inhibitory activity

antiproliferative activity

inhibitory activities

anticancer activity

anticancer agents

potent selective

carbonic anhydrase

synthesis antitumor

docking studies

European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry

Herein we report the synthesis of a set of seventeen 3-sulfonamide substituted coumarin derivatives. Prepared compounds were tested in vitro for inhibition of four physiologically relevant isoforms of the metalloenzyme human carbonic anhydrase ( h CA, EC 4.2.1.1). Several coumarin sulfonamides displayed low nanomolar K I values against therapeutically relevant h CA II, IX, and XII, whereas they did not potently inhibit h CA I. Some of these compounds exerted a concentration-dependent antiproliferative action toward RT4 human bladder cancer and especially A431 human epidermoid carcinoma cell lines. In the meantime, the viability of non-tumorigenic hTERT immortalized human foreskin fibroblast cell line Bj-5ta was not significantly affected by the obtained derivatives. Interestingly, compound 10q (2-oxo-2 H -benzo [ h ]chromene-3-sulfonamide) showed a profound and selective dose-dependent inhibition of A431 cell growth with low nanomolar IC 50 values. We demonstrated that 10q possessed a concentration-dependent apoptosis induction activity associated with caspase 3/7 activation in cancer cells. As carbonic anhydrase isoforms in question were not potently inhibited by this compound, its antiproliferative effects likely involve other mechanisms, such as DNA intercalation. Compound 10q clearly represents a viable lead for further development of new-generation anticancer agents. • Carbonic anhydrase IX and XII isoforms are cancer targets. • Primary sulfonamides and coumarins are known to inhibit these isoforms. • A set of hybrid compounds combining the two motifs was investigated. • The most promising compound was not the strongest CA IX/XII inhibitor. • It activated caspases and induced apoptosis in dose-dependent manner.

Investigation of 3-sulfamoyl coumarins against cancer-related IX and XII isoforms of human carbonic anhydrase as well as cancer cells leads to the discovery of 2-oxo-2H-benzo[h]chromene-3-sulfonamide – A new caspase-activating proapoptotic agent