Synthesis, antitumor activity, and mechanism of action of benzo[b]chromeno[6,5-g][1,8]naphthyridin-7-one analogs of acronycine.

A series of 6-methoxy-3,3,14-trimethyl-3,14-dihydro-7H-benzo[b]chromeno[6,5-g][1,8]naphthyridin-7-one (4), 13-aza derivatives of benzo[b]acronycine, the isomeric 5-methoxy-2,2,13-trimethyl-2,13-dihydro-6H-benzo[b]chromeno[7,6-g][1,8]naphthyridin-6-one (5), and related cis-diols mono- and diesters were designed and synthesized. Their in vitro and in vivo biological activities were evaluated. As previously observed in the acronycine series, esters were the most potent derivatives exhibiting submicromolar activities; among them monoesters are particularly active. Racemic diacetate 21 showed a strong activity against KB-3-1 cell lines and was selected for in vivo evaluation and proved to be active, inhibiting tumor growth by more than 80%. After separation of the two enantiomers, compounds 21a and 21b were also evaluated against C38 colon adenocarcinoma; their activities were found to be significantly different.

S49076 is a novel kinase inhibitor of MET, AXL, and FGFR with strong preclinical activity alone and in association with bevacizumab.

Aberrant activity of the receptor tyrosine kinases MET, AXL, and FGFR1/2/3 has been associated with tumor progression in a wide variety of human malignancies, notably in instances of primary or acquired resistance to existing or emerging anticancer therapies. This study describes the preclinical characterization of S49076, a novel, potent inhibitor of MET, AXL/MER, and FGFR1/2/3. S49076 potently blocked cellular phosphorylation of MET, AXL, and FGFRs and inhibited downstream signaling in vitro and in vivo. In cell models, S49076 inhibited the proliferation of MET- and FGFR2-dependent gastric cancer cells, blocked MET-driven migration of lung carcinoma cells, and inhibited colony formation of hepatocarcinoma cells expressing FGFR1/2 and AXL. In tumor xenograft models, a good pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic relationship for MET and FGFR2 inhibition following oral administration of S49076 was established and correlated well with impact on tumor growth. MET, AXL, and the FGFRs have all been implicated in resistance to VEGF/VEGFR inhibitors such as bevacizumab. Accordingly, combination of S49076 with bevacizumab in colon carcinoma xenograft models led to near total inhibition of tumor growth. Moreover, S49076 alone caused tumor growth arrest in bevacizumab-resistant tumors. On the basis of these preclinical studies showing a favorable and novel pharmacologic profile of S49076, a phase I study is currently underway in patients with advanced solid tumors. Mol Cancer Ther; 12(9); 1749-62. ©2013 AACR.

Antiproliferative and iron chelating efficiency of the new bis-8-hydroxyquinoline benzylamine chelator S1 in hepatocyte cultures.

If a new generation of iron chelators specifically devoted for cancer chemotherapy emerged these last years, any of them has not yet been approved at this time. Accordingly, there is a need to optimize new chelating molecules for iron chelation therapy and cancer treatment. So, the objective of the present investigation was to characterize the antiproliferative activity and the iron chelating capacity of the iron chelator S1 [bis-N-(8-hydroxyquinoline-5-ylmethyl)benzylamine]. Its effects were compared to O-trensox which binds ferric iron with a very high affinity (pFe(3+)=29.5). For this purpose, primary rat hepatocyte stimulated by EGF and human hepatoma HepaRG cell cultures were used. In these models, the anti-proliferative effect, the inhibition of DNA synthesis and the iron-chelating efficiency of increasing concentrations of S1 and O-trensox (0 up to 200 µM) were investigated. In the two cell culture models, we observed that S1 was about 100 times more efficient than O-trensox and the antiproliferative effect of S1 in HepaRG cells appeared at concentrations as low as 0.1 µM without cytotoxicity. Moreover, the stoichiometry of S1 for iron seemed to be in the range S1/Fe(3+)=1. Using the calcein fluorescence assay, we demonstrated that the affinity of S1 for iron was better than that of O-trensox since it was at least two times more effective to restore the fluorescence of calcein previously quenched by iron. So, the iron chelating efficiency of S1 could explain at least partially its higher anti-proliferative effect compared to O-trensox. Finally, these results suggest that molecules such as S1 may constitute a promising starting point to improve cancer treatment.

