Explore the vast range of titles available.

Three new series of indolizines (5a–f, 6a–f and 7a–g), functionalized with bromine or ethyl ester substituents on the pyridine ring, were designed and synthesized as promising anticancer agents. The synthesis of indolizine derivatives was carried out using the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of pyridinium N-ylides to ethyl propiolate as a key step. Spectral characterization (using NMR, FT-IR, HRMS and X-ray diffraction) showed that two types of cycloadducts 5a–f and 6a–f were obtained when the ylides generated by the 3-bromopyridinium salts were used as 1,3-dipoles in Huisgen cycloaddition reactions to ethyl propiolate. The anticancer effect of selected compounds was in vitro assessed against the National Cancer Institute (NCI) panel of 60 human tumor cells, at 10 μM concentration, with three compounds (5c, 6c and 7g) showing promising inhibitory activity on the growth of several cell lines including lung, brain, renal cancer and melanoma, as well as a cytotoxic effect against HOP-62 non-small cell lung cells (34% for compound 5c and 15% for compound 7g) and SNB-75 glioblastoma cells (15% for compound 5c and 14% for derivative 7c). Molecular docking revealed favorable binding affinities for 5c, 6c and 7g (–9.22 to –9.88 kcal/mol) at the colchicine-binding site of tubulin with key interactions involving βASN-258, βALA-317, and βLYS-352 residues for 5c, βASN-258 in case of 6c, and αVAL-181 and βLYS-254 for derivative 7g. According to the in silico ADMET analysis, the active compounds are predicted to exhibit good oral bioavailability, promising drug-like qualities and low toxicity risks.

Aromathecin compounds—which contain the same indolizine core structure as camptothecin-like compounds—are expected to show anticancer activity. Among them, 22-hydroxyacuminatine—which has a substituent on the E-ring of the pentacyclic scaffold—exhibits topoisomerase 1 inhibitory activity; therefore, the development of efficient methods for its synthesis has been actively pursued. Herein, we report a versatile synthetic methodology for introducing various substituents on the E-ring, leading to the total synthesis of 22-hydroxyacuminatine as a model compound of the aromathecin family. The synthesis comprises the following key steps: the synthesis of an isoquinoline N-oxide via the thermal cyclization of 2-alkynylbenzaldehyde oxime, the subsequent Reissert–Henze-type reaction to yield an isoquinolone, and the construction of the indolizine moiety (CD-ring) through C–N bond formation via the Mitsunobu reaction. Consequently, a pentacyclic benz[6,7]indolizino[1,2-b]quinolin-11(13H)-one framework is obtained. Using this methodology, the total synthesis of the natural products norketoyobyrine and naucleficine and an intermediate of the latter, which are indoloquinolizidine-type alkaloids, was achieved, and their antiproliferative activity against HCT-116 human colon cancer cells and HepG2 human liver cancer cells was assessed. Naucleficine and its intermediate exhibited moderate antiproliferative activity against HCT-116 cells, with IC50 values of 55.58 and 41.40 μM, respectively.

Indolizines are heteroaromatic compounds, and their synthetic analogues have reportedly showed promising pharmacological properties. In this study, a series of synthetic 7-methoxy-indolizine derivatives were synthesised, characterised and evaluated for in vitro whole-cell anti-tuberculosis (TB) screening against susceptible (H37Rv) and multi-drug-resistant (MDR) strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) using the resazurin microplate assay method. The cytotoxicity was evaluated using the MTT assay. In silico molecular-docking study was conducted for compounds 5a-j against enoyl-[acyl-carrier] protein reductase, a key enzyme of the type II fatty acid synthesis that has attracted much interest for the development of novel anti-TB compounds. Thereafter, molecular dynamic (MD) simulation was undertaken for the most active inhibitors. Compounds 5i and 5j with the methoxy functional group at the meta position of the benzoyl group, which was at the third position of the indolizine nucleus, demonstrated encouraging anti-TB activity against MDR strains of MTB at 16 μg/mL. In silico studies showed binding affinity within the range of 7.07-8.57 kcal/mol, with 5i showing the highest binding affinity. Hydrogen bonding, π-π- interactions, and electrostatic interactions were common with the active site. Most of these interactions occurred with the catalytic amino acids (Pro193, Tyr158, Phe149, and Lys165). MD simulation showed that 5j possessed the highest binding affinity toward the enzyme, according to the two calculation methods (MM/PBSA and MM/GBSA). The single-crystal X-ray studies of compounds 5c and 5d revealed that the molecular arrangements in these two structures were mostly guided by C-H···O hydrogen-bonded dimeric motifs and C-H···N hydrogen bonds, while various secondary interactions (such as π···π and C-H···F) also contributed to crystal formation. Compounds 5a, 5c, 5i, and 5j exhibited no toxicity up to 500 μg/mL. In conclusion, 5i and 5j are promising anti-TB compounds that have shown high affinity based on docking and MD simulation results.

