A novel mithramycin analogue with high antitumor activity and less toxicity generated by combinatorial biosynthesis

Mithramycin is an antitumor compound produced by Streptomyces argillaceus that has been used for the treatment of several types of tumors and hypercalcaemia processes. However, its use in humans has been limited because of its side effects. Using combinatorial biosynthesis approaches, we have generated seven new mithramycin derivatives, which differ from the parental compound in the sugar profile or in both the sugar profile and the 3-side chain. From these studies three novel derivatives were identified, demycarosyl-3D-β-d-digitoxosylmithramycin SK, demycarosylmithramycin SDK, and demycarosyl-3D-β-d-digitoxosylmithramycin SDK, which show high antitumor activity. The first one, which combines two structural features previously found to improve pharmacological behavior, was generated following two different strategies, and it showed less toxicity than mithramycin. Preliminary in vivo evaluation of its antitumor activity through hollow fiber assays, and in subcutaneous colon and melanoma cancers xenografts models, suggests that demycarosyl-3D-β-d-digitoxosylmithramycin SK could be a promising antitumor agent worthy of further investigation.     

Synthesis, mode of action, and biological activities of rebeccamycin bromo derivatives.

Bromo analogues of the natural metabolite rebeccamycin with and without a methyl substituent on the imide nitrogen were synthesized. The effects of the drugs on protein kinase C, the binding to DNA, and the effect on topoisomerase I were determined. The drugs' uptake and their antiproliferative activities against P388 leukemia cells sensitive and resistant to camptothecin, their antimicrobial activity against a Gram-positive bacterium (B. cereus), and their anti-HIV-1 activity were measured and compared to those of the chlorinated and dechlorinated analogues. Dibrominated imide 5 shows a remarkable activity against topoisomerase I, affecting both the kinase and DNA cleavage activity of the enzyme. The marked cytotoxic potency of this compound depends essentially on its capacity to inhibit topoisomerase I.     

Selective binding to human genomic sequences of two synthetic analogues structurally related to U‐71184 and adozelesin

In this paper, we analyse the in vitro sequence‐selectivity of two synthetic analogues of U‐71184 and adozelesin by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) performed on human genomic DNA. In addition, Dnase footprinting and nucleotide sequence analysis on arrested‐PCR products were performed to confirm sequence‐selective binding. Finally, the antitumor effects were studied in vitro on human leukemic L1210 cells. The binding activity of the two newly synthesized compounds to human gene sequences was compared with the CC‐1065 analogue U‐71184, the A+T sequence‐selective drug distamycin and the G+C sequence‐selective drugs mithramycin and chromomycin. As molecular model systems for in vitro DNA‐binding studies we used the human estrogen receptor gene and the Ha‐ras oncogene. In some experiments the PCR approach was performed using as target DNA a portion of the long terminal repeat (LTR) of the human immunodeficiency type 1 virus (HIV‐1). These genomic regions contain sequences that are different with respect to A+T/G+C ratios, being the upstream sequence of the human estrogen receptor gene A+T rich, while the Ha‐ras and HIV‐1 LTR sequences contain G+C–rich regions. The first conclusion that can be drawn from the experiments reported in our paper is that the two newly synthetized analogues of U‐71184 and adozelesin inhibit PCR‐mediated amplification of genomic regions in a sequence‐dependent manner. A second conclusion of our experiments is that these compounds are active inhibitors of tumor cell growth in vitro. Drug Dev. Res. 46:96–106, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Influence of minor groove binders on the eukaryotic topoisomerase II cleavage reaction with 41 base pair model oligonucleotides

Summary This report deals with the cleavage reaction of calf thymus (CT) topoisomerase II with oligonucleotides containing one main cleavage site and adjacent binding sites for minor groove binders. The sequences of the oligonucleotides were derived from a pBR 322 sequence, which contains one main topoisomerase II cleavage site. The cleavage reaction was performed under increasing concentrations of minor groove binders and it showed characteristic inhibition dependences of topoisomerase II to the binding sites and to the binding length of the minor groove binders. The extension of the minor groove binder length on DNA from 4 to 10 base pairs (bp) by netropsin and bis-netropsin, respectively, causes a strong increase of the topoisomerase II cleavage inhibition. The same is observed by the introduction of a second minor groove binder sequence symmetrically positioned around the topoisomerase II main cleavage site. The combination of two different minor groove binders can lead to an increased topoisomerase II inhibition but also to a prevention of total inhibition as shown with chromomycin A₃ and distamycin A at concentrations of 0.1 and 0.25 M, respectively.     

