Synthesis and biological evaluation of bifendate derivatives bearing 6,7-dihydro-dibenzo[c,e]azepine scaffold as potential P-glycoprotein and tumor metastasis inhibitors

As a continuation of previous research, fifteen bifendate derivatives bearing 6,7-dihydro-dibenzo [c,e]azepine scaffold were synthesized and evaluated as P-gp-medicated multidrug resistance (MDR) reversal agents. Biological evaluation indicated that compounds 6k and 9c more potently reversed P-gp-mediated MDR than bifendate and verapamil (VRP) by blocking P-gp mediated drug efflux function and not by decreasing P-gp expression in K562/A02 MDR cells. Interestingly, wound-healing and chamber migration assay showed that 6k and 9c could significantly attenuate the migration of MDA-MB-231 cells. Notably, 6k and 9c could markedly suppress the invasive activity of MDA-MB-231 cells, thus displayed potential anti-metastasis activity. Preliminary mechanism studies indicated that the anti-metastasis activity of 6k and 9c was associated with their inhibitory effect on the activity and expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9. These results, together with the MDR reversal results indicated that compounds 6k and 9c might be promising leads for developing novel anti-cancer agents with P-gp and tumor metastasis inhibitory activities. Compounds 6k and 9c exhibited significantly anti-MDR and anti-metastasis activities. [Display omitted] •Novel bifendate derivatives were synthesized as anti-MDR and anti-metastasis agents.•6k and 9c exhibited high MDR reversal effect by inhibiting P-gp function.•6k and 9c markedly suppressed the migration and invasive activity of tumor cells.•6k and 9c significantly inhibited MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity and expression in vitro.