Reductive Cleavage of 4'H-Spiro[indole-3,5'-isoxazoles] En Route to 2-(1H-Indol-3-yl)acetamides with Anticancer Activities.

Unusual cascade transformation involving ring opening and 1,2-alkyl shift was observed upon the reduction of 4'H-spiro[indole-3,5'-isoxazoles] or 2-(3-oxoindolin-2-yl)acetonitriles with sodium borohydride. This reaction allowed for expeditious and highly efficient preparation of 2-(1H-Indol-3-yl)acetamides with antiproliferative properties.

A toxicological study on photo-degradation products of environmental ibuprofen: Ecological and human health implications.

Increasing quantities of pharmaceutical waste in the environment have disrupted the balance of ecosystems, and may have subsequent effects on human health. Although a handful of previous studies have shown the impacts of pharmaceutically active compounds on the environment, the toxicological effects of their degradation products remain largely unknown. In the current study, the photo-degradation products of environmental ibuprofen were assessed for both ecotoxicological and human health effects using a series of in vitro assays. Here, six of the major degradation products are synthesized with high purity (>98%) and characterized with 1HNMR, 13CNMR, FT-IR and HRMS. To evaluate human health effects, three gut microbiota species, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Enterococcus faecalis and Escherichia coli, and two human cell lines, HEK293T and HepG2, are exposed to various concentrations of ibuprofen and its degradation products. On L. acidophilus, the ibuprofen degradation product (±)-(2R,3R)-2-(4-isobutylphenyl)-5-methylhexan-3-ol shows a greater toxic effect while ibuprofen enhances its growth at lower concentrations. At higher concentrations, ibuprofen shows at least a 2-fold higher toxicity compared to that of its degradation products. However, E. faecalis shows little or no effect upon exposure to these compounds. An induction of the SOS response in E. coli is observed but limited to only ibuprofen and 4-acetylbenzoic acid. In human cell line studies, survival of both HEK293T and HepG2 cell lines is profoundly impaired by the photo-degradation products of (±)- (2R,3R)-2-(4-isobutylphenyl)-5-methylhexan-3-ol, (±)-(2R,3S)-2-(4-isobutylphenyl)-5-methylhexan-3-ol, and (±)-1-(4-(1-hydroxy-2methylpropyl)phenyl)ethan-1-one. In this work, the bioluminescence bacterium, Aliivibrio fischeri, is used as a model to assess environmental impact. Both ibuprofen and its degradation products inhibit the growth of this gram-negative bacteria with the primary compound showing the most significant impact. Overall, our results highlight that some of the degradation products of ibuprofen can be more toxic to human kidney cell line and liver cell line than the parent compound while ibuprofen can be more toxic to human gut microbiota and A. fischeri than ibuprofen degradation products.

Photo-physical properties of substituted 2,3-distyryl indoles: Spectroscopic, computational and biological insights.

The structural dependence of the photo-physical properties of substituted 2,3-distyryl (23DSI) indoles were studied using several spectroscopic techniques including steady-state UV-VIS spectroscopy, steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy, steady-state excitation spectroscopy, time correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) spectroscopy, and time-resolved fluorescence upconversion spectroscopy (TRFLS). Each of 23DSI derivatives investigated showed distinct fluorescence emission and UV-VIS spectra, indicating strong structural dependence of the emission and the excitation. The UV-VIS spectra of the 23DSI derivatives showed three main identical absorption bands with minor deviations in the absorbance caused by substituent groups on the distyryl rings. The time-resolved fluorescence up-conversion studies indicated that the fluorescence undergoes a mono-exponential decay whereas the calculated fluorescence lifetime showed relatively short fluorescence lifetimes of approximately 1 ns. All of the 23DSI derivatives showed two-photon absorption upon direct excitation of 1.6 W laser pulses at 800 nm. These studies suggest that the substituents, attached to distyryl core, are capable of boosting or hindering fluorescence intensities by distorting the π-conjugation of the 23DSI molecule. Our studies showed that 23DSI (p-F) has the highest fluorescence emission quantum yield. Theoretical calculations for the ground state of 23DSI derivatives confirmed differences in electron densities in 23DSI derivatives in the presence of different substituent attachments. The excellent fluorescence emission, high fluorescence quantum yield and two-photon absorption properties of these 23DSI molecules make them attractive candidates for potential applications in the fields of biological imaging, biomedicine, fluorescent probes, and photodynamic inactivation (PDI). B. subtilis samples, treated with micro molar solutions of 23DSI (p-OCH3) and 23DSI (p-CH3), showed very effective photodynamic inactivation (PDI) upon irradiation with white light.

