Synthesis, evaluation, and mechanism study of novel benzimidazole acylhydrazone derivatives for antitumor activity

This study focuses on the design, synthesis, and evaluation of benzimidazole derivatives for their anti-tumor activity against A549 and PC-3 cells. Initial screening using the MTT assay identified compound 5m as the most potent inhibitor of A549 cells with an IC₅₀ of 7.19 μM, which was superior to the positive agents 5-Fluorouracil and Gefitinib. Cellular mechanism studies elucidated 5m arrests cell cycle at G2/M phase, induces apoptosis along with the decrease of mitochondrial membrane potential and increased reactive oxygen species. Colony formation and wound healing assays demonstrated that 5m markedly inhibited the clonogenic and migratory abilities of A549 cells. Western blot analysis showed an upregulation of pro-apoptotic protein Bax, downregulation of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, and significant downregulation of cell cycle proteins CyclinB1 and CDK-1. These findings suggest that compound 5m effectively suppresses A549 cell proliferation and migration through multiple mechanisms, highlighting its potential as a novel anti-lung cancer agent.