Differential miRNA expression of hypoxic MCF7 and PANC-1 cells.

Background: Hypoxia plays a critical role in the tumor microenvironment by affecting cellular proliferation, metabolism, apoptosis, DNA repair, and chemoresistance. Since hypoxia provokes a distinct shift of microRNA, it is important to illustrate the relative contribution of each hypoxamiR to cancer progression. Aims: The present study aims to shed light on the hypoxamiRs that are involved in pancreatic and breast cancer progression to highlight novel targets for the development of new therapies. Methods: For 20 cycles, MCF7 breast cancer cells and PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cells were subjected to chronic cyclic hypoxia, which consisted of 72 hours of hypoxia followed by 24 hours of reoxygenation. After 10 and 20 cycles of hypoxia, miRNA expression alterations were profiled using RT-PCR array and further analyzed using a visual analytics platform. The MTT cell proliferation assay was used to determine hypoxic cells' chemoresistance to doxorubicin. Results: Under chronic cyclic hypoxia, hypoxic PANC-1 cells have a comparable doubling time with their normoxic counterparts, whereas hypoxic MCF7 cells show a massive increase in doubling time when compared to their normoxic counterparts. Both hypoxic cell lines developed EMT-like phenotypes as well as doxorubicin resistance. According to the findings of miRNet, 6 and 10 miRNAs were shown to play an important role in enriching six hallmarks of pancreatic cancer in the 10th and 20th cycles of hypoxia, respectively, while 7 and 11 miRNAs were shown to play an important role in enriching the four hallmarks of breast cancer in the 10th and 20th cycles of hypoxia, respectively. Conclusions: miR-221, miR-21, miR-155, and miR-34 were found to be involved in the potentiation of hypoxic PANC-1 hallmarks at both the 10th and 20th cycles, while miR-93, miR-20a, miR-15, and miR-17 were found to be involved in the potentiation of hypoxic MCF7 hallmarks at both the 10th and 20th cycles. This variation in miRNA expression was also connected to the emergence of an EMT-like phenotype, alterations in proliferation rates, and doxorubicin resistance. The chemosensitivity results revealed that chronic cyclic hypoxia is critical in the formation of chemoresistant phenotypes in pancreatic and breast cancer cells. miR-181a and let-7e expression disparities in PANC1, as well as miR-93, miR-34, and miR-27 expression disparities in MCF7, may be associated with the formation of chemoresistant MCF7 and PANC-1 cells following 20 cycles of chronic cyclic hypoxia. Indeed, further research is needed since the particular mechanisms that govern these processes are unknown.

Effects of cyclic acute and chronic hypoxia on the expression levels of metabolism related genes in a pancreatic cancer cell line.

The aim of this study was to characterize cycling hypoxia-induced changes in the expression of metabolism-related genes in the pancreatic cancer cell line PANC1. PANC1 cells were exposed to either 7 h cycles of hypoxia every other day for 20 cycles (cyclic acute hypoxia), or for 72 h cycles of hypoxia once a week for 5 cycles (cyclic chronic hypoxia). Changes in gene expression were profiled using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and compared to cells cultured under normoxic conditions. Western blotting analysis confirmed upregulation of HIF1-α, glucose-6-phosphate isomerase, and ribokinase at the mRNA level. Upregulation in genes encoding enzymes involved in glycolysis was greater in cells cultured under cyclic acute hypoxia compared with cells cultured under chronic hypoxia including hexokinase2 and phosphoglycerate kinase 1. Genes encoding the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) enzymes (transketolase and transaldolase) were upregulated to a similar degree. The expression of genes encoding pyruvate dehydrogenases that block pyruvate flow to the TCA cycle was significantly upregulated. Thus, exposure of PANC1 cells to acute hypoxia resulted in the upregulation of genes that shift the metabolism of cells towards glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) in adaptation to hypoxic stress.

High Throughput Study for Molecular Mechanism of Metformin Pre-Diabetic Protection via Microarray Approach.

