Design, Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Novel Piperazinone Derivatives as Cytotoxic Agents

Development of erythrina-based PARP-1/FTase dual-target inhibitors against lung cancer epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in vivo and in vitro

A novel series of erythrina derivatives as PARP-1/FTase inhibitors were synthesized, and evaluated for their biological activities. Compound T9 had excellent inhibitory effects on cell viability (A549: IC50 = 1.74 μM; A549/5-Fu: IC50 = 1.03 μM) and in vitro enzyme activities (PARP-1: IC50 = 0.40 μM; FTase: IC50 = 0.067 μM). Molecular docking and point mutation assays demonstrated the interaction of compound T9 with key amino acid residues. The compound T9 exhibited potent anti-proliferation and anti-migration capabilities against A549 and A549/5-Fu cells. PCR array and western blot results showed that compound T9 could effectively inhibit EMT-related proteins in A549 and A549/5-Fu cells, thereby inhibiting the development of lung cancer. Importantly, compound T9 could significantly inhibit tumor growth in the A549 xenograft tumor model (TGI = 65.3 %). In conclusion, this study was the first presentation of the concept of dual-target inhibitors of the PARP-1/FTase enzymes. It also provides the basis for further research and development of novel PARP-1/FTase inhibitors.

Novel 4-Anilinoquinazoline Derivatives as Potent Anticancer Agents: Design, Synthesis, Cytotoxic Activity, and Docking Study

The simultaneous inhibition of EGFR and VEGFR-2 is a promising method in cancer treatment. In the present work, several 4-anilinoquinazoline derivatives encompassing different substitutions at the C-4 and C-7 positions of a quinazoline core were designed, synthesised, and evaluated for their cytotoxicity on A431, HUVEC, and HU02 cell lines. Docking studies were carried out to test the interactions of all synthesised compounds with EGFR and VEGFR-2. Furthermore, a wound healing assay was done for the investigation of cell migration. The most potent compound was 8l followed by the compounds 8i and 8j which showed better cytotoxic activities on A431 and HUVEC cell lines than the standard (Vandetanib). The compounds 8f and 8a represented the best docking energies of 8.99 and 9.35 kcal mol−1 for EGFR and VEGFR, respectively. Moreover, molecular docking studies exhibited that compound 8l showed efficient binding affinity against both EGFR and VEGFR-2. It can bind to these receptors through the formation of essential hydrogen bonds between the quinazoline N1 atom and the Met796 backbone of EGFR and two hydrogen bonds with Cys919 and Thr916 of VEGFR-2 with energies of –7.99 and –7.85 kcal mol−1, respectively. In addition, this compound displayed the highest activity on cell migration and wound healing. Compound 8l with the highest cytotoxic activity can be considered a candidate for further investigation and structural optimisation as an antiproliferative agent.

6,7-Disubstituted-4-anilinoquinazoline: Design, Synthesis and Anticancer Activity as a Novel Series of Potent Anticancer Agents

Background: Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) are responsible for several pathological conditions such as the development of different kinds of tumors. The combined inhibition of both signal transduction pathways seems to be a promising novel approach for cancer treatment. Methods: In this study, novel 4-anilinoquinazoline derivatives with various substituents on-7 position of quinazoline moiety were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their antiproliferative activity against A431 and HU02 cell lines. Results: Compounds 8a, 8d, and 8f displayed the most potent anticancer activities against A431(IC50 = 1.78 μM, 8.25 μM, and 7.18 μM, respectively) in comparison with reference standards(erlotinib IC50=8.31 μM and vandetanib IC50=10.62 μM). Molecular docking studies proved that8a as the most potent compound could be efficiently accommodated in the ATP binding site ofEGFR and VEGFR-2 through the formation of essential hydrogen bonds between quinazolineN1 atom and the Met796 backbone of EGFR as well as the Cys919 backbone of VEGFR-2 with a distance of 1.94 Å and 1.398 Å, respectively. Conclusion: Compound 8a as the most potent compound with morpholine and 3-bromoaniline at the 7 and 4 positions of quinazoline scaffold, respectively, deserves more study and structural optimization as an anticancer agent.