Coumarin Type Research Articles

Inhibition of V-ATPase and Carbonic Anhydrases as Interference Strategy with Tumor Acidification Processes

Two of the key proteins involved in tumor acidification are the V-ATPase and the tumor-associated carbonic anhydrases (CAs), such as CA IX and XII. Although there are many chemical classes of V-ATPase inhibitors, most of them are toxic for mammals and their potential use as antitumor drugs is limited. The proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), a class of antiulcer agents in clinical use for more than 30 years, have been proven to be useful in modulating tumor acidification, presumably by inactivating V-ATPase, through modification of Cys residues essential for the catalytic activity of the ATPase. This mechanism of action has yet to be demonstrated, but several recent clinical trials showed the efficacity of this approach for inhibiting the growth of tumors and their re-sensitivization to anticancer drugs such as cisplatin, or doxorubicin. Further studies are anyhow warranted to better understand the role of PPIs in the management of cancer. The monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) girentuximab, and its 124I -radiolabelled variant targeting CA IX are in advanced clinical trials both for the treatment and imaging of hypoxic tumors overexpressing CA IX. Small molecule CA IX inhibitors, of sulfonamide and coumarin type are in advanced preclinical evaluation, both for imaging and treatment of solid tumors and metastases in which CA IX/XII are present. As cancer is still a big clinical problem and most of the hypoxic tumors do not respond to classical anticancer drugs or to radiotherapy, the development of alternative anticancer approaches, such as interference with tumor acidification through inhibition of VATPase and CAs, represents an interesting avenue for future research.

The Transition of Human Estrogen Sulfotransferase from Generalist to Specialist Using Directed Enzyme Evolution

Broad specificity is believed to be a property of primordial enzymes that diverged during natural protein evolution to produce highly specific and efficient enzymes. Human estrogen sulfotransferase (SULT1E1) is a broad-specificity enzyme that detoxifies a variety of chemicals, including estrogens, by the transfer of sulfate. To study the molecular basis for the broad specificity of this enzyme and to investigate the process of SULT1E1 specialization, we have adopted a directed enzyme evolution approach. Using two iterative rounds of evolution, we generated SULT1E1 mutants with increased thermostability and narrower specificity from the broadly specific wild-type enzyme. To identify mutants with enhanced specificity, we developed an unbiased screening assay to assess sulfate transfer to three different acceptors in parallel. Such an assay enabled the isolation of SULT1E1 mutants with enhanced or wild-type activity toward an estrogen acceptor and significantly reduced activity for phenol or coumarin type of acceptors, leading to up to 3 orders of magnitude increase in specificity. We found that mutations conferring novel specificity are located in the vicinity of the active site and thus may play a direct role in reshaping the acceptor-binding site. Finally, such mutations resulted in reduced SULT1E1 thermostability, revealing a trade-off between SULT1E1 thermostability and acquisition of novel function.

ChemInform Abstract: Oral, Direct Thrombin and Factor Xa Inhibitors: The Replacement for Warfarin, Leeches, and Pig Intestines?

AbstractReview: 74 refs.

Oral, Direct Thrombin and Factor Xa Inhibitors: The Replacement for Warfarin, Leeches, and Pig Intestines?

To prevent thromboses after surgery, patients have until now had to inject themselves daily with heparin. For stroke prophylaxis in atrial fibrillation, patients take vitamin K antagonists of the coumarin type, which have a narrow therapeutic window and whose dosage must be regularly monitored. In order to improve the standard of therapy in thromboembolic diseases such as deep-vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and stroke in atrial fibrillation, intensive research has been carried out over the last decade in the search for new, orally active thrombin and factor Xa inhibitors. A number of these compounds are already on the market or are in advanced clinical development; they could revolutionize the anticoagulant market.

Identification of VKORC1 interaction partners by split-ubiquitin system and coimmunoprecipitation

