Inhibition of wound ethylene in Lycopersicum esculentum fruit discs by 1-amino cyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase inhibitors

Inhibition of wound-ethylene by eight structural analogues of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) studied seperately was investigated in unripe tomato fruit discs (Lycopersicum esculentum). The compounds tested were: trans-2-phenylcyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (PCCA), cyclopropane-1,1-dicarboxylic acid (CDA), cyclopropylamine (CPA), cyclopropyl methyl ketone (CMK), chrysanthemyl alcohol (CHRA), 2-methyl cyclopropanecarboxylic acid (MCA), cyclopropanecarboxylic acid (CCA), 2-methyl-cyclopropane-methanol (2-MCM). The level of inhibition was a function of treatment concentration and time. Differential inhibition induced by the tested compounds was related to their structure.     

Stereoselective aliphatic hydroxylation of 6-n-propylchromone-2-carboxylic acid by female Dutch rabbits.

6-n-Alkylchromone-2-carboxylic acids are metabolized solely by aliphatic oxidation. In the rabbit, the 6-n-propyl congener (PCCA) undergoes omega-1 hydroxylation exclusively. Following administration of PCCA to female Dutch rabbits (500 mumol/kg), some 77% of the dose was excreted in the urine, 41% as PCCA and 36% as 6-(2'-hydroxy-n-propyl)chromone-2-carboxylic acid. Since this metabolite is chiral, we have examined the stereochemistry of the excreted material. Diastereoisomeric (as camphanate and alpha-methoxy-alpha-(trifluoro-methyl)phenylacetate esters) and direct chiral HPLC and chiral lanthanide shift NMR have each shown the S:R ratio of the excreted metabolite to be 76:24. When rabbits were dosed with the racemic metabolite, excretion of the compound was not stereoselective. The regio- and stereo-selectivity of the aliphatic hydroxylation of PCCA are thus reflections of the selectivities of the enzyme systems responsible for its formation and suggest PCCA to be an appropriate probe compound for the study of prochiral-chiral hydroxylations.     

The simultaneous determination of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid and cyclopropane-1,1-dicarboxylic acid in Lycopersicum esculentum by high-performance liquid chromatography--electrospray tandem mass spectrometry

Varying concentrations of cyclopropane-1,1-dicarboxylic acid (CDA), an inhibitor of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase, added to the solid culture medium of tomato nodal shoot segments resulted in a reduction in the level of endogenous ethylene according to the concentration of inhibitor applied. Following treatment with inhibitor, plants were homogenised and the concentrations of CDA and of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) were measured simultaneously in the resulting juice using an HPLC-ESI/MS-MS method. The levels of CDA and ACC measured in the plant tissues were associated with the concentration of inhibitor added to the solid medium. The HPLC-ESI/MS-MS method described produced limits of detection of 0.8 pmol for ACC and of 4 pmol for CDA.     

2,3-Dihydro-1,3-dioxo-1H-isoindole-5-carboxylic acid derivatives: a novel class of small molecule heparanase inhibitors

A novel class of 2,3-dihydro-1,3-dioxo-1H-isoindole-5-carboxylic acids are described as inhibitors of the endo-beta-glucuronidase heparanase. Several of the compounds, for example, 2-[4-propylamino-5-[5-(4-chloro)phenyl-benzoxazol-2-yl]phenyl]-2,3-dihydro-1,3-dioxo-1H-isoindole-5-carboxylic acid (9c), display potent heparanase inhibitory activity (IC(50) 200-500 nM) and have high selectivity (>100-fold) over human beta-glucuronidase. They also show anti-angiogenic effects. Such compounds should serve as useful biological tools and may provide a basis for the design of novel therapeutic agents.     

The lactam of alpha-guanidinoglutaric acid (1-amidino-2-pyrrolidone-5-carboxylic acid)

alpha-Guanidinoglutaric acid (alpha-GGA) has been reported to occur in the cerebral cortex after epileptic seizures. No physical characteristics of alpha-GGA have been given. A practical procedure for the preparation of alpha-GGA is reported here. alpha-GGA forms a lactam in aqueous solution at 80 degrees C. It is proposed to substitute this lactam, 1-amidino-2-pyrrolidone-5-carboxylic acid (pAGlu), for pyroglutamic acid (pGlu) at the N-terminal position in neuropeptides to modify their biological characteristics. L(+)-Glutamic acid was reacted with S-methylisothiourea (I) at pH 10 in aqueous solution to form L(-)-alpha-guanidinoglutaric acid: mp 165-168 degrees C, [alpha]22D = -22.7 (C = 4, 2 M HCl). alpha-GGA reacted promptly with excess reagent to form a salt, S-methylisothiourea-alpha-guanidinoglutarate: mp 209-210 degrees C, [alpha]22D = -13.0 (C = 4, 2 M HCl). I was removed from the salt with aqueous picric acid, since I readily formed an insoluble picrate, S-methylisothiourea picrate (mp 225-228 degrees C). Alternatively, the salt was added to a cation exchange column, and the alpha-GGA was eluted with molar ammonium acetate buffer, pH 9.5. Its lactam, 1-amidino-2-pyrrolidone-5-carboxylic acid, mp 248-249 degrees C, [alpha]22D = +2.1 (C = 4, 2 M HCl), formed a picrate (mp 196-199 degrees C).     

