Cytotoxicity of new alkylamino- and phenylamino-containing polyfluorinated derivatives of 1,4-naphthoquinone.

Fluorinated derivatives of 1,4-naphthoquinone are highly potent inhibitors of Cdc25A and Cdc25 phosphatases and growth of tumor cells. Five new N-substituted polyfluorinated derivatives of 2-amino-1,4-naphthoquinone were synthesized and their mutagenic and antioxidant properties in Salmonella cells, as well as cytotoxicity in human myeloma (RPMI 8226), human mammary adenocarcinoma (MCF-7), mouse fibroblasts (LMTK) and primary mouse fibroblast cells (PMF) were studied. 2-tert-Butylamino-3,5,6,7,8-pentafluoro-1,4-naphthoquinone (1) inhibited the growth of normal control and tumor cells at the same concentration. Three compounds: 2-diethylamino-3,5,6,7,8-pentafluoro-1,4-naphthoquinone (2), 2-ethylamino-3,5,6,7,8-pentafluoro-1,4-naphthoquinone (3), 2-phenylamino-3,5,6,7,8-pentafluoro-1,4-naphthoquinone (4) exhibited a 50% decrease in the growth of cancer cells at low and comparable concentrations (2.4-8.6 microM) while being remarkably less cytotoxic toward normal LMTK and PMF cells. Quinones (1)-(4), but not 2-phenylamino-3-methyl-5,6,7,8-tetrafluoro-1,4-naphthoquinone (5), efficiently suppressed spontaneous mutagenesis in Salmonella cells, while all compounds 1-5 decreased the mutagenic effect of H2O2 on bacterial cells. Their possible perspectives as anticancer drugs are shortly discussed.