Subhas S. Karki

Novel Levamisole Derivative Induces Extrinsic Pathway of Apoptosis in Cancer Cells and Inhibits Tumor Progression in Mice

Background Levamisole, an imidazo(2,1-b)thiazole derivative, has been reported to be a potential antitumor agent. In the present study, we have investigated the mechanism of action of one of the recently identified analogues, 4a (2-benzyl-6-(4′-fluorophenyl)-5-thiocyanato-imidazo[2,1-b][1], [3], [4]thiadiazole). Materials and Methods ROS production and expression of various apoptotic proteins were measured following 4a treatment in leukemia cell lines. Tumor animal models were used to evaluate the effect of 4a in comparison with Levamisole on progression of breast adenocarcinoma and survival. Immunohistochemistry and western blotting studies were performed to understand the mechanism of 4a action both ex vivo and in vivo. Results We have determined the IC50 value of 4a in many leukemic and breast cancer cell lines and found CEM cells most sensitive (IC50 5 µM). Results showed that 4a treatment leads to the accumulation of ROS. Western blot analysis showed upregulation of pro-apoptotic proteins t-BID and BAX, upon treatment with 4a. Besides, dose-dependent activation of p53 along with FAS, FAS-L, and cleavage of CASPASE-8 suggest that it induces death receptor mediated apoptotic pathway in CEM cells. More importantly, we observed a reduction in tumor growth and significant increase in survival upon oral administration of 4a (20 mg/kg, six doses) in mice. In comparison, 4a was found to be more potent than its parental analogue Levamisole based on both ex vivo and in vivo studies. Further, immunohistochemistry and western blotting studies indicate that 4a treatment led to abrogation of tumor cell proliferation and activation of apoptosis by the extrinsic pathway even in animal models. Conclusion Thus, our results suggest that 4a could be used as a potent chemotherapeutic agent.

Synthesis, spectroscopic characterization, antineoplastic, in vitro-cytotoxic, and antibacterial activities of mononuclear ruthenium(II) complexes

The synthesis, antineoplastic, cytotoxic, and antibacterial activities of Ru(II) complexes derived from quinazoline and thiosemicarbazone ligands are reported. These complexes have been prepared and characterized by UV-Vis, IR, 1H-NMR, FAB-mass spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. The ligands and resulting complexes were subjected to in vivo antineoplastic activity against a transplantable murine tumor cell line Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) and in vitro cytotoxic activity against human cancer cell line Molt 4/C8, CEM, and murine tumor cell line L 1210. The ruthenium complexes show promising biological activity especially in decreasing tumor volume and viable ascitic cell counts. These complexes prolonged the life span of mice bearing EAC tumors by 10–52%. In vitro evaluation of these ruthenium complexes revealed cytotoxic activity from 0.29 to 2.9 µmol L−1 against Molt 4/C8, 0.22 to 2.1 µmol L−1 against CEM and 0.42 to 4.7 µmol L−1 against L1210 cell proliferation, depending on the nature of the compound. The metal complexes are more active than the parent ligand and exhibit mild to moderate antibacterial activity.

A Novel Resveratrol Based Tubulin Inhibitor Induces Mitotic Arrest and Activates Apoptosis in Cancer Cells

Resveratrol is one of the most widely studied bioactive plant polyphenols which possesses anticancer properties. Previously we have reported synthesis, characterization and identification of a novel resveratrol analog, SS28. In the present study, we show that SS28 induced cytotoxicity in several cancer cell lines ex vivo with an IC50 value of 3–5 μM. Mechanistic evaluation of effect of SS28 in non-small cell lung cancer cell line (A549) and T-cell leukemic cell line (CEM) showed that it inhibited Tubulin polymerization during cell division to cause cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase of the cell cycle at 12–18 h time period. Immunofluorescence studies confirmed the mitotic arrest upon treatment with SS28. Besides, we show that SS28 binds to Tubulin with a dissociation constant of 0.414 ± 0.11 μM. Further, SS28 treatment resulted in loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, activation of Caspase 9 and Caspase 3, leading to PARP-1 cleavage and finally cell death via intrinsic pathway of apoptosis. Importantly, treatment with SS28 resulted in regression of tumor in mice. Hence, our study reveals the antiproliferative activity of SS28 by disrupting microtubule dynamics by binding to its cellular target Tubulin and its potential to be developed as an anticancer molecule.