‘Targeted’ or ‘biological’ cancer treatments rely on differential gene expression between normal tissue and cancer, and genetic changes that render tumour cells especially sensitive to the agent being applied. Problems exist with the application of many agents as a result of damage to local tissues, tumour evolution and treatment resistance, or through systemic toxicity. Hence, there is a therapeutic need to uncover specific clinical targets which enhance the efficacy of cancer treatment whilst minimising the risk to healthy tissues. T-LAK cell-originated protein kinase (TOPK) is a MAPKK-like kinase which plays a role in cell cycle regulation and mitotic progression. As a consequence, TOPK expression is minimal in differentiated cells, although its overexpression is a pathophysiological feature of many tumours. Hence, TOPK has garnered interest as a cancer-specific biomarker and biochemical target with the potential to enhance cancer therapy whilst causing minimal harm to normal tissues. Small molecule inhibitors of TOPK have produced encouraging results as a stand-alone treatment in vitro and in vivo, and are expected to advance into clinical trials in the near future. In this review, we present the current literature pertaining to TOPK as a potential clinical target and describe the progress made in uncovering its role in tumour development. Firstly, we describe the functional role of TOPK as a pro-oncogenic kinase, followed by a discussion of its potential as a target for the treatment of cancers with high-TOPK expression. Next, we provide an overview of the current preclinical progress in TOPK inhibitor discovery and development, with respect to future adaptation for clinical use.

Alzheimer disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the aberrant production and accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides in the brain. Accumulated Aβ in soluble oligomer and insoluble plaque forms are considered to be a pathological culprit and biomarker of the disorder. Here, we report a fluorescent universal Aβ-indicator YI-13 , 5-(4-fluorobenzoyl)-7,8-dihydropyrrolo[1,2- b ]isoquinolin-9(6 H )-one, which detects Aβ monomers, dimers, and plaques. We synthesized a library of 26 fluorescence chemicals with the indolizine core and screen them through a series of in vitro tests utilizing Aβ as a target and YI-13 was selected as the final imaging candidate. YI-13 was found to stain and visualize insoluble Aβ plaques in the brain tissue, of a transgenic mouse model with five familial AD mutations (5XFAD), by a histochemical approach and to label soluble Aβ oligomers within brain lysates of the mouse model under a fluorescence plate reader. Among oligomers aggregated from monomers and synthetic dimers from chemically conjugated monomers, YI-13 preferred the dimeric Aβ.

Rationale Depression is a mental disorder that affects approximately 280 million people worldwide. In the search for new treatments for mood disorders, compounds containing selenium and indolizine derivatives show promising results. Objectives and methods To evaluate the antidepressant-like effect of 1-(phenylselanyl)-2-( p -tolyl)indolizine (MeSeI) (0.5–50 mg/kg, intragastric—i.g.) on the tail suspension test (TST) and the forced swim test (FST) in adult male Swiss mice and to elucidate the role of the serotonergic system in this effect through pharmacological and in silico approaches, as well to evaluate acute oral toxicity at a high dose (300 mg/kg). Results MeSeI administered 30 min before the FST and the TST reduced immobility time at doses from 1 mg/kg and at 50 mg/kg and increased the latency time for the first episode of immobility, demonstrating an antidepressant-like effect. In the open field test (OFT), MeSeI did not change the locomotor activity. The antidepressant-like effect of MeSeI (50 mg/kg, i.g.) was prevented by the pre-treatment with p -chlorophenylalanine ( p -CPA), a selective tryptophan hydroxylase inhibitor (100 mg/kg, intraperitoneally—i.p. for 4 days), with ketanserin, a 5-HT 2A/2C receptor antagonist (1 mg/kg, i.p.), and with GR113808, a 5-HT 4 receptor antagonist (0.1 mg/kg, i.p.), but not with WAY100635, a selective 5-HT 1A receptor antagonist (0.1 mg/kg, subcutaneous—s.c.) and ondansetron, a 5-HT 3 receptor antagonist (1 mg/kg, i.p.). MeSeI showed a binding affinity with 5-HT 2A , 5 -HT 2C , and 5-HT 4 receptors by molecular docking. MeSeI (300 mg/kg, i.g.) demonstrated low potential to cause acute toxicity in adult female Swiss mice. Conclusion In summary, MeSeI exhibits an antidepressant-like effect mediated by the serotonergic system and could be considered for the development of new treatment strategies for depression.

