Synthesis of coumarin derivatives and investigation of their inhibitory effects on lung cancer cell motility

Based on the pharmaceutical potentials of coumarins, which have antitumor activity, we synthesized new coumarin derivatives and evaluated their biological activities. The new coumarin derivatives were chemically synthesized from 4-hydroxycoumarin, and their structures were confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance data. Ten of the synthesized compounds were investigated for antimetastatic activity against lung carcinoma cells. Several of the tested compounds showed good to mild inhibitory effects on lung cancer cell motility. There were no cytotoxic effects related to the use of these compounds. 4-Hydroxycoumarin derivatives, 4h and 4i, elicited the significant inhibitory effect on lung cancer cell motility by suppressing expression of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers N-cadherin, Snail, and Twist.

Automated summary

This study synthesized new coumarin derivatives and evaluated their biological activities. Several of the tested compounds showed inhibitory effects on lung cancer cell motility, without causing cytotoxic effects. The 4-hydroxycoumarin derivatives 4h and 4i significantly inhibited lung cancer cell motility by suppressing expression of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers N-cadherin, Snail, and Twist.