Re-design and evaluation of diclofenac-based carborane-substituted prodrugs and their anti-cancer potential

Abstract In this study, we investigated a novel anti-cancer drug design approach by revisiting diclofenac-based carborane-substituted prodrugs. The redesigned compounds combine the robust carborane scaffold with the oxindole framework, resulting in four carborane-derivatized oxindoles and a unique z...

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Main Authors: Christoph Selg, Vuk Gordić, Tamara Krajnović, Antonio Buzharevski, Markus Laube, Aleksandr Kazimir, Peter Lönnecke, Mara Wolniewicz, Menyhárt B. Sárosi, Jonas Schädlich, Jens Pietzsch, Sanja Mijatović, Danijela Maksimović-Ivanić, Evamarie Hey-Hawkins
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Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-12-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-81414-x
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author Christoph Selg
Vuk Gordić
Tamara Krajnović
Antonio Buzharevski
Markus Laube
Aleksandr Kazimir
Peter Lönnecke
Mara Wolniewicz
Menyhárt B. Sárosi
Jonas Schädlich
Jens Pietzsch
Sanja Mijatović
Danijela Maksimović-Ivanić
Evamarie Hey-Hawkins
author_facet Christoph Selg
Vuk Gordić
Tamara Krajnović
Antonio Buzharevski
Markus Laube
Aleksandr Kazimir
Peter Lönnecke
Mara Wolniewicz
Menyhárt B. Sárosi
Jonas Schädlich
Jens Pietzsch
Sanja Mijatović
Danijela Maksimović-Ivanić
Evamarie Hey-Hawkins
author_sort Christoph Selg
collection DOAJ
description Abstract In this study, we investigated a novel anti-cancer drug design approach by revisiting diclofenac-based carborane-substituted prodrugs. The redesigned compounds combine the robust carborane scaffold with the oxindole framework, resulting in four carborane-derivatized oxindoles and a unique zwitterionic amidine featuring a nido-cluster. We tested the anti-cancer potential of these prodrugs against murine colon adenocarcinoma (MC38), human colorectal carcinoma (HCT116), and human colorectal adenocarcinoma (HT29). The tests showed that diclofenac and the carborane-substituted oxindoles exhibited no cytotoxicity, the dichlorophenyl-substituted oxindole had moderate anti-cancer activity, while with the amidine this effect was strongly potentiated with activity mapping within low micromolar range. Compound 3 abolished the viability of selected colon cancer cell line MC38 preferentially through strong inhibition of cell division and moderate apoptosis accompanied by ROS/RNS depletion. Our findings suggest that carborane-based prodrugs could be a promising direction for new anti-cancer therapies. Inhibition assays for COX-1 and COX-2 revealed that while diclofenac had strong COX inhibition, the re-engineered carborane compounds demonstrated a varied range of anti-cancer effects, probably owing to both, COX inhibition and COX-independent pathways.
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spelling doaj-art-56c1fabc039140efa0db165d9588b9fa2025-08-20T02:39:40ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-12-0114111810.1038/s41598-024-81414-xRe-design and evaluation of diclofenac-based carborane-substituted prodrugs and their anti-cancer potentialChristoph Selg0Vuk Gordić1Tamara Krajnović2Antonio Buzharevski3Markus Laube4Aleksandr Kazimir5Peter Lönnecke6Mara Wolniewicz7Menyhárt B. Sárosi8Jonas Schädlich9Jens Pietzsch10Sanja Mijatović11Danijela Maksimović-Ivanić12Evamarie Hey-Hawkins13Department of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Leipzig UniversityDepartment of Immunology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković” - National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of BelgradeDepartment of Immunology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković” - National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of BelgradeDepartment of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Leipzig UniversityDepartment of Radiopharmaceutical and Chemical Biology, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-RossendorfInstitute for Drug Discovery, Leipzig UniversityDepartment of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Leipzig UniversityDepartment of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Institute of Organic Chemistry, Leipzig UniversityDepartment of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Leipzig UniversityDepartment of Radiopharmaceutical and Chemical Biology, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-RossendorfDepartment of Radiopharmaceutical and Chemical Biology, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-RossendorfDepartment of Immunology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković” - National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of BelgradeDepartment of Immunology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković” - National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of BelgradeDepartment of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Leipzig UniversityAbstract In this study, we investigated a novel anti-cancer drug design approach by revisiting diclofenac-based carborane-substituted prodrugs. The redesigned compounds combine the robust carborane scaffold with the oxindole framework, resulting in four carborane-derivatized oxindoles and a unique zwitterionic amidine featuring a nido-cluster. We tested the anti-cancer potential of these prodrugs against murine colon adenocarcinoma (MC38), human colorectal carcinoma (HCT116), and human colorectal adenocarcinoma (HT29). The tests showed that diclofenac and the carborane-substituted oxindoles exhibited no cytotoxicity, the dichlorophenyl-substituted oxindole had moderate anti-cancer activity, while with the amidine this effect was strongly potentiated with activity mapping within low micromolar range. Compound 3 abolished the viability of selected colon cancer cell line MC38 preferentially through strong inhibition of cell division and moderate apoptosis accompanied by ROS/RNS depletion. Our findings suggest that carborane-based prodrugs could be a promising direction for new anti-cancer therapies. Inhibition assays for COX-1 and COX-2 revealed that while diclofenac had strong COX inhibition, the re-engineered carborane compounds demonstrated a varied range of anti-cancer effects, probably owing to both, COX inhibition and COX-independent pathways.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-81414-xCyclooxygenase inhibitorsCarboranesNon-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugCancerDrug repurposing
spellingShingle Christoph Selg
Vuk Gordić
Tamara Krajnović
Antonio Buzharevski
Markus Laube
Aleksandr Kazimir
Peter Lönnecke
Mara Wolniewicz
Menyhárt B. Sárosi
Jonas Schädlich
Jens Pietzsch
Sanja Mijatović
Danijela Maksimović-Ivanić
Evamarie Hey-Hawkins
Re-design and evaluation of diclofenac-based carborane-substituted prodrugs and their anti-cancer potential
Scientific Reports
Cyclooxygenase inhibitors
Carboranes
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug
Cancer
Drug repurposing
title Re-design and evaluation of diclofenac-based carborane-substituted prodrugs and their anti-cancer potential
title_full Re-design and evaluation of diclofenac-based carborane-substituted prodrugs and their anti-cancer potential
title_fullStr Re-design and evaluation of diclofenac-based carborane-substituted prodrugs and their anti-cancer potential
title_full_unstemmed Re-design and evaluation of diclofenac-based carborane-substituted prodrugs and their anti-cancer potential
title_short Re-design and evaluation of diclofenac-based carborane-substituted prodrugs and their anti-cancer potential
title_sort re design and evaluation of diclofenac based carborane substituted prodrugs and their anti cancer potential
topic Cyclooxygenase inhibitors
Carboranes
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug
Cancer
Drug repurposing
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-81414-x
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