2-(Naphthalene-1-yl)-6-pyrrolidinyl-4-quinazolinone inhibits skin cancer M21 cell proliferation through aberrant expression of microtubules and the cell cycle

J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2011 Sep;338(3):942-51. doi: 10.1124/jpet.110.176115. Epub 2011 Jun 7.

Abstract

Microtubules are a proven target for anticancer drug development because they are critical for mitotic spindle formation and the separation of chromosomes at mitosis. 2-(Naphthalene-1-yl)-6-pyrrolidinyl-4-quinazolinone (HL66) induced cell death with the large cells and multiple micronuclei in M21 skin cancer cells. We demonstrated that HL66-induced cell death is caspase-independent and accompanied by the failure of cell cycle progression. Therefore, HL66-induced cell death may be a mitotic catastrophe. HL66 inhibits the dephosphorylation on Thr14 or Tyr15 of cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) 1 and the formation of Cdk1/cyclin B1 complex, which might be associated with cell cycle arrest at the S and G(2)/M phases. HL66 is an antimicrotubule agent by molecular modeling on the basis of ligand binding to tubulin molecule. Furthermore, we also demonstrated that HL66, like vinblastine, is a tubulin-destabilizing agent via microtubule disruption in M21 cells. These results describe a novel pharmacological property of HL66 as a microtubule inhibitor, which may make it an attractive new agent for the treatment of skin cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Annexin A5 / metabolism
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Blotting, Western
  • CDC2 Protein Kinase / metabolism
  • Caspases / metabolism
  • Cell Cycle / drug effects*
  • Cell Division / drug effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Coloring Agents
  • Cyclin B1 / metabolism
  • DNA, Neoplasm / biosynthesis
  • DNA, Neoplasm / drug effects
  • Drug Design
  • G2 Phase / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Microtubules / drug effects*
  • Mitosis / drug effects
  • Models, Molecular
  • Phosphorylation
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / metabolism
  • Pyrrolidines / pharmacology*
  • Quinazolinones / pharmacology*
  • Skin Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Skin Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Trypan Blue
  • Tubulin
  • Tubulin Modulators / pharmacology

Substances

  • 2-(naphthalene-1-yl)-6-pyrrolidinyl-4-quinazolinone
  • Annexin A5
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Coloring Agents
  • Cyclin B1
  • DNA, Neoplasm
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
  • Pyrrolidines
  • Quinazolinones
  • Tubulin
  • Tubulin Modulators
  • CDC2 Protein Kinase
  • Caspases
  • Trypan Blue