Naphthoquinone compounds are one of several core chemical structures that have been investigated as effective cancer therapeutics. A problem with existing drugs is nonspecific targeting of healthy cells. One of the hallmarks of most cancer cells is increased expression of the L-type amino acid transporter (LAT1) to fulfill abnormal nutrition needs. To capitalize on these molecular changes, we developed a panel of naphthoquinone compounds, including LAT-1 derivatives, and examined their potency and specificity in various cell lines. Several naphthoquinone compounds tested, including LAT-1 modified structure synthesized by our group, showed significant impact on cell viability in prostate, breast, and lung cancer lines. Moreover, when tested in non-cancerous HEK293 with low expression of LAT1, the potency was significantly less, suggesting it exhibited specific targeting of cancer cells. We are generating IC50 values and evaluating the specificity of the drug candidates. Future studies will investigate their potential signaling pathways and molecular targets.
