New Chalcone Derivative Inhibits ABCB1 in Multidrug Resistant T-cell Lymphoma and Colon Adenocarcinoma Cells

Rational Design and Synthesis of Isatin-Chalcone Hybrids Integrated with 1H-1,2,3-Triazole: Anti-Proliferative Profiling and Molecular Docking Insights

In this study, a series of isatin-chalcone linked triazoles were synthesized using Cu-promoted Azide-Alkyne Cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction and evaluated for their cytotoxicity against various cancer cell lines. The most potent compound displayed approximately 2.5 times greater activity compared to both reference compounds against ovarian cancer cell lines. These findings were supported by caspase-mediated apoptosis and molecular docking analyses. Docking revealed comparable VEGFR-2 affinities for 5 b and 5-FU but highlighted stronger interaction of 5 b with EGFR, evident from its lower docking score. Overall, these results signify the notable anti-proliferative potential of most synthesized hybrids, notably emphasizing the efficacy of compound 5 b in suppressing cancer cell growth.

Photoinduced, Metal-Free Hydroacylation of Aromatic Alkynes for Synthesis of α,β-Unsaturated Ketones via C(sp3)-H Functionalization

Despite the notable advancements made over the past decade in achieving carbon-carbon bonds by transition-metal-catalyzed cross-coupling processes, metal-free cross-coupling reactions for hydroacylation of aromatic alkynes via C(sp3)-H functionalization are still rare and highly desired. Here we report a metal-free reliable approach for the synthesis of α,β-unsaturated ketones (chalcones) via C(sp3)-H functionalization using MeCN:H2O as green solvent, Eosin Y as organic photocatalyst, and ambient air as oxidant. More significantly, this strategy can effectively transform a variety of methyl arenes and aromatic alkynes into the desired product. With high atom efficiency, use of green solvents, metal-free nature, environmental friendliness, and visible light as a renewable energy source, this method is compatible with biologically active molecules.

Chalcones and Gastrointestinal Cancers: Experimental Evidence

Colorectal (CRC) and gastric cancers (GC) are the most common digestive tract cancers with a high incidence rate worldwide. The current treatment including surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy has several limitations such as drug toxicity, cancer recurrence or drug resistance and thus it is a great challenge to discover an effective and safe therapy for CRC and GC. In the last decade, numerous phytochemicals and their synthetic analogs have attracted attention due to their anticancer effect and low organ toxicity. Chalcones, plant-derived polyphenols, received marked attention due to their biological activities as well as for relatively easy structural manipulation and synthesis of new chalcone derivatives. In this study, we discuss the mechanisms by which chalcones in both in vitro and in vivo conditions suppress cancer cell proliferation or cancer formation.

Chalcones: Promising therapeutic agents targeting key players and signaling pathways regulating the hallmarks of cancer

The need for innovative anticancer treatments with high effectiveness and low toxicity is urgent due to the development of malignancies that are resistant to chemotherapeutic agents and the poor specificity of existing anticancer treatments. Chalcones are 1,3-diaryl-2-propen-1-ones, which are the precursors for flavonoids and isoflavonoids. Chalcones are readily available from a wide range of natural resources and consist of very basic chemical scaffolds. Because the ease with which the synthesis it allows for the production of several chalcone derivatives. Various in-vitro and in-vivo studies indicate that naturally occurring and synthetic chalcone derivatives exhibit promising biological activities against cancer hallmarks such as proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion, metastasis, inflammation, stemness, and regulation of cancer epigenetics. According to their structure and functional groups, chalcones derivatives and their hybrid compounds exert a broad range of biological activities through targeting key elements and signaling molecules relevant to cancer progression. This review will provide valuable insights into the latest updates of chalcone groups as anticancer agents and extensively discuss their underlying molecular mechanisms of action.

