RESUMO
A novel class of Ru(II)-based polypyridyl complexes with an auxiliary salicylaldehyde ligand [Ru(phen)2(X-Sal)]BF4 {X: H (1), 5-Cl (2), 5-Br (3), 3,5-Cl2 (4), 3,5-Br2 (5), 3-Br,5-Cl (6), 3,5-I2 (7), 5-NO2 (8), 5-Me (9), 4-Me (10), 4-OMe (11), and 4-DEA (12), has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR, and 1H/13C NMR spectroscopy. The molecular structure of 4, 6, 9, 10, and 11 was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis which revealed structural similarities. DFT and TD-DFT calculations showed that they also possess similar electronic structures. Absorption/emission spectra were recorded for 2, 3, 10, and 11. All Ru-complexes, unlike the pure ligands and the complex lacking the salicylaldehyde component, displayed outstanding antiproliferative activity in the screening test (10 µM) against CCRF-CEM leukemia cells underlining the crucial role of the presence of the auxiliary ligand for the biological activity. The two most active derivatives, namely 7 and 10, were selected for continuous assays showing IC50 values in the submicromolar and micromolar range against drug-sensitive CCRF-CEM and multidrug-resistant CEM/ADR5000 leukemia cells, respectively. These two compounds were investigated in silico for their potential binding to duplex DNA well-matched and mismatched base pairs, since they showed remarkable selectivity indexes (2.2 and 19.5 respectively) on PBMC cells.
Assuntos
Aldeídos , Antineoplásicos , Complexos de Coordenação , Leucemia , Rutênio , Humanos , Ligantes , Leucócitos Mononucleares/metabolismo , Espectroscopia de Infravermelho com Transformada de Fourier , Rutênio/farmacologia , Rutênio/química , Complexos de Coordenação/química , Antineoplásicos/farmacologia , Antineoplásicos/químicaRESUMO
The growing interest in Kv7.2/7.3 agonists originates from the involvement of these channels in several brain hyperexcitability disorders. In particular, Kv7.2/7.3 mutants have been clearly associated with epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) as well as with a spectrum of focal epilepsy disorders, often associated with developmental plateauing or regression. Nevertheless, there is a lack of available therapeutic options, considering that retigabine, the only molecule used in clinic as a broad-spectrum Kv7 agonist, has been withdrawn from the market in late 2016. This is why several efforts have been made both by both academia and industry in the search for suitable chemotypes acting as Kv7.2/7.3 agonists. In this context, in silico methods have played a major role, since the precise structures of different Kv7 homotetramers have been only recently disclosed. In the present review, the computational methods used for the design of Kv.7.2/7.3 small molecule agonists and the underlying medicinal chemistry are discussed in the context of their biological and structure-function properties.
Assuntos
Canal de Potássio KCNQ2 , Canal de Potássio KCNQ3 , Humanos , Canal de Potássio KCNQ2/metabolismo , Canal de Potássio KCNQ2/genética , Canal de Potássio KCNQ2/química , Canal de Potássio KCNQ3/metabolismo , Canal de Potássio KCNQ3/genética , Canal de Potássio KCNQ3/química , Canal de Potássio KCNQ3/antagonistas & inibidores , Simulação por Computador , Relação Estrutura-Atividade , Descoberta de Drogas/métodos , AnimaisRESUMO
Potassium channels have recently emerged as suitable target for the treatment of epileptic diseases. Among potassium channels, KCNT1 channels are the most widely characterized as responsible for several epileptic and developmental encephalopathies. Nevertheless, the medicinal chemistry of KCNT1 blockers is underdeveloped so far. In the present review, we describe and analyse the papers addressing the issue of KCNT1 blockers' development and identification, also evidencing the pros and the cons of the scientific approaches therein described. After a short introduction describing the epileptic diseases and the structure-function of potassium channels, we provide an extensive overview of the chemotypes described so far as KCNT1 blockers, and the scientific approaches used for their identification.
