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.

EGFR and PI3K/m-TOR inhibitors: design, microwave assisted synthesis and anticancer activity of thiazole-coumarin hybrids

A series of thiazoline and thiazolidinone-based 4-hydroxycoumarin derivatives were synthesized using both conventional synthesis procedures and microwave-assisted techniques. The new compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic effect against three human cancer cell lines; MCF-7, HCT-116 and HepG2 and one normal human cell line (BJ-1). The promising anti-proliferative compounds 2a, 2b, 6a and 6b were assessed for inhibiting EGFR and PI3K/mTOR. Compound 6a showed the highest inhibition activity towards the signaling pathway. The apoptotic effect and cell cycle arrest potential of derivative 6a were examined. Moreover, the molecular docking, physicochemical properties and pharmacokinetic parameters of the promising compound were investigated, as well.

Synthesis and cytotoxic activities of selenium nanoparticles incorporated nano-chitosan

New system compromising of chitosan nanoparticles encapsulated pre-synthesized selenium nanoparticles in the presence of 5-fluorouracil was successfully prepared and used for cancer antiproliferation. Selenium nanoparticles were synthesized using ascorbic acid as reducing agent under mild condition. Chitosan nanoparticles were prepared via ionic gelation technique using sodium tri-polyphosphate. Characterization of the prepared nanoparticles was carried out using FTIR, TEM, XRD, TGA and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The results displayed the formation of selenium nanoparticles with an average size 20 nm and chitosan nanoparticles with an average size 207 and 250 nm for neat nano-chitosan and chitosan incorporated 5-fluorouracil/selenium nanoparticles, respectively. The encapsulated nanocomposites were tested for treatment of cancer cell of human colorectal carcinoma (HCT-116), human liver carcinoma (HepG-2), and human breast adenocarcinoma MCF-7. The results indicated the potent cytotoxic activities of all nanocomposite toward the tested cells with enhanced anticancer activity rather than the single drug or neat selenium nanoparticle. All composites were tested against non-tumor fibroblast-derived cell line (BJ) and demonstrated very low cytotoxicity.

Synthesis, Biocidal and Antibiofilm Activities of New Isatin-Quinoline Conjugates against Multidrug-Resistant Bacterial Pathogens along with Their In Silico Screening

Isatin-quinoline conjugates 10a-f and 11a-f were assembled by the reaction of N-(bromobutyl) isatin derivatives 3a, b with aminoquinolines 6a-c and their corresponding hydrazinyl 9a-c in good yields. The structures of the resulting conjugates were established by spectroscopic tools and showed data consistent with the proposed structures. In vitro antibacterial activity against different bacterial strains was evaluated. All tested conjugates showed significant biocidal activity with lower MIC than the first line drugs chloramphenicol and ampicillin. Conjugates 10a, 10b and 10f displayed the most potent activity against all clinical isolates. The antibiofilm activity for all tested conjugates was screened against the reference drug vancomycin using the MRSA strain. The results revealed that all conjugates had an inhibitory activity against biofilm formation and conjugate. Conjugate 11a showed 83.60% inhibition at 10 mg/mL. In addition, TEM studies were used to prove the mechanism of antibacterial action of conjugates 10a and 11a against (MRSA). Modeling procedures were performed on 10a-f and 11a-f and interestingly the results were nearly consistent with the biological activities. In addition, in silico pharmacokinetic evaluation was performed and revealed that the synthesized compounds 10a-f and 11a-f were considered drug-like molecules with promising bioavailability and high GI absorption. The results confirmed that the title compounds caused the disruption of bacterial cell membranes and could be used as potential leads for the further development and optimization of antibacterial agents.

Design, Synthesis, Anticancer Activity and Molecular Docking of New 1,2,3-Triazole-Based Glycosides Bearing 1,3,4-Thiadiazolyl, Indolyl and Arylacetamide Scaffolds

New 1,3,4-thiadiazole thioglycosides linked to a substituted arylidine system were synthesized via heterocyclization via click 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition. The click strategy was used for the synthesis of new 1,3,4-thiadiazole and 1,2,3-triazole hybrid glycoside-based indolyl systems as novel hybrid molecules by reacting azide derivatives with the corresponding acetylated glycosyl terminal acetylenes. The cytotoxic activities of the compounds were studied against HCT-116 (human colorectal carcinoma) and MCF-7 (human breast adenocarcinoma) cell lines using the MTT assay. The results showed that the key thiadiazolethione compounds, the triazole glycosides linked to p-methoxyarylidine derivatives and the free hydroxyl glycoside had potent activity comparable to the reference drug, doxorubicin, against MCF-7 human cancer cells. Docking simulation studies were performed to check the binding patterns of the synthesized compounds. Enzyme inhibition assay studies were also conducted for the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and the results explained the activity of a number of derivatives.

