Uncovering the Molecular Pathways Implicated in the Anti-Cancer Activity of the Imidazoquinoxaline Derivative EAPB02303 Using a Model.

Imiqualines are analogues of the immunomodulatory drug imiquimod. EAPB02303, the lead of the second-generation imiqualines, is characterized by significant anti-tumor effects with IC50s in the nanomolar range. We used transgenic and mutant strains of two key signaling pathways (PI3K-Akt and Ras-MAPK) disrupted in human cancers to investigate the mode of action of EAPB02303.

[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-]quinoxaline as Novel Scaffold in the Imiqualines Family: Candidates with Cytotoxic Activities on Melanoma Cell Lines.

Cutaneous melanoma is one of the most aggressive human cancers and is the deadliest form of skin cancer, essentially due to metastases. Novel therapies are always required, since cutaneous melanoma develop resistance to oncogenic pathway inhibition treatment. The Imiqualine family is composed of heterocycles diversely substituted around imidazo[1,2-]quinoxaline, imidazo[1,2-]pyrazine, imidazo[1,5-]quinoxaline, and pyrazolo[1,5-]quinoxaline scaffolds, which display interesting activities on a panel of cancer cell lines, especially melanoma cell lines.

EAPB0503, an Imidazoquinoxaline Derivative Modulates SENP3/ARF Mediated SUMOylation, and Induces NPM1c Degradation in NPM1 Mutant AML.

Nucleophosmin-1 (NPM1) is a pleiotropic protein involved in numerous cellular processes. NPM1 shuttles between the nucleus and the cytoplasm, but exhibits a predominant nucleolar localization, where its fate and functions are exquisitely controlled by dynamic post-translational modifications (PTM). Sentrin/SUMO Specific Peptidase 3 (SENP3) and ARF are two nucleolar proteins involved in NPM1 PTMs.

Imiquimod Targets Toxoplasmosis Through Modulating Host Toll-Like Receptor-MyD88 Signaling.

is a prevalent parasite of medical and veterinary importance. Tachyzoïtes and bradyzoïtes are responsible for acute and chronic toxoplasmosis (AT and CT), respectively. In immunocompetent hosts, AT evolves into a persistent CT, which can reactivate in immunocompromised patients with dire consequences.

Imidazo[1,2-a]quinoxalines for melanoma treatment with original mechanism of action.

The malignant transformation of melanocytes causes several thousand deaths each year, making melanoma an important public health concern. Melanoma is the most aggressive skin cancer, which incidence has regularly increased over the past decades. We described here the preparation of new compounds based on the 1-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)imidazo[1,2-a]quinoxaline structure.

Substantial Cellular Penetration of Fluorescent Imidazoquinoxalines.

Fluorescent tools have revolutionized our capability to visualize, probe, study, and understand the biological cellular properties, processes and dynamics, enabling researchers to improve their knowledge for example in cancer field. In this paper, we use the peculiar properties of our Imiqualines derivatives to study their cellular penetration and distribution in a human melanoma cell line A375 using confocal microscopy. Preliminary results on colocalization with the potent protein target c-Kit of our lead are also described.

Agonist and antagonist ligands of toll-like receptors 7 and 8: Ingenious tools for therapeutic purposes.

The discovery of the TLRs family and more precisely its functions opened a variety of gates to modulate immunological host responses. TLRs 7/8 are located in the endosomal compartment and activate a specific signaling pathway in a MyD88-dependant manner. According to their involvement into various autoimmune, inflammatory and malignant diseases, researchers have designed diverse TLRs 7/8 ligands able to boost or block the inherent signal transduction.

Fused Azolo-Quinoxalines: Candidates for Medicinal Chemistry. A Review of their Biological Applications.

Heterocyclic compounds hold a huge and recognized place in the field of medicinal chemistry thanks to their multiple biological activities. Their synthetic pathways allow their easy and rapid access due to different bond-forming methodologies and provide a huge amount of multi-functionalized compounds for drug delivery. The syntheses of heterocyclic compounds are today well known for the majority, described and reviewed in an extensive literature.

Novel and Selective TLR7 Antagonists among the Imidazo[1,2-]pyrazines, Imidazo[1,5-]quinoxalines, and Pyrazolo[1,5-]quinoxalines Series.

