Tyrosine kinase inhibitors. 1. Structure-activity relationships for inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase activity by 2,3-dihydro-2-thioxo-1H-indole-3-alkanoic acids and 2,2'-dithiobis(1H-indole-3-alkanoic acids).

A series of 2,3-dihydro-2-thioxo-1H-indole-3-alkanoic acids, and their methyl esters were prepared, the majority by oxidation of 1H-indole-3-alkanoic acids (DMSO/HCl), followed by thiation of the corresponding 2,3-dihydro-2-oxo-1H-indole-3-alkanoic acid esters. The monomeric thiones undergo facile and reversible oxidation to the corresponding 2,2'-dithiobis(1H-indole-3-alkanoic acids). The compounds were evaluated for their abilities to inhibit the tyrosine kinase activity of the epidermal growth factor receptor using a native complex contained in plasma membrane vesicles shed from cultured A431 cells, and to inhibit the growth of Swiss 3T3 mouse fibroblast in culture. Enzyme inhibitory activity is dependent on the length of the side chain, with propanoic acid derivatives showing the highest activity. The acids are generally significantly more potent than the corresponding esters, and the disulfides more active than the corresponding monomers. An ability to undergo the thione-thiol tautomerism necessary for dimerization is essential, with 3,3-disubstituted compounds being inactive. Overall, the data suggest that the disulfide is the more active form, with much of the activity of the monomeric thiones being due to varying degrees of conversion to the disulfide during the assay. In the growth inhibition assay, the methyl esters are more potent than their corresponding carboxylic acids, and the dimers are generally more potent than the monomers. The data show these compounds to be a novel and potent class of inhibitors of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase activity.