RESUMO
N-heterocyclic compounds are important molecular scaffolds in the search for new drugs, since most drugs contain heterocyclic moieties in their molecular structure, and some of these classes of heterocycles are able to provide ligands for two or more biological targets. Ketene dithioacetals are important building blocks in organic synthesis and are widely used in the synthesis of N-heterocyclic compounds. In this work, we used double vinylic substitution reactions on ketene dithioacetals to synthesize a small library of heterocyclic derivatives and evaluated their cytotoxic activity in breast and ovarian cancer cells, identifying two benzoxazoles with good potency and selectivity. In silico predictions indicate that the two most active derivatives exhibit physicochemical properties within the range of drug-like compounds and showed potential to interact with HDAC8 and ERK1 cancer-related targets.
Assuntos
Antineoplásicos , Etilenos , Compostos Heterocíclicos , Cetonas , Humanos , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Etilenos/química , Etilenos/farmacologia , Compostos Heterocíclicos/química , Compostos Heterocíclicos/farmacologia , Compostos Heterocíclicos/síntese química , Antineoplásicos/farmacologia , Antineoplásicos/síntese química , Antineoplásicos/química , Cetonas/química , Cetonas/farmacologia , Cetonas/síntese química , Relação Estrutura-Atividade , Histona Desacetilases/metabolismo , Simulação de Acoplamento Molecular , Ensaios de Seleção de Medicamentos Antitumorais , Acetais/química , Acetais/farmacologia , Acetais/síntese química , Proteínas RepressorasRESUMO
N-acylhydrazones are considered privileged structures in medicinal chemistry, being part of antimicrobial compounds (for example). In this study we show the activity of N-acylhydrazone compounds, namely AH1, AH2, AH4, AH5 in in vitro tests against the chloroquine-resistant strain of Plasmodium falciparum (W2) and against WI26 VA-4 human cell lines. All compounds showed low cytotoxicity (LC50 > 100 µM). The AH5 compound was the most active against Plasmodium falciparum, with an IC50 value of 0.07 µM. AH4 and AH5 were selected among the tested compounds for molecular docking calculations to elucidate possible targets involved in their mechanism of action and the SwissADME analysis to predict their pharmacokinetic profile. The AH5 compound showed affinity for 12 targets with low selectivity, while the AH4 compound had greater affinity for only one target (3PHC). These compounds met Lipinski's standards in the ADME in silico tests, indicating good bioavailability results. These results demonstrate that these N-acylhydrazone compounds are good candidates for future preclinical studies against malaria.
RESUMO
Cardiotonic steroids (CTS) are agents traditionally known for their capacity to bind to the Na,K-ATPase (NKA), affecting the ion transport and the contraction of the heart. Natural CTS have been shown to also have effects on cell signaling pathways. With the goal of developing a new CTS derivative, we synthesized a new digoxin derivative, 21-benzylidene digoxin (21-BD). Previously, we have shown that this compound binds to NKA and has cytotoxic actions on cancer, but not on normal cells. Here, we further studied the mechanisms of actions of 21-BD. Working with HeLa cells, we found that 21-BD decreases the basal, as well as the insulin stimulated proliferation. 21-BD reduces phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK), which are involved in pathways that stimulate cell proliferation. In addition, 21-BD promotes apoptosis, which is mediated by the translocation of Bax from the cytosol to mitochondria and the release of mitochondrial cytochrome c to the cytosol. 21-BD also activated caspases-8, -9 and -3, and induced the cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1). Altogether, these results show that the new compound that we have synthesized exerts cytotoxic actions on HeLa cells by inhibition of cell proliferation and the activation of both the extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways. These results support the relevance of the cardiotonic steroid scaffold as modulators of cell signaling pathways and potential agents for their use in cancer.
