New bioisosteric sulphur-containing choline kinase inhibitors with a tracked mode of action.

Since the identification of human choline kinase as a protein target against cancer progression, many compounds have been designed to inhibit its function and reduce the biosynthesis of phosphatidylcholine. Herein, we propose a series of bioisosteric inhibitors that are based on the introduction of sulphur and feature improved activity and lipophilic/hydrophilic balance. The evaluation of the inhibitory and of the antiproliferative properties of the PL (dithioethane) and FP (disulphide) libraries led to the identification of PL 48, PL 55 and PL 69 as the most active compounds of the series.

Biological Evaluation of New Thienopyridinium and Thienopyrimidinium Derivatives as Human Choline Kinase Inhibitors.

Due to its role in lipid biosynthesis, choline kinase α1 (CKα1) is an interesting target for the development of new antitumor agents. In this work, we present a series of 41 compounds designed based on the well-known and successful strategy of introducing thienopyridine and pyrimidine as bioisosteres of other heterocycles in active antitumor compounds. Notwithstanding the fact that some of these compounds do not show significant enzymatic inhibition, others, in contrast, feature substantially improved enzymatic and antiproliferative inhibition values.

New Compounds with Bioisosteric Replacement of Classic Choline Kinase Inhibitors Show Potent Antiplasmodial Activity.

In the fight against Malaria, new strategies need to be developed to avoid resistance of the parasite to pharmaceutics and other prevention barriers. Recently, a Host Directed Therapy approach based on the suppression of the starting materials uptake from the host by the parasite has provided excellent results. In this article, we propose the synthesis of bioisosteric compounds that are capable of inhibiting Choline Kinase and therefore to reduce choline uptake, which is essential for the development of the parasite.

Anticancer and Structure Activity Relationship of Non-Symmetrical Choline Kinase Inhibitors.

Choline kinase inhibitors are an outstanding class of cytotoxic compounds useful for the treatment of different forms of cancer since aberrant choline metabolism is a feature of neoplastic cells. Here, we present the most in-depth structure-activity relationship studies of an interesting series of non-symmetric choline kinase inhibitors previously reported by our group: - and -. They are characterized by cationic heads of 3-aminophenol bound to 4-(dimethylamino)- or 4-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)pyridinium through several linkers.

3-hydroxy-L-kynurenamine is an immunomodulatory biogenic amine.

Tryptophan catabolism is a major metabolic pathway utilized by several professional and non-professional antigen presenting cells to maintain immunological tolerance. Here we report that 3-hydroxy-L-kynurenamine (3-HKA) is a biogenic amine produced via an alternative pathway of tryptophan metabolism. In vitro, 3-HKA has an anti-inflammatory profile by inhibiting the IFN-γ mediated STAT1/NF-κΒ pathway in both mouse and human dendritic cells (DCs) with a consequent decrease in the release of pro-inflammatory chemokines and cytokines, most notably TNF, IL-6, and IL12p70.

Synthesis, biological evaluation, in silico modeling and crystallization of novel small monocationic molecules with potent antiproliferative activity by dual mechanism.

Seeking for new anticancer drugs with strong antiproliferative activity and simple molecular structure, we designed a novel series of compounds based on our previous reported pharmacophore model composed of five moieties. Antiproliferative assays on four tumoral cell lines and evaluation of Human Choline Kinase CKα1 enzymatic activity was performed for these compounds. Among tested molecules, those ones with biphenyl spacer showed betters enzymatic and antiproliferative activities (n-v).

Targeting Aryl hydrocarbon receptor for next-generation immunotherapies: Selective modulators (SAhRMs) versus rapidly metabolized ligands (RMAhRLs).

Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) constitutes a major network hub of genomic and non-genomic signaling pathways, connecting host's immune cells to environmental factors. It shapes innate and adaptive immune processes to environmental stimuli with species-, cell- and tissue-type dependent specificity. Although an ever increasing number of studies has thrust AhR into the limelight as attractive target for the development of next-generation immunotherapies, concerns exist on potential safety issues associated with small molecule modulation of the receptor.

Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of 6-Substituted Thieno[3,2- d]pyrimidine Analogues as Dual Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Kinase and Microtubule Inhibitors.

The clinical evidence for the success of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in combination with microtubule-targeting agents prompted us to design and develop single agents that possess both epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) kinase and tubulin polymerization inhibitory properties. A series of 6-aryl/heteroaryl-4-(3',4',5'-trimethoxyanilino)thieno[3,2- d]pyrimidine derivatives were discovered as novel dual tubulin polymerization and EGFR kinase inhibitors. The 4-(3',4',5'-trimethoxyanilino)-6-( p-tolyl)thieno[3,2- d]pyrimidine derivative 6g was the most potent compound of the series as an antiproliferative agent, with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC) values in the single- or double-digit nanomolar range.

