Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors. Inhibition of human cytosolic isoforms I and II with (reduced) Schiff’s bases incorporating sulfonamide,carboxylate and carboxymethyl moieties

A library of Schiff bases was synthesized by condensation of aromatic amines incorporating sulfonamide, carboxylic acid or carboxymethyl functionalities as Zn²⁺-binding groups, with aromatic aldehydes incorporating tert-butyl, hydroxy and/or methoxy groups. The corresponding amines were thereafter obtained by reduction of the imines. These compounds were assayed for the inhibition of two cytosolic human carbonic anhydrase (hCA, EC 4.2.1.1) isoenzymes, hCA I and II. The K_i values of the Schiff bases were in the range of 7.0–21,400 nM against hCA II and of 52–8600 nM against hCA I, respectively. The corresponding amines showed K_i values in the range of 8.6 nM–5.3 μM against hCA II, and of 18.7–251 nM against hCA I, respectively. Unlike the imines, the reduced Schiff bases are stable to hydrolysis and several low-nanomolar inhibitors were detected, most of them incorporating sulfonamide groups. Some carboxylates also showed interesting CA inhibitory properties. Such hydrosoluble derivatives may show pharmacologic applications.     

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors. Inhibition of the human cytosolic isoforms I and II and transmembrane,tumor-associated isoforms IX and XII with boronic acids

A series of aromatic, arylalkenyl- and arylalkyl boronic acids were assayed as inhibitors of four physiologically relevant carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) isoforms, the cytosolic human (h) hCA I and II, and the transmembrane, tumor-associated hCA IX and XII. The best hCA I and II inhibitor was biphenyl boronic acid with, a K_I of 3.7–4.5 μM, whereas the remaining derivatives showed inhibition constants in the range of 6.0–1560 μM for hCA I and of 6.0–1050 μM for hCA II, respectively. hCA IX and XII were effectively inhibited by most of the aromatic boronic acids (K_Is of 7.6–12.3 μM) whereas the arylalkenyl and aryl–alkyl derivatives generally showed weaker inhibitory properties (K_Is of 34–531 μM). The nature of the moiety substituting the boronic acid group strongly influenced the CA inhibitory activity, with inhibitors possessing low micromolar to millimolar activity being detected in this small series of investigated compounds. This study proves that the B(OH)₂ moiety represents a new zinc-binding group for the generation of effective CA inhibitors targeting isoforms with medicinal chemistry applications. The boronic acids probably bind to the Zn(II) ion within the CA active site leading to a tetrahedral geometry of the metal ion and of the B(III) derivative.     

Facile synthesis and characterization of novel pyrazole-sulfonamides and their inhibition effects on human carbonic anhydrase isoenzymes

In the current study, a series of pyrazole-sulfonamide derivatives (2–14) were synthesized, characterized, and the inhibition effects of the derivatives on human carbonic anhydrases (hCA I and hCA II) were investigated as in vitro. Structures of these sulfonamides were confirmed by FT-IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and LC–MS analysis. ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR revealed the tautomeric structures. hCA I and hCA II isozymes were purified from human erythrocytes and inhibitory effects of newly synthesized sulfonamides on esterase activities of these isoenzymes have been studied. The K_i values of compounds were 0.062–1.278 μM for hCA I and 0.012–0.379 μM for hCA II. The inhibition effects of 7 for hCA I and 4 for hCA II isozymes were almost in nanomolar concentration range.     

A novel library of saccharin and acesulfame derivatives as potent and selective inhibitors of carbonic anhydrase IX and XII isoforms

Small libraries of N-substituted saccharin and N-/O-substituted acesulfame derivatives were synthesized and tested as atypical and selective inhibitors of four different isoforms of human carbonic anhydrase (hCA I, II, IX and XII, EC 4.2.1.1). Most of them inhibited hCA XII in the low nanomolar range, hCA IX with K_Is ranging between 19 and 2482 nM, whereas they were poorly active against hCA II (K_Is >10 μM) and hCA I (K_Is ranging between 318 nM and 50 μM). Since hCA I and II are ubiquitous off-target isoforms, whereas the cancer-related isoforms hCA IX and XII were recently validated as drug targets, these results represent an encouraging achievement in the development of new anticancer candidates. Moreover, the lack of a classical zinc binding group in the structure of these inhibitors opens innovative, yet unexplored scenarios for different mechanisms of inhibition that could explain the high inhibitory selectivity. A computational approach has been carried out to further rationalize the biological data and to characterize the binding mode of some of these inhibitors.     

