Discovery of 7‐Aryl‐Substituted (1,5‐Naphthyridin‐4‐yl)ureas as Aurora Kinase Inhibitors

As part of our research projects to identify new chemical entities of biological interest, we developed a synthetic approach and the biological evaluation of (7‐aryl‐1,5‐naphthyridin‐4‐yl)ureas as a novel class of Aurora kinase inhibitors for the treatment of malignant diseases based on pathological cell proliferation. 1,5‐Naphthyridine derivatives showed excellent inhibitory activities toward Aurora kinases A and B, and the most active compound, 1‐cyclopropyl‐3‐[7‐(1‐methyl‐1H‐pyrazol‐4‐yl)‐1,5‐naphthyridin‐4‐yl]urea ( 49 ), displayed IC₅₀ values of 13 and 107 nM against Aurora kinases A and B, respectively. In addition, the selectivity toward a panel of seven cancer‐related protein kinases was highlighted. In vitro ADME properties were also determined in order to rationalize the difficulties in correlating antiproliferative activity with Aurora kinase inhibition. Finally, the good safety profile of these compounds imparts promising potential for their further development as anticancer agents.     

Identification of Hck Inhibitors As Hits for the Development of Antileukemia and Anti‐HIV Agents

Hematopoietic cell kinase (Hck) is a member of the Src family of non‐receptor protein tyrosine kinases. High levels of Hck are associated with drug resistance in chronic myeloid leukemia. Furthermore, Hck activity has been connected with HIV‐1. Herein, structure‐based drug design efforts were aimed at identifying novel Hck inhibitors. First, an in‐house library of pyrazolo[3,4‐d]pyrimidine derivatives, which were previously shown to be dual Abl and c‐Src inhibitors, was analyzed by docking studies within the ATP binding site of Hck to select the best candidates to be tested in a cell‐free assay. Next, the same computational protocol was applied to screen a database of commercially available compounds. As a result, most of the selected compounds were found active against Hck, with K_i values ranging from 0.14 to 18.4 μM , confirming the suitability of the computational approach adopted. Furthermore, selected compounds showed an interesting antiproliferative activity profile against the human leukemia cell line KU‐812, and one compound was found to block HIV‐1 replication at sub‐toxic concentrations.     

2‐Aminothiazoles with Improved Pharmacotherapeutic Properties for Treatment of Prion Disease

Recently, we described the aminothiazole lead (4‐biphenyl‐4‐ylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐(6‐methylpyridin‐2‐yl)‐amine ( 1 ), which exhibits many desirable properties, including excellent stability in liver microsomes, oral bioavailability of ～40 %, and high exposure in the brains of mice. Despite its good pharmacokinetic properties, compound 1 exhibited only modest potency in mouse neuroblastoma cells overexpressing the disease‐causing prion protein PrP^Sc. Accordingly, we sought to identify analogues of 1 with improved antiprion potency in ScN2a‐cl3 cells while retaining similar or superior properties. Herein we report the discovery of improved lead compounds such as (6‐methylpyridin‐2‐yl)‐[4‐(4‐pyridin‐3‐yl‐phenyl)thiazol‐2‐yl]amine and cyclopropanecarboxylic acid (4‐biphenylthiazol‐2‐yl)amide, which exhibit brain exposure/EC₅₀ ratios at least tenfold greater than that of compound 1 .     

2‐Anilino‐3‐Aroylquinolines as Potent Tubulin Polymerization Inhibitors

Several 2‐anilino‐3‐aroylquinolines were designed, synthesized, and screened for their cytotoxic activity against five human cancer cell lines: HeLa, DU‐145, A549, MDA‐MB‐231, and MCF‐7. Their IC₅₀ values ranged from 0.77 to 23.6 μm . Among the series, compounds 7 f [(4‐fluorophenyl)(2‐((4‐fluorophenyl)amino)quinolin‐3‐yl)methanone] and 7 g [(4‐chlorophenyl)(2‐((4‐fluorophenyl)amino)quinolin‐3‐yl)methanone] showed remarkable antiproliferative activity against human lung cancer and prostate cancer cell lines. The IC₅₀ values for inhibiting tubulin polymerization were 2.24 and 2.10 μm for compounds 7 f and 7 g , respectively, and were much lower than that of the reference compound E7010 [N‐(2‐(4‐hydroxyphenylamino)pyridin‐3‐yl)‐4‐methoxybenzenesulfonamide]. Furthermore, flow cytometric analysis revealed that these compounds arrest the cell cycle at the G₂/M phase, leading to apoptosis. Apoptosis was also confirmed by mitochondrial membrane potential, Annexin V–FITC assay, and intracellular ROS generation. Immunohistochemistry, western blot, and tubulin polymerization assays showed that these compounds disrupt tubulin polymerization. Molecular docking studies revealed that these compounds bind efficiently to β‐tubulin at the colchicine binding site.     

Synthesis and properties of some fluorescent 1,8‐naphthalimide derivatives and their copolymers with methyl methacrylate

Six new fluorescent derivatives of 1,8‐naphthalimide were synthesized. Three were dyes, and three were fluorescent whitening agents (FWAs) containing a tetramethylpiperidine (TMP) stabilizer fragment. The FWAs were obtained under phase‐transfer catalysis conditions. Five of the compounds were copolymerized with methyl methacrylate, so copolymers with an intense color and/or fluorescence stable against solvents were obtained. The chemical bonding of the synthesized monomers in the polymers was confirmed spectrophotometrically. The participation of the monomer compounds did not significantly affect the process of copolymerization or the molecular masses of the obtained copolymers. The quantity of chemically bonded naphthalimide monomer in the copolymers was determined to be over 60%. The spectral properties of the compounds and their photostability in solution and in the copolymers were studied. The influence of the compounds on the photostability of the copolymers was determined. The compounds, especially those containing a stabilizer (TMP) fragment in their molecules, showed a positive stabilizing effect on the photodegradation of poly(methyl methacrylate). Polyamide fabrics with 2‐allyl‐6‐hydrazino‐benzo[de]isoquinoline‐1,3‐dione, 2‐allyl‐6‐(2‐amino‐ethylamino)‐benzo[de]isoquinoline‐1,3‐dione, and 2‐chloro‐N′‐(2‐methyl)‐1,3‐dioxo‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐benzo[de] isoquinoline‐6‐yl) acetohydrazide were dyed, and materials with an intense yellow color and fluorescence were obtained. Cotton fabrics were whitened with 2‐(2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl‐piperidin‐4‐yl)‐6‐methoxy‐benzo[de]isoquinoline‐1,3‐dione, 2‐(2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl‐piperidin‐4‐yl)‐6‐allyloxybenzo[de]isoquinoline‐1, 3‐dione, and 2‐[2‐(2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl‐piperidin‐4‐yl)‐1,3‐dioxo‐2,3‐dihidro‐1H benzo [de]isoquinoline‐6‐oxy]ethyl‐2‐methacrylate, and materials with bright whiteness and intense bluish fluorescence were obtained. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Synthesis,Biological Activity,and Mechanism of Action of 2‐Pyrazyl and Pyridylhydrazone Derivatives,New Classes of Antileishmanial Agents

