Discovery of monocarbonyl curcumin-BTP hybrids as STAT3 inhibitors for drug-sensitive and drug-resistant breast cancer therapy

Sci Rep. 2017 Apr 11:7:46352. doi: 10.1038/srep46352.

Abstract

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a well-known antitumor target. Exogenous ROS insult can lead to selective cytotoxicity against cancer cells. A combination of STAT3 inhibition and "oxidation therapy" may be a new strategy to address the multidrug-resistance issue due to their important roles in the survival and drug resistance of cancer cells. Here, a series of novel curcumin-BTP hybrids were designed and evaluated as STAT3 inhibitors with ROS production activity. Compound 6b exerted the best antitumor activity and selectivity for MCF-7 and MCF-7/DOX cells (IC50 = 0.52 μM and 0.40 μM, respectively), while its IC50 value for MCF-10A breast epithelial cells was 7.72 μM. Furthermore, compound 6b suppressed STAT3 phosphorylation, nuclear translocation and DNA-binding activity and the expression of STAT3 specific oncogenes. Increases in the level of IL-6-induced p-STAT3 were also inhibited by 6b without influencing IFN-γ-induced p-STAT1 expression. Additionally, 6b effectively promoted intracellular ROS accumulation, induced cancer cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, abolished the colony formation ability of breast cancer cells, and inhibited P-gp expression in MCF-7/DOX cells. Finally, 6b suppressed the growth of implanted human breast cancer in vivo. Our findings highlight that 6b may be a promising therapeutic agent for drug-sensitive and drug-resistant breast cancers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Benzyl Compounds / chemical synthesis
  • Benzyl Compounds / chemistry*
  • Benzyl Compounds / pharmacology*
  • Cell Cycle Checkpoints / drug effects
  • Cell Cycle Checkpoints / genetics
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Chemistry Techniques, Synthetic
  • Curcumin / chemical synthesis
  • Curcumin / chemistry*
  • Curcumin / pharmacology*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Drug Design
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / drug effects*
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / genetics
  • Female
  • Humans
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Mice
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation
  • Molecular Structure
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Transport / drug effects
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor / metabolism
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Benzyl Compounds
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor
  • Curcumin