The enzymatic malonylation of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid in homogenates of mung-bean hypocotyls

Homogenates of hypocotyls of light-grown mung-bean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) seedlings catalyzed the formation of 1-(malonylamino)cyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (MACC) from the ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) and malonyl-coenzyme A. Apparent K_m values for ACC and malonyl-CoA were found to be 0.17 mM and 0.25 mM, respectively. Free coenzyme A was an uncompetitive inhibitor with respect to malonyl-CoA (apparent K_i=0.3 mM). Only malonyl-CoA served as an effective acyl donor in the reaction. The d-enantiomers of unpolar amino acids inhibited the malonylation of ACC. Inhibition by d-phenylalanine was competitive with respect to ACC (apparent K_i=1.2 mM). d-Phenylalanine and d-alanine were malonylated by the preparation, and their malonylation was inhibited by ACC. When hypocotyl segments were administered ACC in the presence of certain unpolar d-amino acids, the malonylation of ACC was inhibited while the production of ethylene was enhanced. Thus, a close-relationship appears to exist between the malonylation of ACC and d-amino acids. The cis- as well as the trans-diastereoisomers of 2-methyl- or 2-ethyl-substituted ACC were potent inhibitors of the malonyltransferase. Treatment of hypocotyl segments with indole-3-acetic acid or CdCl₂ greatly increased their content of ACC and MACC, as well as their release of ethylene, but had little, or no, effect on their extractable ACC-malonylating activity.Abbreviations ACC 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid - MACC 1-(malonylamino)-cyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid Dedicated to Professor Dr. Hubert Ziegler on the occasion of his 60th birthday     

The influence of 1-aminocyclopentane-1-carboxylic acid at position 2 or 3 of AVP and its analogues on their pharmacological properties.

This study describes the synthesis and some pharmacological properties of eight new analogues of arginine vasopressin (AVP) substituted at position 2 or 3 with cycloleucine (1-aminocyclopentane-1-carboxylic acid, Apc). All new peptides were tested for their pressor, antidiuretic and uterotonic in vitro potency. The Apc3 modification resulted in an almost complete loss of potency in all three tests, which is interpreted as a loss of interaction with all three neurohypophyseal hormone receptors. On the other hand, the Apc2 modification resulted in compounds having differently modified activities (high antidiuretic potency, low and graded pressor activity and either no activity or low oxytocin antagonizing activity in the uterotonic in vitro test) thus selectively altering the interaction with the receptors similar to that of 1-aminocyclohexane-1-carboxylic acid (Acc). The results obtained may be helpful for designing new analogues of arginine vasopressin.     

Synthesis,structural studies,and biological evaluation of some purine substituted 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acids and 1-amino-1-hydroxymethylcyclopropanes

The novel purine derivatives of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (8 and 9) and 1-amino-1-hydroxymethylcyclopropane (12 and 13) with methylene spacer between the base and the cyclopropane ring were prepared by multistep synthetic route involving alkylation of adenine and 6-(N-pyrrolyl)purine with 2-hydroxy-methyl-1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid derivative 3 as a key reaction. All novel compounds were racemic. The N-9 substitution of the purine ring and the Z-configuration of the cyclopropane ring in 4-13 were deduced from their 1H and 13C NMR spectra by analyses of chemical shifts, H-H coupling constants and connectivities in two-dimensional homo- and heteronuclear correlation spectra. An unequivocal proof of the stereostructure of 1, 4 and 5 was obtained by their X-ray structure analysis. The novel compounds were evaluated on cytostatic and antiviral activities in several cell lines. The 6-(N-pyrrolyl)purine derivative of 1,2-aminocyclopropane alcohol 12 exhibited a more pronounced inhibitory activity against the proliferation of cervical carcinoma (HeLa) and human fibroblast (WI-38) cells than other types of tumor cell lines. None of the compounds showed inhibitory activities against cytomegalovirus, varicella-zoster virus or other viruses.     