In this work, we report the antileishmanial activity of 23 compounds based on 2‐pyrazyl and 2‐pyridylhydrazone derivatives. The compounds were tested against the promastigotes of Leishmania amazonensis and L. braziliensis, murine macrophages, and intracellular L. amazonensis amastigotes. The most potent antileishmanial compound was selected for investigation into its mechanism of action. Among the evaluated compounds, five derivatives [(E)‐3‐((2‐(pyridin‐2‐yl)hydrazono)methyl)benzene‐1,2‐diol ( 2 b ), (E)‐4‐((2‐(pyridin‐2‐yl)hydrazono)methyl)benzene‐1,3‐diol ( 2 c ), (E)‐4‐nitro‐2‐((2‐(pyrazin‐2‐yl)hydrazono)methyl)phenol ( 2 s ), (E)‐2‐(2‐(pyridin‐2‐ylmethylene)hydrazinyl)pyrazine ( 2 u ), and (E)‐2‐(2‐((5‐nitrofuran‐2‐yl)methylene)hydrazinyl)pyrazine ( 2 v )] exhibited significant activity against L. amazonensis amastigote forms, with IC₅₀ values below 20 μm . The majority of the compounds did not show any toxic effect on murine macrophages. Preliminary studies on the mode of action of members of this hydrazine‐derived series indicate that the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and disruption of parasite mitochondrial function are important for the pharmacological effect on L. amazonensis promastigotes.     

Optoelectronic properties of thiazole‐based polythiophenes

In this work, two thiazole‐containing monomers N‐(thiazol‐2‐yl)?2‐(thiophen‐3‐yl)acetamide (ThDBTH) and N,N′‐([4,4′‐bithiazole]‐2,2′‐diyl)bis(2‐(thiophen‐3‐yl)acetamide) (Th₂DBTH) were synthesized through amidification reaction of 2‐(thiophen‐3‐yl)acetyl chloride with aminothiazole derivatives and characterized by FTIR and ¹H and ¹³C‐NMR. The monomers were subjected to electrochemical polymerization and optoelectronic properties of the resultant conducting polymers were investigated. Additionally, copolymerization of ThDBTH in the presence of thiophene was achieved. PThDBTH, PTh₂DBTH, and P(ThDBTH‐Th) exhibited optical band gaps of 2.15, 2.30, and 1.95 eV, respectively. Switching time and optical contrast of the polymers were evaluated via kinetic studies. The P(ThDBTH‐Th) revealed satisfactory switching time and appropriate optical contrast of 1.27 s and 24.97%, respectively. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42206.     

Regulatory Roles of the N-Terminal Intrinsically Disordered Region of Modular Src

Src, the prototype of Src family kinases (SFKs), is a modular protein consisting of SH4 (SH4) and unique (UD) domains in an N-terminal intrinsically disordered region (IDR), and SH3, SH2, and kinase (KD) folded domains conserved among SFKs. Src functions as a pleiotropic signaling hub in proliferating and post-mitotic cells, and it is related to cancer and neurological diseases. However, its regulatory mechanism is unclear because the existing canonical model is derived from crystallographic analyses of folded constructs lacking the IDR. This work reviews nuclear magnetic resonance analyses of partially structured lipid-binding segments in the flexible UD and the fuzzy intramolecular complex (FIMC) comprising IDR and SH3 domains, which interacts with lipid membranes and proteins. Furthermore, recently determined IDR-related Src characteristics are discussed, including dimerization, SH4/KD intramolecular fastener bundling of folded domains, and the sorting of adhesive structures. Finally, the modulatory roles of IDR phosphorylation in Src activities involving the FIMC are explored. The new regulatory roles of IDRs are integrated with the canonical model to elucidate the functions of full-length Src. This review presents new aspects of Src regulation, and provides a future direction for studies on the structure and function of Src, and their implications for pathological processes.     

Discovery of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors by Docking into an Inactive Kinase Conformation Generated by Molecular Dynamics