Synthesis,characterization and antiglaucoma activity of a novel proton transfer compound and a mixed-ligand Zn(II) complex

A novel proton transfer compound, pyridin-2-ylmethanaminium 2,4-dichloro-5-sulfamoylbenzoate (1), and a mixed-ligand Zn(II) complex, bis(2,4-dichloro-5-sulfamoylbenzoate)(2-aminomethylpyridine)aquazinc(II) monohydrate (2), have been synthesized from the same free ligands, which are 2,4-dichloro-5-sulfamoylbenzoic acid (Hsba) and 2-aminomethylpyridine (amp). They have been characterized by elemental, spectral (¹H NMR, IR and UV–vis.) and thermal analyses. Additionally, magnetic measurement and single crystal X-ray diffraction technique were applied to compound 2. In the complex, Zn(II) ion exhibits a distorted octahedral configuration coordinated by O1 and O1ⁱ atoms of two mono dentante sba anions and N1, N2, N2ⁱ atoms of bidentante amp anion and a water molecule (O1w). The free ligands Hsba and amp, and the products 1 and 2, and acetazolamide (AAZ) as the control compound, were also evaluated for their in vitro inhibitor effects on human Carbonic Anhydrase isoenzymes (hCA I and hCA II) purified from erythrocyte cell by affinity chromatography for their hydratase and esterase activities. The IC₅₀ values of products 1 and 2 for hydratase activity are 0.26 and 0.13 μM for hCA I and 0.30 and 0.15 μM for hCA II, respectively. The IC₅₀ values of the same inhibitors for esterase activity are 0.32 and 0.045 μM for hCA I and 0.29 and 0.23 μM for hCA II, respectively. In relation to esterase activities, the inhibition equilibrium constants (K_i) were also determined and found 0.25 and 0.058 μM on hCA I and 0.22 and 0.24 μM on hCA II for 1 and 2, respectively. The comparison of the inhibition studies of newly synthesized compounds 1 and 2 to parent compounds Hsba and amp and to AAZ indicated that 1 and 2 have effective inhibitory activity on hCA I and II, and might be used potential inhibitors.     

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors: Synthesis and inhibition of the human carbonic anhydrase isoforms I,II, IX and XII with benzene sulfonamides incorporating 4- and 3-nitrophthalimide moieties

A series of 4 and 5 nitro-1,3-dioxoisoindolin-2-yl benzenesulfonamide derivatives (compounds 1–8) was synthesized by reaction of benzenesulfonamide derivatives with 4 and 3-nitrophthalic anhydrides. These new sulfonamides were investigated as inhibitors of the zinc metalloenzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) and more specifically against the human (h) cytosolic isoforms hCA I and II and the transmembrane, tumor-associated hCA IX and XII. Most of the novel compounds were medium potency-weak hCA I inhibitors (K_is in the range of 295–10,000 nM), but were more effective hCA II inhibitors (K_is of 1.7–887 nM). The tumor-associated hCA IX was also inhibited, with K_is in the micromolar range, whereas against hCA XII the inhibition constants were in the range of 90–3746 nM. The structure–activity relationship (SAR) with this series of sulfonamides is straightforward, with the main features leading to good activity for each isoforms being established. The high sequence hCA alignment homology and molecular docking studies was performed in order to rationalize the activities reported and binding mode to different hCA as inhibitors.     

Novel sulfamides as potential carbonic anhydrase isoenzymes inhibitors

Sulfamides represent an important class of biologically active compounds. A series of novel sulfamides were synthesized from 1-aminoindanes, 1-aminotetralin, 2-aminoindanes and 2-aminotetralin via the reactions of free amines, benzyl alcohol and chlorosulfonyl isocyanate (CSI) followed by hydrogenolysis of the obtained sulfamoylcarbamates. Carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) inhibitory effects of the new sulfamides have been investigated. The human (h) isozymes hCA I and hCA II have been investigated in this study by using an esterase assay with 4-nitrophenyl acetate as substrate. The new sulfamides showed inhibition constants in the micro–submicromolar range, with one compound (N-(indane-1-yl)sulfamide) showing a K_i of 0.45 μM against hCA I and of 1.07 μM against hCA II.     

