Hybrid fluorescent conjugates of COX-2 inhibitors: Search for a COX-2 isozyme imaging cancer biomarker

Abstract

The observation that the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) isozyme is over-expressed in multiple types of cancer, relative to that in adjacent non-cancerous tissue, prompted this investigation to prepare a group of hybrid fluorescent conjugates wherein the COX inhibitors ibuprofen, (S)-naproxen, acetyl salicylic acid, a chlororofecoxib analog and celecoxib were coupled via a linker group to an acridone, dansyl or rhodamine B fluorophore. Within this group of compounds, the ibuprofen-acridone conjugate (10) showed potent and selective COX-2 inhibition (COX-2 IC50=0.67μM; SI=110.6), but its fluorescence emission (λem=417, 440nm) was not suitable for fluorescent imaging of cancer cells that over-express the COX-2 isozyme. In comparison, the celecoxib-dansyl conjugate (25) showed a slightly lower COX-2 potency and selectivity (COX-2 IC50=1.1μM; SI>90) than the conjugate 10, and it possesses a better fluorescence emission (λem=500nm). Ultimately, a celecoxib-rhodamine B conjugate (28) that exhibited moderate COX-2 potency and selectivity (COX-2 IC50=3.9μM; SI>25) having the best fluorescence emission (λem=580nm) emerged as the most promising biomarker for fluorescence imaging using a colon cancer cell line that over-expresses the COX-2 isozyme.