BACKGROUND: Metformin is a biguanide that exhibits antidiabetic, anticarcinogenic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Despite well-known pancreatic protective effects, metformin's influence on pancreatic islet ß-cell is yet considerably unknown. Protecting the functional insulin-producing ß-cells in the pancreas is a key therapeutic challenge in patients with type 1 (T1DM) or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). OBJECTIVE: The current study aimed to analyze the protective effects of metformin on streptozocin- induced diabetic rats in T1DM in hepatic tissues. METHODS: In the present study, male Wistar rats (n=24) were randomly assigned into 2 groups (n=12 for each control and test), and metformin (100 mg/kg/day) was given for 7 weeks. Afterward, diabetes was induced by streptozocin (STZ) at a single dose of 150 mg/kg. Blood glucose was examined daily before and after STZ induction. The animals were euthanized by cervical dislocation 5 days after streptozocin injection, after which liver and pancreas were harvested from each rat. RESULTS: The biochemical analyses revealed that metformin resulted in significantly reduced plasma glucose levels and higher pancreatic insulin levels in the test group. Using a restrictive cut-off of at least 2-FC and an adjusted p-value (q-value) of ≤0.05, a sum of 747 genes for the metformin group were shown to be differentially regulated compared to controls (320 Down and 427 Up), by which they were obtained from the liver. Furthermore, the evidence is attained that metformin may hinder the loss of critical ß-cells by reducing inflammatory and apoptosis signaling, promoting fatty acid ß-oxidation, and inducing metabolism. CONCLUSION: Collectively, this study has demonstrated a decrease in blood glucose levels and a rise in insulin-levels and thus consequent prophylactic effects in metformin-given STZ-induced diabetic rats.

Ononis natrix L. Lowers the Blood Glucose Concentration in Wistar Rats with Streptozotocin-induced Diabetes Mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Practitioners of traditional medicine use the decoction of Ononis natrix L. to treat hyperglycemia. The literature offers no evidence to support the use. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of the decoction of Ononis natrix L. on the blood glucose concentration in Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) with streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus. METHODS: We obtained 35 Wistar rats from the animal colony of The University of Jordan School of Medicine. We induced diabetes by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg body weight) and 23 rats (66%) survived to allocation. We randomly assigned the rats to one of four groups: negative control (1% Tween 80 in distilled water), positive control (100 mg/kg metformin), high-dose treatment (7.5 mL of the decoction), and low-dose treatment (3.5 mL of the decoction). We administered the doses twice daily by oral gavage for two weeks and measured the tailblood glucose concentration twice daily, once before the first dose and another time after the second dose. We used linear mixed-effects regression to model the change in blood glucose concentration as a function of the experimentation groups, with adjustments for pseudoreplication and temporal variation. RESULTS: The estimated mean change was 1 mmol/L (-30 to 31 mmol/L) for the negative control group, -26 mmol/L (-56 to 5 mmol/L) for the positive control group, -75 mmol/L (-108 to -42) for the low-dose treatment group, and -82 mmol/L (-111 to -53 mmol/L) for the high-dose treatment group. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, we demonstrate, for the first time, the hypoglycemic effect of Ononis natrix L. in an animal model of diabetes.

The effect of green tea consumption on the expression of antioxidant- and inflammation-related genes induced by nicotine.

The aim of this study is to investigate the protective effect of green tea (GT) against the toxicity of nicotine. BALB/c mice were divided into four groups. Group I received food and water intake ad libidium, Group II received GT solution at a dose of 1 ml/kg body weight orally twice a day via gastric gavage, Group III was injected intraperitoneally with nicotine (2.5 mg/kg) once per day for 4 weeks, and Group IV received both nicotine and GT; GT was introduced using gastric gavage 1 hr before and 1 hr after the nicotine injection. The administration of nicotine altered the cellular antioxidant defense system by inducing inflammation and damage in the tissues of liver, lungs, and kidneys. In addition, nicotine treatment significantly enhanced the expression antioxidant- and inflammation-related genes. There were significant improvements when the nicotine-exposed mice treated with GT. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: In this study, it is revealed that the administration of nicotine altered the cellular antioxidant defense system by inducing inflammation manifested by the infiltration of inflammatory cells and damage seen in liver, lungs, and kidneys. GT contributed to the reduction of toxicity of nicotine, probably mediated by free radicals, through downregulation of nicotine-induced upregulated antioxidant- and inflammation-related genes. Never the less, further in depth investigation on characterization of the active constituents of GT responsible for their effect seen here and the mechanism that contributes to the effects seen in this reports is highly demanded. Furthermore, GT extract could be considered as a dietary supplement for the reduction of nicotine toxicity among cigarette smoker.

