Pyrimidine-5-carbonitrile based potential anticancer agents as apoptosis inducers through PI3K/AKT axis inhibition in leukaemia K562

Design, synthesis and cytotoxic evaluation of new thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine analogues as VEGFR-2/AKT dual inhibitors, apoptosis and autophagy inducers

Novel thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine analogues were designed, synthesized and evaluated for anti-proliferative activity against HepG-2, PC-3 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines. In addition, WI-38 normal cell line was used to explore the safety of all the tested compounds. Compounds 2 (IC50 = 4.29 µM HePG-2, 10.84 µM MCF-7), 6 (IC50 = 14.86 μM HePG-2, 8.04 μM PC-3 and 12.90 μM MCF-7) and 17 (IC50 = 9.98 μM HePG-2, 33.66 μM PC-3 and 14.62 μM MCF-7) were the most promising candidates on the tested cancer cells with high selective toxicity-sparing normal cells. A further mechanistic evaluation revealed promising kinase inhibitory activity, where compound 2 inhibited VEGFR-2 and AKT at IC50 = 0.161 and 1.06 μM, respectively, Furthermore, derivative 6 inhibited VEGFR-2 and AKT at IC50 = 0.487 and 0.364 μM, respectively, while compound 17 showed IC50 = 0.164 and 0.452 μM, respectively. Moreover, compounds 2, 6 resulted in G1 phase cell cycle arrest while candidate 17 arrest cell cycle at G2/M phase. Similar to the apoptosis results, compound 17 showed the highest autophagic induction among the evaluated derivatives. Finally, docking studies were conducted to assess the binding patterns of these active derivatives. The results showed that the binding patterns inside the active sites of both the VEGFR-2 and AKT-1 (allosteric pocket) crystal structures were identical to the reference ligands.

Mitigating effect of ferulic acid on di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate-induced neurocognitive dysfunction in male rats with a comprehensive in silico survey

Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is the most abundant phthalate threatening public health-induced neurotoxicity. This neurotoxicity is associated with behavioral and biochemical deficits in male rats. Our study investigated the neuroprotective effect of ferulic acid (FA) on male rats exposed to DEHP. Thirty-two male Wistar rats were assigned to four groups. Group I control rats received corn oil, group II intoxicated rats received 300 mg/kg of DEHP, group III received 300 mg/kg of DEHP + 50 mg/kg of FA, and group IV received 50 mg/kg of FA, all agents administrated daily per os for 30 days. Anxiety-like behavior, spatial working memory, and recognition memory were assessed. Also, brain oxidative stress biomarkers, including brain malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), nitric oxide (NO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) as well as heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were measured. Moreover, brain histopathology examinations associated with immunohistochemistry determination of brain caspase-3 were also evaluated. Furthermore, docking simulation was adapted to understand the inhibitory role of FA on caspase-3 and NO synthase. Compared to DEHP-intoxicated rats, FA-treated rats displayed improved cognitive memory associated with a reduced anxious state. Also, the redox state was maintained with increased BNDF levels. These changes were confirmed by restoring the normal architecture of brain tissue and a decrement in the immunohistochemistry caspase-3. In conclusion, FA has potent antioxidant and antiapoptotic properties that confirm the neuroprotective activity of FA, with a possible prospect for its therapeutic capabilities and nutritional supplement value.

Novel Pyrimidine-5-Carbonitriles as potential apoptotic and antiproliferative agents by dual inhibition of EGFRWT/T790M and PI3k enzymes; Design, Synthesis, biological Evaluation, and docking studies

