Journal Article

Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of tetrahydroquinolinones and tetrahydroquinolines with anticancer activity

Olszewski, Mateusz, Makowiec, Sławomir, Ryczkowska, Małgorzata, Witkowska, Milena, Maciejewska, Natalia

2022

Overview

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Europe and the United States and the second leading cause of cancer related mortality. A therapeutic strategy used for the treatment of CRC involves targeting the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, we synthesized a series of novel tetrahydroquinolinones and assessed their ability to inhibit CRC growth and proliferation by evoking cellular stress through ROS. Our results revealed that (2-oxo-4-phenyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinolin-8-yl) N-(3-fluorophenyl)carbamate ( 20d ) exhibited in vitro antiproliferative activity at micromolar concentrations. The compound also suppressed colony formation and the migration of HCT-116 cells, as well as deregulated the expression of several proteins involved in cell proliferation and metastasis. Furthermore, 20d induced massive oxidative stress by disrupting the balance of cells survival resulting in autophagy via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. These findings suggest that this tetrahydroquinolinone can be an ideal lead compound for drug discovery based on quinone derivatives.

• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group UK,Nature Publishing Group,Nature Portfolio
• Subject: 1-Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase / 631/154 / 631/67 / 639/638/403 / AKT protein / Antitumor activity / Autophagy / Cancer / Cell migration / Cell proliferation / Cellular stress response / Colorectal cancer / Humanities and Social Sciences / Intracellular levels / Metastases / multidisciplinary / Oxidative stress / Reactive oxygen species / Science / Science (multidisciplinary) / Signal transduction / TOR protein