Synthesis of a 2-aryl-3-aroyl indole salt (OXi8007) resembling combretastatin A-4 with application as a vascular disrupting agent

J Nat Prod. 2013 Sep 27;76(9):1668-78. doi: 10.1021/np400374w. Epub 2013 Sep 9.

Abstract

The natural products colchicine and combretastatin A-4 are potent inhibitors of tubulin assembly, and they have inspired the design and synthesis of a large number of small-molecule, potential anticancer agents. The indole-based molecular scaffold is prominent among these SAR modifications, leading to a rapidly increasing number of agents. The water-soluble phosphate prodrug 33 (OXi8007) of 2-aryl-3-aroylindole-based phenol 8 (OXi8006) was prepared by chemical synthesis and found to be strongly cytotoxic against selected human cancer cell lines (GI₅₀ = 36 nM against DU-145 cells, for example). The free phenol, 8 (OXi8006), was a strong inhibitor (IC₅₀ = 1.1 μM) of tubulin assembly. The corresponding phosphate prodrug 33 (OXi8007) also demonstrated pronounced interference with tumor vasculature in a preliminary in vivo study utilizing a SCID mouse model bearing an orthotopic PC-3 (prostate) tumor as imaged by color Doppler ultrasound. The combination of these results provides evidence that the indole-based phosphate prodrug 33 (OXi8007) functions as a vascular disrupting agent that may prove useful for the treatment of cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemical synthesis*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bibenzyls / chemistry
  • Bibenzyls / pharmacology*
  • Colchicine / pharmacology
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
  • Humans
  • Indoles / chemical synthesis*
  • Indoles / chemistry
  • Indoles / pharmacology*
  • Inhibitory Concentration 50
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Molecular Structure
  • Organophosphates / chemical synthesis*
  • Organophosphates / chemistry
  • Organophosphates / pharmacology*
  • Prodrugs / pharmacology
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Stilbenes
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Tubulin / drug effects
  • Tubulin / metabolism*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Bibenzyls
  • Indoles
  • OXi8007 compound
  • Organophosphates
  • Prodrugs
  • Stilbenes
  • Tubulin
  • combretastatin
  • fosbretabulin
  • Colchicine