DNA sequence selectivity of three biosynthetic analogues of the quinoxaline antibiotics

Mono- and bis-quinoline analogues of echinomycin, and a bis-3-amino-quinoxaline analogue of triostin A, have been prepared by directed biosynthesis and investigated for sequence selectivity in binding to DNA. Binding isotherms for bis-3-amino triostin A interacting with four natural and two synthetic DNA species have been determined by using solvent-partition analysis with radiolabelled antibiotic. They reveal a similar pattern of preferences to that seen with the parent compound: tighter binding occurs with the more guanine and cytosine (GC)-rich DNAs and in every case the association constant is increased two- to five-fold over the value recorded for triostin A. Deoxyribonuclease I footprinting patterns measured for the quinoline analogues of echinomycin differ from those observed with the parent antibiotic in that an additional strong site of protection occurs around the CpG sequence at position 35 in the tyrT fragment. Footprints for bis-3-amino triostin A reveal a substantially more selective pattern of cleavage inhibition than seen with the natural antibiotics: only two or three distinct binding sites are identified in tyrT DNA and four in pTyr2 DNA. Each is centred around one or more CpG steps, but many more CpG-containing sequences are unprotected. The analogue seems to prefer CpG steps flanked by at least one adenine and thymine (AT) pair, optimally ACGN. Enhancement of cutting at AT-rich sequences surrounding their binding sites is seen with all three of the new antibiotics. The results lend weight to the idea that novel sequence selectivity can be attained by making appropriate substitution on the chromophores of quinoxaline antibiotics.     

Chemical synthesis and structure–activity relationships of Ts κ, a novel scorpion toxin acting on apamin-sensitive SK channel

Abstract: Tityus kappa (Ts κ), a novel toxin from the venom of the scorpion Tityus serrulatus, is a 35-residue polypeptide cross-linked by three disulphide bridges and acts on small-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels (SK channels). Ts κ was chemically synthesized using the solid-phase method and characterized. The synthetic product, sTs κ, was indistinguishable from the natural toxin when tested in vitro in competition assay with radiolabelled apamin for binding to rat brain synaptosomes (IC₅₀ = 3 nm ). The sTs κ was further tested in vivo for lethal activity to mice following intracerebroventricular inoculation (LD₅₀ = 70 ng per mouse). The half-cystine pairings were formerly established by enzyme-based cleavage of sTs κ; they were between Cys₇–Cys₂₈, Cys₁₃–Cys₃₃ and Cys₁₇–Cys₃₅, which is a disulphide bridge pattern similar to that of other short scorpion toxins. According to previous studies on SK channel-acting toxins, the putative influence of certain basic residues of Ts κ (i.e. Arg₆, Arg₉, Lys₁₈, Lys₁₉) in its pharmacological activity was investigated using synthetic point-mutated analogues of the toxin with an Ala substitution at these positions. Data from binding assay, together with conformational analysis of the synthetic analogues by ¹H-NMR, suggest that Arg₆, and to a lesser extent Arg₉, are important residues for an high-affinity interaction of this toxin with SK channels; interestingly these residues are located outside the α-helical structure, whereas the pharmacologically important basic residues from other SK channel-specific toxins had been located inside the α-helix.     

