Non-thiol farnesyltransferase inhibitors: structure-activity relationships of benzophenone-based bisubstrate analogue farnesyltransferase inhibitors

Investigations on the structure-activity relationships of benzophenone-based bisubstrate analogue farnesyltransferase inhibitors yielded a bisubstrate analogue farnesyltransferase inhibitor lacking any prenylic or peptidic substructures with nanomolar activity. This represents a considerable progress in comparison to those non-prenylic, non-peptidic bisubstrate analogue farnesyltransferase inhibitors we have described before which utilized AAX-peptidomimetic substructures different from the benzophenone since those inhibitors displayed activity only in the micromolar range.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of lipophilic Ca(1)a(2)L analogues as potential bisubstrate inhibitors of protein:geranylgeranyl transferase-1

Ca(1)a(2)L analogues, having the central dipeptide a(1)a(2) replaced by a sugar amino acid, were provided at the N-terminal end directly or via a spacer with a lipid. The inhibitory potency toward PGGT-1 of the set of lipophilic Ca(1)a(2)L analogues was improved in comparison with the original analogues, 1 and 2. The most potent inhibitors, 39 and 40, were found to inhibit PGGT-1 with an IC(50)-value of 12.7 and 12.3 microM, respectively, which is a 6-fold improvement over the corresponding analogue 1.     

Design and synthesis of new leads for PKC bisubstrate inhibitors.

In order to obtain selective protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors competitive toward ATP, an efficient synthetic process of a series of monoindolylmaleimide derivatives was achieved. As expected from the PKC/PKA homology, the PKC selectivity was promoted by addition of amine chains on the maleimide ring. The most active derivative could be used as starting molecule for the preparation of specific PKC isotype inhibitors according to the bisubstrate concept.     

Stereoselective synthesis of beta-1-C-substituted 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-D-galactitols and evaluation as UDP-galactopyranose mutase inhibitors

The synthesis of 1-C-substituted 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-D-galactitols involving nitrone umpolung is described. The SmI(2)-induced key coupling proved highly stereoselective in favor of the beta-C-substituted products bearing a three-carbon chain at the pseudoanomeric position. Pyrrolidines 9 and 10, as well as the bicyclic compounds 8 and 11, exhibit weak inhibition of the activity of the UDP-galactopyranose mutase from Escherichia coli.     

Reaction intermediate analogues as bisubstrate inhibitors of pantothenate synthetase

The biosynthesis of pantothenate, the core of coenzyme A (CoA), has been considered an attractive target for the development of antimicrobial agents since this pathway is essential in prokaryotes, but absent in mammals. Pantothenate synthetase, encoded by the gene panC, catalyzes the final condensation of pantoic acid with β-alanine to afford pantothenate via an intermediate pantoyl adenylate. We describe the synthesis and biochemical characterization of five PanC inhibitors that mimic the intermediate pantoyl adenylate. These inhibitors are competitive inhibitors with respect to pantoic acid and possess submicromolar to micromolar inhibition constants. The observed SAR is rationalized through molecular docking studies based on the reported co-crystal structure of 1a with PanC. Finally, whole cell activity is assessed against wild-type Mtb as well as a PanC knockdown strain where PanC is depleted to less than 5% of wild-type levels.     

Synthesis of bisubstrate inhibitors of porphobilinogen synthase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Porphobilinogen synthase (PBGS) synthesizes porphobilinogen 2 (PBG), the common precursor of all natural tetrapyrroles, through an asymmetric condensation of two molecules of 5-aminolevulinic acid 1 (ALA). Symmetrically linked dimers 7-11 derived from levulinic acid 3 (gamma-oxovaleric acid) have been synthesized to mimic the assumed bisubstrate bound to the active site of the enzyme. Their inhibition potential was characterized by determination of the IC(50) and K(i) values using PBGS from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The polarity and the size of the functional group linking the two levulinic acid 3 units have a strong influence on the inhibition behavior.     

