Design, synthesis and anticancer activity against the MCF-7 cell line of benzo-fused 1,4-dihetero seven- and six-membered tethered pyrimidines and purines.
Having previously reported the synthesis and anticancer activities of cyclic 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) O,N-acetalic compounds, the decision was made to change 5-FU for uracil (U), with the prospect of finding an antiproliferative agent endowed with a new mechanism of action. The use of a reverse transcription-PCR-based assay decreased cyclin D1 mRNA, suggesting that this cyclic U O,N-acetalic compound exerts its regulatory action on cyclin D1 at the level of transcription. Following the ongoing Anticancer Drug Programme we planned the synthesis of compounds bearing a natural pyrimidine base and also, the oxygen atom at position 1 of the seven-membered cycle was replaced by its isosteric sulfur atom, and its oxidized states. Next, the pyrimidine base was substituted for the purine one, with the objective of increasing both the lipophilicity and the structural diversity of the target molecules. If the previously described compounds were not prodrugs, it would not be necessary to maintain the O,N-acetalic characteristic. Therefore, molecules were designed in which both structural entities (such as the benzoheterocyclic ring and the purine base) were linked by a heteroatom-C-C-N bond. A series of (RS)-9-(2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzoxathiin-3-ylmethyl)-9H-purine derivatives was obtained and the anticancer activity for the most active compounds was correlated with their capability to induce apoptosis. Finally, completing a SAR study, a series of (RS)-6-substituted-7- or 9-(1,2,3,5-tetrahydro-4,1-benzoxazepine-3-yl)-7H- or 9H-purines was prepared. The studies by microarray technology showed that the main molecular targets of some of these compounds are pro-apoptotic genes with protein kinase activity such as GP132, ERN1 or RAC1, which prevent the metastatic progression.
Núñez
María C
MC
Departamento de Química Farmacéutica y Orgánica, Facultad de Farmacia, c/ Campus de Cartuja, s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain.
Díaz-Gavilán
Mónica
M
Conejo-García
Ana
A
Cruz-López
Olga
O
Gallo
Miguel A
MA
Espinosa
Antonio
A
Campos
Joaquín M
JM
D000080:Acetals / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001555:Benzene Derivatives / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000494:pharmacology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D019938:Cyclin D1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015195:Drug Design; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011687:Purines / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
D000080:Acetals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001555:Benzene Derivatives; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds; D011687:Purines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019938:Cyclin D1; C030986:pyrimidine; D005472:Fluorouracil; C030985:purine