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In the present study, a novel series of 3-pyrimidinylazaindoles were designed and synthesized using a bioinformatics strategy as cyclin-dependent kinases CDK2 and CDK9 inhibitors, which play critical roles in the cell cycle control and regulation of cell transcription. The present approach gives new dimensions to the existing SAR and opens a new opportunity for the lead optimizations from comparatively inexpensive starting materials. The study led to the identification of the alternative lead candidate 4ab with a nanomolar potency against CDK2 and CDK9 and potent antiproliferative activities against a panel of tested tumor cell lines along with a better safety ratio of ~33 in comparison to reported leads. In addition, the identified lead 4ab demonstrated a good solubility and an acceptable in vivo PK profile. The identified lead 4ab showed an in vivo efficacy in mouse triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) syngeneic models with a TGI (tumor growth inhibition) of 90% without any mortality growth inhibition in comparison to reported leads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor angiogenesis and PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway are two major molecular objectives for the treatment and management of breast cancer. Here we first time report the molecular mechanism of a marine sponge alkaloid derivative 4-chloro fascapysin (4-CF) for its anticancer and antiangiogenesis potential. It simultaneously targets multiple cancer and angiogenesis dynamics, such as proliferation, chemotaxis cell migration, and invasion, growth factors signaling cascade, autophagy and apoptosis in HUVEC and MDAMB-231 breast cancer cells. It inhibited the VEGF mediated microvessel sprouting and blood vessel formation in the matrigel plug of C57/BL6J mice. It inhibits the tumor growth in ET (solid) mouse tumor model. It significantly inhibited cell survival through PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, with attendant effects on key pro-angiogenesis factors like HIF-1α, eNOS and MMP-2/9. The cytotoxicity of 4-CF was reversed by co-treatment with the VEGF and Akt inhibitors sunitinib and perifosine, respectively or by the addition of neutralizing VEGF antibodies. The apoptotic potential of 4-CF was through mitochondrial dependent as illustrated through loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. The safety profile of 4-CF was acceptable as it exhibits five times high cytotoxic IC50 value in normal cells as well as no apparent toxicities in experimental tumor mice at therapeutic doses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]