Novel benzo chromene derivatives: design, synthesis, molecular docking, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis induction in human acute myeloid leukemia HL-60 cells.

A series of benzo[h]chromenes, benzo[f]chromenes, and benzo[h]chromeno[2,3-d]pyrimidines were prepared. All the newly synthesised compounds were selected by National Cancer Institute for single-dose testing against 60 cell lines. Benzo[h]chromenes 5a and 6a showed promising anti-cancer activity and selected for the five-dose testing. Compounds 5a and 6a suppressed cell growth in HL-60 by the induction of cell cycle arrest, which was confirmed using flow cytometry and Annexin V-FITC/PI assays showed at the G1/S phase by regulating the expression of CDK-2/CyclinD1, triggering cell apoptosis by activating both the extrinsic (Fas/Caspase 8) and intrinsic (Bcl-2/Caspase 3) apoptosis pathways, which were determined by the western blot. Benzo[h]chromenes 5a and 6a decreased the protein expression levels of Bcl-2, CDK-2, and CyclinD1 and increased the expression of caspase 3, caspase 8, and Fas. In silico molecular analysis of compounds 5a and 6a in CDK-2 and Bcl-2 was performed.

Synthesis and Evaluation of Cytotoxic Activity of Certain Benzo[h]chromene Derivatives.

BACKGROUND: Benzo[h]chromenes attracted great attention because of their widespread biological activities, including anti-proliferate activity, and the discovery of novel effective anti-cancer agents is imperative. OBJECTIVE: The main objective was to synthesize new benzo[h]chromene derivatives and some reported derivatives, and then test all of them for their anti-cancer activities. METHODS: The structures of the newly synthesized derivatives were confirmed by elemental and spectral analysis (IR, Mass, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR). 35 compounds were selected by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for single-dose testing against 60 cell lines and 3 active compounds were selected for 5-doses testing. Also, these 3 compounds were tested as EGFR-inhibitors; using sorafenib as standard, and as Tubulin polymerization inhibitors using colchicines as a standard drug. Moreover, molecular docking study for the most active derivative on these 2 enzymes was also carried out. RESULTS: Compounds 1a, 1c and 2b have the highest activities among all 35 tested compounds especially compound 1c. CONCLUSION: compound 1c has promising anti-cancer activities compared to the used standards and may need further modification and investigations.