Novel naphthalimide polyamine derivatives as potential antitumor agents

A novel series of naphthalimide polyamine conjugates were designed, synthesized and evaluated for in vitro antiproliferative activity against human leukemia (Jurkat), human cervical adenocarcinoma (HeLa), human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) and human lung adenocarcinoma (A549) cell lines. From the six derivatives, the new I1 and A3 exhibited highest antiproliferative activity with the IC50 values of 5.67–11.02 μmol·L−1. Cell cycle analysis of Jurkat cells exposed to I1 at a concentration of 30 μmol × L−1 for 24 h exhibited a mild increase in S and G2/M fraction caused by accumulation of cells. This arrest was followed by an increase in sub-G0/G1 after 48 h of incubation. Jurkat cells exposed to A3 at a concentration of 30 μmol × L−1 for 24 h showed an increase in G0/G1 fraction and after 48 h an increase in G2/M fraction followed by an increase in sub-G0/G1 after 72 h of incubation. Moreover, the A3 compound was observed to displace the intercalating agent ethidium bromide from calf thymus DNA using fluorescence spectroscopy. The apparent binding constant was estimated to be 3.1 × 106 M−1 what indicates non-intercalating mode of DNA binding. On the other hand, we found no inhibitory effect of studied compounds on topoisomerase I and topoisomerase II activity. Finally, the localization of these compounds in the cells due to their inherent fluorescence was investigated with the fluorescence microscopy. Our results suggest that the naphthalimide polyamine conjugates rapidly penetrate to the cancer cells. Further studies are necessary to investigate the precise mechanism of action and to find out the relationship between the structure, character and position of substituents of naphthalimide polyamine conjugates and their biological activities.