A new series of 6-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(methylthio) pyrimidine-5-carbonitrile derivatives were designed and synthesized as EGFR/PI3K dual inhibitors, and potential antiproliferative agents. The new 22 compounds were screened by DTP-NCI against all NCI60 cell lines. Almost all compounds showed cytotoxic activity. Compound 7c showed a promising antitumour activity on CNS cancer (SNB-75), and ovarian cancer (OVAR-4) with IC50 < 0.01, and 0.64 µM, respectively. Fortunately, 7c exhibited a better safety profile on normal cells (WI-38) than doxorubicin by 2.2-fold. Compound 7c displayed selective inhibitory activity on EGFRt790m over EGFRWT with IC50 = 0.08, and 0.13 µM, respectively, wherefore it might overcome EGFR-TKIs resistance. In addition to its remarkable inhibitory activity on all PI3K isoforms, specifically PI3K-δ with IC50 = 0.64 µM Compared with LY294002 IC50 = 7.6 µM. Compound 7c arrested the cell cycle of SNB-75 & OVAR-4 at the G0-G1 phase coupled with apoptosis induction. The western blotting analysis approved decreasing the expression level of p-AKT coupled with an increase in Casp3, Casp9, and BAX proteins in the SNB-75 & OVAR-4 after being treated with 7c which may support the suggested mechanism of action of 7c as EGFR/PI3K dual inhibitor. Physicochemical parameters were forecasted using SwissADME online tool. MD showed the interaction of 7c with the crucial amino acids of the active domain of both EGFR/PI3K which may explain its potent inhibitory activities. In vivo study disclosed a significant decrease in tumor weight and the number of nodules in the group of mice treated with 7c compared with the control group.

Exploring new quinazolin-4(3H)-one derivatives as CDK2 inhibitors: Design, synthesis, and anticancer evaluation

In the present work, five series of new 2,3-disubstituted quinazolin-4(3H)-ones 4a-c, 5a-d, 6a-g, 7a,b, and 9a-c were designed, synthesized, and screened in vitro for their cytotoxic activity against 60 cancer cell lines by the National Cancer Institute, USA. Five candidates 4c, 6a, 6b, 6d, and 6g revealed promising cytotoxicity with significant percentage growth inhibition in the range of 81.98%-96.45% against the central nervous system (CNS) (SNB-19), melanoma (MDA-MB-435), and non-small cell lung cancer (HOP-62) cell lines. The in vitro cytotoxic half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50 ) values for the most active compounds 4c, 6a, 6b, 6d, and 6g against the most sensitive cell lines were evaluated. Additionally, screening their cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) inhibitory activity was performed. Ortho-chloro-benzylideneamino derivative 6b emerged as the most potent compound with IC50  = 0.67 µM compared to Roscovitine (IC50  = 0.64 µM). The most active candidates arrested the cell cycle at G1, S phases, or both, leading to cell death and inducing apoptosis against CNS (SNB-19), melanoma (MDA-MB-435), and non-small cell lung cancer (HOP-62) cell lines. The molecular docking study verified the resulting outcomes for the most active candidates in the CDK2-binding pocket. Finally, physicochemical, and pharmacokinetic properties deduced that compounds 4c, 6a, 6b, 6d, and 6g displayed significant drug-likeness properties. According to the obtained results, the newly targeted compounds are regarded as promising scaffolds for the continued development of novel CDK2 inhibitors.

Design, synthesis and anticancer evaluation of some novel 7-hydroxy-4-methyl-3-substituted benzopyran-2-one derivatives

Aim: 22 derivatives of 7-hydroxy-4-methyl-3-substituted benzopyran-2-one were designed, synthesized and evaluated for their anticancer activity. Materials & methods: The prepared compounds were screened for their cytotoxicity against the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. The best five were then evaluated against MCF10a to check their safety and then tested for their PI3K and Akt-1 inhibitory action. The best two derivatives were further analyzed through cell cycle analysis, caspase 3/7 activation, increasing BAX level and decreasing BCL-2. Docking and absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion prediction studies were also performed. Results & conclusion: Compounds 3b, 3c, 3j, 7 and 8 were the most active. Compounds 3c and 8 showed remarkable inhibitory action against PI3K and Akt-1 enzymes, and both are promising candidates for treatment of breast cancer.