Metal-Templated Assembly of Cyclopropane-Fused Diazepanones and Diazecanones via exo- trig Nucleophilic Cyclization of Cyclopropenes with Tethered Carbamates.

A strain-release-driven, cation-templated nucleophilic 7- and 8- exo-trig-cyclization of tethered Boc-protected amines to cyclopropenes is described. The featured reaction proceeds in diastereo- and regioselective fashion and allows for preparation of the corresponding 2,5-diazabicyclo[5.1.0]octan-6-ones and 2,6-diazabicyclo[6.1.0]nonan-7-ones as sole products in high yields. Preliminary studies on anticancer activities of these novel cyclopropane-fused medium heterocycles were performed.

Desymmetrization of Cyclopropenes via the Potassium-Templated Diastereoselective 7- exo- trig Cycloaddition of Tethered Amino Alcohols toward Enantiopure Cyclopropane-Fused Oxazepanones with Antimycobacterial Activity.

A strain-release-driven, cation-templated intramolecular nucleophilic addition of tethered alkoxides to prochiral cyclopropenes is described. Employment of chiral ß- and γ-amino alkoxides allowed for highly diastereoselective assembly of a small series of enantiopure cyclopropane-fused oxazepanones. It was shown that the chiral center at C-4 plays a crucial role in controlling desymmetrization of the cyclopropenyl moiety, instigated by a profound potassium-templated effect. The preliminary biological activities of the new cyclopropane-fused medium heterocycles against Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, mycobacteria, cancer cells, and fungus were evaluated.

Photoactivated 2,3-distyrylindoles kill multi-drug resistant bacteria.

Compounds based on the 2,3-distyrylindole scaffold were found to exhibit bactericidal properties upon irradiation with white light. At the concentration of 1 µM, the lead compound 1 completely (ca. 109 CFU/mL) eradicated such Gram-positive organisms as S. aureus (MRSA, MSSA), E. faecalis (VRE), S. pyogenes and S. mutans when irradiated with white light for 2 min. At the concentration of 5 µM and in the presence of polymyxin E at non-bactericidal 1.25 µg/mL concentration, 1 also showed a 7-log to 9-log reductions in bacterial counts of such Gram-negative organisms as multi-drug resistant (MDR) A. baumannii, MDR P. aeruginosa, E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRE: KPC and NDM-1), also when irradiated with white light for 2 min. The structure-activity relationship studies revealed that unsubstituted at benzene rings 2,3-distyrylindole 2 was most potent and gave a 5-order of magnitude eradication of a MRSA strain at the concentration of 30 nM upon irradiation with white light. Initial mechanistic experiments revealed the disruption of bacterial cell membrane, but indicated that singlet oxygen production, which is commonly associated with photodynamic therapy, may not play a role in the bactericidal effects of the 2,3-distyrylindoles.

Spectroscopic Study of a Photoactive Antibacterial Agent: 2,3-Distyrylindole.