Assuntos
Química Farmacêutica , Epilepsia , Bloqueadores dos Canais de Potássio , Humanos , Bloqueadores dos Canais de Potássio/química , Bloqueadores dos Canais de Potássio/uso terapêutico , Bloqueadores dos Canais de Potássio/farmacologia , Química Farmacêutica/métodos , Epilepsia/tratamento farmacológico , Epilepsia/metabolismo , Relação Estrutura-Atividade , Animais , Anticonvulsivantes/química , Anticonvulsivantes/farmacologia , Anticonvulsivantes/uso terapêutico , Proteínas do Tecido Nervoso/antagonistas & inibidores , Proteínas do Tecido Nervoso/química , Proteínas do Tecido Nervoso/metabolismo , Canais de Potássio de Domínios Poros em Tandem/antagonistas & inibidores , Canais de Potássio de Domínios Poros em Tandem/metabolismo , Canais de Potássio de Domínios Poros em Tandem/química , Canais de Potássio de Abertura Dependente da Tensão da Membrana/antagonistas & inibidores , Canais de Potássio de Abertura Dependente da Tensão da Membrana/metabolismo , Canais de Potássio Ativados por SódioRESUMO
COVID-19 now ranks among the most devastating global pandemics in history. The causative virus, SARS-CoV-2, is a new human coronavirus (hCoV) that spreads among humans and animals. Great efforts have been made to develop therapeutic agents to treat COVID-19, and among the available viral molecular targets, the cysteine protease SARS-CoV-2 Mpro is considered the most appealing one due to its essential role in viral replication. However, the inhibition of Mpro activity is an interesting challenge and several small molecules and peptidomimetics have been synthesized for this purpose. In this work, the Michael acceptor cinnamic ester was employed as an electrophilic warhead for the covalent inhibition of Mpro by endowing some peptidomimetic derivatives with such a functionality. Among the synthesized compounds, the indole-based inhibitors 17 and 18 efficiently impaired the in vitro replication of beta hCoV-OC-43 in the low micromolar range (EC50 = 9.14 µM and 10.1 µM, respectively). Moreover, the carbamate derivative 12 showed an antiviral activity of note (EC50 = 5.27 µM) against another hCoV, namely hCoV-229E, thus suggesting the potential applicability of such cinnamic pseudopeptides also against human alpha CoVs. Taken together, these results support the feasibility of considering the cinnamic framework for the development of new Mpro inhibitors endowed with antiviral activity against human coronaviruses.
Assuntos
COVID-19 , SARS-CoV-2 , Animais , Humanos , Antivirais/farmacologia , Antivirais/química , Replicação Viral , Inibidores de Proteases/farmacologia , Inibidores de Proteases/químicaRESUMO
The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway (UPP) represents the principal proteolytic apparatus in the cytosol and nucleus of all eukaryotic cells. Nowadays, proteasome inhibitors (PIs) are well-known as anticancer agents. However, although three of them have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating multiple myeloma and mantel cell lymphoma, they present several side effects and develop resistance. For these reasons, the development of new PIs with better pharmacological characteristics is needed. Recently, noncovalent inhibitors have gained much attention since they are less toxic as compared with covalent ones, providing an alternative mechanism for solid tumors. Herein, we describe a new class of bis-homologated chloromethyl(trifluoromethyl)aziridines as selective noncovalent PIs. In silico and in vitro studies were conducted to elucidate the mechanism of action of such compounds. Human gastrointestinal absorption (HIA) and blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration were also considered together with absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADMET) predictions.
Assuntos
Antineoplásicos , Neoplasias , Humanos , Complexo de Endopeptidases do Proteassoma/metabolismo , Complexo de Endopeptidases do Proteassoma/uso terapêutico , Relação Estrutura-Atividade , Antineoplásicos/farmacologia , Inibidores de Proteassoma/farmacologia , Inibidores de Proteassoma/uso terapêutico , Neoplasias/tratamento farmacológicoRESUMO
SARS-CoV-2 Mpro is a chymotrypsin-like cysteine protease playing a relevant role during the replication and infectivity of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus responsible for COVID-19. The binding site of Mpro is characterized by the presence of a catalytic Cys145 which carries out the hydrolytic activity of the enzyme. As a consequence, several Mpro inhibitors have been proposed to date in order to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. In our work, we designed, synthesized and biologically evaluated MPD112, a novel inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro bearing a trifluoromethyl diazirine moiety. MPD112 displayed in vitro inhibition activity against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro at a low micromolar level (IC50 = 4.1 µM) in a FRET-based assay. Moreover, an inhibition assay against PLpro revealed lack of inhibition, assuring the selectivity of the compound for the Mpro. Furthermore, the target compound MPD112 was docked within the binding site of the enzyme to predict the established intermolecular interactions in silico. MPD112 was subsequently tested on the HCT-8 cell line to evaluate its effect on human cells' viability, displaying good tolerability, demonstrating the promising biological compatibility and activity of a trifluoromethyl diazirine moiety in the design and development of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro binders.
