Structural and chemical basis for anticancer activity of a series of 'beta'-tubulin ligands: molecular modeling and 3D QSAR studies

An important approach to cancer therapy is the design of small molecule modulators that interfere with microtubule dynamics through their specific binding to the ²-subunit of tubulin. In the present work, comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) studies were conducted on a series of discodermolide analogs with antimitotic properties. Significant correlation coefficients were obtained (CoMFA(i), q² =0.68, r²=0.94; CoMFA(ii), q² = 0.63, r²= 0.91), indicating the good internal and external consistency of the models generated using two independent structural alignment strategies. The models were externally validated employing a test set, and the predicted values were in good agreement with the experimental results. The final QSAR models and the 3D contour maps provided important insights into the chemical and structural basis involved in the molecular recognition process of this family of discodermolide analogs, and should be useful for the design of new specific ²-tubulin modulators with potent anticancer activity.Uma estratégia importante para a terapia do câncer é o planejamento de modulares que interferem na dinâmica dos microtúbulos através de sua ligação específica à subunidade ² da tubulina. No presente trabalho, estudos de análise comparativa dos campos moleculares (CoMFA) foram realizados com uma série de análogos do discodermolídeo com ação antimitótica. Resultados significativos foram obtidos (CoMFA(i), q² =0,68, r² =0,94; CoMFA(ii), q² = 0,63, r² =0,91), indicando a elevada consistência interna e externa dos modelos gerados empregando duas estratégias independentes de alinhamento estrutural. Os modelos foram validados externamente com um conjunto teste e os valores preditos apresentaram boa concordância com os resultados experimentais. Os modelos de QSAR e os mapas de contorno 3D forneceram importantes informações sobre as bases químicas e estruturais envolvidas no processo de reconhecimento molecular dessa família de análogos do discodermolídeo, sendo uma valiosa ferramenta no planejamento de novos moduladores específicos da ²-tubulina com potente atividade antitumoral.Conselho Nacional Desenvolvimento Científico e Technológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Structural and chemical basis for anticancer activity of a series ofβ-tubulin ligands: molecular modeling and 3D QSAR studies

An important approach to cancer therapy is the design of small molecule modulators that interfere with microtubule dynamics through their specific binding to the β-subunit of tubulin. In the present work, comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) studies were conducted on a series of discodermolide analogs with antimitotic properties. Significant correlation coefficients were obtained (CoMFA(i), q2 =0.68, r2=0.94; CoMFA(ii), q2 = 0.63, r2= 0.91), indicating the good internal and external consistency of the models generated using two independent structural alignment strategies. The models were externally validated employing a test set, and the predicted values were in good agreement with the experimental results. The final QSAR models and the 3D contour maps provided important insights into the chemical and structural basis involved in the molecular recognition process of this family of discodermolide analogs, and should be useful for the design of new specific β-tubulin modulators with potent anticancer activity204693703CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESPSem informaçãoSem informaçãoUma estratégia importante para a terapia do câncer é o planejamento de modulares que interferem na dinâmica dos microtúbulos através de sua ligação específica à subunidade β da tubulina. No presente trabalho, estudos de análise comparativa dos campos moleculares (CoMFA) foram realizados com uma série de análogos do discodermolídeo com ação antimitótica. Resultados significativos foram obtidos (CoMFA(i), q2 =0,68, r2 =0,94; CoMFA(ii), q2 = 0,63, r2 =0,91), indicando a elevada consistência interna e externa dos modelos gerados empregando duas estratégias independentes de alinhamento estrutural. Os modelos foram validados externamente com um conjunto teste e os valores preditos apresentaram boa concordância com os resultados experimentais. Os modelos de QSAR e os mapas de contorno 3D forneceram importantes informações sobre as bases químicas e estruturais envolvidas no processo de reconhecimento molecular dessa família de análogos do discodermolídeo, sendo uma valiosa ferramenta no planejamento de novos moduladores específicos da β-tubulina com potente atividade antitumora

Structural and chemical basis for anticancer activity of a series of²-tubulin ligands: molecular modeling and 3D QSAR studies

