Abstract
Abstract
Cinnamaldehyde and curcumin scaffolds are known for their anticancer potential via reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and cellular damage. Herein, we synthesized a set of heterocyclic compounds build on the naturally-occurring trans-cinnamaldehyde and curcumin scaffolds and assessed their antiproliferative/cytotoxic properties against hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2), breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) and colorectal cancer cells (HCT-116). The general structure of the synthesized compounds comprised 2-(4-fluorophenyl)-4-imidazolone nucleus attached to a 2-phenylpropylidene moiety. The imidazolone's N1 diversity point was attached to a variety of groups that are different in steric as well as electronic properties. Compounds FC01, FC09, FC11, FC12, FC14, FC30 and FC37 (groups attached to N1 diversity point are phenyl, methyl, 4-methylpiperazinyl, n-propyl, 4-hydroxyphenyl, 2-furylmethyl, and 4-methoxyphenyl, respectively) showed considerable cytotoxicity with IC50 ranging from 0.1 to 11.9 µM against MCF-7, HepG2, and HCT-116 cells. Within one hour of exposure to the IC50's of compounds FC09, FC12 and FC31, total ROS was significantly increased to 143.3±1.2%, 158.2±8.6% and 138±9.3% of control. After 2 hours of exposure, compounds FC09, FC12, FC14, FC30 and FC31 significantly raised the total ROS by 148.3±2.1%, 144.2±5.9%, 112±3.1%, 134.8±10.3% and 140.7±5.7%, respectively. Interestingly, all compounds under investigation significantly raised the intracellular ROS within 1.5 h of exposure. After 24 h of exposure, only compounds FC01, FC07, FC30, and FC31 kept the intracellular level of ROS significantly higher than control cells (111.1±3.6, 113.8±4.3%, 110.4±2.2%, and 117.7±7.5%, respectively). On the other hand, the ROS level within cells treated with the IC50 of compounds FC09 and FC12 for 24 h was significantly lower than control cells (85.7±1.3 and 68.4±4.7, respectively). Apoptosis/necrosis differential assessment using annexin-V/FITC with PI as a counterstain coupled with flow cytometric analysis, showed that compounds FC01, FC09, and FC12 induced significant apoptosis as well as necrosis by 2-5 folds compared to control cells. Compound FC14 failed to induce any significant apoptosis or necrosis. In conclusion, trans-cinnamaldehyde and curcumin scaffold-based compounds under investigation, particularly FC01, FC09 and FC12 might represent promising candidates in anticancer molecules for further optimization.
Citation Format: Abdel-Sattar M. Omar, Ahmed M. Al-Abd. Design, synthesis and anticancer properties of trans-cinnamaldehyde and curcumin based scaffolds compounds [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 6562.