Synthesis and biological evaluation of echinomycin analogues as potential colon cancer agent

Sci Rep. 2024 Apr 1;14(1):7628. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-58196-3.

Abstract

Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death, thus a novel chemotherapeutic agent for colon cancer therapy is needed. In this study, analogues of echinomycin, a cyclic peptide natural product with potent toxicity to several human cancer cell lines, were synthesized, and their biological activities against human colon cancer cells were investigated. Analogue 3 as well as 1 inhibit HIF-1α-mediated transcription. Notably, transcriptome analysis indicated that the cell cycle and its regulation were involved in the effects on cells treated with 3. Analogue 3 exhibited superior in vivo efficacy to echinomycin without significant toxicity in mouse xenograft model. The low dose of 3 needed to be efficacious in vivo is also noteworthy and our data suggest that 3 is an attractive and potentially novel agent for the treatment of colon cancer.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Colonic Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Echinomycin* / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit
  • Mice

Substances

  • Echinomycin
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit