Design, Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Quinazolinamine Derivatives as Breast Cancer Resistance Protein and P-Glycoprotein Inhibitors with Improved Metabolic Stability.

A series of twenty-two quinazolinamine derivatives showing potent inhibitory activities on breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) and p-glycoprotein (P-gp) were synthesized. A cyclopropyl-containing quinazolinamine 22 was identified as a dual BCRP and P-gp inhibitor, while azide-containing quinazolinamine 33 showed BCRP inhibitory activity. These lead compounds were further investigated in a battery of mechanistic experiments. Compound 22 changed the localization of BCRP and P-gp in cells, thus inhibiting the efflux of anticancer drugs by the two ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters. In addition, both 22 and 33 significantly stimulated the ATP hydrolysis of the BCRP transporter, indicating that they can be competitive substrates of the BCRP transporter, and thereby increase the accumulation of mitoxantrone in BCRP-overexpressing H460/MX20 cells. Azide derivative 33, exhibited a greater inhibitory effect on BCRP after UV activation and can serve as a valuable probe for investigating the interactions of quinazolinamine derivatives with BCRP. Notably, the dual BCRP and P-gp inhibitors 4-5, 22-24, 27, and BCRP inhibitor 33 showed improved metabolic stability compared to Ko143.

VKNG-1 Antagonizes ABCG2-Mediated Multidrug Resistance via p-AKT and Bcl-2 Pathway in Colon Cancer: In Vitro and In Vivo Study.

The emergence of multidrug resistance (MDR) to chemotherapeutic drugs is a major problem in the therapy of cancer. Knowledge of the mechanisms of drug resistance in cancer is necessary for developing efficacious therapies. ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are transmembrane proteins that efflux chemotherapeutic drugs from cancer cells, thereby producing MDR. Our research efforts have led to the discovery of VKNG-1, a compound that selectively inhibits the ABCG2 transporter and reverses resistanctabe to standard anticancer drugs both in vitro and in vivo. VKNG-1, at 6 µM, selectively inhibited ABCG2 transporter and sensitized ABCG2-overexpressing drug-resistant cancer cells to the ABCG2 substrate anticancer drugs mitoxantrone, SN-38, and doxorubicin in ABCG2-overexpressing colon cancers. VKNG- 1 reverses ABCG2-mediated MDR by blocking ABCG2 efflux activity and downregulating ABCG2 expression at the mRNA and protein levels. Moreover, VKNG-1 inhibits the level of phosphorylated protein kinase B (PKB/p-AKT), and B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) protein which may overcome resistance to anticancer drugs. However, the in vitro translocation of ABCG2 protein did not occur in the presence of 6 µM of VKNG-1. In addition, VKNG-1 enhanced the anticancer efficacy of irinotecan in ABCG2- overexpressing mouse tumor xenografts. Overall, our results suggest that VKNG-1 may, in combination with certain anticancer drugs, represent a treatment to overcome ABCG2-mediated MDR colon cancers.

The Novel Benzamide Derivative, VKNG-2, Restores the Efficacy of Chemotherapeutic Drugs in Colon Cancer Cell Lines by Inhibiting the ABCG2 Transporter.

The overexpression of ATP-binding cassette transporter, ABCG2, plays an important role in mediating multidrug resistance (MDR) in certain types of cancer cells. ABCG2-mediated MDR can significantly attenuate or abrogate the efficacy of anticancer drugs by increasing their efflux from cancer cells. In this study, we determined the efficacy of the novel benzamide derivative, VKNG-2, to overcome MDR due to the overexpression of the ABCG2 transporter in the colon cancer cell line, S1-M1-80. In vitro, 5 µM of VKNG-2 reversed the resistance of S1-M1-80 cell line to mitoxantrone (70-fold increase in efficacy) or SN-38 (112-fold increase in efficacy). In contrast, in vitro, 5 µM of VKNG-2 did not significantly alter either the expression of ABCG2, AKT, and PI3K p110ß protein or the subcellular localization of the ABCG2 protein compared to colon cancer cells incubated with the vehicle. Molecular docking data indicated that VKNG-2 had a high docking score (-10.2 kcal/mol) for the ABCG2 transporter substrate-drug binding site whereas it had a low affinity on ABCB1 and ABCC1 transporters. Finally, VKNG-2 produced a significant concentration-dependent increase in ATPase activity (EC50 = 2.3 µM). In conclusion, our study suggests that in vitro, VKNG-2 reverses the resistance of S1-M1-80, a cancer cell line resistant to mitoxantrone and SN-38, by inhibiting the efflux function of the ABCG2 transporter.