1-Oxo-3-substitute-isothiochroman-4-carboxylic acid compounds: Synthesis and biological activities of FAS inhibition

A new series 1-oxo-3-substitute-isothiochroman-4-carboxylic acid compounds have been designed and synthesized. Screening of these molecules for FAS inhibition in vitro has indicated that compounds 2c and 2d showed more effective FAS inhibition activities and higher therapeutic index than C75.     

Structure-activity relationship studies of 3-dodecanoylindole-2-carboxylic acid inhibitors of cytosolic phospholipase A2alpha-mediated arachidonic acid release in intact platelets: variation of the keto moiety

Recently we found that 1-methyldodecanoylindole-2-carboxylic acid (1) and 1-[2-(4-carboxyphenoxy)ethyl]-3-dodecanoylindole-2-carboxylic acid (4) were inhibitors of the cytosolic phospholipase A2alpha (cPLA2alpha)-mediated arachidonic acid release in calcium ionophore A23187-stimulated human platelets with IC50-values of 4.8 microM (1) and 0.86 microM (4). We have now replaced the 3-acyl residue of these compounds by alkylated sulfinyl-, sulfony-, sulfinamoyl-, sulfamoyl-, carbonylamino-, or carbonylaminomethyl-substituents. Structure-activity relationship studies revealed that the pronounced cellular activity of 4 strongly depends on the presence of the 3-acyl moiety. Surprisingly, when testing 4 and its derivatives in an assay with the isolated cPLA2, none of these compounds showed an inhibitory potency at 10 microM indicating that they do not inhibit cPLA2alpha in the cells by a direct interaction with the active site of the enzyme.     

Identification of potent type I MetAP inhibitors by simple bioisosteric replacement. Part 1: Synthesis and preliminary SAR studies of thiazole-4-carboxylic acid thiazol-2-ylamide derivatives

A series of thiazole-4-carboxylic acid thiazol-2-ylamide (TCAT, 4) derivatives were designed and synthesized according to simple bioisosteric replacement from previously reported pyridine-2-carboxylic acid thiazol-2-ylamide (PCAT) MetAP inhibitors. The preliminary SAR studies demonstrated that these TCAT series of compounds showed different activity and selectivity compared with those of the corresponding PCAT compounds. These findings provide useful information for the design and discovery of more potent inhibitors of type I MetAPs.     

A radioisotope assay for 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthase: S-adenosylhomocysteine analogs as inhibitors of the enzyme involved in plant senescence

A simple and rapid radioisotopic assay for 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) synthase was developed, an enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of the plant hormone ethylene. The assay utilizes an AG50W-X4(NH+4) column which separates S-adenosyl-L-[carboxyl-14C]methionine (AdoMet) from the product [14C]ACC, since the latter is not bound to the resin while [14C]AdoMet is. As opposed to other assays, this procedure measures ACC directly and does not require further conversion to ethylene. When an enzyme preparation from ripe tomato fruits (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill). was assayed, an I50 of 2.5 +/- 0.8 microM for sinefungin and a Km of 27 +/- 2 microM for AdoMet were obtained; these values were in good agreement with previous determinations made with a gas chromatographic assay. When other nucleosides were tested as inhibitors, the following order of decreasing activity was found: sinefungin greater than S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy) greater than AdoHcy sulfoxide greater than S-n-butyladenosine greater than 3-deaza-adenosylhomocysteine greater than S-isobutyladenosine greater than S-isobutyl-1-deazaadenosine. In contrast, S-isobutyl-3-deazaadenosine, S-isobutyl-7-deazaadenosine, 3-deazaadenosine, and adenosine were not inhibitory.     

Phenazine-1-carboxylic acid derivatives: design, synthesis and biological evaluation against Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn

Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn is the pathogen that causes sheath blight and results in significant yield reduction in rice and in nearly 50 other crops. In order to develop a new fungicide effective against this pathogen, a series of structurally diverse phenazine-1-carboxylic acid derivatives, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2i, 2j, and 2k, were designed, synthesized and evaluated for their antifungal activity. The two most active compounds 2i and 2j were selected as lead compounds for further antifungal research.     

Synthesis and SAR of 2-carboxylic acid indoles as inhibitors of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1

We synthesized and evaluated a novel series of 2-carboxylic acid indole-based inhibitors of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). Systematic modification of the N-1 position and the 5-position of the indole scaffold resulted in the identification of several compounds that showed good potency against PAI-1 in the spectrophotometric assay. This potency did not always translate to the antibody assay. Solubility and serum protein binding studies on selected analogs revealed that protein binding might be a factor in the poor correlation between the two assays.     