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)An important approach to cancer therapy is the design of small molecule modulators that interfere with microtubule dynamics through their specific binding to the ²-subunit of tubulin. In the present work, comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) studies were conducted on a series of discodermolide analogs with antimitotic properties. Significant correlation coefficients were obtained (CoMFA(i), q² =0.68, r²=0.94; CoMFA(ii), q² = 0.63, r²= 0.91), indicating the good internal and external consistency of the models generated using two independent structural alignment strategies. The models were externally validated employing a test set, and the predicted values were in good agreement with the experimental results. The final QSAR models and the 3D contour maps provided important insights into the chemical and structural basis involved in the molecular recognition process of this family of discodermolide analogs, and should be useful for the design of new specific ²-tubulin modulators with potent anticancer activity.Uma estratégia importante para a terapia do câncer é o planejamento de modulares que interferem na dinâmica dos microtúbulos através de sua ligação específica à subunidade ² da tubulina. No presente trabalho, estudos de análise comparativa dos campos moleculares (CoMFA) foram realizados com uma série de análogos do discodermolídeo com ação antimitótica. Resultados significativos foram obtidos (CoMFA(i), q² =0,68, r² =0,94; CoMFA(ii), q² = 0,63, r² =0,91), indicando a elevada consistência interna e externa dos modelos gerados empregando duas estratégias independentes de alinhamento estrutural. Os modelos foram validados externamente com um conjunto teste e os valores preditos apresentaram boa concordância com os resultados experimentais. Os modelos de QSAR e os mapas de contorno 3D forneceram importantes informações sobre as bases químicas e estruturais envolvidas no processo de reconhecimento molecular dessa família de análogos do discodermolídeo, sendo uma valiosa ferramenta no planejamento de novos moduladores específicos da ²-tubulina com potente atividade antitumoral.204693703Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)CNPq_BrasilFAPESP_Brasi

Two- and Three-Dimensional Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships Studies on a Series of Liver X Receptor Ligands

Liver X receptor (LXR) is an attractive drug target for the development of novel therapeutic agents for the treatment of dyslipidaemia and cholestasis. In the present work, comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) and hologram quantitative structure-activity relationship (HQSAR) studies were conducted on a series of potent LXR ligands. Significant correlation coefficients (CoMFA, r2 = 0.98 and q2 = 0.69; HQSAR, r2 = 0.99 and q2 = 0.85) were obtained, indicating the potential of the models for untested compounds. The models were then used to predict the potency of an external test set, and the predicted values obtained from the 2D and 3D models were in good agreement with the experimental results. The final QSAR models, along with the information obtained from 3D steric and electrostatic contour maps and 2D contribution maps should be useful for the design of novel LXR ligands having improved potency

Synthesis, screening for antiacetylcholinesterase activity and binding mode prediction of a new series of [3-(disubstituted-phosphate)-4,4,4-trifluoro-butyl]-carbamic acid ethyl esters

A series of nine new [3-(disubstituted-phosphate)-4,4,4-trifluoro-butyl]-carbamic acid ethyl esters (phosphate-carbamate compounds) was obtained through the reaction of (4,4,4-trifluoro-3-hydroxybut-1-yl)-carbamic acid ethyl esters with phosphorus oxychloride followed by the addition of alcohols. The products were characterized by ¹H, 13C, 31P, and 19F NMR spectroscopy, GC-MS, and elemental analysis. All the synthesized compounds were screened for acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity using the Ellman method. All compounds containing phosphate and carbamate pharmacophores in their structures showed enzyme inhibition, being the compound bearing the diethoxy phosphate group (2b) the most active compound. Molecular modeling studies were performed to investigate the detailed interactions between AChE active site and small-molecule inhibitor candidates, providing valuable structural insights into AChE inhibition.Uma nova série de nove 3-fosfato-(4,4,4-trifluor-butil)-carbamatos de etila (compostos fosfato-carbamato), foram obtidos através da reação de (4,4,4-trifluor-3-hidroxibut-1-il)-etil carbamatos com oxicloreto de fósforo seguido de adição de álcoois. Os produtos foram caracterizados por espectroscopia de RMN de ¹H, 13C, 31P e 19F, CG-EM e análise elementar. Todos os compostos sintetizados foram testados para a inibição da enzima acetilcolinesterase (AChE) usando o método de Ellman. Todos os compostos analisados contendo os grupos carbamato e fosfato em sua estrutura, mostraram inibição enzimática, sendo que o composto contendo o grupo dietóxi (2b) apresentou a maior atividade inibitória. Estudos de modelagem molecular foram realizados para obter informações detalhadas entre o sítio ativo da enzima acetilcolinesterase e os compostos candidatos a inibição, obtendo-se valiosas informações estruturais com relação à inibição de enzima acetilcolinesterase.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)FAPES