Design, Synthesis, and Evaluation of Isoquinoline Ureas as TRPV1 Antagonists.

BACKGROUND: The inhibition of transient receptor potential vanilloid receptor 1 (TRPV1) has emerged as a novel approach for the treatment of various pain states. Pyrrolidinyl urea, SB 705498 with pKb = 7.3 in guinea pig TRPV1 receptor has been investigated in Phase II clinical trials for pain and chronic cough. Another heteroaryl urea derivative, A-425619 1, has been reported to be a potent and selective TRPV1 antagonist of capsaicin-evoked receptor activation with an IC50 value of 4 nM in hTRPV1. OBJECTIVE: A series of thirteen A-425619 1 analogues with modifications centered around the Cregion were synthesized to understand the binding site characteristics of TRPV1 receptors. METHODS: We synthesized a series of isoquinoline ureas and evaluated their antagonist potency using smooth muscle assay using guinea pig trachea along with the evaluation of the molecular properties and molecular modeling using CoMFA studies. RESULTS: p-Chloro 4, p-bromo 5, m-isothiocyanate 15, and p-isothiocyanate 16 derivatives were found to be the most potent members of the series with pKb values in the range of 7.3-7.4 in the functional assay using guinea pig trachea. The lead compound A-425619 1 exhibited a pKb value of 8.1 in this assay. CONCLUSION: The para-substituted analogues were found to be more potent than the ortho- and meta- analogues in the biological assay. This observation was further supported by molecular modeling studies using CoMFA.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of benzamide and phenyltetrazole derivatives with amide and urea linkers as BCRP inhibitors.

Breast cancer resistant protein (BCRP/ABCG2), a 72kDa plasma membrane transporter protein is a member of ABC transporter superfamily. Increased expression of BCRP causes increased efflux and therefore, reduced intracellular accumulation of many unrelated chemotherapeutic agents leading to multidrug resistance (MDR). A series of 31 benzamide and phenyltetrazole derivatives with amide and urea linkers has been synthesized to serve as potential BCRP inhibitors in order to overcome BCRP-mediated MDR. The target derivatives were tested for their cytotoxicity and reversal effects in human non-small cell lung cancer cell line H460 and mitoxantrone resistant cell line H460/MX20 using the MTT assay. In the benzamide series, compounds 6 and 7 exhibited a fold resistance of 1.51 and 1.62, respectively at 10µM concentration which is similar to that of FTC, a known BCRP inhibitor. Compounds 27 and 31 were the most potent analogues in the phenyltetrazole series with amide linker with a fold resistance of 1.39 and 1.32, respectively at 10µM concentration. For the phenyltetrazole series with urea linker, 38 exhibited a fold resistance of 1.51 which is similar than that of FTC and is the most potent compound in this series. The target compounds did not exhibit reversal effect in P-gp overexpressing resistant cell line SW620/Ad300 suggesting that they are selective BCRP inhibitors.

OSI-930 analogues as novel reversal agents for ABCG2-mediated multidrug resistance.

