Evaluation of biological properties of 3,3′,4,4′-benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride derivatives and their ability to inhibit hexokinase activity

Abstract This investigation has explored the properties of 3,3′,4,4′-benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride (BDTA) derivatives with regard to their being prospective inhibitors of hexokinase II (HKII). A pluripotent embryonic carcinoma cell line P19 (ECC), was used as the biological target for newly generated potential inhibitors of HKII. The results obtained from Virtual High-Throughput Screening (VHTS), molecular modeling and biological activity studies showed BDTA to be a promising leading structure with a good binding score and simplest functionalization. The inhibitory effect was measured after 72 h incubation. Of selected BDTA derivatives, the most active was compound 3b , containing 3-hydroxyphenyl moiety in the para position, being able at 100 μM to decrease the mass of differentiated P19dCs cells by 30%, changing both the mitochondrial transmembrane potential and reactive oxygen species level. Under these conditions, only compound 3b had the ability to decrease hexokinase activity in a dose-dependent manner.