G-quadruplexes are four-stranded DNA structures that are over-represented in gene promoter regions and are viewed as emerging therapeutic targets in oncology, as transcriptional repression of oncogenes through stabilization of these structures could be a novel anticancer strategy. Many gene promoter G-quadruplexes have physicochemical properties and structural characteristics that might make them druggable, and their structural diversity suggests that a high degree of selectivity might be possible. Here, we describe the evidence for G-quadruplexes in gene promoters and discuss their potential as therapeutic targets, as well as progress in the development of strategies to harness this potential through intervention with small-molecule ligands.

Targeting G-quadruplexes in gene promoters: a novel anticancer strategy?

Antibodies are engineered by replacing one or more amino acids of a parent antibody with non cross-linked, highly reactive cysteine amino acids. Antibody fragments may also be engineered with one or more cysteine amino acids to form cysteine engineered antibody fragments (ThioFab). Methods of design, preparation, screening, and selection of the cysteine engineered antibodies are provided. Cysteine engineered antibodies (Ab), optionally with an albumin-binding peptide (ABP) sequence, are conjugated with one or more drug moieties (D) through a linker (L) to form cysteine engineered antibody-drug conjugates having Formula I: Ab-(L-D)p I where p is 1 to 4. Diagnostic and therapeutic uses for cysteine engineered antibody drug compounds and compositions are disclosed.

Cysteine engineered antibodies and conjugates

The impressive development of hypervalent iodine chemistry in recent years is reflected by the number of publications in this area. Although the synthesis of the first hypervalent iodine compound dates back more than 100 years, the investigation of the reactivities of these compounds and their efficient use as metal-free reagents in organic synthesis is still ongoing. This contribution summarizes recent achievements and highlights key findings and developments that will influence future research and lead to novel applications of hypervalent iodine reagents in synthesis.

Hypervalent iodine chemistry in synthesis: scope and new directions.

Boronic acids which quickly deboronate under basic conditions, such as polyfluorophenylboronic acid and five-membered 2-heteroaromatic boronic acids, are especially challenging coupling partners for Suzuki−Miyaura reactions. Nevertheless, being able to use these substrates is highly desirable for a number of applications. Having found that monodentate biarylphosphine ligands can promote these coupling processes, we developed a precatalyst that forms the catalytically active species under conditions where boronic acid decomposition is slow. With this precatalyst, Suzuki−Miyaura reactions of a wide range of (hetero)aryl chlorides, bromides, and triflates with polyfluorophenyl, 2-furan, 2-thiophene, and 2-pyrroleboronic acids and their analogues proceed at room temperature or 40 °C in short reaction times to give the desired products in excellent yields.

A New Palladium Precatalyst Allows for the Fast Suzuki-Miyaura Coupling Reactions of Unstable Polyfluorophenyl and 2-Heteroaryl Boronic Acids

How can we improve the design of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to treat cancer? In this Review, George J. Weiner discusses the characteristics of mAbs that can affect their efficacy, the current approaches that use mAbs in cancer treatment and the numerous ways to enhance the potential of these mAb-based techniques.

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Building better monoclonal antibody-based therapeutics.

High activity ethylene polymerisation catalysts based on chelating diamide ligands

Compounds and a method of synthesis of compounds of formula (Ia) or (Ib): and salts, solvates, and chemically protected forms thereof, wherein the dotted lines indicate the optional presence of a double bond between C1 and C2 or C2 and C3; R2 and R3 are independently selected from -H, =O, =CH2, -CN, -R, OR, halo, =CH-R, O-SO2-R, CO2R and COR; R10 is a carbamate-based nitrogen protecting group; and R11 is an oxygen protecting group.

Pyrrolobenzodiazepines as key intermediates in the synthesis of dimeric cytotoxic pyrrolobenzodiazepines

A method of synthesis of a N-10 protected PBD compound of formula (I) via an intermediate of formula (II) or formula (V).

Synthesis of protected pyrrolobenzodiazepines

https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2002/cc/b205136b

Synthesis of novel C2-aryl pyrrolobenzodiazepines (PBDs) as potential antitumour agents

A comprehensive SAR investigation of the C2-position of pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzodiazepine (PBD) monomer antitumor agents is reported, establishing the molecular requirements for optimal in vitro cytotoxicity and DNA-binding affinity. Both carbocyclic and heterocyclic C2-aryl substituents have been studied ranging from single aryl rings to fused ring systems, and also styryl substituents, establishing across a library of 80 analogues that C2-aryl and styryl substituents significantly enhance both DNA-binding affinity and in vitro cytotoxicity, with a correlation between the two. The optimal C2-grouping for both DNA-binding affinity and cytotoxicity was found to be the C2-quinolinyl moiety which, according to molecular modeling, is due to the overall fit of the molecule in the DNA minor groove, and potential specific contacts with functional groups in the floor and walls of the groove. This analogue (14l) was shown to delay tumor growth in a HCT-116 (bowel) human tumor xenograft model.

Philip W. Howard

Papers

High activity ethylene polymerisation catalysts based on chelating diamide ligands

Pyrrolobenzodiazepines as key intermediates in the synthesis of dimeric cytotoxic pyrrolobenzodiazepines

Synthesis of protected pyrrolobenzodiazepines

Synthesis of novel C2-aryl pyrrolobenzodiazepines (PBDs) as potential antitumour agents

Structure-activity relationships of monomeric C2-aryl pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzodiazepine (PBD) antitumor agents