Optical properties and fluorescence decay dynamics of a photoactive indole based antibacterial chromophore system, 2,3-distyrylindole (23DSI), were investigated using various spectroscopic characterization techniques. Experimental studies were done by utilizing steady-state UV-vis spectroscopy, steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy, time-resolved fluorescence upconversion spectroscopy, and time-correlated single-photon counting spectroscopy. Our studies show that the 23DSI molecule has a multiphoton absorption property as indicated by two- and three-photon absorption in the both the solution and the solid phases. The ultrafast time-resolved fluorescence upconversion studies show that this molecule undergoes a fast decay process with an average time constant of 34 ps, a single exponential decay, and an average fluorescence lifetime of 1 ns. The compound 23DSI did not show any signs of singlet oxygen production. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations showed that the 23DSI molecule has conjugated electron densities that are responsible for multiphoton absorption. The chlorine-substituted styryl groups, attached to the central indole ring facilitate the excellent electron delocalization within the molecule. This optimal electron delocalization, combined with the good electron conjugation in the 23DSI molecule is important for efficient multiphoton absorption and is in excellent agreement with experimental observations. Both the optical spectrum and emission spectrum using DFT calculations are also surprisingly well matched with the experimentally measured UV-vis spectrum and the emission spectrum, respectively. Combined experimental and theoretical studies suggest that excited electrons initially relax to the singlet state (S1) by internal conversion (IC) and subsequently relax back to their ground state by emitting absorbed energy as fluorescence emission. The outstanding multiphoton absorption capabilities of this 23DSI molecule support its potential application in both biological imaging and photodynamic inactivation (PDI).

A total synthesis of (-)-Hortonone C.

A total synthesis of the cytotoxic terpenoid hortonone C was accomplished and its absolute stereochemistry confirmed. Intermediate (+)-4 was synthesized using either an asymmetric conjugate addition strategy, or by elaboration of the Hajos-Parrish ketone. Reduction of (+)-4 under dissolving-metal conditions and trapping the enolate intermediate served to control the cis-stereochemistry at the ring fusion and provide a silyl enol ether necessary for ring expansion. Comparison of optical rotation data confirmed that the absolute configuration of natural hortonone C is (6S,7S,10S).

Extracellular protein disulfide isomerase regulates ligand-binding activity of αMß2 integrin and neutrophil recruitment during vascular inflammation.

ß2 integrins play a crucial role during neutrophil recruitment into the site of vascular inflammation. However, it remains unknown how ligand-binding activity of the integrin is regulated. Using fluorescence intravital microscopy in mice generated by crossing protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) floxed mice with lysozyme-Cre transgenic mice, we demonstrate that neutrophil PDI is required for neutrophil adhesion and crawling during tumor necrosis factor-α-induced vascular inflammation in vivo. Rescue experiments show that the isomerase activity of extracellular PDI is critical for its regulatory effect on neutrophil recruitment. Studies with blocking anti-PDI antibodies and αLß2 or αMß2 null mice suggest that extracellular PDI regulates αMß2 integrin-mediated adhesive function of neutrophils during vascular inflammation. Consistently, we show that neutrophil surface PDI is important for αMß2 integrin-mediated adhesion of human neutrophils under shear and static conditions and for binding of soluble fibrinogen to activated αMß2 integrin. Confocal microscopy and biochemical studies reveal that neutrophil surface PDI interacts with αMß2 integrin in lipid rafts of stimulated neutrophils and regulates αMß2 integrin clustering, presumably by changing the redox state of the integrin. Thus, our results provide the first evidence that extracellular PDI could be a novel therapeutic target for preventing and treating inappropriate neutrophil sequestration.

Total synthesis and absolute stereochemistry of the proteasome inhibitors cystargolides A and B.

The absolute stereochemistry of the cystargolides was determined by total synthesis. Evaluation of synthetic cystargolides and derivatives showed that the natural (2S,3R) stereochemistry is essential for activity. Moreover, benzyl esters (-)-10 and (-)-15 were found to be about 100 times more potent, and to selectively kill MCF-7 cancerous cells.

Lipophilic prodrug conjugates allow facile and rapid synthesis of high-loading capacity liposomes without the need for post-assembly purification.

