Kv7 K+ channels represent attractive pharmacological
targets for the treatment of different neurological disorders, including
epilepsy. In this paper, 42 conformationally restricted analogues
of the prototypical Kv7 activator retigabine have been synthesized
and tested by electrophysiological patch-clamp experiments as Kv7
agonists. When compared to retigabine (0.93 ± 0.43 μM),
the EC50s for Kv7.2 current enhancements by compound 23a (0.08 ± 0.04 μM) were lower, whereas no change
in potency was observed for 24a (0.63 ± 0.07 μM).
In addition, compared to retigabine, 23a and 24a showed also higher potency in activating heteromeric Kv7.2/Kv7.3
and homomeric Kv7.4 channels. Molecular modeling studies provided
new insights into the chemical features required for optimal interaction
at the binding site. Stability studies evidenced improved chemical
stability of 23a and 24a in comparison with
retigabine. Overall, the present results highlight that the N5-alkylamidoindole moiety provides a suitable pharmacophoric
scaffold for the design of chemically stable, highly potent and selective
Kv7 agonists.
COVID-19 pandemic, starting from the latest 2019, and caused by SARS-CoV-2 pathogen, led to the hardest health-socio-economic disaster in the last century. Despite the tremendous scientific efforts, mainly focused on the development of vaccines, identification of potent and efficient anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics still represents an unmet need. Remdesivir, an anti-Ebola drug selected from a repurposing campaign, is the only drug approved, so far, for the treatment of the infection. Nevertheless, WHO in later 2020 has recommended against its use in COVID-19. In the present paper, we describe a step-by-step in silico design of a small library of compounds as main protease (M
pro
) inhibitors. All the molecules were screened by an enzymatic assay on M
pro
and, then, cellular activity was evaluated using Vero cells viral infection model. The cellular screening disclosed compounds
29
and
34
as in-vitro SARS-CoV-2 replication inhibitors at non-toxic concentrations (0.32 < EC
50
< 5.98 μM). To rationalize these results, additional in-vitro assays were performed, focusing on papain like protease (PL
pro
) and spike protein (SP) as potential targets for the synthesized molecules. This pharmacological workflow allowed the identification of compound
29
, as a dual acting SARS-CoV-2 proteases inhibitor featuring micromolar inhibitory potency versus M
pro
(IC
50
= 1.72 μM) and submicromolar potency versus PL
pro
(IC
50
= 0.67 μM), and of compound
34
as a selective SP inhibitor (IC
50
= 3.26 μM).
Transient
receptor potential melastatin 8 (TRPM8) ion channel represents
a valuable pharmacological option for several therapeutic areas. Here,
a series of conformationally restricted derivatives of the previously
described TRPM8 antagonist
N
,
N
′-dibenzyl
tryptophan
4
were prepared and characterized in vitro
by Ca
2+
-imaging and patch-clamp electrophysiology assays.
Molecular modeling studies led to identification of a broad and well-defined
interaction network of these derivatives inside the TRPM8 binding
site, underlying their antagonist activity. The (5
R
,11a
S
)-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-(4-fluorobenzyl)-5,6,11,11a-tetrahydro-1
H
-imidazo[1′,5′:1,6]pyrido[3,4-
b
]indole-1,3(2
H
)-dione (
31a
) emerged as a potent (IC
50
= 4.10 ± 1.2 nM), selective,
and metabolically stable TRPM8 antagonist. In vivo,
31a
showed significant target coverage in an icilin-induced WDS (at
11.5 mg/kg ip), an oxaliplatin-induced cold allodynia (at 10–30
μg sc), and CCI-induced thermal hyperalgesia (at 11.5 mg/kg
ip) mice models. These results confirm the tryptophan moiety as a
solid pharmacophore template for the design of highly potent modulators
of TRPM8-mediated activities.
Nutrition has a significant effect and a crucial role in disease prevention. Low consumption of fruit and vegetables and a sedentary lifestyle are closely related with the onset and development of many types of cancer. Recently, nutraceuticals have gained much attention in cancer research due to their pleiotropic effects and relatively non-toxic behavior. In fact, although in the past there have been conflicting results on the role of some antioxidant compounds as allies against cancer, numerous recent clinical studies highlight the efficacy of dietary phytochemicals in the prevention and treatment of cancer. However, further investigation is necessary to gain a deeper understanding of the potential anticancer capacities of dietary phytochemicals as well as the mechanisms of their action. Therefore, this review examined the current literature on the key properties of the bioactive components present in the diet, such as carotenoids, polyphenols, and antioxidant compounds, as well as their use in cancer therapy. The review focused on potential chemopreventive properties, evaluating their synergistic effects with anticancer drugs and, consequently, the side effects associated with current cancer treatments.
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