Halogenated indole-3-acetic acids as oxidatively activated prodrugs with potential for targeted cancer therapy

Substituted indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) derivatives, plant auxins with potential for use as prodrugs in enzyme-prodrug directed cancer therapies, were oxidised with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and toxicity against V79 Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts was determined. Rate constants for oxidation by HRP compound I were also measured. Halogenated IAAs were found to be the most cytotoxic, with typical surviving fractions of <10−3 after incubation for 2 h with 100 μM prodrug and HRP.