OSI-930, a dual c-Kit and KDR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is reported to have undergone a Phase I dose escalation study in patients with advanced solid tumors. A series of fifteen pyridyl and phenyl analogues of OSI-930 were designed and synthesized. Extensive screening of these compounds led to the discovery that nitropyridyl and ortho-nitrophenyl analogues, VKJP1 and VKJP3, were effective in reversing ABC subfamily G member 2 (ABCG2) transporter-mediated multidrug resistance (MDR). VKJP1 and VKJP3 significantly sensitized ABCG2-expressing cells to established substrates of ABCG2 including mitoxantrone, SN-38, and doxorubicin in a concentration-dependent manner, but not to the non-ABCG2 substrate cisplatin. However, they were unable to reverse ABCB1- or ABCC1-mediated MDR indicating their selectivity for ABCG2. Western blotting analysis was performed to evaluate ABCG2 expression and it was found that neither VKJP1 nor VKJP3 significantly altered ABCG2 protein expression for up to 72 h. [(3)H]-mitoxantrone accumulation study demonstrated that VKJP1 and VKJP3 increased the intracellular accumulation of [(3)H]-mitoxantrone, a substrate of ABCG2. VKJP1 and VKJP3 also remarkably inhibited the transport of [(3)H]-methotrexate by ABCG2 membrane vesicles. Importantly, both VKJP1 and VKJP3 were efficacious in stimulating the activity of ATPase of ABCG2 and inhibited the photoaffinity labeling of this transporter by its substrate [(125)I]-iodoarylazidoprazosin. The results suggested that VKJP1 and VKJP3, specifically inhibit the function of ABCG2 through direct interaction with its substrate binding site(s). Thus VKJP1 and VKJP3 represent a new class of drugs for reducing MDR in ABCG2 over-expressing tumors.

Inhibition of c-Kit, VEGFR-2 (KDR), and ABCG2 by analogues of OSI-930.

The quinoline domain of OSI-930, a dual inhibitor of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) c-Kit and KDR, was modified in an effort to further understand the SAR of OSI-930, and the binding site characteristics of c-Kit and KDR. A series of 16 compounds with heteroatom substituted pyridyl and phenyl ring systems was synthesized and evaluated against a panel of kinases including c-Kit and KDR. Aminopyridyl derivative 6 was found to be the most active member of the series with 91% and 57% inhibition of c-Kit at 10µM and 1µM, respectively and 88% and 50% inhibition of KDR at 10µM and 1µM, respectively. The target compounds were also tested for their ability to inhibit efflux of mitoxantrone through inhibition of ATP dependent ABCG2 pump. Nitropyridyl derivative 5 and o-nitrophenyl derivative 7 exhibited complete inhibition of the ABCG2 pump with IC(50) values of 13.67µM and 16.67µM, respectively.

Neurokinin-1 receptor antagonists: a comprehensive patent survey.

IMPORTANCE OF THE FIELD: Substance P is involved in mediating a number of biological effects such as emesis, pain, inflammation, bronchoconstriction, antitumor activity, and regulation of gastrointestinal and CNS function by binding to the neurokinin-1 (NK1) receptor. Antagonists of this receptor have the potential to be useful in the treatment of various disease conditions. AREAS COVERED IN THIS REVIEW: More than 300 patents have been filed by nearly 20 companies and 2 academic institutions in the past 2 decades. This review provides an overview of the patenting activity in the NK1 antagonist field over the last 20 years. WHAT THE READER WILL GAIN: Chemically diverse non-peptide NK1 receptor antagonists have been identified since the discovery of CP-96,345 by Pfizer in 1991. Representative examples of patented ligands and their biological activities are presented in a company-wise approach. TAKE HOME MESSAGE: The NK1 receptor research has led to the clinical introduction of aprepitant in 2003 and its water soluble injectable form, fosaprepitant dimeglumine, in 2009 by Merck for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting and for inhibiting chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. In addition, maropitant citrate received approval in 2007 for veterinary use.

Design and synthesis of 3,5-disubstituted benzamide analogues of DNK333 as dual NK1/NK2 receptor probes.

N-[(R,R)-(E)-(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)-3-(2-oxoazepan-3-yl)carbamoyl]allyl-N-methyl-3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzamide (DNK333, 1b) has been reported to be a potent and balanced dual neurokinin (tachykinin) receptor antagonist. A recent clinical trial using DNK333 has shown that it blocks the NKA-induced bronchoconstriction in patients with asthma. A series of six analogues 3-8 derived from modification of 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzamide moiety of DNK333 has been synthesized to serve as the dual NK(1)/NK(2) receptor probes. The 3,5-dinitro substituted benzamide compound 3 was found to possess potent and balanced dual NK(1)/NK(2) receptor antagonist activities (pK(b)=8.4 for the NK(1) receptors, pK(b)=7.87 for the NK(2) receptors) in the functional assay using guinea pig trachea. Furthermore, SAR analysis suggests that steric, electronic, and lipophilic characteristics of substituents in the benzamide region of DNK333 have a crucial effect on both the NK(1) and NK(2) receptor antagonist activities.