Characterization of novel checkpoint kinase 1 inhibitors by in vitro assays and in human cancer cells treated with topoisomerase inhibitors.

AIMS: We have developed biochemical and cell based assays to characterize small therapeutic molecules that inhibit the DNA damage checkpoint enzyme, Chk1 (Checkpoint kinase 1). MAIN METHODS: To prepare a screen of large chemical libraries, we purified the full-length and the catalytic domain versions of human Chk1. We characterized their properties and then selected full-length Chk1 as the variant most suitable for screening. We then identified and characterized structurally different Chk1 inhibitors in cell based-assays by measuring cytotoxicity and checkpoint bypass activity. KEY FINDINGS: We treated human cells with topoisomerase I inhibitors and demonstrated that at the time of Chk1 inhibitor addition, the cells have damaged DNA and activated Chk1. One Chk1 inhibitor, the indolocarbazole S27888, was active in the checkpoint bypass assay. SIGNIFICANCE: Knowing that the protein kinase inhibitory properties are different for each inhibitor, it seems that only a limited range of inhibitory activity is tolerated by cells. Chk1 has an essential role in determining how cancer cells respond to genotoxic treatments, therefore, inhibitors of this protein kinase are of great medical interest.

Specific oncogenic activity of the Src-family tyrosine kinase c-Yes in colon carcinoma cells.

c-Yes, a member of the Src tyrosine kinase family, is found highly activated in colon carcinoma but its importance relative to c-Src has remained unclear. Here we show that, in HT29 colon carcinoma cells, silencing of c-Yes, but not of c-Src, selectively leads to an increase of cell clustering associated with a localisation of ß-catenin at cell membranes and a reduction of expression of ß-catenin target genes. c-Yes silencing induced an increase in apoptosis, inhibition of growth in soft-agar and in mouse xenografts, inhibition of cell migration and loss of the capacity to generate liver metastases in mice. Re-introduction of c-Yes, but not c -Src, restores transforming properties of c-Yes depleted cells. Moreover, we found that c-Yes kinase activity is required for its role in ß-catenin localisation and growth in soft agar, whereas kinase activity is dispensable for its role in cell migration. We conclude that c-Yes regulates specific oncogenic signalling pathways important for colon cancer progression that is not shared with c-Src.

Synthesis and cytotoxic activity of benzo[a]acronycine and benzo[b]acronycine substituted on the A ring.

The impact of substitutions at position 10 in the A ring of the cytotoxic benzo[a]acronycine and benzo[b]acronycine series has been explored. 10-Bromobenzo[a] and 10-bromobenzo[b]acronycine were prepared in 12% and 15% yield respectively from commercially available chemicals. Their 1,2-dihydro-1,2-dihydroxy diesters were synthesized. The different derivatives were tested against two cell lines KB-3-1 and L1210. Their cytotoxic activities were found in the same range of magnitude as their non-substituted counterparts. These structure-activity relationships permitted to conclude that the introduction of a substituent at position 10 maintains the activity in both the benzo[a] and [b]acronycine series and open the way to further pharmacomodulations.

Synthesis, biological evaluation and docking studies of 4-amino-tetrahydroquinazolino[3,2-e]purine derivatives.

The synthesis of new 4-amino-tetrahydroquinazolino[3,2-e]purine derivatives along with their activity in cell-free enzymatic assays on Src is reported. Some compounds emerged as moderately active inhibitors of the enzyme and showed antiproliferative effects on the murine leukemia L1210 cell line. Docking studies have been also performed to analyze the binding mode of compounds under study and to identify the structural determinants of their interaction. Therefore, this study provides a new promising scaffold with moderate enzymatic inhibitory activities for further development of new anticancer drugs targeting Src tyrosine kinase.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel benzodioxinocarbazoles (BDCZs) as potential anticancer agents.

We report the efficient synthesis and biological evaluation of new benzodioxinoindolocarbazoles heterocycles (BDCZs) designed as potential anticancer agents. Indolic substitution and maleimide variations were performed to design a new library of BDCZs and their cytotoxicity were evaluated on two representative cancer cell lines. Several derivatives have shown a marked cytotoxicity with IC(50) values in the nanomolar range. Results are reported in this Letter.

Synthesis and cytotoxic activity of psorospermin and acronycine analogues in the 3-propyloxy-acridin-9(10H)-one and -benzo[b]acridin-125H-one series.

