemosensitive/chemoresistant cancers and to explore the various medicinal chemistry approaches to target these kinases. We searched Pubmed, Scopus, NLM, Pubchem, and Relemed to obtain information pertinent to the updated signaling role of aurora kinases and medicinal chemistry approaches and discussed the recently updated roles of each aurora kinases and their downstream signaling cascades in the progression of several chemosensitive/chemoresistant cancers; subsequently, we discussed the natural products (scoulerine, Corynoline, Hesperidin Jadomycin-B, fisetin), and synthetic, medicinal chemistry molecules as aurora kinase inhibitors (AKIs). Several natural products' efficacy was explained as AKIs in chemosensitization and chemoresistant cancers. For instance, novel triazole molecules have been used against gastric cancer, whereas cyanopyridines are used against colorectal cancer and trifluoroacetate derivatives could be used for esophageal cancer. Furthermore, quinolone hydrazine derivatives can be used to target breast cancer and cervical cancer. In contrast, the indole derivatives can be preferred to target oral cancer whereas thiosemicarbazone-indole could be used against prostate cancer, as reported in an earlier investigation against cancerous cells. Moreover, these chemical derivatives can be examined as AKIs through preclinical studies. In addition, the synthesis of novel AKIs through these medicinal chemistry substrates in the laboratory using in silico and synthetic routes could be beneficial to develop prospective novel AKIs to target chemoresistant cancers. This study is beneficial to oncologists, chemists, and medicinal chemists to explore novel chemical moiety synthesis to target specifically the peptide sequences of aurora kinases in several chemoresistant cancer cell types.

Design, synthesis and anticancer activity of 5-((2-(4-bromo/chloro benzoyl) benzofuran-5-yl) methyl)-2-((1-(substituted)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methoxy)benzaldehyde analogues

Novel 5-((2-(4-bromo/chloro benzoyl) benzofuran-5-yl) methyl)-2-((1-(substituted)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methoxy)benzaldehyde analogues about twenty-one were synthesized all through standard chemical procedures. The structure of the compounds were confirmed by 1H NMR, 13C NMR and Mass spectral analysis after purification. All the compounds were screened for In Vitro lung and cervical cancer activity against A-549 and HeLa cell lines, respectively, by MTT assay protocol using various nanomolar (nM) concentrations. IC50 value were calculated from cell viability data. 2-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl substituted derivative presented outstanding activity against both the cell lines compared to standard drug doxorubicin. The methoxy, chloro, fluoro and formyl substituted analogues showed a moderate activity and whereas methyl substituted analogues activity was poor. The morphological deformation of both cell lines by best IC50 value analogues proved as potent inhibitors of cancer cells growth. Molecular docking studies were performed against extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 and fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 these results are incredibly in agreement with the investigational data.

Molecular Hybridization of Alkaloids Using 1,2,3-Triazole-Based Click Chemistry

Alkaloids found in multiple species, known as 'driver species', are more likely to be included in early-stage drug development due to their high biodiversity compared to rare alkaloids. Many synthetic approaches have been employed to hybridize the natural alkaloids in drug development. Click chemistry is a highly efficient and versatile reaction targeting specific areas, making it a valuable tool for creating complex natural products and diverse molecular structures. It has been used to create hybrid alkaloids that address their limitations and serve as potential drugs that mimic natural products. In this review, we highlight the recent advancements made in modifying alkaloids using click chemistry and their potential medicinal applications. We discuss the significance, current trends, and prospects of click chemistry in natural product-based medicine. Furthermore, we have employed computational methods to evaluate the ADMET properties and drug-like qualities of hybrid molecules.

