Pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinoxalines. A new class of cyclin-dependent kinases inhibitors

Protein kinases are involved in most physiological processes and in numerous diseases. Therefore, inhibitors of protein kinases have therefore a wide therapeutic potential. While screening for inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK's) and glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3), we identified pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinoxalines as sub-micromolar inhibitors of CDK1/cyclin B. A preliminary structure-activity relationship study suggests that this family of compounds can be optimized to inhibit CDK's and GSK-3. Compounds were tested for their anti-proliferative activity and the results show that several of them displayed a significant inhibitory effect on CDK1/cyclin B. The most active compound (1) was also tested against the brain kinases CDK5/p25 and GSK-3, and proved to be a good inhibitor of both of them. On the contrary, none of the compounds showed any activity in the CDC25 phosphatase assay. As an additional approach, affinity chromatography on immobilized pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinoxalines will be used to identify the intracellular targets of this family of compounds.     

Solvent free microwave synthesis and evaluation of antimicrobial activity of pyrimido[4,5-b]- and pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinolines

A series of 2-oxopyrimido[4,5-b]-, 2-thio[4,5-b]-, 1-(p-tosyl)pyrazolo[3,4-b]- and 1-(2',4'-dinitrophenyl)pyrazolo[3,4-b]-quinolines have been synthesized in good to excellent yields by environmentally benign solvent free microwave-induced techniques involving the condensation of 2-chloro-3-formylquinolines with urea, thiourea, p-toluenesulfonylhydrazide and 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine, respectively, using PTSA as a catalyst. All the synthesized compounds were evaluated for their antibacterial and antifungal activities. Most of the compounds showed the best activity against Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.     

Pyrazoloheteroaryls: novel p38alpha MAP kinase inhibiting scaffolds with oral activity

A test library with three novel p38alpha inhibitory scaffolds and a narrow set of substituents was prepared. Appropriate combination of substituent and scaffold generated potent p38alpha inhibitors, for example, pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine 9, pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine 18a and pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyrazine 23b with potent in vivo activity upon oral administration in animal models of rheumatoid arthritis.     

Synthesis and antiviral evaluation of some novel tricyclic pyrazolo[3,4-b]indole nucleosides

Novel pyrazolo[3,4-b]indole nucleoside analogs were synthesized from the corresponding 3-formyl-2-chloroindole and 3-cyano-2-chloroindole nucleosides by treatment with hydrazine. Very few examples of pyrazolo[3,4-b]indole heterocycles have been published in the literature and this is the first synthesis of nucleoside analogs containing this heterocycle. These new pyrazolo[3,4-b]indole nucleosides were active against human cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex virus type 1, but this activity was not well separated from cytotoxicity.     

Design, synthesis, and pharmacological evaluation of new neuroactive pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyrrolo[3,4-d]pyridine derivatives with in vivo hypnotic and analgesic profile

The present study describes the synthesis and pharmacological profiles of four novel pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyrrolo[3,4-d]pyridine derivatives 2-5, which were structurally designed by using the sedative and analgesic drug zolpidem 1 as lead compound. The heterotricyclic system present in the target compounds 2-5 was constructed in good yields, exploiting a regioselective hetero Diels-Alder reaction of the key azabutadiene derivative 7 and functionalized N-phenylmaleimides 9-12. Additionally, we identified that 1-methyl-7-(4-nitrophenyl)-3-phenyl-3,6,7,8-tetrahydropyrazolo[3,4-b]pyrrolo[3,4-d]pyridine-6,8-dione derivative (LASSBio-873, 5) presented not only the most potent ability to promote sedation, which was similar to that induced by the standard benzodiazepine drug midazolam, but also potent central antinociceptive effect.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of thienopyrrolizines, a new family of CDK/GSK-3 inhibitors

Fifteen new thieno[2,3-b ]- and thieno[3,4-b]pyrrolizines were synthesized and tested against two protein kinases, CDK1/cyclin B and GSK-3. Among these compounds, 3-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-8H-thieno[2,3-b]pyrrolizin-8-one 4g was identified as a moderate inhibitor of these kinases. Its molecular modeling study brought to the fore the pivotal role of the 2-methoxyphenol grouping and the interest in replacing it by bioisosteric moieties in future pharmacomodulations.     

