Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
1397876 | European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry | 2009 | 27 Pages |
The discovery that some serotonin reuptake transporter (SERT) ligands have the potential to act as pro-apoptotic agents in the treatment of cancer adds greatly to their diverse pharmacological application. 4-Methylthioamphetamine (MTA) is a selective ligand for SERT over other monoamine transporters. In this study, a novel library of structurally diverse 4-MTA analogues were synthesised with or without N-alkyl and/or C-α methyl or ethyl groups so that their potential SERT-dependent antiproliferative activity could be assessed.Many of the compounds displayed SERT-binding activity as well as cytotoxic activity. While there was no direct correlation between these two effects, a number of derivatives displayed anti-tumour effects in lymphoma, leukaemia and breast cancer cell lines, showing further potential to be developed as possible chemotherapeutic agents.
Graphical abstract Synthesised structural analogues of 4-MTA inhibit the serotonin transporter but have SERT-independent antiproliferative activity in a number of malignant cell lines.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide