Isoindolo[2,1-a]quinoxaline derivatives, novel potent antitumor agents with dual inhibition of tubulin polymerization and topoisomerase I

Isoindoloquinoxalines 4 and 5 were obtained by refluxing 2-(2'-aminoaryl)-1-cyanoisoindoles 3a-e in acetic or formic acid. All derivatives were screened by the National Cancer Institute (Bethesda, MD) for the in vitro one dose primary anticancer assay against a 3-cell line panel. Compounds 4a-e, screened against a panel of about 60 human tumor cell lines, showed remarkable antineoplastic activity; they had GI(50) values in the low micromolar or submicromolar range and reached, in the case of 4c, nanomolar concentrations on 88% of the 59 tested cell lines. Flow cytometric analysis of cell cycle after treatment with 4c demonstrated an arrest of the cell cycle in G2/M phase. This effect was accompanied with apoptosis of the cells, mitochondrial depolarization, generation of reactive oxygen species, and activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9. Moreover, 4c induced a clear increase in the mitotic index, inhibited microtubule assembly in vitro, and interestingly also acted as a topoisomerase I inhibitor.