Shaukath Ara Khanum

Synthesis and tumor inhibitory activity of novel coumarin analogs targeting angiogenesis and apoptosis.

A sequence of coumarin analogs 5a-j was obtained by multi step synthesis from hydroxy benzophenones (1a-j). The in vitro antiproliferative effect of the title compounds was tested against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) and Daltons lymphoma ascites (DLA) cell lines. Among the series, compound 5c with bromo group in the benzophenone moiety was endowed with excellent antiproliferative potency with significant IC50 value. Further, in vivo antitumor effect of compound 5c against murine EAC and solid DL tumor model system was evident by the extended survivality. The tumor inhibitory mechanism of compound 5c was due to the antiangiogenesis and promotion of apoptosis. These results suggest possible applications of compound 5c which could be developed as a potent anticancer drug in the near future.

Benzophenone-N-ethyl piperidine ether analogues--synthesis and efficacy as anti-inflammatory agent.

A sequence of substituted benzophenone-N-ethyl piperidine ether analogues has been synthesized and evaluated as orally active anti-inflammatory agents with reduced side effects. The anti-inflammatory and ulcerogenic activities of the compounds were compared with naproxen, indomethacin, and phenylbutazone. These analogues showed an interesting anti-inflammatory activity in carrageenan-induced foot pad edema assay. In the air-pouch test, some of the analogues reduced the total number of leukocytes of the exudate, which indicates inhibition of prostaglandin production. Side effects of the compounds were examined on gastric mucosa, in the liver and stomach. None of the compounds illustrated significant side effects compared with standard drugs like indomethacin and naproxen.

Antiangiogenic effect of 2-benzoyl–phenoxy acetamide in EAT cell is mediated by HIF-1α and down regulation of VEGF of in-vivo

Benzophenones and its analogues are known for wide range of biological properties. Synthetic benzophenone analogue 2-benzoyl -phenoxy acetamide (BP-1) is proven to be potent antitumor and proapoptotic activity against EAT cells in-vivo. In the present report, we studied the antiangiogenic effect of BP-1 in EAT cells induced angiogenesis. Treatment with BP-1 in-vivo was demonstrated by the down regulation of the secretion of VEGF from EAT cells and inhibition of blood vessels formation indicating the potential angioinhibitory effect of BP-1 in EAT cells. HIF-1α protein, a transcription factor known to be key a regulator in hypoxia-induced angiogenesis was also down regulated by BP-1. Our findings indicated that, HIF-1α nuclear sequestration is repressed by BP-1 through inhibition of nuclear translocation. We postulate that diminished HIF-1α nuclear presence and activity in BP-1 treated EAT cells could be responsible for decreased VEGF expression and antiangiogenic effects.

Synthesis and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity of 7-methyl-2-(phenoxymethyl)-5H-[1,3,4]thiadiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidin-5-one derivatives

An elevated level of blood uric acid (hyperuricemia) is the underlying cause of gout. Xanthine oxidase is the key enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of hypoxanthine to xanthine and then to uric acid. Allopurinol, a widely used xanthine oxidase inhibitor is the most commonly used drug to treat gout. However, a small but significant portion of the population suffers from adverse effects of allopurinol that includes gastrointestinal upset, skin rashes and hypersensitivity reactions. Moreover, an elevated level of uric acid is considered as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Therefore use of allopurinol-like drugs with minimum side effects is the ideal drug of choice against gout. In this study, we report the synthesis of a series of pyrimidin-5-one analogues as effective and a new class of xanthine oxidase inhibitors. All the synthesized pyrimidin-5-one analogues are characterized by spectroscopic techniques and elemental analysis. Four (6a, 6b, 6d and 6f) out of 20 synthesized molecules in this class showed good inhibition against three different sources of xanthine oxidase, which were more potent than allopurinol based on their respective IC(50) values. Molecular modeling and docking studies revealed that the molecule 6a has very good interactions with the Molybdenum-Oxygen-Sulfur (MOS) complex a key component in xanthine oxidase. These results highlight the identification of a new class of xanthine oxidase inhibitors that have potential to be more efficacious, than allopurinol, to treat gout and possibly against cardiovascular diseases.

Synthesis, angiopreventive activity, and in vivo tumor inhibition of novel benzophenone-benzimidazole analogs.

AIM The development of anticancer drugs with specific targets is of prime importance in modern biology. This study investigates the angiopreventive and in vivo tumor inhibition activities of novel synthetic benzophenone-benzimidazole analogs. MAIN METHODS The multistep synthesis of novel benzophenone-benzimidazole analogs (8a-n) allowing substitution with methoxy, methyl and halogen groups at different positions on the identical chemical backbone and the variations in the number of substituents were synthesized and characterized. The newly synthesized compounds were further evaluated for cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells. The potent lead compounds were further assessed for antiangiogenic effects in a CAM model and a tumor-induced vasculature in vivo model. The effect of angioprevention on tumor growth was verified in a mouse model. KEY FINDINGS The cytotoxicity studies revealed that compounds 8f and 8n are strongly cytotoxic. Analyzing the structure-activity relationship, we found that an increase in the number of methyl groups in addition to methoxy substitution at the para position of the benzoyl ring in compound 8n resulted in higher potency compared to 8f. Furthermore, neovessel formation in in vivo systems, such as the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) and tumor-induced mice peritoneum models, was significantly suppressed and reflected the tumor inhibition observed in mice. SIGNIFICANCE These results suggest the potential clinical application of compound 8n as an antiangiogenic drug for cancer therapy.

