Pyrimido[4,5-b]indole derivatives bearing 1,2,4-oxadiazole moiety as MDM2 inhibitor candidates in cancer treatment

Abstract

Aim: In this study, novel hybrid structures of pyrimido-indole-oxadiazole were developed as MDM2 inhibitors for restoring the regular function of the p53. Materials & methods: A multistep chemical pathway was used to synthesize the derivatives. Nutlin-3a was used as a standard lead in molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. Finally, cytotoxicity was evaluated against MCF-7 cancer cells versus Doxorubicin. Results: The most promising candidate was 12c, which had an NO2 group in the para position of the oxadiazole ring (IC50: 1.1 μM). A satisfactory result was obtained with the combined application of 12c and Doxorubicin (IC50 decreased to 0.63 μM), which could be potentially attributed to MDM2 inhibition. Conclusion: These hybrid structures can be further investigated as potential MDM2 inhibitors.