A novel inhibitor of human telomerase derived from 10H-indolo[3,2-b]quinoline

The bis-dimethylaminoethyl derivative of quindoline (10H-indolo[3,2-b]quinoline), an alkaloid from the West African shrub Cryptolepis sanguinolenta, has been synthesised. This has been shown to have modest cytotoxicity, as well as inhibitory activity against the telomerase enzyme. It is hypothesised that the latter activity is due to stabilisation of an intermediate guanine-quadruplex complex, in accordance with computer modelling. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.