Assuntos
Antineoplásicos/farmacologia , Apoptose/efeitos dos fármacos , Digoxina/análogos & derivados , MAP Quinases Reguladas por Sinal Extracelular/antagonistas & inibidores , Inibidores de Proteínas Quinases/farmacologia , Antineoplásicos/química , Proliferação de Células/efeitos dos fármacos , Sobrevivência Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Digoxina/química , Digoxina/farmacologia , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Ensaios de Seleção de Medicamentos Antitumorais , Receptores ErbB/antagonistas & inibidores , Receptores ErbB/metabolismo , MAP Quinases Reguladas por Sinal Extracelular/metabolismo , Células HeLa , Humanos , Mitocôndrias/efeitos dos fármacos , Mitocôndrias/metabolismo , Conformação Molecular , Inibidores de Proteínas Quinases/química , Transdução de Sinais/efeitos dos fármacos , Relação Estrutura-Atividade , Células Tumorais CultivadasRESUMO
BACKGROUND: A series of symmetrical 1,4-disubstituted bis-1,2,3-triazoles was prepared by double copper catalyzed Azide-alkyne Cycloaddition (CuAAC) from aliphatic bis-azides and a tetraethylene glycol bis-azide derivative. The eighteen novel compounds were evaluated in vitro for their cytotoxic activity against two human tumor cell lines: Human breast adenocarcinoma (MDA-MB 231) and ovarian adenocarcinoma (TOV-21G). RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The results of colorimetric MTT assays showed that compounds 4j and 4q exhibited a better selectivity index and cell viability comparable with the standard drug doxorubicin. These compounds induced apoptosis in both tested cell lines, as assessed by BrdU assay. The results suggest that these structurally simple compounds may be promising prototypes for antitumoral agents.
Assuntos
Alcinos/química , Antineoplásicos Fitogênicos/farmacologia , Azidas/química , Cobre/química , Triazóis/farmacologia , Antineoplásicos Fitogênicos/síntese química , Antineoplásicos Fitogênicos/química , Catálise , Proliferação de Células/efeitos dos fármacos , Sobrevivência Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Reação de Cicloadição , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Ensaios de Seleção de Medicamentos Antitumorais , Humanos , Estrutura Molecular , Relação Estrutura-Atividade , Triazóis/síntese química , Triazóis/química , Células Tumorais CultivadasRESUMO
Control of Culex quinquefasciatus using chemical insecticides may result in the selection of resistant mosquito strains. Thus, the use of plant-derived products has been studied as alternative for the mosquito control. Fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) obtained by transesterification of vegetable oils may result in compounds with larvicidal potential against C. quinquefasciatus. However, little is known about the morphological, physiological or biochemical effects that these FAMEs may have on mosquito larvae. The present study reports the effects of these FAMEs in mosquito larvae. The FAMEs were obtained by transesterification of canola, corn, sunflower, and soybean oils with acid catalysis and the determination of FAMEs composition was done by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Larvae of C. quinquefasciatus were exposed to different concentrations of the vegetable oils and FAMEs. Thereby, different FAMEs showed LC50 values ranging from 42.32 to 196.27mg/L against C. quinquefasciatus larvae. The methyl ester obtained from sunflower oil showed the lowest LC50. Histology of C. quinquefasciatus larvae exposed to LC50 of FAMEs was performed and changes in the midgut and fat body morphology were identified. Therefore, larval mortality and changes in the internal organs suggested that FAMEs might be a promising new class of larvicidalcompounds. Cytotoxicity of FAMEs compounds was assessed with the HeLa human cell line and no effect was observed.
