Pyrimidine-2,4-dione targets STAT3 signaling pathway to induce cytotoxicity in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a tumorigenic transcription factor that is persistently activated in various human cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Therefore, STAT3 is considered as a prominent target to counteract the uncontrolled proliferation of cancer cells. In the present report, pyrimidine-2,4-diones (N-methyluracil derivatives) (MNK1-MNK14) were synthesized in an ionic liquid (BMIm PF6) medium employing a ligand-free Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling process. Among the 14 derivatives, compound MNK8 showed good cytotoxicity towards both the tested cell lines and did not display a toxic effect against normal hepatocytes (LO2). MNK8 significantly increased the Sub-G1 cell count in both cell lines and the cytotoxic effect of MNK8 was found to be mediated through the suppression of constitutive phosphorylation of STAT3Y705. It also decreased the DNA interaction ability of nuclear STAT3 in HCC cells. MNK8 downregulated the levels of apoptosis-related proteins (such as Bcl-2, cyclin D1, survivin) and increased cleaved caspase-3 inferring the apoptogenic effect of MNK8. It also reduced the CXCL12-triggered cell migration and invasion in in vitro assay systems. Overall, MNK8 has been demonstrated as a new inhibitor of STAT3 signaling cascade in HCC cells.

The crystal structure of (RS)-7-chloro-2-(2,5-di-meth-oxy-phen-yl)-2,3-di-hydro-quinazolin-4(1H)-one: two hydrogen bonds generate an elegant three-dimensional framework structure.

In the title compound, C61H15ClN2O3, the heterocyclic ring adopts an envelope conformation, folded across the N⋯N line, with the 2,5-di-meth-oxy-phenyl unit occupying a quasi-axial site. There are two N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds in the structure: one hydrogen bond links mol-ecules related by a 41 screw axis to form a C(6) chain, and the other links inversion-related pairs of mol-ecules to form an R 2 2(8) ring. The ring motif links all of the chains into a continuous three-dimensional framework structure. Comparisons are made with the structures of some related compounds.

Synthesis and antiproliferative effect of novel 4-thiazolidinone-, pyridine- and piperazine-based conjugates on human leukemic cells.

The present work reveals the synthesis and antiproliferative effect of a series of 2, 3 disubstituted 4-thiazolidinone analogues on human leukemic cells. The chemical structures of newly synthesized compounds were confirmed by IR, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR and mass spectral analysis. Compound methyl 3-methoxy-4-(4-oxo-3-(5-(piperazin-1-yl)pyridin-2-yl)thiazolidin-2-yl)benzoate (5) displayed potent activity (IC509.71, 15.24 and 19.29 µM) against Nalm6, K562, Jurkat cells. Cell cycle analysis and mitochondrial membrane potential further confirmed that compound 5 is cytotoxic and able to induce cell death.