Design,synthesis and ex vivo evaluation of colon-specific azo based prodrugs of anticancer agents

Colon-specific azo based prodrugs of anticancer agents like methotrexate (6), gemcitabine (7) and analogue of oxaliplatin (RTB-4) (8) were synthesized and characterized by modern analytical techniques. The prepared prodrugs were stable in acidic (pH 1.2) and basic (pH 7.4) buffers which showed their stability in upper GIT environment. Further, an assay was performed which demonstrated the presence of azoreductase enzyme in the rat fecal material, rat cecum content and other parts of intestinal content which reduce specifically the azo bond and release the drug. The in vitro cytotoxicity assay was also performed which clearly indicated that these azo based prodrugs are active against human colorectal cancer cell lines (COLO 205, COLO 320 DM and HT-29). The release behavior of prodrugs (10, 11 and 15) was 60–70% after 24 h incubation at 37 °C. Therefore, the synthesized azo linked prodrugs of methotrexate, gemcitabine and RTB-4 are the potential candidates for colon targeted drug delivery system with minimal undesirable side effects.     

Synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of nucleoside prodrugs designed to target siderophore biosynthesis in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

The nucleoside antibiotic, 5′-O-[N-(salicyl)sulfamoyl]adenosine (1), possesses potent whole-cell activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the etiological agent of tuberculosis (TB). This compound is also active in vivo, but suffers from poor drug disposition properties that result in poor bioavailability and rapid clearance. The synthesis and evaluation of a systematic series of lipophilic ester prodrugs containing linear and α-branched alkanoyl groups from two to twelve carbons at the 3′-position of a 2′-fluorinated analog of 1 is reported with the goal to improve oral bioavailability. The prodrugs were stable in simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2) and under physiological conditions (pH 7.4). The prodrugs were also remarkably stable in mouse, rat, and human serum (relative serum stability: human ∼ rat ≫ mouse) displaying a parabolic trend in the SAR with hydrolysis rates increasing with chain length up to eight carbons (t_1/2 = 1.6 h for octanoyl prodrug 7 in mouse serum) and then decreasing again with higher chain lengths. The permeability of the prodrugs was also assessed in a Caco-2 cell transwell model. All of the prodrugs were found to have reduced permeation in the apical-to-basolateral direction and enhanced permeation in the basolateral-to-apical direction relative to the parent compound 2, resulting in efflux ratios 5–28 times greater than 2. Additionally, Caco-2 cells were found to hydrolyze the prodrugs with SAR mirroring the serum stability results and a preference for hydrolysis on the apical side. Taken together, these results suggest that the described prodrug strategy will lead to lower than expected oral bioavailability of 2 and highlight the contribution of intestinal esterases for prodrug hydrolysis.     

Chlorzoxazone esters of some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAI) carboxylic acids as mutual prodrugs: Design,synthesis, pharmacological investigations and docking studies

The discovery of the inducible isoform of cyclooxygenase enzyme (COX-2) spurred the search for anti-inflammatory agents devoid of the undesirable effects associated with classical NSAIDs. New chlorzoxazone ester prodrugs (6–8) of some acidic NSAIDs (1–3) were designed, synthesized and evaluated as mutual prodrugs with the aim of improving the therapeutic potency and retard the adverse effects of gastrointestinal origin. The structure of the synthesized mutual ester prodrugs (6–8) were confirmed by IR, ¹H NMR, mass spectroscopy (MS) and their purity was ascertained by TLC and elemental analyses. In vitro chemical stability revealed that the synthesized ester prodrugs (6–8) are chemically stable in hydrochloric acid buffer pH 1.2 as a non-enzymatic simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and in phosphate buffer pH 7.4 as non-enzymatic simulated intestinal fluid (SIF). In 80% human plasma, the mutual prodrugs were found to be susceptible to enzymatic hydrolysis at relatively faster rate (t_1/2 ≈ 37 and 34 min for prodrugs 6 and 7, respectively). Mutual ester prodrugs (6–8) were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxation activities. Scanning electromicrographs of the stomach showed that the ester prodrugs induced very little irritancy in the gastric mucosa of rats after oral administration for 4 days. In addition, docking of the mutual ester prodrugs (6–8) into COX-2 active site was conducted in order to predict the affinity and orientation of these prodrugs at the enzyme active site.     