Preparation, Characterization and In vitro Biological activity of 5-Fluorouracil Loaded onto poly (D, L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) Nanoparticles

Nanoscale devices offer a lot of potential in drug delivery because of their small size. The goal of this work was to increase the oral bioavailability of the anti-cancer hydrophilic drug as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) by incorporating it into poly (D, L-lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles (PLGNPs) using the double emulsion process, 5-FU- PLGNPs nanoparticles were created. Various factors, such as drug, polymer, and stabilizer concentrations, were investigated for assembly in order to arrive at the most effective formulation of 5-FU-PLGNPs. PLGNPs had a drug encapsulation efficiency of 9.75 to 24.8%. The prepared nanoparticles had a spherical shape and an average size of 212.3–285 nm, as shown by TEM. The dispersion of the drug into the prepared PLGNPs was confirmed by XRPD and FTIR. The optimized nanoparticles (F225) had high encapsulation efficiency 24.8 ± 0.21%, low particles size 212.3 ± 48.2 nm with an appropriate PDI value of 0.448, and ZP of − 48.3 ± 2.7 mV. The molecular dispersion of the medication within the system was validated by thermal behavior studies (DSC). In vitro drug release from the best-selected formulations revealed a sustained release of nanoparticles, with slower release reported when lower PVA concentrations were utilized. Three 5-FU-PLGNPs formulations were tested for anticancer efficacy against cell cultures of HCT-116 (human colorectal carcinoma), MCF-7 (human breast carcinoma), and HepG2 (human hepatocellular carcinoma). The created formulations were examined for in vitro cytotoxic activity, revealing that they appeared to be promising effective anticancer formulations when compared to the positive controlled (doxorubicin).

Antiproliferative Activity of Some Newly Synthesized Substituted Nicotinamides Candidates Using Pyridine-2(1H) thione Derivatives as Synthon

Some new pyridinethione and thienopyridine derivatives have been synthesized and evaluated for their antiproliferative activity using the MTT assay. Nicotinamide derivatives 3 have been synthesized and used for the preparation of new condensed thieno [2,3-b]pyridines by their reactions with active halo compounds. Finally the synthesized thienopyridine underwent ring closure whenever possible through boiling in a solution of sodium ethoxide. The antiproliferative evaluation against (HCT-116, HepG-2, and MCF-7) human cancer cells and one human healthy cell line (BJ-1) revealed that compounds 3b, 4c-5d, 7b-12a, 10d, and 13b have interesting antitumor activity specifically as antihepatocellular and anticolon cellular carcinoma agents. Besides, the docking results for most active derivatives were in agreement with the in vitro antitumor results.

The environmental distribution and removal of emerging pollutants, highlighting the importance of using microbes as a potential degrader: A review

Emerging pollutants (EPs) create a worldwide concern owing to their low concentration and severe toxicity to the receptors. The prominent emerging pollutants categories as pharmaceutical and personal care product, plasticizer, surfactants, and persistent organic pollutants. Typically, EPs are widely disseminated in the aquatic ecosystem and capable of perturbing the physiology of water bodies as well as humans. The primary sources of EPs in the environment include anthropogenic release, atmospheric deposition, untreated or substandard treated wastewater, and extreme weather events. Intensive research has been done covering the environmental distribution, ecological disturbance, fate, and removal of EPs in the past decades. However, a systematic review on the distribution of EPs in the engineered and natural aquatic environment and the degradation of different EPs by using anaerobic sludge, aerobic bacteria, and isolated strains are limited. This review article aims to highlight the importance, application, and future perceptions of using different microbes to degrade EPs. Overall, this review article illustrates the superiority of using non-cultivable and cultivable microbes to degrade the EPs as an eco-friendly approach. Practically, the outcomes of this review paper will build up the knowledge base solutions to remove EPs from the wastewater.

Graphene enhanced detoxification of wastewater rich 4-nitrophenol in multistage anaerobic reactor followed by baffled high-rate algal pond

The presence of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) in the wastewater industry causes toxicity and inhibition of the anaerobic degrading bacteria. The anaerobes in the multistage anaerobic reactor were loaded by 30.0 mg/gVS Graphene nanoparticles (MAR-G_n) as an electron acceptor to detoxify wastewater industry. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) was reduced from 455 ± 22.5 to 135 ± 12.7 μg Gallic acid equivalent/mL at 4-NP loading rate of 47.9 g/m³d. Furthermore, 4-NP was decreased by a value of 83.7 ± 4.9% in MAR-G_n compared to 65.6 ± 4.8% in control MAR. The 4-aminophenol (4-AP) recovery was accounted for 44.8% in the MAR-G_n at an average oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) of - 167.3 ± 21.2 mV. The remaining portions of 4-NP and 4-AP in the MAR-G_n effluent were efficiently removed by baffled high rate algal pond (BHRAP), resulting in overall removal efficiency of 91.6 ± 6.3 and 92.3 ± 4.6%, respectively. The Methanosaeta (52.9%) and Methanosphaerula (10.9%) were dominant species in MAR-G_n for reduction of 4-NP into 4-AP. Moreover, Chlorophyta cells (Chlorella vulgaris, Scenedesmus obliquus, Scenedesmus quadricauda and Ulothrix subtilissima were abundant in the BHRAP for complete degradation of 4-NP and 4-AP.

