Monika et al. / Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. xxx (2014) xxx–xxx
3
Table 2
cell line A549. The human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cell line,
transiently co-transfected with NF- B-luc was used to monitor
the effects of lantadene analogs on TNF- -induced NF- B activa-
In vitro IKKb inhibition by parent compounds (3 and 4) and analogs (11 and 13)
j
a
j
Compd.
IC50 (lM)
tion. The compounds (1–19) were evaluated in a dose-dependent
manner to determine the concentration needed to inhibit 50% of
3
4
11
13
2.62 0.82
4.24 0.94
1.36 0.06
1.54 0.04
TNF-
1–4 showed inhibition of TNF-
range of 1.56–0.98 M. The reduction of a C-3 keto group of com-
a-induced NF-
jB activation (IC50). The parent compounds
a
-induced NF- B activation in the
j
l
Results are given as the mean of at least three independent experiments with
triplicates in each experiment.
pounds 1 and 2 into the C-3 hydroxyl group of compounds 3 and 4
led to an increase in the activity, whereas hydrolysis of a C-22 ester
side chain of compound 1 and 2 into the compound 5 led to a
decrease in the activity. It was observed that the C-22 ester side
cytokines, such as TNF-
a has been involved in stimulating cancer
cell proliferation, particularly during chronic inflammation of the
chain played a critical role in the inhibition of TNF-
a-induced
lungs.18 Since, the lantadene analogs showed marked inhibition
NF- B activation in lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549. The
j
of NF-jB, they were further evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxicity
hydrolysis of the C-22 ester functionality in lantadenes led to a sig-
nificant reduction in activity, supporting the notion that the mech-
anism of inhibition is likely through a covalent Michael addition of
nucleophiles (such as SH from cysteine) from protein candidate(s)
to lantadenes.13 The introduction of 3-methoxybenzoyloxy and 4-
chlorobenzoyloxy functionality at C-3 position of compound 4 led
to an increase in the activity, whereas the 2- and 3-flurobenzoyl-
oxy functionalities at C-3 position decreased the activity, signifi-
cantly. The alkyl and branched chain esters at C-3 position of 3
and 4 were found to be the least active. The results of inhibition
against lung cancer cells A549. The cytotoxicity profile of parent
compounds (1–5) and ester analogs (6–19) are reported in Table 3.
The parent pentacyclic triterpenoids 1, 2, 3, and 4 showed cytotox-
icity against A549 lung cancer cells with IC50 values of 2.84, 1.19,
0.79, and 0.43
IC50 >10 M. The introduction of 3-methoxybenzoyloxy (11) and 4-
chlorobenzoyloxy (13) groups in compound 4 showed marked
cytotoxicity with IC50s of 0.98 and 1.12 M, respectively (Table 3).
From the cytotoxicity profiles of compounds 1–19, it was evident
that the removal of the ester side chain at C-22 position led to a
decrease in the activity. The strongly electrophilic a,b-unsaturated
carbonyl group of the ester side chain seems to play an important
lM, respectively, whereas the compound 5 showed
l
l
of TNF-
cell line by compounds 1–19 are shown in Table 1.
The NF- B activation pathway in most of the cells involves
a-induced NF-jB activation in A549 lung adenocarcinoma
j
role in binding of compounds to the receptor site.
dimers composed of p50 and p65 or c-Rel and is often activated
The I
activation of NF-
radation of I
appreciable degree of inhibition of TNF-
tion in the lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549, was chosen for fur-
ther study. To explore whether the inhibition of TNF- -induced
NF- B activation was due to the inhibition of I degradation,
the cells were treated with various concentrations of compound
11 for 8 h and then exposed to 0.1 nmol TNF- for 30 min. The cell
extracts were then subjected to Western blot analysis for an esti-
mation of I level in the cytoplasm. The results showed that
TNF- induced the I degradation in the control cells, whereas
in the cells pretreated with compound 11, TNF- failed to induce
the degradation of I (Fig. 1A and B).
jB
a
is a natural inhibitor of oncogenic protein NF-
B requires phosphorylation and subsequent deg-
. The lead lantadene analog 11, which showed an
-induced NF- B activa-
jB. The
by microbial infections, pro-inflammatory growth factors and cyto-
kines, including TNF-a 16
.
The TNF-
receptor 1 (TNFR1) and recruitment of multiple
adaptor proteins and kinases, resulting in the activation of IKKb,
causing phosphorylation or degradation of inhibitor of NF- B pro-
teins (I B proteins), which releases NF- B from the cytoplasm to
a engagement induces trimer-
j
jBa
ization of TNF-
a
a
j
j
a
j
j
j
jBa
the nucleus, where it carry out transcription of proteins responsible
for proliferation and differentiation of cancer cells.17 As compounds
a
11 and 13 showed the potent NF-jB inhibition; therefore, we fur-
ther evaluated the effect of parent compounds 3 and 4 and their
analogs 11 and 13 against upstream kinase IKKb that has been
reported to activate the NF-jB pathway. The compounds were eval-
uated in vitro for their inhibitory potential against the recombinant
IKKb in a non-radioisotope Kinase-Glo Luminescent Kinase Assays
(Promega, USA). It was found that 11 and 13 remarkably inhibited
jBa
a
jBa
a
jBa
A successful ester analog should be stable in the acidic pH of the
stomach and should be hydrolyzed in the blood plasma to release
the active parent moieties. The compounds 11 and 13 that
emerged as the most potent ester analogs from the synthesized
IKKb with IC50s of 1.36 and 1.54
lM, respectively (Table 2).
The NF- B is a positive mediator of cell growth and prolifera-
j
tion. The mutual interplay between NF-jB and pro-inflammatory
Table 1
Table 3
TNF-
a
-induced NF-
j
B activation inhibitory activities of parent compounds (1–5) and
In vitro cytotoxicity profile of parent compounds (1–5) and analogs (6–19) against
analogs (6–19)
A549 cell line
Compd
IC50
(
lM)
Compd
IC50
(l
M)
Compd
IC50
(
lM)
Compd
IC50 (lM)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
1.06 0.46
1.56 0.04
0.98 0.02
1.02 0.62
6.42 1.24
1.94 0.24
1.80 0.60
2.32 0.01
2.04 0.02
1.64 0.74
0.74 0.24
0.96 0.36
0.82 0.02
3.12 0.42
15
16
17
18
19
2.82 0.24
3.12 0.12
>10
>10
>10
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
2.84 0.72
1.19 0.28
0.79 0.01
0.43 0.03
>10
2.04 0.04
1.96 0.24
>10
6.86 1.32
1.84 0.42
0.98 0.08
1.32 0.32
1.12 0.02
>10
15
16
17
18
19
Cisplatin
>10
>10
2.56 0.36
>10
>10
21.3 3.62
Results are given as the mean of at least three independent experiments with
triplicates in each experiment.
Results are given as the mean of at least three independent experiments with
triplicates in each experiment.