Synthesis and in vitro stability of amino acid prodrugs of 6-β-naltrexol for microneedle-enhanced transdermal delivery

A small library of amino acid ester prodrugs of 6-β-naltrexol (NTXOL, 1) was prepared in order to investigate the candidacy of these prodrugs for microneedle-enhanced transdermal delivery. Six amino acid ester prodrugs were synthesized (6a–f). 6b, 6d, and 6e were stable enough at skin pH (pH 5.0) to move forward to studies in 50% human plasma. The lead compound (6e) exhibited the most rapid bioconversion to NTXOL in human plasma (t_1/2 = 2.2 ± 0.1 h).     

Pyrazolylbenzo[d]imidazoles as new potent and selective inhibitors of carbonic anhydrase isoforms hCA IX and XII

Novel pyrazolylbenzo[d]imidazole derivatives (2a–2f) were designed, synthesized and evaluated against four human carbonic anhydrase isoforms belonging to α family comprising of two cytosolic isoforms hCA I and II as well as two transmembrane tumor associated isoforms hCA IX and XII. Starting from these derivatives that showed high potency but low selectivity in favor of tumor associated isoforms hCA IX and XII, we investigated the impact of removing the sulfonamide group. Thus, analogs 3a–3f without sulfonamide moiety were synthesized and biological assay revealed a good activity as well as an excellent selectivity as inhibitors for tumor associated hCA IX and hCA XII and the same was analyzed by molecular docking studies.     

Synthesis,characterization and pharmacological evaluation of certain enzymatically cleavable NSAIDs amide prodrugs

The presence of free carboxylic acid group in majority of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) is responsible from GI irritation. Coupling of the appropriate NSAIDs (diclofenac, naproxen, dexibuprofen and meclofenamic acid) 1–4, respectively with the appropriate amino acid ester 5 using dicyclohexylcarbodiimide afforded prodrugs 6–13. The structures of the prodrugs were verified based on spectral data. Chemical hydrolysis studies performed in three different non enzymatic buffer solutions at pH 1.2, 5.5 and 7.4, as well as in 80% human plasma and 10% rat liver homogenate using HPLC indicate no conversion of prodrugs to their respective NSAID in the studied buffers, while they underwent a reasonable plasma and rat liver homogenate hydrolysis. Furthermore, ulcerogenicity of prodrugs 9 and 12 were studied and results revealed no gastro-ulcerogenic effects.     

Dinitroglyceryl and diazen-1-ium-1,2-diolated nitric oxide donor ester prodrugs of aspirin,indomethacin and ibuprofen: Synthesis,biological evaluation and nitric oxide release studies

A new group of hybrid nitric oxide (NO) releasing anti-inflammatory (AI) ester prodrugs (NONO-NSAIDs) wherein a 1,3-dinitrooxy-2-propyl (12a–c), or O²-acetoxymethyl-1-[2-(methyl)pyrrolidin-1-yl]diazen-1-ium-1,2-diolate (14a–c), NO-donor moiety is directly attached to the carboxylic acid group of aspirin, indomethacin or ibuprofen were synthesized. NO release from the dinitrooxypropyl, or diazen-1-ium-1,2-diolate, ester prodrugs was increased substantially upon incubation in the presence of l-cysteine (12a–c) or rat serum (14a–c). The ester prodrugs (12a–c, 14a–c), which did not inhibit the COX-1 isozyme, exhibited modest inhibitory activity against the COX-2 isozyme. The NONO-NSAIDs 12a–c and 14a–c exhibited in vivo AI activity that was similar to that exhibited by the parent drug aspirin, indomethacin or ibuprofen when the same oral dose (μmol/kg) was administered. These similarities in oral potency profiles suggest these NONO-NSAIDs act as classical prodrugs that require metabolic activation by esterase-mediated hydrolysis. Hybrid NO-donor/anti-inflammatory prodrugs of this type (NONO-NSAIDs) offer a potential drug design concept targeted toward the development of anti-inflammatory drugs with reduced adverse gastrointestinal effects.     

5′-O-Aliphatic and amino acid ester prodrugs of (−)-β-d-(2R,4R)-dioxolane-thymine (DOT): Synthesis,anti-HIV activity,cytotoxicity and stability studies

A series of (?)-β-d-(2R,4R)-dioxolane-thymine-5′-O-aliphatic acid esters as well as amino acid esters were synthesized as prodrugs of (?)-β-d-(2R,4R)-dioxolane-thymine (DOT). The compounds were evaluated for anti-HIV activity against HIV-1_LAI in human peripheral blood mononuclear (PBM) cells as well as for their cytotoxicity in PBM, CEM and Vero cells. Improved anti-HIV potency in vitro was observed for the compound 2–4 (5′-O-aliphatic acid esters) without increase in cytotoxicity in comparison to the parent drug. Chemical and enzymatic hydrolysis of the prodrugs was also studied, in which the prodrugs exhibited good chemical stability with the half-lives from 3 h to 54 h at pH 2.0 and 7.4 phosphate buffer. However, the prodrugs were relatively labile to porcine esterase with the half-lives from 12.3 to 48.0 min.     