A novel and one-pot synthesis of new 1-tosyl pyrrol-2-one derivatives and analysis of carbonic anhydrase inhibitory potencies

Here we propose a novel one-pot synthesis of new tosyl-pyrrole derivatives. By means of the new developed method, pyrrole derivatives were synthesized at room temperature in a single step, and a useful method is proposed for the synthesis of similar compounds. Moreover, inhibitions of two human cytosolic carbonic anhydrase (hCA, EC 4.2.1.1) isozymes I and II by 1-tosyl-pyrrole and 1-tosyl-pyrrol-2-on derivatives were investigated. 1-Tosyl-pyrrole, 1-tosyl-1H-pyrrol-2(5H)-one, 5-hydroxy-1-tosyl-1H-pyrrol-2(5H)-one and 5-oxo-1-tosyl-2,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrol-2-yl acetate showed inhibitory action with K_i values in the range of 14.6–42.4 μM for hCA I and 0.53–37.5 μM for hCA II, respectively. All pyrrole derivatives were competitive inhibitors with 4-nitrophenylacetate as substrate. Some new synthesized pyrrole derivatives showed very effective hCA II inhibitory effects, in the same range as the clinically used sulfonamide acetazolamide, and might be used as leads for generating enzyme inhibitors targeting other CA isoforms.     

Synthesis of 1,4-bis(indolin-1-ylmethyl)benzene derivatives and their structure–activity relationships for the interaction of human carbonic anhydrase isoforms I and II

Several 1,4-bis(indolin-1-ylmethyl)benzene-based compounds containing substituents such as five, six and seven cyclic derivatives on indeno part (9a–c) were prepared and tested against two members of the pH regulatory enzyme family, carbonic anhydrase (CA). The inhibitory potencies of the compounds at the human isoforms hCA I and hCA II targets were analyzed and K_I values were calculated. K_I values of compounds for hCA I and hCA II human isozymes were measured in the range of 39.3–42.6 μM and 0.17–0.29 μM, respectively. The structurally related compound indole was also tested in order to understand the structure–activity relationship. Most of the compounds showed good CA inhibitory efficacy. In silico docking studies of these derivatives within hCA I and II were also carried out and results are supported the kinetic assays.     

The synthesis of novel pyrazole-3,4-dicarboxamides bearing 5-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-sulfonamide moiety with effective inhibitory activity against the isoforms of human cytosolic carbonic anhydrase I and II

A series of 1-(3-substituted-phenyl)-5-phenyl-N³,N⁴-bis(5-sulfamoyl-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)-1H-pyrazole-3,4-dicarboxamides (4–15) were synthesized. The structures of these pyrazole-sulfonamides were confirmed by FT-IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and elemental analysis methods. Human cytosolic carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) isozymes (hCA I and II) were purified from erythrocyte cells by affinity chromatography. The inhibitory effects of newly synthesized derivatives (4–15) were investigated in vitro on esterase activities of these isozymes. The K_i values were determined as 0.119–3.999 μM for hCA I and 0.084–0.878 μM for hCA II. The results showed that the compound 6 for hCA I and the compound 11 for hCA II had the highest inhibitory effect. Beside that, the compound 8 had the lowest inhibition effect on both isozymes.     

Design,synthesis and evaluation of N-substituted saccharin derivatives as selective inhibitors of tumor-associated carbonic anhydrase XII

A series of N-alkylated saccharin derivatives were synthesized and tested for the inhibition of four different isoforms of human carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4. 2.1.1): the transmembrane tumor-associated CA IX and XII, and the cytosolic CA I and II. Most of the reported derivatives inhibited CA XII in the nanomolar/low micromolar range, hCA IX with K_Is ranging between 11 and 390 nM, whereas they were inactive against both CA I (K_Is >50 μM) and II (K_Is ranging between 39.1 nM and 50 μM). Since CA I and II are off-targets of antitumor carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (CAIs), the obtained results represent an encouraging achievement for the development of new anticancer candidates without the common side effects of non-selective CAIs. Moreover, the lack of an explicit zinc binding function on these inhibitors opens the way towards the exploration of novel mechanisms of inhibition that could explain the high selectivity of these compounds for the inhibition of the transmembrane, tumor-associated isoforms over the cytosolic ones.     

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors. Inhibition of human erythrocyte isozymes I and II with a series of antioxidant phenols

The inhibition of two human cytosolic carbonic anhydrase (hCA, EC 4.2.1.1) isozymes I and II, with a series of phenol derivatives was investigated by using the esterase assay, with 4-nitrophenyl acetate as substrate. 2,6-Dimethylphenol, 2,6-diisopropylphenol (propofol), 2,6-di-t-butylphenol, butylated hydroxytoluene, butylated hydroxyanisole, vanillin, guaiacol, di(2,6-dimethylphenol), di(2,6-diisopropylphenol), di(2,6-di-t-butylphenol), and acetazolamide showed K_I values in the range of 37.5–274.5 μM for hCA I and of 0.29–113.5 μM against hCA II, respectively. All these phenols were non-competitive inhibitors with 4-nitrophenylacetate as substrate. Some antioxidant phenol derivatives investigated here showed effective hCA II inhibitory effects, in the same range as the clinically used sulfonamide acetazolamide, and might be used as leads for generating enzyme inhibitors possibly targeting other CA isoforms which have not been yet assayed for their interactions with such agents.     