Since the discovery of vitamin K epoxide reductase complex subunit 1 (VKORC1), the key enzyme for the regeneration of vitamin KH₂, numerous studies have addressed the role of VKORC1 in the posttranslational modification of vitamin K-dependent proteins. VKORC1 is also the target protein of anticoagulant drugs of the coumarin type (e.g. warfarin). Genetic variants in VKORC1 have recently been shown to significantly affect the coumarin dose and international normalised ratio level. In the present study, we have used the split-ubiquitin yeast two-hybrid system to identify potential interaction partners of VKORC1. With this system we could identify 90 candidates. Out of these, we focused on VKORC1 itself, its paralog VKORC1L1, emopamil binding protein (EBP) and stress-associated endoplasmic reticulum protein 1 (SERP1). By coimmunprecipitation and colocalisation experiments, we were able to demonstrate evidence for the interaction of these proteins. Mutations in the EBP gene cause X-linked dominant chondrodysplasia punctata (CDPX2) which can be considered as a phenocopy of warfarin embryopathy. The interaction could be a link between these phenotypes. SERP1 represents an oxidative stress-associated endoplasmatic reticulum protein with chaperon-like functions. Antioxidant capacities have been described for vitamin K hydroquinone, the substrate of VKORC1. Both VKORC1 and SERP1, might have a synergistic function in eliminating reactive oxygen species generated during the VKOR redox process. Further studies are needed to investigate the role of these proteins in the vitamin K pathway.

Rapid Identification of two Species of Peucedanum by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Diode Array Detection-Electrospray Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry

The fragmentation behaviors of the angular- and linear-type coumarins from Peucedanum praeruptorum Dunn and P. decursivum (Miq.) Maxim were simultaneously investigated by HPLC-DAD/ESI-MS(n). For more structural identification, the fragment ions were analyzed and some possible fragmentation pathways were proposed. Different positions and numbers of the substituent also led to different fragment behaviors. Two types of coumarins from P. praeruptorum and P. decursivum were structurally elucidated by these techniques. In addition, UV spectra were applied to support the MS analysis. This is the first time that the two types of coumarins from herbal extracts have been differentiated by HPLC-DAD/ESI-MS(n). The method further illustrated the importance of the ESI-MS(n) technique in the identification of different types of coumarins and was applied for the rapid differentiation of the two herbs.

Separation and determination of coumarins in Fructus cnidii extracts by pressurized capillary electrochromatography using a packed column with a monolithic outlet frit

The pressurized capillary electrochromatography (pCEC) was utilized for the separation and determination of coumarins in Fructus cnidii extracts from 12 different regions. After a thorough study of analytical parameters such as acetonitrile content of the mobile phase, the concentration and pH of the buffer, and the applied voltage, a methodology was proposed to separate and determine six coumarins of F. cnidii extracts in less than 15 min. The experiments were performed in an in-house packed column with a monolithic outlet frit under the optimal conditions: pH 4.0 ammonium acetate buffer at 10 mM containing 50% acetonitrile at −6 kV applied voltage. The calibration curves were linear in the range of 10.0–100.0 μg/mL for bergapten, 20.0–200.0 μg/mL for imperatorin, 5.0–400.0 μg/mL for osthole, 10.0–100.0 μg/mL for 2′-acetylangelicin, 10.0–200.0 μg/mL for oroselone, and 10.0–200.0 μg/mL for O-acetylcolumbianetin. The correlation coefficients were between 0.9967 and 0.9995. With this pCEC system, fingerprints of F. cnidii extracts were preliminarily established to distinguish three types of coumarins by characteristic peaks, and the quality of various sources of raw materials was evaluated by determining the contents of six coumarins.

A Facile One-Step Synthesis of New Types of 8-Thiazolyl and 8-Thiadiazinyl Coumarins

N-[4-(7-Methoxy-4-methyl-2-oxo-2H-chromen-8-yl)-thiazol-2-yl]-guanidine ( 2 ) has been prepared by the condensation of 4-methyl-7-methoxy-8-(2-bromoacetyl)coumarin ( 1 ) with guanylthiourea. 4-Methyl-7-methoxy-8-[2-(N′-(1-phenyl-ethylideneisopropylidene)-hydrazino]-thiazol-4-yl]chromen-2-ones ( 3 , 4 , and 5 ) have been prepared by reaction of 4-methyl-7-methoxy-8-(2-bromoacetyl) coumarin ( 1 ) and thiosemicarbazide in presence of acetophenone or acetone without any solvent. The formation of these compounds was further confirmed by the condensation of acetophenone/acetone thiosemicarbazones with 4-methyl-7-methoxy-8-(2-bromoacetyl)coumarin ( 1 ) in anhydrous ethanol in a two-step process. Similarly 8-[2-[N′-(benzylidene)hydrazine]-thiazol-4-yl]-7-methoxy-4-methyl-chromen-2-ones ( 6 , 7 , and 8 ) have been prepared by the condensation of 4-methyl-7-methoxy-8-(2-bromoacetyl)chromen-2-one with thiosemicarbazide and various aromatic aldehydes in a single step without any solvent. The formation of these compounds was further confirmed by the condensation of appropriately substituted benzaldehyde thiosemicarbazones with 4-methyl-7-methoxy-8-(2-bromoacetyl)coumarin in anhydrous ethanol. 4-Methyl-7-methoxy-8-(2-bromoacetyl) chromen-2-one (1) upon condensation with 3,5-dimercapto-4-amino-s-triazole in anhydrous ethanol resulted in the formation of 8-(3-mercapto-3H-[1,2,4]triazolo[3,4-b]thiadiazin-6-yl)-7-methoxy-4-methyl chromen-2-one (9). This compound ( 9 ) on reaction with various alkyl and phenacyl halides in anhydrous ethanol gave corresponding 4-methyl-7-methoxy-8-[3-(2-oxo-substituted sulphanyl)-7H-[1,2,4]triazolo[3,4-b]thiadiazin-6-yl]chromen-2-ones ( 10 to 18 ). The structures of newly prepared compounds have been confirmed from analytical and spectral data.