In the current study, eight new hybrids of the NSAIDs, ibuprofen and ketoprofen with five pyrrolizine/indolizine derivatives were designed and synthesized. The chemical structures of these hybrids were confirmed by spectral and elemental analyses. The antiproliferative activities of these hybrids (5 μM) was investigated against MCF-7, A549, and HT-29 cancer cell lines using the cell viability assay, MTT assay. The results revealed 4–71% inhibition of the growth of the three cancer cell lines, where 8a,e,f were the most active. In addition, an investigation of the antiproliferative activity of 8a,e,f against MCF-7 cells revealed IC50 values of 7.61, 1.07, and 3.16 μM, respectively. Cell cycle analysis of MCF-7 cells treated with the three hybrids at 5 μM revealed a pro-apoptotic increase in cells at preG1 and cell cycle arrest at the G1 and S phases. In addition, the three hybrids induced early apoptotic events in MCF-7 cells. The results of the molecular docking of the three hybrids into COX-1/2 revealed higher binding free energies than their parent compounds 5a,c and the co-crystallized ligands, ibuprofen and SC-558. The results also indicated higher binding free energies toward COX-2 over COX-1. Moreover, analysis of the binding modes of 8a,e,f into COX-2 revealed partial superposition with the co-crystallized ligand, SC-558 with the formation of essential hydrogen bonds, electrostatic, or hydrophobic interactions with the key amino acid His90 and Arg513. The new hybrids also showed drug-likeness scores in the range of 1.06–2.03 compared to ibuprofen (0.65) and ketoprofen (0.57). These results above indicated that compounds 8a,e,f deserve additional investigation as potential anticancer candidates.

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a highly invasive cancer, diagnosed at an advanced stage, and refractory to surgical intervention and chemotherapy. Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) regulate cell cycle progression and transcriptional processes, and are considered potential therapeutic targets for cancer. Dinaciclib is a small molecule multi-CDK inhibitor targeting CDK 2/5/9. In this study, the therapeutic efficacy of dinaciclib was assessed using patient-derived xenograft cells (PDXC) and CCA cell lines. Treatment with dinaciclib significantly suppressed cell proliferation, induced caspase 3/7 levels and apoptotic activity in PDXC and CCA cell lines. Dinaciclib suppressed expression of its molecular targets CDK2/5/9, and anti-apoptotic BCL-XL and BCL2 proteins. Despite the presence of cyclin D1 amplification in the PDXC line, palbociclib treatment had no effect on cell proliferation, cell cycle or apoptosis in the PDXC as well as other CCA cell lines. Importantly, dinaciclib, in combination with gemcitabine, produced a robust and sustained inhibition of tumor progression in vivo in a PDX mouse model, greater than either of the treatments alone. Expression levels of two proliferative markers, phospho-histone H3 and Ki-67, were substantially suppressed in samples treated with the combination regimen. Our results identify dinaciclib as a novel and potent therapeutic agent alone or in combination with gemcitabine for the treatment of CCA.

Drug/radiation resistance to treatment and tumor relapse are major obstacles in identifying a cure for cancer. Development of novel agents that address these challenges would therefore be of the upmost importance in the fight against cancer. In this regard, studies show that the antiapoptotic protein survivin is a central molecule involved in both hurdles. Using cancer cell-based survivin-reporter systems (US 7,569,221 B2) via high throughput screening (HTS) of compound libraries, followed by in vitro and in vivo analyses of HTS-derived hit-lead compounds, we identified a novel anticancer compound (designated FL118). FL118 shows structural similarity to irinotecan. However, while the inhibition of DNA topoisomerase 1 activity by FL118 was no better than the active form of irinotecan, SN-38 at 1 µM, FL118 effectively inhibited cancer cell growth at less than nM levels in a p53 status-independent manner. Moreover, FL118 selectively inhibited survivin promoter activity and gene expression also in a p53 status-independent manner. Although the survivin promoter-reporter system was used for the identification of FL118, our studies revealed that FL118 not only inhibits survivin expression but also selectively and independently inhibits three additional cancer-associated survival genes (Mcl-1, XIAP and cIAP2) in a p53 status-independent manner, while showing no inhibitory effects on control genes. Genetic silencing or overexpression of FL118 targets demonstrated a role for these targets in FL118's effects. Follow-up in vivo studies revealed that FL118 exhibits superior antitumor efficacy in human tumor xenograft models in comparison with irinotecan, topotecan, doxorubicin, 5-FU, gemcitabine, docetaxel, oxaliplatin, cytoxan and cisplatin, and a majority of mice treated with FL118 showed tumor regression with a weekly × 4 schedule. FL118 induced favorable body-weight-loss profiles (temporary and reversible) and was able to eliminate large tumors. Together, the molecular targeting features of FL118 plus its superior antitumor activity warrant its further development toward clinical trials.

A potential microtubule destabilising series of new indolizine derivatives was synthesised and tested for their anticancer activity against a panel of 60 human cancer cell lines. Compounds 11a, 11b, 15a, and 15j showed a broad spectrum of growth inhibitory activity against cancer cell lines representing leukaemia, melanoma and cancer of lung, colon, central nervous system, ovary, kidney, breast, and prostate. Among them, compound 11a was distinguishable by its excellent cytostatic activity, showing GI 50 values in the range of 10-100 nM on 43 cell lines. The less potent compounds 15a and 15j in terms of GI 50 values showed a high cytotoxic effect against tested colon cancer, CNS cancer, renal cancer and melanoma cell lines and only on few cell lines from other types of cancer. In vitro assaying revealed tubulin polymerisation inhibition by all active compounds. Molecular docking showed good complementarity of active compounds with the colchicine binding site of tubulin.