Unveiling the anticancer potential of novel spirooxindole-tethered pyrazolopyridine derivatives

[Display omitted] •Novel spirooxindole-pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine derivatives 8a-h and 10a-h were developed.•Antiproliferative activity against A-549, Panc-1, and A-431 cancer cell lines was evaluated.•With single-digit micromolar IC50 values, compounds 8b, 8d, 10a-b, and 10d were the most potent agents.•They exerted negligible cytotoxicity against the normal human lung MRC5 cell line.•8b, 8d, 10a-b, and 10d were investigated for their EGFR and VEGFR-2 inhibitory activities. In the current medical era, human health is confronted with various challenges, with cancer being a prominent concern. Therefore, enhancing the therapeutic arsenal for cancer with a constant influx of novel molecules that selectively target tumor cells while displaying minimal toxicity toward normal cells is imperative. This study delves into the antiproliferative and EGFR kinase inhibitory activities of newly reported spirooxindole-pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine derivatives 8a-h and 10a-h. The inhibitory effects on the growth of human cancer cell lines A-549 (lung carcinoma), Panc-1 (pancreatic carcinoma), and A-431 (skin epidermoid carcinoma) were evaluated, and the SAR has been clarified through analysis. With IC50 values in the single-digit micromolar range, compounds 8b, 8d, 10a-b, and 10d were shown to be the most effective antiproliferative candidates against the studied cancer cell lines. They also exerted negligible cytotoxicity (with selectivity scores between 8.63 and 30.02) against the human lung MRC5 cell line. Additionally, we investigated the potential inhibitory action of compounds 8b, 8d, 10a-b, and 10d on EGFR and VEGFR-2. 10a was this investigation’s most effective EGFR inhibitor, with an IC50 value of 0.54 μM. Ultimately, the molecular docking analysis of congener 10a highlighted its effective suppression of EGFR by examining its binding mode and docking score compared to Erlotinib. These findings underscore the potential of spirooxindole-pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine derivatives as promising anticancer agents targeting EGFR kinase.