Synthesis and discovery of new compounds bearing coumarin scaffold for the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis

Eur J Med Chem. 2020 Jan 1:185:111790. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.111790. Epub 2019 Oct 19.

Abstract

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, characterized by excess accumulation of extracellular matrix, involved in many chronic diseases or injuries, threatens human health greatly. We have reported a series of compounds bearing coumarin scaffold which potently inhibited TGF-β-induced total collagen accumulation in NRK-49F cell line and migration of macrophages. Compound 9d also suppressed the TGF-β-induced protein expression of COL1A1, α-SMA, and p-Smad3 in vitro. Meanwhile, 9d at a dose of 100 mg/kg/day through oral administrations for 4 weeks effectively alleviated infiltration of inflammatory cells in lung tissue and fibrotic degree in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis model, which may related to its inhibition of TGF-β/Smad3 pathway and anti-inflammation efficacy. In addition, 9d demonstrated decent bioavailability (F = 39.88%) and suitable eliminated half-life time (T1/2 = 13.09 h), suggesting that 9d could be a potential drug candidate for the treatment of fibrotic diseases.

Keywords: Anti-fibrosis; Anti-inflammatory; Collagen accumulation; Coumarins; Pulmonary fibrosis.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bleomycin
  • Cell Movement / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Coumarins / chemical synthesis
  • Coumarins / chemistry
  • Coumarins / therapeutic use*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Discovery*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Molecular Structure
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis / chemically induced
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis / drug therapy*
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis / pathology
  • RAW 264.7 Cells
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Coumarins
  • Bleomycin
  • coumarin