Synthesis and biological evaluation of benzofuran-based 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzamide derivatives as novel tubulin polymerization inhibitors
BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY
Authors: Li, Qiu; Jian, Xie-Er; Chen, Zhi-Ru; Chen, Lin; Huo, Xian-Sen; Li, Zi-Hua; You, Wen-Wei; Rao, Jin-Jun; Zhao, Pei-Liang
Abstract
A new series of derivatives characterized by the presence of the 3,4,5-trimethoxylbenzamide substituted benzofurans were synthesized and evaluated for antiproliferative activity against four cancer cell lines and one normal human cell line. Among them, derivative 6g with greatest cytotoxicity significantly inhibited the growth of MDA-MB-231, HCT-116, HT-29 and HeLa cell lines with IC50 values of 3.01, 5.20, 9.13, and 11.09 mu M, respectively. Importantly, 6g possessed excellent selectivity over non-tumoral cell lines HEK-293 (IC50 > 30 mu M). Moreover, mechanistic studies revealed that 6g induced HeLa cells arrested in G2/M phase in a concentration-dependent manner, and inhibited polymerization of tubulin via a consistent way with CA-4. In general, these observations suggest that 6g is a promising anti-cancer lead and is worth further investigation to generate potential antitumor agents.
Interaction of TPPP3 with VDAC1 Promotes Endothelial Injury through Activation of Reactive Oxygen Species
OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY
Authors: Liu, Naijia; Li, Yintao; Nan, Wu; Zhou, Wenbai; Huang, Jinya; Li, Rumei; Zhou, Linuo; Hu, Renming
Abstract
Endothelial injury plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disorders and metabolic-associated vascular complications which are the leading cause of death worldwide. However, the mechanism underlying endothelial dysfunction is not completely understood. The study is aimed at investigating the role of tubulin polymerization-promoting protein family member 3 (TPPP3) in palmitic acid- (PA-) induced endothelial injury. The effect of TPPP3 on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was determined by evaluating apoptosis, tube formation, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. TPPP3 silencing inhibited PA overload-induced apoptosis and production of ROS, along with the alteration of apoptosis-related key proteins such as BCL-2 and Bax. Mechanically, voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1) was identified as a novel functional binding partner of TPPP3, and TPPP3 promoted VDAC1 protein stability and its activity. Further studies indicated that TPPP3 could promote apoptosis, ROS production, tube formation, and proapoptotic protein expression and reduce antiapoptotic protein expression through increasing VDAC1 expression under mildly elevated levels of PA. Collectively, these results demonstrated that TPPP3 could promote PA-induced oxidative damage in HUVECs via a VDAC1-dependent pathway, suggesting that TPPP3 might be considered as a potential therapeutic target in vascular disease.