title: Synthesis and antitumor activity of novel N-substituted tetrahydro-β-carboline-imidazolium salt derivatives.
abstract: The synthesis of a series of novel N-substituted tetrahydro-β-carboline-imidazolium salt derivatives is presented. The biological properties of the compounds were evaluated in vitro against a panel of human tumor cell lines. The results suggest that the benzimidazole ring and 1-(naphthalen-2-yl)ethan-1-one or 2-naphthylmethyl substituent at the imidazolyl-3-position were vital for modulating cytotoxic activity. Compound 41 was observed as a potent derivative with IC50values of 3.24-8.78 μM and exhibited cytotoxic activity selectively against HL-60, A-549 and MCF-7 cell lines. Meanwhile, high inhibitory activities selectively against HL-60 and MCF-7 cell lines were observed for compound 51. Moreover, compound 51 was able to induce G1 phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. The cytotoxicity of compound 51 against human normal lung epithelial cell line BEAS-2B was further evaluated.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, P. R. China. xdyang@ynu.edu.cn zhanghb@ynu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Bei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, P. R. China. xdyang@ynu.edu.cn zhanghb@ynu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Zheng-Fen
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, P. R. China. xdyang@ynu.edu.cn zhanghb@ynu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Guo-Gang
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, P. R. China. xdyang@ynu.edu.cn zhanghb@ynu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6323, USA.
authors.forename: Min-Yan
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry & Environment, Yunnan Minzu University, Kunming, 650500, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Li-Juan
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Science, Kunming, 650204, P. R. China. liyanb@mail.kib.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, P. R. China. xdyang@ynu.edu.cn zhanghb@ynu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xiao-Dong
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, P. R. China. xdyang@ynu.edu.cn zhanghb@ynu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Hong-Bin
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000737:chemistry; D002243:Carbolines / Q000737:chemistry; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor / Q000379:methods; D059585:G1 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints / Q000187:drug effects; D018922:HL-60 Cells; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D061986:MCF-7 Cells; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D002243:Carbolines; D007093:Imidazoles; C009804:tryptoline; C031000:benzimidazole