Assuntos
Culex/efeitos dos fármacos , Ácidos Graxos/farmacologia , Inseticidas/farmacologia , Controle de Mosquitos/métodos , Óleos de Plantas/farmacologia , Animais , Sobrevivência Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Ácidos Graxos/química , Ácidos Graxos/toxicidade , Cromatografia Gasosa-Espectrometria de Massas , Células HeLa , Humanos , Inseticidas/química , Larva/efeitos dos fármacos , Dose Letal Mediana , Óleos de Plantas/química , Óleos de Plantas/toxicidade , Óleo de GirassolRESUMO
Synthetic 3-alkylpyridine marine alkaloid (3-APA) analogues have shown good antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum. However, despite their structural originality, their molecular target was unknown. Herein, we report a proposal for the antimalarial mechanism of action of 3-APA analogues through interference with the process of hemozoin (Hz) formation. The interaction between 3-APA analogues and heme groups was investigated employing an in silico approach and biophysical techniques such as ultraviolet-visible light (UV-vis) titration and electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). The in silico approach was performed based on pure ab initio electronic structure methods in order to obtain insights at the molecular level concerning the binding process of antimalarial drugs at their target site, the heme group. In silico results showed that the formation of heme:3-APA complexes at a molecular ratio of 2:1 are more stable than 1:1 complexes. These results were further confirmed by experimental techniques, such as UV-vis and high-resolution mass spectrometry (ESI-TOF), for two of the most active 3-APA analogues.
Assuntos
Alcaloides/química , Antimaláricos/química , Heme/metabolismo , Biologia Marinha , Piridinas/química , Sítios de LigaçãoRESUMO
Hypervalent organotellurium compounds (organotelluranes) have shown several promising applications, including their use as potent and selective cysteine protease inhibitors and antiprotozoal agents. Here, we report the antimalarial activities of three organotellurane derivatives (RF05, RF07 and RF19) in two Plasmodium falciparum strains (CQS 3D7 and CQR W2), which demonstrated significant decreases in parasitemia in vitro. The inhibition of intracellular P. falciparum proteases by RF05, RF07 and RF19 was determined and the IC50 values were 3.7±1.0µM, 1.1±0.2µM and 0.2±0.01µM, respectively. Using an assay performed in the presence of the ER Ca(2+)-ATPase inhibitor we showed that the main enzymatic targets were cysteine proteases stimulated by calcium (calpains). None of the compounds tested caused haemolysis or a significant decrease in endothelial cell viability in the concentration range used for the inhibition assay. Taken together, the results suggest promising compounds for the development of antimalarial drugs.
Assuntos
Antimaláricos/farmacologia , Calpaína/antagonistas & inibidores , Inibidores de Cisteína Proteinase/farmacologia , Compostos Organometálicos/farmacologia , Plasmodium falciparum/efeitos dos fármacos , Plasmodium falciparum/enzimologia , Telúrio/farmacologia , Antimaláricos/toxicidade , Cálcio/metabolismo , Sobrevivência Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Inibidores de Cisteína Proteinase/toxicidade , Descoberta de Drogas , Eritrócitos/efeitos dos fármacos , Eritrócitos/parasitologia , Células Endoteliais da Veia Umbilical Humana/efeitos dos fármacos , Células Endoteliais da Veia Umbilical Humana/parasitologia , Humanos , Concentração Inibidora 50 , Malária Falciparum/tratamento farmacológico , Compostos Organometálicos/toxicidade , Telúrio/toxicidadeRESUMO
Cardiotonic steroids (CS), natural compounds with traditional use in cardiology, have been recently suggested to exert potent anticancer effects. However, the repertoire of molecules with Na,K-ATPase activity and anticancer properties is limited. This paper describes the synthesis of 6 new digoxin derivatives substituted (on the C17-butenolide) with γ-benzylidene group and their cytotoxic effect on human fibroblast (WI-26 VA4) and cancer (HeLa and RKO) cell lines as well as their effect on Na,K-ATPase activity and expression. As digoxin, compound BD-4 was almost 100-fold more potent than the other derivatives for cytotoxicity with the three types of cells used and was also the only one able to fully inhibit the Na,K-ATPase of HeLa cells after 24h treatment. No change in the Na,K-ATPase α1 isoform protein expression was detected. On the other hand it was 30-40 fold less potent for direct Na,K-ATPase inhibition, when compared to the most potent derivatives, BD-1 and BD-3, and digoxin. The data presented here demonstrated that the anticancer effect of digoxin derivatives substituted with γ-benzylidene were not related with their inhibition of Na,K-ATPase activity or alteration of its expression, suggesting that this classical molecular mechanism of CS is not involved in the cytotoxic effect of our derivatives.
