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D S Duch

Publications and source records attributed to D S Duch.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Benzo[f]quinazoline inhibitors of thymidylate synthase: methyleneamino-linked aroylglutamate derivatives.

Syntheses of several new inhibitors of thymidylate synthase (TS) structurally related to folic acid are described in which the pterin portion of the folate molecule is replaced by a benzo[f]quinazoline moiety, but which retain the natural methyleneamino link to the benzoylglutamate side chain. The effect on enzyme activity and cytotoxicity of various changes in the structure of the (p-aminobenzoyl)glutamate side chain are reported. Replacement of the benzamide portion of the (p-aminobenzoyl)glutamate moiety with 2-fluorobenzamido, 2-isoindolinyl, 1,2-benzisothiazol-2-yl, and 2-thenamido moieties varied in effect from a 9-fold diminution of TS activity to a 5-fold enhancement, while cytotoxic potency on SW-480 and MCF-7 tumor lines showed increases ranging from 3.6- to 450-fold. The detrimental effect on enzyme activity and cytotoxicity of alkyl substitution on the PABA nitrogen is confirmed for these compounds, in contrast with several series of previously reported quinazoline antifolates (2). Substitution of a C3-methyl substituent for 3-amino had little effect on TS activity but was beneficial in terms of solubility and cytotoxicity. The excellent combination of TS inhibitory activity, FPGS substrate activity, and affinity for the reduced folate transport system in the most potent of these derivatives, 3e, resulted in IC50 values of 0.2-0.8 nM against these tumor lines.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Effect of purine synthesis inhibition on WiDr spheroids in vitro or on WiDr or colon 38 tumors in vivo. Complete growth inhibition but not regression.

Clinical responses for anticancer agents are based upon tumor regression. We have investigated the potential of glycineamide ribonucleotide transformylase (GAR TFase) inhibitors to produce regressions in multiple preclinical models of colon carcinoma. The growth of multicellular tumor spheroids of WiDr human colon carcinoma was inhibited by the GAR TFase inhibitors 5-deazaacyclotetrahydrofolate (5-DACTHF), its 2'-fluoro, 3'-fluoro, 10-deaza, and 10-thia analogs as well as 5,10-dideazatetrahydrofolate, but none of the compounds caused spheroid regressions. By contrast, complete spheroid disruption was observed with exposure to etoposide, m-AMSA (amsacrine), piritrexim, or 2-desamino-2-methyl-10-propargyl-5,8-dideazafolate (DMPDDF). Light microscopy of the spheroids treated with either 5-DACTHF or DMPDDF suggested that the reason for the difference is extensive cell kill throughout the spheroid in the presence of DMPDDF compared with little or no kill, over that found in controls, with 5-DACTHF. Treatment of spheroids with 5-DACTHF in the presence of 1 microM hypoxanthine resulted in no significant reversal of growth inhibition; 50% reversal required 10 microM hypoxanthine. The spheroid studies were extended to in vivo studies examining the effects of 5-DACTHF on established WiDr and colon 38 tumors. The results showed that, in contrast to melphalan, which produced cures and tumor regressions, 5-DACTHF produced reversible growth inhibition with no significant regression of tumors. The results predict that clinical response, typically measured by tumor regression, may be rare following single agent therapy with inhibitors of de novo purine biosynthesis.

Acyltransferases↗

Molecular actions of pentobarbitone on sodium channels in lipid bilayers: role of channel structure.

The molecular mechanisms by which anaesthetics interfere with neuronal function are controversial. We have examined the effects of pentobarbitone on muscle-derived (eel electroplax) sodium channels incorporated into planar bilayers under exactly the same experimental conditions that we used previously to study the anaesthetic modification of human brain channels. This technique allows examination of protein-mediated similarities and differences. Sodium channels from the electroplax (muscle-derived) of the electric eel were purified and reconstituted into planar lipid bilayers containing 4:1 phosphatidylethanolamine:phosphatidylcholine in the presence of batrachotoxin, a sodium channel activator. Pentobarbitone had similar voltage-independent blocking effects on sodium channels from eel electroplax and human brain, as demonstrated by similar dose-response curves (IC50 = 613 mumol litre-1). However, activation of sodium channels from eel electroplax, in contrast with human brain, was relatively insensitive to the concentration of pentobarbitone. The only significant effect was a -5.8-mV shift in the activation midpoint with pentobarbitone 680 mumol litre-1. Therefore, differences in primary structures played no role in the observed voltage-independent block of channels by pentobarbitone, whereas subunits or other structural differences between sodium channels from eel electroplax and human brain must be responsible for the minimal effect of pentobarbitone on activation of muscle-derived sodium channels.

Action Potentials↗

Benzoquinazoline inhibitors of thymidylate synthase: enzyme inhibitory activity and cytotoxicity of some sulfonamidobenzoylglutamate and related derivatives.

Several folate-like thymidylate synthase inhibitors are described in which the pteridine nucleus of the folic acid molecule is replaced by a benzoquinazoline moiety, which in turn is attached to the benzoylglutamate side chain by a sulfonamide link. The most potent compounds had Ki values as low as 2.5 nM against the human enzyme, were good substrates for the cellular reduced folate transport system and for folylpolyglutamate synthetase, and had IC50 values for growth inhibition of tumor cell lines as low as 70 nM.

Glutamates↗

Benzoquinazoline inhibitors of thymidylate synthase: enzyme inhibitory activity and cytotoxicity of some 3-amino- and 3-methylbenzo[f]quinazolin-1(2H)-ones.