Design, Synthesis and Molecular Modeling of Coumarin Derivatives as MDM2 Inhibitors Targeting Breast Cancer

The coumarin ring was used as a central scaffold that was substituted with a variety of bioactive functional groups, for designing and synthesizing novel MDM2 inhibitors targeting breast cancer. The synthesized derivatives, 3c, 3d, 3g, 7b, 7c and 8 with IC_50s ranging from 9.4 to 9.9 µM were evaluated for their safety on MCF10a normal breast cell line. The compounds showed selectivity indices of 2.15, 3.85, 2.75, 1.38, 3.72 and 5.20 respectively. 7c was selected for further investigation, the compound was capable of down-regulating MDM2 and the anti-apoptosis proteins Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, up-regulating the level of p53 and the pro-apoptosis protein BAX, causing cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase and activating Caspase-9 to induce apoptosis. Molecular docking study revealed the capability of derivative 7c to interact with the key amino acids in p53 binding pocket of MDM2 protein. Moreover, the physicochemical properties of compound 7c were studied in silico.

Novel Benzothiazole-Based Dual VEGFR-2/EGFR Inhibitors Targeting Breast and Liver Cancers: Synthesis, Cytotoxic Activity, QSAR and Molecular Docking Studies

A novel series of benzothiazole-based derivatives linked to various amino acids and their corresponding ethyl ester analogues were synthesized and were initially screened for their cytotoxic activity against human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) and human liver carcinoma (HepG-2) and were further assessed as VEGFR-2 inhibitors. All the newly synthesized benzothiazole derivatives showed promising cytotoxic activities against the tested cell lines. Derivatives exhibited potent cytotoxic and VEGFR-2 inhibitory activities were then evaluated further as anticancer agents against the resistant triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell line (MDA-MB-231) and as EGFR inhibitors. The carboxylic acid derivatives 10-12 and their ester analogues 21-23 displayed the highest anticancer activities with IC₅₀ of 0.73-0.89 µM, against MCF-7 and IC₅₀ of 2.54-2.80 µM, against HepG-2; compared to doxorubicin (IC₅₀ = 1.13 and 2.75 µM, respectively). In addition to their safety towards the normal cell line, the ethyl ester derivatives 21-23 showed a potent activity against the resistant MDA-MB-231 cell line with IC₅₀ of 5.45-7.28 µM, relative to doxorubicin (IC₅₀ = 7.46 µM) surpassing their carboxylic acid analogues 10-12 (IC₅₀ of 8.88-11.02 µM). Furthermore, the promising derivatives 10-12 and 21-23 displayed promising VEGFR-2 inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ = 0.15-0.19 µM) comparable to that of sorafenib (IC₅₀ = 0.12 µM). Against EGFR, the ethyl ester derivatives 21-23 showed superior inhibitory activity relative to the used reference standard, erlotinib, with IC₅₀ of 0.11-0.16 vs. 0.18 µM, respectively. The QSAR study revealed that the molecular bulkiness and molecular partial charge distribution govern the kinase inhibition potency in this series. Furthermore, the molecular docking study in VEGFR-2 active site showed that the newly synthesized benzothiazole derivatives adopted the common binding pattern of type II PK inhibitors.

Click chemistry based synthesis, cytotoxic activity and molecular docking of novel triazole-thienopyrimidine hybrid glycosides targeting EGFR

In the current study, new thienopyrimidine conjugates bearing 1,2,3-triazole core and different sugar moieties have been designed and synthesized by Cu(I)-catalysed click dipolar cycloaddition. The cytotoxic activity of the synthesised conjugates 2, 5, 7, and 13-18 was studied against HCT-116 and MCF-7 cell lines by the MTT assay. The triazole glycosides 16 and 18 provided significant cytotoxic activities against HCT-116 cell lines comparable to that of doxorubicin and other studied compounds. The cytotoxic behaviour against MCF-7 exhibited that all the investigated compounds were more potent than doxorubicin. Moreover, all screened targets were evaluated against mutant EGFR kinase type L858R and the results revealed that the acetylated 1,2,3-triazole glycosides 13-18 exhibited excellent EGFR inhibitory activity in comparison with gefitinib. Furthermore, molecular modelling studies were performed to investigate the binding affinity of the most active compounds to EGFR enzyme.