N-Sulfonyl dipeptide nitriles as inhibitors of human cathepsin S: In silico design,synthesis and biochemical characterization

A library of cathepsin S inhibitors of the dipeptide nitrile chemotype, bearing a bioisosteric sulfonamide moiety, was synthesized. Kinetic investigations were performed at four human cysteine proteases, i.e. cathepsins S, B, K and L. Compound 12 with a terminal 3-biphenyl sulfonamide substituent was the most potent (K_i = 4.02 nM; selectivity ratio cathepsin S/K = 5.8; S/L = 67) and 24 with a 4′-fluoro-4-biphenyl sulfonamide substituent the most selective cathepsin S inhibitor (K_i = 35.5 nM; selectivity ratio cathepsin S/K = 57; S/L = 31). In silico design and biochemical evaluation emphasized the impact of the sulfonamide linkage on selectivity and a possible switch of P2 and P3 substituents with respect to the occupation of the corresponding binding sites of cathepsin S.     

Discovery of (3S,4S)-3-methyl-3-(4-fluorophenyl)-4-(4-(1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-hydroxyprop-2-yl)phenyl)pyrrolidines as novel RORγt inverse agonists

A novel series of cis-3,4-diphenylpyrrolidines were designed as RORγt inverse agonists based on the binding conformation of previously reported bicyclic sulfonamide 1. Preliminary synthesis and structure–activity relationship (SAR) study established (3S,4S)-3-methyl-3-(4-fluorophenyl)-4-(4-(1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-hydroxyprop-2-yl)phenyl)pyrrolidine as the most effective scaffold. Subsequent SAR optimization led to identification of a piperidinyl carboxamide 31, which was potent against RORγt (EC₅₀ of 61 nM in an inverse agonist assay), selective relative to RORα, RORβ, LXRα and LXRβ, and stable in human and mouse liver microsomes. Furthermore, compound 31 exhibited considerably lower PXR Y_max (46%) and emerged as a promising lead. The binding mode of the diphenylpyrrolidine series was established with an X-ray co-crystal structure of 10A/RORγt.     

Identification of human,rat and mouse hydrolyzing enzymes bioconverting amino acid ester prodrug of ketoprofen

Alkyl ester prodrugs are well known to be bioconverted by carboxylesterases, particularly in rodents’ by first-pass metabolism in the systemic circulation and liver. However, the bioconversion of structurally more complex esters with polar functional groups is less well understood, especially in humans. Therefore, it is not clear if ester prodrugs can be utilized for targeted drug delivery. In the present study a brain-targeted ester prodrug (1) of ketoprofen, utilizing the l-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) was prepared and the enzymes involved in its metabolism in human plasma and liver S9 subcellular fraction as well as rat brain S9 fraction were identified. Furthermore, species differences among mouse, rat and human plasma and liver S9 fraction were compared. The results showed that bioconversion of the ester prodrug was much faster in mouse plasma compared to human, while it’s half-life in rat plasma was closer to the one of human. Moreover, both rodent species showed more efficient bioconversion in the liver S9 fractions compared to human and relatively efficient bioconversion in the brain S9 fractions. More specifically, butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and paraoxygenase 1 (PON1) were the main hydrolyzing enzymes of the prodrug 1 in human plasma, while carboxylesterases 1 and 2 (CES1 and CES2) as well as PONs were the main bioconverting enzymes in human liver S9 fractions. In rat brain S9 fraction, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was hydrolyzing the prodrug 1, although also other unidentified metal-and pH-dependent enzyme(s) were recognized to be participating to the total bioconversion of the compound 1 in the brain.     

Synthesis and biological activities of a pH-dependently activated water-soluble prodrug of a novel hexacyclic camptothecin analog

CH0793076 (1) is a novel hexacyclic camptothecin analog showing potent antitumor activity in various human caner xenograft models. To improve the water solubility of 1, water-soluble prodrugs were designed to generate an active drug 1 nonenzymatically, thus expected to show less interpatient PK variability than CPT-11. Among the prodrugs synthesized, 4c (TP300, hydrochloride) having a glycylsarcosyl ester at the C-20 position of 1 is highly water-soluble (>10 mg/ml), stable below pH 4 and rapidly generates 1 at physiological pH in vitro. The rapid (ca. <1 min) generation of 1 after incubation of TP300 with plasma (mouse, rat, dog and monkey) was also demonstrated. TP300 showed a broader antitumor spectrum and more potent antitumor activity than CPT-11 in various human cancer xenograft models.     

