1. Academic Validation
  2. Synthesis, metal ion binding, and biological evaluation of new anticancer 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole analogs of UK-1

Synthesis, metal ion binding, and biological evaluation of new anticancer 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole analogs of UK-1

  • Bioorg Med Chem. 2008 Feb 15;16(4):1775-83. doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2007.11.019.
Mireya L McKee 1 Sean M Kerwin
Affiliations

Affiliation

  • 1 Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Cellular and Molecular Biology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
Abstract

UK-1 is a bis(benzoxazole) natural product displaying activity against a wide range of human Cancer cell lines. A simplified analog of UK-1, 4-carbomethoxy-2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole, was previously found to be almost as active as UK-1 against Cancer cell lines, and similar to the natural product, formed complexes with a variety of metal ions such as Mg2+ and Zn2+. A series of 4-substituted-2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole analogs of this 'minimal pharmacophore' of UK-1 were prepared. The anti-cancer activity of these analogs was examined in breast and lung Cancer cell lines. Spectrophotometric titrations in methanol were carried out in order to assess the ability of UK-1 and these analogs to coordinate with Mg2+ and Cu2+ ions. Although none of the new analogs were more cytotoxic than 4-carbomethoxy-2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole, some analogs were identified that display similar cytotoxicity to this simplified UK-1 analog with improved water solubility. UK-1 and all of these new analogs bind Cu2+ ions better than Mg2+ ions, and the nature of the 4-substituent is important for the Mg2+ ion binding ability of these 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazoles. Previous studies of a limited number of UK-1 analogs demonstrated a correlation between Mg2+ ion binding ability and cytotoxicity; however, within this series of 4-substituted-2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazoles the variations in cytotoxicity do not correlate with either Mg2+ or Cu2+ ion binding ability. These results, together with recent ESI-MS studies of Cu2+-mediated DNA binding by UK-1 and analogs, indicate that UK-1 and analogs may exert their cytotoxic effects by interaction with Cu2+ or Other transition metal ions, rather than Mg2+, and that metal ion-mediated DNA binding, rather than metal ion binding affinity, is important for the cytotoxic effect of these compounds. The potential role of Cu2+ ions in the cytotoxic action of UK-1 is further supported by the observation that UK-1 in the presence of Cu2+ displays enhanced cytotoxicity to MCF-7 and A549 cells when compared to UK-1 alone.

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