Ceftriaxone pharmacokinetics during peritoneal dialysis

Summary The purpose of this study was to investigate the pharmacokinetics of intraperitoneally (IP) administered ceftriaxone (CRO) in patients maintained on chronic peritoneal dialysis. A single 2 g dose of CRO was administered IP to six adult patients who did not have peritonitis at the time of study. After a 5 hour dwell, the peritoneal fluid was exchanged with CRO-free fluid. Exchanges were carried out every 4 to 8 h, over a 24- to 28-h period. The peak total plasma CRO concentration was 104 µg/ml. An average of 74.1% of the IP dose of CRO was absorbed. Plasma protein binding was nonlinear; mean free fraction ranged from 12.8 to 17.9% at low and high concentrations. Dialysate concentrations at the end of subsequent exchanges ranged from means of 19.9 to 2.9 µg/ml. Total CRO clearance from plasma was 10.1 ml·kg^–1·h^–1 and the mean terminal t_1/2 was 12.7 h. Dialytic clearance averaged 0.69 ml·kg^–1·h^–1, only 6.9% of total clearance. A model which incorporates known characteristics of CRO binding and distribution in anuric patients was used to simulate plasma and peritoneal concentrations of CRO during multiple dose IP drug administration.     

The SK3/K(Ca)2.3 potassium channel is a new cellular target for edelfosine

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The 1-O-octadecyl-2-O-methyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (edelfosine) is an ether-linked phospholipid with promising anti-cancer properties but some side effects that preclude its full clinical therapeutic exploitation. We hypothesized that this lipid could interact with plasma membrane ion channels and modulate their function.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

Using cell migration-proliferation assays, patch clamp, spectrofluorimetry and ¹²⁵I-Apamin binding experiments, we studied the effects of edelfosine on the migration of breast cancer MDA-MB-435s cells, mediated by the small conductance Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channel, SK3/K_Ca2.3.

KEY RESULTS

Edelfosine (1 µM) caused plasma membrane depolarization by substantially inhibiting activity of SK3/K_Ca2.3 channels, which we had previously demonstrated to play an important role in cancer cell migration. Edelfosine did not inhibit ¹²⁵I-Apamin binding to this SK_Ca channel; rather, it reduced the calcium sensitivity of SK3/K_Ca2.3 channel and dramatically decreased intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration, probably by insertion in the plasma membrane, as suggested by proteinase K experiments. Edelfosine reduced cell migration to the same extent as known SK_Ca channel blockers. In contrast, K+ channel openers prevented edelfosine-induced anti-migratory effects. SK3 protein knockdown decreased cell migration and totally abolished the effect of edelfosine on MDA-MB-435s cell migration. In contrast, transient expression of SK3/K_Ca2.3 protein in a SK3/K_Ca2.3-deficient cell line increased cell migration and made these cells responsive to edelfosine.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Our data clearly establish edelfosine as an inhibitor of cancer cell migration by acting on SK3/K_Ca2.3 channels and provide insights into the future development of a new class of migration-targeted, anti-cancer agents.     

Molecular mechanism of binding of pyrrolo(1,4)benzodiazepine antitumour agents to deoxyribonucleic acid--anthramycin and tomaymycin.

The synthesis of 3,3-dimethyl-4-oxo-3,4-dihydroquinoline (16), 3,3-dimethyl-4-oxo-2-methoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline (17). and of 1 1a-S-pyrrolo(1, 4)benzodiazepine (21) as models to study the mechanism of action of the pyrrolo(1, 4)benzodiazepine antitumour antibiotics is described. Both 16 and 21 readily add nucleophiles to the imine bond but only 21, like the parent antibiotics, readily produces covalent attachment to DNA. The extent of binding of the pyrrolo(1, 4)benzodiazepine antibiotics to DNA, measured by suppression of ethidium fluorescence, is proportional to the antibiotic concentration and is partly reversed by a heat-denaturation-renaturation cycle. The extent of binding of the pyrrolo(1, 4)benzodiazepines to DNA is also promoted by lower pH (range 4.7 to 9) and higher temperatures (range 0–51°), and the DNA-antibiotic complex is stable to dialysis. There is no evidence that these antibiotics intercalate into DNA, assayed by calf thymus topoisomerase, but they are more reactive toward relaxed PM2-DNA than to supercoiled DNA. Examination of DNA binding of the antitumour antibiotics and their analogues to DNAs of different base composition and separately in conjunction with sequence specific binding agents showed little base preference for the binding. Reaction of the pyrrolo(1, 4)benzodiazepines with DNA produces neither depurination, assayed with endonuclease VI, nor strand scission. A free or potential carbinolamine or imine function at the 10, 11 positions in a benzo(1, 4)diazepine nucleus is an absolute requirement for DNA binding or for reaction with nucleophiles. These results with the native antibiotics and their analogues, in particular the N-acetyl compound 7 favor a molecular mechanism of action by acid-promoted addition of biological nucleophiles to the 10, 11 conjugated imine closely analogous to that proposed for the antitumour agent maytansine.     

