Design, Synthesis, and Evaluation of Isaindigotone Derivatives To Downregulate c-myc Transcription via Disrupting the Interaction of NM23-H2 with G-Quadruplex

J Med Chem. 2017 Feb 23;60(4):1292-1308. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.6b01218. Epub 2017 Feb 13.

Abstract

Transcriptional control of c-myc oncogene is an important strategy for antitumor drug design. G-quadruplexes in the promoter region have been proven to be the transcriptional down-regulator of this gene. The transcriptional factor NM23-H2 can reactivate c-myc transcription by unwinding the G-quadruplex structure. Thus, down-regulation of c-myc transcription via disrupting G-quadruplex-NM23-H2 interaction might be a potential approach for cancer therapy. Here, a series of new isaindigotone derivatives were designed and synthesized based on our previous study. The abilities of these derivatives on interacting with G-quadruplexes or NM23-H2, and disrupting G-quadruplex-NM23-H2 interaction were evaluated. Among these derivatives, 19d and 22d showed remarkable abilities on disrupting G-quadruplex-NM23-H2 interaction. They exhibited significant effects on c-myc-relating processes in SiHa cells, including inhibiting the transcription and translation, inhibiting cellular proliferation, inducing apoptosis, and regulating cell cycle. Our findings provided the basis for the anticancer strategy based on c-myc transcriptional regulation via small molecules disrupting G-quadruplex-protein interaction.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alkaloids / chemical synthesis
  • Alkaloids / chemistry
  • Alkaloids / pharmacology*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cell Cycle / drug effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Down-Regulation / drug effects*
  • Drug Design
  • Female
  • G-Quadruplexes / drug effects*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
  • Humans
  • NM23 Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • NM23 Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinases / metabolism*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / genetics*
  • Quinazolines / chemical synthesis
  • Quinazolines / chemistry
  • Quinazolines / pharmacology*
  • Transcription, Genetic / drug effects
  • Transcriptional Activation / drug effects
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / genetics
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / metabolism

Substances

  • Alkaloids
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • NM23 Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinases
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc
  • Quinazolines
  • isaindigotone
  • NME2 protein, human