Regulation of VEGF gene expression by bisacridine derivative through promoter i-motif for cancer treatment

Background Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is overexpressed in most malignant tumors, which has important impact on tumor angiogenesis and development. Its gene promoter i-motif structure formed by C-rich sequence can regulate gene expression, which is a promising new target for anti-tumor therapy. Methods We screened various compounds and studied their effects on VEGF through extensive experiments, including SPR, MST, TO displacement, FRET, CD, ESI-MS, NMR, MTT, clone formation, qPCR, Western blot, dual-luciferase reporter assay, immunofluorescence, cell scrape, apoptosis, transwell assay, and animal model. Results After extensive screening, bisacridine derivative B09 was found to have selective binding and stabilization to VEGF promoter i-motif, which could down-regulate VEGF gene expression. B09 showed potent inhibition on MCF-7 and HGC-27 cell proliferation and metastasis. B09 significantly inhibited tumor growth in xenograft mice model with HGC-27 cells, showing decreased VEGF expression analyzed through immunohistochemistry. Conclusion B09 could specifically regulate VEGF gene expression, possibly through interacting with promoter i-motif structure. As a lead compound, B09 could be further developed for innovative anti-cancer agent targeting VEGF.