New2-((2-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)hydrazineeylidene) derivatives: design, synthesis, in silico, and in vitro anticancer studies

A series of novel hydrazone compounds have been synthesized by the condensation of hydrazines and different substituted salicylaldehydes at a molar ratio of 1:1 in one step reaction and characterized by FT-IR, ESI-MS, 1H NMR, and single crystal x-ray diffraction. The crystal structure of the compound shows a trans configuration around the C = N bond and triclinic system with P -1/-p 1. Synthesized compounds were screened for cytotoxicity activities against A375 (melanoma), HT-29 (Colon), and A549 (lung) cancer cell lines. Among them, compound 2 exhibited the highest cytotoxic effect against the A375 cell line (IC50 = 0.30 µM) and HT-29 cell line (1.68 µM), compared to those of apatinib as a reference standard drug (0.28, 1.49 µM, respectively). The cytocompatibility assay on the L929 normal cell line and the hemolysis assay on human RBC were used to validate the non-toxic action. From DFT calculation, the various parameters such as HOMO-LUMO energies, Hirshfeld, and MEP have been studied. Furthermore, in silico molecular docking with three receptors was studied. Among four compounds, compound 2 has the lowest binding energy against cyclin dependent kinase (ΔGb = -9.3 kcal/mol). In addition to this, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation was also performed. Based on this study, these novel hydrazones can be considered a promising anticancer agent due to their potent cytotoxicity activities and computational analysis.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Bioisosteric-Replacement-Driven Lead Optimization of Tyclopyrazoflor

A heterocyclic replacement strategy has been applied attempting to further optimize the biological properties of the new insecticide tyclopyrazoflor, a pyridinyl-pyrazole compound with excellent activity against sap-feeding insects recently discovered by Corteva. Our research program on this novel chemical class of insecticide was targeted to evaluate the importance of both the pyridyl and pyrazole moieties on the biological activity, properties, and structure-activity. Synthetic methodologies have been developed delivering our designed target compounds in moderate to good yields. In our attempt to rationalize the biological activity differences of tyclopyrazoflor analogues, a potential surface analysis based on a density functional theory (DFT) calculation and DFT-derived Multiwfn and VMD program model was performed. Furthermore, the SwissBioisostere online database was applied as a great source for inspiration for bioisosteric replacements.

Potential Synthetic Routes and Metal-Ion Sensing Applications of 1,3,4-Oxadiazoles: An Integrative Review

Oxadiazoles, especially 1,3,4-oxadiazole scaffolds, stand among the foremost heterocyclic fragments with a broad spectrum of applications in diverse fields, including pharmacology, polymers, material science, and organic electronics, among others. In this comprehensive review, we summarize the pivotal synthetic strategies for 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives including dehydrogenative cyclization of 1,2-diacylhydrazines, oxidative cyclization of acylhydrazones, condensation cyclization, C-H activation of oxadiazole ring, decarboxylative cyclization and oxidative annulation along with plausible mechanisms. The set of 1,3,4-oxadiazoles selected from the literature and discussed herein epitomize the ease of synthesis as well as the possibility of linking π-conjugated groups; thereby encouraging the use of these molecules as important starting building blocks for a wide variety of fluorescent frameworks, particularly in the development of potential chemosensors. High photoluminescent quantum yield, excellent thermal and chemical stability, and the presence of potential coordination (N and O donor atoms) sites make these molecules a prominent choice for metal-ions sensors. An overview of selective metal-ion sensing, the detection limit along with the sensing mechanisms (photo-induced electron transfer, excited-state intramolecular proton transfer, and complex formation) is also included.

Click Chemistry in Natural Product Modification

Click chemistry is perhaps the most powerful synthetic toolbox that can efficiently access the molecular diversity and unique functions of complex natural products up to now. It enables the ready synthesis of diverse sets of natural product derivatives either for the optimization of their drawbacks or for the construction of natural product-like drug screening libraries. This paper showcases the state-of-the-art development of click chemistry in natural product modification and summarizes the pharmacological activities of the active derivatives as well as the mechanism of action. The aim of this paper is to gain a deep understanding of the fruitful achievements and to provide perspectives, trends, and directions regarding further research in natural product medicinal chemistry.

Design and microwave-assisted synthesis of a novel Mannich base and conazole derivatives and their biological assessment

4-Amino-5-methyl-2,4-dihydro-3H-1,2,4-triazol-3-one (1) was converted to the corresponding Schiff base (2) by treatment with salicylaldehyde. 1,2,4-Triazoles were then converted to the corresponding Mannich bases containing fluroquinolone core using a one-pot three-component procedure. Moreover, the synthesis of six compounds, which can be considered as conazole analogues, was performed starting from 1,2,4-triazole-3-one compounds via three steps by either conventional or microwave-mediated conditions. All the newly synthesized compounds were screened for their antimicrobial activities. Most exhibited good to moderate antibacterial and/or antifungal activity. The structural assignments of the new compounds were based on elemental analysis and spectral (IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and LC-MS) data.

