MW‑9, a chalcones derivative bearing heterocyclic moieties, attenuates experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis via suppressing pathogenic TH17 cells

Previous studies have indicated that MW-9, a chalcones derivative bearing heterocyclic moieties, has considerable anti-inflammatory activity in vitro. Whether MW-9 may be used to treat inflammation-based diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, remains unknown. The present study was designed to determine the effect and underlying mechanism of MW-9 in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Female C57BL/6 mice immunized with MOG_35-55 were treated with or without MW-9, then the clinical scores and other relevant parameters were investigated. Production of cytokines and specific antibodies were monitored by ELISA assays. Surface marker, Treg cell, and intracellular cytokines (IL-17A and IFN-γ) were detected by flow cytometry, and mRNA expression in the helper-T (T_H)17 cell-related signaling pathway was examined by reverse transcription-quantitative (RT-q) PCR analysis. T_H17 cell differentiation assay was performed. Herein, the present results demonstrated that oral administration of MW-9 reduced the severity of disease in EAE mice through slowing down infiltration process, inhibiting the demyelination, blocking anti-MOG_35-55 IgG antibody production (IgG, IgG_2a and IgG₃), and decreasing accumulation of CD11b⁺Gr-1⁺ neutrophils from EAE mice. MW-9 treatments also led to significantly decreased IL-17A production and IL-17 expression in CD4⁺ T-cells, but had no detectable influence on development of T_H1 and T-regulatory cells ex vivo. RT-qPCR analysis showed that within the spinal cords of the mice, MW-9 blocked transcriptional expression of T_H17-associated genes, including Il17a, Il17f, Il6 and Ccr6. In T_H17 cell differentiation assay, MW-9 inhibited differentiation of ‘naïve’ CD4⁺ T-cells into T_H17 cells and reduced the IL-17A production. The data demonstrated that MW-9 could attenuate EAE in part through suppressing the formation and activities of pathogenic T_H17 cells.

Anticancer Active Heterocyclic Chalcones: Recent Developments

BACKGROUND

Chalcones are structurally simple compounds that are easily accessible by synthetic methods. Heterocyclic chalcones have gained the interest of scientists due to their diverse biological activities. The anti-tumor activities of heterocyclic chalcones are especially remarkable and the growing number of publications dealing with this topic warrants an up-to-date compilation.

METHODS

Search for antitumor active heterocyclic chalcones was carried out using Pubmed and Scifinder as common web-based literature searching tools. Pertinent and current literature was covered from 2015/2016 to 2019. Chemical structures, biological activities and modes of action of anti-tumor active heterocyclic chalcones are summarized.

RESULTS

Simply prepared chalcones have emerged over the last years with promising antitumor activities. Among them, there are a considerable number of tubulin polymerization inhibitors. But there are also new chalcones targeting special enzymes such as histone deacetylases or with DNA-binding properties.

CONCLUSION

This review provides a summary of recent heterocyclic chalcone derivatives with distinct antitumor activities.

Synthesis of New Piperazine Substituted Chalcone Sulphonamides as Antibacterial Agents

BACKGROUND

Infection is a global threat to human health, and there is an urgent need to develop new effective antibacterial drugs to treat bacterial infections.

OBJECTIVE

To study the antibacterial activity of piperazine substituted chalcone sulphonamides.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A series of novel piperazine substituted chalcone sulphonamides have been prepared, and in vitro antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli strains were evaluated.

RESULTS

The results showed that derivatives 6a, 6c and 6h displayed good antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis with MIC values of 4.0-8.0 mg/mL.

CONCLUSION

Piperazine substituted chalcone sulphonamides may be used as potential antibacterial agents.

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of New Piperazine Substituted 3, 5-Diarylisoxazolines

Aim and Objective:

Isoxazolines are an important class of nitrogen and oxygen-containing heterocycles, which have gained much importance as the potential biological agents. In order to study structureactivity relationships of isoxazolines, this work has been conducted.

Materials and Methods:

A series of new piperazine substituted 3, 5-diarylisoxazoline derivatives (6-31) were designed and synthesized, and in vitro anti-inflammatory activity in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW-264.7 macrophages and anticancer effect against a panel of human tumor cell lines (Hela, A549 and SGC7901) by MTT assay were evaluated.

Results:

The substituents of the NH group of piperazine ring had an obvious influence on biological activities. Especially, compounds 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13 and 27-showed good inhibitory effect on the generation of NO compared to dexamethasone. Furthermore, derivatives 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13 and 26 were found to be potential selectively anticancer activity on human tumor cell lines, which displayed better cytotoxic activity to positive control 5- FU.

Conclusion:

Piperazine substituted 3, 5-diarylisoxazoline derivatives could be considered as new antiinflammatory and anticancer agents.

Imidazole bearing chalcones as a new class of monoamine oxidase inhibitors

In the present study, series of eleven (2E)-1-[4-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)substituted phenyl]-3-phenylprop-2-en-1-one (IM1-IM11) derivatives were synthesized and evaluated as inhibitors of recombinant human monoamine oxidase (MAO) A and B. The results indicate that (2E)-3-[4-(dimethylamino) phenyl]-1-[4-(1H-imidazol-1-yl) phenyl] prop-2-en-1-one (IM5) is a nonselective and reversible competitive inhibitor of MAO-A and MAO-B with IC₅₀ values of 0.30 ± 0.010 and 0.40 ± 0.017 μM, respectively ; those of (2E)-1-[4-(1H-imidazol-1-yl) phenyl]-3-(4-methylphenyl) prop-2-en-1-one (IM4) were 1.06 ± 0.090 and 0.32 ± 0.021 μM, respectively. Kinetic studies document that both IM5 and IM4 are competitive inhibitors of MAO-A and MAO-B with Ki value of 0.11 ± 0.0085 and 0.085 ± 0.0064 μM, respectively. Molecular docking studies of lead compounds further explained the binding modes in the inhibitor binding cavity of both MAO-A and MAO-B.

Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Novel Benzofuran Derivatives Bearing N-Aryl Piperazine Moiety

A series of novel hybrid compounds between benzofuran and N-aryl piperazine have been synthesized and screened in vitro for anti-inflammatory activity in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW-264.7 macrophages and for anticancer activity against three human tumor cell lines. The results demonstrated that derivative 16 not only had inhibitory effect on the generation of NO (IC₅₀ = 5.28 μM), but also showed satisfactory and selective cytotoxic activity against human lung cancer line (A549) and gastric cancer cell (SGC7901) (IC₅₀ = 0.12 μM and 2.75 μM, respectively), which was identified as the most potent anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor agent in this study.