Synergistic Antitumor Effects of Novel HDAC Inhibitors and Paclitaxel In Vitro and In Vivo

Preclinical studies support the therapeutic potential of histone deacetylases inhibitors (HDACi) in combination with taxanes. The efficacy of combination has been mainly ascribed to a cooperative effect on microtubule stabilization following tubulin acetylation. In the present study we investigated the effect of paclitaxel in combination with two novel HDACi, ST2782 or ST3595, able to induce p53 and tubulin hyperacetylation. A synergistic effect of the paclitaxel/ST2782 (or ST3595) combination was found in wild-type p53 ovarian carcinoma cells, but not in a p53 mutant subline, in spite of a marked tubulin acetylation. Such a synergistic interaction was confirmed in additional human solid tumor cell lines harboring wild-type p53 but not in those expressing mutant or null p53. In addition, a synergistic cytotoxic effect was found when ST2782 was combined with the depolymerising agent vinorelbine. In contrast to SAHA, which was substantially less effective in sensitizing cells to paclitaxel-induced apoptosis, ST2782 prevented up-regulation of p21WAF1/Cip1 by paclitaxel, which has a protective role in response to taxanes, and caused p53 down-regulation, acetylation and mitochondrial localization of acetylated p53. The synergistic antitumor effects of the paclitaxel/ST3595 combination were confirmed in two tumor xenograft models. Our results support the relevance of p53 modulation as a major determinant of the synergistic interaction observed between paclitaxel and novel HDACi and emphasize the therapeutic interest of this combination

Synthesis of 5,6-dihydro-4H-benzo[d]isoxazol-7-one and 5,6-dihydro-4H-isoxazolo[5,4-c]pyridin-7-one Derivatives as Potential Hsp90 Inhibitors

A novel class of 5,6-dihydro-4H-benzo[d]isoxazol-7-ones and 5,6-dihydro-4H-isoxazolo[5,4-c]pyridin-7-ones was designed, synthesized, and assayed to investigate the affinity toward Hsp90 protein. The synthetic route was based on a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of nitriloxides, generated in situ from suitable benzaldoximes, with 2-bromocyclohex-2-enones or 3-bromo-5,6-dihydro-1H-pyridin-2-ones. Whereas all the compounds bearing a benzamide group on the bicyclic scaffold were devoid of activity, the derivatives carrying a resorcinol-like fragment showed a remarkable inhibitory effect on Hsp90. Docking calculations were performed to investigate the orientation of the new compounds within the binding site of the enzyme

3-Arylidene-N-hydroxyoxindoles: A New Class of Compounds Endowed with Antitumor Activity

A series of compounds containing the N-hydroxyoxindole scaffold were synthesized and evaluated for antitumor activity. The compounds showed potent antiproliferative activity against the wild-type p53 IGROV-1 ovarian carcinoma cell line and considerably lower efficacy against the mutant IGROV-1/Pt1 subline that lacks p53 function. The differential response of ovarian carcinoma cells depending on p53 status was also reflected in the varied susceptibility to apoptosis of the treated cell lines. These results support a role for the p53 transcription factor as a determinant of cytotoxicity. The therapeutic potential of the most promising compound of the series was evaluated in the treatment of an IGROV-1 xenograft growing as ascitic tumor in mice. Using intraperitoneal administration, daily treatment with the compound for four weeks produced a significant delay in the onset of ascites

Synthesis, Modeling, and RET Protein Kinase Inhibitory Activity of 3-and 4-Substituted beta-Carbolin-1-ones

A series of beta-carbolin-2-ones and 3,10-dihydro-2H-azepino[3,4-b]indol-1-ones have been designed, synthesized, and evaluated as RET protein kinase inhibitors on the basis of their structural similarity with the prototype indolin-2-one RPI-1. Some beta-carbolin-2-ones (structure 2) showed an ability to inhibit RET enzymatic activity in vitro and proliferation of RETC634R oncogene-transformed NIH3T3 cells comparable to that of the reference compound. The docking analysis of the interaction of these compounds with the crystallographic structure of RET tyrosine kinase domain suggested a new binding interaction scheme different from the one proposed during their design. The rigid structure of the compounds of this series represents a new scaffold with potential advantages in the design of RET protein kinase inhibitors

Synthesis and Evaluation of the Tumor Cell Growth Inhibitory Potential of New Putative HSP90 Inhibitors

Background: Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) is a well-known target for cancer therapy. In a previous work, some of us have reported a series of 3-aryl-naphtho[2,3-d]isoxazole-4,9-diones as inhibitors of HSP90. Methods: In the present work, various compounds with new chromenopyridinone and thiochromenopyridinone scaffolds were synthesized as potential HSP90 inhibitors. Their binding affinity to HSP90 was studied in vitro. Selected compounds (5 and 8) were further studied in various tumor cell lines regarding their potential to cause cell growth inhibition, alter the cell cycle profile, inhibit proliferation, and induce apoptosis. Their effect on HSP90 client protein levels was also confirmed in two cell lines. Finally, the antitumor activity of compound 8 was studied in A431 squamous cell carcinoma xenografts in nude mice. Results: Our results indicated that treatment with compounds 5 and 8 decreased the proliferation of tumor cell lines and compound 8 induced apoptosis. In addition, these two compounds were able to downregulate selected proteins known as “clients” of HSP90. Finally, treatment of xenografted mice with compound 5 resulted in a considerable dose-dependent inhibition of tumor growth. Conclusions: Our results show that two new compounds with a chromenopyridinone and thiochromenopyridinone scaffold are promising putative HSP90 inhibitors causing tumor cell growth inhibition