In order to explore the structure-activity relationships in the acronycine and psorospermin series, simplified analogues of the highly cytotoxic (+/-)-(2R*,1'R*)-5-methoxy-11-methyl-2-(2-methyloxiran-2-yl)-1,2-dihydro-11H-furo[2,3-c]acridin-6-one and (+/-)-(2R*,1'R*)-5-methoxy-13-methyl-2-(2-methyloxiran-2-yl)-1,2-dihydro-13H-benzo[b]furo[3,2-h]-acridin-6-one lacking the fused furan ring, including 3-allyloxy-1-methoxy-10-methyl-acridin-9(10H)-one, 3-allyloxy-1-methoxy-5-methyl-benzo[b]acridin-12(5H)-one, the corresponding epoxides, and related dihydrodiol esters and diesters were prepared. Only the simplified oxirane compounds displayed significant antiproliferative activity compared to the parent compounds. The oxirane alkylating unit appears indispensible to observe significant antiproliferative activity in both series, but the presence of the angularly fused furan ring does not appear as a crucial structural requirement to observe significant cytotoxic activity.

An unusual DNA binding compound, S23906, induces mitotic catastrophe in cultured human cells.

The biochemical pathways that lead cells to mitotic catastrophe are not well understood. To identify these pathways, we have taken an approach of treating cells with a novel genotoxic compound and characterizing whether cells enter mitotic catastrophe or not. S23906 is a novel acronycine derivative that forms adducts with the N2 residue of guanine in the minor groove of the DNA helix and destabilizes base pairing to cause helix opening. We observed, in HeLa and HT-29 cells, that S23906 induced gamma-H2AX and activated checkpoint kinase 1, as did bleomycin, camptothecin, and cisplatin, when tested under equi-toxic conditions. S23906 also induced cyclin E1 protein, although this activity was not required for cytotoxicity because knock down of cyclin E1 by RNA interference did not affect the number of dead cells after treatment. Cyclin B1 levels first decreased and then increased after treatment with S23906. Cyclin B1 was associated with Cdk1 kinase activity, which correlated with an increase in the number of mitotic cells. By 32 h after treatment, at least 20% of the cells entered mitotic catastrophe as determined by microscopy. Suppression of the DNA checkpoint response by co-treatment with caffeine increased the number of cells in mitosis. These results suggest that mitotic catastrophe is one of the cellular responses to S23906 and that mitotic catastrophe may be a common cellular response to many different types of DNA damage.

Influence of the stereoisomeric position of the reactive acetate groups of the benzo[b]acronycine derivative S23906-1 on its DNA alkylation, helix-opening, cytotoxic, and antitumor activities.

S23906-1 is a benzo[b]acronycine derivative acting as a DNA-alkylating agent through covalent bonding to the exocyclic amino group of guanines and subsequent local opening of the DNA helix. This compound was selected for phase I clinical trials based on its efficient antitumor activity in experimental models and its unique mode of action. S23906-1 is the racemate of cis-1,2-diacetoxy-6-methoxy-3,3,14-trimethyl-1,2,3,14-tetrahydro-7H-benzo[b]pyrano[3,2-h]acridin-7-one. Here, we evaluated the cytotoxic and antitumor activities of the two pure cis-enantiomers and investigated the mechanism of action of both cis- and trans-racemates and their enantiomers in terms of DNA alkylation potency and locally drug-induced DNA helix opening process. Reaction with glutathione, as a detoxification process, was also studied. The trans-compounds, both as racemate or separated enantiomers, were found less potent than the corresponding cis-derivatives. Among the cis-enantiomers, the most efficient one regarding DNA alkylation bears the acetate on the reactive C1 position in the R configuration, both on purified DNA and genomic DNA extracted from cell cultures. By contrast, the most cytotoxic and tumor-active enantiomer bears the C1-acetate in the S configuration. Distinct cellular DNA-alkylation levels or covalent bonding to glutathione could not explain the differences. However, we showed that the S and R orientations of the acetate on C1 asymmetric carbon lead to different local opening of the DNA, as visualized using nuclease S1 mapping. These different interactions could lead to modulated DNA-repair, protein/DNA interaction, and apoptosis processes.

Synthesis, cytotoxic activity, and DNA binding properties of antitumor cis-1,2-dihydroxy-1,2-dihydrobenzo[b]acronycine cinnamoyl esters.