Several small molecules that bind to the inactive DFG‐out conformation of tyrosine kinases (called type II inhibitors) have shown a good selectivity profile over other kinase targets. To obtain a set of DFG‐out structures, we performed an explicit solvent molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of the complex of the catalytic domain of a tyrosine kinase receptor, ephrin type‐A receptor 3 (EphA3), and a manually docked type II inhibitor. Automatic docking of four previously reported type II inhibitors was used to select a single snapshot from the MD trajectory for virtual screening. High‐throughput docking of a pharmacophore‐tailored library of 175 000 molecules resulted in about 4 million poses, which were further filtered by van der Waals efficiency and ranked according to a force‐field‐based energy function. Notably, around 20 % of the compounds with predicted binding energy smaller than ?10 kcal mol^?1 are known type II inhibitors. Moreover, a series of 5‐(piperazine‐1‐yl)isoquinoline derivatives was identified as a novel class of low‐micromolar inhibitors of EphA3 and unphosphorylated Abelson tyrosine kinase (Abl1). The in silico predicted binding mode of the new inhibitors suggested a similar affinity to the gatekeeper mutant T315I of Abl1, which was verified in vitro by using a competition binding assay. Additional evidence for the type II binding mode was obtained by two 300 ns MD simulations of the complex between N‐(3‐chloro‐4‐(difluoromethoxy)phenyl)‐2‐(4‐(8‐nitroisoquinolin‐5‐yl)piperazin‐1‐yl)acetamide and EphA3.     

Novel 2-substituted quinolin-4-yl-benzenesulfonate derivatives: synthesis, antiproliferative activity, and inhibition of cellular tubulin polymerization

A series of 2‐substituted quinolin‐4‐yl‐benzenesulfonate derivatives were synthesized for the purpose of evaluating antiproliferative activity. Structure–activity relationships of the newly synthesized compounds against human lymphoblastic leukemia and various solid tumor cell growths in culture are discussed. Of these derivatives, 2‐phenyl‐6‐pyrrolidinyl‐4‐quinoline sulfonate analogues 10 f , 10 g , and 10 k , and 4′‐nitrophenyl sulfonate 10 m exhibit superior cytotoxicity over other sulfonates. The antiproliferative activities of these compounds correlate well with their abilities to induce mitotic arrest and apoptosis. Mechanistic studies indicate that they target the vinblastine binding site of tubulin and inhibit cellular tubulin polymerization. Hence, these compounds induce the formation of aberrant mitotic spindles and mitotic arrest, resulting in intensive apoptosis. The tested compounds were shown to be poor substrates for membrane multidrug resistance transporters. The present studies suggest that these newly synthesized compounds are promising tubulin polymerization inhibitors and are worthy of further investigation as antitumor agents.     

Microwave‐Assisted Syntheses of Benzimidazole‐Containing Selenadiazole Derivatives That Induce Cell‐Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis in Human Breast Cancer Cells by Activation of the ROS/AKT Pathway

The use of selenium‐containing heterocyclic compounds as potent cancer chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agents has been well documented by a large number of clinical studies. In this study we developed a new approach to synthesize four benzimidazole‐containing selenadiazole derivatives (BSeDs). The method uses a combination of peptide coupling reagents and microwave irradiation. This strategy features milder reaction conditions, higher yields, and shorter reaction times. The synthetic BSeDs were identified as potent antiproliferative agents against the human MCF‐7 and MDA‐MB‐231 breast cancer cell lines. Compounds 1 b (5‐(6‐methyl‐1H‐benzo[d]imidazol‐2‐yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]selenadiazole), 1 c (5‐(6‐chloro‐1H‐benzo[d]imidazol‐2‐yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]selenadiazole), and 1 d (5‐(6‐bromo‐1H‐benzo[d]imidazol‐2‐yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]selenadiazole) were found to show greater cytotoxicity against the triple‐negative breast cancer cell line MDA‐MB‐231 than MCF‐7, and to exhibit dose‐dependent inhibition of cell migration, in which a significant decrease in the zone of cell monolayer wound closure was observed relative to untreated controls. Our results demonstrate that BSeDs can cause cell‐cycle arrest and apoptosis in MDA‐MB‐231 cells by inducing DNA damage, inhibiting protein kinase B (AKT), and activating mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) family members through the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Taken together, the results of this study provide a facile microwave‐assisted strategy for the synthesis of selenium‐containing organic compounds that exhibit a high level of anticancer efficacy.     

