Design and synthesis of silicon-containing tubulin polymerization inhibitors: Replacement of the ethylene moiety of combretastatin A-4 with a silicon linker
Silicon-containing combretastatin analogs were designed, synthesized and evaluated for stability and biological activities. Among them, compound 31 exhibited strong tubulin polymerization-inhibitory activity and very potent tumor cell growth-inhibitory activity (IC50 = 0.007 μM) in MCF-7 cell proliferation assay. This compound also potently inhibited [3H]colchicine binding (90.7% inhibition at 3 μM)