The effect of cycling hypoxia on MCF-7 cancer stem cells and the impact of their microenvironment on angiogenesis using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) as a model.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among females. Hypoxia mediates cancer hallmarks and results from reduced oxygen level due to irregularities in tumor vascularization or when the tumor size prevents oxygen diffusion and triggers angiogenesis to compensate for low oxygen. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a rare subpopulation, able to self-renew and to give rise to tumor-initiating cells. It is proposed that CSCs' secretions help to recruit endothelial cells via angiogenic factors to establish tumor vascularization. In the tumor microenvironment, the effect of hypoxia on CSCs and the impact of their secretions on triggering angiogenesis and tumor vascularization remain questionable. In this study, three-dimensional (3D) CSCs derived from MCF-7 were directly exposed to repetitive long-term cycles of hypoxia to assess its effect on CSCs and then to evaluate the role of the hypoxic CSCs' (CSCsHYP) secretions in angiogenesis using (HUVECs) as a model for tumor neovascularization response. METHODS: CSCs derived from MCF-7 cell-line were expanded under repetitive, strictly optimized, long-term/continuous and intermittent hypoxic shots for almost four months to assess hypoxic effect on CSCs, sorted based on CD44+/CD24- biomarkers. Hypoxic phenotype of CSCsHYP was evaluated by assessing the acquired chemoresistance using MTT assay and elevated stemness properties were assessed by flow cytometry. To evaluate the effect of the secretions from CSCsHYP on angiogenesis, HUVECs were exposed to CSCsHYP conditioned-medium (CdM)-in which CSCs had been previously grown-to mimic the tumor microenvironment and to assess the effect of the secretions from CSCsHYP on the HUVECs' capability of tube formation, migration and wound healing. Additionally, co-culture of CSCsHYP with HUVECs was performed. RESULTS: CSCsHYP acquired higher chemoresistance, increased stemness properties and obtained greater propagation, migration, and wound healing capacities, when compared to CSCs in normoxic condition (CSCsNOR). HUVECs' tube formation and migration abilities were mediated by hypoxic (CSCs) conditioned media (CdM). DISCUSSION: This study demonstrates that chemoresistant and migrational properties of CSCs are enhanced under hypoxia to a certain extent. The microenvironment of CSCsHYP contributes to tumor angiogenesis and migration. Hypoxia is a key player in tumor angiogenesis mediated by CSCs.

Exploring the influence of culture conditions on kefir's anticancer properties.

Cancer is a major health problem in many parts of the world. Conventional anticancer treatments are painful, expensive, and unsafe. Therefore, demand is increasing for cancer treatments preferentially in the form of functional foods or nutritional supplements. Kefir, a traditional fermented milk dairy product, has significant antimutagenic and antitumor properties. This research addresses the hypothesis that kefir's anticancer properties are affected by fermentation conditions. Initially, kefir extracts prepared under standard conditions were screened against 7 cancer cell lines using the tetrazolium dye 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide colorimetric assay. Colon cancer and chronic myelogenous leukemia cells were found to be most susceptible to kefir extracts. Subsequently, a factorial design was implemented to assess the effects of 3 fermentation times (24, 48, and 72 h), 3 kefir-to-milk ratios (2, 5, and 10% wt/vol), and 3 fermentation temperatures (4, 25, and 40°C) on kefir's anticancer properties. Remarkably, exploration of the fermentation conditions allowed the anticancer properties of kefir to be enhanced by 5- to 8-fold against susceptible cell lines. Overall, these results demonstrate the possibility of optimizing the anticancer properties of kefir as a functional food in cancer therapy.

Ligand-based computational modelling of platelet-derived growth factor beta receptor leading to new angiogenesis inhibitory leads.

Platelet derived growth factor beta receptor (PDGFR- ß) plays an important role in angiogenesis. PDGFR-ß expression is correlated with increased vascularity and maturation of blood vessels in cancer. Pharmacophore modeling and quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) analysis were combined to explore the structural requirements for ligand-PDGFR-ß recognition using 107 known PDGFR-ß inhibitors. Genetic function algorithm (GFA) coupled to k nearest neighbor (kNN) and multiple linear regression (MLR) analysis were employed to generate predictive QSAR models based on optimal combinations of pharmacophores and physicochemical descriptors. The successful pharmacophores were complemented with exclusion spheres to optimize their receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) profiles. The QSAR models and their associated pharmacophore hypotheses were validated by identification and experimental evaluation of new angiogenesis inhibitory leads retrieved from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) structural database. Two hits illustrated low micromolar IC50 values in two distinct anti-angiogenesis bioassays.

