ABSTRACT
The cytotoxicity of the bis[N-(2-propyl)carbamates] 2 and 3 which are linked to thieno[i,j-g]indole scaffolds through methylene bridges were studied as thiophene analogues of prototype 1. Compounds 2 and 3 were evaluated in vitro against 60 human-tumor cell lines derived from nine cancer-cell types and demonstrated, for compound 3 not only strong growth-inhibitory activities against leukemia cancer cells, but also fairly good activities against the growth of certain renal and ovarian cancer cell lines. Compound 2, the thieno[2,3-g]indole bis-carbamate, possessed only significant (MG-MID log10 GI50 = -4.89) and selective cytoxicity against NCI-HOP92 (non-small cell lung), MALME 3M (melanoma) and IGROV 1 (ovarian) cancer cell with log10 GI50 values of -5.66, -5.48 and -5.47, respectively.
Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents/chemical synthesis , Carbamates/chemical synthesis , Indoles/chemical synthesis , Thiophenes/chemical synthesis , Antineoplastic Agents/chemistry , Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology , Carbamates/chemistry , Carbamates/pharmacology , Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor , Humans , Indoles/chemistry , Indoles/pharmacology , Spectrophotometry, Infrared , Structure-Activity Relationship , Thiophenes/chemistry , Thiophenes/pharmacology , Tumor Cells, CulturedABSTRACT
A series of bis(benzo[g]indoles) bridged by CX-(CH2)nN(Me)(CH2)n-CX (X = O, S, H2; n = 2,3) was synthesized as bifunctional antitumor agents and evaluated for cytotoxic activity against diverse human cancer cell lines by the National Cancer Institute. The parent compounds 2a,b exhibited a good level of activity and derivates 2c-g,i,k demonstrated significant inhibitory effects, all with IC50 values in the low micromolar range. The thioamide analogue 2j showed less potency. It is interesting to note that introduction of substituents on the benzene ring of the benzo[g]indole portion of 2a,b did not affect activity, with the only exception of the 7,8-dichloro derivative 2h which became less potent. One member of this series, 2i, was then tested in the hollow fiber cell assay to evaluate, in a preliminary fashion, its in vivo antineoplastic activity. Molecular modelling studies were performed on amide 2a and thioamide 2j to explain the loss of activity of 2j as to 2a. Finally, compound 2a behaved as a typical DNA intercalating agent, as judged from viscosity measurements with Poly(dA-dT)...poly(dA-dT).
