1-substituted (Dibenzo[b,d]thiophen-4-yl)-2-morpholino-4H-chromen-4-ones endowed with dual DNA-PK/PI3-K inhibitory activity.

Analogues of (dibenzo[b,d]thiophen-4-yl)-2-morpholino-4H-chromen-4-one (NU7441), a potent inhibitor of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK; IC50 = 42 +/- 2 nM), have been synthesized in which water-solubilizing groups [NHCO(CH2)(n)(NRR2)-R-1, where n = 1 or 2 and the moiety (RRN)-R-1-N-2 was derived from a library of primary and secondary amines, e.g., morpholine] were placed at the 1-position. Several of the newly synthesized compounds exhibited high potency against DNA-PK and potentiated the cytotoxicity of ionizing radiation (IR) in vitro 10-fold or more (e.g., 2-(4-ethyl-piperazin-1-yl)-N-(4-(2-morpholino-4-oxo-4H-chromen-8-yl)-dibenzo[b,d]thio-phen-1-yl)acetamide, 39; DNA-PK IC50 = 5.0 +/- 1 nM, IR dose modification ratio = 13). Furthermore, 39 was shown to potentiate not only IR in vitro but also DNA-inducing cytotoxic anticancer agents, both in vitro and in vivo. Counter-screening against other members of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI-3K) related kinase (PIKK) family unexpectedly revealed that some of the compounds were potent mixed DNA-PK and PI-3K inhibitors.