showing 19 related works from this author
Discovery of benzimidazole-based Leishmania mexicana cysteine protease CPB2.8ΔCTE inhibitors as potential therapeutics for leishmaniasis
2018
Abstract: Chemotherapy is currently the only effective approach to treat all forms of leishmaniasis. However, its effectiveness is severely limited due to high toxicity, long treatment length, drug resistance, or inadequate mode of administration. As a consequence, there is a need to identify new molecular scaffolds and targets as potential therapeutics for the treatment of this disease. We report a small series of 1,2‐substituted‐1H‐benzo[d]imidazole derivatives (9ad) showing affinity in the submicromolar range (Ki = 0.150.69 μM) toward Leishmania mexicanaCPB2.8ΔCTE, one of the more promising targets for antileishmanial drug design. The compounds confirmed activity in vitro against intrace…
Antiproliferative Properties of a Few Auranofin-Related Gold(I) and Silver(I) Complexes in Leukemia Cells and their Interferences with the Ubiquitin …
2020
A group of triethylphosphine gold(I) and silver(I) complexes, structurally related to auranofin, were prepared and investigated as potential anticancer drug candidates. The antiproliferative properties of these metal compounds were assessed against two leukemia cell lines, i.e., CCRF-CEM and its multidrug-resistant counterpart, CEM/ADR5000. Interestingly, potent cytotoxic effects were disclosed for both series of compounds against leukemia cells, with IC50 values generally falling in the low-micromolar range, the gold derivatives being on the whole more effective than the silver analogues. Some initial structure-function relationships were drawn. Subsequently, the ability of the study compo…
Identification of a new series of amides as non-covalent proteasome inhibitors
2014
Proteasome inhibition has emerged as an important therapeutic strategy for the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) and some forms of lymphoma, with potential application in other types of cancers. 20S proteasome consists of three different catalytic activities known as chymotrypsin-like (ChT-L), trypsin-like (T-L), and, post-glutamyl peptide hydrolyzing (PGPH) or caspase-like (C-L), which are located respectively on the β5, β2, and β1 subunits of each heptameric β rings. Currently a wide number of covalent proteasome inhibitors are reported in literature; however, the less widely investigated non-covalent inhibitors might be a promising alternative to employ in therapy, because of the lack o…
“Click” on PLGA-PEG and hyaluronic acid: Gaining access to anti-leishmanial pentamidine bioconjugates
2017
Pentamidine (Pent), an antiparasitic drug used for the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis, has been modified with terminal azide groups and conjugated to two different polymer backbones (PLGA-PEG [PP] copolymer and hyaluronic acid [HA]) armed with alkyne end-groups. The conjugation has been performed by Copper Catalyzed Azido Alkyne Cycloaddition (CuAAC) using CuSO4 /sodium ascorbate as metal source. The novel PP-Pent and HA-Pent bioconjugates are proposed, respectively, as non-targeted and targeted drug delivery systems against Leishmania infections. Moreover, Pent has been encapsulated into PP nanoparticles by the oil-in-water emulsion method, with the aim to compare the biological activ…
Synthesis of C3/C1-Substituted Tetrahydroisoquinolines
2015
A broad biological screening of the natural alkaloid N-methylisosalsoline (2) extracted from Hammada scoparia leaves against a panel of human and parasitic proteases revealed an interesting activity profile of 2 towards human 20S proteasome. This outcome suggests that the 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline skeleton may be exploited as a template for the development of novel anticancer agents. In this article, we report the synthesis and chemical characterization of a new series of isosalsoline-type alkaloids (10-11) with variations at N2 and C3 positions with respect to the natural Compound 2, obtained by a synthetic strategy that involves the Bischler-Napieralski cyclization. The substrate for…
Anticancer study of heterobimetallic platinum(II)-ruthenium(II) and platinum(II)-rhodium(III) complexes with bridging dithiooxamide ligand
2019