4-Functionalized 1,3-diarylpyrazoles bearing 6-aminosulfonylbenzothiazole moiety as potent inhibitors of carbonic anhydrase isoforms hCA I,II, IX and XII

A series of 24 novel heterocyclic compounds—functionalized at position 4 with aldehyde (5a–5f), carboxylic acid (6a–6f), nitrile (7a–7f) and oxime (8a–8f) functional groups—bearing 6-aminosulfonybenzothiazole moiety at position 1 of pyrazole has been synthesized and investigated for the inhibition of four isoforms of the α-class carbonic anhydrases (CAs, EC 4.2.1.1), comprising hCAs I and II (cytosolic, ubiquitous isozymes) and hCAs IX and XII (transmembrane, tumor associated isozymes). Against the human isozyme hCA I, compounds 6a–6f showed medium-weak inhibitory potential with K_i values in the range of 157–690 nM with 6a showing better potential than the standard drug acetazolamide (AZA). Against hCA II, all the compounds showed excellent to moderate inhibition with K_i values of compounds 5a, 5d, 5f, 6a–6f, 8d and 8f lower than 12 nM (K_i of AZA). Against hCA IX, all the compounds showed moderate inhibition with the exception of 6e which showed nearly 9 fold a better profile compared to AZA, whereas against hCA XII, four compounds 6e, 7a, 7b and 7d showed K_i in the same order as that of AZA. Carboxylic acid 6e was found to be an excellent inhibitor of both hCA IX and XII, with K_i values of 2.8 nM and 5.5 nM, respectively.     

6-Triazolyl-substituted sulfocoumarins are potent,selective inhibitors of the tumor-associated carbonic anhydrases IX and XII

A series of 6-substituted sulfocoumarins incorporating substituted-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl-/5-yl moieties were synthesized by employing click chemistry. The new sulfocoumarins incorporated cycloalkyl, tert-butyl and substituted aryl moieties at the triazole ring, and were investigated for the inhibition of four human (h) carbonic anhydrase (hCA, EC 4.2.1.1) isoforms, the cytosolic hCA I and II; and the transmembrane, tumor-associated hCA IX and XII. The triazole-substituted sulfocoumarins did not inhibit the ubiquitous, off-target cytosolic isoforms hCA I and II (K_Is >10 μM) but showed effective inhibition against the two transmembrane CAs, with K_Is ranging from 7.2 to 10.5 nM against hCA IX, and between 5.5 and 17.7 nM against hCA XII. As hCA IX and XII are validated anti-tumor targets, such prodrug, isoform-selective inhibitors as the sulfocoumarins reported here, may be useful for identifying suitable drug candidates for clinical trials.     

Selective inhibition of human carbonic anhydrases by novel amide derivatives of probenecid: Synthesis,biological evaluation and molecular modelling studies

Novel amide derivatives of probenecid, a well-known uricosuric agent, were synthesized and evaluated as inhibitors of human carbonic anhydrases (hCAs, EC 4.2.1.1). The transmembrane isoforms (hCA IX and XII) were potently and selectively inhibited by some of them. The proposed chemical modification led to a complete loss of hCA II inhibition (K_is > 10,000 nM) and enhanced the inhibitory activity against the tumour-associated hCA XII (compound 4 showed a K_i value of 15.3 nM). The enzyme inhibitory data have also been validated by docking studies of the compounds within the active site of hCA XII.     

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors: Two-prong versus mono-prong inhibitors of isoforms I,II, IX,and XII exemplified by photochromic cis-1,2-α-dithienylethene derivatives

We investigated the inhibition of five physiologically relevant CA isoforms with photochromic cis-1,2-α-dithienylethene-based compounds incorporating either a benzenesulfonamide and Cu(II)-iminodiacetic acid (IDA)-, bis-benzenesulfonamide-, bis-Cu(II)-IDA-, and bis-ethyleneglycol-methyl ether moieties, in both their open- and closed-ring forms. For hCA I the best inhibitors were the mono-prong bis-sulfonamide and the bis-Cu-IDA complexes (K_Is of 2–3 nM) in their open form. For hCA II, best inhibitors were the open and closed forms of the mono-prong bis-sulfonamide (K_Is of 13–18 nM). hCA IX was moderately inhibited by these compounds (K_Is of 9–376 nM) whereas hCA XII and XIV were less susceptible to inhibition (K_Is of 1.12–16.7 μM).     