Discovery of Anilinopyrimidines as Dual Inhibitors of c-Met and VEGFR-2: Synthesis,SAR, and Cellular Activity

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Mechanism of ascididemin-induced cytotoxicity

Some marine animals are rich sources of unique polycyclic aromatic alkaloids that are cytotoxic against tumor cell lines and effective in mouse tumor xenograft models. Ascididemin is a pyridoacridine alkaloid originally derived from a Didemnum sp. tunicate. It has potent cytotoxicity against tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. Preclinical screening at NCI revealed the antineoplastic activities of ascididemin and a synthetic analogue 48. Ascididemin has been reported to inhibit topoisomerase II and induce topoisomerase II-mediated DNA cleavage. This study, however, focuses on the unique ability of ascididemin and two synthetic analogues (48 and 109) to cleave DNA in the absence of topoisomerase I or II. An in vitro assay revealed their concentration-dependent ability to cleave DNA and identified dithiothreitol as the sole requirement for maximal activity. On the basis of shared structural features of the three analogues, a double N-bay region and iminoquinone heterocyclic ring, two possible mechanisms of action were hypothesized: (1) generation of reactive oxygen species facilitated by metal binding to the common phenanthroline bay region, and (2) production of reactive oxygen species by direct reduction of the iminoquinone moiety. Experimental results supported direct iminoquinone reduction and ROS generation as the mechanism of ascididemin cytotoxicity. Antioxidants protected against DNA cleavage in vitro and protected cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells from toxicity. Additionally, it was shown that cells deficient in the ability to repair reactive oxygen species damage to their DNA were more susceptible to ascididemin and analogues than repair competent cells. Ascididemin-treated cells were also shown to induce oxygen-stress related proteins, further implicating the production of reactive oxygen species as the mechanism of cytotoxicity for these molecules.     

Biochemical lesions in DNA associated with the antiproliferative effects of mitoxantrone in the hepatoma cell

The H-35 rat hepatoma cell was markedly more sensitive to the anthracenedione mitoxantrone (IC50, 0.05 microM) than to the anthracycline antibiotics daunorubicin (IC50, 0.5 microM) and Adriamycin (IC50, 2.5 microM). In the rat hepatoma cell, mitoxantrone inhibited DNA and protein syntheses, with minimal effects on RNA synthesis. In contrast to daunorubicin, mitoxantrone induced both DNA strand breaks and DNA-protein cross links. The capacity of mitoxantrone to induce more extensive DNA cleavage than anthracycline antibiotics such as daunorubicin may be related to the sustained cellular retention of mitoxantrone (62% of accumulated drug) as compared to that for daunorubicin (32% of accumulated drug). Protein-associated DNA cleavage is likely to be one of the primary lesions contributing to the antiproliferative activity of mitoxantrone in the hepatoma cell, although marked growth inhibition was observed without corresponding alterations in DNA integrity.     

