Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the deadliest malignancies, with an increasing incidence and limited response to current therapeutic options. Therefore, more effective and low-toxic agents are needed to improve PC patients' outcomes. Resveratrol (RSV) is a natural polyphenol with multiple biological properties, including anticancer effects. In this study, we explored the antiproliferative activities of newly synthetized RSV analogues in a panel of PC cell lines and evaluated the physicochemical properties of the most active compound. This derivative exhibited marked antiproliferative effects in PC cells through mechanisms involving DNA damage, apoptosis induction, and interference in cell cycle progression, as assessed using flow cytometry and immunoblot analysis of cell cycle proteins, PARP cleavage, and H2AX phosphorylation. Notably, the compound induced a consistent reduction in the PC cell subpopulation with a CD133+EpCAM+ stem-like phenotype, paralleled by dramatic effects on cell clonogenicity. Moreover, the RSV derivative had negligible toxicity against normal HFF-1 cells and, thus, good selectivity index values toward PC cell lines. Remarkably, its higher lipophilicity and stability in human plasma, as compared to RSV, might ensure a better permeation along the gastrointestinal tract. Our results provide insights into the mechanisms of action contributing to the antiproliferative activity of a synthetic RSV analogue, supporting its potential value in the search for effective and safe agents in PC treatment.
Keywords: CD133; EpCAM; natural compounds; pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma; phytoalexin; polyphenols.