A novel water-soluble gossypol derivative increases chemotherapeutic sensitivity and promotes growth inhibition in colon cancer

J Med Chem. 2010 Aug 12;53(15):5502-10. doi: 10.1021/jm1001698.

Abstract

Compound 1 ((-)-gossypol) has been long known as a chemical anticancer agent. With its low water solubility and toxicity, it is not widely used as a commercial drug. To overcome these disadvantages, several novel derivatives of gossypol were designed, synthesized, and analyzed. One of the derivatives, compound 7 (6-aminopenicillanic acid sodium-gossypolone), was identified with great water solubility and anticancer property, suggested by inducing a dramatically decrease in Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL protein expression level found in vitro and growth inhibition of murine colon tumor in vivo. Furthermore, it was also recognized with less toxicity than compound 1 in vivo and significantly increased chemotherapeutic sensitivity against colon cancer in combination with traditional chemotherapeutic agent 5-fluorouracil. Therefore, it is concluded that compound 7 is superior to parent compound 1, and further preclinical studies of compound 7 is necessary for colon cancer therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemical synthesis*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Colonic Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Colonic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
  • Drug Synergism
  • Fluorouracil / pharmacology
  • Gossypol / analogs & derivatives*
  • Gossypol / chemical synthesis*
  • Gossypol / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Models, Molecular
  • Neoplasm Transplantation
  • Penicillamine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Penicillamine / chemical synthesis
  • Penicillamine / pharmacology
  • Protein Binding
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / biosynthesis
  • Solubility
  • Stereoisomerism
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Water

Substances

  • 6-aminopenicillanic acid gossypolone
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
  • Water
  • Penicillamine
  • Gossypol
  • Fluorouracil