A library of arylidenefuropyridinediones was discovered as potent inhibitors of Leishmania donovani Topoisomerase 1 (LdTop1) where the active molecules displayed considerable inhibition with single digit micromolar EC50 values. This molecular library was designed via intuitive scaffold hopping and bioisosteric modification of known topoisomerase 1 inhibitors such as camptothecin, edotecarin and...

Caspase-2 exists as two main isoforms: the caspase-2L long isoform, which is pro-apoptotic, and the caspase-2S short isoform, which may be anti-apoptotic. Topoisomerase inhibitors drive inclusion of exon 9, specific for Casp-2S mRNA, and lower Casp-2L [corrected] mRNA and protein. With cell lines engineered to express various PKC isoforms, we demonstrate that PKC zeta, but not PKCalpha, positiv...

Locally advanced non small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) represents 30%-40% of all pulmonary malignancies. Despite the fact that the disease is confined to the chest, most patients will eventually succumb to their dis-ease. Therefore, the management of NSCLC is undergoing rapid evolution with hope of improving overall survival. The arrival of a new generation of chemotherapeutic agents, including th...

The mechanism of augmentation of tumor cell killing by immune effector cells and chemotherapeutic drugs was studied. The effect of treating tumor cells with various antineoplastic drugs on their sensitivity to murine natural cell-mediated cytotoxicity in vitro was investigated. Pretreatment with actinomycin D at nontoxic concentrations rendered L929 and WEHI-164 tumor cells more susceptible to ...

A new multiple drug-resistant Chinese hamster ovary cell line, ( IK )SMRs, has been isolated which demonstrates a direct correlation between reduced cellular topoisomerase II activity (5-fold reduction) and a low level of resistance (3to 7-fold) to topoisomerase II inhibitors. This cell line, initially selected for resistance to 9-(4,6-0-ethylidene-i8-D-glucopyranosyl)-4'-demethylepipodophyllot...

Theoretical flexible docking studies were carried out on a number of triterpenoids previously shown to be inhibitors of topoisomerase II in order to assess the nature of binding of these non-intercalative inhibitors to the enzyme. The molecular docking results suggest that most of the triterpenoids preferentially bind to the DNA binding site of topoisomerase II, while a few also bind to the ATP...

Topoisomerase II constitutes a family of nuclear enzymes essential to all living cells. These enzymes are capable of transferring one DNA double helix through a transient break in another DNA double helix. Type II topoisomerases play important roles in DNA metabolic processes, in which they are involved in DNA replication, transcription, chromosome condensation and de-condensation. Topoisomeras...