Quality of oral anticoagulant therapy in patients who perform self management: warfarin versus phenprocoumon

The quality of oral anticoagulant therapy may be related to which type of coumarin is used. The aim was to investigate whether phenprocoumon or warfarin provide the highest quality of oral anticoagulant therapy in patients who manage the therapy themselves. In a cohort study 519 patients on self managed oral anticoagulant therapy were included. Quality control parameters, were, the percentage of time spent in the therapeutic range and the variability in the patients' INR values. Time within therapeutic INR target range in the patient group treated respectively with warfarin and phenprocoumon was 70.2% and 74.0% (P = 0.008).The median variance in the warfarin group was 0.35 (95% CI (0.32-0.38)) and 0.29 (95% CI (0.25-0.33)) in the phenprocoumon group (P = 0.0004). Phenprocoumon provides a higher percentage of time spent in therapeutic INR interval and a lower variation of INR-values compared with warfarin.

Effects of CYP2C9 and VKORC1 on INR Variations and dose Requirements During Initial Phase of Anticoagulant Therapy

Anticoagulants of the coumarin type are effective drugs for the treatment and prevention of thromboembolic diseases. However, they have a narrow therapeutic range and show inter- and intra-individual variability in dose requirement, largely conditioned by both environmental and genetic factors. This prospective study investigated, during the initial phase of acenocoumarol therapy, the effect of CYP2C9 variant alleles and VKORC1 haplotypes, single and in combination, in 220 Italians. CYP2C9*3 was associated with a 25% dose reduction and an increased risk of over-anticoagulation (International Normalized Ratio [INR] > 6) on day 4. Two copies of the VKORC1*2 haplotype were associated with a 45% dose reduction and an increased risk of over-anticoagulation. Homozygosity for VKORC1*3 and VKORC1*4 was associated with an increased dose requirement and a reduced risk of over-anticoagulation. The VKORC1*3 or *4 plus CYP2C9*1 genotype combination was associated with the highest dose requirement and the lowest INR on day 4; VKORC1*2 plus CYP2C9*3 was associated with the lowest dose requirement, the highest INR and an increased risk of over-anticoagulation. Even though they spent approximately 50% of the time within the target therapeutic range, VKORC1*3 or *4 plus CYP2C9*1 carriers spent a large percentage of the remaining time below and carriers of VKORC1*2 plus CYP2C9*3 above the target range. The determination of VKORC1*3 and VKORC1*4 haplotypes may be an important addition to CYP2C9 and VKORC1*2 genotyping to identify patients at risk of being outside the target range during initial anticoagulation with acenocoumarol.

The relationship between maintenance dosages of three vitamin K antagonists: Acenocoumarol, warfarin and phenprocoumon

Introduction Vitamin K antagonists of the coumarin type are widely used oral anticoagulants. Objective We developed a transition algorithm for the maintenance dosages of three frequently used coumarins: warfarin, phenprocoumon and acenocoumarol. Methods The study was conducted at the Leiden Anticoagulation Clinic. Patients were participants in a trial of which the main objective was to compare the quality of an oral anticoagulant therapy with phenprocoumon to warfarin. We included patients who initiated oral anticoagulant therapy and patients who were already using acenocoumarol. Patients were randomized to a treatment with warfarin or phenprocoumon. Patients who were randomized to warfarin switched to phenprocoumon at the end of follow-up. We analysed the switch from acenocoumarol to warfarin or phenprocoumon at the start of follow-up and the switch of warfarin to phenprocoumon at the end of follow-up and calculated the transition factors for stable anticoagulation between these three vitamin K antagonists. Results Fifty-eight patients switched from warfarin to phenprocoumon, 39 from acenocoumarol to phenprocoumon and 44 from acenocoumarol to warfarin. The maintenance dose of warfarin was 0.41 (95%CI 0.39–0.43) times the maintenance dose of phenprocoumon. The transition factor between acenocoumarol and phenprocoumon was 0.84 (95%CI 0.79–0.89) and between acenocoumarol and warfarin 1.85 (95%CI 1.78–1.92). Conclusions We determined the transition factors between warfarin, phenprocoumon and acenocoumarol. With these transition factors physicians are able to estimate the maintenance dose when it is necessary for a patient to switch from one coumarin to the other.