An intronic single-nucleotide polymorphism (rs13217795) in FOXO3 is associated with asthma and allergic rhinitis: a case-case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Asthma and allergic rhinitis are respiratory diseases with a significant global burden. Forkhead box O3 (FOXO3) is a gene involved in the etiology of a number of respiratory diseases. The objective of this study is to assess the association of rs13217795, an intronic FOXO3 single-nucleotide polymorphism, with asthma and allergic rhinitis. METHODS: In this case-case-control genetic association study, genotyping was conducted using the PCR-RFLP method. Genotype-based associations were investigated under the general, recessive, and dominant models of disease penetrance using binomial logistic regression; and, allele-based associations were tested using Pearson's chi-squared test. RESULTS: The final study population consisted of 94 controls, 124 asthmatics, and 110 allergic rhinitis patients. The general and recessive models of disease penetrance were statistically significant for both case-control comparisons. Under the general model, the odds of the asthma phenotype were 1.46 (0.64 to 3.34) and 3.42 (1.37 to 8.57) times higher in heterozygotes and derived allele homozygotes, respectively, compared to ancestral allele homozygotes. The corresponding odds ratios for the allergic rhinitis phenotype were 1.05 (0.46 to 2.40) and 2.35 (0.96 to 5.73), respectively. The dominant model of disease penetrance was not statistically significant. The minor allele in all study groups was the ancestral allele, with a frequency of 0.49 in controls. There was no deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in controls. Both case-control allele-based associations were statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Herein we present the first report of the association between rs13217795 and allergic rhinitis, and the first independent verification of the association between rs13217795 and asthma. Marker selection in future genetic association studies of asthma and allergic rhinitis should include functional polymorphisms in linkage disequilibrium with rs13217795.

Discovery of new selective cytotoxic agents against Bcl-2 expressing cancer cells using ligand-based modeling.

Bcl-2 is an anti-apoptotic protein involved in cancer resistance to cytotoxic therapies making it an interesting target for inhibitors design. Towards this end, we implemented an elaborated ligand-based computational workflow that combines exhaustive pharmacophore modeling and quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) analysis to explore the structural features required for potent Bcl-2 inhibitors employing 98 known Bcl-2 inhibitors. Genetic function algorithm (GFA) coupled with k nearest neighbor (kNN) or multiple linear regression (MLR) analyses were employed to generate predictive QSAR models based on optimal combinations of pharmacophores and physicochemical descriptors. The optimal QSAR-selected pharmacophore models were validated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and by comparison with crystallographic structures of known inhibitors co-crystallized within Bcl-2 binding pocket. Optimal QSAR models and their associated pharmacophore hypotheses were validated by identification and experimental evaluation of new selective cytotoxic compounds against Bcl-2 expressing cancer cells. The hits were retrieved from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) structural database. Several potent hits were captured. The most potent hits illustrated IC50 values of 4.2 and 2.60 µM against MDA-MB-231 cancer cell-line.

Ligand-based modeling of diverse aryalkylamines yields new potent P-glycoprotein inhibitors.

The P-glycoprotein (P-gp) efflux pump has an important role as a natural detoxification system in many types of normal and cancer cells. P-gp is implicated in multiple drug resistance (MDR) exhibited by several types of cancer against a multitude of anticancer chemotherapeutic agents, and therefore, it is clinically validated target for cancer therapy. Accordingly, in this study we combined exhaustive pharmacophore modeling and quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) analysis to explore the structural requirements for potent P-gp inhibitors employing 130 known P-gp ligands. Genetic function algorithm (GFA) coupled with k nearest neighbor (kNN) or multiple linear regression (MLR) analyses were employed to build self-consistent and predictive QSAR models based on optimal combinations of pharmacophores and physicochemical descriptors. Successful pharmacophores were complemented with exclusion spheres to optimize their receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) profiles. Optimal QSAR models and their associated pharmacophore hypotheses were validated by identification and experimental evaluation of new promising P-gp inhibitory leads retrieved from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) structural database. Several potent hits were captured. The most potent hit decreased the IC50 of doxorubicin from 0.906 to 0.190 µM on doxorubicin resistant MCF7 cell-line.