Chalcone-Acridine Hybrid Suppresses Melanoma Cell Progression via G2/M Cell Cycle Arrest, DNA Damage, Apoptosis, and Modulation of MAP Kinases Activity

This study was focused on investigating the antiproliferative effects of chalcone hybrids in melanoma cancer cells. Among seven chalcone hybrids, the chalcone-acridine hybrid 1C was the most potent and was selected for further antiproliferative mechanism studies. This in vitro study revealed the potent antiproliferative effect of 1C via cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction. Cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase was associated with modulation of expression or phosphorylation of specific cell cycle-associated proteins (cyclin B1, p21, and ChK1), tubulins, as well as with the activation of the DNA damage response pathway. Chalcone 1C also induced apoptosis accompanied by mitochondrial dysfunction evidenced by a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential, increase in Bax/Bcl-xL ratio and cytochrome c release followed by caspase 3/7 activation. In addition, increased phosphorylation of MAP kinases (Erk1/2, p38 and JNK) was observed in chalcone 1C-treated melanoma cells. The strong antiproliferative activities of this chalcone-acridine hybrid suggest that it may be useful as an antimelanoma agent in humans.

Synthesis of Chalcones Derivatives and Their Biological Activities: A Review

Chalcone derivatives are considered valuable species because they possess a ketoethylenic moiety, CO-CH=CH-. Due to the presence of a reactive α,β-unsaturated carbonyl group, chalcones and their derivatives possess a wide spectrum of antiproliferative, antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, antileishmanial, and antimalarial pharmacological properties. Recent developments in heterocyclic chemistry have led to the synthesis of chalcone derivatives, which had been biologically investigated toward certain disease targets. The major aspect of this review is to present the most recent synthesis of chalcones bearing N, O, and/or S heterocycles, revealing their biological potential during the past decade (2010-2021). Based on a review of the literature, many chalcone-heterocycle hybrids appear to exhibit promise as future drug candidates owing to their similar or superior activities compared to those of the standards. Thus, this review may prove to be beneficial for the development and design of new potent therapeutic drugs based on previously developed strategies.

Chalcone Derivatives and their Activities against Drug-resistant Cancers: An Overview

Drug resistance, including multidrug resistance resulting from different defensive mechanisms in cancer cells, is the leading cause of the failure of the cancer therapy, posing an urgent need to develop more effective anticancer agents. Chalcones, widely distributed in nature, could act on diverse enzymes and receptors in cancer cells. Accordingly, chalcone derivatives possess potent activity against various cancers, including drug-resistant, even multidrug-resistant cancer. This review outlines the recent development of chalcone derivatives with potential activity against drug-resistant cancers covering articles published between 2010 and 2020 so as to facilitate further rational design of more effective candidates.

The Newly Synthetized Chalcone L1 Is Involved in the Cell Growth Inhibition, Induction of Apoptosis and Suppression of Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition of HeLa Cells

Over the past decades, natural products have emerged as promising agents with multiple biological activities. Many studies suggest the antioxidant, antiangiogenic, antiproliferative and anticancer effects of chalcones and their derivatives. Based on these findings, we decided to evaluate the effects of the newly synthetized chalcone L1 in a human cervical carcinoma cell (HeLa) model. Presented results were obtained by western blot and flow cytometric analyses, live cell imaging and antimigratory potential of L1 in HeLa cells was demonstrated by scratch assay. In the present study, we proved the role of L1 as an effective agent with antiproliferative activity supported by G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Moreover, we proved that L1 is involved in modulating Transforming Growth Factor-β1 (TGF-β) signal transduction through Smad proteins and it also modulates other signalling pathways including Akt, JNK, p38 MAPK, and Erk1/2. The involvement of L1 in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition was demonstrated by the regulation of N-cadherin, E-cadherin, and MMP-9 levels. Here, we also evaluated the effect of conditioned medium from BJ-5ta human foreskin fibroblasts in HeLa cell cultures with subsequent L1 treatment. Taken together, these data suggest the potential role of newly synthesized chalcone L1 as an anticancer-tumour microenvironment modulating agent.