Towards the synthesis of bisubstrate inhibitors of protein farnesyltransferase: Synthesis and biological evaluation of new farnesylpyrophosphate analogues

Protein farnesyltransferase (FTase) has recently appeared as a new target of parasitic diseases, a field poor in drugs in development. With the aim of creating new bisubstrate inhibitors of FTase, new farnesyl pyrophosphate analogues have been studied. Farnesyl analogues with a malonic acid function exhibited the best inhibitory activity on FTase. This group was introduced into our imidazole-containing model leading to new compounds with submicromolar activities. Kinetic experiments have been realized to determine their binding mode to the enzyme.     

Regulation of beta-1,4-Endoglucanase Synthesis in Thermomonospora fusca

In Thermomonospora fusca YX, endocellulase synthesis varies over a 100-fold range depending on the carbon source used. This study shows that the variation is caused by two regulatory mechanisms: an induction mechanism that increases the rate of endocellulase synthesis about 20-fold and a growth rate-dependent repression mechanism that changes the rate of synthesis over a 6-fold range in both induced and noninduced cells. In T. fusca, endocellulase synthesis can be induced by cellulose, cellobiose, or cellodextrin. Cellulase is involved in inducer generation from cellulose. Growth rate-dependent repression can be reversed by limiting cultures for carbon, nitrogen, or, to a lesser extent, phosphorus. Further evidence for two separate regulatory mechanisms is provided by the isolation of mutants (CC-1 and CC-2) whose endocellulases are synthesized constitutively but are still sensitive to growth rate-dependent repression. These conclusions about total endocellulase synthesis were extended to the individual endocellulases by showing that three T. fusca endocellulases are coordinately regulated.     

Triazine dyes as inhibitors and affinity ligands of glycosyltransferases

The triazine dyes: Cibacron Blue 3GA, Reactive Red 120, Reactive Yellow 86, Reactive Green 19, Reactive Blue 4, Reactive Brown 10 inhibited the activity of a purified preparation of 1,6fucosyltransferase (GDP-L-fucose:N-acetyl -glucosaminide 6--L-fucosyltransferase, EC 2.4.1.68) from human blood platelets. Cibacron Blue 3GA and Reactive Red 120 were examined for the nature of the inhibition and both were found to be competitive inhibitors of the enzyme, with K_i=11[emsp4 ]M and 2[emsp4 ]M, respectively. The two dyes inhibited also serum glycosyltransferases: 1,2fucosyltransferase (GDP-L-fucose: -D-galactosyl-R2--L-fucosyltransferase, EC 2.4.1.69), 1,4galactosyltransferase (UDP-galactose: N-acetyl-D-glucosamine 4--D-galactosyltransferase, EC 2.4.1.90) and 1,3N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (UDP-GlcNAc: 4--D-galactosyl-D-glucose). Cibacron Blue 3GA was a more effective inhibitor of the glycosyltransferases that use UDP-linked sugar donors than Reactive Red 120 while the latter was a stronger inhibitor of the fucosyltransferases that use GDP-linked donor. All four glycosyltransferases could be affinity purified on Cibacron Blue 3GA-Agarose columns. The order of elution of glycosyltransferases from the columns with solutions of 0.25–1.0[emsp4 ]M potassium iodide also depended upon the structure of nucleotide sugar donor, i.e. whether it contained UDP or GDP. Thus, triazine dyes should interact with the sugar donor binding sites of glycosyltransferases. The main advantages of the use of triazine dyes as affinity ligands for isolation of glycosyltransferases are their universal applicability regardless of enzyme specificity, low cost, and insensitivity to high concentration of other proteins present in the solution.     

Synthesis of new sulfonamides as lipoxygenase inhibitors

The present study describes a convenient method for the synthesis of new lipoxygenase inhibitors, 4-(toluene-4-sulfonylamino)-benzoic acids from p-amino benzoic acid. Reaction of p-amino benzoic acid with p-toluenesulfonyl chloride provided thirteen N- and O-alkylation products 4a-4m in moderate to good yields. Lipoxygenase inhibition of newly formed sulfonamide derivatives was investigated and some of these compounds 4m, 4g, 4e, 4f and 4j showed good lipoxygenase inhibitory activities with IC(50) values ranged between 15.8 ± 0.57 and 91.7 ± 0.61 μmol whilst all other compounds exhibited mild anti-lipoxygenase activities with IC(50) values ranged between 139.2 ± 0.75 and 232.1 ± 0.78 μmol. N-alkylated products were more active against the enzyme than O-alkylated or both N- and O-alkylated ones. All synthesized sulfonamides were recrystallized in chloroform to give these title compounds which were characterized using FTIR, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, elemental analysis and single crystal X-ray diffraction techniques.     

Synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of novel isoquinoline N-sulphonylhydrazones designed as ROCK inhibitors

In this study, we synthesized a new congener series of N-sulphonylhydrazones designed as candidate ROCK inhibitors using the molecular hybridization of the clinically approved drug fasudil (1) and the IKK-β inhibitor LASSBio-1524 (2). Among the synthesized compounds, the N-methylated derivative 11 (LASSBio-2065) showed the best inhibitory profile for both ROCK isoforms, with IC₅₀ values of 3.1 and 3.8?µM for ROCK1 and ROCK2, respectively. Moreover, these compounds were also active in the scratch assay performed in human breast cancer MDA-MB 231 cells and did not display toxicity in MTT and LDH assays. Molecular modelling studies provided insights into the possible binding modes of these N-sulphonylhydrazones, which present a new molecular architecture capable of being optimized and developed as therapeutically useful ROCK inhibitors.     

Synthesis and evaluation of 1,4-diphenylbutadiene derivatives as inhibitors of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) production

Butadiene-imide 1 (T-686) derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory activity against PAI-1 production and their ADMET (DMPK and toxicology) profiles. Among these derivatives, compound 15k (T-2639) showed good antithrombotic activity in two rat thrombosis models without affecting bleeding time, indicating reduction of haemorrhagic risk. We also describe in this report a practical synthesis of 15k suitable for scale-up using Z,E-selective Stobbe condensation.     

Synthesis of new analogs of tetraiodothyroacetic acid (tetrac) as novel angiogenesis inhibitors for treatment of cancer

In the angiogenesis process, integrins, which are members of a family of cell surface transmembrane receptors, play a critical role particularly in blood vessel formation and the local release of vascular growth factors. Thyroid hormones such as l-thyroxine (T₄) and 3,5,3′-triiodo-l-thyronine (T₃) promote angiogenesis and tumor cell proliferation via integrin αvβ3 receptor. At or near an arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) recognition site on the binding pocket of integrin α_vβ₃, tetraiodothyroacetic acid (tetrac, a deaminated derivative of T₄) is a thyrointegrin receptor antagonist and blocks the actions of T₃ and T₄ as well as different growth factors-mediated angiogenesis. In this study, we synthesized novel tetrac analogs by modifying the phenolic moiety of tetrac and tested them for their anti-angiogenesis activity using a Matrigel plug model for angiogenesis in mice. Pharmacological activity results showed that tetrac can accommodate numerous modifications and maintain its anti-angiogenesis activity.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel sulfonyl-naphthalene-1,4-diols as FabH inhibitors

A series of analogs of 2-tosylnaphthalene-1,4-diol were prepared and were found to be potent 10-20 nM reversible inhibitors of the Escherichia coli FabH enzyme. The inhibitors were also effective but to a lesser degree (30 nM-5 microM), against the Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Plasmodium falciparum FabH enzymes. Preliminary SAR studies demonstrated that the sulfonyl group and naphthalene-1,4 diol were required for activity against all enzymes but the toluene portion could be significantly altered and leads to either modest increases or decreases in activity against the three enzymes. The in vitro activity of the analogs against E. coli FabH parallel the in vivo activity against E. coli TolC strain and many of the compounds were also shown to have antimalarial activity against P. falciparum.     

P1 Trisaccharide (Galalpha1,4Galbeta1,4GlcNAc) synthesis by enzyme glycosylation reactions using recombinant Escherichia coli