Aromatic C-H Methylation and Other Functionalizations via the Rh(III)-Catalyzed Migratory Insertion of Bis(phenylsulfonyl)carbene and Subsequent Transformations

The Rh(III)-catalyzed migratory insertion of bis(phenylsulfonyl)carbene into aromatic C-H bonds has been developed. A variety of bis(phenylsulfonyl)methyl derivatives were prepared with good yields under mild conditions. The methylated products were readily obtained after reductive desulfonylation. Furthermore, the diverse transformations of bis(phenylsulfonyl)methyl to trideuteriomethyl, aldehyde, and other functional groups were demonstrated.

1,2,3-Triazole-Containing Compounds as Anti-Lung Cancer Agents: Current Developments, Mechanisms of Action, and Structure-Activity Relationship

Lung cancer is the most common malignancy and leads to around one-quarter of all cancer deaths. Great advances have been achieved in the treatment of lung cancer with novel anticancer agents and improved technology. However, morbidity and mortality rates remain extremely high, calling for an urgent need to develop novel anti-lung cancer agents. 1,2,3-Triazole could be readily interact with diverse enzymes and receptors in organisms through weak interaction. 1,2,3-Triazole can not only be acted as a linker to tether different pharmacophores but also serve as a pharmacophore. This review aims to summarize the recent advances in 1,2,3-triazole-containing compounds with anti-lung cancer potential, and their structure-activity relationship (SAR) together with mechanisms of action is also discussed to pave the way for the further rational development of novel anti-lung cancer candidates.

Synthesis, Hemolytic Studies, and In Silico Modeling of Novel Acefylline-1,2,4-Triazole Hybrids as Potential Anti-cancer Agents against MCF-7 and A549

A series of novel theophylline-7-acetic acid (acefylline)-derived 1,2,4-triazole hybrids with N-phenyl acetamide moieties (11a-j) have been synthesized and tested for their inhibitory (in vitro) potential against two cancer cell lines, A549 (lung) and MCF-7 (breast), using MTT assay. Among these derivatives, 11a, 11c, 11d, 11g, and 11h displayed remarkable activity against both cancer cell lines having cell viability values in the 21.74 ± 1.60-55.37 ± 4.60% range compared to acefylline (86.32 ± 1.75%) using 100 μg/μL concentration of compounds. These compounds were further screened against the A549 cancer cell line (lung) to find their half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) by applying various concentrations of these compounds. Compound 11g (2-(5-((1,3-dimethyl-2,6-dioxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-purin-7(6H)-yl)methyl)-4-phenyl-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-ylthio)-N-p-tolylacetamide) with the least IC₅₀ value (1.25 ± 1.36 μM) was discerned as a strong inhibitor of cancer cell multiplication in both cell lines (A549 and MCF-7). Their hemolytic studies revealed that all of them had very low cytotoxicity. Finally, in silico modeling was carried out to find the mode of binding of the highly active compound (11g), which was according to the results of anti-cancer activity.

Development of Novel Rhodanine Analogs as Anticancer Agents: Design, Synthesis, Evaluation and CoMSIA Study

BACKGROUND

A series of novel 5-substituted benzylidene rhodanine derivatives using four different amines were designed based on our previously developed CoMSIA (Comparative molecular similarity indices analysis) model for the anticancer activity.

METHODS

The designed rhodanines were synthesized via dithiocarbamate formation, cyclization and Knoevenagel condensation. The structures of the synthesized compounds were confirmed and analyzed by spectral studies.

RESULTS

The synthesized rhodanines were investigated for in vitro anticancer activities and the analogs have displayed mild to significant cytotoxicity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells. The compounds with benzyloxy substitution at the fifth position of rhodanine ring (Compounds 20, 33 and 38) system showed significant cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 cells. CoMSIA, a three-dimensional quantitative structureactivity relationship (3D-QSAR) technique was accomplished to elucidate structure-activity relationships.