Chromen-based TNF-α converting enzyme (TACE) inhibitors: Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation

A series of coumarin types MMP inhibitors were designed based on gelastatin hydroxamates ( 1) and evaluated for TACE, cellular TNF-α, and NO inhibitory activities. Among them, compounds 9b had potent inhibitory activities in enzymatic and cellular assays and good selectivity to MMP-2 and MMP-9. Further investigation of 9b will be carried out for its efficacy in RA animal model system.

A Phylogenetic Analysis of Tribes of the Asteraceae Based on Phytochemical Data

This work describes the first phylogenetic analysis of the entire Asteraceae based only on chemical data. The data matrix used in this study was based on a large chemical database comprising ~400 skeletal types of terpenes, coumarins, flavonoids, benzofurans and polyacetylenes isolated from the family. Hypotheses about the relationships among tribes are discussed based on the chemical data and compared with relationships inferred from the morphological and macromolecular based classifications.

Synthesis and structure of novel copper(II) complexes with pyrazole derived ligands and metal–ligand interaction in solution

Two new ligands of the coumarin type have been synthesized and characterized by 1H, 13C NMR, IR and MS. The crystal and molecular structures of ligand 2, determined by the X-ray diffraction method, are presented. With copper(II) these ligands create solid complexes of the type CuLCl2, where L is 5-(2-hydroxybenzoyl)-3-methyl-1-(2-pyridinyl)pyrazol-4-carboxylic acid methyl ester (2) or 3-methyl-1-(2-pyridinyl)-1H-chromene[4,3-c]pyrazol-4-on (3). The new copper(II) complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis and solid state FT-IR. The protonation constants of ligands 2 and 3 have been determined in 5% v/v 1,4-dioxane–water solution (25°C). The coordination modes in the complexes with copper(II) are discussed for 2 on the basis of potentiometric and UV–Vis data.

Benzylsulfonic acid functionalized mesoporous Zr-TMS catalysts: An efficient and recyclable catalyst for the preparation of coumarin derivatives by Pechmann condensation reaction

Benzylsulfonic acid functionalized mesoporous Zr-TMS (Zr-TMS-BSA, Zr-TMS, zirconia based transition metal oxide mesoporous molecular sieves) catalyst is used as an alternative to conventional acid catalysts in the von Pechmann condensation of aromatic alcohols with ethyl acetoacetate leading to the formation of coumarin derivatives in solvent free condition at 150 °C. Three types of coumarins, 7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin (β-methylumbelliferone), 7-methoxy-4-methylcoumarin (Methyl-4-methylumbelliferyl ether) and 7,8-benzo-4-methylcoumarin derivatives have been prepared using resorcinol, 3-methoxyphenol and 1-naphthol, respectively. The catalytic activity and the recycle studies of the catalyst in all the three reactions proved the superior performance of the catalyst. Further the products were confirmed by GC, elemental analysis, melting point and NMR techniques. Finally, the probable mechanism for Pechmann condensation using Zr-TMS-BSA catalyst has been reported.

Determination of (R)- and (S)-phenprocoumon in human plasma by enantioselective liquid chromatography/electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry.

Phenprocoumon is a commonly used oral anticoagulant of the coumarin type, and has found extensive clinical use in the treatment of thrombophlebitis, pulmonary embolism and atrial fibrillation. In the course of a clinical study to investigate the influence of genetic polymorphisms of the CYP2C9 enzyme on phenprocoumon metabolism, we developed a new enantioselective liquid chromatography/electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method to quantify (R)- and (S)-phenprocoumon in human plasma. HPLC separation of the enantiomers was achieved on a Chira-Grom-2 column under isocratic conditions using a water/acetonitrile/formic acid eluent. For detection and quantification a triple-quadrupole MS system was used in the selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode. As an internal standard the structurally homologous compound warfarin was chosen. The detector response was linear with a correlation coefficient of 0.988-0.999 for (R)-phenprocoumon and 0.989-0.999 for (S)-phenprocoumon in the investigated concentration range between 62.5 and 1000 ng/mL (per enantiomer). The limit of detection (LOD) was 12.5 ng/mL.