Dihydropyridopyrazoles are simplified synthetic analogues of podophyllotoxin that can effectively mimic its molecular scaffold and act as potent mitotic spindle poisons in dividing cancer cells. However, despite nanomolar potencies and ease of synthetic preparation, further clinical development of these promising anticancer agents is hampered due to their poor aqueous solubility. In this article, we developed a prodrug strategy that enables incorporation of dihydropyridopyrazoles into liposome bilayers to overcome the solubility issues. The active drug was covalently connected to either myristic or palmitic acid anchor via carboxylesterase hydrolyzable linkage. The resulting prodrugs were self-assembled into liposome bilayers from hydrated lipid films using ultrasound without the need for post-assembly purification. The average particle size of the prodrug-loaded liposomes was about 90 nm. The prodrug incorporation was verified by differential scanning calorimetry, spectrophotometry and gel filtration reaching maximum at 0.3 and 0.35 prodrug/lipid molar ratios for myristic and palmitic conjugates, respectively. However, the ratio of 0.2 was used in the particle size and biological activity experiments to maintain long-term stability of the prodrug-loaded liposomes against phase separation during storage. Antiproliferative activity was tested against HeLa and Jurkat cancer cell lines in vitro showing that the liposomal prodrug retained antitubulin activity of the parent drug and induced apoptosis-mediated cancer cell death. Overall, the established data provide a powerful platform for further clinical development of dihydropyridopyrazoles using liposomes as the drug delivery system.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of unnatural derivatives of narciclasine: 7-aza-nornarciclasine and its N-oxide.

Several unnatural derivatives of narciclasine were prepared in which the C-7 carbon was replaced with nitrogen. The 7-aza derivative and its N-oxide were prepared by the coupling of iodopicolinic acid with a conduramine unit derived chemoenzymatically from bromobenzene. Intramolecular Heck reaction was used to construct the isocarbostyryl ring system. The compounds were submitted to biological screening against cancer cell lines. Full experimental and spectra data are provided for all new compounds.

Antiproliferative activity of 2,3-disubstituted indoles toward apoptosis-resistant cancers cells.

Many types of cancer, including glioma, melanoma, NSCLC, among others, are resistant to apoptosis induction and poorly responsive to current therapies with propaptotic agents. We describe a series of 2,3-disubstituted indoles, which display cytostatic rather than cytotoxic effects in cancer cells, and serve as a new chemical scaffold to develop anticancer agents capable of combating apoptosis-resistant cancers associated with dismal prognoses.

Cystargolide-based amide and ester Pz analogues as proteasome inhibitors and anti-cancer agents.

A series of cystargolide-based ß-lactone analogues containing nitrogen atoms at the Pz portion of the scaffold were prepared and evaluated as proteasome inhibitors, and for their cytotoxicity profile toward several cancer cell lines. Inclusion of one, two or even three nitrogen atoms at the Pz portion of the cystargolide scaffold is well tolerated, producing analogues with low nanomolar proteasome inhibition activity, in many cases superior to carfilzomib. Additionally, analogue 8g, containing an ester and pyrazine group at Pz, was shown to possess significant activity toward RPMI 8226 cells (IC50 = 21 nM) and to be less cytotoxic toward the normal tissue model MCF10A cells than carfilzomib.

Unprecedented C-2 arylation of indole with diazonium salts: Syntheses of 2,3-disubstituted indoles and their antimicrobial activity.

A novel reaction of indole with aryldiazonium salts leading to the formation of 2-aryl-3-(arylazo)indoles was discovered. The products were found to possess potent anti-MRSA and anti-LLVRE activities. The SAR studies indicate that the potentially metabolically labile azo functionality can be replaced with ether oxygen and thioether sulfur atoms without any loss of activity.

Multicomponent Synthesis of 2,3-Dihydrochromeno[4,3-d]pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine-1,6-diones: A Novel Heterocyclic Scaffold with Antibacterial Activity.

