Inhibitory effect of umbelliferone aminoalkyl derivatives on oxidosqualene cyclases from S. cerevisiae, T. cruzi, P. carinii, H. sapiens, and A. thaliana: a structure-activity study

ChemMedChem. 2007 Feb;2(2):226-33. doi: 10.1002/cmdc.200600234.

Abstract

Eighteen coumarin derivatives were tested as inhibitors of oxidosqualene cyclases (OSCs) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Trypanosoma cruzi, Pneumocystis carinii, Homo sapiens, and Arabidopsis thaliana, all expressed in an OSC-defective strain of S. cerevisiae.35 All the compounds have an aminoalkyl chain bound to an aromatic nucleus; unconventional synthetic procedures (microwave- and ultrasound-promoted reactions) were successfully used to prepare some of them. The most interesting structure-dependent difference in inhibitory activities was observed with an N-oxide group replacement of the tertiary amino group at the end of the side chain. An interesting species specificity also emerged: T. cruzi OSC was the least sensitive enzyme; P. carinii and A. thaliana OSCs were the most sensitive. The remarkable activities of three compounds on the T. cruzi enzyme and of five of them on the P. carinii enzyme suggest the present series as a promising compound family for the development of novel antiparasitic agents.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amines / chemical synthesis
  • Amines / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • Antifungal Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Antifungal Agents / pharmacology*
  • Arabidopsis / drug effects
  • Arabidopsis / enzymology
  • Coumarins / chemical synthesis
  • Coumarins / pharmacology*
  • Fungi* / drug effects
  • Fungi* / enzymology
  • Humans
  • Inhibitory Concentration 50
  • Intramolecular Transferases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Intramolecular Transferases / metabolism
  • Pneumocystis carinii / drug effects
  • Pneumocystis carinii / enzymology
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / drug effects
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / enzymology
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Trypanosoma cruzi / drug effects
  • Trypanosoma cruzi / enzymology
  • Umbelliferones / chemical synthesis
  • Umbelliferones / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Amines
  • Antifungal Agents
  • Coumarins
  • Umbelliferones
  • Intramolecular Transferases
  • lanosterol synthase