Assuntos
Antivirais , Diazometano , Inibidores de Proteases , SARS-CoV-2 , Antivirais/farmacologia , Antivirais/química , Diazometano/química , Diazometano/farmacologia , Simulação de Acoplamento Molecular , Inibidores de Proteases/química , Inibidores de Proteases/farmacologia , SARS-CoV-2/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
α,α-Difluoromethyl ketones (DFMKs) have emerged as currently investigated agents benefiting from the merging of chemico-physical features conferred by the constitutive elements (-CHF2 and carbonyl moietites). With a view to biological applications, the additional incorporation of heterocycles is a desirable property enabling the tuning of critical factors encompassing the pharmaco-dynamic and kinetic profiles. The underexplored assembling of α,α-difluoromethyl-heteroaromatic ketones is herein implemented via a conceptually intuitive Weinreb amide acylative transfer of a putative difluoromethyl-carbanion. To make the strategy productive, we adopted the commercially available TMSCHF2 pronucleophile - characterized by robust chemical stability and manipulability (bp 65 °C) - which upon Lewis-base mediated activation delivers the competent CHF2-nucleophile. The synthetic protocol was carried out on pyrazole- and isoxazole-based scaffolds, and a panel of heteroaryl-DFMKs was consequently developed as potential COX-inhibitors. In this sense, the bioisosterism deducted through docking studies between the widely expressed carboxylic group (in several clinically used COX inhibitors) and the -COCHF2 motif introduced herein supports this rationale. To confirm the docking results, all compounds were tested against both COX-1 and COX-2 enzyme isoforms showing activity in the micromolar range and a good selectivity index (SI). They were also evaluated for their biocompatibility using NIH/3T3 cells to which they did not show any significant toxicity.
Assuntos
Isoxazóis , Cetonas , Camundongos , Animais , Cetonas/química , Inibidores de Ciclo-Oxigenase/química , Pirazóis/química , Ciclo-Oxigenase 2/metabolismo , Inibidores de Ciclo-Oxigenase 2 , Relação Estrutura-AtividadeRESUMO
The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway (UPP) is the major proteolytic system in the cytosol and nucleus of all eukaryotic cells. The role of proteasome inhibitors (PIs) as critical agents for regulating cancer cell death has been established. Aziridine derivatives are well-known alkylating agents employed against cancer. However, to the best of our knowledge, aziridine derivatives showing inhibitory activity towards proteasome have never been described before. Herein we report a new class of selective and nonPIs bearing an aziridine ring as a core structure. In vitro cell-based assays (two leukemia cell lines) also displayed anti-proliferative activity for some compounds. In silico studies indicated non-covalent binding mode and drug-likeness for these derivatives. Taken together, these results are promising for developing more potent PIs.
Assuntos
Antineoplásicos , Aziridinas , Neoplasias , Humanos , Inibidores de Proteassoma/farmacologia , Inibidores de Proteassoma/uso terapêutico , Complexo de Endopeptidases do Proteassoma/metabolismo , Antineoplásicos/uso terapêutico , Aziridinas/farmacologia , Aziridinas/química , Neoplasias/metabolismo , Alquilantes , UbiquitinasRESUMO
Transition metal complexes have continued to constitute an appealing class of medicinal compounds since the exceptional discovery of cisplatin in the late 1960s. Pt(II)-based complexes are endowed with a broad range of biological properties, which are mainly exerted by targeting DNA. In this study, we report a significant biological investigation into and computation analyses of four Pt(II)-complexes, namely, LDP-1-4, synthesized and characterized according to previously reported procedures. Molecular-modelling studies highlighted that the top two LDP compounds (i.e., LDP-1 and LDP-4) might bind to both matched and mismatched base pair sites of the oligonucleotide 5'-(dCGGAAATTACCG)2-3', supporting their anticancer potential. These two complexes displayed noteworthy cytotoxicity in vitro (sub-micromolar-micromolar range) against two leukaemia cell lines, i.e., CCRF-CEM and its multi-drug-resistant counterpart CEM/ADR5000, and remarkable anti-angiogenic properties (in the sub-micromolar range) evaluated in an in vivo model, i.e., a chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay.
