title: Design, synthesis and in vitro anticancer evaluation of a stearic acid-based ester conjugate.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chemical synthesis and characterization of a lipophilic ester conjugate, propofol stearate and evaluation of its anticancer efficacy on human breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-361, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231.
  
  
  METHODS
  The chemical structure of the synthesized conjugate was characterized by spectroscopic studies. Its anticancer potential was evaluated on the basis of growth inhibition, cancer cell adhesion and migration and apoptosis induction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Propofol stearate exhibited significant (p<0.05) growth inhibition of breast cancer cells in a concentration-dependent manner. MDA-MB-231 cells showed highest susceptibility towards the inhibitory effect of the conjugate. Moreover, treatment of MDA-MB-231 cancer cells with 25 μM propofol stearate potentially suppressed their adhesion (~34%) and migration (~41%), and induced apoptosis (~25%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exogenously-applied stearic acid as an ester derivative, inhibits the growth of human breast cancer cells and shows a beneficial role in the treatment of breast cancer, in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. azmatbiotech@gmail.com
authors.forename: Azmat Ali
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Amer M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Alanazi
authors.forename: Mumtaz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jabeen
authors.forename: Arun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chauhan
authors.forename: Ali Sabir
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Abdelhameed
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D015195:Drug Design; D004952:Esters / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015742:Propofol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D013228:Stearates / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013229:Stearic Acids / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004952:Esters; D013228:Stearates; D013229:Stearic Acids; C582789:propofol stearate; C031183:stearic acid; D015742:Propofol
keywords: Ester conjugate; MCF-7; MDA-MB-231; MDA-MB-361; anticancer agent; cancer cell lines; cytotoxicity; fatty acid