Synthesis, anticancer evaluation and molecular docking of new benzothiazole scaffolds targeting FGFR-1

This work deals with the design and synthesis of a series of new substituted 2-arylbenzothiazole compounds attached to 4-oxothiazolidin-2-ylidene ring 2-12 and chain elongation with different amino acids and their corresponding ester derivatives 13-18. All prepared derivatives were screened for their in vitro cytotoxicity activities against two cancer cell lines (HepG-2 and MCF-7) in comparison with doxorubicin; in addition to their safety towards thenormal cell line. Furthermore, all compounds 2-18 were evaluated as FGFR-1 inhibitors using AZD4547 as a reference. The 4-oxothiazolidin-2-ylidene derivatives 3 and 8 exhibited the highest cytotoxic activity (IC_{50 HepG-2} = 2.06, 2.21 µM and IC_{50 MCF-7} = 0.73, 0.77 µM, respectively) through their promising FGFR-1 suppression effects (IC₅₀ = 16.31 and 18.08 nM, respectively) in comparison to AZD4547 (IC₅₀ = 21.45 nM). Cell cycle and apoptosis analysis indicated that compounds 3 and 8 induce pronounced increase in the cell percentages at pre-G₁ and G₂/M phase compared to the untreated MCF-7 cancer cells, in addition to their up regulation of caspase-3/7/9. The molecular docking simulation was created to elucidate the binding modes of benzothiazole derivatives 1-18 bearing various scaffolds within the ATP-binding pocket of FGFR-1 enzyme compared with AZD4547.

Design, synthesis, biological evaluation, and molecular docking of new benzofuran and indole derivatives as tubulin polymerization inhibitors

Microtubules and the mitotic spindle have become an important target for cancer treatment due to their critical role in cell division. In this work, a novel series of benzofuran and indole derivatives were designed and synthesized, to be evaluated as tubulin polymerization inhibitors. 2-Acetylbenzofuran derivatives 1a,b and 3-acetylindole 1c were condensed with Wittig reagents 2a-d and Wittig-Horner reagents 3a-e to afford the respective 2-ethylidene derivatives 5a-j and 7a-e. Also, iminomethylene triphenylphosphine (2e) reacted with 1a,b to afford benzofuran-2-ylethylidene aniline derivatives 6a,b. In addition, compounds 1a,b reacted with trialkylphosphites 4a-c to give 1:1 adduct for which the Oxaphospholo[4,3-b]benzofuran-7-yl)diazene derivatives 8a-f, were assigned. The possible reactions mechanisms were discussed and structural reasoning for the new compounds were based upon spectroscopic data. Their antiproliferative activities against two cell lines namely, HepG2 and MCF7 cells were then evaluated. It was found that the benzofuran compounds 5b, 6a, and 8c exhibited the strongest antiproliferative activities against both cell lines compared to doxorubicin. By studying the mechanism of action, compound 6a showed good inhibition of tubulin polymerization which leads to mitotic spindle formation disruption, cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase, and apoptosis of HepG2 cells. A conducted docking study confirmed the in vitro results indicating that compound 6a fitted properly at the colchicine binding site of tubulin. Based on these findings, compound 6a can be considered as a promising anticancer candidate that can be subjected for further development as a tubulin polymerization inhibitor for treating liver and breast cell carcinoma.

Synthesis, anticancer activity and molecular docking of new triazolo[4,5-d]pyrimidines based thienopyrimidine system and their derived N-glycosides and thioglycosides

A series of new substituted triazolo[4,5-d]pyrimidine derivatives linked to thienopyrimidine ring system were prepared as a hybrid heterocyclic systems, as possible nucleobases analogs, starting from the key carboxamide derivative 2 and its azide precursor via heterocyclization reactions and their structures were characterized. Glycosylation of the prepared triazolopyrimidine derivatives was performed and afforded, regioselctively, the corresponding thienopyrimidine-triazolopyrimidine hybrid N¹-glycosides and their thioglycoside analogues in good yields. The synthesized glycosyl heterocycles were studied for their cytotoxic activity against HepG-2 and MCF-7 human cancer cells and significant results were obtained. Compounds 7a, 8 b, 9 b, 9a and 7 b demonstrated promising activities comparable to the activity of the doxorubicin for (HepG-2) cell line. Furthermore, a number of the afforded triazolopyrimidine glycosides were found potent against cancer cells (MCF-7). Furthermore, docking simulation the promising thienopyrimidine analogues 7-13 was done against EGFR kinase to provide a binding model that could serve in discovery of further anticancer agents.

Design, Synthesis, Anticancer Evaluation, Enzymatic Assays, and a Molecular Modeling Study of Novel Pyrazole-Indole Hybrids

