Synthesis and biological evaluation of 2-(3 ',4 ',5 '-trimethoxybenzoyl)-3-aryl/arylaminobenzo[b]thiophene derivatives as a novel class of antiproliferative agents

The biological importance of microtubules in mitosis, as well as in interphase, makes them an interesting target for the development of anticancer agents. Small molecules such as benzo[b]thiophenes are attractive as inhibitors of tubulin polymerization. Thus, a new class of compounds that incorporated the structural motif of the 2-(3',4',5'-trimethoxybenzoyl)-3-aryl/arylamino benzo[b]thiophene molecular skeleton, with electron-donating (Me, OMe, SMe or OEt) or electron-withdrawing (F and Cl) substituents on the B-ring, was synthesized and evaluated for antiproliferative activity, inhibition of tubulin polymerization and cell cycle effects. The most promising compound in this series was 2-(3',4',5'-trimethoxybenzoyl)-3-(4'-ethoxyphenyl)-benzo[b]thiophene (4e), which significantly inhibited cancer cell growth at submicromolar concentrations, especially against HeLa and Jurkat cells, and interacted with tubulin. As determined by flow cytometric analysis, 4e caused G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. The block in G2/M was correlated with increased expression of cyclin B1 and phosphorylation of cdc25c. Moreover, 4e perturbed mitochondrial membrane potential and caused activation of caspase-3 and cleavage of poly(ADP-rybose)polymerase (PARP), events that are involved in 4e-induced apoptosis.