Targeting Inflammatory and Oncogenic Pathways: Cyclooxygenase-2, Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor, and p38...

Acute and chronic inflammation are known to contribute to the pathogenesis of various diseases, including cardiovascular disorders, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, diabetes, and cancer. Classical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs reduce inflammation primarily by suppressing the cyclooxygenase (COX) pathway. COX enzymes facilitate the conversion of membrane phospholipids into prostaglandins and play functional roles in several metabolic processes, including analgesia, anti-inflammation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and drug resistance. Moreover, they are also implicated in cancer development, invasion, metastasis, and the differentiation. In this study, eight pyrazolone derivative compounds with potential anti-inflammatory properties were synthesized. Their structures were successfully characterized using ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), ¹³C NMR, infrared spectroscopy (IR), and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) spectroscopy. Their inhibitory activities againt COX-1, COX-2, and 5-lipoxygenase were evaluated to determine their anti-inflammatory potential. Epidermal growth factor receptor inhibition assays were performed for the active compounds 7 and 8, while compound 7, the most potent molecule, was further assessed for p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibition. Several compounds exhibited selective cytotoxicity toward cancer cell lines. Notably, compounds 7 and 8 showed no inhibitory activity against COX-1 yet demonstrated considerable selectivity toward COX-2. Interestingly, some derivatives displaying selective cytotoxic effects were not among the most potent COX-2 inhibitors. Overall, the findings indicate that the synthesized pyrazolone derivatives represent promising lead candidates for the development of anti-inflammatory and anticancer agents.