Nicotinonitrile-derived apoptotic inducers: Design, synthesis, X-ray crystal structure and Pim kinase inhibition

Assessment of structural and activity-related contributions of various PIM-1 kinase inhibitors in the treatment of leukemia and prostate cancer

One of the most perilous illnesses in the world is cancer. The cancer may be associated with the mutation of different genes inside the body. The PIM kinase, also known as the serine/threonine kinase, plays a critical role in the biology of different kinds of cancer. They are widely distributed and associated with several biological processes, including cell division, proliferation, and death. Aberration of PIM-1 kinase is found in varieties of cancer. Prostate cancer and leukemia can both be effectively treated with PIM-1 kinase inhibitors. There are several potent compounds that have been explored in this review based on heterocyclic compounds for the treatment of prostate cancer and leukemia that have strong effects on the suppression of PIM-1 kinase. The present review summarizes the PIM-1 kinase pathway, their inhibitors under clinical trial, related patents, and SAR studies of several monocyclic, bicyclic, and polycyclic compounds. The study related to their molecular interactions with receptors is also included in the present manuscript. The study may be beneficial to scientists for the development of novel compounds as PIM-1 inhibitors in the treatment of prostate cancer and leukemia.

Design and synthesis of quinazolin-4-one derivatives as potential anticancer agents and investigation of their interaction with RecQ helicases

The upregulation of RecQ helicases has been associated with cancer cell survival and resistance to chemotherapy, making them appealing targets for therapeutic intervention. In this study, twenty-nine novel quinazolinone derivatives were designed and synthesized. The anti-proliferative activity of all compounds was evaluated against 60 cancer cell lines at the National Cancer Institute Developmental Therapeutic Program, with six compounds (11f, 11g, 11k, 11n, 11p, and 11q) being promoted to a five-dose screen. Compound 11g demonstrated high cytotoxic activity against all examined cell lines. The compounds were further assayed for Bloom syndrome (BLM) helicase inhibition, where 11g, 11q, and 11u showed moderate activity. These compounds were counter-screened against WRN and RECQ1 helicases, where 11g moderately inhibited both enzymes. An ATP competition assay confirmed that the compounds bound to the ATP site of RecQ helicases, and molecular docking simulations were used to study the binding mode within the active site of BLM, WRN, and RECQ1 helicases. Compound 11g induced apoptosis in both HCT-116 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines, but also caused an G2/M phase cell cycle arrest in HCT-116 cells. This data revealed the potential of 11g as a modulator of cell cycle dynamics and supports its interaction with RecQ helicases. In addition, compound 11g displayed non-significant toxicity against FCH normal colon cells at doses up to 100 µM, which confirming its high safety margin and selectivity on cancer cells. Overall, these findings suggest compound 11g as a potential pan RecQ helicase inhibitor with high anticancer potency and a favorable safety margin and selectivity.

Tailored horseshoe-shaped nicotinonitrile scaffold as dual promising c-Met and Pim-1 inhibitors: Design, synthesis, SAR and in silico study

For the horseshoe tactic to succeed in inhibiting c-Met and Pim-1, the nicotinonitrile derivatives (2a-n) were produced in high quantities by coupling acetyl phenylpyrazole (1) with the proper aldehydes and ethyl cyanoacetate under basic conditions. Consistent basic and spectroscopic data (NMR, IR, Mass, and HPLC) supported the new products' structural findings. With IC50 potency in nanomolar ranges, these compounds had effectively repressed them, particularly compounds 2d and 2 h, with IC50 values below 200 nM. The most potent compounds (2d and 2 h) were tested for their antitumor effects against prostate (PC-3), colon (HCT-116), and breast (MDA-MB-231) and were evaluated in comparison to the anticancer drug tivantinib using the MTT assay. Similar to tivantinib, these compounds showed good antiproliferative properties against the HCT-116 tumor cells while having low cytotoxicity towards healthy fetal colon (FHC) cells. In the HCT-116 cell line, their ability to trigger the apoptotic cascade was also investigated by looking at the level of Bax and Bcl-2 as well as the activation of the proteolytic caspase cascade. When HCT-116 cells were exposed to compounds 2d and 2 h in comparison to the control, active caspase-3 levels increased. The HCT-116 cell line also upregulated Bcl-2 protein levels and downregulated Bax levels. Additionally, when treated with compound 2d, the HCT-116 cell cycle was primarily stopped at the S phase. Compared to the control, compound 2d treatment significantly inhibited the protein expression levels of c-Met and Pim-1 kinases in the treated HCT-116 cells. Thorough molecular modeling analyses, such as molecular docking and dynamic simulation, were performed to ascertain the binding mechanism and stability of the target compounds.

