Symmetry (Oct 2022)

Design, Synthesis, and Investigation of Cytotoxic Activity of <i>cis</i>-Vinylamide-Linked Combretastatin Analogues as Potential Anticancer Agents

  • Tarfah Al-Warhi,
  • Leena S. Alqahtani,
  • Ghadi Alsharif,
  • Matokah Abualnaja,
  • Ola A. Abu Ali,
  • Safa H. Qahl,
  • Hussam Awwadh E. Althagafi,
  • Fahad Alharthi,
  • Ibrahim Jafri,
  • Fahmy G. Elsaid,
  • Ali A. Shati,
  • Salman Aloufi,
  • Eman Fayad,
  • Islam Zaki,
  • Martha M. Morcoss

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/sym14102088
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14, no. 10
p. 2088

Abstract

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The combretastatins (cis-stilbenoid molecules) have received significant interest because of their simple chemical structures, excellent antiproliferative activity, and novel anti-tubulin molecular mechanism of action. Significant efforts have been carried out aiming at stabilizing the active cis-isomers. A new series of cis-vinylamide derivatives containing trimethoxyphenyl moiety were synthesized and characterized. Their anticancer activities were evaluated in vitro against MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. Compounds 2f, 3, and 5 displayed potent cytotoxic activity against the breast cancer cell line compared with CA-4 as the reference compound. The microtubule polymerization assay and flow cytometry analysis confirmed that the cytotoxic activity of compound 3 was related to inhibitory activity against tubulin polymerization. Compound 3 showed pro-apoptotic activity by inducting a significant increase in the percentage of pre-G1 phase in DNA flow cytometry compared to untreated control. The pro-apoptotic activity of compound 3 was inferred by a significant increase in the percentage of fluorescent annexin V/PI positive apoptotic cells. It also increased the level of caspase 3 compared to the untreated control.

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