In the course of our screening, N-hydroxy-2-(naphthalene-2-ylsulfanyl)-acetamide (1), which contains a metal-chelating hydroxamate group, has been identified as a potent inhibitor of aminopeptidase N (APN, EC 3.4.11.2). Compound 1 potently inhibited APN activity with a K(i) value of 3.5 microM. It also inhibited the basic fibroblast growth-factor-induced invasion of bovine aortic endothelial cells at low micromolar concentrations.