1. Academic Validation
  2. Synthesis and bioevaluation of a series of α-pyrone derivatives as potent activators of Nrf2/ARE pathway (part I)

Synthesis and bioevaluation of a series of α-pyrone derivatives as potent activators of Nrf2/ARE pathway (part I)

  • Eur J Med Chem. 2013 Aug:66:364-71. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2013.06.007.
Mei-yang Xi 1 Zhong-ying Sun Hao-peng Sun Jian-min Jia Zheng-yu Jiang Lei Tao Ming Ye Xi Yang Ya-jing Wang Xin Xue Jing-jie Huang Yuan Gao Xiao-ke Guo Sheng-lie Zhang Ying-rui Yang Qing-long Guo Rong Hu Qi-dong You
Affiliations

Affiliation

  • 1 Jiang Su Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
Abstract

When exposed to electrophiles, human colorectal Cancer cells (HCT116) counteract oxidative stress through activating NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/antioxidant response element (ARE) pathway. To identify new activators, luciferase reporter gene assay was used to screen in-house database of our laboratory, leading to a novel α-pyrone compound 1 as a hit. 2 with 2-fluoro phenyl group exhibited the strongest ARE inductive activity in the first round structure-activity relationship (SAR) study. Biological studies showed the compound induced nuclear translocation of Nrf2 preceded by phosphorylation of ERK1/2. The data encouraged us to use 2 as lead and 20 derivatives were synthesized to discuss a more detailed SAR, leading to a more potent compound 9, which can be the starting compound for further modification.

Keywords

ARE; Chemopreventive agents; Keap1; Nrf2; α-Pyrone derivative.

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