Alteration of gene expression in MDA-MB-453 breast cancer cell line in response to continuous exposure to Trastuzumab.

Development of resistance against cancer therapeutic agents is a common problem in cancer management. Trastuzumab resistance is one of the challenges in management of HER-2-positive breast cancer patients resulting in breast cancer progression, metastasis, and patient poor outcome. The aim of this study is to determine the alteration in gene expression in response to Trastuzumab resistance after long-term exposure to Trastuzumab. The Trastuzumab-resistant MDA-MB-453 (MDA-MB-453/TR) cell line was developed by exposing cells to 10 µM Trastuzumab continuously for 6 months. Sensitivity toward Trastuzumab was tested using cell viability assays. The acquisition of an epithelial-to mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype was also observed in parallel with the development of resistance. Based on the real-time-based PCR array technology, several genes were altered affecting multiple networks. The most up-regulated genes were TGF-ß1 and EGF, and IGFBP-3. These genes are known to have a critical role in Trastuzumab resistance in breast cancer cell lines and/or in the acquisition of EMT. They are also recognized for their role in cancer progression and metastasis. These alterations indicate that the development of Trastuzumab resistance is multifactorial and involves a development of a mesenchymal like phenotype.

Gene expression alterations in chronic hypoxic MCF7 breast cancer cell line.

Hypoxia plays a significant role in tumor progression and aggressiveness and implicated in resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. This study aims to characterize the changes in gene expression associated with chronic hypoxia in MCF7 breast cancer cell line and identify a possible biomarker for hypoxia in breast cancer. Breast cancer cells (MCF7) were exposed to 8-hour hypoxic episodes (<1% oxygen) three times a week for a total of 38 episodes. Gene expression changes were profiled using RT- PCR array after 19 and 38 episodes of hypoxia and compared to normoxic cells. Chemoresistance of hypoxic cells toward doxorubicin was assessed using MTT cell proliferation assay. Marked gene expression changes were indentified after 19 and 38 episodes of hypoxia. Only few changes were common in both stages with most genes rebounding at the level of 38 episodes. A notable gene (HNF4A) has been up-regulated by 2 folds after 19 hypoxic shots and further up-regulated by 6.43 folds after 38 hypoxic shots. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of doxorubicin in MCF7 cells has increased in a trend proportional to the number of hypoxic episodes then totally rebounded after incubation under normoxia for 3 weeks. This study provides evidence that exposing cells to prolonged periods of hypoxia (weeks) results in different expression changes than those induced by short-term hypoxia (less than 72h).

Synthesis and antitumor activities of some new N1-(flavon-6-yl)amidrazone derivatives.

A new series of N1-(flavon-6-yl)amidrazones were synthesized by reacting the hydrazonoyl chloride derived from 6-aminoflavone with the appropriate sec-cyclic amines. The antitumor activities of these compounds were evaluated on breast cancer (MCF-7) and leukemic (K562) cell lines. Among the compounds tested, the N-morpholine derivative was the most active against the MCF-7 and K562 cell lines, with IC50 values of 5.18 and 2.89 µM, respectively. Our docking studies showed that the N-morpholino derivative fits and blocks the oncogenic tyrosine kinases bcr/abl and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in a similar fashion to that of the potent anticancer agent imatinib.

ß-Caryophyllene causes regression of endometrial implants in a rat model of endometriosis without affecting fertility.

Many studies have shown that anti-inflammatory agents are effective in the treatment of endometriosis. ß-Caryophyllene exerted a potent anti-inflammatory effect in vivo. However, its effect on endometriosis has not been investigated. This study aims at investigating the effect of ß-caryophyllene on endometriosis and on fertility and reproduction in adult female rats. Autologous fragments of the endometrium were implantated in the peritoneal cavity in adult female rats. The growth of the endometriotic implants that developed after four weeks was recorded. Treatment started then with ß-caryophyllene (10 mg/kg or 30 mg/kg) or vehicle (control) for 21 days and the growth of the endometriotic implants was measured again. In fertility studies, female rats that received ß-caryophyllene or vehicle were mated and reproductive functions were observed including number and viability of implants, number of corpora lutea, length of pregnancy and outcome of litter. ß-Caryophyllene (10 mg/kg) suppressed the growth of endometriotic implants by 52.5% compared with controls. Also ß-caryophyllene produced apoptosis in luminal epithelim of the cyst as well as in endothelial cells of blood vessels. Ultrstructural studies revealed the presence of active mast cells and eosinophils in both control and ß-caryophyllene-treated rat cysts. No statistically significant difference was observed in any studied parameter between control and ß-caryophyllene-treated groups in fertility study. Therapy with ß-caryophyllene may present a promising novel, non-toxic therapeutic option for patients with endometriosis.

