• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.20 no.5
• /
• pp.410-413
• /
• 1997

In the course of screening synthetic compounds to inhibit tumor cell growth, pyrrolo[1,2-.alpha.] benzimidazole (PBI), an intermediate of azamitosene, was found to inhibit a proliferation of gastric cancer cell lines. Despite a potential cytotoxic activity against solid tumor cells as opposed to that against rapidly-doubled leukemic cells, there has been no report on the inhibition of gastric cancer cell line by PBI and its' derivatives. The present experiment was designed to determine if PBI derivatives can effectively inhibit the cellular proliferation of gastric cancer cells by using in vitro as well as in vivo chemosensitivity system (MTT assay, clonogenic assay and human tumor xenografted assay). Of the tested PBI derivatives, PBI (18) and PBI (20), displayed the effective growth inhibition of cultured gastric cancer cells or even in the xenografted nude mouse model.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.21 no.5
• /
• pp.599-609
• /
• 1998

In search for new antitumor agents, twelve 6-aziridinylbenzimidazole derivatives were synthesized and their cytotoxicities were tested against three cancer cell lines (mouse lymphocytic leukemia P388 and B16, and human gastric carcinoma SNU-16). From 4-amino-3-nitrotoluene as the starting material, 2-(acetoxymethyl)benzimidazoles (5a-d) were obtained by Phillips reaction. These benzimidazoles were then reacted with Fremy's salt to give a mixture of three 2-(acetoxymethyl) (8a-c) and four 2-(hydroxymethyl)benzimidazole-4,7-diones (9a-d). Addition of these quinones with aziridine afforded 6-aziridinyl-2-(acetoxymethyl) (10a-c) and 6-aziridinyl-2-(hydroxymethyl)benzimidazole-4,7-diones (11a-d). Utilizing 2-(hydroxymethyl)benzimidazole-4,7-diones (9b,d), esters 10d and 13e-h were prepared by the sequential reactions of esterification and addition. The synthesized compounds show potent cytotoxicity against all of three cell lines tested. The cytotoxicities of 10a-d or 11a-d against SNU-16 were wuperior to those of 13e-h, and were equal to or slightly higher than that of mitomycin C. compounds 11a-d were slightly more cytotoxic than 10a-d in all cell lines tested.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.19 no.6
• /
• pp.535-542
• /
• 1996

Seven isoazamitosene derivatives, mitomycin analogues, were synthesized and tested for cytotoxicities against leukemia and gastric cancer cell lines. Preparation of a pyrrolo[1, 2-a]benzimidazole (3) (azamitosene ring system) was completed by utilizing the Lewis acid-catalized cyclization, with .omicron.-chloronitrotoluene as the starting material. Nitration of 3 produced a mixtue of two isomers (5-nitro isomer (4) and 7-nitro isomer (5)) in product ratio of 36 : 52. 4 was directly converted into quinone (7) by reduction and Fremy oxidaton. Finally, quinone derivatives (8, 9, 10, and 11) were synthesized by 1, 4-addition of 7 with cyclic secondary amines. From above-mentioned 5, 8-nitro compound (15) was prepared in 4 steps. At pH 3, Fremy oxidation of 15 produced quinone (16), whereas iminoquinone derivatives (17a and 17b) at pH 7. Isoazamitosene derivatives (8, 9, 10, and 11), containing cyclic amino groups at the 7-position, showed potent cytotoxicity on P388, SNU-1, and KHH tumor cell lines. Among them, 8 had stronger cytotoxicity against SNU-1 cell line than mitomycin and adriamycin. Considering these results, isoazamitosene derivatives may had unique cytotoxicity profiles. However, isoiminoazamitosene derivatives (17a and 17b) revealed very weak cytotoxicity.