A series of N-(aminosulfonyl)-4-podophyllotoxin carbamates were synthesized via the Burgess-type intermediate, and their antiproliferative activities were evaluated. Most of them possessed more potent cytotoxic effects against four human tumor cell lines (HeLa, A-549, HCT-8 and HepG2) and less toxic to normal human fetal lung fibroblast WI-38 cells than etoposide. In particular, N-(morpholinosulfonyl)-4-podophyllotoxin carbamate (9) exhibited the most potent activity towards these four tumor cells with IC50 values in the range of 0.5–16.5 μM. Furthermore, immunofluorescence analysis revealed that 9 induced cell apoptosis by up-regulating the expression of p53 and ROS. Meanwhile, 9 effectively inhibited tubulin polymerization and microtubule assembly at cellular levels in HeLa cells. In addition, 9 could induce cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase in HeLa cells by up-regulating levels of cyclinB1 and cdc2 and decreasing the expression of p-cdc2. These results indicated that 9 had potential for further development as anticancer agents.The N-(morpholinosulfonyl)-4-podophyllotoxin carbamate induces cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase, leading to apoptosis, as well as to the activation of cdc2, cyclinB1, p53 and ROS, and inhibits polymerization of tubulin and microtubule assembly.Download high-res image (76KB)Download full-size image

•Most compounds exploited potent cytotoxicities compared with VP-16.•Compound 7l inhibits TOPⅡ and PP2A.•7l induces accumulation of cells in G2/M phase in HepG2 cells.•7l regulates expression of cyclin B1, cdc2 in HepG2 cells.•7l is bound to CT DNA.A series of novel conjugates of podophyllotoxin and norcantharidin was designed using association strategy, and synthesized by coupling 4′-demethylepipodophyllotoxin with N-amino acid norcantharimides, and their cytotoxicitiy was evaluated against four human tumor cell lines (A-549, HepG2, HeLa and HCT-8) and normal human diploid fibroblast line WI-38. These compounds exhibited potent cytotoxic effects on tumor cell lines, whereas it was less toxic to WI-38 cells than anticancer drug VP-16 or its parent compound norcantharidin. Furthermore, conjugates 7a, 7c, 7f, 7j, 7k and 7l displayed excellent PP2A inhibition activity with IC50 values of 0.49–9.52 μM. The most potent compound 7l also exhibited topoisomeraseⅡinhibition activity. In addition, compound 7l induced cell-cycle arrest in the G2/M phase in HepG2 by regulating levels of cyclinB1 and cdc2.

A series of deoxypodophyllotoxin–5-fluorouracil hybrid compounds were synthesized, and their cytotoxic activity was evaluated using four human cancer cell lines (HeLa, A549, HCT-8, and HepG2) and the human normal cell line WI-38. The synthesized compounds exhibited greater cytotoxic activity in tumor cells and reduced toxicity in the normal cell line compared with the anticancer drug VP-16 and 5-FU. Additionally, the most potent of these compounds—4′-O-demethyl-4-deoxypodophyllotoxin-4′-yl 4-((6-(2-(5-fluorouracil-yl) acetamido) hexyl) amino)-4-oxobutanoate (compound 22)—induced cell-cycle arrest in the G2/M phase by regulating levels of cdc2, cyclinB1, and p-cdc2 in A549 cells. Furthermore, compound 22 may inhibited the migration of A549 cells via down-regulation of MMP-9 and up-regulation of TIMP-1.Compound 22 inhibits the migration of A549 cells regulating MMP-9 and TIMP-1, and induces cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase involving cdc2, cyclinB1 and p-cdc2.

•15 2,4-diaminopyrimidines were synthesized.•Some compounds exploited potent cytotoxicities compared with VX-680.•11c showed more than 35-fold more selectivity for Aurora A over Aurora B.•11c fit much better with the binding pocket of Aurora A than Aurora B.•11c induces accumulation of cells in G2/M phase in HeLa cells.The Aurora kinases are a family of serine/threonine kinases that interact with components of the mitotic apparatus and serve as potential therapeutic targets in oncology. Here we synthesized 15 2,4-diaminopyrimidines and evaluated their biological activities, including antiproliferation, inhibition against Aurora kinases and cell cycle effects. These compounds generally exhibited more potent cytotoxicity against tumor cell lines compared with the VX-680 control, especially compound 11c, which showed the highest cytotoxicities, with IC50 values of 0.5–4.0 μM. Compound 11c had more than 35-fold more selectivity for Aurora A over Aurora B, and molecular docking analysis indicated that compound 11c form better interaction with Aurora A both from the perspective of structure and energy. Furthermore, compound 11c induced G2/M cell cycle arrest in HeLa cells. This series of compounds has the potential for further development as selective Aurora A inhibitors for anticancer activity.