CONCLUSION

Based on the information derived from CoMSIA contour plots, some key features for increasing the activity of compounds have been identified and used to design new anti-cancer agents. The present developed CoMSIA model displayed good external predictability, r2pred of 0.841 and good statistical robustness.

Design, synthesis and anticancer activity of novel pyrimidine and pyrimidine-thiadiazole hybrid glycosides

New 1,3,4-thiadiazole thioglycosides linked to substituted pyrimidines were synthesized via glycosylation of 1,3,4-thiadiazole thiol compounds. Also, novel 1,2,3-triazole derivatives linked to carbohydrate units were prepared using the standard click chemistry conditions employing the Cu(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition of substituted-aryl-azides with a selection of alkyne-functionalized sugars. The chemical structures of the new derivatives were verified using various spectroscopic techniques, such as IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and elemental analyses. The cytotoxic activities of the prepared compounds were investigated in vitro against human liver cancer (HepG-2) and human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF7) cell lines. In addition, the biological evaluation of the new compounds involved the investigation of their effects on a human normal retinal pigmented epithelial cell line (RPE1) using the MTT assay.

New Hybrids Derived from the Natural Compound (-)-β-Pinene and Amides or Acylthioureas as Antitumor Agents

Background:

Plant-derived natural compounds have a unique molecular structure and rich biological activity, hence, they are treated as important raw materials for the development of drugs.

Methods:

A natural compound (-)-β-pinene was used as a raw material, and twenty-six novel derivatives with amide or acylthiourea groups were synthesized based on the molecular hybridization method. In vitro antitumor activity of these derivatives on human breast cancer cell line MCF7 and human colon cancer cell line SW1116 were tested by MTT method. The effects of the synthesized derivatives on the morphology of MCF7 and SW1116 were observed by fluorescent inverted microscope.

Results:

The preliminary structure-activity relationship analysis demonstrates that the position and species of substituents on the aromatic ring of derivatives have an effect on the antitumor activity of derivatives. Observation of the cell morphology reveals that derivatives with antitumor activity can lead to rounding of the cell morphology, a decrease in cell volume and cell density, and ultimately inhibition of the proliferation of MCF7 and SW1116 cells. The antitumor activity evaluation results show that among these derivatives, compounds 5c, 5e, 5h, 7c, 7b and 7e exhibit good antitumor activity against MCF7, and compounds 5c, 5e, 5h and 7j exert moderate antitumor activity against SW1116.

Conclusion:

This study hopes to promote the high value-added utilization of natural compounds β-pinene and the development of novel antitumor drugs.

Reverse Screening Bioinformatics Approach to Identify Potential Anti Breast Cancer Targets Using Thymoquinone from Neutraceuticals Black Cumin Oil

BACKGROUND

Functional foods, neutraceuticals and natural antioxidants have established their potential roles in the protection of human health and diseases. Thymoquinone (TQ), the main bioactive component of Nigella sativa seeds (black cumin seeds), a plant derived neutraceutical was used by ancient Egyptians because of their ability to cure a variety of health conditions and used as a dietary food supplement. Owing to its multi targeting nature, TQ interferes with a wide range of tumorigenic processes and counteracts carcinogenesis, malignant growth, invasion, migration, and angiogenesis. Additionally, TQ can specifically sensitize tumor cells towards conventional cancer treatments (e.g., radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy) and simultaneously minimize therapy-associated toxic effects in normal cells besides being cost effective and safe. TQ was found to play a protective role when given along with chemotherapeutic agents to normal cells.

METHODS

In the present study, reverse in silico docking approach was used to search for potential molecular targets for cancer therapy. Various metastatic and apoptotic targets were docked with the target ligand. TQ was also tested for its anticancer activities for its ability to cause cell death, arrest cell cycle and ability to inhibit PARP gene expression.

RESULTS

In silico docking studies showed that TQ effectively docked metastatic targets MMPs and other apoptotic and cell proliferation targets EGFR. They were able to bring about cell death mediated by apoptosis, cell cycle arrest in the late apoptotic stage and induce DNA damage too. TQ effectively down regulated PARP gene expression which can lead to enhanced cancer cell death.

