A modular approach to trim cellular targets in anticancer drug discovery

A Phenotypic Drug Discovery strategy was applied to study a set of pyrimidine analogs prepared by means of intramolecular oxidation-reduction reactions of N-substituted-N-(2,6-disubstituted-5-nitro-4-pyrimidinyl) aminoacetic acid methyl esters in basic media. The combined and rational use of specific assays allowed in short time reducing from all possible cellular targets to those involved in metaphase to anaphase transition. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Co-financed by the European Social Fund (FEDER): the Spanish MICINN (CTQ2008-06806-C02-01/BQU), the Spanish MSC (RTICC RD06/0020/1046 and RD06/0020/0041), the Canary Islands ACIISI (PI 2007/021), the Canary Islands FUNCIS (PI 43/09), and by the Lithuanian Research Council: Global Grant Programme (Grant No. VP1-3.1-SMM-07-K-01-002). L.G.L. thanks the Spanish MSC-FIS for a Sara Borrell contract.Peer Reviewe