Cantharidin and norcantharidin display anticancer activity against a broad range of tumor cell lines. In this study, we have synthesized a series of norcantharidin derivatives and evaluated their cytotoxic effects on four human tumor cell lines together with the genetically normal human diploid fibroblast line WI-38. One of our compounds (1S,4R)-3-((4-(4-(4-fluorophenyl)piperazin-1-ylsulfonyl) phenyl)carbamoyl)-7-oxa-bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2-carboxylic acid (12) exhibited potent cytotoxic effects on the tumor cell lines A-549, HepG2, HeLa, and HCT-8, whereas it was less toxic to WI-38 cells than its parent compound, norcantharidin. In addition, this compound inhibited protein phosphatase-1 activity and microtubule formation in HeLa cells, and it also interacts with calf thymus DNA.

A series of 4β-amino-4′-O-demethyl-4-deoxypodophyllotoxin derivatives were synthesized, and their cytotoxicities against several human cancer cell lines, including HepG2, A549, HeLa and HCT-8 cells, evaluated. Some of these compounds exhibited higher levels of cytotoxicity than the anticancer drug etoposide. 4β-N-(4-Nitrophenyl piperazinyl)-4′-O-demethyl-4-deoxypodophyllotoxin (11) was found to be the most potent synthesized compound in the current study, and induced cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase in HeLa cells, which was accompanied by apoptosis. Furthermore, this compound activated the expression of cdc2, cyclin B1, p53 and caspase-3 in HeLa cells, leading to changes in the conformation of calf thymus DNA from the B-form to a more compact C-form.4β-N-(4-Nitrophenyl piperazinyl)-4′-O-demethyl-4-deoxypodophyllotoxin induces cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase, leading to apoptosis, as well as to the activation of cdc2, cyclinB1, p53 and caspase-3 and conformational changes in calf thymus DNA.

A series of dichloroplatinum(II) complexes of podophyllotoxin (PPT) were prepared, and their cytotoxicity against sensitive (A-549, HeLa, HCT-8, Hep-G2, K562) and resistant (ADM/K562) cell lines were evaluated. Complex cis-[4α-O-(2″,3″-diaminopropanoyl)-podophyllotoxin] dichloride platinum(II) (12) displayed most potent cytotoxicity with IC50 value in the range 0.071–2.98 μM. Complex 12 induces cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase, and inhibits the formation of microtubules in HeLa cells. Furthermore, this complex exhibits potent DNA cleavage capabilities.

We have found that the deoxypodophyllotoxin-5-fluorouracil conjugate, 4′-O-demethyl-4-deoxyppodophyllotoxin-4′-yl 4-((6-(2-(5-fluorouracil-yl)acetamido) hexyl)amino)-4-oxobutanoate (C069), possessed superior cytotoxicities and less toxicity compared with etoposide. In this paper, the anti-angiogenic and vascular disrupting activities of C069 were examined with several in vitro and in vivo models. First, we demonstrated that C069 significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration, tube formation and disrupted the formed tube-like structures of HUVE cells, and inhibited angiogenesis in chicken chorioallantoic membrane assay. Furthermore, we found that C069 inhibited tube formation of HUVE cells by down-regulating the MMP-2, MMP-9, and phosphorylation of Akt and β-catenin. These results provided the initial evidence that C069 exerts potent anti-angiogenic and vascular disrupting effects.C069 inhibits the proliferation, migration and tube formation, and disrupts the formed tube-like structures of HUVE cells. C069 inhibits tube formation of HUVE cells by down-regulate the MMP-2, MMP-9, and phosphorylation of Akt and β-catenin.