Targeting 5'-deoxy-5'-(methylthio)adenosine phosphorylase by 5'-haloalkyl analogues of 5'-deoxy-5'-(methylthio)adenosine

A series of 5'-haloalkyl-modified analogues of 5'-deoxy-5'-(methylthio)adenosine (MTA), a nucleoside byproduct of polyamine biosynthesis, has been synthesized: 5'-deoxy-5'-[(2-monofluoroethyl)thio]adenosine (10), 5'-deoxy-5'-[(2-chloroethyl)thio]adenosine (4), 5'-deoxy-5'-[(2-bromoethyl)thio] adenosine (5), and 5'-deoxy-5'-[(3-monofluoropropyl)thio]adenosine (13). On the basis of their abilities to serve as substrates of MTA phosphorylase prepared from mouse liver, several of these analogues were characterized for their growth inhibitory effects in MTA phosphorylase-containing (murine L5178Y and human MOLT-4) and MTA phosphorylase-deficient (murine L1210 and human CCRF-CEM) leukemia cell lines. The MTA phosphorylase-containing tumor cell lines, especially of human origin, were found to be more sensitive to treatment by these analogues. Of the analogue series, 10 was the most potent inhibitor of growth in each of the cell lines tested. The analogues, especially compound 10, displayed a reduced capacity to alter polyamine pools relative to MTA, mechanistically indicating a decreased potential for interactions at sites other than MTA phosphorylase. The results indicate that of the analogues tested, compound 10 displayed the best inhibitor/substrate interaction with MTA phosphorylase, which, in turn, correlated with more potent growth inhibition in tumor cell lines containing MTA phosphorylase. Overall, this supports the concept that MTA phosphorylase plays a role in the activation of such analogues.     

A novel series of chlorinated plastoquinone analogs: Design,synthesis, and evaluation of anticancer activity

Herein, we report the synthesis and cytotoxic effects of novel chlorinated plastoquinone analogs ( ABQ1–17 ) against different leukemic cells. Compounds ABQ3 , ABQ11 , and ABQ12 demonstrated a pronounced antiproliferative effect against chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) K562 cell line with IC₅₀ values of 0.82 ± 0.07, 0.28 ± 0.03, and 0.98 ± 0.22 μM, respectively. Among them, ABQ11 showed approximately three times higher selectivity than imatinib on CML. ABQ11 ‐treated CML cells induced significant apoptosis at low concentration. Inhibitory effect of ABQ11 against eight different tyrosine kinases, including ABL1, was investigated. ABQ11 inhibited ABL1 with IC₅₀ value of 13.12 ± 1.71 μM, indicating that the moderate inhibition of ABL1 kinase is just an in‐part mechanism of its outstanding cellular activity. Molecular docking of ABQ11 into ABL1 kinase ATP‐binding pocket revealed the formation of some key interactions. Furthermore, DNA cleavage assay showed that ABQ11 strongly disintegrated DNA at 1 μM concentration in the presence of iron (II) complex system, assuming that the major mechanism for the anticancer effects of ABQ11 is DNA cleavage. In silico ADMET prediction revealed that ABQ11 is a drug‐like small molecule with a favorable safety profile. Taken together, ABQ11 is a potential antiproliferative hit compound that exhibits unique cytotoxic activity distinct from imatinib.     

Synthesis and evaluation of the cytotoxicities of tetraindoles: observation that the 5-hydroxy tetraindole (SK228) induces G₂ arrest and apoptosis in human breast cancer cells

Current chemical and biological interest in indole-3-carbinol (I3C) and its metabolites has resulted in the discovery of new biologically active indoles. As part of a program aimed at the development of indole analogues, tetraindoles 1-15 were prepared and their antiproliferative effects on human breast cancer cells were evaluated. The results show that the 5-hydroxy-tetraindole 8 (SK228) has optimum antiproliferative activity against breast adenocarcinoma (MCF 7 and MDA-MB-231) cells and that this activity involves G(2)-phase arrest of the cell cycle with a distinctive increase in the expression of cyclin B1 and phospho-cdc2. Further observations suggest that 5-hydroxy-tetraindole 8 induces apoptosis through externalization of membrane phosphatidylserine, DNA fragmentation, and activation of caspase-3. Given the fact that I3C and its metabolites have been shown to improve therapeutic efficacy and to have a broad range of antitumor activities in human cancer cells, the current findings have important pharmacological relevance as they open a promising route to the development of a potential chemotherapeutic application of tetraindoles as agents for the treatment of breast cancer.     

