Potent Apoptotic Response Induced by Chloroacetamidine Anthrathiophenediones in Bladder Cancer Cells

J Med Chem. 2015 Jul 23;58(14):5476-85. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5b00409. Epub 2015 Jun 30.

Abstract

We previously found that two neighboring G-quadruplexes behave as a molecular switch controlling the expression of HRAS (Cogoi, S.; Schekotikhin, A. E.; Xodo, L. E. Nucl. Acids Res. 2014, DOI: 10.1093/nar/gku574). In this study we have designed anthrathiophenediones with two chloroacetamidine-containing side chains (CATDs) as G-quadruplex binders and have examined their anticancer activity in T24 bladder cancer cells bearing mutant HRAS and in T24 xenografts. The designed CATDs (3a-e), bearing alkyl side chains of different length, penetrate T24 cancer cells more than their analogues with guanidine-containing side chains. The lead compounds 3a and 3c inhibit HRAS expression, metabolic activity, and colony formation in T24 cancer cells. They also activate a strong apoptotic response, as indicated by PARP-1, caspases 3/7, and annexin V/propidium iodide assays. Apoptosis occurs under conditions where cyclin D1 is down-regulated and the cell cycle arrested in G2 phase. Finally, compound 3a inhibits the growth of T24 xenografts and increases the median survival time of nude mice.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetamides / chemistry*
  • Alleles
  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / metabolism
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Biological Transport
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cyclin D1 / metabolism
  • Drug Design
  • G-Quadruplexes / drug effects
  • G2 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints / drug effects
  • Genes, ras / genetics
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Substrate Specificity
  • Survival Analysis
  • Thiophenes / chemical synthesis
  • Thiophenes / chemistry*
  • Thiophenes / metabolism
  • Thiophenes / pharmacology*
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Acetamides
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Thiophenes
  • Cyclin D1
  • chloroacetamide