The Toll-like receptors (TLRs) 7 and 8 play an important role in the immune system activation, and their agonists may therefore serve as promising candidate vaccine adjuvants. However, the chronic immune activation by excessive TLR stimulation is a hallmark of several clinically important infectious and autoimmune diseases, which warrants the search for TLR antagonists. In this study, we have synthesized and characterized a variety of compounds belonging to three heterocyclic chemical series: imidazo[1,2-]pyrazine, imidazo[1,5-]quinoxaline, and pyrazolo[1,5-]quinoxaline.

Imidazo[1,2-]quinoxalines Derivatives Grafted with Amino Acids: Synthesis and Evaluation on A375 Melanoma Cells.

Imiqualines (imidazoquinoxaline derivatives) are anticancer compounds with high cytotoxic activities on melanoma cell lines. The first generation of imiqualines, with two lead compounds (EAPB0203 and EAPB0503), shows remarkable in vitro (IC = 1 570 nM and IC = 200 nM, respectively, on the A375 melanoma cell line) and in vivo activity on melanoma xenografts. The second generation derivatives, EAPB02302 and EAPB02303, are more active, with IC = 60 nM and IC = 10 nM, respectively, on A375 melanoma cell line.

Lipid nanocapsules formulation and cellular activities evaluation of a promising anticancer agent: EAPB0503.

Objective: EAPB0503, lead compound of imiqualines, presented high antitumor activities but also a very low water solubility which was critical for further preclinical studies. To apply to EAPB0503, a robust and safe lipid formulation already used for poor soluble anticancer agents for injectable administration at a concentration higher than 1 mg/mL.

Materials And Methods: Physicochemical properties of EAPB0503 were determined to consider an adapted formulation.

Liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry method for quantitative estimation of new imiqualine leads with potent anticancer activities in rat and mouse plasma. Application to a pharmacokinetic study in mice.

Imidazoquinoxaline derivatives (imiqualines) are a new series of anticancer compounds. Two lead compounds (EAPB0203 and EAPB0503) with remarkable in vitro and in vivo activity on melanoma and T-cell lymphomas have been previously identified. The modulation of the chemical structure of the most active compound, EAPB0503, has led to the synthesis of two compounds, EAPB02302 and EAPB02303, 7 and 40 times more active than EAPB0503 against A375 human melanoma cancer cell line, respectively.

Imidazoquinoxaline anticancer derivatives and imiquimod interact with tubulin: Characterization of molecular microtubule inhibiting mechanisms in correlation with cytotoxicity.

Displaying a strong antiproliferative activity on a wide variety of cancer cells, EAPB0203 and EAPB0503 belong to the imidazo[1,2-a]quinoxalines family of imiquimod structural analogues. EAPB0503 has been shown to inhibit tubulin polymerization. The aim of the present study is to characterize the interaction of EAPB0203 and EAPB0503 with tubulin.

Imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine, Imidazo[1,5-a]quinoxaline and Pyrazolo[1,5-a]quinoxaline derivatives as IKK1 and IKK2 inhibitors.

The transcription nuclear factor NF-κB plays a pivotal role in chronic and acute inflammatory diseases. Among the several and diverse strategies for inhibiting NF-κB, one of the most effective approach considered by the pharmaceutical industry seems to be offered by the development of IKK inhibitors. In a former study, two potential IKK2 inhibitors have been highlighted among a series of imidazo[1,2-a]quinoxaline derivatives.

Fluorescence Study of Imidazoquinoxalines.

The fluorescence properties of eleven novel derivatives based on the imidazo[1,2-a]quinoxaline structures have been studied. The absorption and emission spectra of these compounds have been recorded in dimethylsulfoxide solution. The phenyl substituting group on position 1 gives them particular properties thanks to the diverse hydroxy or methoxy decorating moieties, especially when they are multiplied or mixed.

New imidazoquinoxaline derivatives: Synthesis, biological evaluation on melanoma, effect on tubulin polymerization and structure-activity relationships.

Microtubules are considered as important targets of anticancer therapy. EAPB0503 and its structural imidazo[1,2-a]quinoxaline derivatives are major microtubule-interfering agents with potent anticancer activity. In this study, the synthesis of several new derivatives of EAPB0503 is described, and the anticancer efficacy of 13 novel derivatives on A375 human melanoma cell line is reported.

