Structural requirement of arylindolylpropenones as anti-bladder carcinoma cells agents

Chalcones have been identified as interesting compounds with cytotoxicity, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. In the present study, we report the synthesis and evaluation of new 1-(N-methylindolyl)-3-phenylpropenones as anti-cancer agents acting on bladder carcinoma cell line. Among the 15 investigated molecules, three of them inhibit the growth of bladder cancer cells with IC50 values less than 4 μM after 48 h of treatment. To investigate their mode of action, cell cycle analyses were performed. The most active compounds induce high accumulation at the G2+M phase as assessed by flow cytometry. The structure-activity relationship drawn from the present study highlights the importance of the substitution pattern of the phenyl ring and provides valuable information for further development of this class of compounds as novel anti-cancer chemotherapeutic agents.