Sophie Leclerc

Indirubin, the active constituent of a Chinese antileukaemia medicine,inhibits cyclin-dependent kinases

Indirubin is the active ingredient of Danggui Longhui Wan, a mixture of plants that is used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat chronic diseases. Here we identify indirubin and its analogues as potent inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). The crystal structure of CDK2 in complex with indirubin derivatives shows that indirubin interacts with the kinase’s ATP-binding site through van der Waals interactions and three hydrogen bonds. Indirubin-3′-monoxime inhibits the proliferation of a large range of cells, mainly through arresting the cells in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle. These results have implications for therapeutic optimization of indigoids.

Properties and Potential Applications of Chemical Inhibitors of Cyclin-Dependent Kinases

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) trigger and co-ordinate the cell division cycle phases. They also play a role in neuronal cells and in the control of transcription. Intensive screening has led in the past few years to the identification of a series of chemical inhibitors of CDKs. Some of these compounds display remarkable selectivity and efficiency (IC50 <25 nM). Many have been co-crystallised with CDK2, and their atomic interactions with the kinase have been analysed in detail: all are located in the ATP-binding pocket of the enzyme. These inhibitors are antimitotic, they arrest cells in G1 and, at higher doses, in G2/M. Furthermore, they facilitate or even trigger apoptosis in proliferating cells. In contrast, they protect neuronal cells from apoptosis. The potential use of these inhibitors is being extensively evaluated in cancer chemotherapy (clinical trials, Phase I and II). Possible clinical applications are being investigated in other fields: cardiovascular (restenosis, tumoural angiogenesis, atherosclerosis), nephrology (glomerulonephritis), dermatology (psoriasis), parasitology (unicellular parasites such as Plasmodium, Trypanosoma, Toxoplasma, etc.), neurology (Alzheimers disease), viral infections (cytomegalovirus, human immunodeficiency virus, herpes). We anticipate the discovery of novel selective and powerful inhibitors in the near future, and hope for their efficient applications in various human diseases.

Synthesis and in vitro evaluation of novel 2,6,9-trisubstituted purines acting as cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors

Novel C-2, C-6, N-9 trisubstituted purines derived from the olomoucine/roscovitine lead structure were synthesized and evaluated for their ability to inhibit starfish oocyte CDK1/cyclin B, neuronal CDK5/p35 and erk1 kinases in purified extracts. Structure activity relationship studies showed that increased steric bulk at N-9 reduces the inhibitory potential whereas substitution of the aminoethanol C-2 side chain by various groups of different size (methyl, propyl, butyl, phenyl, benzyl) only slightly decreases the activity when compared to (R)-roscovitine. Optimal inhibitory activity against CDK5, CDK1 and CDK2, with IC50 values of 0.16, 0.45 and 0.65 microM, respectively, was obtained with compound 21 containing a (2R)-pyrrolidin-2-yl-methanol substituent at the C-2 and a 3-iodobenzylamino group at the C-6 of the purine. Compound 21 proved cytotoxic against human tumor HeLa cells (LD50-6.7 microM versus 42.7 microM for olomoucine, 24-h contact). Furthermore, unlike olomoucine, compound 21 was effective upon short exposure (LD50= 25.3 microM, 2-h contact). The available data suggest that the affinity for CDKs and the cytotoxic potential of the drugs are inter-related. However, no straightforward cell cycle phase specificity of the cytotoxic response to 21 was observed in synchronized HeLa cells. With the noticeable exception of pronounced lengthening of the S-phase transit by 21 applied during early-S in synchronized HeLa cells, and in striking contrast with earlier reports on studies using plant or echinoderm cells. olomoucilnc and compound 21 were unable to reversibly arrest cell cycle progression in asynchronous growing HeLa cells. Some irreversible hlock in GI and G2 phase occurred at high olomoucine concentration, correlated with induced cell death. Moreover, chmronic exposure to lethal doses of compound 21 resulted in massive nuclear fragmentation, evocative of mitotic catastrophe with minour amounts of apoptosis only. It was also found that olomoucine and compound 21 reversibly block the intracellular uptake of nuicleosides with high efficiency.

Structure-activity relationships and inhibitory effects of various purine derivatives on the in vitro growth of Plasmodium falciparum

The development of novel chemotherapeutic agents has become an urgent task due to the development and rapid spread of drug resistance in Plasmodium falciparum, the protozoan parasite responsible for cerebral malaria. Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are essential for the regulation of the eukaryotic cell cycle, and several enzymes of this family have been identified in P. falciparum. In recent years, a number of purine-derived kinase inhibitors have been synthesised, some of which display selective activity against CDKs. This report describes a study in which various purine derivatives were screened for in vitro antimalarial activity. The erythrocytic asexual stages of the chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum strain (FCR-3) were cultivated in vitro in the presence of the various purines, and their effect on parasite proliferation was determined by the [3H]hypoxanthine incorporation assay. Our results show considerable variation in the sensitivity of P. falciparum to the different purines, as well as a general independence from their effect on purified starfish CDK1/cyclin B activity, which has been the standard assay used to identify CDK-specific inhibitors. Two subfamilies of purines with moderate to poor activity against CDK1/cyclin B activity showed submicromolar activity against P. falciparum. Structure-activity analysis indicates that certain structural features are associated with increased activity against P. falciparum. These features can be exploited to synthesise compounds with higher activity and specificity towards P. falciparum.