Design and synthesis of 1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrazoles and pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridines for Aurora-A kinase inhibitors

Two series of 3-aminopyrazole compounds including 24 1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrazoles and 16 pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridines were synthesized and evaluated against HCT116, A549, and A2780 tumor cell lines. Among them, three compounds were found to have the ideal anti-proliferative activities in vitro. Docking experiments showed that the novel pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridines share the similar interaction mode with Aurora-A kinase as PHA739358.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel pyrazolo[4,3-b]oleanane derivatives as inhibitors of glycogen phosphorylase

Eighteen pyrazolo[4,3-b]oleanane derivatives have been synthesized and biologically evaluated as inhibitors of rabbit muscle GPa. Key compound 5 was readily obtained in four steps starting from oleanolic acid (OA; 1). Further modification based on pyrazolo triterpene 5 resulted in 17 novel pyrazolo pentacyclic triterpenes. All of the synthesized pyrazolo[4,3-b]oleanane derivatives were biologically assayed against rabbit muscle GPa. Within this series of compounds, pyrazole triterpene 19 (IC(50)=9.9 microM) exhibited more potent activity than the parent compound 1. Preliminary structure-activity relationship analysis of the pyrazolo[4,3-b]oleanane derivatives as GPa inhibitors is discussed.     

5-aryl-pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridines: potent inhibitors of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3)

A novel series of pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridines has been identified that are potent inhibitors of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3).     

De novo design of quinazoline derivatives as CDK2 inhibitors: 3D-QSAR,molecular fragment replacement and Volsurf predictions

Cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) has appeared as an important drug target over the years with a multitude of therapeutic potentials. To design compounds with enhanced inhibitory potencies against CDK2, 3D-QSAR and molecular fragment replacement studies were performed on the pyrazolo[4,3-h]quinazoline derivatives, a class of potent CDK2 inhibitors. The contours of 3D-QSAR model revealed important structural features of the inhibitors related to the active site of CDK2. Based on the pyrazolo[4,3-h]quinazoline core, the different substituents at three important points were replaced with diverse molecular fragments. The compounds resulting from fragments assembly with pyrazolo[4,3-h]quinazoline core were then scored with the robust 3D-QSAR model. Furthermore, the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion properties of these compounds were predicted by Volsurf to eliminate inappropriate compounds. Thirty-one new potential compounds were finally obtained. These results initiated us to further optimise and design new potential inhibitors.     

Synthesis and selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitory activity of a series of novel bicyclic pyrazoles

Novel series of pyrazolo[5,1-b]1,3-oxazolidines, pyrazolo[5,1-b]1,3-oxazines and imidazolidino[1,2-d]pyrazoles were synthesized. These compounds were evaluated in vitro for their ability to inhibit cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in human whole blood (HWB). Several of the compounds were found to be novel and selective COX-2 inhibitors, the most potent and selective being 1-(5-cyclohexyl (2H,3H-pyrazolo[5,1-b]-1,3-oxazolidin-6-yl)-4-(methylsulfonyl)benzene, 7a (IC(5o) for COX-1>100 microM; for COX-2=1.3 microM).     

An Efficient Approach for the Synthesis and Antitumor Evaluation of Novel Azo- and Anil-Linked with 3-Aminopyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine

In this project, an effective procedure for constructing a new combination of pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine was depicted through the coupling of diazonium salt 2 of heterocyclic amine 1 with active methylene, enamine, and amidine moieties such as 3 , 5 , 7 , and 9 at 0–5 °C in pyridine to afford hydrazinylhydrazonoyl derivatives 4 , and diazenylheterocyclic derivatives 6 , 8 , and 10 , respectively. Also, aminopyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine 1 condensed with different aryl or heteroaryl aldehydes in EtOH/AcOH gave the corresponding aldimine 14 , 15 , 16 . Compound 15 was cyclized via refluxing in DMF for 6 h to afford 18 , while the transformation of compound 16 with an alkyl halide afforded 19a , b . The synthesized compounds, explicated by spectral data and elemental analysis, were examined for their antitumor activities. The in vitro cytotoxic activity of new pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridines against the A2780CP, MCF-7, and HepG-2 cell lines was evaluated using the reference doxorubicin. Compounds 15 and 19a exhibited high reactivity against the A2780CP cell lines, with IC₅₀ values of 35 and 17.9 μM, respectively. Also, compound 28 had the cytotoxic potential for A2780CP and MCF-7 cell lines, with IC₅₀ values of 14.5, and 27.8 μM, respectively.     

Synteesis of Certain C-4 Substituted Pyrazolo[3,4-b]-Pyridine Nucleosides Structurally Related to Adenosine and Inosine by Tee Sodiw Salt Glycosylation Procedure

Abstract

Several C-4 substituted pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine nucleosides have been synthesized using the sodium salt glycosylation procedure and evaluated for their biological activity.     

Synthesis and evaluation of pyrazolo[1,5-b]pyridazines as selective cyclin dependent kinase inhibitors

A novel series of pyrazolo[1,5-b]pyridazines have been synthesized and identified as cyclin dependant kinase inhibitors potentially useful for the treatment of solid tumors. Modification of the hinge-binding amine or the C(2)- and C(6)-substitutions on the pyrazolopyridazine core provided potent inhibitors of CDK4 and demonstrated enzyme selectivity against VEGFR-2 and GSK3beta.     