Assuntos
Antineoplásicos , Complexos de Coordenação , Animais , Embrião de Galinha , Platina/farmacologia , Antineoplásicos/farmacologia , Complexos de Coordenação/farmacologia , Cisplatino , DNA , Linhagem Celular TumoralRESUMO
In order to investigate the structural features and antiproliferative activity of Pd(II) complexes containing halogenated ligands with different flexibility, several Schiff base and reduced Schiff base Pd(II) complexes, namely X1X2PicPd, X1X2PyPd, X1X2Pic(R)Pd, and X1X2Py(R)Pd (where X1 = X2 = Cl, Br and I; Pic: 2-picolylamine; Py = 2-(2-pyridyl)ethylamine), were synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic methods and, in the case of Br2PyPd, Cl2Py(R)Pd and ClBrPy(R)Pd, also by X-ray crystallography. The results of the X-ray crystallography showed that in both series of complexes the Pd(II) ion has a distorted square-planar geometry, although the coordination modes of the two ligands are different. In the Schiff base-type complexes the ligand acts as a tridentate chelate with NN'O donor atoms, whereas in the reduced Schiff base-type complexes the ligand acts as a bidentate chelate with NN' donor atoms. In both series of complexes, the chloride ions occupy the residual coordination sites of the Pd(II) ion. TD-DFT calculations were performed for a better understanding of the UV-Vis spectra. From these calculations it was found that the signal appearing at â¼400 nm in the complexes with reduced Schiff base ligands (X1X2Pic(R)Pd and X1X2Py(R)Pd) is mainly due to a HOMO â LUMO transition, while for the Schiff base complex ClBrPyPd the signal is due to a HOMO â LUMO+1 transition. For the complex I2PicPd, combinations of HOMO-4 â LUMO and HOMO-2 â LUMO transitions were found to be responsible for that signal. In regard to the biological activity profile, all complexes were first investigated as proteasome inhibitors by fluorometric methods. From these enzymatic assays, it emerged that they are good inhibitors with IC50 values in the low-micromolar range and that their inhibitory activity is strictly related to the presence of the metal ion. Subsequently they were also subjected to cell-based assays (the resazurin method) to assess their antiproliferative properties by using two leukemic cell lines, namely the drug-sensitive CCRF-CEM cell line and its multidrug-resistant sub-cell line CEM/ADR5000. In this test they displayed IC50 values in the sub-micromolar and low-micromolar range determined for a selected metal complex (Br2Pic(R)Pd) and ligand (Cl2Pic(R)), respectively. Moreover, docking studies were performed on the two expected molecular targets, i.e. proteasome and DNA, to shed light on the mechanisms of action of these types of Pd(II) complexes.
Assuntos
Antineoplásicos , Proliferação de Células , Complexos de Coordenação , Paládio , Bases de Schiff , Bases de Schiff/química , Bases de Schiff/farmacologia , Humanos , Paládio/química , Paládio/farmacologia , Proliferação de Células/efeitos dos fármacos , Ligantes , Antineoplásicos/farmacologia , Antineoplásicos/química , Antineoplásicos/síntese química , Complexos de Coordenação/química , Complexos de Coordenação/farmacologia , Complexos de Coordenação/síntese química , Cristalografia por Raios X , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Halogenação , Estrutura Molecular , Ensaios de Seleção de Medicamentos Antitumorais , Modelos MolecularesRESUMO
Advanced nanoscale antimicrobials, originated from the combination of noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) with conventional antimicrobial drugs, are considered the next generation of antimicrobial agents. Therefore, there is an increasing demand for rapid, eco-friendly, and relatively inexpensive synthetic approaches for the preparation of nontoxic metallic nanostructures endowed with unique physicochemical properties. Recently, we have proposed a straightforward synthetic strategy that exploits the properties of polymeric ß-cyclodextrin (PolyCD) to act as both the reducing and stabilizing agent to produce monodispersed and stable gold-based NPs either as monometallic (nanoG) structures or core-shell bimetallic (nanoGS) architectures with an external silver layer. Here, we describe the preparation of a supramolecular assembly between nanoGS and pentamidine, an antileishmanial drug endowed with a wide range of therapeutic properties (i.e., antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer). The physicochemical characterization of the supramolecular assembly (nanoGSP) in terms of size and colloidal stability was investigated by complementary spectroscopic techniques, such as UV-vis, ζ-potential, and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Furthermore, the role of PolyCD during the reduction/stabilization of metal NPs was investigated for the first time by NMR spectroscopy.