Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of artemisinin derivatives containing fluorine atoms as anticancer agents

Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2018 Jul 15;28(13):2275-2278. doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2018.05.035. Epub 2018 May 17.

Abstract

Ten novel artemisinin derivatives containing fluorine atoms were synthesized and their structures were confirmed by 1H NMR, 13C NMR and HRMS technologies in this study. The in vitro cytotoxicity against U87MG, SH-SY5Y, MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, A549 and A375 cancer cell lines was evaluated by MTT assay. Compound 9j was the most potent anti-proliferative agent against the human breast cancer MCF-7 cells (IC50 = 2.1 μM). The mechanism of action of compound 9j was further investigated by analysis of cell apoptosis and cell cycle. Compound 9j induced cell apoptosis and arrested cell cycle at G1 phase in MCF-7 cells. Our promising findings indicated that the compound 9j could stand as potential lead compound for further investigation.

Keywords: Apoptosis; Artemisinin derivatives; Cell cycle; Cytotoxic; Fluorine; Synthesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Artemisinins / chemical synthesis
  • Artemisinins / chemistry
  • Artemisinins / pharmacology*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Drug Design
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
  • Fluorine / chemistry*
  • G1 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Molecular Structure

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Artemisinins
  • Fluorine