Abstract Three heterobimetallic platinum (II)/ruthenium (II) and platinum (II)/rhodium (III) complexes, A: Pt{S–S2C2(NR)2H}{μ-S2C2(NR)2}-[Ru (p-cymene)Cl], R = isoamyl; B: Pt{S–S2C2(NR)2H}{μ-S2C2(NR)2}[Rh (phpy)2], R = isoamyl; C: [Pt{S–S2C2(NR)2H}{μ-S2C2(NR)2}-[Rh(C5Me5)Cl]], R = benzyl, were prepared from mononuclear complexes 1 and 2, 1: [Pt (H-isoamyl2DTO)2]; 2: [Pt (H-benzyl2DTO)2], DTO = dithiooxamide, by reaction of 1 or 2 with the corresponding chlorido-bridged dimers, [Rh(C5Me5)Cl (μ-Cl)]2, [Ru (p-cymene)Cl (μ-Cl)]2 or [Rh (phpy)2 (μ-Cl)]2, and then evaluated as anticancer agents for the inhibition of the three proteolytic activities of human 20S proteasome, one of the main target …
Synthesis, solution behaviour and potential anticancer activity of new trinuclear organometallic palladium(II) complex of S-1-phenylethyl dithiooxami…
2019
Abstract Addition of H2R2DTO (R = {S}-1-phenylethyl and DTO = dithiooxamide) to the bis(benzonitrile)palladium(II) chloride complex in chloroform afforded the mononuclear Pd(DTO)2·2HCl complex. The complex treated with NaHCO3 for removing of HCl and then reacted with [Pd(ƞ3-allyl)(µ-Cl)]2 for preparation of a new trimetallic organopalladium(II) complex. The molecular structure of the trimetallic complex was determined by X-ray diffraction indicating a planar geometry around each palladium center. Also, variable temperature spectroscopy for this complex was performed in CDCl3 in the range 298–390 K, and simulations of the dynamic spectra were performed using the gNMR program. A comparison be…
Ensemble-based ADME-Tox profiling and virtual screening for the discovery of new inhibitors of the Leishmania mexicana cysteine protease CPB2.8ΔCTE
2018
Abstract: In an effort to identify novel molecular warheads able to inhibit Leishmania mexicana cysteine protease CPB2.8CTE, fused benzo[b]thiophenes and ,'-triketones emerged as covalent inhibitors binding the active site cysteine residue. Enzymatic screening showed a moderate-to-excellent activity (12%-90% inhibition of the target enzyme at 20m). The most promising compounds were selected for further profiling including in vitro cell-based assays and docking studies. Computational data suggest that benzo[b]thiophenes act immediately as non-covalent inhibitors and then as irreversible covalent inhibitors, whereas a reversible covalent mechanism emerged for the 1,3,3'-triketones with a Y-to…
Selected cytotoxic gold compounds cause significant inhibition of 20S proteasome catalytic activities
2014
Abstract Six structurally diverse cytotoxic gold compounds are reported to cause profound and differential inhibition of the three main catalytic activities of purified 20S proteasome whilst auranofin , an established gold(I) drug in clinical use, is nearly ineffective. In particular, the gold(I) complex [( pbiH ) Au ( PPh 3 )] PF 6 , turns out to be the most potent inhibitor of all three enzyme activities with sub-micromolar IC 50 values. The present results further support the view that proteasome inhibition may play a major – yet not exclusive – role in the cytotoxic actions of gold based anticancer agents.
Optimization of peptidomimetic boronates bearing a P3 bicyclic scaffold as proteasome inhibitors
2014
Abstract A new series of pseudopeptide boronate proteasome inhibitors (2–3) was developed, through optimization of our previously described analogs of bortezomib, bearing a bicyclic 1,6-naphthyridin-5(6H)-one scaffold as P3 fragment (1). The biological evaluation on human 20S proteasome displayed a promising inhibition profile, especially for compounds bearing a P2 ethylene fragment, which exhibited Ki values in the nanomolar range for the ChT-L activity (e.g. 2a, Ki = 0.057 μM) and considerable selectivity for proteasome over bovine pancreatic α-chymotrypsin. Docking experiments into the yeast 20S proteasome revealed that the ligands are accommodated predominantly into the ChT-L site and t…
Targeting of the Leishmania Mexicana cysteine protease CPB2.8 ΔCTE by decorated fused benzo[b] thiophene scaffold.
2016
A potent and highly selective anhydride-based inhibitor of Leishmania mexicana cysteine protease CPB2.8ΔCTE (IC50 = 3.7 μM) was identified. The details of the interaction of the ligand with the enzyme active site were investigated by NMR biomimetic experiments and docking studies. Results of inhibition assays, NMR and theoretical studies indicate that the ligand acts initially as a non-covalent inhibitor and later as an irreversible covalent inhibitor by chemoselective attack of CYS 25 thiolate to an anhydride carbonyl.
Synthesis and Molecular Modeling Studies of Derivatives of a Highly Potent Peptidomimetic Vinyl Ester as Falcipain-2 Inhibitors
2012
Herein we report the synthesis of a set of constrained peptidomimetics endowed with an electrophilic vinyl ester warhead and structurally related to a previously identified lead compound, a potent and irreversible inhibitor of falcipain-2 (FP-2). FP-2 is the main hemoglobinase of the malaria parasite P. falciparum. The new compounds were evaluated for their inhibition against FP-2, and the results were rationalized on the basis of docking experiments. These studies underscore the pivotal role of both the ester function at the P1' site and the trifluoromethyl group of the P3 side chain in determining the correct orientation of the Michael acceptor warhead in the catalytic site, and as a cons…
A Hyaluronic acid-pentamidine bioconjugate as macrophage mediated drug targeting delivery system for the treatment of Leishmaniasis
2015
Leishmaniasis is still a serious public health problem worldwide, especially in tropical areas where this infectious disease is endemic. The most severe form of the disease (i.e. visceral) can claim victims if left untreated and the few accessible drugs have several drawbacks including major side effects and parenteral administration. In this context, the investigation of new delivery modalities which might reduce the toxicity and increase the bioavailability of the drugs currently on the market represents a valid strategy to counter these problems. Herein we present the development of a macrophage mediated drug targeting delivery system by conjugating the anti-leishmanial drug pentamidine …
Development of Novel Selective Peptidomimetics Containing a Boronic Acid Moiety, Targeting the 20S Proteasome as Anticancer Agents
2014
This paper describes the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of peptidomimetic boronates as inhibitors of the 20S proteasome, a validated target in the treatment of multiple myeloma. The synthesized compounds showed a good inhibitory profile against the ChT-L activity of 20S proteasome. Compounds bearing a β-alanine residue at the P2 position were the most active, that is, 3-ethylphenylamino and 4-methoxyphenylamino (R)-1-{3-[4-(substituted)-2-oxopyridin-1(2H)-yl]propanamido}-3-methylbutylboronic acids (3 c and 3 d, respectively), and these derivatives showed inhibition constants (Ki ) of 17 and 20 nM, respectively. In addition, they co-inhibited post glutamyl peptide hydrolase act…
Ruthenium(II) and platinum(II) homo- and heterobimetallic complexes: Synthesis, crystal structures, theoretical calculations and biological studies
2019
Four Ru-Pd heterobimetallic complexes, each one in two different coordination modes (NNSS and NS) having metals connected by a binucleating dialkyldithiooxamidate [N(R)SC-CS(R)N] [R = methyl, ethyl, n-butyl and isopropyl], were prepared by reacting the monochelate [(trinpropyl-phosphine)ClPd(HR2C2N2S2κ-S,S-Pd)] with [(η6-p-cymene)RuCl2]2. Furthermore, two palladium homobimetallic complexes having two (trinpropyl-phosphine)ClPd moieties joined by a diethyldithiooxamidate in both κ-N,S Pd, κ-N',S' Pd' and κ-N,N' Pd, κ-S,S' Pd' coordination modes were synthesized. For both kinds of complexes, homo- and heterobimetallic, at room temperature and in chloroform solution, the NNSS coordination mode…
Development of peptidomimetic boronates as proteasome inhibitors.
2013
Abstract Proteasome inhibition has emerged over the past decade as an effective therapeutic approach for the treatment of hematologic malignancies. It is a multicatalytic complex, whose proteolytic activity relies in three types of subunits: chymotrypsin-like (β5), trypsin-like (β2) and caspase-like (β1). Most important for the development of effective antitumor agents is the inhibition of the β5 subunits. In this context, the dipeptide boronate bortezomib (Velcade ® ) represents the first proteasome inhibitor approved by the FDA and the lead compound in drug discovery. This paper describes the synthesis and biological evaluation of a series of conformationally constrained pseudopeptide bor…
CCDC 1920565: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination
2019
Related Article: Banafshe Askari, Hadi Amiri Rudbari, Nicola Micale, Tanja Schirmeister, Thomas Efferth, Ean-Jeong Seo, Giuseppe Bruno, Kevin Schwickert|2019|Dalton Trans.|48|15869|doi:10.1039/C9DT02353D
CCDC 1824552: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination
2019
Related Article: Banafshe Askari, Hadi Amiri Rudbari, Nicola Micale, Tanja Schirmeister, Antonino Giannetto, Santo Lanza, Giuseppe Bruno, Valiallah Mirkhani|2019|Polyhedron|164|195|doi:10.1016/j.poly.2019.02.049
CCDC 1920566: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination
2019
Related Article: Banafshe Askari, Hadi Amiri Rudbari, Nicola Micale, Tanja Schirmeister, Thomas Efferth, Ean-Jeong Seo, Giuseppe Bruno, Kevin Schwickert|2019|Dalton Trans.|48|15869|doi:10.1039/C9DT02353D