The frequency of Escherichia coli infection has lead to concerns over pathogenic bacteria in our food supply and a demand for therapeutics. Glycolipids on gut cells serve as receptors for the Shiga-like toxin produced by E. coli. Oligosaccharide moiety analogues of these glycolipids can compete with receptors for the toxin, thus acting as antibacterials. An enzymatic synthesis of the P1 trisaccharide (Galalpha1,4Galbeta1,4GlcNAc), one of the oligosaccharide analogues, was assessed in this study. In the proposed synthetic pathway, UDP-glucose was generated from sucrose with an Anabaena sp. sucrose synthase and then converted with an E. coli UDP-glucose 4-epimerase to UDP-galactose. Two molecules of galactose were linked to N-acetylglucosamine subsequently with a Helicobacter pylori beta-l,4-galactosyltransferase and a Neisseria meningitidis alpha-1,4-galactosyltransferase to produce one molecule of P1 trisaccharide. The four enzymes were coexpressed in a single genetically engineered E. coli strain that was then permeabilized and used to catalyze the enzymatic reaction. P1 trisaccharide was accumulated up to 50 mM (5.4 g in a 200-ml reaction volume), with a 67% yield based on the consumption of N-acetylglucosamine. This study provides an efficient approach for the preparative-scale synthesis of P1 trisaccharide with recombinant bacteria.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of a new vitamin D(2) analogue

A new vitamin D(2) analogue was synthesized using the Julia-Kocienski olefination. It has antiproliferative effects on cell lines from squamous cell carcinomas of colon and head and neck, but is also as hypercalcaemic as calcitriol in vivo.     

Several polylactosamine-modifying glycosyltransferases also use internal GalNAcbeta1-4GlcNAc units of synthetic saccharides as acceptors

The GalNAcbeta1-4GlcNAc determinant (LdN) occurs in some human and bovine glycoconjugates and also in lower vertebrates and invertebrates. It has been found in unsubstituted as well as terminally substituted forms at the distal end of conjugated glycans, but it has not been reported previously at truly internal positions of polylactosamine chains. Here, we describe enzyme-assisted conversion of LdNbeta1-OR oligosaccharides into GlcNAcbeta1-3GalNAcbeta1-4GlcNAcbeta1-OR. The extension reactions, catalyzed by human serum, were modeled after analogous beta3-GlcNAc transfer processes that generate GlcNAcbeta1-3Galbeta1-4GlcNAcbeta1-OR. The newly synthesized GlcNAcbeta1-3GalNAc linkages were unambiguously identified by nuclear magnetic resonance data, including the appropriate long-range correlations in heteronuclear multiple bond correlation spectra. The novel GlcNAcbeta1-3'LdN determinant proved to be a functional acceptor for several mammalian glycosyltransferases, suggesting that human polylactosamines may contain internal LdN units in many distinct forms. The GlcNAcbeta1-3'LdN determinant was unusually resistant toward jackbean beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase; the slow degradation should lead to a convenient method for the search of putative internal LdN determinants in natural polylactosamine chains.     

Synthesis and evaluation of novel triazoles and mannich bases functionalized 1,4-dihydropyridine as angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors

A series of novel diethyl 2,6-dimethyl-1,4-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate embedded triazole and mannich bases were synthesized, and evaluated for their angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity. Screening of above synthesized compounds for ACE inhibition showed that triazoles functionalized compounds have better ACE inhibitory activity compared to that of mannich bases analogues. Among all triazoles we found 6h, 6i and 6j to have good ACE inhibition activity with IC₅₀ values 0.713 μM, 0.409 μM and 0.653 μM, respectively. Among mannich bases series compounds, only 7c resulted as most active ACE inhibitor with IC₅₀ value of 0.928 μM.     

Synthesis and evaluation of novel 17-indazole androstene derivatives designed as CYP17 inhibitors

A series of novel 1H- and 2H-indazole derivatives of the commercially available dehydroepiandrosterone acetate have been synthesized and tested for inhibition of human cytochrome 17alpha-hydroxylase-C(17,20)-lyase (CYP17), androgen receptor (AR) binding affinity, and cytotoxic potential against three prostate cancer (PC) cell lines.     

Synthesis of novel 1,4-benzoxazin-3-one derivatives as inhibitors against tyrosine kinases

We designed and synthesized a novel 1,4-benzoxazin-3-one derivative 4 which would have inhibitory activities against tyrosine kinases. They could be synthesized easily from various carboxylic acids 10 and commercially available amines using TFP resin without purification. In this article, we will report the design and synthesis of a novel 1,4-benzoxazin-3-one chemical library 4 and the inhibitory activities against KDR and ABL which are closely related to chronic diseases such as cancer.