Discovery of novel VEGFR-2 inhibitors embedding 6,7-dimethoxyquinazoline and diarylamide fragments

Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2021 Mar 15:36:127788. doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2021.127788. Epub 2021 Jan 16.

Abstract

VEGF/VEGFR-2 signaling plays a critical part in tumor angiogenesis. Inhibition of this pathway has been considered as a promising approach for cancer treatment. In this work, a series of 6,7-dimethoxy-4-anilinoquinazoline derivatives bearing diarylamide moiety were designed, synthesized and evaluated as potent inhibitors of VEGFR-2 kinase. Their in vitro antiproliferation activities against two human cancer cell lines Hep-G2 and MCF-7 have also been determined. Among them, compound 14b exhibited the most potent inhibitory activity against VEGFR-2 with IC50 value of 0.016 ± 0.002 µM and it showed the most potent antiproliferative effect against Hep-G2 and MCF-7 with IC50 values at low-micromolar range. Molecular docking studies revealed that these compounds represented by the most potent compound 14b could bind well to the ATP-binding site of VEGFR-2, which suggested that compound 14b could be a potential anticancer agent targeting VEGFR-2.

Keywords: 6,7-Dimethoxy-4-anilinoquinazoline; Cancer; Diarylamide; Inhibitor; VEGFR-2.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amides / chemical synthesis
  • Amides / chemistry
  • Amides / pharmacology*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Discovery*
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
  • Hep G2 Cells
  • Humans
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Molecular Structure
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / chemical synthesis
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Quinazolines / chemical synthesis
  • Quinazolines / chemistry
  • Quinazolines / pharmacology*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / metabolism

Substances

  • Amides
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Quinazolines
  • KDR protein, human
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2