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ABSTRACT: This research studied the structure-activity relationship of beta-carboline derivatives as antitumor agents, in which 41 synthesized compounds and their cytotoxicity to tumor and normal cell lines were assayed. It was proved that substituent in position-9 of the beta-carboline ring could reinforce the DNA intercalating ability and consequently cytotoxicity to tumor cell lines, and the amidation of amino group at the end of the DNA targeting side chain in position-3 could cripple the DNA intercalating activity of these compounds, which resultingly initiated the cytotoxic selectivity to tumor cell lines rather than to normal ones. Furthermore, the S and G2-M arrest induced by these compounds confirmed that they could target DNA and lead to DNA destructions in Hela cells. In short, this study may provide a framework to design a novel antitumor drug that could surpass Adriamycin.
European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 11/2006; 41(10):1167-79. · 3.35 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Novel 1,3,9-trisubstituted beta-carboline derivatives were found to exhibit DNA photocleavage properties under visible light irradiation in a cell-free system, which could be reduced by antioxidant vitamin E. Their photo-cytotoxicity to human tumor cell line HeLa was confirmed, in which apoptosis only contributed a small part to the cell death, and necrosis was the dominating outcome of HeLa cells in photodynamic therapy (PDT) using beta-carboline derivatives. Different from other clinical PDT drugs, beta-carboline derivatives were demonstrated to be able to distribute in the nucleus and intercalate into DNA, and consequently cause direct DNA damage by photochemical reaction products in PDT, which was proved by the distinct DNA tails in the comet assay and the considerable amount of DNA damaged cells quantified by flow cytometry. This mechanism could be the explanation for the delay of cell proliferation at DNA synthesis and mitosis.
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 05/2006; 342(3):894-901. · 2.48 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The beta-carboline alkaloids have been characterized as a group of potential antitumor agents. The underlying mechanisms of harmine and its derivatives were investigated by DNA binding assay and Topoisomerase (Topo) inhibition assay. Meanwhile, the DNA photocleavage potential of these compounds and their cytotoxicity were also examined by DNA photocleavage assay and cytotoxicity assay in vitro. Harmine and its derivatives exhibited remarkable DNA intercalation capacity and significant Topo I inhibition activity but no effect with Topo II. Introducing an appropriate substituent into position-9 of beta-carboline nucleus enhanced the affinity of the drug to DNA resulting in remarkable Topo I inhibition effects. These results suggested that the ability of these compounds to act as intercalating agents and Topo I inhibitors was related to the antitumor activity. Moreover, these data showing a correlation between cytotoxicity and Topo I inhibition or DNA binding capacity are very important as they strongly suggested that the Topo I-mediated DNA cleavage assay and DNA binding assay could be used as a guide to design and develop superior analogues for antitumor activities.
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 01/2006; 338(3):1557-63. · 2.48 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Novel 1,3,9-trisubstituted β-carboline derivatives were found to exhibit DNA photocleavage properties under visible light irradiation in a cell-free system, which could be reduced by antioxidant vitamin E. Their photo-cytotoxicity to human tumor cell line HeLa was confirmed, in which apoptosis only contributed a small part to the cell death, and necrosis was the dominating outcome of HeLa cells in photodynamic therapy (PDT) using β-carboline derivatives. Different from other clinical PDT drugs, β-carboline derivatives were demonstrated to be able to distribute in the nucleus and intercalate into DNA, and consequently cause direct DNA damage by photochemical reaction products in PDT, which was proved by the distinct DNA tails in the comet assay and the considerable amount of DNA damaged cells quantified by flow cytometry. This mechanism could be the explanation for the delay of cell proliferation at DNA synthesis and mitosis.
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications.
