Byoung Mog Kwon

Synthesis and biological activity of cinnamaldehydes as angiogenesis inhibitors

Abstract A series of 2-hydroxycinnamaldehyde derivatives was synthesized for examing a structure-activity relationship for inhibition of angiogenesis. The anti-angiogenic effects of 2′-substituted cinnamaldehdes and related analogs were determined in a chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane assay system.

A novel benzimidazole analogue inhibits the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1 pathway.

Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1 is a therapeutic target in solid tumors. We report the novel benzimidazole analogue AC1-004, obtained from a chemical library using an HRE-dependent cell-based assay in colorectal carcinoma HCT-116 cells. The accumulation of hypoxia-induced HIF-1alpha was inhibited by compound AC1-004 in various cancer cells, including HCT-116, MDA-MB435, SK-HEP1, and Caki-1. Further, AC1-004 down-regulated VEGF and EPO, target genes of HIF-1, and inhibited in vitro tube formation of HUVEC, suggesting its potential inhibitory activity on angiogenesis. Importantly, AC1-004 was found to regulate the stability of HIF-1alpha through the Hsp90-Akt pathway, leading to the degradation of HIF-1alpha. An in vivo antitumor study demonstrated that AC1-004 reduced tumor size significantly (i.e., by 58.6%), without severe side effects. These results suggest the benzimidazole analogue AC1-004 is a novel HIF inhibitor that targets HIF-1alpha via the Hsp90-Akt pathway, and that it can be used as a new lead in developing anticancer drugs.

Synthesis, structure–activity relationships and stereochemical investigations of new tricyclic pyridazinone derivatives as potential STAT3 inhibitors

Through a cell-based biological screening, the benzocinnolinone derivative (±)-2c was identified as a promising STAT3 inhibitor. Since SAR studies on a series of compounds structurally related to (±)-2c (1c, 2a–p, 3c, 4c, 6) showed that the latter had the most significant inhibitory activity, we investigated in depth its essential structural features. In particular, enantiomeric separation was performed, and the absolute configuration of the stereoisomers was assigned by theoretical and crystallographic studies. The biological evaluation highlighted that (S)-(−)-2c is twice as potent as (R)-(+)-2c.

3D QSAR studies on cinnamaldehyde analogues as farnesyl protein transferase inhibitors.

Three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (3D-QSAR) studies on 59 cinnamaldehyde analogues as Farnesyl Protein Transferase (FPTase) inhibitors were investigated using comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) with the PLS region-focusing method. Forty-nine training set inhibitors were used for CoMFA with two different grid spacings, 2A and 1Å. Ten compounds, which were not used in model generation, were used to validate the CoMFA models. After the PLS analysis, the best predictive CoMFA model showed that the cross-validated value (r2cv) and the non-cross validated conventional value (r2nCv) are 0.557 and 0.950, respectively. From the CoMFA contour maps, the steric and electrostatic properties of cinnamaldehyde analogues can be identified and verified.

An in vivo active 1,2,5-oxadiazole Pt(II) complex: a promising anticancer agent endowed with STAT3 inhibitory properties

New Pt(II) complexes (Pt-1-3) bearing 1,2,5-oxadiazole ligands (1-3) were synthesized, characterized and evaluated for their ability to disrupt STAT3 dimerization. Ligand 3·HCl showed cytotoxic effects on HCT-116xa0cells (IC50xa0=xa095.2xa0μM) and a selective ability to interact with STAT3 (IC50xa0=xa08.2xa0μM) versus STAT1 (IC50xa0>xa030xa0μM). Its corresponding platinum complex Pt-3 exhibited an increased cytotoxicity (IC50xa0=xa018.4xa0μM) and a stronger interaction with STAT3 (IC50xa0=xa01.4xa0μM), leading to inhibition of its signaling pathway. Pt-3 was also evaluated in cell-based assays for its action on p53 expression and on STAT3 phosphorylation. In syngeneic murine Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) implanted in C57BL/6 mice, Pt-3 showed a higher antitumor activity with fewer side effects than cisplatin.

Tanshinone IIA exerts antitumor activity against vestibular schwannoma cells by inhibiting the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the herbal medicine, tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA), on vestibular schwannoma (VS) cells and assess the functional targets of Tan IIA. HEI‑193 cells and Nf2‑/‑mouse Schwann (SC4) cells were used to investigate the inhibitory effects of Tan IIA on VS. Cell viability was measured using an MTT assay and apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometry. Western blot analysis and reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‑qPCR) were performed to assess the expression of hypoxia‑inducible factor‑1α (HIF‑1α) and its signaling pathways. In addition, the effect of Tan IIA on HIF‑1α transcription was determined using a luciferase reporter assay. Schwannoma cell proliferation was observed to be inhibited as the Tan IIA concentration increased under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Furthermore, Tan IIA induced apoptosis in the HEI‑193 cells and inhibited the protein expression of HIF‑1α in the HEI‑193 cells under hypoxia, thus repressing the transcriptional activity of HIF‑1α. The present study demonstrated that HIF‑1α is expressed in hypoxic VS cells and Tan IIA inhibits VS cells by suppressing the activity of HIF‑1α. In conclusion, these results indicate that Tan IIA is a potential chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of VS.

Ginkgetin induces cell death in breast cancer cells via downregulation of the estrogen receptor

Ginkgetin is a natural biflavonoid isolated from the leaves of Ginkgo biloba, and is characterized by its anti-inflammatory and anti-viral activities. Although numerous studies state that it has also antitumor activity, the anti-proliferative effect of ginkgetin and the underlying mechanism in breast cancer cells have not yet been investigated. In the present study, ginkgetin inhibited the cell viability of MCF-7 and T-47D cells dose-dependently, and suppressed the expression of the estrogen receptor (ER) at the mRNA and protein levels. Among the targets of the ER, 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase 3 (PFKFB3), cyclin D1 and survivin were also downregulated by ginkgetin treatment. The anti-proliferative effects of ginkgetin were sufficient to suppress the growth by estradiol stimulation. However, ginkgetin did not significantly affect the viability of MDA-MB-231 cells, which are ER-negative cells. Furthermore, the knockdown of the ER and an inhibitor of PFKFB3 significantly sensitized MCF-7 and T-47D cells to ginkgetin. These findings suggest that ginkgetin induces cell death in ER-positive breast cancer cells via the inhibition of ER expression and that it is a promising agent for breast cancer treatment.

Modeling, synthesis and NMR characterization of novel chimera compounds targeting STAT3

Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) is a cytoplasmic factor that mediates intracellular signaling commonly generated at cell surface receptors and transmits it to the nucleus. In previous research studies we synthesized several molecules inhibiting STAT3 and among them oxadiazole MD77 and pyridazinone I showed an interesting activity. For the first one, a direct inhibition mechanism was determined, while I interfered within the STAT3 pathway at a different level. In order to discover novel compounds possibly endowed with an improved activity, we decided to merge their scaffolds on the basis of their calculated conformational properties. Therefore we designed and synthesized the chimera diastereomers 3-oxo-N-(4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-2,3,4,4a,5,6-hexahydrobenzo[h]cinnoline-6-carboxamide (1, 2) and 3-oxo-N-(4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-2,3,5,6-tetrahydrobenzo[h]cinnoline-6-carboxamide (3) as racemate and their enantiomeric separation was performed. Modeling studies and theoretical prediction of [α]D values were carried out beside NMR studies which allowed us to assign 1 and 2 relative configurations.