Thymoquinone efficiently inhibits the survival of EBV-infected B cells and alters EBV gene expression.

Epstein--Barr virus (EBV) is a human virus with oncogenic potentials that is implicated in various human diseases and malignancies. In this study, the modulator activity of the potent herbal extract drug thymoquinone on EBV was assessed in vitro. Thymoquinone was tested for cytotoxicity on human cells of lymphoblastoid cells, Raji Burkitt's lymphoma, DG-75 Burkitt's lymphoma, peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and periodontal ligament fibroblast. Apoptosis induction was analyzed via TUNEL assay and activity studies of caspase-3. The effect of thymoquinone on EBV gene expression was determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction. We report here, for the first time, a promising selective inhibitory affect of thymoquinone on EBV-infected B cell lines in vitro, compared with lower activity on EBV negative B cell line and very low toxicity on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and periodontal ligament fibroblasts. Moreover, the drug was found to efficiently suppress the RNA expression of EBNA2, LMP1, and EBNA1 genes. Specifically, EBNA2 expression levels were the most affected indicating that this gene might have a major contribution to thymoquinone potency against EBV infected cells. Overall, our results suggest that thymoquinone has the potential to suppress the growth of EBV-infected B cells efficiently.

Synthesis and biological activity assays of some new N1-(flavon-7-yl)amidrazone derivatives and related congeners.

A series of new N1-(flavon-7-yl)amidrazones incorporating N-piperazines and related congeners were synthesized by reacting the hydrazonoyl chloride derived from 7-aminoflavone and 7-amino-2-methylchromen-4-one with the appropriate piperazine. The chemical structures of the newly prepared compounds were confirmed by elemental analyses, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, and ESI-HRMS spectral data. The antitumor activity of these compounds was evaluated on breast cancer (MCF-7 and T47D) and Leukemic (K562) cell lines by a cell viability assay utilizing the tetrazolium dye 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT). Although with varying degrees, a significant growth inhibitory and cytotoxic effect was observed on all three cancer cell lines. Among the compounds tested compounds, 5a, 15a, and 18b, were the most active against T47D cell line with IC(50) values of 1.42, 1.92, and 2.92 µM, respectively. By using other cancer cell lines and with further characterization of their biological mechanism of action, these compounds could prove to be useful candidates as anticancer drugs.

Synthesis and biological activity of some 3-(4-(substituted)-piperazin-1-yl)cinnolines.

A new series of 6-substituted-4-methyl-3-(4-arylpiperazin-1-yl)cinnolines 8-10 were synthesized as potential antifungal agents via intramolecular cyclization of the respective 1-(2-arylhydrazono)-1-(4-arylpiperazin-1-yl)propan-2-ones 5-7, mediated by polyphosphoric acid (PPA). The amidrazones themselves were synthesized via direct interaction of the appropriate hydrazonoyl chlorides 4a-d with the corresponding N-substituted piperazine in the presence of triethylamine. The structures of the new prepared compounds were confirmed by elemental analyses, (1)H-NMR, (13)C-NMR, and ESI-HRMS spectral data. The antitumor, antibacterial, and antifungal activity of the newly synthesized compounds was evaluated.

Synthesis, and antitumor activity of some N1-(coumarin-7-yl) amidrazones and related congeners.

A series of new N1-(coumarin-7-yl)amidrazones incorporating N-piperazines and related congeners were synthesized by reacting the hydrazonoyl chloride derived from 7-amino-4-methylcoumarin with the appropriate piperazines. The chemical structures of the newly prepared compounds were supported by elemental analyses, ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR, and ESI-HRMS spectral data. The antitumor activity of the newly synthesized compounds was evaluated. Among all the compounds tested, 7-{2-[1-(4-(1-benzyl-2-ethyl-4-nitro-1H-imidazol-5-yl)piperazin-1-yl)-2-oxopropylidene]hydrazinyl}-4-methyl-2H-chromen-2-one (3n) was the most potent against MCF-7 and K562 cells, with IC50 values of 20.2 and 9.3 µM, respectively.