Synthesis and Structure-Activity Evaluation of isatin-β-thiosemicarbazones With Improved Selective Activity Toward Multidrug-Resistant Cells Expressing P-glycoprotein

Matthew D Hall, Kyle R Brimacombe, Matthew S Varonka, Kristen M Pluchino, Julie K Monda, Jiayang Li, Martin J Walsh, Matthew B Boxer, Timothy H Warren, Henry M Fales, Michael M Gottesman

J Med Chem. 2011 Aug 25;54(16):5878-89.

PMID: 21721528

Abstract:

Cancer multidrug resistance (MDR) mediated by ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters presents a significant unresolved clinical challenge. One strategy to resolve MDR is to develop compounds that selectively kill cells overexpressing the efflux transporter P-glycoprotein (MDR1, P-gp, ABCB1). We have previously reported structure-activity studies based around the lead compound NSC73306 (1, 1-isatin-4-(4'-methoxyphenyl)-3-thiosemicarbazone, 4.3-fold selective). Here we sought to extend this work on MDR1-selective analogues by establishing whether 1 showed "robust" activity against a range of cell lines expressing P-gp. We further aimed to synthesize and test analogues with varied substitution at the N4-position, and substitution around the N4-phenyl ring of isatin-β-thiosemicarbazones (IBTs), to identify compounds with increased MDR1-selectivity. Compound 1 demonstrated MDR1-selectivity against all P-gp-expressing cell lines examined. This selectivity was reversed by inhibitors of P-gp ATPase activity. Structural variation at the 4'-phenyl position of 1 yielded compounds of greater MDR1-selectivity. Two of these analogues, 1-isatin-4-(4'-nitrophenyl)-3-thiosemicarbazone (22, 8.3-fold selective) and 1-isatin-4-(4'-tert-butyl phenyl)-3-thiosemicarbazone (32, 14.8-fold selective), were selected for further testing and were found to retain the activity profile of 1. These compounds are the most active IBTs identified to date.

Chemicals Related in the Paper:

Catalog Number	Product Name	Structure	CAS Number	Price
AP79560740	NSC73306		79560-74-0	Price