Isothiocyanate-Corticosteroid Conjugates against asthma: Unity makes strength.

Asthma is a major noncommunicable disease, affecting both children and adults, and represents one of the major causes leading to high health care costs due to the need for chronic pharmacological treatments. The standard gold therapy of inflammation in asthmatic patients involves the use of glucocorticoids even if their chronic use is often related to serious adverse effects. Growing evidence suggests the biological relevance of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in the pathogenesis of airway diseases. Hence, aiming to associate the beneficial effects of steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (SAIDs) to H2S biological activity, we designed and synthesized novel multi-target molecules by chemically combining a group of glucocorticoids, usually employed in asthma treatment, with an isothiocyanate moiety, well-known for its H2S releasing properties. Firstly, the synthesized compounds have been screened for their H2S-releasing profile using an amperometric approach and for their in vitro effects on the degranulation process, using RBL-2H3 cell line. The physicochemical profile, in terms of solubility, chemical and enzymatic stability of the newly hybrid molecules, has been assessed at different physiological pH values and in esterase-rich medium (bovine serum albumin, BSA). The selected compound 5c, through both its corticosteroid and H2S releasing component, has been evaluated in vivo in experimental model of asthma. The compound 5c inhibited in vivo all asthma features with a significative effect on the restoration of pulmonary structure and reduction of lung inflammation.

Synthetic access to diverse thiazetidines via a one-pot microwave assisted telescopic approach and their interaction with biomolecules.

A one-pot microwave assisted telescopic approach is reported for the chemo-selective synthesis of substituted 1,3-thiazetidines using readily available 2-aminopyridines/pyrazines/pyrimidine, substituted isothiocyanates and 1,2-dihalomethanes. The procedure involves thiourea formation from 2-aminopyridines/pyrazines/pyrimidine with the substituted isothiocyanates followed by a base catalysed nucleophilic attack of the CS bond on the 1,2-dihalomethane. Subsequently, a cyclization reaction occurs to yield substituted 1,3-thiazetidines. These four membered strained ring systems are reported to possess broad substrate scope with high functional group tolerance. The above synthetic sequence for the formation of four membered heterocycles is proven to be a modular and straightforward approach. Further the mechanistic pathway for the formation of 1,3-thiazetidines was supported by computational evaluations and X-ray crystallography analyses. The relevance of these thiazetidines in biological applications is evaluated by studying their ability to bind bio-macromolecules like proteins and nucleic acids.

The Anti-Tumoral Potential of Phosphonate Analog of Sulforaphane in Zebrafish Xenograft Model.

Isothiocyanates (ITCs) show strong activity against numerous human tumors. Five structurally diverse ITCs were tested in vivo using the zebrafish embryos 6 and 48 h post-fertilization (hpf). The survival rate, hatching time, and gross morphological changes were assessed 24, 48, and 72 h after treatment with all compounds in various doses (1-10 µM). As a result, we selected a phosphonate analog of sulforaphane (P-ITC; 1-3 µM) as a non-toxic treatment for zebrafish embryos, both 6 and 48 hpf. Furthermore, the in vivo anti-cancerogenic studies with selected 3 µM P-ITC were performed using a set of cell lines derived from the brain (U87), cervical (HeLa), and breast (MDA-MB-231) tumors. For the experiment, cells were labeled using red fluorescence dye Dil (1,1'-Dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-Tetramethylindocarbocyanine, 10 µg/mL) and injected into the hindbrain ventricle, yolk sac region and Cuvier duct of zebrafish embryos. The tumor size measurement after 48 h of treatment demonstrated the significant inhibition of cancer cell growth in all tested cases by P-ITC compared to the non-treated controls. Our studies provided evidence for P-ITC anti-cancerogenic properties with versatile activity against different cancer types. Additionally, P-ITC demonstrated the safety of use in the living organism at various stages of embryogenesis.

A convenient synthesis of branched-chain nucleoside isothiocyanates via aza-Claisen rearrangement.

Stereocontrolled introduction of a nitrogen atom at either C-2' or C-3' positions of nucleosides derived from uridine, 4-N-benzoylcytidine and adenosine was investigated. An efficient and rapid procedure was employed for creating new chiral centers at C-2' and C-3' positions using [3,3]-sigmatropic aza-Claisen rearrangement of allyl thiocyanates under conventional and microwave conditions. Structure of isothiocyanate products was confirmed by 1-D and 2-D NMR spectral analyses including selective 1H 1-D-NOE experiments.

Synthesis of Isothiocyanates Using DMT/NMM/TsO- as a New Desulfurization Reagent.