Comprehensive Insights that Targeting PIM for Cancer Therapy: Prospects and Obstacles

Proviral integration sitea for Moloney-murine leukemia virus (PIM) kinases are a family of highly conserved serine/tyrosine kinases consisting of three members, PIM-1, PIM-2, and PIM-3. These kinases regulate a wide range of substrates through phosphorylation and affect key cellular processes such as transcription, translation, proliferation, apoptosis, and energy metabolism. Several PIM inhibitors are currently undergoing clinical trials, such as a phase I clinical trial of Uzanserti (5) for the treatment of relapsed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma that has been completed. The current focus encompasses the structural and biological characterization of PIM, ongoing research progress on small-molecule inhibitors undergoing clinical trials, and evaluation analysis of persisting challenges in this field. Additionally, the design and discovery of small-molecule inhibitors targeting PIM in recent years have been explored, with a particular emphasis on medicinal chemistry, aiming to provide valuable insights for the future development of PIM inhibitors.

Identification of 3-(5-cyano-6-oxo-pyridin-2-yl)benzenesulfonamides as novel anticancer agents endowed with EGFR inhibitory activity

New 5-cyano-6-oxo-pyridine-based sulfonamides (6a-m and 8a-d) were designed and synthesized to potentially inhibit both the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and carbonic anhydrase (CA), with anticancer properties. First, the in vitro anticancer activity of each target substance was tested using Henrietta Lacks cancer cell line and M.D. anderson metastasis breast cancer cell line cells. Then, the possible CA inhibition against the human CA isoforms I, II, and IX was investigated, together with the EGFR inhibitory activity, with the most powerful derivatives. The neighboring methoxy group may have had a steric effect on the target sulfonamides, which prevented them from effectively inhibiting the CA isoforms while effectively inhibiting the EGFR. The effects of the 5-cyanopyridine derivatives 6e and 6l on cell-cycle disruption and the apoptotic potential were then investigated. To investigate the binding mechanism and stability of the target molecules, thorough molecular modeling assessments, including docking and dynamic simulation, were performed.

Synthesis, molecular modeling Insights, and anticancer assessment of novel polyfunctionalized Pyridine congeners

The present study describes synthesizing a novel series of polyfunctionalized pyridine congeners 1-18 and assessed for cytotoxic efficacies versus HCT-116, MCF-7, and HepG-2 among one non-cancerous BJ-1 human normal cell. Most compounds were precisely potent anticancer candidate drugs. The molecular impact of the most active compounds 9, 10, 11, 13, 15, and 17 was evaluated after MCF-7 treatment. The gene expression of pro- and ant-apoptosis markers P53, Bax, Caspase-3 and Bcl-2 as well as VEGFR-2 and HER2 were determined. Compounds 13 and 15 induced upregulation of pro-apoptosis of P53, Bax, Caspase-3 and downregulation of anti-apoptosis Bcl-2 gene. However, compound 15 showed higher effect compared to 13 and respective control. Moreover, a slight reduction in HER2 gene expression was detected due to compound 15 treatment, while VEGFR-2 gene was upregulated. In agreement, the immunoblotting analysis showed higher accumulation of P53, Bax, Caspase-3 proteins and of decrease the Bcl-2 protein levels. Furthermore, docking studies united with molecular dynamic simulation exposed compounds 13 and 15 fitting in the middle of the active site at the interface linking the ATP binding site and the allosteric hydrophobic binding pocket. Finally, we performed Petra/Osiris/ Molinspiration (POM) analysis for the newly synthesized compounds. The evaluation of primary in silico parameters revealed significant differences among individual polyfunctionalized pyridine compounds, highlighting the most promising candidates. These preliminary results may help in coordinating and initiating other research projects focused on polyfunctionalized pyridine compounds, especially those with predicted bioactivity, low toxicity, optimal ADME parameters, and promising perspectives.

