Natural and Semisynthetic Chalcones as Dual FLT3 and Microtubule Polymerization Inhibitors

J Nat Prod. 2020 Oct 23;83(10):3111-3121. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.0c00699. Epub 2020 Sep 25.

Abstract

Activating mutations in FLT3 receptor tyrosine kinase are found in a third of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients and are associated with disease relapse and a poor prognosis. The majority of these mutations are internal tandem duplications (ITDs) in the juxtamembrane domain of FLT3, which have been validated as a therapeutic target. The clinical success of selective inhibitors targeting oncogenic FLT3, however, has been limited due to the acquisition of drug resistance. Herein the identification of a dual FLT3/microtubule polymerization inhibitor, chalcone 4 (2'-allyloxy-4,4'-dimethoxychalcone), is reported through screening of 15 related chalcones for differential antiproliferative activity in leukemia cell lines dependent on FLT3-ITD (MV-4-11) or BCR-ABL (K562) oncogenes and by subsequent screening for mitotic inducers in the HCT116 cell line. Three natural chalcones (1-3) were found to be differentially more potent toward the MV-4-11 (FLT3-ITD) cell line compared to the K562 (BCR-ABL) cell line. Notably, the new semisynthetic chalcone 4, which is a 2'-O-allyl analogue of the natural chalcone 3, was found to be more potent toward the FLT3-ITD+ cell line and inhibited FLT3 signaling in FLT3-dependent cells. An in vitro kinase assay confirmed that chalcone 4 directly inhibited FLT3. Moreover, chalcone 4 induced mitotic arrest in these cells and inhibited tubulin polymerization in both cellular and biochemical assays. Treatment of MV-4-11 cells with this inhibitor for 24 and 48 h resulted in apoptotic cell death. Finally, chalcone 4 was able to overcome TKD mutation-mediated acquired resistance to FLT3 inhibitors in a MOLM-13 cell line expressing FLT3-ITD with the D835Y mutation. Chalcone 4 is, therefore, a promising lead for the discovery of dual-target FLT3 inhibitors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / chemistry
  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cell Cycle Checkpoints / drug effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Chalcones / chemistry
  • Chalcones / pharmacology*
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / drug effects
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / genetics
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • HCT116 Cells
  • Humans
  • K562 Cells
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / drug therapy
  • MAP Kinase Signaling System / drug effects
  • Microtubules / drug effects
  • Microtubules / metabolism*
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Molecular Structure
  • Polymerization
  • fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3 / genetics

Substances

  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic
  • Chalcones
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • FLT3 protein, human
  • fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3