Hybrid nucleobase-heterocycle-2-oxindole scaffolds as innovative cell cycle modulators with potential anticancer activity.

A series of hybrid molecules 6a-6d-13a-13d combining pyrazolo[3,4-]pyrimidine or aminopurine frameworks with an oxindole moiety were designed as multitarget anticancer agents. Several compounds, especially 8b and 12a-12d, showed potent antiproliferative effects against three human cancer cell lines: A498 (kidney carcinoma), HepG-2 (hepatocellular carcinoma), and MDA-MB-231 (breast adenocarcinoma). Compounds 6b, 7b, 8b, and 12a-12c exhibited remarkable CDK6 inhibition (pIC of up to 7.