Browsing by Author "Yetkin, Derya"

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2-Phenyl Substituted Benzimidazole Derivatives: Design, Synthesis, and Evaluation of Their Antiproliferative and Antimicrobial Activities
(Springer Birkhauser, 2022) Ersan, Ronak Haj; Kuzu, Burak; Yetkin, Derya; Alagoz, Mehmet Abdullah; Dogen, Aylin; Burmaoglu, Serdar; Algul, Oztekin
The inability to meet the desired outcomes of anticancer treatment and decrease in treatment success of bacterial and fungal infections accelerated research in these areas. Our research group has conducted numerous studies, especially on benzimidazole ring systems' antiproliferative and antimicrobial activities. In this study, the antiproliferative activity of benzimidazole compounds was tested against A549, A498, HeLa, A375, and HepG2 cancer cell lines by MTT assay. All compounds exhibited good to potent antiproliferative activity against all tested cancer cell lines. Compounds 6-chloro-2-(4-fluorobenzyl)-1H-benzo[d] imidazole (30) and 6-chloro-2-phenethyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazole (46) were especially active against HeLa and A375 cancer cell lines with IC50 values in the range of 0.02-0.04 mu M. In contrast, compounds 6-chloro-2-((p-tolyloxy)methyl)-1H-benzo[d] imidazole (67) and 5(6)-chloro-2-((4-hydroxyphenoxy)methyl)-1H-benzimidazole (68) were active against A549 and A498 cancer cell lines with an IC50 value of 0.08 mu M. These compounds (30, 46, 67, and 68) were less toxic to normal human cells than the positive control compound methotrexate, which was screened to determine its toxicity against normal cell lines (HEK293). In the second part of the study, all compounds were tested to demonstrate their antimicrobial properties. All compounds exhibited moderate activity against all tested bacteria and fungi. However, some phenoxy methyl derivatives 5-chloro-2-((4-chlorophenoxy)methyl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazole (69) and 5,6-dichloro-2-((4-chlorophenoxy)methyl)-1H-benzo[d] imidazole and (74) were most active against Candida (<3.90 mu g/mL). Molecular docking studies were carried out against certain proteins in order to identify potential targets of the antiproliferative effects of the synthesized compounds. The docking scores of the compounds were found to be significantly compatible with the antiproliferative activity results. [GRAPHICS] .
Development of Benzoxazole Derivatives Targeting Mtor: a Promising Approach for Breast Cancer Therapy
(Wiley-V C H Verlag Gmbh, 2025) Alagoz, Mehmet Abdullah; Resitoglu, Meryem Temiz; Kuzu, Burak; Sabrie, Zainab; Yetkin, Derya; Zobi, Cengiz; Algul, Oztekin
Clinical use of mTOR inhibitors in cancer treatment is well established due to the critical role of mTOR signaling in tumor progression. In this study, we report the structure-based design and biological evaluation of a series of benzoxazole derivatives as potential mTOR inhibitors. Cytotoxicity studies using MTT assays showed that compounds B4, B11, B12, and B20 exhibited significant antiproliferative effects against breast cancer cell lines with IC50 values between 4.96 and 9.82 mu M. Colorimetric enzymatic assays further revealed that among these, only B12 and B20 effectively inhibited mTOR phosphorylation at Ser2448 in MCF-7 cells. Additionally, both compounds modulated the expression of key apoptotic proteins, including Bax, caspase-3, p53, and Bcl2. Molecular docking studies against the 4JT5 protein demonstrated binding affinities with docking scores ranging from -7.084 to -7.426 kcal/mol, comparable to the reference compound P2X (-7.309 kcal/mol). Molecular dynamics simulations over 150 ns confirmed the stability of B12 and B20 in the active site, with an average RMSD of 2.8 & Aring; and 3.0 & Aring;, respectively. The absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) properties of the synthesized compounds were evaluated in silico. Among them, B4, B11, B12, and B20 exhibited drug-like characteristics and showed no undesirable toxic effects. These findings highlight the potential of B12 and B20 as lead compounds for the development of novel mTOR inhibitors in breast cancer therapy.
Pyrrole-Tethered Bisbenzoxazole Derivatives: Apoptosis-Inducing Agents Targeting Breast Cancer Cells
(Wiley, 2025) Kuzu, Burak; Yetkin, Derya; Hepokur, Ceylan; Algul, Oztekin
This study presents the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of a series of novel pyrrole-tethered bisbenzoxazole (PTB) derivatives as potential apoptosis-inducing agents targeting the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line. The anticancer activity of these compounds was evaluated in vitro using the MTT assay, with tamoxifen serving as the reference therapeutic agent. Compounds B8, B14, and B18 demonstrated remarkable cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cells, exhibiting approximately 8-fold lower IC50 values compared to tamoxifen, while showing minimal effects on healthy fibroblasts. Further investigations revealed that these compounds effectively induced early-stage apoptosis and selectively arrested the cell cycle at the G1 phase in cancer cells. Gene expression analysis confirmed selective activation of the caspase-9-mediated apoptotic pathway in MCF-7 cells, providing insights into their underlying molecular mechanisms. These findings highlight the promising potential of PTB derivatives as potent anticancer agents, laying the groundwork for the development of targeted therapies for breast cancer that leverage apoptosis induction for improved therapeutic outcomes.