Enhanced Efficacy of Pluronic Copolymer Micelle Encapsulated SCR7 against Cancer Cell Proliferation

5,6-Bis(benzylideneamino)-2-mercaptopyrimidin-4-ol (SCR7) is a new anti cancer molecule having capability to selectively inhibit non-homologous end joining (NHEJ), one of the DNA double strand break (DSB) repair pathways inside the cells. In spite of the promising potential as an anticancer agent, hydrophobicity of SCR7 decreases its bioavailability. Herein the entrapment of SCR7 in Pluronic copolymer is reported. The size of the aggregates was determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) which yields an average diameter of 23 nm. SCR7 encapsulated micelles (ES) were also characterized by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). Evaluation of its biological properties by using a variety of techniques, including Trypan blue, MTT and Live-dead cell assays, reveal that encapsulated SCR7 can induce cytotoxicity in cancer cell lines, being more effective in breast cancer cell line. Encapsulated SCR7 treatment resulted in accumulation of DNA breaks within the cells, resulting in cell cycle arrest at G1 phase and activation of apoptosis. More importantly, we found ≈ 5 fold increase in cell death, when encapsulated SCR7 was used in comparison with SCR7 alone.

Synthesis and antiproliferative activity of imidazo [2, 1-b][1, 3, 4] thiadiazole derivatives

A series of 2,5,6-substituted imidazo[2,1-b][1,3,4]thiadiazole derivatives have been prepared and were tested for antiproliferative activity on cancer cells at the National Cancer Institute. Results showed that molecules with a benzyl group at position 2, exhibited an increase in activity for the introduction of a formyl group at the 5 position. The compound 2-benzyl-5-formyl-6-(4-bromophenyl)imidazo[2,1-b][1,3,4]thiadiazole 22 has been chosen for understanding the mechanism of action by various molecular and cellular biology studies. Results obtained from cell cycle evaluation analysis, analysis of mitochondrial membrane potential and Annexin V-FITC by flow cytometric analysis, ROS production and expression of apoptotic and DNA-repair proteins suggested that compound 22 induced cytotoxicity by activating extrinsic pathway of apoptosis, however, without affecting cell cycle progression.

1-Arylmethyl-2,3-dioxo-2,3-dihydroindole thiosemicarbazones as leads for developing cytotoxins and anticonvulsants

Various substituted 1-arylmethyl-2,3-dioxo-2,3-dihydroindole thiosemicarbazones 3a-h, 1-benzyl-2,3-dioxo-2,3-dihydroindole N4-aryl thiosemicarbazones 4a-i and 1-benzyl-2,3-dioxy-2,3-dihydroindole N4-cyclohexylthiocarbazone 5 were synthesized. All of these compounds were evaluated against human Molt 4/C8 and CEM T-lymphocytes as well as murine L1210 leukemia cells. Nearly 40% of these compounds possess low micromolar IC50 values and some are either more potent than, or equipotent with, melphalan. Various correlations between the structures of these compounds and cytotoxic potencies were obtained which included the use of QSAR and molecular modeling techniques. Representative compounds displayed anticonvulsant properties in rats and were well tolerated by these animals. The encouraging biodata noted affords adequate rationale for outlining guidelines for further development of these molecular scaffolds.

Synthesis, anticancer and cytostatic activity of some 6H-indolo[2,3-b]quinoxalines

Synthesis, anticancer and cytostatic activity of some 6H-indolo[2,3-b]quinoxalines Various 6-aralkyl-9-substituted-6H-indolo[2,3-b]quinoxalines were synthesized by reaction of 1,5-disubstituted 2,3-dioxo-2,3-dihydroindole with orthophenylene diamine. Appreciable anticancer activity of compounds 5b, 5d, 5g and 5l at various cell lines among 59 human tumor cell panels was observed. All the synthesized compounds were evaluated for cytostatic activity against human Molt 4/C8 and CEM T-lymphocytes as well as for murine L1210 leukemia cells. Compound 5h exhibited an IC50 of 71 µmol mL-1 against Molt 4/C8 and 117 µmol mL-1 against CEM compared to melphalan 3.2 µmol mL-1 and 2.5 µmol mL-1, respectively. The IC50 for compound 7i against L1210 was 7.2 µmol mL-1 compared to melphalan 2.1 µmol mL-1. Sinteza, antitumorsko i citostatsko djelovanje derivata 6H-indolo[2,3-b]kinoksalina Reakcijom 1,5-disupstituiranih 2,3-diokso-2,3-dihidroindola s ortofenilen diaminom sintetizirani su razliciti 6-aralkil-9-supstituirani-6H-indolo[2,3-b]kinoksalini. Spojevi 5b, 5d, 5g i 5l pokazali su znacajno antitumorsko djelovanje na 59 humanih tumorskih stanica. Svi sintetizirani spojevi ispitani su na citostatsko djelovanje na stanicne linije Molt 4/C8 i CEM T-limfocite, te na murin L1210 stanice leukemije. IC50 za spoj 5h je 71 µmol mL-1 na stanicnu liniju Molt 4/C8 i 117 µmol mL-1 na CEM, dok su vrijednosti za melfalan 3,2, odnosno 2,5 µmol mL-1. IC50 spoja 7i na stanice L1210 je 7,2 µmol mL-1, dok je za melfalan 2,1 µmol mL-1