Thirty-three alkyl and aryl isothiocyanates, as well as isothiocyanate derivatives from esters of coded amino acids and from esters of unnatural amino acids (6-aminocaproic, 4-(aminomethyl)benzoic, and tranexamic acids), were synthesized with satisfactory or very good yields (25-97%). Synthesis was performed in a "one-pot", two-step procedure, in the presence of organic base (Et3N, DBU or NMM), and carbon disulfide via dithiocarbamates, with 4-(4,6-dimethoxy-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)-4-methylmorpholinium toluene-4-sulfonate (DMT/NMM/TsO-) as a desulfurization reagent. For the synthesis of aliphatic and aromatic isothiocyanates, reactions were carried out in a microwave reactor, and selected alkyl isothiocyanates were also synthesized in aqueous medium with high yields (72-96%). Isothiocyanate derivatives of L- and D-amino acid methyl esters were synthesized, under conditions without microwave radiation assistance, with low racemization (er 99 > 1), and their absolute configuration was confirmed by circular dichroism. Isothiocyanate derivatives of natural and unnatural amino acids were evaluated for antibacterial activity on E. coli and S. aureus bacterial strains, where the most active was ITC 9e.

Characterisation of naturally occurring isothiocyanates as glutathione reductase inhibitors.

Glutathione reductase (GR), an essential antioxidant enzyme against oxidative stress, has become an attractive drug target for the development of anticancer and antimalarial drugs. In this regard, we evaluated the naturally occurring isothiocyanates as promising GR inhibitors and elucidated the mechanism of action. It was found that benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) and phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) inhibited yeast GR (yGR) and human GR (hGR) in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. The Ki and kinact of BITC against yGR were determined to be 259.87 µM and 0.0266 min-1, respectively. The GR inhibition occurred only in the presence of NADPH and persisted after extensive dialysis. The tandem mass spectrometric analysis revealed that Cys61 rather than Cys66 at the active site of yGR was mono-benzyl thiocarbamoylated by BITC. Inhibition of intracellular GR by BITC and PEITC in cultured cancer cells was also observed. BITC and PEITC were evaluated as competitive and irreversible inhibitors of GR.

Fluoroaryl analogs of sulforaphane - A group of compounds of anticancer and antimicrobial activity.

A series of new sulforaphane analogs bearing various (poly)fluoroaryl substituents bonded to the sulfinyl sulfur atom in place of the original methyl group and having different number of methylene groups in the central alkyl chain were synthesized and fully characterized. The new compounds were tested in vitro for their anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties. Some of them demonstrated a much higher anticancer activity against selected lines of cancer: skin (MALME-3M), colon (HT-29) and breast (MCF7 and MDA-MB-231) cells than that exhibited by native sulforaphane (SFN). Related lines of untransformed (normal) cells, taken from the same organs as the cancer ones, i.e. MALME3, CRL-1790 and MCF10, respectively, were checked, which allowed for the determination of the selectivity indexes (SI). In certain cases, the latter exceeded 3.2. Concerning the antibacterial activity, gram-positive bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were susceptible to some newly synthesized SFN analogs, while the selected probiotic strains were from 10 to 100 fold more resistant to them, which gives a possibility of protection of symbiont strains during a potential therapy with such compounds. The antifungal activity of the new compounds possessing the fluorophenyl substituent was found to be higher than the activity of the parent SFN. In turn, most of the new compounds showed generally no anti-HIV activity. The influence of the particular structural differences in the new molecules, analogs of SFN, on their biological activity is discussed.

Synthesis, in-vitro antiprotozoal activity and molecular docking study of isothiocyanate derivatives.

Novel isothiocyanate derivatives were synthesized starting from noscapine, bile acids, amino acids, and some aromatic compounds. Antiparasitic activities of the synthesized derivatives were tested against four unicellular protozoa, i.e., Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, T. cruzi, Leishmania donovani, and Plasmodium falciparum. Interestingly, seven isothiocyanate analogues displayed promising antiparasitic activity against Leishmania donovani with IC50 values between 0.4 and 1.0 µM and selectivity index (SI) ranged from 7.8 to 18.4, comparable to the standard drug miltefosine (IC50 = 0.7 µM). Compound 7h demonstrated the best antileishmanial activity with an IC50 value of 0.4 µM. Seven products exhibited inhibition activity against T. brucei rhodesiense with IC50s below 2.0 µM and SI between 2.7 and 29.3. Four primary amine derivatives of noscapine and five isothiocyanate derivatives exhibited antiplasmodial activity with IC50s in the range of 1.1-2.7 µM and SI values between 1.1 and 14.5. The isothiocyanate derivative 7c showed against T. cruzi with an IC50 value of 1.9 µM and SI 4. Molecular docking and ADMET studies were performed to investigate the interaction between active ligands and T. brucei trypanothione reductase active site. The docking studies showed significant binding affinity of noscapine derivatives to enzyme active site and good compatibility with experimental data.

