The present invention is directed to optionally substituted 4-substituted-1-(arylmethylidene)thiosemicarbazide, 4-substituted-1-(arylcarbonyl)thiosemicarbazide and analogs thereof, represented by the Formulae I and II:
1
wherein A
1
, A
2
, Q and R
1
-R
3
are defined herein. The present invention also relates to the discovery that compounds having Formulae I and II are activators of caspases and inducers of apoptosis. Therefore, the activators of caspases and inducers of apoptosis of this invention may be used to induce cell death in a variety of clinical conditions in which uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells occurs.
本发明涉及可选取代的4-取代-1-(芳基甲基
亚胺基)
硫脲、4-取代-1-(芳基羰基)
硫脲及其类似物,其
化学式如下:式中A1、A2、Q和R1-R3如定义所述。本发明还涉及发现化合物I和II具有激活半胱
氨酸
蛋白酶和诱导细胞凋亡的作用。因此,本发明的半胱
氨酸
蛋白酶激活剂和细胞凋亡诱导剂可用于诱导在各种临床情况下出现的异常细胞的不受控制的生长和扩散的
细胞死亡。