title: A novelly synthesized phenanthroline derivative is a promising DNA-damaging anticancer agent inhibiting G1/S checkpoint transition and inducing cell apoptosis in cancer cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study mainly aimed to determine the biological function of a novelly synthesized phenanthroimidazole derivative, named L233, and to explore its potential mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cell survival was examined using the MTT assays, and the DNA-damaging role of L233 was explored using the comet assay. Moreover, the western blotting assays and immunofluorescence assays were used to detect DNA damage biomarkers. Afterward, the flow cytometry was used to assess the effects of L233 on cell cycle distribution. As for the detection of cell apoptosis upon L233 treatment, the Hoechst 33342 staining, flow cytometry, and western blotting assays were all put into practice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We find that L233 inhibits tumor cell growth more efficiently and safely than cisplatin. Moreover, it is a DNA-damaging agent, interrupting the cell cycle G1/S checkpoint transition and inducing cell apoptosis by not only activating ATM/CHK1 signaling pathway, but also targeting CHK1 to reduce the expression of RAP80 and PARP-1 to compromise the DNA damage repair in tumor cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In summary, L233 is a promising anticancer drug for the development of novel chemotherapies in the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai, 200072, China.
authors.forename: Ni
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhen
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai, 200072, China.
authors.forename: Qingyuan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, 510405, China.
authors.forename: Qiong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai, 200072, China.
authors.forename: Xinyi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai, 200072, China.
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai, 200072, China.
authors.forename: Fenyong
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, 510405, China. kaleyyang2010@163.com.
authors.forename: Wenjie
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mei
authors.affiliation: Central Laboratory, Shanghai Chinese Medicine Hospital, Shanghai, 200071, China. sloganmore@163.com.
authors.forename: Yongchun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects*; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000187:drug effects; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D059585:G1 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010616:Phenanthrenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D059807:S Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007093:Imidazoles; D010616:Phenanthrenes
keywords: ATM; Anticancer activity; CHK1; DNA-damaging agent; P53; Phenanthroline derivative