Human neutrophil elastase (HNE) is an enzyme that belongs to the serine protease family. It has an important role in human organism in the preservation of homeostasis and regulation of cell processes. Increased activity of HNE can induce tissue damage that may be linked to infections and inflammation. Therefore, it can be concluded, that HNE is involved in a variety of severe chronic diseases. It is also involved in the regulation of cell death, both apoptosis and necroptosis.
The purpose of this master's thesis was to synthesize a new series of HNE inhibitors, based on previously synthesized compounds. We prepared derivatives of compounds that are based on a 3-substituted N-benzylpiperazine-1-carbohydrazide scaffold. A 4-substituted final compound was previously prepared. From already synthesized azaphenylalanine derivatives, we kept the amidoxime group on a phenyl ring, 2-naphtoyl group on the second nitrogen of hydrazine fragment and an adequate cyclic derivate (piperazine or piperidine).
In the six-step synthetic pathway, 3-formylbenzonitrile was first converted into hydrazone, protected with a BOC group. Hydrazone was catalytically hydrogenated to hydrazine. The piperazine or piperidine derivative was attached to the first nitrogen. Subsequently, the BOC group was removed from the second nitrogen and the naphthoyl group was introduced. In the last step, the nitrile group was converted to amidoxime. We managed to synthesize only two of five final compounds.
The identity and purity of all intermediates and final compounds were evaluated by thin layer chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, high-resolution mass spectrometry, infrared spectroscopy and melting point determination.
All five compounds of the fifth and one compound of the sixth step were biochemically evaluated with enzyme kinetics measurements. Besides serine proteases trypsin and
α-chymotrypsin, three additional neutrophil serine proteases (HNE, cathepsin G and proteinase 3) were planned to be used, but we were only able to make biochemical evaluations on the HNE enzyme. The strongest inhibition of HNE was shown by two compounds of the fifth step with phenyl ring, with chlorine or fluorine on α-position, bound to piperazine. The ability to inhibit HNE was also shown by other tested compounds at slightly higher IC50 values. High selectivity between serine proteases was not achieved.
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