[High expression of CPNE3 correlates with poor long-term prognosis of gastric cancer by inhibiting cell apoptosis via activating PI3K/AKT signaling]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the correlation of CPNE3 expression with long-term prognosis of patients with gastric cancer (GC) and the possible mechanism.

METHODS

We retrospectively collected the data of 104 GC patients undergoing radical surgery in our hospital from February, 2013 to October, 2017. TCGA database and immunohistochemistry were used to analyze CPNE3 expression level in GC tissues and its effects on tumor progression and long-term prognosis of the patients. GO analysis was performed to predict the biological role of CPNE3 in GC. We also conducted cell experiments with MGC803 cells and observed the effects of CPNE3 knockdown, CPNE3 overexpression and LY294002 (a PI3K/AKT inhibitor) treatment on cell apoptosis and cellular expressions of apoptotic proteins using flow cytometry and Western blotting.

RESULTS

TCGA analysis and immunohistochemistry both showed high expressions of CPNE3 in GC (P < 0.05). The patients with high CPNE3 expressions had a reduced 5-year survival (P < 0.01), and a high CPNE3 expression, CEA level≥5 μg/L, CA19-9 level ≥37 kU/L, T3-T4 stage, and N2-N3 stage were all independent risk factors for a lowered 5-year survival rate after surgery. The sensitivity and specificity of CPNE3 for predicting 5-year mortality was 79.59% and 74.55%, respectively (P < 0.05). GO analysis predicted that CPNE3 negatively regulated GC cell apoptosis. In MGC803 cells, CPNE3 knockdown significantly increased cell apoptosis, enhanced Bax and Cleaved Caspase-3 expressions and decreased Bcl-2 expression, while CPNE3 overexpression produced the opposite results (P < 0.05). The cellular expressions of p-PI3K and p-AKT were significantly decreased following CPNE3 knockdown and increased following CPNE3 overexpression (P < 0.05). Treatment with LY294002 obviously attenuated the inhibitory effect of CPNE3 overexpression on apoptosis of MGC803 cells (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

CPNE3 is highly expressed in GC tissues and affects the long-term prognosis of the patients possibly by inhibiting GC cell apoptosis through activation of PI3K/AKT signaling.

Novel pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine derivatives: design, synthesis, anticancer evaluation, VEGFR-2 inhibition, and antiangiogenic activity

A novel series of 12 pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine derivatives were created and evaluated in vitro for their antiproliferative activity against the NCI 60 human tumor cell line panel. Compounds 12a-d displayed significant antitumor activity against MDA-MB-468 and T-47D (breast cancer cell lines), especially compound 12b, which exhibited the highest anticancer activity against MDA-MB-468 and T-47D cell lines with IC50 values of 3.343 ± 0.13 and 4.792 ± 0.21 μM, respectively compared to staurosporine with IC50 values of 6.358 ± 0.24 and 4.849 ± 0.22 μM. The most potent cytotoxic derivatives 12a-d were studied for their VEGFR-2 inhibitory activity to explore the mechanism of action of these substances. Compound 12b had potent activity against VEGFR-2 with an IC50 value of 0.063 ± 0.003 μM, compared to sunitinib with IC50 = 0.035 ± 0.012 μM. Moreover, there was an excellent reduction in HUVEC migratory potential that resulted in a significant disruption of wound healing patterns by 23% after 72 h of treatment with compound 12b. Cell cycle and apoptosis investigations showed that compound 12b could stop the cell cycle at the S phase and significantly increase total apoptosis in the MDA-MB-468 cell line by 18.98-fold compared to the control. Moreover, compound 12b increased the caspase-3 level in the MDA-MB-468 cell line by 7.32-fold as compared to the control.

