Efficient Syntheses of 1,2,3-Triazoloamide Derivatives Using Solid- and Solution-Phase Synthetic Approaches

Design, synthesis, and biological activity studies on benzimidazole derivatives targeting myeloperoxidase

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) plays a key role in human antimicrobial system by oxidizing vital molecules of microorganisms in phagolysosomes through produced hypochlorous acid (HOCl). However, MPO can be released outside the phagocyte and produces reactive intermediates leading to tissue damage. MPO, as a local mediator of tissue damage, has been associated with inflammatory diseases such as renal injury, multiple sclerosis, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, the enzyme currently draws attention as a potential therapeutic target. In this study, isomeric 1,3-dihydro-2H-benzo[d]imidazole-2-thione derivatives having amide, hydrazide and hydroxamic acid groups either on nitrogen or on sulphur atom were designed and their inhibitory activity was determined on chlorination and peroxidation cycles of MPO. Among the compounds, 2-(2-thioxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-benzo[d]imidazole-1-yl)acetohydrazide(C19) was found as the most active inhibitor on both cycles.

Synthesis, spectroscopic characterization of novel phthalimides derivatives bearing a 1,2,3-triazole unit and examination as potential SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors via in silico studies

In the present study, novel phthalimide derivatives 8(a-f) and 9(a-f) bearing a 1,2,3-triazole subunit were synthesized via CuAAC reactions and characterized by ¹H, ¹³C NMR, HR-MS, and FT-IR analyses. To support the fight against SARS-CoV-2, in silico molecular docking studies were carried out to examine their interactions with the proteins of SARS-CoV-2 (Mpro and PLpro) and the protein-protein interactions (PPI) between the ACE2-spike (S1) in comparison with various inhibitors reported to be active by in vitro experiments. The ligand-protein stabilities of compounds 8a-Mpro, 8b-PLpro, and 9a-'ACE2-S1' showing the best binding energy and predicted inhibition constant values (Ki) were examined by molecular dynamics simulation studies. Finally, in silico ADMET properties of the target compounds were investigated using the Swiss ADME and ProTox-II web tools. According to in silico results, all phthalimide analogs may block the PPI between S1 and ACE2. The compounds may also inhibit the progression of the Mpro, and PLpro proteins of SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, it has been estimated that the compounds are suitable for oral administration and exhibit low levels of toxicity.

Synthesis and in vitro antileishmanial efficacy of novel quinazolinone derivatives

Currently available drugs being used to treat leishmaniasis have several shortcomings, including high toxicity, drug administration that requires hospitalization, and the emergence of parasite resistance against clinically used drugs. As a result, there is a dire need for the development of new antileishmanial drugs that are safe, affordable, and efficient. In this study, two new series of synthesized quinazolinone derivatives were investigated as potential future antileishmanial agents, by assessing their activities against the Leishmania (L.) donovani and L. major species. The cytotoxicity profiles of these derivatives were assessed in vitro on Vero cells. The compounds were found to be safer and without any toxic activities against mammalian cells, compared to the reference drug, halofuginone, a clinical derivative of febrifugine. However, they had demonstrated poor antileishmanial growth inhibition efficacies. The two compounds that had been found the most active were the mono quinazolinone 2d and the bisquinazolinone 5b with growth inhibitory efficacies of 35% and 29% for the L. major and L. donovani 9515 promastigotes, respectively. These outcomes had suggested structural redesign, inter alia the inclusion of polar groups on the quinazolinone ring, to potentially generate novel quinazolinone derivatives, endowed with effective antileishmanial potential.

Molecular and functional evaluation of a novel HIF inhibitor, benzopyranyl 1,2,3-triazole compound

Hypoxia occurs in a variety of pathological events, including the formation of solid tumors. Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α is stabilized under hypoxic conditions and is a key molecule in tumor growth and angiogenesis. Seeking to develop novel cancer therapeutics, we investigated small molecules from our in-house chemical libraries to target HIF-1α. We employed a dual-luciferase assay that uses a luciferase (Luc) reporter vector harboring five copies of hypoxia-responsive element (HRE) in the promoter. Under hypoxic conditions that increased Luc reporter activity by four-fold, we screened 144 different compounds, nine of which showed 30–50% inhibition of hypoxia-induced Luc reporter activity. Among these, “Compound 12, a benzopyranyl 1,2,3-triazole” was the most efficient at inhibiting the expression of HIF-1α under hypoxic conditions, reducing its expression by 80%. Under hypoxic conditions, the half maximal IC₅₀ of the compound was 24 nM in HEK-293 human embryonic kidney cells, and 2 nM in A549 human lung carcinoma cells. Under hypoxic conditions, Compound 12 increased hydroxylated HIF-1α levels and HIF-1α ubiquitination, and also dose-dependently decreased HIF-1α target gene expression as well as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion. Furthermore, this compound inhibited VEGF-induced in vitro angiogenesis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), and in vivo, it inhibited chick chorioallantoic membrane angiogenesis. In allogaft assays, cotreatment with Compound 12 and gefitinib significantly inhibited tumor growth and angiogenesis. Compound 12 can be a novel inhibitor of HIF-1α by accelerating its degradation, and shows much potential as an anti-cancer agent through its ability to suppress tumor growth and angiogenesis.