Monocinnamoyl esters at position 2 of (+/-)-cis-1,2-dihydroxy-6-methoxy-3,3,14-trimethyl-1,2,3,14-tetrahydro-7H-benzo[b]pyrano[3,2-h]acridin-7-one and their acetyl derivatives at position 1 were prepared as stabilized analogues of the anticancer alkylating agent S23906-1. Monocinnamoyl esters at position 2 were slower DNA alkylators than the reference 2-monoacetate. Mixed esters bearing an acetyl ester group at position 1 and a cinnamoyl ester group at position 2 alkylated DNA slower than S23906-1. A strong correlation was observed between cytotoxicity and DNA alkylation kinetics, with slower alkylators displaying more potent antiproliferative activities. The most cytotoxic compounds proved to be significantly active in vivo against murine C-38 adenocarcinoma implanted in mice, but less potent than S23906-1.

Benzopyridooxathiazepine derivatives as novel potent antimitotic agents.

Herein, we describe the structure-activity relationship study of a new 1-(arylalkyl)-11H-benzo[f]-1,2-dihydropyrido[3,2,c][1,2,5]oxathiazepine 5,5-dioxide series of antimitotic agents. The pharmacological results obtained from previous works allowed us to identify compound 1 as a new cytotoxic agent inhibiting tubulin polymerization. We have undertaken the synthesis of its non-methylated analogue 7 and have extended our investigations to a novel, structurally related benzopyridooxathiazepine dioxide series. Among all analogues synthesized in this study, compound 10b was the most promising, being 12-fold more potent than compound 1. Its activity over a panel of five tumoral cell lines was in the nanomolar range for all of the histological types tested and flow cytometric studies performed on L1210 cells showed an accumulation of the cells in the G2/M phases of the cell cycle with a significant percentage of tetraploid cells (8N DNA content). This interesting pharmacological profile, resulting from inhibition of tubulin polymerization, encouraged us to perform preliminary in vivo studies.

A three-step synthesis from rebeccamycin of an efficient checkpoint kinase 1 inhibitor.

Rebeccamycin derivative 1 bearing a sugar moiety linked to both indole nitrogens and an amino substituent on the carbohydrate unit was synthesized in three steps from the bacterial metabolite. This compound was found to be a highly potent checkpoint kinase 1 inhibitor with an IC(50) value of 2.8nM.

Synthesis, cytotoxic activity, and mechanism of action of furo[2,3-c]acridin-6-one and benzo[b]furo[3,2-h]acridin-6-one analogues of psorospermin and acronycine.

Compounds possessing the epoxyfuran system present in the natural cytotoxic dihydrofuroxanthone psorospermin (4) fused onto the acridone or benzo[b]acridone chromophores present in the antitumor acronycine (1) and S23906-1 (3) were prepared. The basic furoacridone and benzofuroacridone cores bearing an isopropenyl substituent at a convenient position were synthesized by condensation of 1,3-dihydroxyacridone (7) or 1,3-dihydroxybenz[b]acridin-12(5H)-one (9) with (E)-1,4-dibromo-2-methylbut-2-ene. In both series, the (2R*,1'S*) epoxides, with the same relative configuration as psorospermin, were the most active compounds, exhibiting cytotoxic properties with IC50 values in the 10-100 nM range. As in the acronycine and psorospermin series, the new compounds act through alkylation of the DNA guanine units. However, a strong difference was noted in the DNA alkylation site between the benzopyranoacridone S23906-1, which alkylates DNA guanine units at position N-2 in the minor groove, and the new 13H-benzo[b]furo[3,2-h]acridin-6-one derived epoxide 21, which alkylates DNA guanine units at position N-7 in the major groove.

Structure-activity relationships in the acronycine and benzo[b]acronycine series: role of the pyran ring.

In order to explore the structure-activity relationships in the acronycine series, simplified analogues of cis-1,2-diacetoxy-1,2-dihydroacronycine and cis-1,2-diacetoxy-1,2-dihydrobenzo[b]acronycine (S23906-1, under clinical trials) lacking the fused pyran ring, but possessing an acetoxymethyl leaving group at position 4 were prepared. These new analogues only displayed marginal antiproliferative activity compared to the parent compounds. The presence of the angularly fused dimethylpyran ring appears as an indispensable structural requirement to observe significant cytotoxic activity in this series.

