Utsab Debnath

Chemotherapeutic Potential of 2-[Piperidinoethoxyphenyl]-3-Phenyl-2H-Benzo(b)pyran in Estrogen Receptor- Negative Breast Cancer Cells: Action via Prevention of EGFR Activation and Combined Inhibition of PI-3-K/Akt/FOXO and MEK/Erk/AP-1 Pathways

Inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling is considered to be a promising treatment strategy for estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast tumors. We have investigated here the anti-breast cancer properties of a novel anti-proliferative benzopyran compound namely, 2-[piperidinoethoxyphenyl]-3-phenyl-2H-benzo(b)pyran (CDRI-85/287) in ER- negative and EGFR- overexpressing breast cancer cells. The benzopyran compound selectively inhibited the EGF-induced growth of MDA-MB 231 cells and ER-negative primary breast cancer cell culture. The compound significantly reduced tumor growth in xenograft of MDA-MB 231 cells in nude mice. The compound displayed better binding affinity for EGFR than inhibitor AG1478 as demonstrated by molecular docking studies. CDRI-85/287 significantly inhibited the activation of EGFR and downstream effectors MEK/Erk and PI-3-K/Akt. Subsequent inhibition of AP-1 promoter activity resulted in decreased transcription activation and expression of c-fos and c-jun. Dephosphorylation of downstream effectors FOXO-3a and NF-κB led to increased expression of p27 and decreased expression of cyclin D1 which was responsible for decreased phosphorylation of Rb and prevented the transcription of E2F- dependent genes involved in cell cycle progression from G1/S phase. The compound induced apoptosis via mitochondrial pathway and it also inhibited EGF-induced invasion of MDA-MB 231 cells as evidenced by decreased activity of MMP-9 and expression of CTGF. These results indicate that benzopyran compound CDRI-85/287 could constitute a powerful new chemotherapeutic agent against ER-negative and EGFR over-expressing breast tumors.

Discovery of triazine mimetics as potent antileishmanial agents.

The World Health Organization has classified the leishmaniasis as a major tropical disease. The discovery of new compounds for leishmaniasis is therefore a pressing concern for the anti-infective research program. We have synthesized 19 compounds of triazine dimers as novel antileishmanial agents. Most of the synthesized derivatives exhibited better activity against intracellular amastigotes (IC50 ranging from 0.77 to 10.32 μM) than the control, pentamidine (IC50 = 13.68 μM), and are not toxic to Vero cells. Compounds 14 and 15 showed significant in vivo inhibition of 74.41% and 62.64%, respectively, in L. donovani/hamster model. Moreover, expansion of Th1-type and suppression of Th2-type immune responses proved that compound 14 stimulates mouse macrophages to prevent the progression of leishmania parasite. The molecular docking studies involving PTR1 protein PDB further validated the concepts involved in the design of these compounds. Among the investigated analogues, compound 14 has emerged as the potential one to enlarge the scope of the study.

Pyridones as NNRTIs against HIV-1 mutants: 3D-QSAR and protein informatics

CoMFA and CoMSIA based 3D-QSAR of HIV-1 RT wild and mutant (K103, Y181C, and Y188L) inhibitory activities of 4-benzyl/benzoyl pyridin-2-ones followed by protein informatics of corresponding non-nucleoside inhibitors’ binding pockets from pdbs 2BAN, 3MED, 1JKH, and 2YNF were analysed to discover consensus features of the compounds for broad-spectrum activity. The CoMFA/CoMSIA models indicated that compounds with groups which lend steric-cum-electropositive fields in the vicinity of C5, hydrophobic field in the vicinity of C3 of pyridone region and steric field in aryl region produce broad-spectrum anti-HIV-1 RT activity. Also, a linker rendering electronegative field between pyridone and aryl moieties is common requirement for the activities. The protein informatics showed considerable alteration in residues 181 and 188 characteristics on mutation. Also, mutants’ isoelectric points shifted in acidic direction. The study offered fresh avenues for broad-spectrum anti-HIV-1 agents through designing new molecules seeded with groups satisfying common molecular fields and concerns of mutating residues.