Terminators or Guardians? Design, Synthesis, and Cytotoxicity Profiling of Chalcone-Sulfonamide Hybrids

With a "less is more" philosophy, a series of 15 chalcone-sulfonamide hybrids were designed anticipating synergistic anticancer activity. The aromatic sulfonamide moiety was included as a known direct inhibitor of carbonic anhydrase IX activity through its zinc chelating property. The chalcone moiety was incorporated as an electrophilic stressor to indirectly inhibit carbonic anhydrase IX cellular activity. Screening by the Developmental Therapeutics Program of the National Cancer Institute, NCI-60, revealed that 12 derivatives were potent inhibitors of cancer cell growth in multiple cell lines and were promoted to the five-dose screen. The cancer cell growth inhibition profile indicated sub- to two-digit micromolar potency (GI₅₀ down to 0.3 μM and LC₅₀ as low as 4 μM) against colorectal carcinoma cells, in particular. Unexpectedly, most compounds demonstrated low to moderate potency as direct inhibitors of carbonic anhydrase catalytic activity in vitro, with 4d being the most potent, having an average Ki value of 4 μM. Compound 4j showed ca. six-fold selectivity to carbonic anhydrase IX over the other tested isoforms in vitro. Cytotoxicity of both 4d and 4j in live HCT116, U251, and LOX IMVI cells under hypoxic conditions confirmed their targeting of carbonic anhydrase activity. Elevation of oxidative cellular stress was stipulated from the increase in Nrf2 and ROS levels in 4j-treated colorectal carcinoma, HCT116, cells compared to the control. Compound 4j arrested the cell cycle of HCT116 cells at the G1/S phase. In addition, both 4d and 4j showed up to 50-fold cancer cell selectivity compared to the non-cancerous HEK293T cells. Accordingly, this study presents 4d and 4j being new, synthetically accessible, simplistically designed derivatives as potential candidates to be further developed as anticancer therapeutics.

Papaverinol-N-Oxide: A Microbial Biotransformation Product of Papaverine with Potential Antidiabetic and Antiobesity Activity Unveiled with In Silico Screening

Bioconversion of biosynthetic heterocyclic compounds has been utilized to produce new semisynthetic pharmaceuticals and study the metabolites of bioactive drugs used systemically. In this investigation, the biotransformation of natural heterocyclic alkaloid papaverine via filamentous fungi was explored. Molecular docking simulations, using protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase (PL) as target enzymes, were performed to investigate the antidiabetic potential of papaverine and its metabolites in silico. The metabolites were isolated from biotransformation of papaverine with Cunninghamella elegans NRRL 2310, Rhodotorula rubra NRRL y1592, Penicillium chrysogeneum ATCC 10002 and Cunninghamella blackesleeana NRRL 1369 via reduction, demethylation, N-oxidation, oxidation and hydroxylation reactions. Seven metabolites were isolated: namely, 3,4-dihydropapaverine (metabolite 1), papaveroline (metabolite 2), 7-demethyl papaverine (metabolite 3), 6,4'-didemethyl papaverine (metabolite 4), papaverine-3-ol (metabolite 5), papaverinol (metabolite 6) and papaverinol N-oxide (metabolite 7). The structural elucidation of the metabolites was investigated with 1D and 2D NMR and mass spectroscopy (EI and ESI). The molecular docking studies showed that metabolite 7 exhibited better binding interactions with the target enzymes PTP1B, α-glucosidase and PL than did papaverine. Furthermore, papaverinol-N-oxide (7) also displayed inhibition of α-glucosidase and lipase enzymes comparable to that of their ligands (acarbose and orlistat, respectively), as unveiled with an in silico ADMET profile, molecular docking and molecular dynamics studies. In conclusion, this study provides evidence for enhanced inhibition of PTP1B, α-glucosidase and PL via some papaverine fungal transformation products and, therefore, potentially better antidiabetic and antiobesity effects than those of papaverine and other known therapeutic agents.