Identification and Optimization of the First Highly Selective GLUT1 Inhibitor BAY‐876

Despite the long‐known fact that the facilitative glucose transporter GLUT1 is one of the key players safeguarding the increase in glucose consumption of many tumor entities even under conditions of normal oxygen supply (known as the Warburg effect), only few endeavors have been undertaken to find a GLUT1‐selective small‐molecule inhibitor. Because other transporters of the GLUT1 family are involved in crucial processes, these transporters should not be addressed by such an inhibitor. A high‐throughput screen against a library of ～3 million compounds was performed to find a small molecule with this challenging potency and selectivity profile. The N‐(1H‐pyrazol‐4‐yl)quinoline‐4‐carboxamides were identified as an excellent starting point for further compound optimization. After extensive structure–activity relationship explorations, single‐digit nanomolar inhibitors with a selectivity factor of >100 against GLUT2, GLUT3, and GLUT4 were obtained. The most promising compound, BAY‐876 [N⁴‐[1‐(4‐cyanobenzyl)‐5‐methyl‐3‐(trifluoromethyl)‐1H‐pyrazol‐4‐yl]‐7‐fluoroquinoline‐2,4‐dicarboxamide], showed good metabolic stability in vitro and high oral bioavailability in vivo.     

Novel Hinge‐Binding Motifs for Janus Kinase 3 Inhibitors: A Comprehensive Structure–Activity Relationship Study on Tofacitinib Bioisosteres

The Janus kinases (JAKs) are a family of cytosolic tyrosine kinases crucially involved in cytokine signaling. JAKs have been demonstrated to be valid targets in the treatment of inflammatory and myeloproliferative disorders, and two inhibitors, tofacitinib and ruxolitinib, recently received their marketing authorization. Despite this success, selectivity within the JAK family remains a major issue. Both approved compounds share a common 7H‐pyrrolo[2,3‐d]pyrimidine hinge binding motif, and little is known about modifications tolerated at this heterocyclic core. In the current study, a library of tofacitinib bioisosteres was prepared and tested against JAK3. The compounds possessed the tofacitinib piperidinyl side chain, whereas the hinge binding motif was replaced by a variety of heterocycles mimicking its pharmacophore. In view of the promising expectations obtained from molecular modeling, most of the compounds proved to be poorly active. However, strategies for restoring activity within this series of novel chemotypes were discovered and crucial structure–activity relationships were deduced. The compounds presented may serve as starting point for developing novel JAK inhibitors and as a valuable training set for in silico models.     

Expanding the SAR of Nontoxic Antiplasmodial Indolyl‐3‐ethanone Ethers and Thioethers

Despite major strides in reducing Plasmodium falciparum infections, this parasite still accounts for roughly half a million annual deaths. This problem is compounded by the decreased efficacy of artemisinin combination therapies. Therefore, the development and optimisation of novel antimalarial chemotypes is critical. In this study, we describe our strategic approach to optimise a class of previously reported antimalarials, resulting in the discovery of 1‐(5‐chloro‐1H‐indol‐3‐yl)‐2‐[(4‐cyanophenyl)thio]ethanone ( 13 ) and 1‐(5‐chloro‐1H‐indol‐3‐yl)‐2‐[(4‐nitrophenyl)thio]ethanone ( 14 ), whose activity was equipotent to that of chloroquine against the P. falciparum 3D7 strain. Furthermore, these compounds were found to be nontoxic to HeLa cells as well as being non‐haemolytic to uninfected red blood cells. Intriguingly, several of our most promising compounds were found to be less active against the isogenic NF54 strain, highlighting possible issues with long‐term dependability of malarial strains. Finally compound 14 displayed similar activity against both the NF54 and K1 strains, suggesting that it inhibits a pathway that is uncompromised by K1 resistance.     