Azo-reductase activated budesodine prodrugs for colon targeting

Budesodine is a synthetic glurocorticoid that undergoes substantial first pass metabolism, limiting systemic exposure. Its use in treatment of inflammatory bowel disease would benefit from a targeting strategy that could lead to a local topical effect, improving safety and increasing anti-inflammatory efficacy. A two-step prodrug strategy involving azoreduction/cyclization that we developed previously for prednisolone is here applied with some variations to budesonide. The budesodine prodrugs were tested using an in vitro azoreductase assay simulating human colonic microflora. The kinetics of amino steroid ester cyclization and its pH dependence was also evaluated. The stability of the prodrugs systems in simulated human duodenal and gastric fluid was evaluated to determine the likelihood of intact intestinal transit. The propionic acid derived prodrug 3 undergoes rapid activation by Clostridium perfingens and its putative reduction product cyclizes with acceptable rapidity when synthesized independently. These properties of 3 suggest that it has potential in management of ulcerative colitis.     

Synthesis and evaluation of sulfonylethyl-containing phosphotriesters of 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine as anticancer prodrugs

A series of bis(sulfonylethyl) and mono(sulfonylethyl) phenyl phosphotriesters of zidovudine (3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine, AZT) were synthesized as potential anticancer prodrugs that liberate AZT monophosphate via nonenzymatic β-elimination mechanism. Stability studies demonstrated that all the synthesized prodrugs spontaneously liberate AZT monophosphate with half-lives in the range of 0.07–278.8 h under model physiological conditions in 0.1 M phosphate buffer at pH 7.4 and 37 °C. Analogous to aldophosphamide, the elimination rates were accelerated in the presence of reconstituted human plasma under the same conditions. Among the compounds, 3, 4, 8, and 10 were comparable or superior to AZT against five established human cancerous cell lines in vitro. Moreover, the selected compounds were equally sensitive to both the wild-type osteosarcoma 143B and the thymidine kinase-deficient 143B/TK⁻ cell lines. The findings are consistent with that these compounds deliver AZT monophosphate intracellularly.     

Design,synthesis and evaluation of novel oxazaphosphorine prodrugs of 9-(2-phosphonomethoxyethyl)adenine (PMEA,adefovir) as potent HBV inhibitors

A series of novel oxazaphosphorine prodrugs of 9-(2-phosphonomethoxyethyl)adenine (PMEA, adefovir) were synthesized and their anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) activity was evaluated in HepG2 2.2.15 cells, with adefovir dipivoxil as a reference drug. In the cell assays, compounds 7b and 7d exhibited anti-HBV activity comparable to that of adefovir dipivoxil, while compound 7c, with an IC₅₀ value of 0.12 μM, was found to be three times more potent than the reference compound. In vitro stability studies showed that (S_P,S)-7c, the diastereomer of compound 7c, was stable in human blood plasma but underwent rapid metabolism to release the parent drug PMEA in liver microsomes. The possible metabolic pathway of (S_P,S)-7c in human liver microsomes was described. These findings suggest that compound (S_P,S)-7c is a promising anti-HBV drug candidate for further development.     

4-(3-Alkyl-2-oxoimidazolidin-1-yl)-N-phenylbenzenesulfonamides as new antimitotic prodrugs activated by cytochrome P450 1A1 in breast cancer cells

The role and the importance of the sulfonate moiety in phenyl 4-(2-oxo-3-alkylimidazolidin-1-yl)benzenesulfonates (PAIB-SOs) were assessed using its bioisosteric sulfonamide equivalent leading to new cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1)-activated prodrugs designated as 4-(3-alkyl-2-oxoimidazolidin-1-yl)-N-phenylbenzenesulfonamides (PAIB-SAs). PAIB-SAs are active in the submicromolar to low micromolar range showing selectivity toward CYP1A1-expressing MCF7 cells as compared to cells devoid of CYP1A1 activity such as MDA-MB-231 and HaCaT cells. The most potent, PAIB-SA 13, bearing a trimethoxyphenyl group on ring B blocks the cell cycle progression in G2/M phase, disrupts the microtubule dynamics and is biotransformed by CYP1A1 into CEU-638, its potent antimicrotuble counterpart. Structure-activity relationships related to PAIB-SOs and PAIB-SAs evidenced that PAIB-SOs and PAIB-SAs are true bioisosteric equivalents fully and selectively activatable by CYP1A-expressing cells into potent antimitotics.     

