Docking, synthesis and antiproliferative activity of N-acylhydrazone derivatives designed as combretastatin A4 analogues

PLoS One. 2014 Mar 10;9(3):e85380. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0085380. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the USA. Among the known classes of anticancer agents, the microtubule-targeted antimitotic drugs are considered to be one of the most important. They are usually classified into microtubule-destabilizing (e.g., Vinca alkaloids) and microtubule-stabilizing (e.g., paclitaxel) agents. Combretastatin A4 (CA-4), which is a natural stilbene isolated from Combretum caffrum, is a microtubule-destabilizing agent that binds to the colchicine domain on β-tubulin and exhibits a lower toxicity profile than paclitaxel or the Vinca alkaloids. In this paper, we describe the docking study, synthesis, antiproliferative activity and selectivity index of the N-acylhydrazone derivatives (5a-r) designed as CA-4 analogues. The essential structural requirements for molecular recognition by the colchicine binding site of β-tubulin were recognized, and several compounds with moderate to high antiproliferative potency (IC50 values ≤18 µM and ≥4 nM) were identified. Among these active compounds, LASSBio-1586 (5b) emerged as a simple antitumor drug candidate, which is capable of inhibiting microtubule polymerization and possesses a broad in vitro and in vivo antiproliferative profile, as well as a better selectivity index than the prototype CA-4, indicating improved selective cytotoxicity toward cancer cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Binding Sites
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Colchicine / pharmacology
  • Drug Design*
  • Female
  • Fluorouracil / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Hydrazones / chemistry
  • Hydrazones / pharmacology*
  • Hydrogen Bonding
  • Inhibitory Concentration 50
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Microtubules / metabolism
  • Molecular Docking Simulation*
  • Stilbenes / chemistry
  • Stilbenes / pharmacology*
  • Tubulin / metabolism

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Hydrazones
  • Stilbenes
  • Tubulin
  • fosbretabulin
  • Colchicine
  • Fluorouracil

Grants and funding

This work was supported by CNPq (BR), FAPERJ (BR) and INCT-INOFAR (BR, 573.564/2008-6 and E-26/170.020/2008). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.