Computational design, synthesis, and assessment of 3-(4-(4-(1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl)phenyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole derivatives as effective epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors: a prospective strategy for anticancer therapy†

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) enzyme plays a critical role in governing the cell cycle, positioning it as a promising target for the development of anticancer drugs. In this study, we endeavored to design and synthesize innovative EGFR inhibitors with potential applications in anticancer therapy. A novel series of compounds, namely 3-(4-(4-(1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl)phenyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazoles (30a–j), were meticulously designed using FBDD efforts and synthesized. The synthesized compounds underwent thorough characterization using ¹HNMR, ¹³CNMR, HRMS, and mass spectrum analyses. The in vitro anticancer activities of the newly developed compounds (30a–j) were evaluated against four human cancer cell lines such as prostate cancer (PC3 & DU-145), lung cancer (A549), and liver cancer (HEPG2) using the MTT method. The results, expressed as IC₅₀ values, demonstrated significant anticancer activity for several compounds, with five compounds (30a, 30b, 30c, 30i, and 30j) exhibiting superior potency compared to the established anticancer drug etoposide. Notably, compound 30a emerged as the most promising compound, displaying potent cytotoxicity. We also conducted a screening of the compounds on the normal Vero cell line, revealing a pronounced selectivity of the compounds against cancer cell lines, with no observable impact on the normal cell lines. Moreover, the synthesized compounds were investigated for their impact on enzyme EGFR activity. The findings revealed a robust inhibitory effect against the EGFR wild-type enzyme and a 10-fold inferior potency against the mutant form of EGFR. This observation underscores the potential of the new derivatives as effective EGFR^WT inhibitors with substantial anticancer efficacy. Further studies, including cell cycle analysis and apoptosis assays in HEPG2 cell lines, revealed cell cycle arrest at G1/G0 and G2 phases. We also evaluated the potential influence of compound 30a on the EGFR pathway using western blot analysis, revealing a significant inhibition of EGFR autophosphorylation in HEPG2 cells. In conclusion, our findings highlight the promise of these novel compounds as potent EGFR inhibitors, encouraging further investigation and development for the creation of novel and effective anticancer therapeutics.