10.1016/j.bmcl.2006.11.020
The research focuses on the design and synthesis of a novel class of furan-based molecules as potential 20S proteasome inhibitors, aiming to develop new anti-tumor agents. The purpose of this study is to create compounds that can inhibit the activity of the 20S proteasome, a protein complex involved in the degradation of proteins, which is often dysregulated in pathological conditions such as cancer. The researchers synthesized a series of furan-based compounds, including nine peptide derivatives and six statine peptidomimetics, with the C-terminal furanyl moiety introduced as furan-based amino acids to target the proteasome. The synthesis involved the use of various chemicals such as Boc-protected α-amino acids, isobutyl chloroformate (IBCF), N-methylmorpholine (NMM), trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), and others in a series of reactions including methylation, coupling, and hydrolysis. The study concluded that compound 12 emerged as a selective and moderate potent proteasome peptidomimetic inhibitor, effectively inhibiting the proliferation of HepG2 (human hepatoma) and HL-60 (acute human myeloid leukemic) cell lines. The research provides insights into the potential of these furan-based inhibitors as anti-tumor agents by targeting the 20S proteasome and offers a detailed synthetic route for the development of these compounds.