Acetylcholinesterase and carbonic anhydrase inhibitory properties of novel urea and sulfamide derivatives incorporating dopaminergic 2-aminotetralin scaffolds

In the present study a series of urea and sulfamide compounds incorporating the tetralin scaffolds were synthesized and evaluated for their acetylcholinesterase (AChE), human carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) isoenzyme I, and II (hCA I and hCA II) inhibitory properties. The urea and their sulfamide analogs were synthesized from the reactions of 2-aminotetralins with N,N-dimethylcarbamoyl chloride and N,N-dimethylsulfamoyl chloride, followed by conversion to the corresponding phenols via O-demethylation with BBr₃. The novel urea and sulfamide derivatives were tested for inhibition of hCA I, II and AChE enzymes. These derivatives exhibited excellent inhibitory effects, in the low nanomolar range, with K_i values of 2.61–3.69 nM against hCA I, 1.64–2.80 nM against hCA II, and in the range of 0.45–1.74 nM against AChE. In silico techniques such as, atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) and molecular docking simulations, were used to understand the scenario of the inhibition mechanism upon approaching of the ligands into the active site of the target enzymes. In light of the experimental and computational results, crucial amino acids playing a role in the stabilization of the enzyme–inhibitor adducts were identified.     

Synthesis of novel acridine and bis acridine sulfonamides with effective inhibitory activity against the cytosolic carbonic anhydrase isoforms II and VII

4-Amino-N-(4-sulfamoylphenyl)benzamide was synthesized by reduction of 4-nitro-N-(4-sulfamoylphenyl)benzamide and used to synthesize novel acridine sulfonamide compounds, by a coupling reaction with cyclic-1,3-diketones and aromatic aldehydes. The new compounds were investigated as inhibitors of the metalloenzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1), and more precisely the cytosolic isoforms hCA I, II and VII. hCA I was inhibited in the micromolar range by the new compounds (K_Is of 0.16–9.64 μM) whereas hCA II and VII showed higher affinity for these compounds, with K_Is in the range of 15–96 nM for hCA II, and of 4–498 nM for hCA VII. The structure–activity relationships for the inhibition of these isoforms with the acridine–sulfonamides reported here were also elucidated.     

Synthesis of 6-tetrazolyl-substituted sulfocoumarins acting as highly potent and selective inhibitors of the tumor-associated carbonic anhydrase isoforms IX and XII

A series of 6-substituted sulfocoumarins incorporating substituted-1,2,3,4-tetrazol-5-yl moieties were synthesized by reaction of 6-iodo-sulfocoumarin and the corresponding tetrazole via the CH activation reaction. The new sulfocoumarins incorporating alkyl and substituted aryl moieties at the 1-position of the tetrazole, were investigated for the inhibition of four human (h) carbonic anhydrase (hCA, EC 4.2.1.1) isoforms, the cytosolic hCA I and II; and the transmembrane, tumor-associated hCA IX and XII. The tetrazole-substituted sulfocoumarins did not inhibit the ubiquitous, off-target cytosolic isoforms (K_Is >10 μM) but showed effective inhibition against the two transmembrane CAs, with K_Is ranging from 6.5 to 68.6 nM against hCA IX, and between 4.3 and 59.8 nM against hCA XII. As hCA IX and XII are validated anti-tumor targets, such prodrug, isoform-selective inhibitors as the sulfocoumarins reported here, may be useful for identifying suitable drug candidates for clinical trials.     

Substituted benzene sulfonamides incorporating 1,3,5-triazinyl moieties potently inhibit human carbonic anhydrases II,IX and XII

A series of benzene sulfonamides incorporating 1,3,5-triazinyl moieties were synthesized using cyanuric chloride as starting material. Inhibition studies against human carbonic anhydrase (hCA, EC 4.2.1.1) isoforms I, II (cytosolic) and IX, XII (transmembrane, tumor-associated) isoforms were performed with the new compounds. hCA I was modestly inhibited (K_Is in the range of 87 nM–4.35 μM), hCA II was moderately inhibited by most of the new compounds (K_Is in the range of 12.5–130 nM), whereas the tumor associated isoforms were potently inhibited, with K_Is in the range of 1.2–34.1 nM against hCA IX and of 2.1–33.9 against hCA XII, respectively. Docking studies of some of the new compounds showed an effective binding mode within the enzyme active site, as demonstrated earlier by X-ray crystallography for structurally-related sulfonamides incorporating 1,3,5-triazinyl functionalities.