Design and Synthesis of Novel Podophyllotoxins Hybrids and the Effects of Different Functional Groups on Cytotoxicity

oleh: Zhongtao Yang, Zitong Zhou, Xiai Luo, Xiaoling Luo, Hui Luo, Lianxiang Luo, Weiguang Yang

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2021-12-01

Deskripsi

Development of novel anticancer therapeutic candidates is one of the key challenges in medicinal chemistry. Podophyllotoxin and its derivatives, as a potent cytotoxic agent, have been at the center of extensive chemical amendment and pharmacological investigation. Herein, a new series of podophyllotoxin-<i>N</i>-sulfonyl amidine hybrids (<b>4a</b>–<b>4v</b>, <b>5a</b>–<b>5f</b>) were synthesized by a CuAAC/ring-opening procedure. All the synthesized podophyllotoxins derivatives were evaluated for in vitro cytotoxic activity against a panel of human lung (A-549) cancer cell lines. Different substituents’, or functional groups’ antiproliferative activities were discussed. The –CF<sub>3</sub> group performed best (IC<sub>50</sub>: 1.65 μM) and exhibited more potent activity than etoposide. Furthermore, molecular docking and dynamics studies were also conducted for active compounds and the results were in good agreement with the observed IC<sub>50</sub> values.