Search results for "Lead compound"

Immunoproteasome and Non-Covalent Inhibition: Exploration by Advanced Molecular Dynamics and Docking Methods

2021

The selective inhibition of immunoproteasome is a valuable strategy to treat autoimmune, inflammatory diseases, and hematologic malignancies. Recently, a new series of amide derivatives as non-covalent inhibitors of the β1i subunit with Ki values in the low/submicromolar ranges have been identified. Here, we investigated the binding mechanism of the most potent and selective inhibitor, N-benzyl-2-(2-oxopyridin-1(2H)-yl)propanamide (1), to elucidate the steps from the ligand entrance into the binding pocket to the ligand-induced conformational changes. We carried out a total of 400 ns of MD-binding analyses, followed by 200 ns of plain MD. The trajectories clustering allowed identifying thre…

Development of Novel Benzodiazepine-Based Peptidomimetics as Inhibitors of Rhodesain from Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense.

2020

Starting from the reversible rhodesain inhibitors 1 a-c, which have Ki values towards the target protease in the low-micromolar range, we have designed a series of peptidomimetics, 2 a-g, that contain a benzodiazepine scaffold as a β-turn mimetic; they are characterized by a specific peptide sequence for the inhibition of rhodesain. Considering that irreversible inhibition is strongly desirable in the case of a parasitic target, a vinyl ester moiety acting as Michael-acceptor was introduced as the warhead; this portion was functionalized in order to evaluate the size of corresponding enzyme pocket that could accommodate this substituent. With this investigation, we identified an irreversibl…

Pyrrolo[2,3-h]quinolinones: A new ring system with potent photoantiproliferative activity

2006

A new class of compounds, the pyrrolo[2,3-h]quinolin-2-ones, nitrogen isosters of the angular furocoumarin Angelicin, was synthesized with the aim of obtaining new photochemotherapeutic agents with increased antiproliferative activity and lower undesired toxic effects than the lead compound. Two synthetic pathways were approached to allow the isolation both of the dihydroderivatives 10-17 and of the aromatic ring system 23. Compounds 10-17 showed a remarkable phototoxicity and a great UVA dose dependence reaching IC(50) values at submicromolar level. Intracellular localization of these compounds has been evaluated by means of fluorescence microscopy using tetramethylrhodamine methyl ester a…

Synthesis of curcumin derivatives and analysis of their antitumor effects in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines

2019

We analyzed antitumor effects of a series of curcumin analogues. Some of them were obtained by reaction of substitution involving the two phenolic OH groups of curcumin while the analogues with a substituent at C-4 was prepared following an original procedure that regards the condensation of benzenesulfenic acid onto the nucleophilic central carbon of the curcumin skeleton. We analyzed cytotoxic effects of such derivatives on two TNBC (triple negative breast cancer) cell lines, SUM 149 and MDA-MB-231, but only three of them showed an IC50 in a lower micromolar range with respect to curcumin. We also focused on these three derivatives that in both cell lines exhibited a higher or at least eq…

La chemiometria ed il molecular modeling in ausilio alla scoperta ed all’ottimizzazione di lead compounds

2008

Selective solid phase extraction of a drug lead compound using molecularly imprinted polymers prepared by the target analogue approach

2002

Molecularly imprinted polymers have been evaluated at the sample clean-up stage in the analysis of a drug lead compound. In order to circumvent quantification problems related to bleeding of the template, a structurally related analogue of the latter was used. This was selected based on criteria related to interaction site location, solubility, availability and stability of the analogue. Selection of suitable polymerisation conditions was then made using a small batch format (ca. 50 mg) and rapid assessment of binding in the equilibrium mode. It was found that the amount of template could be greatly reduced compared to the conventional protocol, requiring only 5 μmol of template per gram of…

Synthesis of Lead Zirconate Antiferroelectric Thin Films by Sol-Gel Processing

2000

A modified methoxyethanol sol-gel process was used for the production of PbZrO3 thin films. The new route uses lead oxide [PbO] instead of lead acetate [Pb(OAc)2]. Through the use of this method it is possible to prepare single-phase perovskite materials with improved properties. Examples are given for PbZrO3 thin layers deposited by the spin coating process on TiO2/Pt/TiO2/SiO2/Si substrates from various sols where lead acetate or lead oxide are used as the starting lead compound. The preferred orientation and the perovskite phase content of the films were studied using X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used for microstructural characterization of the…

Molecular Modelling Studies on Molecular Pathways Related to Tumorigenesis in the Discovery of New Lead Compounds.

2012

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…