Cancer is a complex disease, one of the leading causes of death in the world, which will have an increasing incidence with the ageing of the population and its growth, posing a serious public health problem as well as a social problem. To prevent this, intensive research is underway to find a selective treatment for most cancers. One of the main characteristics of cancer cells is that they divide quickly and uncontrollably. The enzymes involved in the replication of a DNA molecule that are necessary for the cell division and its survival are called topoisomerases. Because of the important role of topoisomerases in cell division, human DNA topoisomerase IIα, which is highly expressed in cancer cells, has been selected as a target for the synthesis of anticancer active substances. Drugs that are currently used in cancer treatment have many side effects, which indicates a need for further research. The subject of this master's thesis is compounds that bind to the ATP-binding site of the N terminal portion of the enzyme and could presumably act selectively on human topoisomerase II.
In the experimental part of the master's thesis, a series of new N (2 benzyloxy) phenylpyrrolamide ATP-competitive inhibitors of human DNA topoisomerase IIα were synthesized and evaluated. The synthesis yielded three final compounds, 8, 9, and 14. All three compounds were first physically and chemically evaluated to verify and confirm their identity and purity. In the following procedures, all three compounds were biologically evaluated by determining the residual activities (RAs) of human DNA topoisomerase IIα at 40 µM and 4 µM concentrations of tested substances. Compounds 8 and 14 did not show potent inhibitory activities. Considering their common structural properties, it can be concluded that the amide group does not form the necessary interactions with the ATP binding site. Compound 9 had the best inhibitory activity in the series, and at its 40 µM concentration, the RA of the enzyme was 60%. Its improved inhibitory activity can be attributed to the presence of a carboxylic acid group.
The results and the findings of the master's thesis could be used in further research to obtain better optimized ATP-competitive inhibitors, which, in addition to excellent inhibitory ability, would also have the ability to reach the targets within cells.
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