CONCLUSION

Thymoquinone a neutraceutical can be employed as a new therapeutic agent to target triple negative breast cancer which is otherwise difficult to treat as there are no receptors on them. Can be employed along with standard chemotherapeutic drugs to treat breast cancer as a combinatorial therapy.

Design, Synthesis, and Antimicrobial Activities of 1,2,3-Triazole Glycoside Clickamers

Bacterial resistance remains a significant threat and a leading cause of death worldwide, despite massive attempts to control infections. In an effort to develop biologically active antibacterial and antifungal agents, six novel aryl-substituted-1,2,3-triazoles linked to carbohydrate units were synthesized through the Cu(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition CuAAC of substituted-arylazides with a selection of alkyne-functionalized sugars. The chemical structures of the new derivatives were verified using different spectroscopic techniques. The novel clicked 1,2,3-triazoles were evaluated for in vitro antibacterial activity against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and the obtained results were compared with the activity of the reference antibiotic "Ampicillin". Likewise, in vitro antifungal activity of the new 1,2,3-triazoles was investigated against Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger using "Nystatin" as a reference drug. The results of the biological evaluation pointed out that Staphylococcus aureus was more susceptible to all of the tested compounds than other examined microbes. In addition, some tested compounds exhibited promising antifungal activity.

1,2,3-Triazole-containing hybrids as potential anticancer agents: Current developments, action mechanisms and structure-activity relationships

Anticancer agents are critical for the cancer treatment, but side effects and the drug resistance associated with the currently used anticancer agents create an urgent need to explore novel drugs with low side effects and high efficacy. 1,2,3-Triazole is privileged building block in the discovery of new anticancer agents, and some of its derivatives have already been applied in clinics or under clinical trials for fighting against cancers. Hybrid molecules occupy an important position in cancer control, and hybridization of 1,2,3-triazole framework with other anticancer pharmacophores may provide valuable therapeutic intervention for the treatment of cancer, especially drug-resistant cancer. This review emphasizes the recent advances in 1,2,3-triazole-containing hybrids with anticancer potential, covering articles published between 2015 and 2019, and the structure-activity relationships, together with mechanisms of action are also discussed.

4-[(3,4-Dimethoxybenzylidene)amino]-5-(5-methyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-2,4-dihydro-3H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thione

4-Amino-5-(5-methyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-2,4-dihydro-3H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thione (1) upon treatment with 3,4-dimethoxybenzaldehyde in 10 mL of absolute ethanol in the presence of a catalytic amount of acetic acid produced the target compound 4-[(3,4-dimethoxybenzylidene)amino]-5-(5-methyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-2,4-dihydro-3H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thione (2) in 80% yield. The obtained solid product was recrystallized from ethanol. The compound was characterized by elemental analyses, mass spectrometry, FT-IR, 1H and 13C-NMR spectroscopy. To study the binding interactions of the compound with receptor, it was docked with the human prostaglandin reductase (PTGR2). The docking pose and noncovalent interactions gave insights into its plausible inhibitory action.

Adsorption and corrosion inhibition behaviour of new theophylline-triazole-based derivatives for steel in acidic medium

The design and synthesis of a series of theophylline derivatives containing 1,2,3-triazole moieties are presented. The corrosion inhibition activities of these new triazole-theophylline compounds were evaluated by studying the corrosion of API 5 L X52 steel in 1 M HCl medium. The results showed that an increase in the concentration of the theophylline-triazole derivatives also increases the charge transference resistance (R ct) value, enhancing inhibition efficiency and decreasing the corrosion process. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy under static conditions studies revealed that the best inhibition efficiencies (approx. 90%) at 50 ppm are presented by the all-substituted compounds. According to the Langmuir isotherm, the compounds 4 and 5 analysed exhibit physisorption-chemisorption process, with exception of the hydrogen 3, bromo 6 and iodo 7 substituted compounds, which exhibit chemisorption process. The corrosion when submerging a steel bar in 1 M HCl was studied using SEM-EDS. This experiment showed that the corrosion process decreases considerably in the presence of 50 ppm of the organic inhibitors. Finally, the theoretical study showed a correlation between EHOMO, hardness (η), electrophilicity (W), atomic charge and the inhibition efficiency in which the iodo 7 substituted compound presents the best inhibitor behaviour.

