Synthesis of 6-substituted 9-methoxy-11H-indeno[1,2-c]quinoline-11-one derivatives as potential anticancer agents.

We have synthesized certain 6-substituted 9-methoxy-11H-indeno[1,2-c]quinolin-11-ones for antiproliferative evaluation. Results indicated that 6-alkylamine derivatives, 6-[2-(dimethylamino)ethylamino]-9-methoxy-11H-indeno[1,2-c]quinolin-11-one (5a) and its 6-[3-(dimethylamino)propylamino] derivative, 5b, were able to inhibit cells growth completely at a concentration of 100 μM while most of the 6-arylamine derivatives 6b-6h were inactive at the same concentration. Comparable mean GI(50) (drug molar concentration causing 50% cell growth inhibition) values for 5a (3.47 μM) and 5b (3.39 μM) indicated the cytotoxicity may not be affected by the length of alkyl substituents at C-6 position. Compound 5b, with a mean GI(50) value of 3.39 μM, was the most active and therefore was selected for further evaluation on its effects of H460 lung cancer cell cycle distribution. Results indicated that 5b induced cell cycle arrest in G2/M phase after 24h treatment, while the hypodiploid (sub-G0/G1 phase) cells increased. We found that H460 cell became shrinked after the treatment of 5b, indicating that apoptosis may be a mechanism by which 5b kills the cancer cells. DNA unwinding assay indicated that 5b may bind to DNA through intercalation. Our results have also demonstrated that PARP was cleaved while caspase-3 and caspase-8 activities were induced after the treatment of 5b at 10 μM for 24h. Thus, compound 5b intercalates DNA, induces cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase via cleavage of PARP, induces caspase-3 and caspase-8 activities, and consequently causes the cell death.