The molecular hybridization concept has recently emerged as a powerful approach in drug discovery. A series of novel indole derivatives linked to the pyrazole moiety were designed and developed via a molecular hybridization protocol as antitumor agents. The target compounds (5a-j and 7a-e) were prepared by the reaction of 5-aminopyrazoles (1a-e) with N-substituted isatin (4a,b) and 1H-indole-3-carbaldehyde (6), respectively. All products were characterized via several analytical and spectroscopic techniques. Compounds (5a-j and 7a-e) were screened for their cytotoxicity activities in vitro against four human cancer types [human colorectal carcinoma (HCT-116), human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7), human liver carcinoma (HepG2), and human lung carcinoma (A549)] using the MTT assay. The obtained results showed that the newly synthesized compounds displayed good-to-excellent antitumor activity. For example, 5-((1H-indol-3-yl)methyleneamino)-N-phenyl-3-(phenylamino)-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxamide (7a) and 5-((1H-indol-3-yl)methyleneamino)-3-(phenylamino)-N-(4-methylphenyl)-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxamide (7b) provided excellent anticancer inhibition performance against the HepG2 cancer cell line with IC₅₀ values of 6.1 ± 1.9 and 7.9 ± 1.9 μM, respectively, compared to the standard reference drug, doxorubicin (IC₅₀ = 24.7 ± 3.2 μM). The two powerful anticancer compounds (7a and 7b) were further subjected to cell cycle analysis and apoptosis investigation in HepG2 using flow cytometry. We have also studied the enzymatic assay of these two compounds against some enzymes, namely, caspase-3, Bcl-2, Bax, and CDK-2. Interestingly, the molecular docking study revealed that compounds 7a and 7b could well embed in the active pocket of the CDK-2 enzyme via different interactions. Overall, the prepared pyrazole-indole hybrids (7a and 7b) can be proposed as strong anticancer candidate drugs against various cancer cell lines.

Assessment of exopolysaccharides, bacteriocins and in vitro and in vivo hypocholesterolemic potential of some Egyptian Lactobacillus spp

Lactobacilli probiotics have been suggested to reduce cholesterol with low side effects to host. Bacteriocins and exopolysaccharides (EPSs) production are two meaningful examples of functional applications of lactobacilli in the food industry. Eight Lactobacillus strains were isolated from some Egyptian fermented food and tested for their probiotic properties. Analysis of the monosaccharide composition by thin layer chromatography showed the presence of glucose, galactose and unknown sugar. The main functional groups of EPSs were elucidated by Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. Their fermentation cultures displayed powerful antioxidant activities extending from 97.5 to 99%, 40-75% for their EPSs and free cells, respectively, and exhibited in vitro cholesterol downgrading from 48 to 82% and 72 to 91% after 48 and 120 h, respectively. Their EPSs showed good anticancer activities against carcinoma cells with low IC₅₀ values for HCT-116, PC-3 and HepG-2 cells. To the best of our knowledge, there have been no previous reports on the potential of Lactobacillus EPSs activity against PC-3. The selected strains, L. plantarum KU985433 and L. rhamnosus KU985436 produced two different bacteriocins as detected by gel permeation chromatography with good antimicrobial activities. In vivo study demonstrated that feeding Westar rats with fermented milk exhibited greater cholesterol, LDL and blood triglyceride reduction for both strains. Whereas, HDL was increased by about 43 and 38%, respectively, and the atherogenic indices decreased.

Greenhouse gases emissions from duckweed pond system treating polyester resin wastewater containing 1,4-dioxane and heavy metals

Phytoremediation of polyester resin wastewater containing 1,4-dioxane and heavy metals using Lemna gibba (L.gibba) was enhanced by incorporation of perforated polyethylene carrier materials (PCM) onto the duckweed pond (DWP) system. The DWP module was operated at a hydraulic retention times (HRTs) of 2, 4 and 6 days and as well as 1,4-dioxane loading rate of 16, 25 and 48 g/m³.d. The maximum removal efficiency of 54 ± 2.5% was achieved for 1,4-dioxane at an HRT of 6 days and loading rate of 16 g1,4-dioxane/m³.d. Similarly, the DWP system provided removal efficiencies of 28.3 ± 2.1, 93.2 ± 7.6, 95.7 ± 8.9 and 93.6 ± 4.9% for Cd²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺ and Ni²⁺ at influent concentration of 0.037 ± 0.01, 1.2 ± 0.9, 27.2 ± 4.7 and 4.6 ± 1.2 mg/L respectively. The structural analysis by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) clearly displayed a reduction of 1,4- dioxane in the treated effluent. A strong peak was detected for L. gibba plants at frequency of 3417.71 cm^-1 due to N-H stretching, which confirm the proposed mechanism of partially conversion of 1,4-dioxane into amino acids. Glycine, serine, aspartic, threonine and alanine content were increased in L. gibba by values of 35 ± 2.2, 40 ± 3.2, 48 ± 3.7, 31 ± 2.8, and 56 ± 4.1%, respectively. The contribution of DWP unit as a greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions were relatively low (1.65 gCO₂/Kg BOD_removed.d., and 18.3 gCO₂/Kg _biomass.d) due to photosynthesis process, low excess sludge production and consumption of CO₂ for nitrification process (1.4 gCO₂/kgN _removed.d). Based on these results, it is recommended to apply such a technology for treatment of polyester resin wastewater containing 1,4-dioxane and heavy metals at a HRT not exceeding 6 days.

