Novel indole-based sigma-2 receptor ligands: synthesis, structure–affinity relationship and antiproliferative activity

We report the synthesis and biological evaluation of a series of indole-based σ2 receptor ligands derived from siramesine. In vitro competition binding assays showed that these analogues possessed high to moderate affinity and selectivity for σ₂ receptors. Structure–affinity relationship analyses of these indole-based σ₂ receptor ligands were performed. In the 3-(4,5-dimethythiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, 1a and 1b displayed significant and comparable antiproliferative activity in DU145, MCF7 and C6 cells to siramesine. In cell cycle analyses, compounds 1a, 1b and siramesine were found to induce a G₁ phase cell cycle arrest in DU145 cells using flow cytometry. The combination of 5,6-dimethoxyisoindoline scaffold and N-(4-fluorophenyl)indole moiety was identified as a new σ₂ receptor ligand deserving further investigation as an antitumor agent.