The Human factor

The allylation of indirubin produced the expected indolic N′-allylindirubin and N,N′-diallylindirubin derivatives in moderate yields, together with the corresponding N-substituted isatin products. At higher temperatures, the base-initiated reaction with allylic halides yielded spiroindolinepyrido[1,2-a]indolediones in a one-pot cascade reaction sequence with yields of up to 70%. These readily accessed, new spiro compounds represent the first reported examples of indirubin participating in cascade reactions. Preliminary in vitro biological testing of some of the products indicated promising activity against some cancer cell lines and against Plasmodium falciparum for two spiro derivatives. Computational methods were used to gain a greater understanding of the UV/Vis spectroscopic data for the N′-substituted and N,N′-disubstituted indirubin derivatives

A Conformational Restriction Strategy for the Identification of a Highly Selective Pyrimido-pyrrolo-oxazine mTOR Inhibitor

The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) plays a pivotal role in growth and tumor progression and is an attractive target for cancer treatment. ATP-competitive mTOR kinase inhibitors (TORKi) have the potential to overcome limitations of rapamycin derivatives in a wide range of malignancies. Herein, we exploit a conformational restriction approach to explore a novel chemical space for the generation of TORKi. Structure−activity relationship (SAR) studies led to the identification of compound 12b with a ∼450-fold selectivity for mTOR over class I PI3K isoforms. Pharmacokinetic studies in male Sprague Dawley rats highlighted a good exposure after oral dosing and a minimum brain penetration. CYP450 reactive phenotyping pointed out the high metabolic stability of 12b. These results identify the tricyclic pyrimido-pyrrolo-oxazine moiety as a novel scaffold for the development of highly selective mTOR inhibitors for cancer treatment

Discovery and preclinical characterization of 5-[4,6-Bis({3-oxa-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-8-yl})-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]-4-(difluoromethyl)pyridin-2-amine (PQR620), a highly potent and selective mTORC1/2 Inhibitor for cancer and neurological disorders

Mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) promotes cell proliferation, growth, and survival and is overactivated in many tumors and central nervous system disorders. PQR620 is a novel, potent, selective, and brain penetrable inhibitor of mTORC1/2 kinase. PQR620 showed excellent selectivity for mTOR over PI3K and protein kinases and efficiently prevented cancer cell growth in a 66 cancer cell line panel. In C57BL/6J and Sprague−Dawley mice, maximum concentration (Cmax) in plasma and brain was reached after 30 min, with a half-life (t1/2) > 5 h. In an ovarian carcinoma mouse xenograft model (OVCAR-3), daily dosing of PQR620 inhibited tumor growth significantly. Moreover, PQR620 attenuated epileptic seizures in a tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) mouse model. In conclusion, PQR620 inhibits mTOR kinase potently and selectively, shows antitumor effects in vitro and in vivo, and promises advantages in CNS indications due to its brain/plasma distribution ratio

Deconvolution of Buparlisib's mechanism of action defines specific PI3K and tubulin inhibitors for therapeutic intervention

BKM120 (Buparlisib) is one of the most advanced phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors for the treatment of cancer, but it interferes as an off-target effect with microtubule polymerization. Here, we developed two chemical derivatives that differ from BKM120 by only one atom. We show that these minute changes separate the dual activity of BKM120 into discrete PI3K and tubulin inhibitors. Analysis of the compounds cellular growth arrest phenotypes and microtubule dynamics suggest that the antiproliferative activity of BKM120 is mainly due to microtubule-dependent cytotoxicity rather than through inhibition of PI3K. Crystal structures of BKM120 and derivatives in complex with tubulin and PI3K provide insights into the selective mode of action of this class of drugs. Our results raise concerns over BKM120's generally accepted mode of action, and provide a unique mechanistic basis for next-generation PI3K inhibitors with improved safety profiles and flexibility for use in combination therapies

Deconvolution of Buparlisib's mechanism of action defines specific PI3K and tubulin inhibitors for therapeutic intervention

BKM120 (Buparlisib) is one of the most advanced phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors for the treatment of cancer, but it interferes as an off-target effect with microtubule polymerization. Here, we developed two chemical derivatives that differ from BKM120 by only one atom. We show that these minute changes separate the dual activity of BKM120 into discrete PI3K and tubulin inhibitors. Analysis of the compounds cellular growth arrest phenotypes and microtubule dynamics suggest that the antiproliferative activity of BKM120 is mainly due to microtubule-dependent cytotoxicity rather than through inhibition of PI3K. Crystal structures of BKM120 and derivatives in complex with tubulin and PI3K provide insights into the selective mode of action of this class of drugs. Our results raise concerns over BKM120's generally accepted mode of action, and provide a unique mechanistic basis for next-generation PI3K inhibitors with improved safety profiles and flexibility for use in combination therapies