Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Inhibiting Fatty Acid Synthase In Rapidly Dividing Cells: Synthesis Of 5-(Alkylthio)-1h-Benzo[D]Imidazole-2,6-Diones, Andy Hausted

Journal of Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Research

Prostate and breast cancer are the number one and number two cancer sites, respectively, for male and females within the United States.1 Increased levels of the enzyme fatty acid synthase have been found in rapidly dividing cancer cells. This enzyme is responsible for the de novo synthesis of fatty acids in human cells, which are essential to cell growth and survival. The goal then for this research is to synthesize and design a new synthesis of 5-(alkylthio)-1Hbenzo[ d]imidazole-2,6-diones intended to successfully inhibit fatty acid synthase (FASN) by binding allosterically to the thioesterase domain of FASN. Thus by selectively inhibiting FASN …