Synthesis, spectroscopic characterization, in vitro cytotoxic and structure activity relationships of some mononuclear Ru(II) complexes

New mononuclear Ru(II) complexes [Ru(A)2(B)]2+, where A = 2,2′-bipyridine/1,10-phenanthroline and B = 3,4,5-tri-OCH3-DPC, 4-CH3-DPC, 4-N(CH3)2-DPC, 4-NO2-DPC, N-BITSZ, PTSZ and PINH, were prepared and characterized by spectroscopic methods. The in vitro cytotoxic activities of the complexes and their corresponding ligands were investigated against the human cancer T-lymphocyte cell lines molt 4/c8 and CEM and the murine tumor leukemia cell line L1210, human promyelocytic leukemia cells (HL-60) and Bel-7402 liver cancer cells by MTT assay. The complexes [Ru(A)2(B)]2+ (A = 1,10-phenanthroline, B = 3,4,5-tri-OCH3-DPC) exerts rather more potent activities against all of these cell lines, especially for CEM and L1210. Ru complexes and structure–activity relationships and anticancer mechanisms are also discussed.

Synthesis, antineoplastic and cytotoxic activities of some mononuclear Ru(II) complexes.

A series of mononuclear Ru(II) complexes of the type [Ru(S)2(K)]2+, where S = 1,10-phenanthroline/2,2′-bipyridine and K = 4-OH-btsz, 4-CH3-btsz, 3,4-di-OCH3-btsz, 4-OH-binh, 4-CH3-binh, 3,4-di-OCH3-binh, were prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR, 1H-NMR, and mass spectroscopy. The complexes displayed metal–ligand charge transfer (MLCT) transitions in the visible region. These ligands formed bidentate octahedral ruthenium complexes. The title complexes were evaluated for their in vivo anticancer activity against a transplantable murine tumor cell line, Ehrlisch’s ascites carcinoma (EAC), and in vitro cytotoxic activity against human cancer cell lines Molt 4/C8 and CEM and murine tumor cell line L1210. The ruthenium complexes showed promising biological activity especially in decreasing tumor volume and viable ascites cell counts. Treatment with these complexes prolonged the life span of mice bearing EAC tumors by 10–52%. In vitro evaluation of these ruthenium complexes revealed cytotoxic activity from 0.21 to 24 μM against Molt 4/C8, 0.16 to 19 μM aginst CEM, and 0.75 to 32 μM against L1210.

Identification and characterization of novel ligase I inhibitors

The terminal step of ligation of single and/or double‐strand breaks during physiological processes such as DNA replication, repair and recombination requires participation of DNA ligases in all mammals. DNA Ligase I has been well characterised to play vital roles during these processes. Considering the indispensable role of DNA Ligase I, a therapeutic strategy to impede proliferation of cancer cells is by using specific small molecule inhibitors against it. In the present study, we have designed and chemically synthesised putative DNA Ligase I inhibitors. Based on various biochemical and biophysical screening approaches, we identify two prospective DNA Ligase I inhibitors, SCR17 and SCR21. Both the inhibitors blocked ligation of nicks on DNA in a concentration‐dependent manner, when catalysed by cell‐free extracts or purified Ligase I. Docking studies in conjunction with biolayer interferometry and gel shift assays revealed that both SCR17 and SCR21 can bind to Ligase I, particularly to the DNA Binding Domain of Ligase I with KD values in nanomolar range. The inhibitors did not show significant affinity towards DNA Ligase III and DNA Ligase IV. Further, addition of Ligase I could restore the joining, when the inhibitors were treated with testicular cell‐free extracts. Ex vivo studies using multiple assays showed that even though cell death was limited in the presence of inhibitors in cancer cells, their proliferation was compromised. Hence, we identify two promising DNA Ligase I inhibitors, which can be used in biochemical and cellular assays, and could be further modified and optimised to target cancer cells.