Impact of cytosine 5-halogens on the interaction of DNA with restriction endonucleases and methyltransferase

Growing evidence from both prokaryotes and eukaryotes indicates that pyrimidine 5-methyl groups can have profound biological consequences that are mediated by the affinity of DNA-protein interactions. The presence of the 5-methyl group could potentially create a steric block preventing the binding of some proteins whereas the affinity of many other proteins is substantially increased by pyrimidine methylation. In this paper, we have constructed a series of oligonucleotides containing cytosine and a series of 5-substituted cytosine analogues including all halogens. This set of oligonucleotides has been used to probe the relationship between the size of the substituent and its capacity to modulate cleavage by the methylation-sensitive restriction endonucleases MspI and HpaII. Additionally, we have examined the impact of the halogen substitution on the corresponding bacterial methyltransferase (M.HpaII). We observed that MspI cleavage is only subtly affected by substituted cytosine analogues at the inner position of the CCGG recognition site. In contrast, HpaII cleaves cytosine-containing oligonucleotides completely whereas 5-fluorocytosine-containing oligonucleotides are cleaved at a reduced rate. The presence of the larger halogens Cl, Br, or I as well as a methyl group completely prevents cleavage by HpaII. These data suggest that the steric wall is encountered by HpaII slightly beyond the fluorine substituent, at about 2.65 A from the pyrimidine C5-position. It is known that 5-fluorocytosine in an oligonucleotide can form a covalent irreversible suicide complex with either prokaryotic or eukaryotic methyltransferases. Kinetic data reported here suggest that the 5-fluorocytosine-containing oligonucleotide can also inhibit M.HpaII by formation of a reversible, noncovalent complex. Our results indicate that although a 5-Cl substituent has electronic properties similar to 5-F, 5-chlorocytosine duplexes neither form a complex with M.HpaII nor inhibit enzymatic methylation. Emerging data suggest that halogenation of cytosine can occur in DNA in vivo from inflammation-mediated reactive molecules. The results reported here suggest that the inadvertent halogenation of cytosine residues in DNA could alter the affinity of sequence-specific DNA-binding proteins.     

Characterization of [3H]-heparin binding in human vascular smooth muscle cells and its relationship to the inhibition of DNA synthesis.

1. The glycosaminoglycan heparin inhibits vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation and migration, but the mechanism of its antiproliferative action remains unclear. Heparin has been reported to bind to high affinity cell surface sites on animal VSMC before undergoing receptor mediated endocytosis resulting in signal transduction into the cytoplasm and modulation of genes involved in proliferation. In this study, we have characterized the binding of [3H]-heparin to human saphenous vein-derived VSMC and examined whether there is any relationship between the affinity of [3H]-heparin binding and the inhibitory effect of heparin and its structural analogues on DNA synthesis. 2. At 4 degrees C [3H]-heparin binding to human VSMC occurred in a specific, time and concentration-dependent manner and was not influenced by the removal of calcium ions. Binding of the ligand appeared to occur to the cell surface and was both saturable and reversible. Kinetic and steady state data indicated a single class of binding sites. 3. The pharmacology of [3H]-heparin binding was examined in displacement studies using unlabelled heparin and structural analogues. A comparison of the rank potencies of heparin, heparan sulphate fraction II, low molecular weight heparin and trehalose octasulphate showed that there was a marked discrepancy between their estimated affinities in the binding assays and their effect on DNA synthesis. 4. In summary, we have characterized the heparin binding site on human saphenous vein-derived VSMC. Our findings suggest that the action of heparin and its analogues on DNA synthesis does not simply reflect an interaction with the cell-associated heparin binding site defined in these studies, but may also be determined by the internalization and metabolism of the glycosaminoglycan(s).