Synthesis and inhibition potency of novel ureido benzenesulfonamides incorporating GABA as tumor-associated carbonic anhydrase IX and XII inhibitors.

New ureido benzenesulfonamides incorporating a GABA moiety as a linker between the ureido and the sulfonamide functionalities were synthesized and their inhibition potency determined against both the predominant cytosolic (hCA I and II) and the transmembrane tumor-associated (hCA IX and XII) isoforms of the metalloenzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1). The majority of these compounds were medium potency inhibitors of the cytosolic isoform hCA I and effective hCA II inhibitors, whereas they showed strong inhibition of the two transmembrane tumor-associated isoforms hCA IX and XII, with KIs in nanomolar range. Only one derivative had a good selectivity for inhibition of the tumor-associated hCA IX target isoform over the cytosolic and physiologically dominant off-target hCA I and II, being thus a potential tool to develop new anticancer agents.

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors. Sulfonamide diuretics revisited--old leads for new applications?

Sulfonamide diuretics such as hydrochlorothiazide, hydroflumethiazide, quinethazone, metolazone, chlorthalidone, indapamide, furosemide and bumetanide were tested as inhibitors of the zinc enzyme carbonic anhydrases (CAs, EC 4.2.1.1). These drugs were discovered in a period when only isoform CA II was known and considered physiologically/pharmacologically relevant. We prove here that although acting as moderate to weak inhibitors of CA II, all these drugs considerably inhibit other isozymes known nowadays to be involved in critical physiologic processes, among the 16 CAs present in vertebrates. Some low nanomolar/subnanomolar inhibitors against such isoforms were detected, such as among others metolazone against CA VII, XII and XIII, chlorthalidone against CA VB, VII, IX, XII and XIII, indapamide against CA VII, IX, XII and XIII, furosemide against CA I, II and XIV, and bumethanide against CA IX and XII. The X-ray crystal structure of the CA II-indapamide adduct was also resolved at high resolution, and the binding of this sulfonamide to the enzyme was compared to that of dichlorophenamide, sulpiride and a pyridinium containing sulfonamide. Indapamide binds to CA II in a manner not seen earlier for any other CA inhibitor, which might be important for the design of compounds with a different inhibition profile.

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors: design of spin-labeled sulfonamides incorporating TEMPO moieties as probes for cytosolic or transmembrane isozymes.

A series of spin-labeled sulfonamides incorporating TEMPO moieties were synthesized by a procedure involving the formation of a thiourea functionality between the benzenesulfonamide and free radical fragment of the molecules. The new compounds were tested as inhibitors of the metalloenzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) and showed efficient inhibition of the physiologically relevant isozymes hCA II and hCA IX (hCA IX being predominantly found in tumors) and moderate to weak inhibitory activity against hCA I. Some derivatives were also selective for inhibiting the tumor-associated isoform over the cytosolic one CA II, and presented significant changes in their ESR signals when complexed to the enzyme active site, being interesting candidates for the investigation of hypoxic tumors overexpressing CA IX by ESR techniques, as well as for imaging/treatment purposes.

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors: Valdecoxib binds to a different active site region of the human isoform II as compared to the structurally related cyclooxygenase II "selective" inhibitor celecoxib.

The high resolution X-ray crystal structure of the adduct of human carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) isoform II (hCA II) with the clinically used painkiller valdecoxib, acting as a potent CA II and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor, is reported. The ionized sulfonamide moiety of valdecoxib is coordinated to the catalytic Zn(II) ion with a tetrahedral geometry. The phenyl-isoxazole moiety of the inhibitor fills the active site channel and interacts with the side chains of Gln92, Val121, Leu198, Thr200, and Pro202. Its 3-phenyl group is located into a hydrophobic pocket, simultaneously establishing van der Waals interactions with the aliphatic side chain of various hydrophobic residues (Val135, Ile91, Val121, Leu198, and Leu141) and a strong offset face-to-face stacking interaction with the aromatic ring of Phe131 (the chi1 angle of which is rotated about 90 degrees with respect to what was observed in the structure of the native enzyme and those of other sulfonamide complexes). Celecoxib, a structurally related COX-2 inhibitor for which the X-ray crystal structure was reported earlier, binds in a completely different manner to hCA II as compared to valdecoxib. Celecoxib completely fills the entire CA II active site, with its trifluoromethyl group in the hydrophobic part of the active site and the p-tolyl moiety in the hydrophilic one, not establishing any interaction with Phe131. In contrast to celecoxib, valdecoxib was rotated about 90 degrees around the chemical bond connecting the benzensulfonamide and the substituted isoxazole ring allowing for these multiple favorable interactions. These different binding modes allow for the further drug design of various CA inhibitors belonging to the benzenesulfonamide class.

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors. A general approach for the preparation of water-soluble sulfonamides incorporating polyamino-polycarboxylate tails and of their metal complexes possessing long-lasting, topical intraocular pressure-lowering properties.

Reaction of polyamino-polycarboxylic acids or their dianhydrides with aromatic/heterocyclic sulfonamides possessing a free amino/imino/hydrazino/hydroxy group afforded mono- and bis-sulfonamides containing polyamino-polycarboxylic acid moieties in their molecule. The acids/anhydrides used in synthesis included IDA, NTA, EDDA, EDTA and EDTA dianhydride, DTPA and DTPA dianhydride, EGTA and EGTA dianhydride, and EDDHA, among others. All the newly prepared derivatives showed strong affinity toward isozymes I, II, and IV of carbonic anhydrase (CA). Metal complexes of the new compounds have also been prepared. Metal ions used in such preparations included di- and trivalent main-group and transition cations, such as Zn(II), Cu(II), Al(III), etc. Some of the new sulfonamides/disulfonamides obtained in this way, as well as their metal complexes, behaved as nanomolar CA inhibitors against isozymes II and IV, being slightly less effective in inhibiting isozyme I. Some of these sulfonamides as well as their metal complexes strongly lowered intraocular pressure (IOP) when applied topically, directly into the normotensive/glaucomatous rabbit eye, as 1-2% water solutions/suspensions. The good water solubility of these sulfonamide CA inhibitors, correlated with the neutral pH of their water solutions used in the ophthalmologic applications and the long duration of action of the IOP-lowering effect, makes them interesting candidates for developing novel types of antiglaucoma drugs devoid of serious topical side effects.