Antitumor evaluation of novel phenothiazine derivatives that inhibit migration and tubulin polymerization against gastric cancer MGC-803 cells

Two novel series of 1,2,3-triazole-phenothiazine hybrids and dithiocarbamate-phenothiazine hybrids were designed and synthesized by molecular hybridization strategy. Their antiproliferative activity against three gastric cancer cell lines (MKN28, MGC-803 and MKN45) were evaluated. Among them, hybrid 13h displayed the most potent inhibitory activity against gastric cancer MGC-803 cells with an IC₅₀ value of 1.2 μM. Hybrid 13h could inhibit migration by regulating the expression level of N-cadherin, E-cadherin, Vimentin, and actived-MMP2. Furthermore, it could regulate wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway on MGC-803 cells in a concentration-dependent manner by decreasing the expression level of Wnt5α, β-catenin and TCF4. From the tubulin polymerization assay results in vitro, hybrid 13h was a novel tubulin polymerization inhibitor. By oral administration assay, compound 13h could effectively inhibit MGC-803 xenograft tumor growth in vivo without obvious side effects. In summary, compound 13h might be an orally active antitumor agent with clinical applications to the treatment of gastric cancer. Graphical abstract Antitumor mechanisms of novel phenothiazine derivative.

Design, synthesis, biological assessment and molecular docking studies of new 2-aminoimidazole-quinoxaline hybrids as potential anticancer agents

In a search for novel antiproliferative agents, a series of quinoxaline derivatives containing 2-aminoimidazole (8a-8x) were designed and synthesized. The structures of synthesized compounds were confirmed by IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, Mass Spectroscopy and analyzed using HSQC, COSY, ROESY, HMBC techniques. The anticancer activity of all derivatives were evaluated for colon cancer and breast cancer cell lines by the MTT assay and acridine orange/ethidium bromide double staining method. The anti-cancer effect in human colon cancer (HCT-116) and breast cancer (MCF-7) cell lines exhibited that compounds 8a, 8s, 8t, 8w, 8x appeared as potent antiproliferative agents and especially inhibited the human colon cancer cell proliferation with percentage of inhibition by over 50%. The most active compound was (E)-4-phenyl-1-((quinoxalin-2-ylmethylene)amino)-1H-imidazol-2-amine (8a) with the highest inhibition for MCF-7 (83.3%) and HCT-116 (70%) cell lines after 48 and 24h, respectively. Molecular docking studies of these derivatives within c-kit active site as a validated target might be suggested them as appropriate candidates for further efforts toward more potent anticancer compounds.

Design, Synthesis, and the Biological Evaluation of a New Series of Acyclic 1,2,3-Triazole Nucleosides

A new strategy for the synthesis of N3 -benzoylated- and N3 -benzylated N1 -propargylquinazoline-2,4-diones 30a-d and 31a-d from isatoic anhydride 41 is reported. The alkynes 30a-d and 31a-d were applied in the 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions with azides 27 and 28 to synthesize acyclic 1,2,3-triazole nucleosides. The obtained alkynes and 1,2,3-triazole were evaluated for antiviral activity against a broad range of DNA and RNA viruses. The alkyne 30d showed activity against adenovirus-2 (EC50  = 8.3 μM), while compounds 37a and 37d were also active toward herpes simplex virus-1 wild-type and thymidine kinase deficient (HSV-1 TK- ) strains (EC50 values in the range of 4.6-13.8 μM). In addition, compounds 30a, 30b, 37b, and 37c exhibited activity toward varicella-zoster virus (VZV) TK+ and TK- strains (EC50  = 2.1-9.5 μM). The compound 30b proved to be the most selective against VZV and displayed marginal activity against human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). Although the compound 30a had improved anti-HCMV activity, the increase in anti-HCMV activity was accompanied by significant toxicity. Compounds 37a and 37d showed inhibitory effects toward the human T lymphocyte (CEM) cell line (IC50  = 21 ± 7 and 22 ± 1 μM, respectively), while compound 35 exhibited cytostatic activity toward HMEC-1 cells (IC50  = 28 ± 2 μM).