Antitumor activity of new pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine SRC kinase inhibitors in Burkitt lymphoma cell lines and its enhancement by WEE1 inhibition

Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is a highly aggressive B cell neoplasm. Although intensive polychemotherapy regimens have proven very effective, they are associated with significant toxicities. Therefore, more rational therapies that selectively target the molecular abnormalities of BL are needed. Recent data suggest that the tyrosine kinase SRC could represent a therapeutic target for BL. We found that new pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine SRC inhibitors exerted a significant cytotoxic effect and induced apoptosis on two BL cell lines, as determined by MTS assays, cytofluorimetric analyses and caspase 3 assay. Notably, our SRC inhibitors proved to be more effective than the well-known SRC inhibitor PP2 [4-amino-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-7-(dimethylethyl)pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine] in BL cells. Moreover, our small molecules induced a G₂/M arrest in BL cells through a possible new mechanism, whereby SRC inhibition hinders an AKT-WEE1-cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) axis, leading to inhibition of CDK1, the main trigger of entry into mitosis. By using a small-molecule inhibitor of WEE1, a crucial CDK1 negative regulator, we were able to shift the balance toward apoptosis rather than growth arrest and enhance the efficacy of the SRC inhibitors, suggesting a possible use of these selective drugs in combination for a safe and efficient treatment of BL.     

5-aryl-pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridazines: potent inhibitors of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3)

Introduction of a nitrogen atom into the 6-position of a series of pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridines led to a dramatic improvement in the potency of GSK-3 inhibition. Rationalisation of the binding mode suggested participation of a putative structural water molecule, which was subsequently confirmed by X-ray crystallography.     

Imidazo[1,2-b]pyridazines: a potent and selective class of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors

Modification of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine CDK inhibitors lead to identification of less lipophilic imidazo[1,2-b]pyridazine series of CDK inhibitors. Although several equivalent compounds from these two series have similar structure and show similar CDK activity, the SAR of the two series differs significantly. Protein inhibitor structure determination has confirmed differences in binding mode and given some understanding of these differences in SAR. Potent and selective imidazo[1,2-b]pyridazine inhibitors of CDK2 have been identified, which show >1 microM plasma levels following a 2mg/kg oral dose to mice.     

Design, synthesis, and evaluation of 3,4-disubstituted pyrazole analogues as anti-tumor CDK inhibitors

Two series of 3,4-disubstituted pyrazole analogues, 3-(benzimidazol-2-yl)-4-[2-(pyridin-3-yl)-vinyl]-pyrazoles (2) and 3-(imidazol-2-yl)-4-[2-(pyridin-3-yl)-vinyl]-pyrazoles (3), were synthesized as novel cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors. Representative compounds showed potent and selective CDK inhibitory activities and inhibited in vitro cellular proliferation in various human tumor cells. The design, synthesis, and preliminary biological evaluation of these pyrazole compounds are reported.     

Pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidines as adenosine antagonists

A large number of nitrogen heterocycles structurally related to caffeine and theophylline have been tested for activity as adenosine antagonists. Preliminary screening, utilizing displacement of [3H]N6-phenylisopropyladenosine (PIA) binding to rat brain membranes, identified several pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidines with potential antagonist activity. These were then tested for their ability to antagonize adenosine-stimulated adenylate cyclase of guinea-pig slices and to block adenosine receptors which mediate presynaptic inhibition of transmitter release from cholinergic nerves in guinea-pig ileum. Of several compounds found to have antagonist activity, one of these, 4,6-bis-alpha- carbamoylethylthio -1-phenylpyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine ( DJB -KK) was approximately an order of magnitude more potent than theophylline in both tests. GTP greatly reduces the potency of purine agonists, but not antagonists, as inhibitors of [3H] PIA binding; the potency of the pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine compounds was not altered by GTP. The compounds have no significant activity against [3H]adenosine uptake or on the binding of ligands to muscarinic cholinergic, beta-adrenergic, GABA or L-glutamate receptors.     

Studies on Glycosides of 3, 4, 6-Trisubstituted Pyrazolo-[3, 4-D]Pyrimidines. Synthesis of 2′-Deoxyribonucleosides

Abstract

A synthesis of 4,6-dimethylthio-1-(2-deoxy-β-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl)pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-3-carbonitrile (4) is described using the stereospecific sodium salt glycosylation procedure. Condensation of the sodium salt of 4,6-dimethylthiopyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-3-carbonitrile (1) with 1-chloro-2-deoxy-3,5-di-O-p-toluoyl-α-D-eythro-pentofuranose (2) gave exclusively the corresponding blocked nucleoside (3) with β-anomeric configuration, which on deprotection provided 2′-deoxyriboside 4. Aglycone functional groups transformations of 4 led to related 3,4,6-trisubstituted pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-2′-deoxynucleosides. These compounds are devoid of any significant cytotoxic activity in vitro.