Imidazo[1,2-b]pyrazole-7-Carboxamide Derivative Induces Differentiation-Coupled Apoptosis of Immature Myeloid Cells Such as Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells.

Chemotherapy-induced differentiation of immature myeloid progenitors, such as acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells or myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), has remained a challenge for the clinicians. Testing our imidazo[1,2-b]pyrazole-7-carboxamide derivative on HL-60 cells, we obtained ERK phosphorylation as an early survival response to treatment followed by the increase of the percentage of the Bcl-xlbright and pAktbright cells. Following the induction of Vav1 and the AP-1 complex, a driver of cellular differentiation, FOS, JUN, JUNB, and JUND were elevated on a concentration and time-dependent manner. As a proof of granulocytic differentiation, the cells remained non-adherent, the expression of CD33 decreased; the granularity, CD11b expression, and MPO activity of HL-60 cells increased upon treatment. Finally, viability of HL-60 cells was hampered shown by the depolarization of mitochondria, activation of caspase-3, cleavage of Z-DEVD-aLUC, appearance of the sub-G1 population, and the leakage of the lactate-dehydrogenase into the supernatant. We confirmed the differentiating effect of our drug candidate on human patient-derived AML cells shown by the increase of CD11b and decrease of CD33+, CD7+, CD206+, and CD38bright cells followed apoptosis (IC50: 80 nM) after treatment ex vivo. Our compound reduced both CD11b+/Ly6C+ and CD11b+/Ly6G+ splenic MDSCs from the murine 4T1 breast cancer model ex vivo.

Acid-Catalyzed 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition of 2H-Azirines with Nitrones: An Unexpected Access to 1,2,4,5-Tetrasubstituted Imidazoles.

The first 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of 2H-azirines with nitrones, a straightforward approach toward the regioselective synthesis of 1,2,4,5-tetrasubstituted imidazoles, is reported. This trifluoroacetic acid-catalyzed protocol tolerates a broad range of aliphatic and aromatic substrates, offering an efficient access to highly diverse, multisubstituted imidazoles in isolated yields up to 83% under mild conditions.

1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition of Isatin-Derived Azomethine Ylides with 2 H-Azirines: Stereoselective Synthesis of 1,3-Diazaspiro[bicyclo[3.1.0]hexane]oxindoles.

A regio- and diastereoselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of 2 H-azirines with azomethine ylides generated in situ from isatins and α-amino acids has been elaborated, affording an unprecedented aziridine-fused spiro[imidazolidine-4,3'-oxindole] framework. This one-pot three-component reaction tolerates a wide range of substrates and enables the construction of highly diverse 1,3-diazaspiro[bicyclo[3.1.0]hexane]oxindoles in isolated yields up to 81% under mild conditions.

Imidazo[1,2-b]pyrazole-7-carboxamides Induce Apoptosis in Human Leukemia Cells at Nanomolar Concentrations.

Leukemia, the malignancy of the hematopoietic system accounts for 10% of cancer cases with poor overall survival rate in adults; therefore, there is a high unmet medical need for the development of novel therapeutics. Eight imidazo[1,2-b]pyrazole-7-carboxamides have been tested for cytotoxic activity against five leukemia cell lines: Acute promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60), acute monocytic leukemia (THP-1), acute T-lymphoblastic leukemia (MOLT-4), biphenotypic B myelomonocytic leukemia (MV-4-11), and erythroleukemia (K-562) cells in vitro. Imidazo[1,2-b]pyrazole-7-carboxamides hampered the viability of all five leukemia cell lines with different potential. Optimization through structure activity relationship resulted in the following IC50 values for the most effective lead compound DU385: 16.54 nM, 27.24 nM, and 32.25 nM on HL-60, MOLT-4, MV-4-11 cells, respectively. Human primary fibroblasts were much less sensitive in the applied concentration range. Both monolayer or spheroid cultures of murine 4T1 and human MCF7 breast cancer cells were less sensitive to treatment with 1.5⁻10.8 µM IC50 values. Flow cytometry confirmed the absence of necrosis and revealed 60% late apoptotic population for MV-4-11, and 50% early apoptotic population for HL-60. MOLT-4 cells showed only about 30% of total apoptotic population. Toxicogenomic study of DU385 on the most sensitive MV-4-11 cells revealed altered expression of sixteen genes as early (6 h), midterm (12 h), and late response (24 h) genes upon treatment. Changes in ALOX5AP, TXN, and SOD1 expression suggested that DU385 causes oxidative stress, which was confirmed by depletion of cellular glutathione and mitochondrial membrane depolarization induction. Imidazo[1,2-b]pyrazole-7-carboxamides reported herein induced apoptosis in human leukemia cells at nanomolar concentrations.

Synthesis, cytotoxic characterization, and SAR study of imidazo[1,2-b]pyrazole-7-carboxamides.

The synthesis and in vitro cytotoxic characteristics of new imidazo[1,2-b]pyrazole-7-carboxamides were investigated. Following a hit-to-lead optimization exploiting 2D and 3D cultures of MCF-7 human breast, 4T1 mammary gland, and HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cancer cell lines, a 67-membered library was constructed and the structure-activity relationship (SAR) was determined. Seven synthesized analogues exhibited sub-micromolar activities, from which compound 63 exerted the most significant potency with a remarkable HL-60 sensitivity (IC50 = 0.183 µM).

Lewis Acid-Catalyzed Diastereoselective Synthesis of Multisubstituted N-Acylaziridine-2-carboxamides from 2 H-Azirines via Joullié-Ugi Three-Component Reaction.

A ZnCl2-catalyzed diastereoselective Joullié-Ugi three-component reaction from 2 H-azirines, isocyanides, and carboxylic acids was established. The protocol allows the preparation of highly and diversely functionalized N-acylaziridine-2-carboxamide derivatives in up to 82% isolated yields. Moreover, the applicability of N-acylaziridines is demonstrated through a variety of transformations.

One-pot synthesis of diverse N,N'-disubstituted guanidines from N-chlorophthalimide, isocyanides and amines via N-phthaloyl-guanidines.

A sequential one-pot approach towards N,N'-disubstituted guanidines from N-chlorophthalimide, isocyanides and amines is reported. This strategy provides straightforward and efficient access to diverse guanidines in yields up to 81% through previously unprecedented N-phthaloylguanidines. This protocol also features wide substrate scope and mild conditions.

Facile synthesis of 1H-imidazo[1,2-b]pyrazoles via a sequential one-pot synthetic approach.

5-Aminopyrazole-4-carbonitrile and ethyl 5-aminopyrazole-4-carboxylate, as potential trifunctional building blocks are introduced in a facile, chemo- and regioselective multicomponent assembly of imidazo[1,2-b]pyrazoles via the Groebke-Blackburn-Bienaymé reaction (GBB reaction). Besides the synthetic elaboration of a green-compatible isocyanide-based access in three-component mode, we describe an operationally simple, one-pot two-step GBB protocol for the rapid construction of a 46 membered imidazo[1,2-b]pyrazole library with yields up to 83%.