Evaluation of FASN inhibitors by a versatile toolkit reveals differences in pharmacology between human and rodent FASN preparations and in antiproliferative efficacy in vitro vs. in situ in human cancer cells.

De novo synthesis of fatty acids is essential to maintain intensive proliferation of cancer cells. Unlike normal cells that utilize food-derived circulating lipids for their fuel, cancer cells rely on heightened lipogenesis irrespective of exogenous lipid availability. Overexpression and activity of the multidomain enzyme fatty acid synthase (FASN) is crucial in supplying palmitate for protumorigenic activity.

Enantiospecific tritium labeling of 28-homocastasterone.

A regiospecific and enantiospecific synthesis of tritium-labeled 28-homocastasterone is reported. Appropriate chlorocarbonate, efficiently synthesized from the starting 28-homocastasterone in an overall yield of 46%, undergoes catalytic tritium dechlorination by the T /Pd[0]/Et N system, providing 28-[3β- H]homocastasterone, in a good yield, radiochemical purity (>97%), and with a high specific activity (5.8 Ci/mmol).

A comprehensive review in current developments of benzothiazole-based molecules in medicinal chemistry.

Benzothiazole (BTA) and its derivatives are the most important heterocyclic compounds, which are common and integral feature of a variety of natural products and pharmaceutical agents. BTA shows a variety of pharmacological properties, and its analogs offer a high degree of structural diversity that has proven useful for the search of new therapeutic agents. The broad spectrum of pharmacological activity in individual BTA derivative indicates that, this series of compounds is of an undoubted interest.