Effects of Curcumin Analogues DMC and EF24 in Combination with the Cytokine TRAIL against Kidney Cancer

The natural compound curcumin has been shown to have therapeutic potential against a wide range of diseases such as cancer. Curcumin reduces cell viability of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cells when combined with TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), a cytokine that specifically targets cancer cells, by helping overcome TRAIL resistance. However, the therapeutic effects of curcumin are limited by its low bioavailability. Similar compounds to curcumin with higher bioavailability, such as demethoxycurcumin (DMC) and 3,5-bis(2-fluorobenzylidene)-4-piperidone (EF24), can potentially have similar anticancer effects and show a similar synergy with TRAIL, thus reducing RCC viability. This study aims to show the effects of DMC and EF24 in combination with TRAIL at reducing ACHN cell viability and ACHN cell migration. It also shows the changes in death receptor 4 (DR4) expression after treatment with these compounds individually and in combination with TRAIL, which can play a role in their mechanism of action.

IN-SILICO STUDIES OF ANTI-PROLIFERATIVE CURCUMIN ANALOGS

Prostate cancer affects males more than women. Curcumin, a bioactive component of turmeric, reported to have anticancer properties on several cancer cell lines. Researchers utilised molecular docking to generate new curcumin analogues, quantify their characteristics, and anticipate its mode of action. In this research article QSAR studies were performed on 40 curcumin analogues using V-life MDS 3.5 software. The physicochemical characteristics were computed using Molinspiration Cheminformatics software. The best QSAR model for 2D and 3D QSAR was selected. Then ten compounds were designed and improved based on model results directly linked to activity. The in-silico approach predicted the good biological activity of compounds. Docking studies were performed using Akt1 as a probable target. Among the developed compounds, MKS50 has the best docking score (-7.175 kcal/mol). This study will provide a new path for the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of novel curcumin analogues.

Anti-proliferative potential of fluorinated curcumin analogues: experimental and computational analysis and review of the literature

Background: Curcuminoids, flavoring, and coloring agents in food have potent antioxidant, anti-tumor activity, and anti-inflammatory effects. However, they are rapidly metabolized to lesser active metabolites. Therefore, various studies have been conducted to synthesize new and stable curcumin analogues with enhanced therapeutic activity. Methods: Fluorinated curcumin compounds (2a-2f) were synthesized by Knoevenagel condensation between fluorobenzaldehydes (1a-1f) with curcumin. Fluorinated demethoxycurcumin (3a) was synthesized by condensation between demethoxycurcumin and 3,4-difluorobenzaldehyde (1f). The structures of these compounds were confirmed by FT-IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, 19FNMR, and mass spectroscopy. Antiproliferative activities of these synthetic compounds were evaluated against breast cancer cells (4T1), melanoma cancer cells (B16F10), and normal cell lines (NIH 3T3) using MTT assay. The interaction of curcumin, 2f and 3a with several proteins (1HCL, 2ZOQ, 3D94, 5EW3, 4WA9, 1XKK, 6CCY) was investigated. The structural preservation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was investigated by molecular dynamics simulation. Results: The spectroscopic data obtained confirmed the proposed structure of fluorinated analogues. The results showed that compounds 2f and 3a inhibited cancer cells proliferation significantly more than other compounds. Compounds 2f and 3a showed the highest affinity and lowest binding energy with EGFR. The binding energies were -7.8, -10, and -9.8 kcal/mol for curcumin, 2f and 3a with EGFR, respectively. The molecular docking results demonstrated that compounds 2f and 3a were firmly bound in a complex with EGFR via the formation of a hydrogen bond. Conclusion: In summary, we found that fluorinated demethoxycurcumin and fluorinated curcumin induces cancer cell death and binds to EGFR with high affinity.

Curcumin analogues for possible cancer treatment A QSAR and partial ordering study

The possible effect of curcumin as a potential natural cancer treatment drug has been intensively discussed. In the present study the probabilities of a series of curcumin analogues to possess potential as antineoplastic, prostate cancer treatment and anticarcinogenic agents has been studied theoretically applying a selection of quantitative structure-activity relation and absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) approaches. From spectroscopic studies it is evident that these compounds can be found in both enol and diketo forms, the former in general the more predominant in non-polar solvents, whereas in polar solvents, like water an increasing amount of the diketo form can be noted. Hence, the probabilities for both the enols and diketo forms to possess the above-mentioned effects were studied. In most cases the enol form shows the highest probabilities for being effective although the differences are not significant. Thus, it is suggested to look at the sum of effects of the keto and the enol forms in relation to the possible therapeutic effects of the compounds here studied.

Virtual screening of curcumin analogues as DYRK2 inhibitor: Pharmacophore analysis, molecular docking and dynamics, and ADME prediction

Background: Curcumin reduces the proliferation of cancer cells through inhibition of the DYRK2 enzyme, which is a positive regulator of the 26S proteasome. Methods: In the present work, curcumin analogues have been screened from the MolPort database using a pharmacophore model that comprised a ligand-based approach. The result of the screening was then evaluated by molecular docking and molecular dynamics based on binding the free energy of the interaction between each compound with the binding pocket of DYRK2. The hit compounds were then confirmed by absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) prediction. Results: Screening of 7.4 million molecules from the MolPort database afforded six selected hit compounds. By considering the ADME prediction, three prospective curcumin analogues have been selected. These are: 2‐[2‐(1‐methylpyrazol‐4‐yl)ethyl]‐1H,5H,6H,7H,8H‐imidazo[4,5‐c]azepin‐4‐one (Molport-035-369-361), methyl 4‐(3‐hydroxy‐1,2‐oxazol‐5‐yl)piperidine‐1‐carboxylate (Molport-000-004-273) and (1S)‐1‐[5‐(furan‐3‐carbonyl)‐4H,6H,7H‐pyrazolo[1,5‐a]pyrazin‐2‐yl]ethanol (MolPort-035-585-822). Conclusion: Pharmacophore modelling, combined with molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation, as well as ADME prediction were successfully applied to screen curcumin analogues from the MolPort database as DYRK2 inhibitors. All selected compounds that have better predicted pharmacokinetic properties than that of curcumin are considered for further study.