title: Exploring the anticancer potential of pyrazolo[1,2-a]benzo[1,2,3,4]tetrazin-3-one derivatives: the effect on apoptosis induction, cell cycle and proliferation.
abstract: In order to investigate their anticancer potential, four new pyrazolo[1,2-a]benzo[1,2,3,4]tetrazinone derivatives, designed through the chemometric protocol VLAK, and three of the most active compounds of the previous series have been evaluated on some cellular events including proliferation, apoptosis induction, and cell cycle. The NCI one dose (10 μM) screening revealed that the 8,9-di-methyl derivative showed activity against Leukemia (CCRF-CEM) and Colon cancer cell line (COLO 205), reaching 81% and 45% of growth inhibition (GI), respectively. Replacement of the two methyl groups with two chlorine atoms maintained the activity toward Leukemia cell (CCRF-CEM, GI 77%) and selectively enhanced the activity against COLO 205 attaining a LD50 in the μM range and against SW-620 a GI of 77%. Interestingly, an appreciable growth inhibition of 47% against therapeutically "refractory" Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NCI-H522) was observed. Moreover, the apoptosis induction, based on mitochondrial membrane depolarization, was found in the range EC50 3-5 μM on HeLa cell, evidencing a well defined relationship with the related in vitro cell growth inhibitory assays (MTT) performed against other selected tumor cell lines not included in the NCI tumor panel (HeLa, cervix; H292, lung; LAN-5, CNS; CaCo-2, colon; 16HBE, normal human cell lung) and against MCF-7 tumor cell line (breast). Only for the most active compounds, further cell cycle tests on HeLa displayed a cell arrest on S phase. Thus, a promising new class of anticancer candidates, acting as valuable apoptotic inductors, is proposed.
authors: Istituto per lo Studio dei Materiali Nanostrutturati (ISMN) - CNR, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy. mingoia@pa.ismn.cnr.it
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Mingoia
authors: Caterina
authors: C
authors: Di Sano
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Di Blasi
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Fazzari
authors: Annamaria
authors: A
authors: Martorana
authors: Anna Maria
authors: AM
authors: Almerico
authors: Antonino
authors: A
authors: Lauria
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006575:Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D015394:Molecular Structure; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D006575:Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring