Bis-thiobarbiturates as Promising Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitors: Synthesis and Biological Evaluation

Identification of new leads against ubiquitin specific protease-7 (USP7): a step towards the potential treatment of cancers

Ubiquitin-specific protease-7 (USP7) is an important drug target as it regulates multiple proteins and genes (such as MDM2 and p53) with roles in cancer progression. Its inhibition can hinder the function of oncogenes, increase tumor suppression, and enhance immune response. The current study was designed to express USP7 in a prokaryotic system, followed by screening of small molecules against it using biophysical methods, primarily STD-NMR technique. Among them, 12 compounds showed interaction with USP7 as inferred from NMR-based screening. These compounds further caused destabilization of USP7 by reducing its melting temperature (T m) up to 6 °C in thermal shift assay. Molecular docking and simulation studies revealed that these compounds bind to the putative substrate binding pocket of USP7 and thus may block the entry of the substrate. Four compounds i.e., 4-hydroxy-diphenyl amine (2), phenyl-(2,3,4-trihydroxyphenyl) methanone (3), 4'-amino-2',5'-diethoxy benzanilide (5), and hydroquinone (12), showed anti-cancer activity against colorectal cancerous cells (HCT116) with IC50 values in the range of 31-143 μM. These compounds also down-regulated the mRNA expression of the MDM2 gene and up-regulated the mRNA expression of the p53 gene in HCT116 cells, as studied using qPCR analysis. This study thereby identifies several negative modulators of USP7 that can be studied further as potential anti-cancer agents.

A comprehensive review of synthetic and semisynthetic xanthine oxidase inhibitors: identification of potential leads based on in-silico computed ADME characteristics

Xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitors, both synthetic and semisynthetic, have been developed extensively over the past few decades. The increased level of XO is not only the major cause of gout but is also responsible for various conditions associated with hyperuricemia, such as cardiovascular disorders, chronic kidney disorders, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and chronic wounds. Marketed available XO inhibitors (allopurinol, febuxostat, and topiroxostat) are used to treat hyperuricemia but they are associated with fatal side effects, which pose serious problems for the healthcare system, rising the need for new, more potent, safer compounds. This review summarizes recent findings on XO and describes their design, synthesis, biological significance in the development of anti-hyperuricemic drugs with ADME profile, structure activity relationship (SAR) and molecular docking studies. The results might help medicinal chemists to develop more efficacious XO inhibitors.

Heterocyclic compounds as xanthine oxidase inhibitors for the management of hyperuricemia: synthetic strategies, structure-activity relationship and molecular docking studies (2018-2024)

Hyperuricemia is characterized by higher-than-normal levels of uric acid in the bloodstream. This condition can increase the likelihood of developing gout, a form of arthritis triggered by the deposition of urate crystals in the joints, leading to inflammation and pain. An essential part of purine metabolism is played by the enzyme xanthine oxidase (XO), which transforms xanthine and hypoxanthine into uric acid. Despite its vital role, diseases such as gout have been associated with elevated uric acid levels, which are linked to increased XO activity. To manage hyperuricemia, this study focuses on potential nitrogen based heterocyclic compounds that may serve as XO inhibitors which may lower uric acid levels and prevent hyperuricemia. Xanthine oxidase inhibitors are a class of medications used to treat conditions like gout by reducing the production of uric acid. The present study demonstrates numerous compounds, particularly nitrogen containing heterocyclic compounds including their synthesis, structure-activity relationship, and molecular docking studies. This paper also contains drugs undergoing clinical studies and the xanthine oxidase inhibitors that have been approved by the FDA.

'Lights, squaraines, action!' - the role of squaraine dyes in photodynamic therapy

Since they were first synthesized in 1965 by Treibs and Jacob, squaraine dyes have revolutionized the polymethine dyes' 'universe' and their potential applications due to their indisputable physical, chemical and biological properties. After 30 years and up to the present, various research teams have dedicated themselves to studying the squaraines' photodynamic therapy application using in vitro and in vivo models. The various structural modifications made to these compounds, as well as the influence they have shown to have in their phototherapeutic activity, are the main focus of the present review. Finally, the most evident limitations of this class of dyes, as well as future perspectives in the sense of hypothetically successfully overcoming them, are suggested by the authors.