New IKK inhibitors: Synthesis of new imidazo[1,2-a]quinoxaline derivatives using microwave assistance and biological evaluation as IKK inhibitors.

The inhibition of the NF-κB-dependent pathways by IKK inhibitors plays an important role in immunity, inflammation, and cancer. New imidazoquinoxalines tricyclic derivatives are prepared using microwave assistance and their biological activities as IKK inhibitors are described. Compounds 6a present a potent inhibition activity and selectivity for IKK2.

EAPB0503, a novel imidazoquinoxaline derivative, inhibits growth and induces apoptosis in chronic myeloid leukemia cells.

Imatinib, the first-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor, revolutionized the therapeutic management of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and is highly effective in inducing remissions and prolonging the survival of CML patients. However, one-third of patients develop intolerance or resistance to treatment, and CML stem cells remain insensitive to this therapy, leading almost inevitably to relapse upon treatment discontinuation. Imidazoquinoxalines are imiquimod derivatives that induce growth inhibition and induction of caspase-dependent apoptosis in melanoma and T-cell lymphoma cells.

Structural characterization of in vitro metabolites of the new anticancer agent EAPB0503 by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

EAPB0503, belonging to the imidazo[1,2-a]quinoxaline series, is an anticancer drug with antitumoral activity against a variety of tumors. Previous studies have shown that this drug undergoes demethylation and oxygenation reactions. In this paper, liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) was employed to assess the structures of unknown oxygenated metabolites of EAPB0503.

Metabolism and pharmacokinetics of EAPB0203 and EAPB0503, two imidazoquinoxaline compounds previously shown to have antitumoral activity on melanoma and T-lymphomas.

For several years, our group has been developing quinoxalinic compounds. Two of them, N-methyl-1-(2-phenethyl)imidazo[1,2-a]quinoxalin-4-amine (EAPB0203) and 1-(3-methoxyphenyl)-N-methylimidazo[1,2-a]quinoxalin-4-amine (EAPB0503), have emerged as the most promising anticancer drugs. In the present work, we determined metabolism pathways using liver microsomes from four mammalian species including human.

Pharmacology of EAPB0203, a novel imidazo[1,2-a]quinoxaline derivative with anti-tumoral activity on melanoma.

In spite of the development of new anticancer drugs by the pharmaceutical industry, melanoma and T lymphomas are diseases for which medical advances remain limited. Thus, there was an urgent need of new therapeutics with an original mechanism of action. Since several years, our group develops quinoxalinic compounds.

Quantitation of imidazo[1,2-a]quinoxaline derivatives in human and rat plasma using LC/ESI-MS.

Since several years, our group developed quinoxalinic compounds. Among the synthesized compounds, in the imidazo[1,2-a]quinoxaline series, EAPB0203 has shown interesting activities both on melanoma and lymphoma. The structure of EAPB0203 has been modulated and a new compound, EAPB0503, exhibits an in vitro cytotoxic activity on melanoma cancer cell line 7-9 times higher than EAPB0203.

New imidazo[1,2-a]quinoxaline derivatives: synthesis and in vitro activity against human melanoma.

New imidazo[1,2-a]quinoxaline analogues have been synthesized in good yields via a bimolecular condensation of 2-imidazole carboxylic acid, followed by a coupling with ortho-fluoroaniline and subsequent substitution on the imidazole ring by Suzuki Cross-coupling reaction using microwave assistance. Antitumor activities of these derivatives were evaluated by growth inhibition of A375 cells in vitro. All compounds exhibited high activities compared to imiquimod and fotemustine used as references.

In vitro and in vivo anti-tumoral activities of imidazo[1,2-a]quinoxaline, imidazo[1,5-a]quinoxaline, and pyrazolo[1,5-a]quinoxaline derivatives.

Imidazoquinoxaline and pyrazoloquinoxaline derivatives, analogues of imiquimod, were synthesized, and their in vitro cytotoxic and pharmacodynamic activities were evaluated. In vitro cytotoxicity studies were assessed against melanoma (A375, M4Be, RPMI-7591), colon (LS174T), breast (MCF7), and lymphoma (Raji) human cancer cell lines. In vivo studies were carried out in M4Be xenografted athymic mice.