Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Novel Evodiamine Derivatives as Potential Antihepatocellular Carcinoma Agents

J Med Chem. 2022 Jun 9;65(11):7975-7992. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00520. Epub 2022 May 31.

Abstract

Evodiamine has many biological activities. Herein, we synthesize 23 disubstituted derivatives of N14-phenyl or the E-ring of evodiamine and conduct systematic structure-activity relationship studies. In vitro antiproliferative activity indicated that compounds F-3 and F-4 dramatically inhibited the proliferation of Huh7 (IC50 = 0.05 or 0.04 μM, respectively) and SK-Hep-1 (IC50 = 0.07 or 0.06 μM, respectively) cells. Furthermore, compounds F-3 and F-4 could double inhibit topoisomerases I and II, inhibit invasion and migration, block the cell cycle to the G2/M stage, and induce apoptosis as well. Additionally, compounds F-3 and F-4 could also inhibit the activation of HSC-T6 and reduce the secretion of collagen type I to slow down the progression of liver fibrosis. Most importantly, compound F-4 (TGI = 60.36%) inhibited tumor growth more significantly than the positive drug sorafenib. To sum up, compound F-4 has excellent potential as a strong candidate for the therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents* / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / therapeutic use
  • Apoptosis
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* / drug therapy
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* / metabolism
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Design
  • Hep G2 Cells
  • Humans
  • Liver Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Liver Neoplasms* / metabolism
  • Quinazolines
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Quinazolines
  • evodiamine