Antiproliferative and Antiangiogenic Properties of New VEGFR-2-targeting 2-thioxobenzo[g]quinazoline Derivatives (In Vitro)

A series of 3-ethyl(methyl)-2-thioxo-2,3-dihydrobenzo[g]quinazolines (1-17) were synthesized, characterized, and evaluated in vitro for their antiangiogenesis VEGFR-2-targeting, antiproliferative, and antiapoptotic activities against breast MCF-7 and liver HepG2 cells. Flow cytometry was used to determine cancer-cell cycle distributions, and apoptosis was detected using annexin-V-FITC (V) and propidium iodide (PI) dyes. Fluorescence microscopy, in combination with Hoechst staining was used to detect DNA fragmentation. Most of the tested benzo[g]quinazolines demonstrated promising activity (IC50 = 8.8 ± 0.5-10.9 ± 0.9 μM) and (IC50 = 26.0 ± 2.5-40.4 ± 4.1 μM) against MCF-7 and HepG2, respectively. Doxorubicin was used as a reference drug. Compounds 13-15 showed the highest activity against both cancer cell lines. Differential effects were detected by cell-cycle analysis, indicating similarities in the actions of 13 and 14 against both MCF7 and HepG2, involving the targeting of G1 and S phases, respectively. Compound 15 showed similar indices against both cells, indicating that its cytotoxicity toward the examined cancer cells could be unselective. Interestingly, 14 and 15 showed the highest apoptosis (30.76% and 25.30%, respectively) against MCF-7. The DNA fragmentation results agreed well with the apoptosis detected by flow cytometry. In terms of antiangiogenesis activity, as derived from VEGFR-2 inhibition, 13 and 15 were comparable to sorafenib and effected 1.5- and 1.4-fold inhibition relative to the standard sorafenib. A docking study was conducted to investigate the interaction between the synthesized benzo[g]quinazolines and the ATP-binding site within the catalytic domain of VEGFR-2.

Exploiting the 4-hydrazinobenzoic acid moiety for the development of anticancer agents: Synthesis and biological profile

Thirteen 4-hydrazinobenzoic acid derivatives were elaborated and characterized by spectral analyses (NMR and MS). Evaluation of their in vitro cytotoxic activity showed that some of the targets demonstrated potent inhibitory effects against HCT-116 and MCF-7 cancer cells. The IC₅₀ values ranged between 21.3 ± 4.1 and 28.3 ± 5.1 µM, respectively, whereas those of doxorubicin (reference drug) ranged between 22.6 ± 3.9 and 19.7 ± 3.1 µM, respectively. The active targets 6, 7 and 9 exhibited very weak cytotoxicity on normal cells (RPE-1) and showed higher IC₅₀ values against HCT-116 and MCF-7 cells in comparison to doxorubicin. Furthermore, compounds 7, 9 and 10 inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7 by the induction of apoptosis. The bioassay results in the regression plots generated in 3D QSAR models were in agreement and correlated with the anticancer results of the target molecules. The 4-hydazinobenzoic acid derivatives can be used as cornerstones for further structural modifications as future anticancer agents.

Design, synthesis and anticancer activity of novel pyrimidine and pyrimidine-thiadiazole hybrid glycosides

New 1,3,4-thiadiazole thioglycosides linked to substituted pyrimidines were synthesized via glycosylation of 1,3,4-thiadiazole thiol compounds. Also, novel 1,2,3-triazole derivatives linked to carbohydrate units were prepared using the standard click chemistry conditions employing the Cu(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition of substituted-aryl-azides with a selection of alkyne-functionalized sugars. The chemical structures of the new derivatives were verified using various spectroscopic techniques, such as IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and elemental analyses. The cytotoxic activities of the prepared compounds were investigated in vitro against human liver cancer (HepG-2) and human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF7) cell lines. In addition, the biological evaluation of the new compounds involved the investigation of their effects on a human normal retinal pigmented epithelial cell line (RPE1) using the MTT assay.

Synthesis, Antimicrobial and Antitumor Evaluations of a New Class of Thiazoles Substituted on the Chromene Scaffold

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE

A new series of thiazoles substituted on the chromene scaffold were prepared by facial approaches starting from (E)-1-(2,3-Dihydrochromen-4-ylidene)thiosemicarbazide derivatives (2a,b). The thiosemicarbazides (2a,b) were reacted with a series of α-halo carbonyl compounds to give the corresponding rhodanine analogues and reacted also with C-acetyl-or Cethoxy- N-hydrazonoyl chlorides to afford the corresponding tri- and tetra-substituted hybrid hydrazinyl thiazole substituted chromenes.

METHODS

The newly synthesized compounds were screened for their in vitro antimicrobial and antitumor activities by agar diffusion method and MTT assay, respectively.

RESULTS

The results of the antimicrobial activity revealed that some of the new compounds exhibited excellent activity against pathogenic microorganism; Candida albicans compared with Ciprofloxacin and nystatin, as the reference drugs. All of the tested compounds exhibited significant cytotoxic activities comparable to that of the reference drug; Doxorubicin® (on HCT116 (colorectal carcinoma human cell line).