Choline Kinase Alpha Inhibition by EB-3D Triggers Cellular Senescence, Reduces Tumor Growth and Metastatic Dissemination in Breast Cancer.

Choline kinase (ChoK) is the first enzyme of the Kennedy pathway leading to the biosynthesis of phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho), the most abundant phospholipid in eukaryotic cell membranes. EB-3D is a novel choline kinase α1 (ChoKα1) inhibitor with potent antiproliferative activity against a panel of several cancer cell lines. ChoKα1 is particularly overexpressed and hyperactivated in aggressive breast cancer.

Lead optimization-hit expansion of new asymmetrical pyridinium/quinolinium compounds as choline kinase α1 inhibitors.

Aim: Choline kinase α inhibitors represent one of the newest classes of cytotoxic drugs for cancer treatment, since aberrant choline metabolism is a characteristic shared by many human cancers.

Results: Here, we present a new class of asymmetrical pyridinium/quinolinium derivatives developed and designed based on drug optimization.

Conclusion: Among all compounds described here, compound 8, bearing a 7-chloro-4N-methyl-p-chloroaniline quinolinium moiety, exhibited the greatest inhibitory activity at the enzyme (IC = 0.

EB-3D a novel choline kinase inhibitor induces deregulation of the AMPK-mTOR pathway and apoptosis in leukemia T-cells.

Choline kinase alpha 1 (ChoKα1) has recently become an interesting therapeutic target since its overexpression has been associated to tumorigenesis in many cancers. Nevertheless, little is known regarding hematological malignancies. In this manuscript, we investigated the effect of a novel and selective ChoKα inhibitor EB-3D in T acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL).

1,2-Diphenoxiethane salts as potent antiplasmodial agents.

In this article we present a series of non-cytotoxic potent human choline kinase (CK) inhibitors that exhibit nanomolar antiplasmodial activity in vitro. The most active antiplasmodial compounds, 10a-b, bearing a pyridinium cationic head were inactive against CK, while compounds 10g and 10j with a quinolinium moiety exhibit moderate inhibition of both the parasite and the enzyme. The results point towards an additional mechanism of action unrelated to CK inhibition that remains to be established.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of alpha-bromoacryloylamido indolyl pyridinyl propenones as potent apoptotic inducers in human leukaemia cells.

The combination of two pharmacophores into a single molecule represents one of the methods that can be adopted for the synthesis of new anticancer molecules. To investigate the influence of the position of the pyridine nitrogen on biological activity, two different series of α-bromoacryloylamido indolyl pyridinyl propenones 3a-h and 4a-d were designed and synthesized by a pharmacophore hybridization approach and evaluated for their antiproliferative activity against a panel of six human cancer cell lines. These hybrid molecules were prepared to combine the α-bromoacryloyl moiety with two series of indole-inspired chalcone analogues, possessing an indole derivative and a 3- or 4-pyridine ring, respectively, linked on either side of 2-propen-1-one system.

2-Alkoxycarbonyl-3-arylamino-5-substituted thiophenes as a novel class of antimicrotubule agents: Design, synthesis, cell growth and tubulin polymerization inhibition.

Microtubules are recognized as crucial components of the mitotic spindle during cell division, and, for this reason, the microtubule system is an attractive target for the development of anticancer agents. Continuing our search strategy for novel tubulin targeting-compounds, a new series of 2-alkoxycarbonyl-3-(3',4',5'-trimethoxyanilino)-5-aryl/heteroarylthiophene derivatives was designed, synthesized and demonstrated to act as tubulin polymerization inhibitors at the colchicine site. A structure-activity relationship study on the phenyl at the 5-position of the thiophene ring was performed by introducing a variety of substituents containing electron-releasing and electron-withdrawing groups, with the 2-alkoxycarbonyl-3-(3',4',5'-trimethoxyanilino)thiophene scaffold being the minimum structural requirement for activity.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of 3-substituted-2-oxindole hybrid derivatives as novel anticancer agents.

The 2-oxindole nucleus is the central core to develop new anticancer agents and its substitution at the 3-position can effect antitumor activity. Utilizing a pharmacophore hybridization approach, a novel series of antiproliferative agents was obtained by the modification of the structure of 3-substituted-2-oxindole pharmacophore by the attachment of the α-bromoacryloyl moiety, acting as a Michael acceptor, at the 5-position of 2-oxindole framework. The impact of the substituent at the 3-position of 2-oxindole core on the potency and selectivity against a panel of seven different cancer cell lines was examined.

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of 2-Methyl-4,5-Disubstituted Oxazoles as a Novel Class of Highly Potent Antitubulin Agents.