A multicomponent reaction of 3-aminopyrazol-5-ones with substituted salicylic aldehydes and acetylacetic ester leading to the formation of novel 2,3-dihydrochromeno[4,3-d]pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine-1,6-diones was discovered. The elucidation of the reaction scope revealed that 5-aminopyrazoles, 3-amino-1,2,4-triazoles and 6-aminouracil could be used as the heterocyclic amine component. Selected heterocyclic products were found to possess notable antibacterial activities.

Activity of natural and synthetic polygodial derivatives against Trypanosoma cruzi amastigotes, trypomastigotes and epimastigotes.

Our laboratories have been investigating biological effects of a sesquiterpenoid polygodial and its natural and synthetic analogues. Herein, we report the evaluation of these compounds against the three forms of Trypanosoma cruzi, amastigotes, trypomastigotes and epimastigotes. Although polygodial was found to be poorly active, its natural congener epipolygodial and synthetic Wittig-derived analogues showed low micromolar potency against all three forms of the parasite. Synthetic α,ß-unsaturated phosphonate 9 compared favorably with clinically approved drugs benznidazole and nifurtimox, and was effective against trypomastigotes, toward which benznidazole showed no activity.[Formula: see text].

Rose Bengal-decorated silica nanoparticles as photosensitizers for inactivation of gram-positive bacteria.

A new type of photosensitizer, made from Rose Bengal (RB)-decorated silica (SiO(2)-NH(2)-RB) nanoparticles, was developed to inactivate gram-positive bacteria, including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), with high efficiency through photodynamic action. The nanoparticles were characterized microscopically and spectroscopically to confirm their structures. The characterization of singlet oxygen generated by RB, both free and immobilized on a nanoparticle surface, was performed in the presence of anthracene-9,10-dipropionic acid. The capability of SiO(2)-NH(2)-RB nanoparticles to inactivate bacteria was tested in vitro on both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The results showed that RB-decorated silica nanoparticles can inactivate MRSA and Staphylococcus epidermidis (both gram-positive) very effectively (up to eight-orders-of-magnitude reduction). Photosensitizers of such design should have good potential as antibacterial agents through a photodynamic mechanism.

Synergistic action of substituted indole derivatives and clinically used antibiotics against drug-resistant bacteria.

Aim: The current report describes the discovery of indole derivatives that synergize with standard antibiotics. Materials & methods: The antibacterial activities were determined using an optimized time-kill method, while viability of mammalian cells was assessed using the (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Results: The synergy is observed with methicillin- and vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacterial strains, against which the standard antibiotics show no activities of their own. Our indole derivatives in combination with antibiotics lack toxicity toward mammalian cells, do not promote the evolution of resistance of S. aureus in comparison to clinically established antibiotics, and likely work by permeabilizing bacterial cell membranes. Conclusion: The above-mentioned findings demonstrate the potential clinical applications of our indole derivatives.

Microtubule-Targeting 7-Deazahypoxanthines Derived from Marine Alkaloid Rigidins: Exploration of the N3 and N9 Positions and Interaction with Multidrug-Resistance Proteins.

Our laboratories have been investigating synthetic analogues of marine alkaloid rigidins that possess promising anticancer activities. These analogues, based on the 7-deazahypoxanthine skeleton, are available in one- or two-step synthetic sequences and exert cytotoxicity by disrupting microtubule dynamics in cancer cells. In the present work we extended the available structure-activity relationship (SAR) data to N3- and N9-substituted derivatives. Although N3 substitution results in loss of activity, the N9-substituted compounds retain nanomolar antiproliferative activities and the anti-tubulin mode of action of the original unsubstituted compounds. Furthermore, our results also demonstrate that multidrug-resistance (MDR) proteins do not confer resistance to both N9-unsubstituted and -substituted compounds. It was found that sublines overexpressing ABCG2, ABCC1, and ABCB1 proteins are as responsive to the rigidin analogues as their parental cell lines. Thus, the study reported herein provides further impetus to investigate the rigidin-inspired 7-deazahypoxanthines as promising anticancer agents.