Exploring the antiproliferative and proapoptotic activities of new pyridopyrimidine derivatives and their analogs

This study investigates a series of newly synthesized compounds, including pyridopyrimidine derivatives (9a-g), tricyclic pyridotriazolopyrimidine analogs (18a-d), and dihydropyrimidinones (22a-i), as apoptotic inducers and inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase α (PI3Kα), with potential anticancer activity. An initial in vitro screening of 60 cancer cell lines identified pyridopyrimidine derivatives 9a-g as promising broad-spectrum anticancer agents, with compound 9e demonstrating the strongest inhibitory activity, particularly against T-47D breast cancer cells. Notably, the antitumor potency of compound 9e surpassed that of Pictilisib, inducing G2-M phase cell cycle arrest and initiating apoptosis through the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. Molecular docking studies further indicated that compound 9e binds to PI3Kα in a similar fashion to the co-crystallized ligand. Moreover, compound 9e exhibited favorable drug-like properties, including compliance with Lipinski’s rule and Veber’s rule, good solubility, acceptable TPSA, and high gastrointestinal absorption reinforcing its potential as a highly effective anticancer agent.