Preparation of leukotriene B(4) inhibitory active 2- and 3-(2-aminothiazol-4-yl)benzo[b]furan derivatives and their growth inhibitory activity on human pancreatic cancer cells.

A series of 2-(2-aminothiazol-4-yl)benzo[b]furan and 3-(2-aminothiazol-4-yl)benzo[b]furan derivatives were prepared, and their leukotriene B(4) inhibitory activity and growth inhibitory activity in cancer cell lines were evaluated. Several compounds showed strong inhibition of calcium mobilization in CHO cells overexpressing human BLT(1) and BLT(2) receptors and growth inhibition to human pancreatic cancer cells MIA PaCa-2. 3-(4-Chlorophenyl)-2-[5-formyl-2-[(dimethylamino)methyleneamino]thiazol-4-yl]-5-methoxybenzo[b]furan 8b showed the most potent and selective inhibition for the human BLT(2) receptor, and its IC(50) value was smaller than that of the selected positive control compound, ZK-158252. 3-(4-Chlorophenyl)-2-[2-[(dimethylamino)methyleneamino]-5-(2-hydroxyethyliminomethyl)thiazol-4-yl]-5-methoxybenzo[b]furan 9a displayed growth inhibitory activity towards MIA PaCa-2.