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Recently, a series of novel arylthioindole compounds, potent inhibitors of tubulin polymerization and cancer cell growth, were synthesized. In the present study the effects of 2-(1H-pyrrol-3-yl)-3-((3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)thio)-1H-indole (ATI5 compound) on cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, and induction of apoptosis in human T-cell acute leukemia Jurkat cells and their multidrug resistant Jurkat/A4 subline were investigated. Treatment of the Jurkat cells with the ATI5 compound for 48 hrs resulted in a strong G2/M cell cycle arrest and p53-independent apoptotic cell death accompanied by the induction of the active form of caspase-3 and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) cleavage. ATI5 treatment also caused non-cell death related mitotic arrest in multidrug resistant Jurkat/A4 cells after 48 hrs of treatment suggesting promising opportunities for the further design of pyrrole-containing ATI compounds as anticancer agents. Cell death resistance of Jurkat/A4 cells to ATI5 compound was associated with alterations in the expression of pro-survival and anti-apoptotic protein-coding and microRNA genes. More importantly, findings showing that ATI5 treatment induced p53-independent apoptosis are of great importance from a therapeutic point of view since p53 mutations are common genetic alterations in human neoplasms.

Two novel tetracyclic derivatives, namely 5 and 8, have been synthesized by intramolecular cyclization of the 10-bromoacetyl-10,11-dihydro-11-ethoxycarbonylpyrrolo[1,2-b] [1,2,5]benzothiadiazepine 5,5-dioxide (3) and, respectively, the bis-methylamide of 11-carboxy-10,11-dihydropyrrolo[1,2-b] [1,2,5]benzothiadiazepine-11-acetic acid 5,5-dioxide (4). The last compound formed when treating with an excess of methylamine either the lactam 5 or the diethyl ester of 11-carboxy-10,11-dihydropyrrolo[1,2-b] [1,2,5]benzothiadiazepine-11-acetic acid 5,5-dioxide (7). An unambiguous synthesis of the diester 7 was achieved to confirm the chemical structure of derivatives 4 and 5.