(E)-2-Benzylidenebenzocyclanones: Part VII. Investigation of the conjugation reaction of two cytotoxic cyclic chalcone analogues with glutathione: an HPLC–MS study

Abstract  

The non-enzyme-catalyzed reaction of reduced glutathione (GSH) with two tumor cell cytotoxic cyclic chalcone analogues was investigated by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). HPLC analysis of the reaction mixtures indicated the formation of two diastereomeric chalcone–GSH adducts in each case, whose structural assignments were supported by MALDI-TOF-MS and HPLC–MS with electrospray ionization (ESI) measurements. Such reactivity accounts for the previously observed effect of the two cyclic chalcone analogues on the in vivo cellular thiol level of Jurkat T cells.