Antitumor agents 286. Design, synthesis, and structure-activity relationships of 3'R,4'R-disubstituted-2',2'-dimethyldihydropyrano[2,3-f]chromone (DSP) analogues as potent chemosensitizers to overcome multidrug resistance

In this study, various 3'R,4'R-disubstituted-2',2'-dimethydihydropyrano[2,3-f]chromone (DSP) derivatives were discovered as potent chemosensitizers in the treatment of multidrug resistant cancer cells. Twenty-four DSP analogues (5-28) were synthesized and evaluated against a multidrug resistant (MDR) cell line (KB-Vin) with and without vincristine (VCR). All DSP analogues exhibited low intrinsic cytotoxicity. However, in combination treatment, most DSPs reversed resistance to VCR and lowered the GI?? value of VCR by 12-349-fold. At a concentration of 1 μg/mL, three compounds, 11, 14, and 21, fully reversed resistance to VCR in KB-Vin cancer cells, a 2-fold increase compared to verapamil, a first-generation chemosensitizer. Detailed structure-activity relationship (SAR) conclusions were established based on 3' and 4' substitutions. Moreover, a preliminary mechanism study indicated that the chemosensitizing activity of DSP analogues results from inhibition of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) overexpressed in MDR cancer cells.