Construction of sulfur-containing moieties in the total synthesis of natural products.

Covering: January 2013 to September 2018Sulfur-containing natural products are a large class of significant functional molecules. Many of these compounds exhibit potent biological activities and pharmacological properties; in fact, some of them have been developed into important drugs. The total synthesis of sulfur-containing natural products is a subject that has long attracted significant attention from synthetic organic chemists; to achieve this goal, various methods have been developed over the past years. This review surveys total syntheses of sulfur-containing natural products that introduce sulfur atoms using different sulfurization agents to construct related sulfur-containing moieties.

Covalent Inhibition of the Histamine H3 Receptor.

Covalent binding of G protein-coupled receptors by small molecules is a useful approach for better understanding of the structure and function of these proteins. We designed, synthesized and characterized a series of 6 potential covalent ligands for the histamine H3 receptor (H3R). Starting from a 2-amino-pyrimidine scaffold, optimization of anchor moiety and warhead followed by fine-tuning of the required reactivity via scaffold hopping resulted in the isothiocyanate H3R ligand 44. It shows high reactivity toward glutathione combined with appropriate stability in water and reacts selectively with the cysteine sidechain in a model nonapeptide equipped with nucleophilic residues. The covalent interaction of 44 with H3R was validated with washout experiments and leads to inverse agonism on H3R. Irreversible binder 44 (VUF15662) may serve as a useful tool compound to stabilize the inactive H3R conformation and to study the consequences of prolonged inhibition of the H3R.

Synthesis, In Vitro Evaluation, Molecular Docking and DFT Studies of Some Phenyl Isothiocyanates as Anticancer Agents.

BACKGROUND: Isothiocyanates (ITCs) are small molecules that are important in synthetic organic chemistry, but their actual importance lies in their potential as anti-carcinogens. Through this piece of work, an effort was made to assess the anti-cancer activity of some simple ITCs which can be synthesized through easy greener pathways. METHODS: Cell proliferation assay was performed on ovarian cancer cells (PA-1) and non-tumorigenic ovarian epithelial cells (IOSE-364). Furthermore, qRT-PCR for transcript expression levels of Spindlin1 and caspases in ovarian cancer cells and cell cycle analysis was performed. In silico studies were incorporated to understand the mode of ligand-protein interaction, ADME/Toxicity and drug-likeliness parameters. Density functional theory studies have been also been employed on the ITCs to assess their efficiency in anticancer activity. RESULTS: An inexpensive, environmentally benign pathway has been developed for synthesizing a series of ITCs. Among the synthesized ITCs, NC6 showed better cytotoxic effects as compared to its counterparts. Novel findings revealed that NC6 had 5-folds lower transcript expression levels of Spindlin1 and induced caspases 3 and 7 expressions assessed by qRT-PCR in ovarian cancer cells. Furthermore, flow cytometry assay showed the cell cycle arrest at G1/S phase of cell cycle. The molecular docking studies revealed favorable binding affinities and the physiochemical parameters were predicted to be compatible with drug-likeliness. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrated the possibility that small isothiocyanate molecules which can be synthesized by a simple green methodology, can pose as promising candidates for their application as anticancer agents.

Design and synthesis of H2S-donor hybrids: A new treatment for Alzheimer's disease?

Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) is an endogenous gasotransmitter, largely known as a pleiotropic mediator endowed with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, pro-autophagic, and neuroprotective properties. Moreover, a strong relationship between H2S and aging has been recently identified and consistently, a significant decline of H2S levels has been observed in patients affected by Alzheimer's disease (AD). On this basis, the use of H2S-donors could represent an exciting and intriguing strategy to be pursued for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs). In this work, we designed a small series of multitarget molecules combining the rivastigmine-scaffold, a well-established drug already approved for AD, with sulforaphane (SFN) and erucin (ERN), two natural products deriving from the enzymatic hydrolysis of glucosinolates contained in broccoli and rocket, respectively, endowed both with antioxidant and neuroprotective effects. Notably, all new synthetized hybrids exhibit a H2S-donor profile in vitro and elicit protective effects in a model of LPS-induced microglia inflammation. Moreover, a decrease in NO production has been observed in LPS-stimulated cells pre-treated with the compounds. Finally, the compounds showed neuroprotective and antioxidant activities in human neuronal cells. The most interesting compounds have been further investigated to elucidate the possible mechanism of action.

