Quantitative structure-cytotoxicity relationship of 3-styrylchromones.

Background: Fifteen 3-styrylchromones were subjected to quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) analysis based on their cytotoxicity, tumor selectivity and anti-HIV activity, in order to explore their biological activities.

Materials And Methods: Cytotoxicity against four human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines and three human oral normal cells was determined by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method. Tumor-selectivity was evaluated by the ratio of the mean CC50 (50% cytotoxic concentration) against normal human oral cells to that against OSCC cell lines. Anti-HIV activity was evaluated by the ratio of CC50 to EC50 (50% cytoprotective concentration from HIV infection). Physicochemical, structural and quantum-chemical parameters were calculated based on the conformations optimized by the LowModeMD method followed by the density functional theory (DFT) method.

Results: All 3-styrylchromone derivatives showed moderate-to-high tumor selectivity. Especially, compounds that have a methoxy group at 6-position of the chromone ring and hydroxyl group at 4'-position of phenyl group in styryl moiety [ 11: ] showed the highest tumor-selectivity. On the other hand, their cytotoxicity against normal cells showed good correlation to the descriptors that reflect hydrophobic interaction and molecular shapes.

Conclusion: Multivariate statistics with chemical descriptors for the location of substituted group, molecular shape and electrostatic interaction may be useful for designing the most favorable compound with higher tumor selectivity.