Synthesis and anticancer activity of novel rapamycin C-28 containing triazole moiety compounds.

Rapamycin is an mTOR allosteric inhibitor with multiple functions such as immunosuppressive, anticancer, and lifespan prolonging activities. Its C-43 semi-synthetic derivatives temsirolimus and everolimus have been used as mTOR targeting anticancer drugs in the clinic. Following our previous research on antitumor rapalogs modified on the C-43 position, 13 novel rapamycin triazole hybrids (6a-g, 7a-f) were designed and synthesized on the C-28 position of rapamycin via Huisgen's reaction. Anticancer assays indicated that the targeted derivatives containing phenyl and 4-methylphenyl groups showed an obvious raise in anticancer activity. On the contrary, the compounds with methoxyl, amine, and halogen groups on the benzene ring displayed lower anticancer activity. Compound 6c, as the most active compound, showed a stronger inhibition effect as compared with rapamycin for almost all of the tested cell lines (p < 0.01), except PC-3. Meanwhile, the effect of 6c on inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in A549 cells was more powerful than that of rapamycin. In addition, 6c inhibited the phosphorylation of mTOR and its downstream key kinases 4EBP1 and p70S6K1 in A549 cells, indicating that 6c also effectively inhibits the mTORC1 signaling pathway as rapamycin. On the basis of these findings, 6c may have the potential to be developed as a new mTOR inhibitor against specific cancers.