Anthracene-9, 10-dione derivatives induced apoptosis in human cervical cancer cell line (CaSki) by interfering with HPV E6 expression

•Anthracene-9, 10-dione derivative showed strong inhibitory to HPV (CaSki) cell line.•Compound 5 has IC50 of 0.3 μM, lower 20 times than cisplatin (IC50 = 8.0 μM).•Compound 5 decreased HPV E6 expressions.•Compound 5 induced accumulation of cells in the G2/M phase.

A new series of anthracene-9, 10-dione derivatives have been synthesized to increase cytotoxic activity against human papillomavirus (HPV) positive cancer cell line, CaSki. The highest cytotoxicity was achieved by 4-(benzylamino)-9,10-dioxo-4a,9,9a,10-tetrahydroanthracen-1-yl 4-ethylbenzenesulfonate (5) with the inhibitory concentration 50 (IC50) of 0.3 μM which is 20 times lower than that of cisplatin (CDDP; IC50 = 8.0 μM). The toxicity against non-cancerous cell line, WI-38, was low with the IC50 > 10 μM. Treatment with this compound resulted in decreasing HPV E6 expression. Furthermore, increasing p53 and decreasing Bcl-2 expression were noted. Cell cycle profiles revealed an accumulation of cells in the G2/M phase.

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