ALR (MLL2) is a member of the human MLL family, which belongs to a larger SET1 family of histone methyltransferases. We found that ALR is present within a stable multiprotein complex containing a cohort of proteins shared with other SET1 family complexes and several unique components, such as PTIP and the jumonji family member UTX. Like other complexes formed by SET1 family members, the ALR complex exhibited strong H3K4 methyltransferase activity, conferred by the ALR SET domain. By generating ALR knockdown cell lines and comparing their expression profiles to that of control cells, we identified a set of genes whose expression is activated by ALR. Some of these genes were identified by chromatin immunoprecipitation as direct ALR targets. The ALR complex was found to associate in an ALR-dependent fashion with promoters and transcription initiation sites of target genes and to induce H3K4 trimethylation. The most characteristic features of the ALR knockdown cells were changes in the dynamics and mode of cell spreading/polarization, reduced migration capacity, impaired anchorage-dependent and -independent growth, and decreased tumorigenicity in mice. Taken together, our results suggest that ALR is a transcriptional activator that induces the transcription of target genes by covalent histone modification. ALR appears to be involved in the regulation of adhesion-related cytoskeletal events, which might affect cell growth and survival.

An earlier described three-component variant of the Castagnoli-Cushman reaction employing homophthalic anhydrides, carbonyl compound and ammonium acetate was applied towards the preparation of 1-oxo-3,4-dihydroisoquinoline-4-carboxamides with variable substituent in position 3. These compounds displayed inhibitory activity towards poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), a clinically validated cancer target. The most potent compound (PARP1/2 IC 50 = 22/4.0 nM) displayed the highest selectivity towards PARP2 in the series (selectivity index = 5.5), more advantageous ADME prameters compared to the clinically used PARP inhibitor Olaparib.

A novel 3,4-dihydroisoquinol-1-one-4-carboxamide scaffold was designed as the basis for the development of novel inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Synthesis of 3,4-dihydroisoquinol-1-one-4-carboxylic acids was achieved using the previously developed protocol based on the modified Castagnoli-Cushman reaction of homophthalic anhydrides and 1,3,5-triazinanes as formaldimine synthetic equivalents. Employment of 2,4-dimethoxy groups on the nitrogen atom of the latter allowed preparation of 2,3-unsubatituted 3,4-dihydroquinolone core building blocks. Iterative synthesis and in vitro biological testing of the amides resulting from the amidation of these carboxylic acids allowed not only drawing important structure-activity generalisations (corroborated by in silico docking simulation) but also the identification of the lead compound, 4-([1,4'-bipiperidine]-1'-carbonyl)-7-fluoro-3,4-dihydroisoquinolin-1(2 H )-one, as the candidate for further preclinical development. The lead compound as well as its des-fluoro analog were compared to the approved PARP1 inhibitor, anticancer drug Olaparib, in terms of their molecular characteristics defining druglikeness as well as experimentally determined ADME parameters. The newly developed series demonstrated clear advantages over Olaparib in terms of molecular weight, hydrophilicity, human liver microsomal and plasma stability as well as plasma protein binding. Further preclinical investigation of the lead compound is highly warranted.