1‐(1H‐Indol‐3‐yl)ethanamine Derivatives as Potent Staphylococcus aureus NorA Efflux Pump Inhibitors

The synthesis of 37 1‐(1H‐indol‐3‐yl)ethanamine derivatives, including 12 new compounds, was achieved through a series of simple and efficient chemical modifications. These indole derivatives displayed modest or no intrinsic anti‐staphylococcal activity. By contrast, several of the compounds restored, in a concentration‐dependent manner, the antibacterial activity of ciprofloxacin against Staphylococcus aureus strains that were resistant to fluoroquinolones due to overexpression of the NorA efflux pump. Structure–activity relationships studies revealed that the indolic aldonitrones halogenated at position 5 of the indole core were the most efficient inhibitors of the S. aureus NorA efflux pump. Among the compounds, (Z)‐N‐benzylidene‐2‐(tert‐butoxycarbonylamino)‐1‐(5‐iodo‐1H‐indol‐3‐yl)ethanamine oxide led to a fourfold decrease of the ciprofloxacin minimum inhibitory concentration against the SA‐1199B strain when used at a concentration of 0.5 mg L ^?1. To the best of our knowledge, this activity is the highest reported to date for an indolic NorA inhibitor. In addition, a new antibacterial compound, tert‐butyl (2‐(3‐hydroxyureido)‐2‐(1H‐indol‐3‐yl)ethyl)carbamate, which is not toxic for human cells, was also found.     

Isoxazole‐Based‐Scaffold Inhibitors Targeting Cyclooxygenases (COXs)

A new set of cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors endowed with an additional functionality was explored. These new compounds also contained either rhodamine 6G or 6,7‐dimethoxy‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroisoquinoline, two moieties typical of efflux pump substrates and inhibitors, respectively. Among all the synthesized compounds, two new COX inhibitors with opposite selectivity were discovered: compound 8 [N‐(9‐{2‐[(4‐{2‐[3‐(5‐chlorofuran‐2‐yl)‐4‐phenylisoxazol‐5‐yl]acetamido}butyl)carbamoyl]phenyl‐6‐(ethylamino)‐2,7‐dimethyl‐3H‐xanthen‐3‐ylidene}ethanaminium chloride] was found to be a selective COX‐1 inhibitor, whereas 17 (2‐[3,4‐bis(4‐methoxyphenyl)isoxazol‐5‐yl]‐1‐[6,7‐dimethoxy‐3,4‐dihydroisoquinolin‐2‐(1H)‐yl]ethanone) was found to be a sub‐micromolar selective COX‐2 inhibitor. However, both were shown to interact with P‐glycoprotein. Docking experiments helped to clarify the molecular aspects of the observed COX selectivity.     

Discovery of a Nanomolar Multikinase Inhibitor (KST016366): A New Benzothiazole Derivative with Remarkable Broad‐Spectrum Antiproliferative Activity

Herein we report the discovery of compound 6 [KST016366; 4‐((2‐(3‐(4‐((4‐ethylpiperazin‐1‐yl)methyl)‐3‐(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)ureido)benzo[d]thiazol‐6‐yl)oxy)picolinamide] as a new potent multikinase inhibitor through minor structural modification of our previously reported RAF kinase inhibitor A . In vitro anticancer evaluation of 6 showed substantial broad‐spectrum antiproliferative activity against 60 human cancer cell lines. In particular, it showed GI₅₀ values of 51.4 and 19 nm against leukemia K‐562 and colon carcinoma KM12 cell lines, respectively. Kinase screening of compound 6 revealed its nanomolar‐level inhibitory activity of certain oncogenic kinases implicated in both tumorigenesis and angiogenesis. Interestingly, 6 displays IC₅₀ values of 0.82, 3.81, and 53 nm toward Tie2, TrkA, and ABL‐1 (wild‐type and T315I mutant) kinases, respectively. Moreover, 6 is orally bioavailable with a favorable in vivo pharmacokinetic profile. Compound 6 may serve as a promising candidate for further development of potent anticancer chemotherapeutics.     

