New anacardic acid-inspired benzamides: histone lysine acetyltransferase activators.

A series of N-(4-cyano-3-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-2-ethoxy-6-alkyl (and alkenyl) benzamides related to the anacardic acid derivative CTPB have been prepared from 2,6-dihydroxybenzoic acid with a Suzuki coupling and addition of the anion of 4-cyano-3-trifluoromethylphenylamine to a benzodioxinone as the key steps. In U937 cells, these analogues, in particular 7 c, 7 d, 7 f and 7 j, induced cell-cycle arrest in the G1 phase, caused apoptosis in about 20 % of the cells, and increased the acetylation levels of H3. These activities correlate with the enzymatic activation of histone lysine acetyltransferases (KATs): CBP and PCAF.