Synthesis and anti-inflammatory activity of 2-(2-aroylaroxy)-4,6-dimethoxy pyrimidines.

Reaction of 6a-f individually with 2-methylsulfonyl-4,6-dimethoxypyrimidine yielded 7a-f in excellent yield. The newly synthesized heterocycles were characterized by IR, (1)H NMR, and mass spectral data. Compounds 7a-f was screened for their anti-inflammatory activity and were compared with standard drugs. Of the compounds studied, the compound 7e showed more potent activity than the standard drugs at all doses tested.

Synthesis of oxadiazole-morpholine derivatives and manifestation of the repressed CD31 Microvessel Density (MVD) as tumoral angiogenic parameters in Dalton's Lymphoma.

A series of oxadiazole derivatives possessing morpholine 6a-l were synthesized by nucleophilic substitution reaction of key intermediates [1,3,4]-oxadiazole-2-thiol derivatives 5a-l with 4-(2-chloroethyl) morpholine. Compounds 6a-l were evaluated for their in vitro and in vivo antitumor potential in Daltons Lymphoma Ascites (DLA) tumor cells. Among 6a-l series, compound 6a with concentration ∼8.5μM have shown extensive cytotoxicity in vitro and 85% reduction in tumor volume in vivo, attributing an excellent anti-proliferative capability towards the cancer cells. Compound 6a has extensively inhibited the Microvessel Density (MVD) or tumoral neovasculature which was evident from the CD31 immuno staining and peritoneal H&E staining. The major reason for the antiproliferative activity of compound 6a was due to the repression of tumor vasculature.

BP-1T, an antiangiogenic benzophenone-thiazole pharmacophore, counteracts HIF-1 signalling through p53/MDM2-mediated HIF-1α proteasomal degradation

Hypoxia is a feature of all solid tumours, contributing to tumour progression. Activation of HIF-1α plays a critical role in promoting tumour angiogenesis and metastasis. Since its expression is positively correlated with poor prognosis for cancer patients, HIF-1α is one of the most convincing anticancer targets. BP-1T is a novel antiproliferative agent with promising antiangiogenic effects. In the present study, the molecular mechanism underlying cytotoxic/antiangiogenic effects of BP-1T on tumour/non-tumour angiogenesis was evaluated. Evidences show that BP-1T exhibits potent cytotoxicity with prolonged activity and effectively regressed neovessel formation both in reliable non-tumour and tumour angiogenic models. The expression of CoCl2-induced HIF-1α was inhibited by BP-1T in various p53 (WT)-expressing cancer cells, including A549, MCF-7 and DLA, but not in mutant p53-expressing SCC-9 cells. Mechanistically, BP-1T mediates the HIF-1α proteasomal degradation by activating p53/MDM2 pathway and thereby downregulated HIF-1α-dependent angiogenic genes such as VEGF-A, Flt-1, MMP-2 and MMP-9 under hypoxic condition of in vitro and in vivo solid tumour, eventually leading to abolition of migration and invasion. Based on these observations, we conclude that BP-1T acts on HIF-1α degradation through p53/MDM2 proteasome pathway.

Synthesis and evaluation of novel benzophenone-thiazole derivatives as potent VEGF-A inhibitors

A series of 2-(4-benzoyl-phenoxy)-N-(4-phenyl-thiazol-2-yl)-acetamides (10a-n) were synthesized by multistep reaction sequence and all the compounds were well characterized for structural elucidation. The in vitro cytotoxicity of compounds 10a-n was evaluated against EAC and DLA cell lines using trypan blue dye exclusion method. Further MTT assay and LDH release assay, followed by in vivo studies on murine model were also evaluated. The compound 10h with a methyl and fluoro groups at benzophenone moiety and methoxy group at phenyl ring was in a leading position to exhibit the promising antiproliferative effect through translational VEGF-A inhibition.

Design, Synthesis, and Anticancer Properties of Novel Benzophenone-Conjugated Coumarin Analogs

In the current scenario, development of anticancer drugs with specific targets is of prime importance in modern chemical biology. Observing the importance of benzophenone and coumarin nucleus, it would be worthwhile to design and synthesize novel benzophenone derivatives (8a–o) bearing the coumarin nucleus. Further, they were screened for prospective anticancer activities in vitro against the Michigan Cancer Foundation‐7 (MCF‐7) and Ehrlichs ascites tumor (EAT) cell lines and their biomarkers, followed by in silico studies regarding phosphoinositide 3‐kinase (PI3K) and caspase by molecular docking. Benzophenones have been reported as potential drugs targeting tumor angiogenesis; thus, the formation of neovessels in an in vivo model system like CAM, which is angiogenesis dependent, was observed in the presence of compounds 8a–o. The above findings would help in understanding their putative potential as therapeutic agents for cancer patients.