Exploration of Sulfur‐Containing Analogues for Imaging Vesicular Acetylcholine Transporter in the Brain

Sixteen new sulfur‐containing compounds targeting the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) were synthesized and assessed for in vitro binding affinities. Enantiomers (?)‐(1‐(3‐hydroxy‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydronaphthalen‐2‐yl)piperidin‐4‐yl)(4‐(methylthio)phenyl)methanone [(?)‐ 8 ] and (?)‐(4‐((2‐fluoroethyl)thio)phenyl)(1‐(3‐hydroxy‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydronaph‐thalen‐2‐yl)piperidin‐4‐yl)methanone [(?)‐ 14 a ] displayed high binding affinities, with respective K_i values of 1.4 and 2.2 nm for human VAChT, moderate and high selectivity for human VAChT over σ₁ (≈13‐fold) and σ₂ receptors (>420‐fold). Radiosyntheses of (?)‐[¹¹C] 8 and (?)‐[¹⁸F] 14 a were achieved using conventional methods. Ex vivo autoradiography and biodistribution studies in Sprague–Dawley rats indicated that both radiotracers have the capacity to penetrate the blood–brain barrier, with high initial brain uptake at 5 min and rapid washout. The striatal region had the highest accumulation for both radiotracers. Pretreating the rats with the VAChT ligand (?)‐vesamicol decreased brain uptake for both radiotracers. Pretreating the rats with the σ₁ ligand YUN‐122 (N‐(4‐benzylcyclohexyl)‐2‐(2‐fluorophenyl)acetamide) also decreased brain uptake, suggesting these two radiotracers also bind to the σ₁ receptor in vivo. The microPET study of (?)‐[¹¹C] 8 in the brain of a non‐human primate showed high striatal accumulation that peaked quickly and washed out rapidly. Although preliminary results indicated these two sulfur‐containing radiotracers have high binding affinities for VAChT with rapid washout kinetics from the striatum, their σ₁ receptor binding properties limit their potential as radiotracers for quantifying VAChT in vivo.     

Structural Studies on 4,5‐Disubstituted 2‐Aminoimidazole‐Based Biofilm Modulators that Suppress Bacterial Resistance to β‐Lactams

A library of 4,5‐disubstituted 2‐aminoimidazole triazole amide (2‐AITA) conjugates has been successfully assembled. Upon biological screening, this class of small molecules was discovered as enhanced biofilm regulators through non‐microbicidal mechanisms against methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and multidrug‐resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MDRAB), with active concentrations in the low micromolar range. The library was also subjected to synergism and resensitization studies with β‐lactam antibiotics against MRSA. Lead compounds were identified that suppress the antibiotic resistance of MRSA by working synergistically with oxacillin, a β‐lactam antibiotic resistant to penicillinase. A further structure–activity relationship (SAR) study on the parent 2‐AITA compound delivered a 2‐aminoimidazole diamide (2‐AIDA) conjugate with significantly increased synergistic activity with oxacillin against MRSA, decreasing the MIC value of the β‐lactam antibiotic by 64‐fold. Increased anti‐biofilm activity did not necessarily lead to increased suppression of antibiotic resistance, which indicates that biofilm inhibition and resensitization are most likely occurring via distinct mechanisms.     

Binding Kinetics of ZM241385 Derivatives at the Human Adenosine A2A Receptor

Classical drug design and development rely mostly on affinity‐ or potency‐driven structure–activity relationships (SAR). Thus far, a given compound’s binding kinetics have been largely ignored, the importance of which is now being increasingly recognized. In the present study, we performed an extensive structure–kinetics relationship (SKR) study in addition to a traditional SAR analysis at the adenosine A_2A receptor (A_2AR). The ensemble of 24 A_2AR compounds, all triazolotriazine derivatives resembling the prototypic antagonist ZM241385 (4‐(2‐((7‐amino‐2‐(furan‐2‐yl)‐[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5‐a][1,3,5]triazin‐5‐yl)amino)ethyl)phenol), displayed only minor differences in affinity, although they varied substantially in their dissociation rates from the receptor. We believe that such a combination of SKR and SAR analyses, as we have done with the A_2AR, will have general importance for the superfamily of G protein‐coupled receptors, as it can serve as a new strategy to tailor the interaction between ligand and receptor.