Synthesis, anti-lung cancer activity and molecular docking study of 3-methylene-2-oxoindoline-5-carboxamide derivatives

Abstract

A series of 3-methylene-2-oxoindoline-5-carboxamide derivatives were synthesized in appreciable yield by using 4-aminobenzoic acid as a starting material. The preliminary biological test results showed that most compounds displayed potent inhibitory activity against proliferation of human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cell line (A549) in MTT assay. Compound 6l displayed the highest potency (IC50 = 3.0 μM). The western blot analysis demonstrated a correlation between anti-proliferative activity of active compounds and blockade of the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1/2). The docking study also provides new insights into further optimization of 3-methylene-2-oxoindoline-5-carboxamide derivatives for the discovery of more potent RAF/MEK/ERK pathway regulators as anti-lung cancer agents.