Fragment-based QSAR strategies in drug design

Recently, fragment-based drug design has been established as a crucial strategy for hit identification and lead generation, which has strongly encouraged the development of approaches to specifically recognize and evaluate molecular fragments or structural scaffolds that preferentially interact with particular sites of important biological targets. In this context, fragment-based quantitative structure–activity relationship (FB-QSAR) has emerged as a versatile tool to explore the chemical and biological space of data sets of compounds. FB-QSAR approaches have evolved from a classical use in the generation of standard QSAR models into advanced drug design tools for database mining, pharmacokinetic property prediction and optimization of multiple parameters. This paper provides a brief perspective on the evolution and current status of FB-QSAR, highlighting new opportunities in drug design

Gallium(III) complexes with 2-acetylpyridine-derived thiosemicarbazones: antimicrobial and cytotoxic effects and investigation on the interactions with tubulin

Complexes [Ga(2Ac4pFPh)2]NO3 (1), [Ga (2Ac4pClPh)2]NO3 (2), [Ga(2Ac4pIPh)2]NO3 (3), [Ga (2Ac4pNO2Ph)2]NO3 3H2O (4) and [Ga(2Ac4pT)2] NO3 (5) were obtained with 2-acetylpyridine N(4)- para-fluorophenyl-(H2Ac4pFPh), 2-acetylpyridine N(4)-para-chlorophenyl-(H2Ac4pClPh), 2-acetylpyridine N(4)-para-iodophenyl-(H2Ac4pIPh), 2-acetylpyridine N(4)-para-nitrophenyl-(H2Ac4pNO2Ph) and 2-acetylpyridine N(4)-para-tolyl-(H2Ac4pT) thiosemicarbazone. 1–5 presented antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties. Coordination to gallium(III) proved to be an effective strategy for activity improvement against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans. The complexes were highly cytotoxic against malignant glioblastoma and breast cancer cells at nanomolar concentrations. The compounds induced morphological changes characteristic of apoptotic death in tumor cells and showed no toxicity against erythrocytes. 2 partially inhibited tubulin assembly at high concentrations and induced cellular microtubule disorganization, but this does not appear to be the main mechanism of cytotoxic activity.CNPq (573.364/2008-6)Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Fármacos e Medicamentos (INCT - INOFAR

Cytotoxic 3,4,5-trimethoxychalcones as mitotic arresters and cell migration inhibitors

Based on classical colchicine site ligands and a computational model of the colchicine binding site on beta tubulin, two classes of chalcone derivatives were designed, synthesized and evaluated for inhibition of tubulin assembly and toxicity in human cancer cell lines. Docking studies suggested that the chalcone scaffold could fit the colchicine site on tubulin in an orientation similar to that of the natural product. In particular, a 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl ring adjacent to the carbonyl group appeared to benefit the ligand-tubulin interaction, occupying the same subcavity as the corresponding moiety in colchicine. Consistent with modeling predictions, several 3,4,5-trimethoxychalcones showed improved cytotoxicity to murine acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells compared with a previously described parent compound, and inhibited tubulin assembly in vitro as potently as colchicine. The most potent chalcones inhibited the growth of human leukemia cell lines at nanomolar concentrations, caused microtubule destabilization and mitotic arrest in human cervical cancer cells, and inhibited human breast cancer cell migration in scratch wound and Boyden chamber assays.CNPqCAPESFAPESPNIH (CA78039)University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) Chemical Biology Facility (ChBF) (P30CA047904