Tumor necrosis factor-alpha production enhancing activity of substituted 3'-methylthalidomide: Influence of substituents at the phthaloyl moiety on the activity and stereoselectivity

The synthesis and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α production enhancing activity of substituted 3'-methyl-thalidomides on human leukemia cell line HL-60 stimulated with 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol 13-acetate (TPA) are described. Though the introduction of an electron-donating amino group at the phthaloyl moiety of α-methylthalidomides enhanced the activity, substituted α-methylthalidomides showed decreased stereoselectivity as compared to that of non-substituted α-methylthalidomide. The data indicates that the TNF-α production enhancing activity of thalidomide derivatives depends on both the electronic-state of substituents at the fused benzene ring and the stereochemistry of the glutarimide moiety.