Design, synthesis, and structural analysis of inhibitors of influenza neuraminidase containing a 2,3-disubstituted tetrahydrofuran-5-carboxylic acid core

(+/-)-(2R,3R,5R)-[2-(1'-S-acetamido-3'-methyl)butyl-3-methoxycarbonyl]tetrahydrofuran-5-carboxylic acid (9) and (+/-)-(2R,3R,5R)-[2-(1'-S-acetamido-3'-methyl)butyl-3-(4'-imidazolyl)]tetrahydrofuran 5-carboxylic acid (14) were synthesized as inhibitors of influenza neuraminidase (NA). Both compounds 9 and 14 inhibit influenza NA A with an IC(50) of about 0.5 microM and NA B with an IC(50) of 1.0 microM.     

The discovery of novel benzofuran-2-carboxylic acids as potent Pim-1 inhibitors

Novel benzofuran-2-carboxylic acids, exemplified by 29, 38 and 39, have been discovered as potent Pim-1 inhibitors using fragment based screening followed by X-ray structure guided medicinal chemistry optimization. The compounds demonstrate potent inhibition against Pim-1 and Pim-2 in enzyme assays. Compound 29 has been tested in the Ambit 442 kinase panel and demonstrates good selectivity for the Pim kinase family. X-ray structures of the inhibitor/Pim-1 binding complex reveal important salt-bridge and hydrogen bond interactions mediated by the compound’s carboxylic acid and amino groups.     

Antifungal antibiotics and Siba inhibit 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthase activity

The antifungal antibiotics Sinefungin and A9145C isolated from Streptomyces griseolus and the synthetic nucleoside Siba, which are analogs of S-adenosylmethionine, inhibit the activity of 1-aminocyclopropane 1-carboxylic acid synthase from tomato fruits. Sinefungin and Siba were shown to be more potent inhibitors than A9145C. In extracts of green fruits, the enzyme activity was inhibited by Sinefungin with an I50 of 1 microM, which was similar to that caused by aminoethoxyvinylglycine, and by Siba with an I50 of 100 microM; in extracts from red tomatoes, the I50's were 25 microM and 100 microM, respectively. The inhibition of ACC synthase by these analogs could be reversed by gel filtration chromatography.     

6-Substituted 3,4-dihydro-naphthalene-2-carboxylic acids: synthesis and structure-activity studies in a novel class of human 5alpha reductase inhibitors

Novel 3,4-dihydro-naphthalene-2-carboxylic acids were synthesized and evaluated for 5alpha reductase inhibitory activity. This enzyme exists in two isoforms and is a pharmacological target for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia, male pattern baldness and acne. In the present study non-steroidal compounds capable of mimicking the transition state of the steroidal substrates were prepared. The synthetic strategy for the preparation of compounds 1-6 consisted of triflation followed by subsequent Heck-type carboxylation or methoxy carbonylation for 6-phenyl-3,4-dihydronaphthalen-2(1H)-one 1c. A Negishi-type coupling reaction between 6-(trifluoro-methanesulfonyloxy)-3,4-dihydro-naphthalene-2-carboxylic acid methyl ester 7b and various aryl bromides led, after further transformations, to 6-substituted 3,4-dihydro-naphthalene-2-carboxylic acids 7-15. In a similar way the corresponding naphthalene-2-carboxylic acids 16 and 17 were obtained. The DU 145 cell line and prostate homogenates served as enzyme sources for the human type 1 and type 2 isozymes, whereas ventral prostate was employed to evaluate rat isozyme inhibitory potency. The most active inhibitors identified in this study were 6-[4-(N,N-dicyclohexylaminocarbonyl)phenyl]-3,4-dihydro-naphthalene-2-carboxylic acid (3) (IC50 = 0.09 microM, rat type 1), 6-[3-(N,N-dicyclohexylaminocarbonyl)phenyl]-3,4-dihydro-naphthalene-2-carboxylic acid (13) (IC50 = 0.75 microM, human type 2; IC50 = 0.81 microM, human type 1) and 6-[4-(N,N-diisopropylamino-carbonyl)phenyl]naphthalene-2-carboxylic acid (16) (IC50 = 0.2 microM, human type 2). The latter compound was shown to deactivate the enzyme in an uncompetitive manner (Ki = 90 nM; Km, Testosterone = 0.8-1.0 microM) similar to the steroidal inhibitor Epristeride. Select inhibitors (13 and 16) were tested in vivo using testosterone propionate-treated, juvenile, orchiectomized SD-rats. None of the compounds was active at a dose of 25 mg/kg. This result might in part be ascribed to the relatively poor in vitro rat isozyme inhibitory potency.