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On the basis of structures of known topoisomerase II catalytic inhibitors and initial molecular docking studies, bicyclic N-fused aminoimidazoles were predicted as potential topoisomerase II inhibitors. They were synthesized by multicomponent reactions and evaluated against human topoisomerase IIα (hTopoIIα) in decatenation, relaxation, cleavage complex, and DNA intercalation in vitro assays. Among 31 compounds of eight different bicyclic scaffolds, it was found that imidazopyridine, imidazopyrazole, and imidazopyrazine with suitable substituents exhibited potent inhibition of catalytic activity of hTopoIIα while not showing DNA intercalation. Molecular docking studies and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation analysis, ATPase-kinetics and ATP-dependent plasmid relaxation assay revealed the catalytic mode of inhibition of the title compounds plausibly by blocking the ATP-binding site. N-Fused aminoimidazoles showed potent anticancer activities in kidney and breast cancer cell lines, low toxicity to normal cells, relatively higher potency compared to etoposide and 5-fluorouracil in kidney cancer cell lines, and potent inhibition in cell migration. These compounds were found to exert apoptotic effect in G1/S phase.

Mixed lineage kinase 3 (MLK3) is a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase (MAPKKK) that activates c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and can induce cell death in neurons. By contrast, the activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and AKT/protein kinase B (PKB) acts to suppress neuronal apoptosis. Here, we report a functional interaction between MLK3 and AKT1/PKB␣. Endogenous MLK3 and AKT1 interact in HepG2 cells, and this interaction is regulated by insulin. The interaction domain maps to the C-terminal half of MLK3 (amino acids 511-847), and this region also contains a putative AKT phosphorylation consensus sequence. Endogenous JNK, MKK7, and MLK3 kinase activities in HepG2 cells are significantly attenuated by insulin treatment, whereas the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitors LY294002 and wortmannin reversed the effect. Finally, MLK3-mediated JNK activation is inhibited by AKT1. AKT phosphorylates MLK3 on serine 674 both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the expression of activated AKT1 inhibits MLK3-mediated cell death in a manner dependent on serine 674 phosphorylation. Thus, these data provide the first direct link between MLK3-mediated cell death and its regulation by a cell survival signaling protein, AKT1.The cellular decision to undergo either cell death or cell survival is determined by the integration of multiple survival and death signals. Mixed lineage kinase 3 (MLK3) 1 is a member of a growing family of mixed lineage kinases (1). Recently, it has been shown that overexpression of MLK3 or NGF withdrawal leads to neuronal cell death, which can be prevented by treatment with a small molecule inhibitor of MLKs, CEP-1347 (2). Similarly, CEP-11004, an analog of CEP-1347, has also been shown to prevent neuronal cell death upon NGF withdrawal (3). These results indicate a significant and direct involvement of MLKs in regulating cell death; however, the detailed mechanism by which MLKs are regulated is still unknown.The c-jun-N-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase (JNK/SAPK) is stimulated by proinflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress, heat shock, UV, ␥-irradiation, and by other cellular stresses (4, 5). The signals in stress-activated JNK pathway are transmitted through three core modules: MAP3Ks such as members of the mixed lineage kinases or MEKK members, a MAP2K such as SEK1/MKK4 or MKK7, and MAPK such as JNK family members (4, 5). The activated MAP3K phosphorylates and activates MKK7 or SEK1, which in turn phosphorylates and activates JNK. JNKs phosphorylate several nuclear transcription factors that include ELK1, c-Jun, and ATF2 (4, 5). In several cell types, the activation of JNKs is directly linked to cell death (6 -8). Therefore, one mechanism of cell survival could be to block JNK pathway induction. The activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) correlates with increased cell survival, and this effect is largely mediated through the activation of a serine/threonine kinase, AKT (also known as PKB). PI3K agonists such as insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) ...

The small molecule Quinacrine (QC, a derivative of 9-aminoacridine), an anti-malaria drug, displays activity against cancer cell lines and can simultaneously suppress nuclear factor-jB (NF-jB) and activate p53 signaling. In this study, we investigated the anticancer mechanism underlying these drug activities in breast cancer cell lines. QC caused a dose-dependent decrease of both anchorage dependent and independent growth of breast cancer cells (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) without affecting normal breast epithelial cells (MCF-10A), as evident from clonogenic cell survival, [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2yl-)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide] viability, wound healing and soft agar growth. QC activated the proapoptotic marker Bax, PARP cleavage, p53 and its downstream target, p21 (Cip1/Waf1) and downregulated the antiapoptotic marker Bcl-xL and relative luciferase activity of NF-jB in MCF-7 cells. Results of DAPI nuclear staining and FACS analysis show that QC increased apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. QC caused apoptosis by increasing the cell population in S-phase and simultaneously decreasing the G1 and G2/M populations. A dose-dependent increase of DNA damage as measured by the comet assay was seen in MCF-7 cells after exposure to QC. With regards to the mechanism of DNA damage, we found that QC inhibited topoisomerase activity in MCF-7 cells by increasing the unwinding of supercoiled DNA. Collectively, the results demonstrate that QC has efficient anticancer potential against breast cancer cells via not only an induction of p53 and p21 but also an induction of S phase arrest, DNA damage and inhibition of topoisomerase activity.Quinacrine (QC; trade name; atabrine, a derivative of quinine, synthesized from bark of the cinchona tree) is the most well known and widely used drug based on the 9-aminoacridine (9-AA) structures discovered in 1920s and used for decades worldwide for a number of different indications such as malaria, parasitic infections, amoebiasis, liamblia and giardia.

Mixed lineage kinases (MLKs) are MAPKKK members that activate JNK and reportedly lead to cell death. However, the agonist(s) that regulate MLK activity remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate ceramide as the activator of Drosophila MLK (dMLK) and identify ceramide and TNF-alpha as agonists of mammalian MLK3. dMLK and MLK3 are activated by a ceramide analog and bacterial sphingomyelinase in vivo, whereas a low nanomolar concentration of natural ceramide activates them in vitro. Specific inhibition of dMLK and MLK3 significantly attenuates activation of JNK by ceramide in vivo without affecting ceramide-induced p38 or ERK activation. In addition, TNF-alpha also activates MLK3 and evidently leads to JNK activation in vivo. Thus, the ceramide serves as a common agonist of dMLK and MLK3, and MLK3 contributes to JNK activation induced by TNF-alpha.