Identification of a Potent Inhibitor of CREB-Mediated Gene Transcription with Efficacious in Vivo Anticancer Activity

• Published in: Journal of medicinal chemistry Vol. 58; no. 12; pp. 5075 - 5087
• Main Authors: Xie, Fuchun, Li, Bingbing X, Kassenbrock, Alina, Xue, Changhui, Wang, Xiaoyan, Qian, David Z, Sears, Rosalie C, Xiao, Xiangshu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: WASHINGTON American Chemical Society 25.06.2015; Amer Chemical Soc
• Subjects: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents - chemistry; Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology; Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use; Breast - drug effects; Breast - metabolism; Breast - pathology; Breast Neoplasms - drug therapy; Breast Neoplasms - genetics; Breast Neoplasms - metabolism; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Chemistry, Medicinal; Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein - antagonists & inhibitors; Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein - metabolism; Female; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic - drug effects; HEK293 Cells; Humans; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Nude; Naphthalenes - chemistry; Naphthalenes - pharmacology; Naphthalenes - therapeutic use; Pharmacology & Pharmacy; Science & Technology; Transcriptional Activation - drug effects; NAPHTHOL AS-E; DESIGN; ACTIVATOR; ELEMENT-BINDING-PROTEIN; BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION; CANCER; EXPRESSION; PROMOTES; DISCOVERY; FAMILY
• ISSN: 0022-2623; 1520-4804
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5b00468

Recent studies have shown that nuclear transcription factor cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element binding protein (CREB) is overexpressed in many different types of cancers. Therefore, CREB has been pursued as a novel cancer therapeutic target. Naphthol AS-E and its closely related derivatives have been shown to inhibit CREB-mediated gene transcription and cancer cell growth. Previously, we identified naphthamide 3a as a different chemotype to inhibit CREB’s transcription activity. In a continuing effort to discover more potent CREB inhibitors, a series of structural congeners of 3a was designed and synthesized. Biological evaluations of these compounds uncovered compound 3i (666-15) as a potent and selective inhibitor of CREB-mediated gene transcription (IC50 = 0.081 ± 0.04 μM). 666-15 also potently inhibited cancer cell growth without harming normal cells. In an in vivo MDA-MB-468 xenograft model, 666-15 completely suppressed the tumor growth without overt toxicity. These results further support the potential of CREB as a valuable cancer drug target.