Novel 5-azaindolocarbazoles as cytotoxic agents and Chk1 inhibitors.

We describe here an efficient synthesis of new 5-azaindolocarbazoles designed for cytotoxic and Chk1 inhibiting properties. The synthesis of 'symmetrical' and 'dissymmetrical' structures is discussed. Concerning the dissymmetrical 5-azaindolocarbazoles derivatives, with both an indole moiety and a 5-azaindole moiety, the synthesis was achieved using two very efficient key steps. The first one is a Stille reaction with a 3-trimethylstannyl-5-azaindole derivative and the second one a photochemical step leading to the proposed polycyclic structure. Various pharmacomodulations were performed to investigate the structure-activity relationships (SAR). Several substituents such as OBn, OH, and methylenedioxy groups were successfully introduced on the indole moiety of the 5-azaindolocarbazole. Compounds with or without substituents on the nitrogen atom of the maleimide were prepared, as well as derivatives with glucopyranosyl substituent on the nitrogen atom of the indole moiety. The cytotoxicity of these new compounds was evaluated on two cell lines (L1210, HT29). Several compounds showed cytotoxicity in the sub-micromolar range. Among the most cytototoxic was the 1,3-dioxolo[4,5-b]-6-(2-dimethylaminoethyl)-1H-pyrido[3',4':4,5]pyrrolo[3,2-i]pyrrolo[3,4-g]carbazole-5,7(6H,12H)-dione (35, IC(50)=195 nM on L1210). The compounds were also investigated for their Chk1 inhibiting activity. Compounds without any substitution on the maleimide moiety were the most potent. This is the case of compounds 45-47 with IC(50) of, respectively, 72, 27, and 14nM toward Chk1. Compound 46, which exhibits moderate cytotoxicity, appears to be a good candidate for development in a multi-drug anticancer therapy.

Synthesis, checkpoint kinase 1 inhibitory properties and in vitro antiproliferative activities of new pyrrolocarbazoles.

In the course of structure-activity relationship studies on granulatimide analogues, new pyrrolo[3,4-c]carbazoles have been synthesized in which the imidazole heterocycle was replaced by a five-membered ring lactam system or a dimethylcyclopentanedione. Moreover, the synthesis of an original structure in which a sugar moiety is attached to the indole nitrogen and to a six-membered D ring via an oxygen is reported. The inhibitory activities of the newly synthesized compounds toward checkpoint kinase 1 and their in vitro antiproliferative activities toward three tumor cell lines: murine leukemia L1210, and human colon carcinoma HT29 and HCT116 are described.

Synthesis, in vitro antiproliferative activities, and Chk1 inhibitory properties of pyrrolo[3,4-a]carbazole-1,3-diones, pyrrolo[3,4-c]carbazole-1,3-diones, and 2-aminopyridazino[3,4-a]pyrrolo[3,4-c]carbazole-1,3,4,7-tetraone.

The synthesis of substituted pyrrolo[3,4-a]carbazole-1,3-diones, pyrrolo[3,4-c]carbazole-1,3-diones, and 2-aminopyridazino[3,4-a]pyrrolo[3,4-c]carbazole-1,3,4,7-tetraone is reported. Their inhibitory properties toward Checkpoint 1 kinase (Chk1) have been evaluated and their in vitro antiproliferative activities toward three tumor cell lines: murine leukemia L1210, human colon carcinoma HT29 and HCT116 have been determined. From the biological results, it appears that, in contrast with the upper E heterocycle, the lower D heterocycle is not absolutely required for Chk1 inhibition. The ATP binding pocket of Chk1 seems to be adaptable to substitution of the nitrogen of the imide E heterocycle with a hydroxymethyl group, allowing the fundamental hydrogen bond with the Glu(85) residue of the enzyme.

Cytotoxic turrianes of Kermadecia elliptica from the New Caledonian rainforest.

In the course of an automated screening for small molecules presenting cytotoxic activity, eight new cyclophanes named kermadecins A-H (1-8), have been isolated from the bark of a New Caledonian plant, Kermadecia elliptica, Proteaceae. A LC/APCI-MS study performed on kermadecins A, B and C, provided a reliable method for the detection of other analogues existing in small quantities in the extract. This led to the isolation of five other members of this chemical series. The structures were elucidated by extensive mono- and bi-dimensional spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The cytotoxic activity of four of them was evaluated on various cell lines.