Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel dihydroquinolin-4(1H)-one derivatives as novel tubulin polymerization inhibitors

Design, synthesis of combretastatin A-4 piperazine derivatives as potential antitumor agents by inhibiting tubulin polymerization and inducing autophagy in HCT116 cells

A series of combretastatin A-4 (CA-4) derivatives were designed and synthesized, which contain stilbene core structure with different linker, predominantly piperazine derivatives. These compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against four cancer cell lines, HCT116, A549, AGS, and SK-MES-1. Among them, compound 13 displayed the best effectiveness with IC50 values of 0.227 μM and 0.253 μM against HCT116 and A549 cells, respectively, showing low toxicity to normal cells. Mechanistic studies showed that 13 inhibited HCT116 proliferation via arresting cell cycle at the G2/M phase through disrupting the microtubule network and inducing autophagy in HCT116 cells by regulating the expression levels of autophagy-related proteins. In addition, 13 displayed antiproliferative activities against A549 cells through blocking the cell cycle and inducing A549 cells apoptosis. Because of the poor water solubility of 13, four carbohydrate conjugates were synthesized which exhibited better water solubility. Further investigations revealed that 13 showed positive effects in vivo anticancer study with HCT116 xenograft models. These data suggest that 13 could be served as a promising lead compound for further development of anti-colon carcinoma agent.

An update on the development on tubulin inhibitors for the treatment of solid tumors

INTRODUCTION

Microtubules play a vital role in cancer therapeutics. They are implicated in tumorigenesis, thus inhibiting tubulin polymerization in cancer cells, and have now become a significant target for anticancer drug development. A plethora of drug molecules has been crafted to influence microtubule dynamics and presently, numerous tubulin inhibitors are being investigated. This review discusses the recently developed inhibitors including natural products, and also examines the preclinical and clinical data of some potential molecules.

AREA COVERED

The current review article summarizes the development of tubulin inhibitors while detailing their specific binding sites. It also discusses the newly designed inhibitors that may be useful in the treatment of solid tumors.

EXPERT OPINION

Microtubules play a crucial role in cellular processes, especially in cancer therapy where inhibiting tubulin polymerization holds promise. Ongoing trials signify a commitment to revolutionizing cancer treatment and exploring targeted therapies. Challenges in microtubule modulation, like resistance and off-target effects, demand focused efforts, emphasizing combination therapies and personalized treatments. Beyond microtubules, promising avenues in cancer research include immunotherapy, genomic medicine, CRISPR gene editing, liquid biopsies, AI diagnostics, and stem cell therapy, showcasing a holistic approach for future advancements.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of 1,2,3-triazole benzothiazole derivatives as tubulin polymerization inhibitors with potent anti-esophageal cancer activities

In this work, we utilized the molecular hybridization strategy to design and synthesize novel 1,2,3-triazole benzothiazole derivatives K1-26. The antiproliferative activities against MGC-803, Kyse30 and HCT-116 cells were explored, and their structure-activity relationship were preliminarily conducted and summarized. Among them, compound K18, exhibited the strongest proliferation inhibitory activity, with esophageal cancer cells Kyse30 and EC-109 being the most sensitive to its effects (IC50 values were 0.042 and 0.038 μM, respectively). Compound K18 effectively inhibited tubulin polymerization (IC50 = 0.446 μM), thereby hindering tubulin polymerize into filamentous microtubules in Kyse30 and EC-109 cells. Additionally, compound K18 induced the degradation of oncogenic protein YAP via the UPS pathway. Based on these dual molecular-level effects, compound K18 could induce G2/M phase arrest and cell apoptosis in Kyse30 and EC-109 cells, as well as regulate the expression levels of cell cycle and apoptosis-related proteins. In summary, our findings highlight a novel 1,2,3-triazole benzothiazole derivative K18, which possesses significant potential for treating esophageal cancers.