Auxiliary in vitro and in vivo biological evaluation of hydrogen peroxide sensitive prodrugs of methotrexate and aminopterin for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes severe joints damage and other extra-articular alterations. Despite the efficacy of low-dose methotrexate (LD-MTX) in RA treatment, adverse effects are the predominant reasons for discontinuation of therapy. As a therapeutic targeting strategy, the presence of increased concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the inflammatory environment can serve as the stimulus for prodrug activation in site-selective drug delivery systems. Our group has previously reported novel ROS sensitive prodrugs (1–3) of MTX and aminopterin (AMT) for site-selective delivery to inflammatory tissue associated with RA, with the aim of reducing side effects in RA therapy. Herein, we investigate the effect and toxicity of the same prodrugs in a rat CIA (collagen-induced arthritis) model of RA. We find that prodrug 1, an arylboronic acid ROS-sensitive MTX-prodrug, displays similar in vivo efficacy as MTX at an equimolar dose, while avoiding adverse effects known to restrict MTX treatment. To further characterize prodrug 1 and its ROS mediated activation, we synthesized compound 4, a negative control lacking the boronic acid moiety. We then investigated the effect of molecules on cell proliferation and cytotoxicity in the presence of the ROS scavenger pyruvate, as well as their stability in buffer and cell media, demonstrating a direct correlation between ROS concentration and the prodrug activity. Moreover, the in vitro ADME properties were investigated, including permeability, rat plasma and microsomal stability.     

Design,synthesis, and preliminary pharmacological evaluation of new imidazolinones as l-DOPA prodrugs

l-DOPA, the immediate biological precursor of dopamine, is still considered the drug of choice in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. However, therapy with l-DOPA is associated with a number of acute problems. With the aim to increase the bioavailability after oral administration, we designed a multi-protected l-DOPA prodrugs able to release the drug by both spontaneous chemical or enzyme catalyzed hydrolysis. The new compounds have been synthesized and preliminarily evaluated for their water solubility, log P, chemical stability, and enzymatic stability. The results indicate that the incorporation of the amino acidic moiety of l-DOPA into an imidazoline-4-one ring provides prodrugs sufficiently stable to potentially cross unchanged the acidic environment of the stomach, and to be absorbed from the intestine. They also might be able to release l-DOPA in human plasma after enzymatic hydrolysis. The ability of prodrugs 6a–b to increase basal levels of striatal DA, and influence brain neurochemistry associated with dopaminergic activity following oral administration, as well as the radical-scavenging activity against DPPH for compounds 6a–b and 15a are also reported.     

Synthesis and bioactivities of pyrazoline benzensulfonamides as carbonic anhydrase and acetylcholinesterase inhibitors with low cytotoxicity

4-(3-Substitutedphenyl-5-polymethoxyphenyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)benzenesulfonamides (9–16) were synthesized and their chemical structures were elucidated by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, and HRMS. The compounds designed include pyrazoline and sulfonamide pharmacophores in a single molecule by hibrit molecule approach which is a useful technique in medicinal chemistry in designing new compounds with potent activity for the desired several bioactivities. Inhibition potency of the sulfonamides were evaluated against human CA isoenzymes (hCA I and hCA II) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme and also their cytotoxicities were investigated towards oral squamous cancer cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines (Ca9-22, HSC-2, HSC-3, and HSC-4) and non-tumor cells (HGF, HPLF, and HPC). Cytosolic hCA I and hCA II isoenzymes were inhibited by the sulfonamide derivatives (9–16) and Ki values were found in the range of 27.9 ± 3.2–74.3 ± 28.9 nM and 27.4 ± 1.4–54.5 ± 11.6 nM, respectively. AChE enzyme was strongly inhibited by the sulfonamide derivatives with Ki values in the range of 37.7 ± 14.4–89.2 ± 30.2 nM The CC₅₀ values of the compounds were found between 15 and 200 µM towards OSCC malign cell lines. Their tumor selectivities were also calculated with two ways. Compound’s selectivities towards cancer cell line were found generally low, except compounds bearing 3,4-dimethoxyphenyl 14 (TS1 = 1.3, TS2 = 1.4) and 10 (TS2 = 1.4). All sulfonamide derivatives studied here can be considered as good candidates to develop novel CAs or AChE inhibitor candidates based on the enzyme inhibition potencies with their low cytotoxicity and tumor selectivity.