Microtubules are dynamic structures that form spindle fibers during cell division; pharmacological inhibition of microtubule dynamics arrests cells in mitosis, leading to apoptosis, and they have been extensively used to treat various cancers. However, the efficacy of such drugs is often limited by multidrug resistance. This study synthesized and evaluated 30 novel derivatives of podophyllotoxin, a natural antimitotic compound, for their antiproliferative activities. Compound SSE1806 exhibited the most potent antiproliferative activity with GI50 values ranging from 1.29 ± 0.01 to 21.15 ± 2.1 μM in cancer cell lines of different origins; it directly inhibited microtubule polymerization, causing aberrant mitosis and G2/M arrest. Prolonged treatment with SSE1806 increased p53 expression, induced cell death in monolayer cultures, and reduced the growth of mouse- and patient-derived human colon cancer organoids. Importantly, SSE1806 overcame multidrug resistance in a cell line overexpressing MDR-1. Thus, SSE1806 represents a potential anticancer agent that can overcome multidrug resistance.
© 2023 American Chemical Society.