One-Pot Multicomponent Synthesis and Cytotoxic Evaluation of Novel 7-Substituted-5-(1H-Indol-3-yl)Tetrazolo[1,5-a] Pyrimidine-6-Carbonitrile

A series of novel 7-substituted-5-(1H-indol-3-yl)tetrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-6-carbonitrile was synthesized via a one-pot, three-multicomponent reaction of appropriate aldehydes, 1H-tetrazole-5-amine and 3-cyanoacetyl indole in catalytic triethylamine. The cytotoxic activity of the new synthesized tetrazolopyrimidine-6-carbonitrile compounds was investigated against HCT-116, MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, A549 human cancer cell lines and one human healthy normal cell line (RPE-1) using the MTT cytotoxicity assay. Compounds 4h, 4b, 4c, 4i and 4a showed potent anticancer activities against human colon cancer. Additionally, all the compounds showed potent anticancer activities on human lung cancer.

Copper(i)-catalysed azide–alkyne cycloaddition and antiproliferative activity of mono- and bis-1,2,3-triazole derivatives

A series of mono- and bis-1,2,3-triazole derivatives were prepared via the copper(i)-catalysed azide–alkyne cycloaddition between substituted aromatic derivatives, comprising one or two terminal alkyne groups and a selection of aromatic azides.

Synthesis and Cytotoxic Activity of New 1,3,4-Thiadiazole Thioglycosides and 1,2,3-Triazolyl-1,3,4-Thiadiazole N-glycosides

New 1,3,4-thiadiazole thioglycosides linked to substituted arylidine systems were synthesized via glycosylation of the prepared 1,3,4-thiadiazole thiol compounds. Click strategy was also used for the synthesis of new 1,3,4-thiadiazole and 1,2,3-triazole hybrid glycosides by reaction of the acetylenic derivatives with different glycosyl azids followed by deacetylation process. The cytotoxic activities of the prepared compounds were studied against HCT-116 (human colorectal carcinoma) and MCF-7 (human breast adenocarcinoma) cell lines using the MTT assay. The results showed that the key thiadiazolethione compounds 2 and 3, the triazole glycosides linked to p-methoxyarylidine derivatives 14 and 15 in addition to the free hydroxyl glycoside 20 were found potent in activity comparable to the reference drug doxorubicin against MCF-7 human cancer cells. The acetylenic derivative 2 and glycoside 20 were also found highly active against HCT-116 cell lines.

Synthesis, Docking Studies into CDK-2 and Anticancer Activity of New Derivatives Based Pyrimidine Scaffold and Their Derived Glycosides

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE

New diaryl-substituted pyrimidinedione compounds, their thioxo derivatives as well as their bicyclic thiazole compounds were synthesized and characterized.

METHODS

The glycosylamino derivatives of the synthesized disubstituted derivatives of the pyrimidine scaffold were also prepared via reaction of the N3-amino derivatives with a number of monosaccharides followed by acetylation.

RESULTS

The anticancer activity of the synthesized compounds was studied against human liver cancer (HepG2) and RPE-1cell lines. Compounds 2a, 2b, 3a and 12 showed potent activities with IC50 results comparable to that of doxorubicin.

CONCLUSION

Docking investigations into Cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK-2) enzyme, a potential target for cancer medication, were also reported showing the possible binding interaction into the enzyme active site to support their activity behavior.

First Synthesis for Bis-Spirothiazolidine Derivatives as a Novel Heterocyclic Framework and Their Biological Activity

BACKGROUND

Spirothiazolidines are versatile synthetic scaffold possessing wide spectrum of biological interests involving potential anticancer activity.

OBJECTIVE

To report the first synthesis of Bis Spiro-thiazolidine as a novel heterocyclic ring system.

METHODS

One-pot three-component reaction including condensation of p-phenyllene diamine; cyclohexanone and thioglycolic acid produced Spiro-thiazolidine 4, which underwent further condensation with cyclohexanone and thioglycolic acid with equimolar ratio to introduce Bis-Spiothiazolidine 5 as the first synthesis. Also, bis spiro-thiazolidine arylidene derivatives 6-13 were synthesized by the reaction of Bis-Spiothiazolidine 5 with different aromatic benzaldehydes.

RESULTS

Four compounds 13, 12, 9 and 11 have shown highly significant anticancer activity compared to Doxorubicin® (positive control) against Human liver carcinoma (HepG2) and Human Normal Retina pigmented epithelium (RPE-1) cell lines.

CONCLUSION

The novel bis-spirothiazolidine deriviatives have been synthesized for the first time and showed excellent anticancer activities compare with the corresponding spirothiazolidine derivatives.

Development of Promising Thiopyrimidine-Based Anti-cancer and Antimicrobial Agents: Synthesis and QSAR Analysis

Objective & Methodology:

New hybrids of thiopyrimidine-five/six heterocyclic rings were synthesized and in vitro evaluated for their antiproliferative activity against three human cancer cell lines, namely HCT116 (human colorectal carcinoma), PC-3 (human prostate adenocarcinoma) and HepG2 (human liver carcinoma) cell lines. The most potency was elicited by the target candidates against the viability of HCT116 cell lines. It was higher than that obtained by the positive control 5-Fluorouracil (IC50 range; 0.11-0.49 μM, IC50, 5-FU; 1.10 μM).

Results:

Cell cycle analysis and apoptosis activation revealed that compound 20 induced G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis in HCT116 cells. In addition, compound 20 activates the caspases-9 and -3, a process which might mediate the apoptosis of HCT116 cells.

Conclusion:

Furthermore, there is a good agreement between the observed pIC50 and the predicted pIC50 values, in addition, the low RMSD and standard error values indicate the accuracy of the model. Antimicrobial evaluation revealed that some of these compounds exhibited significant activities against the tested pathogenic bacteria and fungi, wherein compounds 7a, 14, 15a, 21a, produced the most potent and broad spectrum antibacterial and antifungal potency that was equivalent to that revealed by Vibramycin and Ketoconazole (MIC; 125 μg/mL). Moreover, compounds 15a, 21c, investigated dual potent antimicrobial and anticancer activity.

Synthesis and Anticancer Activity of New ((Furan-2-yl)-1,3,4-thiadiazolyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole Acyclic Sugar Derivatives

New sugar hydrazones incorporating furan and/or 1,3,4-thiadiazole ring systems were synthesized by reaction of the corresponding hydrazide with different aldose sugars. Heterocyclization of the formed hydrazones afforded the derived acyclic nucleoside analogues possessing the 1,3,4-oxadiazoline as modified nucleobase via acetylation followed by the heterocyclization process. The anticancer activity of the synthesized compounds was studied against human liver carcinoma cell (HepG-2) and at human normal retina pigmented epithelium cells (RPE-1). High activities were revealed by compounds 3, 12 and 14 with IC₅₀ values near to that of the reference drug doxorubicin.

Design, Synthesis and Anticancer Activity of New Thiazole-Tetrazole or Triazole Hybrid Glycosides Targeting CDK-2 via Structure-Based Virtual Screening

Background & Objective:

The target tetrazole glycosides were synthesized by construction of ring system by cycloaddition reaction of benzothiazole-linked nitrile derivative and sodium azide followed by N-glycosylation process and deprotection.

Methods:

The triazole glycosides were prepared by applying click approach involving dipolar cycloaddition of benzothiazole possessing alkyne functionality and different glycosyl azides. The products incorporating acyclic analogs of sugar moieties were synthesized through alkylation using acyclic oxygenated halides.

Results:

The anticancer activity was studied against human breast adenocarcinoma cells (MCF-7) and human normal Retina pigmented epithelium cells (RPE-1). High activities were revealed by three compounds with IC50 values 11.9-16.5 µM compared to doxorubicin (18.6 µM) in addition to other four derivatives with good inhibition activities.

Conclusion:

Enzyme docking investigation was performed into cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2); a potential target for cancer medication. Compounds which have possessed highest activities revealed good fitting inside the binding site of the protein molecular surface and showed minimum binding energy.

Design, Synthesis and Antitumor Evaluation of Novel Pyrazolopyrimidines and Pyrazoloquinazolines

A series of N-aryl-7-aryl-pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines 18a⁻u and N-aryl-pyrazolo[1,5-a]quinazolines 25a⁻c were designed and synthesized via the reaction of 5-aminopyrazoles 11a⁻c with enaminones 12a⁻g or 19, respectively. The new compounds were screened for their in vitro antitumor activity toward liver (HepG-2) and breast (MCF-7) human cancer cells using 3-[4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide MTT assay. From the results, it was found that all compounds showed dose-dependent cytotoxic activities against both HepG-2 and MCF-7 cells. Two compounds 18o and 18a were selected for further investigations. Cell cycle analysis of liver (HepG-2) cells treated with 18o and breast (MCF-7) cells treated with 18a showed cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase and pro-apoptotic activity as indicated by annexin V-FITC staining.

Synthesis, Molecular Docking and Dynamics Simulation Studies of New 7-oxycoumarin Derivatives as Potential Antioxidant Agents

METHOD

Two new series of 4-styryl-7-oxycoumarin derivatives 3a-i and 4-styryl-7- oxycoumarinyl Mannich bases 6a-r were designed and synthesized. Ten compounds were evaluated for their antioxidant activity in vitro against DPPH and in vivo against lipid Peroxidation, Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Glutathione-s-Transferase (GST) and Catalase (CAT) activities. Molecular modeling study was performed to predict the mode of binding of the target compounds in the binding site.

RESULTS & CONCLUSION

Although the tested compounds showed moderate to low dose dependent DPPH inhibition activities in vitro, most of them displayed remarkable antioxidant effects in vivo. Compounds 1, 6b, 3c and 6r displayed significant decrease in MDA, SOD and CAT enzyme levels in H2O2 treated rats. Free binding energy was estimated by docking, MM-PBSA and MM-GBSA. Molecular dynamics simulation followed by MM-GBSA calculation was correlated to the antioxidant effect. Compound 1 illustrated the highest MM-GBSA value (-20.38) and the best antioxidant effect.