Functional properties of synthetic N-acyl-L-homoserine lactone analogs of quorum-sensing gram-negative bacteria on the growth of human oral squamous carcinoma cells

Invest New Drugs. 2012 Feb;30(1):157-63. doi: 10.1007/s10637-010-9544-x. Epub 2010 Sep 28.

Abstract

Quorum sensing is defined as the ability of microorganisms to sense their population density via the release of signaling molecules composed of acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL), which is a type of autoinducer (AI). Previous structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies demonstrated that the 3-oxo group, homoserine lactone of L-form, and long acyl side chain have crucial roles in apoptosis induction. Various types of synthetic AI analogs of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were prepared, and SAR study was conducted to determine their effects against human oral squamous carcinoma cells derived from gingival carcinoma Ca9-22 cells and tongue cancer SAS cells. Not only the antiproliferative potential but also the radiation-sensitizing effects against these cells were examined. It was found that antiproliferative activity partly depended on HSL structure and acyl side chain length. Moreover, a few compounds, compound 5 and 87, showed antiproliferative effects against both Ca9-22 and SAS cells, and also induced radiation-sensitizing effects against Ca9-22 cells. Compound 5 alone induced apoptotic cell death accompanied by sub-G1 phase accumulation in cell cycle and caspase-3 activation, and radiation-sensitizing effects of compound 5 could be attributed to enhanced apoptosis induction. In contrast, there were no remarkable alterations in cell cycle distribution in Ca9-22 treated with compound 87 alone or in combination. However, both compounds lack 3-oxo and their acyl side chain lengths are not necessarily long. This SAR study demonstrated that HSL analogs, which lacked the recommended characteristics for apoptosis induction clearly showed antiproliferative and radiation-sensitizing activity in Ca9-22 cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acyl-Butyrolactones / chemical synthesis
  • Acyl-Butyrolactones / pharmacology*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / pathology*
  • Cell Cycle / drug effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation
  • Homoserine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Homoserine / chemical synthesis
  • Homoserine / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Inhibitory Concentration 50
  • Lactones / chemical synthesis
  • Lactones / pharmacology*
  • Molecular Structure
  • Mouth Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / metabolism*
  • Quorum Sensing*
  • Radiation-Sensitizing Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Radiation-Sensitizing Agents / pharmacology*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Acyl-Butyrolactones
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Lactones
  • Radiation-Sensitizing Agents
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa autoinducer
  • Homoserine