Novel cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) inhibitor with suppression of cancer stemness activity against non-small-cell lung cancer.

A series of novel, highly potent, selective CDK9 inhibitors with cancer stem cells (CSCs) inhibition activity were designed and synthesized for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) therapy. Structure-activity relationship analysis based on enzymatic and cellular activities led to the discovery of a promising inhibitor 21e. 21e potently inhibited CDK9 with IC50 value of 11 nM and suppressed the stemness properties of NSCLC effectively. It could decrease the stemness phenotypes of NSCLC cells, including tumor sphere formation, side-population and stemness markers abundance. 21e displayed good selectivity over the CDK family kinases and kinase profiling assay against 381 kinases. In addition, 21e inhibited cell proliferation, colony-formation, and cell cycle progression and induced apoptosis in NSCLC. In H1299 xenograft mouse model, a once-daily dose of compound 21e at 20 mg/kg significantly suppressed the tumor growth without obvious toxicity. Studies of mechanisms of action indicated that 21e efficiently inhibited CDK9 signaling pathway and stemness both in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, 21e as a novel CDK9 inhibitor with CSCs inhibition properties could be a promising agent for the treatment of NSCLC.

Basic study for acyl chitosan isothiocyanates synthesis by model experiments using glucosamine derivatives.

Affecting factors to the acyl chitosan isothiocyanate synthesis by N-phenylthiocarbamoylation and the following acylation was investigated using octyl 2-amino-2-deoxy-ß-D-glucopyranoside as a model compound. It was found from the acetylation of N-phenylthiocarbamoyl glucosamine derivative with acetic anhydride/pyridine that the glucosamine isothiocyanate was formed via N,N-(acetyl)phenylthiocarbamoyl glucosamine derivative and the conversion of N,N-(acetyl)phenylthiocarbamoyl glucosamine derivative to the glucosamine isothiocyanate proceeded mainly by thermal degradation of N,N-(acetyl)phenylthiocarbamoyl groups. The reaction temperature was an important factor to the isothiocyanate synthesis. On the other hand, it was found from the acetylation of N-ethylthiocarbamoyl derivative (or N-allylthiocarbamoyl derivative) with acetic anhydride/pyridine that the glucosamine isothiocyanate was also prepared from N-ethylthiocarbamoyl glucoamine derivative (or N-allylthiocarbamoyl glucosamine derivative), but that N-phenylthiocarbamoylation was more preferable to the isothiocyanate synthesis than N-ethylthiocarbamoylation and N-allylthiocarbamoylation. Then, acylation products of N-phenylthiocarbamoyl chitosan (N,N-(hexanoyl)phenylthiocarbamoyl chitosan hexanoate or hexanoyl chitosan isothiocynate) could be controlled by the reaction temperature and reaction system.

First Examples of H2S-Releasing Glycoconjugates: Stereoselective Synthesis and Anticancer Activities.

H2S donors are currently emerging as promising therapeutic agents in a wide variety of pathologies, including tumors. Cancer cells are characterized by an enhanced uptake of sugars, such as glucose. Therefore, novel glycoconjugated H2S donors were synthesized so that high concentrations of H2S can be selectively achieved therein. Dithiolethione portions or isothiocyanate portions were selected for their well-known H2S-releasing properties in the presence of biological substrates. A synthetic procedure employing trichloroacetimidate glycosyl donors was applied to produce, in a stereoselective fashion, C1-glycoconjugates, whereas C6-glycoconjugates were obtained by a Mitsunobu-based transformation. The resulting molecules were then tested for their anticancer effects on human pancreas adenocarcinoma ascites metastasis cell line AsPC-1. The most potent inhibitors of cell viability (6aß and 7b) proved to release H2S inside the AsPC-1 cells and to alter the basal cell cycle.

Development of Isoselenocyanate Compounds' Syntheses and Biological Applications.

As the number of cases and cancer-related deaths are projected to rise in upcoming years, it is urgent to find ways to prevent or treat cancer. As such, food-derived products have gained attention as potential chemopreventive agents due to their availability, safety, and low cost. Isothiocyanates, the breakdown products of sulfur-containing glucosinolates in cruciferous vegetables, have shown substantial anticarcinogenic and chemopreventive activities for different human cancers. Furthermore, organoselenium compounds are known to exhibit chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic activity; moreover, these compounds are more effective anticancer agents than their sulfur isosteres. Hence, isothiocyanates have been modified to yield isoselenocyanates, which are more cytotoxic toward cancer cells when compared to their corresponding sulfur analogues. Herein, the synthesis and development of isoselenocyanates as novel treatments for cancer and other diseases are reviewed, highlighting the diverse chemistry and computational studies of this class of compounds as well as their pertinent biological applications.

Discovery of a crystalline sulforaphane analog with good solid-state stability and engagement of the Nrf2 pathway in vitro and in vivo.

The antioxidant natural product sulforaphane (SFN) is an oil with poor aqueous and thermal stability. Recent work with SFN has sought to optimize methods of formulation for oral and topical administration. Herein we report the design of new analogs of SFN with the goal of improving stability and drug-like properties. Lead compounds were selected based on potency in a cellular screen and physicochemical properties. Among these, 12 had good aqueous solubility, permeability and long-term solid-state stability at 23 °C. Compound 12 also displayed comparable or better efficacy in cellular assays relative to SFN and had in vivo activity in a mouse cigarette smoke challenge model of acute oxidative stress.

A Near-Infrared Fluorescence Chemosensor Based on Isothiocyanate-Aza-BODIPY for Cyanide Detection at the Parts per Billion Level: Applications in Buffer Media and Living Cell Imaging.

A near-infrared chemodosimeter based on an aza-BODIPY dye was designed and synthesized. The sensor contains isothiocyanate groups for cyanide ion sensing. The sensing function was illustrated via the fluorescence changes in near-infrared frequencies as well as chromogenic changes which could be easily visualized with a detection limit of 19 ppb. The sensor provides high selectivity to CN- and discriminates other anions such as CH3 COO- , HPO4- , HSO4- , ClO3- , CO32- , SO42- , NO3- , Cl- , F- , Br- , I- , and phenylalanine (Phe) in 50 % PBS buffer/acetonitrile at physiological pH. The potential of the sensor for CN- detection in both aqueous buffer solutions and living cells imaging was demonstrated.

Differential Pharmacological Activities of Oxygen Numbers on the Sulfoxide Moiety of Wasabi Compound 6-(Methylsulfinyl) Hexyl Isothiocyanate in Human Oral Cancer Cells.

6-(methylsulfinyl) hexyl isothiocyanate (6-MITC) is a naturally occurring compound isolated from Wasabia japonica (wasabi). The synthetic derivatives, 6-(methylsulfenyl) hexyl isothiocyanate (I7447) and 6-(methylsulfonyl) hexyl isothiocyanate (I7557), were derived from 6-MITC with the deletion and addition of oxygen, respectively. We aimed to evaluate the effect of these synthetic compounds on human oral cancer cells, SAS and OECM-1. All three compounds (I7447, 6-MITC, and I7557) inhibited the viability of SAS and OECM-1 cells using MTT assay. Morphological observations showed various proportions of mitotic arrest and apoptosis in cells treated with these compounds. Cell cycle analysis revealed relatively abundant G2/M arrest in 6-MITC and I7557-treated cells, whereas sub-G1 accumulation was found in I7447-treated cells. In using phosphorylated histone H3 as a marker for mitosis, the addition of 6-MITC and I7557 (excluding I7447) could be shown to arrest cells during mitosis. In contrast, I7447 induced more prominent apoptosis than the 6-MITC or I7557 compounds. The down-regulated expression of the phosphorylated form of CHK1 and Cdc25c was noted in 6-MITC and I7557-treated cells. I7557 could sensitize SAS cells to death by radiation. The wasabi compound, 6-MITC, and its chemical derivatives with different numbers of oxygen may have differential pharmacological effects on human oral cancer cells.

Differentiating Antiproliferative and Chemopreventive Modes of Activity for Electron-Deficient Aryl Isothiocyanates against Human MCF-7 Cells.

The consumption of Brassica vegetables provides beneficial effects through organic isothiocyanates (ITCs), products of the enzymatic hydrolysis of glucosinolate secondary metabolites. The ITC l-sulforaphane (l-SFN) is the principle agent in broccoli that demonstrates several modes of anticancer action. While the anticancer properties of ITCs like l-SFN have been extensively studied and l-SFN has been the subject of multiple human clinical trials, the scope of this work has largely been limited to those derivatives found in nature. Previous studies have demonstrated that structural changes in an ITC can lead to marked differences in a compound's potency to 1) inhibit the growth of cancer cells, and 2) alter cellular transcriptional profiles. This study describes the preparation of a library of non-natural aryl ITCs and the development of a bifurcated screening approach to evaluate the dose- and time-dependence on antiproliferative and chemopreventive properties against human MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Antiproliferative effects were evaluated using a commercial MTS cell viability assay. Chemopreventive properties were evaluated using an antioxidant response element (ARE)-promoted luciferase reporter assay. The results of this study have led to the identification of 1) several key structure-activity relationships and 2) lead ITCs for continued development.