Antimitotic agents that interfere with microtubule formation are one of the major classes of cytotoxic drugs for cancer treatment. Multiple 2-methyl-4-(3',4',5'-trimethoxyphenyl)-5-substituted oxazoles and their related 4-substituted-5-(3',4',5'-trimethoxyphenyl) regioisomeric derivatives designed as cis-constrained combretastatin A-4 (CA-4) analogues were synthesized and evaluated for their antiproliferative activity in vitro against a panel of cancer cell lines and, for selected highly active compounds, interaction with tubulin, cell cycle effects and in vivo potency. Both these series of compounds were characterized by the presence of a common 3',4',5'-trimethoxyphenyl ring at either the C-4 or C-5 position of the 2-methyloxazole ring.

Design and Synthesis of Potent in Vitro and in Vivo Anticancer Agents Based on 1-(3',4',5'-Trimethoxyphenyl)-2-Aryl-1H-Imidazole.

A novel series of tubulin polymerization inhibitors, based on the 1-(3',4',5'-trimethoxyphenyl)-2-aryl-1H-imidazole scaffold and designed as cis-restricted combretastatin A-4 analogues, was synthesized with the goal of evaluating the effects of various patterns of substitution on the phenyl at the 2-position of the imidazole ring on biological activity. A chloro and ethoxy group at the meta- and para-positions, respectively, produced the most active compound in the series (4o), with IC50 values of 0.4-3.

Design, synthesis, crystallization and biological evaluation of new symmetrical biscationic compounds as selective inhibitors of human Choline Kinase α1 (ChoKα1).

A novel family of compounds derivative of 1,1'-(((ethane-1,2-diylbis(oxy))bis(4,1-phenylene))bis(methylene))-bispyridinium or -bisquinolinium bromide (10a-l) containing a pair of oxygen atoms in the spacer of the linker between the biscationic moieties, were synthesized and evaluated as inhibitors of choline kinase against a panel of cancer-cell lines. The most promising compounds in this series were 1,1'-(((ethane-1,2-diylbis(oxy))bis(4,1-phenylene))bis(methylene))bis(4-(dimethylamino)pyridinium) bromide (10a) and 1,1'-(((ethane-1,2-diylbis(oxy))bis(4,1-phenylene))bis(methylene))-bis(7-chloro-4-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)quinolinium) bromide (10l), which inhibit human choline kinase (ChoKα1) with IC50 of 1.0 and 0.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel allosteric enhancers of the A1 adenosine receptor based on 2-amino-3-(4'-chlorobenzoyl)-4-substituted-5-arylethynyl thiophene.

A Sonogashira coupling strategy was employed to synthesize a new series of allosteric modulators for the A1 adenosine receptor based on the 2-amino-3-(p-chlorobenzoyl)-4-substituted thiophene skeleton, with a two-carbon (rigid or flexible) linker between the 5-position of the thiophene ring and a (hetero)aryl or alkyl moiety. Among the compounds characterized by the presence of a common phenylacetylene moiety at the 5-position of the thiophene ring, the neopentyl substitution at the 4-position supported a strong activity. In the series of 4-neopentyl derivatives, the presence of an acetylene spacer at the 5-position of the thiophene is optimal for activity, whereas reduction of the acetylene to an ethyl moiety decreased activity, both in functional and binding assays.

New non-symmetrical choline kinase inhibitors.

Identification of novel and selective anticancer agents remains an important and challenging goal in pharmacological research. Choline kinase (ChoK) is the first enzyme in the CDP-choline pathway that synthesizes phosphatidylcholine (PC), the major phospholipid in eukaryotic cell membranes. In the present paper, a new family of non-symmetrical monocationic compounds is developed including a 3-aminophenol moiety, bound to 4-(dimethylamino)- or 4-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)pyridinium cationic heads through several linkers.

In silico pharmacology for a multidisciplinary drug discovery process.

The process of bringing new and innovative drugs, from conception and synthesis through to approval on the market can take the pharmaceutical industry 8-15 years and cost approximately $1.8 billion. Two key technologies are improving the hit-to-drug timeline: high-throughput screening (HTS) and rational drug design.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel 1-deoxy-1-[6-[((hetero)arylcarbonyl)hydrazino]- 9H-purin-9-yl]-N-ethyl-beta-D-ribofuranuronamide derivatives as useful templates for the development of A2B adenosine receptor agonists.

The lack of molecules endowed with selective and potent agonistic activity toward the hA2B adenosine receptors has limited the studies on this pharmacological target and consequently the evaluation of its therapeutic potential. We report the design and the synthesis of the first potent (EC50 in the nanomolar range) and selective hA2B adenosine receptor agonists consisting of 1-deoxy-1-[6-[((hetero)arylcarbonyl)hydrazino]-9H-purin-9-yl]-N-ethyl-beta-D-ribofuranuronamide derivatives. The concurrent effect of 6-substitution of the purine nucleus with a ((hetero)arylcarbonyl)hydrazino function and a 2-chloro substitution has been investigated in such NECA derivatives.