Abstract
The imidazoquinoxalines (imiqualines), original bioactive molecules and chemical analogues of imiquimod and with significant anti-cancer potential, were explored in order to elucidate their mechanisms of action. The molecules EAPB0203 and EAPB0503 identified in previous studies as leader, showed potent in vitro cytotoxic effect on human cancer cell lines of melanoma and T lymphoma. We studied the cytotoxic effect 13 newly synthesized imiqualines on a cell line of human melanoma (A375). All compounds showed a significant cytotoxic effect. The cytotoxic effect was shown on other human cancer cell lines (colon, breast and adult T lymphoma).A cell cycle block in G2 / M phase was demonstrated by flow cytometry on A375 cells treated with EAPB0203 and EAPB0503. This cell cycle arrest seems to be related with an inhibitory effect on the polymerization of tubulin. Indeed, our results showed that EAPB0503 and three other imiqualines inhibit tubulin polymerization. The molecular modeling study of binding to tubulin showed that these compounds bind at the colchicine site.A transcriptomic analysis on EAPB0503 was performed to elucidate the mechanism of action of imiqualines. This study was made on the A375 line compared with 13 approuved anticancer molecules. This transcriptomic study showed that EAPB0503 has an antitubulin effect while revealing a novel mechanism of action. Two mechanistic hypotheses for EAPB0503 were identified: 1/ alteration of the signaling pathway linked to integrin, 2/ alteration of the signaling pathway TNFR receptor and FasL.In vitro functional analyses have allowed us to explore these hypotheses. Thus, alteration only PI3K / AKT and RAS / MAPK signaling pathways, both related to integrins, was observed. The first hypothesis seems confirmed. Moreover, this result was confirmed by the study of the expression and phosphorylation of ERK.Finally, we developed an intravenously injectable formulation of EAPB0503 based on nanocapsules. This formulation was first tested in vitro and in vivo on lymphoma model. These studies could highlight the lack of toxicity of empty nanoparticles and retention of the cytotoxic activity of encapsulated EAPB0503 in vitro, with an in vivo immunomodulatory effect which needs to be explored.