In Silico Exploration for New Antimalarials: Arylsulfonyloxy Acetimidamides as Prospective Agents.

A strategy is described to identify new antimalarial agents to overcome the drug resistance and/or failure issues through in silico screening of multiple biological targets. As a part of this, three enzymes namely CTPS, CK, and GST were selected, from among 56 drug targets of P. falciparum, and used them in virtual screening of ZINC database entries which led to the design and synthesis of arylsulfonyloxy acetimidamides as their consensus inhibitors. From these, two compounds showed good activity against sensitive (3D7; IC50, 1.10 and 1.45 μM) and resistant (K1; IC50, 2.10 and 2.13 μM) strains of the parasite, and they were further investigated through docking and molecular dynamics simulations. The findings of this study collectively paved the way for arylsulfonyloxy acetimidamides as a new class of antimalarial agents.

Synthesis, Biological Evaluation and Molecular Modeling Studies of New 2,3-Diheteroaryl Thiazolidin-4-Ones as NNRTIs

In a focused exploration, thiazolidin‐4‐ones with different C‐2 and N‐3 substituent groups were synthesized and evaluated as non‐nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors against HIV‐1. This has led to new active compounds sporting heteroaryls at both C‐2 and N‐3 positions prompting to view them in the backdrop of nevirapine. To assign the molecular attributes for the activity, the compounds are investigated by docking them into non‐nucleoside inhibitor‐binding pocket of HIV‐1 reverse transcriptase (RT). The most active compounds of this series (7d and 7f) shared spatial features with nevirapine with added molecular flexibility. Furthermore, in molecular dynamics simulations carried out for up to 10 ns, the compounds 7d and 7f showed consistency in their interactions with non‐nucleoside inhibitor‐binding pocket of HIV‐1 RT and suggested Tyr319 and Val106 as potential residues for H‐bond interaction with these molecules. These results open new avenues for the exploration of 2,3‐diheteroaryl thiazolidin‐4‐ones for prevention of HIV‐1.

Graph Theory Concepts in the Rationales of Anti HIV-1 Compounds §

Drug research is a multidisciplinary as well as resource intensive endeavor. In this the center of attention is biological response of an agent which gives the first insight of the activity (or receptor) space in the backdrop of chemical landscape. Here, molecular topology has significant role in explaining and exploring different phenomena associated with the chemical entities. Thus it provides direction to the design of therapeutic agents. In the backdrop the review highlighted the contribution of topological indices from different concepts in the HIV-1 drug research. In this article selected reports dealing with the topological descriptors in the QSARs of the anti-HIV-1 compounds acting as reverse transcriptase, protease and integrase inhibitors are appraised and elaborated.

N-hydroxy-substituted 2-aryl acetamide analogs: A novel class of HIV-1 integrase inhibitors

An in silico method has been used to discover N‐hydroxy‐substituted 2‐aryl acetamide analogs as a new class of HIV‐1 integrase inhibitors. Based on the molecular requirements of the binding pocket of catalytic active site, two molecules (compounds 2 and 4b) were designed as fragments. These were further synthesized and biologically evaluated. In vitro potency along with docking studies highlighted compound 4b as an active fragment which was further used to synthesize new leads as HIV‐1 integrase inhibitors. Finally, six promising compounds (compounds 5b, 5c, 5e, 6–2c, 6–3b, and 6–5b) were identified by integrase inhibition assay (>50% inhibition). Based on in vitro anti‐HIV‐1 activity in a reporter gene‐based cell assay system, compounds 5d, 6s, and 6k were found as novel HIV‐1 integrase inhibitors due to its better selectivity index. Additionally, docking study revealed the importance of H‐bond as well as hydrophobic interactions with Asn155, Lys156, and Lys159 which were required for their anti‐HIV‐1 activity.