Design and molecular modeling of novel P38 MAPK inhibitors targeting breast cancer, synthesized from oxygen heterocyclic natural compounds. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • Two new series of furochromone and benzofuran derivatives were designed, synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro anticancer activity against MCF-7 and MDA231 breast cancer cell lines. Compounds 5, 6, 7, 9, 15a, 16, 17a and 18 exhibited the best antiproliferative activities with IC50 values ranging from 1.19 to 2.78M against MCF-7 superior to lapatinib as reference standard (IC50; 4.69M). Compounds 15a and 18 revealed significant cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 and MDA231, therefore their inhibitory potencies against p38 MAP kinase were evaluated. Remarkably they exhibited significant IC50 of 0.04M comparable to SB203580 (IC50; 0.50M) as a reference standard. These promising results of cytotoxic activity and significant inhibition of p38 MAP kinase, were confirmed by exploring the effect of benzofuran derivative (18) on the apoptotic induction and cell cycle progression of MCF-7 cell line. Compound 18 induced preG1 apoptosis and cell growth arrest at G2/M phase preventing the mitotic cycle. Moreover it activated the caspase-7 which executes apoptosis. Molecular docking study was carried out using GOLD program to predict the mode of binding interaction of the synthesized compounds into the target p38 MAPK. Additionally, the physicochemical properties and ADME parameters of compound 18 were examined in silico to investigate its drug-likeness.

published proceedings

  • Bioorg Med Chem

author list (cited authors)

  • Abdelhafez, O. M., Ahmed, E. Y., Abdel Latif, N. A., Arafa, R. K., Abd Elmageed, Z. Y., & Ali, H. I.

citation count

  • 15

complete list of authors

  • Abdelhafez, Omaima M||Ahmed, Eman Y||Abdel Latif, Nehad A||Arafa, Reem K||Abd Elmageed, Zakaria Y||Ali, Hamed I

publication date

  • April 2019