1-(4-((5-chloro-4-((2-(isopropylsulfonyl)phenyl)amino)pyrimidin-2-yl)amino)-3-methoxyphenyl)-3-(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl)imidazolidin-2-one (ZX-42) inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis via inhibiting ALK and its downstream pathways in Karpas299 cells

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) belongs to the family of receptor tyrosine kinases. Recently, the incidence of anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) with ALK rearrangement has raised considerably. The application of ALK-targeted inhibitors such as ceritinib provides an effective therapy for the treatment of ALK-positive cancers. However, with the prolongation of treatment time, the emergence of resistance is inevitable. We found that 1-(4-((5-chloro-4-((2-(isopropylsulfonyl)phenyl)amino)pyrimidin-2-yl)amino)-3-methoxyphenyl)-3-(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl)imidazolidin-2-one (ZX-42), a novel ceritinib derivative, could inhibit the proliferation of ALK-positive ALCL cells, induce the apoptosis of Karpas299 cells through the mitochondrial pathway in a caspase-dependent manner. In addition, ZX-42 could suppress ALK and downstream pathways including PI3K/Akt, Erk and JAK3/STAT3 and reduce the nuclear translocation of NFκB by inhibiting TRAF2/IKK/IκB pathway. Taken together, our findings indicate that ZX-42 shows more effective activity than ceritinib against ALK-positive ALCL. We hope this study can provide a direction for the structural modification of ceritinib and lay the foundation for the further development of clinical research in ALK-positive ALCL.

Design, Synthesis, and Bioactivities of Novel Trifluoromethyl Pyrimidine Derivatives Bearing an Amide Moiety

Twenty-three novel trifluoromethyl pyrimidine derivatives containing an amide moiety were designed and synthesized through four-step reactions and evaluated for their antifungal, insecticidal, and anticancer properties. Bioassay results indicated that some of the title compounds exhibited good in vitro antifungal activities against Botryosphaeria dothidea (B. dothidea), Phompsis sp., Botrytis cinereal (B. cinerea), Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (C. gloeosporioides), Pyricutaria oryzae (P. oryzae), and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (S. sclerotiorum) at 50 μg/ml. Meanwhile, the synthesized compounds showed moderate insecticidal activities against Mythimna separata (M. separata) and Spdoptera frugiperda (S. frugiperda) at 500 μg/ml, which were lower than those of chlorantraniliprole. In addition, the synthesized compounds indicated certain anticancer activities against PC3, K562, Hela, and A549 at 5 μg/ml, which were lower than those of doxorubicin. Notably, this work is the first report on the antifungal, insecticidal, and anticancer activities of trifluoromethyl pyrimidine derivatives bearing an amide moiety.

In Vitro Anticancer Activity Screening of Novel Fused Thiophene Derivatives as VEGFR-2/AKT Dual Inhibitors and Apoptosis Inducers

Protein kinases are seen as promising targets in controlling cell proliferation and survival in treating cancer where fused thiophene synthon was utilized in many kinase inhibitors approved by the FDA. Accordingly, this work focused on adopting fused thienopyrrole and pyrrolothienopyrimidine scaffolds in preparing new inhibitors, which were evaluated as antiproliferative agents in the HepG2 and PC-3 cell lines. The compounds 3b (IC₅₀ = 3.105 and 2.15 μM) and 4c (IC₅₀ = 3.023 and 3.12 μM) were the most promising candidates on both cells with good selective toxicity-sparing normal cells. A further mechanistic evaluation revealed promising kinase inhibitory activity, where 4c inhibited VEGFR-2 and AKT at IC₅₀ = 0.075 and 4.60 μM, respectively, while 3b showed IC₅₀ = 0.126 and 6.96 μM, respectively. Moreover, they resulted in S phase cell cycle arrest with subsequent caspase-3-induced apoptosis. Lastly, docking studies evaluated the binding patterns of these active derivatives and demonstrated a similar fitting pattern to the reference ligands inside the active sites of both VEGFR-2 and AKT (allosteric pocket) crystal structures. To conclude, these thiophene derivatives represent promising antiproliferative leads inhibiting both VEGFR-2 and AKT and inducing apoptosis in liver cell carcinoma.