Heparanase is the sole mammalian enzyme capable of cleaving glycosaminoglycan heparan sulfate side chains of heparan sulfate proteoglycans. Its altered activity is intimately associated with tumor growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Thus, its implication in cancer progression makes it an attractive target in anticancer therapy. Herein, we describe the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of new benzazoles as heparanase inhibitors. Most of the designed derivatives were active at micromolar or submicromolar concentration, and the most promising compounds are fluorinated and/or amino acids derivatives 13a, 14d, and 15 that showed IC 0.16-0.82 μM. Molecular docking studies were performed to rationalize their interaction with the enzyme catalytic site. Importantly, invasion assay confirmed the antimetastatic potential of compounds 14d and 15. Consistently with its ability to inhibit heparanase, compound 15 proved to decrease expression of genes encoding for proangiogenic factors such as MMP-9, VEGF, and FGFs in tumor cells.

Heparanase is the only mammalian endo-β-D-glucuronidase involved in a variety of major diseases. The upregulation of heparanase expression increases tumor size, angiogenesis, and metastasis, representing a validated target in the anti-cancer field. To date, only a few small-molecule inhibitors have been described, but none have gotten through pre-clinical development. Previously, we explored 2-(4-(4-(bromo-methoxybenzamido)benzylamino)phenyl) benzazole derivatives as antiheparanase agents, proposing this scaffold for development of broadly effective heparanase inhibitors. Herein, we report an extended investigation of new symmetrical 2-aminophenyl-benzazolyl-5-acetate derivatives, proving that symmetrical compounds are more effective than asymmetrical analogues, with the most-potent compound, 7g, being active at nanomolar concentration against heparanase. Molecular docking studies were performed on the best-acting compounds 5c and 7g to rationalize their interaction with the enzyme. Moreover, invasion assay confirmed the anti-metastatic potential of compounds 5c, 7a, and 7g, proving the inhibition of the expression of proangiogenic factors in tumor cells.

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A new series of pyrimidine and pyridine diamines was designed as dual binding site inhibitors of cholinesterases (ChEs), characterized by two small aromatic moieties separated by a diaminoalkyl flexible linker. Many compounds are mixed or uncompetitive acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and/or butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) nanomolar inhibitors, with compound 9 being the most active on Electrophorus electricus AChE ( Ee AChE) ( K i = 0.312 μM) and compound 22 on equine BChE ( eq BChE) ( K i = 0.099 μM). Molecular docking and molecular dynamic studies confirmed the interaction mode of our compounds with the enzymatic active site. UV–vis spectroscopic studies showed that these compounds can form complexes with Cu 2+ and Fe 3+ and that compounds 18 , 20 , and 30 have antioxidant properties. Interestingly, some compounds were also able to reduce Aβ 42 and tau aggregation, with compound 28 being the most potent (22.3 and 17.0% inhibition at 100 μM on Aβ 42 and tau, respectively). Moreover, the most active compounds showed low cytotoxicity on a human brain cell line and they were predicted as BBB-permeable.

We have designed and synthesized a series of new imidazole-based compounds structurally related to an antiprotozoal agent with nanomolar activity which we identified recently. The new analogues possess micromolar activities against Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and Leishmania donovani and nanomolar potency against Plasmodium falciparum. Most of the analogues displayed IC50 within the low nanomolar range against Trypanosoma cruzi, with very high selectivity toward the parasite. Discussion of structure–activity relationships and in vitro biological data for the new compounds are provided against a number of different protozoa. The mechanism of action for the most potent derivatives (5i, 6a–c, and 8b) was assessed by a target-based assay using recombinant T. cruzi CYP51. Bioavailability and efficacy of selected hits were assessed in a T. cruzi mouse model, where 6a and 6b reduced parasitemia in animals >99% following intraperitoneal administration of 25 mg/kg/day dose for 4 consecutive days.

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Due to the biological liability of diketo acid (DKA) chain, we transferred this element of our previously reported anti-HIV-1 pyrrolyl derivatives to a non-DKA scaffold, obtaining a series of pyrrolyl−pyrazole carboxylic acids as new RNase H inhibitors. Among the newly synthesized derivatives, oxyphenylpyrrolyl−pyrazoles demonstrated inhibitory activities within the low micromolar/submicromolar range with compound 11b being the most potent. Interestingly, all tested compounds showed up to 2 orders of magnitude of selectivity for RNase H vs integrase. Docking studies within the RNase H catalytic site, coupled with site-directed mutagenesis, showed the key structural features that could confer the ability to establish specific interactions within RNase H. Furthermore, they proved the ability of our compounds to interact with amino acids highly conserved among HIV-1 subspecies isolated among patients carrying drug-resistant variants. In the end, the newly discovered pyrazole carboxylic acid derivatives feature promising serum stability with respect to their corresponding DKAs.

Growing attention to environmental protection leads food industries to adopt a model of “circular economy” applying safe and sustainable technologies to recover, recycle and valorize by-products. Therefore, by-products become raw material for other industries. Tomato processing industry produces significant amounts of by-products, consisting of skins and seeds. Tomato skin is very rich in lycopene, and from its seeds, high nutritional oil can be extracted. Alternative use of the two fractions not only could cut disposal costs but also allow one to extract bioactive compounds and an oil with a high nutritional value. This review focused on the recent advance in extraction of lycopene, whose beneficial effects on health are widely recognized.