Assuntos
Antineoplásicos/síntese química , Compostos de Benzilideno/química , Digoxina/análogos & derivados , ATPase Trocadora de Sódio-Potássio/antagonistas & inibidores , Animais , Antineoplásicos/química , Antineoplásicos/toxicidade , Sítios de Ligação , Encéfalo/enzimologia , Linhagem Celular , Sobrevivência Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Digoxina/síntese química , Digoxina/toxicidade , Células HeLa , Humanos , Rim/enzimologia , Simulação de Acoplamento Molecular , Estrutura Terciária de Proteína , Ratos , ATPase Trocadora de Sódio-Potássio/metabolismoRESUMO
Cardiotonic steroids are used to treat heart failure and arrhythmia and have promising anticancer effects. The prototypic cardiotonic steroid ouabain may also be a hormone that modulates epithelial cell adhesion. Cardiotonic steroids consist of a steroid nucleus and a lactone ring, and their biological effects depend on the binding to their receptor, Na,K-ATPase, through which, they inhibit Na+ and K+ ion transport and activate of several intracellular signaling pathways. In this study, we added a styrene group to the lactone ring of the cardiotonic steroid digoxin, to obtain 21-benzylidene digoxin (21-BD), and investigated the effects of this synthetic cardiotonic steroid in different cell models. Molecular modeling indicates that 21-BD binds to its target Na,K-ATPase with low affinity, adopting a different pharmacophoric conformation when bound to its receptor than digoxin. Accordingly, 21-DB, at relatively high µM amounts inhibits the activity of Na,K-ATPase α1, but not α2 and α3 isoforms. In addition, 21-BD targets other proteins outside the Na,K-ATPase, inhibiting the multidrug exporter Pdr5p. When used on whole cells at low µM concentrations, 21-BD produces several effects, including: 1) up-regulation of Na,K-ATPase expression and activity in HeLa and RKO cancer cells, which is not found for digoxin, 2) cell specific changes in cell viability, reducing it in HeLa and RKO cancer cells, but increasing it in normal epithelial MDCK cells, which is different from the response to digoxin, and 3) changes in cell-cell interaction, altering the molecular composition of tight junctions and elevating transepithelial electrical resistance of MDCK monolayers, an effect previously found for ouabain. These results indicate that modification of the lactone ring of digoxin provides new properties to the compound, and shows that the structural change introduced could be used for the design of cardiotonic steroid with novel functions.
Assuntos
Apoptose/efeitos dos fármacos , Digoxina/farmacologia , Células Epiteliais/efeitos dos fármacos , Células Epiteliais/metabolismo , ATPase Trocadora de Sódio-Potássio/metabolismo , Junções Íntimas/efeitos dos fármacos , Animais , Cardenolídeos/metabolismo , Cardenolídeos/farmacologia , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Digoxina/análogos & derivados , Digoxina/química , Ativação Enzimática/efeitos dos fármacos , Humanos , Camundongos , Modelos Moleculares , Conformação Molecular , Neoplasias/genética , Neoplasias/metabolismo , Ratos , ATPase Trocadora de Sódio-Potássio/química , ATPase Trocadora de Sódio-Potássio/genéticaRESUMO
A series of new chalcones substituted with azide/triazole groups were designed and synthesized, and their cytotoxic activity was evaluated in vitro against the HeLa cell line. O-Alkylation, Claisen-Schmidt condensation and Cu(I)-catalyzed cycloaddition of azides with terminal alkynes were applied in key steps. Fifteen compounds were tested against HeLa cells. Compound 8c was the most active molecule, with an IC50 value of 13.03 µM, similar to the value of cisplatin (7.37 µM).