# Hybridization Approach Applied to Umbelliferon and Vanilloids toward New Inhibitors of Carbonic Anhydrases IX and XII with In Vitro Antiproliferative and Anti-inflammatory Activities

**Authors:** Francesco Melfi, Noemi Mencarelli, Simone Carradori, Marialucia Gallorini, Andrea Angeli, Giulio Poli, Amelia Cataldi, Ilaria D’Agostino, Andrea Di Credico, Angela Di Baldassarre, Tiziano Tuccinardi, Claudiu T. Supuran

PMC · DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5c02930 · Journal of Medicinal Chemistry · 2026-01-08

## TL;DR

Scientists created new compounds by combining umbelliferon and vanilloids that inhibit carbonic anhydrases IX and XII, showing potential as cancer treatments.

## Contribution

The paper introduces novel UMB-vanilloid hybrids with nanomolar inhibition of hCAs IX and XII and antiproliferative effects.

## Key findings

- UMB-vanilloid hybrids showed nanomolar inhibitory activity against hCAs IX and XII.
- Selected compounds induced G1 cell cycle arrest and reduced metastasis markers in cancer cells.
- The hybrids exhibited anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective effects in BEAS-2B cells.

## Abstract

Human carbonic anhydrases
(hCAs) IX and XII have emerged
as promising
therapeutic targets and are overexpressed in hypoxic tumors. Leveraging
the chemotype of umbelliferon (UMB), as a selective hCAs
IX and XII inhibitor, we designed and synthesized several hybrids
(7–33) connecting UMB natural scaffold with vanilloids by using methylene spacers or triazole
linkers. These hybrids demonstrated nanomolar inhibitory activity
against the tumor-associated hCAs IX and XII. Molecular modeling and
dynamics simulations revealed stable hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic
interactions. In vitro evaluation of human bronchial epithelial (BEAS-2B)
and lung adenocarcinoma (A549) cell lines showed selective cytotoxicity
against cancer cells. Selected compounds induced G1 cell cycle arrest,
reduced expression of the metastasis-associated markers CD9 and epithelial
cell adhesion molecule, and exhibited cytoprotective and anti-inflammatory
effects in BEAS-2B cells. Collectively, these findings identify UMB-vanilloid hybrids as promising candidates for the development
of novel therapeutics for nonsmall cell lung cancer.

## Linked entities

- **Chemicals:** umbelliferon (PubChem CID 5281426)
- **Diseases:** nonsmall cell lung cancer (MONDO:0005233)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (taxon 9606)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** EPCAM (epithelial cell adhesion molecule) [NCBI Gene 4072] {aka Ber-Ep4, BerEp4, DIAR5, EGP-2, EGP314, EGP40}, CD9 (CD9 molecule) [NCBI Gene 928] {aka BTCC-1, DRAP-27, MIC3, MRP-1, TSPAN-29, TSPAN29}
- **Diseases:** hypoxic tumors (MESH:D002534), cancer (MESH:D009369), inflammatory (MESH:D007249), metastasis (MESH:D009362), lung adenocarcinoma (MESH:D000077192), nonsmall cell lung cancer (MESH:D002289), cytotoxicity (MESH:D064420)
- **Chemicals:** hydrogen (MESH:D006859), UMB (-), triazole (MESH:D014230)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Full text

_Full body text omitted from this summary view._ Fetch the complete paper as Markdown: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12833850/full.md

## Figures

11 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12833850/full.md

## References

60 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12833850/full.md

---
Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12833850