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Text in English / Specially prepared 2-amino-5-bromo-3-iodoacetophenone and 5-bromo-2-hydroxy-3 iodoacetophenone were subjected to Claisen-Schmidt aldol condensation with benzaldehyde derivatives followed by sequential and/or one-pot palladium catalyzed Sonogashira cross coupling and heteroannulation of the 3-alkynylated intermediates to afford indole-chalcones and benzofuran-chalcones, respectively. The indole-chalcones derivatives were, in turn, subjected to trifluoroacetic anhydride in tetrahydrofuran under reflux to afford the corresponding 3-trifluoroacetyl substituted indole-chalcone derivatives. The coupling constant values (Jtrans) of about 16.0 Hz for the chalcone derivatives corresponding to the vinylic protons confirmed the trans geometry of the α,β-unsaturated carbonyl framework in all the cases. Their trans geometry of the chalcone derivatives was further confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. Further structural elaboration of the ambident electrophilic α,β unsaturated carbonyl (chalcone) moiety of the indole-chalcones and the analogous benzofuran chalcones with 2-aminothiophenol afforded novel benzothiezapine-appended indole and benzofuran hybrids, respectively. Sonogashira cross-coupling of 5-bromo-2-hydroxy-3 iodoacetophenone with terminal acetylenes followed by heteroannulation of the intermediate 3-alkynylated 5-bromo-2-hydroxyacetophenones afforded the corresponding 7-acetyl-2-aryl-5-bromobenzofurans in a single-pot operation. The oximes derived from the 7-acetyl–substituted 2-aryl-5-bromobenzofurans were subjected to Beckmann rearrangement with triflic acid in acetonitrile under reflux. We isolated the corresponding 7-amino-2-aryl-5 bromobenzofuran derivatives formed from hydrolysis in situ of the intermediate 7-acetamide 2-aryl-5-bromobenzofurans. Amino-dechlorination of the 4-chloroquinazoline derivatives with the 7-aminobenzofurans afforded novel benzofuran 4-aminoquinazoline hybrids. The prepared compounds were characterized using a combination of nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR & 13C-NMR including 19F-NMR), infrared (IR) and mass spectroscopic techniques complemented with single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses and/or density functional (DFT) method. The benzofuran-chalcone 203a–y derivatives were evaluated for anti-growth effect against the breast cancer (MCF-7) cell line by the MTT cell viability assay. Their mode of cancer cell death (apoptosis versus necrosis) was detected by Annexin V-Cy3 SYTOX staining and caspase-3 activation. The most cytotoxic compounds 203i and 203o were also evaluated for potential to inhibit tubulin polymerization and/or epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase (EGFR-TK) phosphorylation. The experimental results were complemented with theoretical data from molecular docking into ATP binding site of the EGFR and colchicine binding site of tubulin, respectively. The benzofuran–4-aminoquinazoline hybrids 215a–j, on the other hand, were evaluated for antiproliferative propeties in vitro against the human lung cancer (A549), epithelial colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) and hepatocellular carcinoma (C3A) cell lines. The benzofuran-aminoquinazoline hybrids were also evaluated for potential to induce apoptosis and for their capability to inhibit EGFR-TK phosphorylation complemented with molecular docking (in silico) into the ATP binding site of EGFR. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that the benzofuran-appended aminoquinazoline hybrids 215d and 215j induced apoptosis via activation of caspase-3 pathway. Moreover, compounds 215d and 215j exhibited significant and moderate inhibitory effects against EGFR (IC50 = 29.3 nM and 61.5 nM, respectively) when compared to Gefitinib (IC50 = 33.1 nM). Molecular docking of compounds 215 into EGFR-TK active site suggested that they bind to the region of EGFR like Gefitinib does. / Chemistry / D. Phil. (Chemistry)

No / We identify cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) as a target for tumor-selective drug development in bladder cancer and describe the characterization of ICT2700, designed to be metabolized from a prodrug to a potent cytotoxin selectively by CYP1A1. Elevated CYP1A1 expression was shown in human bladder cancer relative to normal human tissues. RT112 bladder cancer cells, endogenously expressing CYP1A1, were selectively chemosensitive to ICT2700, whereas EJ138 bladder cells that do not express CYP1A1 were significantly less responsive. Introduction of CYP1A1 into EJ138 cells resulted in 75-fold increased chemosensitivity to ICT2700 relative to wild-type EJ138. Negligible chemosensitivity was observed in ICT2700 in EJ138 cells expressing CYP1A2 or with exposure of EJ138 cells to CYP1B1- or CYP3A4-generated metabolites of ICT2700. Chemosensitivity to ICT2700 was also negated in EJ138-CYP1A1 cells by the CYP1 inhibitor alpha-naphthoflavone. Furthermore, ICT2700 did not induce expression of the AhR-regulated CYP1 family, indicating that constitutive CYP1A1 expression is sufficient for activation of ICT2700. Consistent with the selective activity by CYP1A1 was a time and concentration-dependent increase in gamma-H2AX protein expression, indicative of DNA damage, associated with the activation of ICT2700 in RT112 but not EJ138 cells. In mice-bearing CYP1A1-positive and negative isogenic tumors, ICT2700 administration resulted in an antitumor response only in the CYP1A1-expressing tumor model. This antitumor response was associated with detection of the CYP1A1-activated metabolite in tumors but not in the liver. Our findings support the further development of ICT2700 as a tumor-selective treatment for human bladder cancers.

No / PURPOSE: Cytochrome P450 2W1 (CYP2W1) is a monooxygenase detected in 30% of colon cancers, whereas its expression in nontransformed adult tissues is absent, rendering it a tumor-specific drug target for development of novel colon cancer chemotherapy. Previously, we have identified duocarmycin synthetic derivatives as CYP2W1 substrates. In this study, we investigated whether two of these compounds, ICT2705 and ICT2706, could be activated by CYP2W1 into potent antitumor agents. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: The cytotoxic activity of ICT2705 and ICT2706 in vitro was tested in colon cancer cell lines expressing CYP2W1, and in vivo studies with ICT2706 were conducted on severe combined immunodeficient mice bearing CYP2W1-positive colon cancer xenografts. RESULTS: Cells expressing CYP2W1 suffer rapid loss of viability following treatment with ICT2705 and ICT2706, whereas the CYP2W1-positive human colon cancer xenografts display arrested growth in the mice treated with ICT2706. The specific cytotoxic metabolite generated by CYP2W1 metabolism of ICT2706 was identified in vitro. The cytotoxic events were accompanied by an accumulation of phosphorylated H2A.X histone, indicating DNA damage as a mechanism for cancer cell toxicity. This cytotoxic effect is most likely propagated by a bystander killing mechanism shown in colon cancer cells. Pharmacokinetic analysis of ICT2706 in mice identified higher concentration of the compound in tumor than in plasma, indicating preferential accumulation of drug in the target tissue. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest a novel approach for treatment of colon cancer that uses a locoregional activation of systemically inactive prodrug by the tumor-specific activator enzyme CYP2W1.