Anti-tumor activity of new orally bioavailable 2-amino-5-(thiophen-2-yl)benzamide-series histone deacetylase inhibitors, possessing an aqueous soluble functional group as a surface recognition domain

New orally bioavailable 5-(thiophen-2-yl)-substituted 2-aminobenzamide-series histone deacetylase inhibitors were synthesized. These compounds possess a morpholine or piperadine-derived moiety as an aqueous soluble functional group. Among them, 8b, having a 4-ethyl-2,3-dioxopiperazine-1-carboxamide group as a surface recognition domain, showed promising inhibitory activities against HCT116 cell growth and HDAC1/2. Notably, unlike MS-275, this compound did not induce apoptosis in the cell cycle tests. We therefore conducted antitumor tests of 8b and MS-275 against HCT116 cell xenografts in nude mice. Compound 8b reduced the volume of tumor mass to T/C: 60% and 47% at 45 and 80 mg/kg over 16 days, respectively. These values were comparable to the rate (T/C: 51% at 45 mg/kg) for MS-275. Furthermore, 8b, at neither 45 nor 80 mg/kg, induced the weight loss which was observed in the mice given MS-275 at 45 mg/kg.