Synthesis of C2 alkynylated purines, a new family of potent inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases

The synthesis of a new family of inhibitors of the cell cycle regulating cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) is reported. These compounds, related to the purines olomoucine and roscovitine, are characterised by the presence of alkynylated side chains at C2. They inhibit CDKs with IC50s in the 200 nM range.

Coscinosulfate, a CDC25 phosphatase inhibitor from the sponge Coscinoderma mathewsi.

The dual specificity CDC25 phosphatases dephosphorylate two inhibitory phospho-amino acids of cyclin-dependent kinases, a major family of cell cycle regulators. CDC25 inhibitors constitute new anti-mitotic agents with potential anticancer activity. While screening through a collection of natural products derived from marine organisms for CDC25A inhibitors, we purified and identified coscinosulfate 1, a sesquiterpene sulfate from the New Caledonian sponge Coscinoderma matthewsi, along with 4. The purified compound 1 displayed significant inhibitory activity towards CDC25A (IC(50): 3 microM).

Pyrazolo(3,4-b)quinoxalines. A New Class of Cyclin-Dependent Kinases Inhibitors

Protein kinases are involved in most physiological processes and in numerous diseases. Therefore, inhibitors of protein kinases have therefore a wide therapeutic potential. While screening for inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3), we identified pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinoxalines as sub-micromolar inhibitors of CDK1/cyclin B. A preliminary structure-activity relationship study suggests that this family of compounds can be optimized to inhibit CDKs and GSK-3. Compounds were tested for their anti-proliferative activity and the results show that several of them displayed a significant inhibitory effect on CDK1/cyclin B. The most active compound (1) was also tested against the brain kinases CDK5/p25 and GSK-3, and proved to be a good inhibitor of both of them. On the contrary, none of the compounds showed any activity in the CDC25 phosphatase assay. As an additional approach, affinity chromatography on immobilized pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinoxalines will be used to identify the intracellular targets of this family of compounds.

In Vitro Evaluation of a Novel 2,6,9‐Trisubstituted Purine Acting As a Cyclin‐Dependent Kinase Inhibitor

NICOLE GIOCANTI,a RAMIN SADRI,a MICHEL LEGRAVEREND,b ODILE LUDWIG,b EMILE BISAGNI,bSOPHIE LECLERC,c LAURENT MEIJER,c AND VINCENT FAVAUDONa.d aU 350 INSERM and bUMR 176 CNRS, Institut Curie, Centre Universitaire, 91405 Orsay, France cUPR 9042 CNRS, Station Biologique, 29682 Roscoff, France The frequent deregulation of cell cycle progression in cancer1 has prompted an active search for kinase inhibitors with high affinity and specificity for cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks). Three major classes of Cdk-targeting drugs have been identified to date, including butyrolactone I,2 polyhydroxylated flavones such as flavopiridol,3 and substituted purines.4 The first substituted purine derivative acting as a selective Cdk inhibitor, olomoucine, has been identified from screening against Cdk1/cyclin B complex.5 Olomoucine competitively inhibits Cdk1, Cdk2, Cdk5, and, to a lesser extent, Erk1.5 Recent results have pointed to unexpected pharmacologic properties of 2,6,9trisubstituted purines derived from the olomoucine lead structure.6,7 To investigate the question in more detail, we developed a program for synthesis and evaluation of new compounds in this series. Twenty-seven derivatives were synthesized and assayed for specific inhibition of Cdk1/cyclin B from starfish oocytes and human recombinant Cdk5/p35 complex. In agreement with earlier results,5 data showed that a strong correlation exists between inhibitory efficiencies against Cdk1 and Cdk5. In contrast, all compounds were only marginally active against Erk1 and Erk2 kinases. One compound in the series, ML-1437, proved much more active than olomoucine against purified Cdk1/cyclin B, Cdk5/p35, and Cdk2/cyclin E. It also showed pronounced cytotoxicity against human cervix carcinoma HeLa cells in vitro, even on short exposure. Growing IMR-90 (human normal fibroblasts), LoVo (human colon adenocarcinoma), and SQ-20B (human head and neck squamous carcinoma) cells gave similar results, but drug resistance increased rapidly as cells (SQ-20B and IMR-90) reached confluence. These results suggest that the affinity for Cdks and the cytotoxic potential of the drugs are interrelated (FIG. 1, TABLE 1). With the exception of pronounced lengthening of S phase transit during early-S in synchronized HeLa cells, ML-1437 at subtoxic concentration proved unable to produce reversible arrest of the cell cycle progression. When observed, arrest in the G1 and G2 phases of the cell cycle correlated with induced cell death, and chronic exposure to lethal doses of the drug resulted in massive micronucleation in relation to mitotic cell death, with no evidence of endoreduplication (polyploidization) or ap-