Modulation of mitogen-activated protein kinases by 6-nitro-7-hydroxycoumarin mediates apoptosis in renal carcinoma cells

6-Nitro-7-hydroxycoumarin has previously been shown to be a selective anti-proliferative agent capable of activating p38, stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK) and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase in the human renal cell carcinoma cell line, A-498. Here, the role of p38 MAP kinase was further investigated in relation to its participation in 6-nitro-7-hydroxycoumarin induced apoptosis. 6-Nitro-7-hydroxycoumarin was shown to alter cell cycle progression, leading to the appearance of a sub-G 1 peak, containing hypodiploid DNA, accompanied by increases in both poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase cleavage and decreased expression of cyclin D1. Drug treatment also lead to a rise in the expression in the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p21 WAF1/CIP1, and the appearance of inter-nucleosomal DNA cleavage and morphological changes, consistent with apoptotic cell death. Using a p38 MAP kinase inhibitor, SB203580, caused expression of p21 WAF1/CIP1 to be suppressed and both cleaved poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase and the numbers of apoptotic cells were decreased. In summary, this study shows the participation of p38 MAP kinase in 6-nitro-7-hydroxycoumarin induced apoptosis of A-498 cells and suggests that targeting of p38 may represent a novel mechanism to inhibit renal cell carcinoma and that coumarin type drugs require further investigation as potential anticancer agents directed against renal cell carcinoma.

BrMOZPhC, a novel coumarin type reagent for the fluorescent derivatisation of carboxylic acids

A new fluorescent reagent was synthesized in order to be used as a fluorescent probe in analytical HPLC derivatisation reactions. Briefly, 2,4-dimethoxyaniline was acylated and demethylated and the resulting diphenol reacted with α-bromoacetoacetate in the presence of conc. sulfuric acid (the Von Pechmann reaction). The resulting acetamido coumarin was hydrolyzed and the aminohydroxy derivative cycled to form the corresponding bromo-coumarinoxazine. The analytical reaction was performed with butyric acid as model compound and catalyzed by 18-crown-6 ether. The calibration curve constructed was characterized by good linearity whereas the precision of the reaction gave an R.S.D. values below 3%. The reaction applied to the separation of five aliphatic acids.

Complications of oral anticoagulant therapy: bleeding and nonbleeding, rates and risk factors.

Oral anticoagulant therapy is very effective in preventing thromboembolism. Its major complication is hemorrhage. The rate of intracranial bleeding from randomized trials and observational studies ranges from 0.1 to 0.9% per year and largely depends on the International Normalized Ratio (INR) target range. Risk factors for this often-fatal complication include INR intensity, older age, cerebrovascular disease, and hypertension. Recent insights into the pathogenesis of intracerebral hemorrhage have focused on underlying arterial vasculopathies that predispose to bleeding, particularly in the elderly. The rate of major extracranial hemorrhage on oral anticoagulant therapy ranges from 0.4 to 2% per year. Different definitions of major hemorrhage, INR target ranges, age distribution, burden of comorbid illness, and type of coumarin challenge comparability of studies. Additional risk factors for major hemorrhage include history of gastrointestinal bleeding, concurrent use of antiplatelet or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, genetic differences in warfarin metabolism, INR variability, type of coumarin, comorbid illnesses, and duration of oral anticoagulant therapy.

Tendências evolutivas de famílias produtoras de cumarinas em angiospermae

Coumarins are special metabolites well distributed in the Angiospermae, either in Monocotyledoneae or Dicotyledoneae. Simple coumarins, the most widespread type, is found in all coumarin-producing families, such as: Apiaceae, Rutaceae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Oleaceae, Moraceae e Thymelaeaceae. The other types, linear- and angular furanocoumarins, linear- and angular pyranocoumarins, lignocoumarins, bis- and triscoumarins, are of more restricted circumscription. Among the families with occurrence numbers (NO) > 100, the more advanced ones are specialized in the production of only one or two coumarin types, while the primitive families are very well diversified in types. Calculations of percentual numbers of occurrence (%NO) show relevant meaning of coumarin-types in the taxonomic positioning of the producing taxa.