ABSTRACT
Prostate cancer is one of the most prevalent types of cancer in male population. It is a hormone driven disease, especially in its initial phase. Hence, androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the major chemotherapeutic effort and novel AR inhibitors with improved pharmacological profiles are needed. In this report, a novel bioactive compound was selected and investigated using in silico and cell-based assays. Neq0502 compound was selective for the testosterone stimulated AR-dependent prostate cancer cell (LNCaP, GI50=22.4µM) when compared with unstimulated LNCaP or AR-insensitive (DU145 and PC-3) cell lines. Cell cycle arrest study provided the same profile for Neq0502 and the reference drug enzalutamide. Moreover, this compound is not cytotoxic for fibroblast Balb/C 3T3 clone A31 cells up to 250µM, with a good selectivity ratio (SI>11), which could be used in compound optimization effort to a novel therapeutic alternative.
Subject(s)
Acetanilides/pharmacology , Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology , Computer Simulation , Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring/pharmacology , Prostatic Neoplasms/drug therapy , Receptors, Androgen/metabolism , 3T3 Cells , Acetanilides/chemistry , Animals , Antineoplastic Agents/chemistry , Cell Line, Tumor , Cell Proliferation/drug effects , Cell Survival/drug effects , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor , Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring/chemistry , Humans , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Molecular Structure , Prostatic Neoplasms/metabolism , Prostatic Neoplasms/pathology , Structure-Activity RelationshipABSTRACT
A series of compounds based on the dipeptidyl nitrile scaffold were synthesized and assayed for their inhibitory activity against the T. cruzi cysteine protease cruzain. Structure activity relationships (SARs) were established using three, eleven and twelve variations respectively at the P1, P2 and P3 positions. A Ki value of 16 nM was observed for the most potent of these inhibitors which reflects a degree of non-additivity in the SAR. An X-ray crystal structure was determined for the ligand-protein complex for the structural prototype for the series. Twenty three inhibitors were also evaluated for their anti-trypanosomal effects and an EC50 value of 28 µM was observed for the most potent of these. Although there remains scope for further optimization, the knowledge gained from this study is also transferable to the design of cruzain inhibitors based on warheads other than nitrile as well as alternative scaffolds.