Fluorined Mono-carbonyl Curcumin Analogues Induce Reactive Oxygen Species to Enhance Apoptosis in Human Colon Cancer HCT116 Cells

Mono-carbonyl curcumin (MAC), the curcumin-inspired anticancer agent, has shown potent stability and potential anti-proliferation in vitro activity. Colon cancer is one of the leading cause of cancers deaths in the world. Fluorined MACs (la) exhibited potent apoptosis activity in lung cancer cells. In order to develop new cytotoxic agents for colon cancer, we investigated the anticancer effects and the underlying mechanism of la in colon cancers. Fluorined MACs showed an equal or more potent cytotoxic than curcumin. la could induce apoptosis of HCT116 cells through the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential. These results indicated that targeting ROS production could be a potent pathway for the expansion of new anti-colon cancer agents.