The synthesis and thymidylate synthase (TS) inhibitory activity of a series of simple benzo[f]-quinazolin-1(2H)-ones are described. Fully aromatic 3-amino compounds with compact lipophilic substituents in the 9-position were found to have I50 values as low as 20 nM on the isolated enzyme, and represent the first examples of potent, folate-based TS inhibitors that completely lack any structural feature corresponding to the (p-aminobenzoyl)glutamate moiety of the cofactor. A number of the compounds also showed moderate growth inhibitory activity against a human colon adenocarcinoma cell line (SW480), with IC50 values as low as 2 microM.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Biochemical and cellular pharmacology of 1843U89, a novel benzoquinazoline inhibitor of thymidylate synthase.

Studies on a series of benzoquinazoline folate analogues as inhibitors of human thymidylate synthase led to the selection of 1843U89 for further evaluation. This compound had a Ki of 90 pM versus human thymidylate synthase and was noncompetitive with (6R,S)-5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate. It was a good substrate for the addition of the second glutamate by hog liver folylpolyglutamate synthetase, having a Vmax/Km value 7.8-fold higher than (6R,S)-tetrahydrofolate. The data indicate that 1843U89 was transported into cells via the reduced folate carrier. The Kt for 1843U89 in MOLT-4 cells was 0.33 microM, which was 3-fold lower than that for methotrexate and 16-fold lower than that for (6S-5-formyltetrahydrofolate. V/K values were 20.3 for 1843U89 versus 1.2 and 1.9 for methotrexate and (6S)-5-formyltetrahydrofolate, respectively. It was a potent inhibitor of the growth of human cells, having 50% inhibitory concentrations below 1 nM for all cell lines tested. Growth inhibition was reversed by thymidine alone, indicating that thymidylate synthase was the only site of action of this compound. Growth inhibition was not affected by (6R,S-5-formyltetrahydrofolate at concentrations below 5 microM. However, the 50% inhibitory concentration increased when the concentration in the medium was increased to 100 microM, presumably due to competition for transport. Relative to the human cell lines used, murine cell lines were 80-1300-fold less sensitive to 1843U89 and the other benzoquinazolines tested. This decreased sensitivity appeared to be due, at least in part, to decreased transport or accumulation in murine cells. Ki values for inhibition of methotrexate transport for the benzoquinazolines were 5-17-fold higher in L1210 cells than in MOLT-4 cells. 1843U89, the benzoquinazoline which was transported most efficiently and which was the most potent inhibitor of the growth of human cells, exhibited the largest difference between binding to the MOLT-4 human and L1210 murine transporter. The V/K for L1210 transport was 80-fold less than that for MOLT-4. Initial antitumor studies, using the human thymidine kinase-deficient line GC3TK- to circumvent problems associated with murine transport as well as the high circulating thymidine levels in mice, indicated that 1843U89 had marked in vivo antitumor activity.

Animals↗

Metabolic effects and kill of human T-cell leukemia by 5-deazaacyclotetrahydrofolate, a specific inhibitor of glycineamide ribonucleotide transformylase.

Metabolic effects and mode of cytotoxicity of 5-deazaacyclotetrahydrofolate (5-DACTHF, BW543U76), a glycineamide ribonucleotide transformylase inhibitor, were studied in MOLT-4 cells, a human T-cell leukemia line. 5-DACTHF inhibits purine synthesis with 50% inhibitory concentration values of 0.5 microM and 0.08 microM following 6- or 24-h exposure to drug, respectively. At 6 h, adenine nucleotide synthesis is preferentially inhibited over guanine nucleotide synthesis. A similar effect was observed with another glycineamide ribonucleotide transformylase inhibitor, 5,10-dideazatetrahydrofolate. GTP was depleted to 40% of control and ATP to 10% of control by 5 microM 5-DACTHF. After a transitory increase, UTP and CTP were depleted to 30% of control. Deoxynucleotides were also depleted by the drug; dCTP was depleted to the greatest extent, followed by dATP, dTTP, and dGTP, respectively. MOLT-4 cell growth was inhibited by 5-DACTHF with a 50% inhibitory concentration of 0.066 microM. Complete reversal was effected by hypoxanthine, and there was no reversal by thymidine. The drug was cytotoxic to MOLT-4 cells in the range 0.25 to 5.0 microM, but a minimum of 48 h was required for trypan blue-staining dead cells to appear. The rate and extent of kill with the thymidylate synthase inhibitor 2-methyl-10-propargyl-5,8-dideazafolate was greater than with 5-DACTHF, which indicates that kill by inhibition of thymidylate synthase is more effective than that by inhibition of purine synthesis. Electron microscopy of MOLT-4 cells exposed to 5-DACTHF showed electron-dense mitochondria and nuclear changes reminiscent of apoptosis. These morphological changes were accompanied by the appearance of DNA strand breaks at approximately 180-base pair intervals (internucleosomal breaks). Concomitant proteolysis of nuclear proteins poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase and lamin B was observed.

Acyltransferases↗

Synthesis and biological activity of open-chain analogues of 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrofolic acid--potential antitumor agents.

This study describes the synthesis and in vitro antitumor activity of inhibitors of purine de novo biosynthesis that are analogues of N-[4-[[3-(2,4-diamino-1,6-dihydro-6-oxo-5-pyrimidinyl) propyl]amino]benzoyl-L-glutamic acid (5-DACTHF). Benzene ring substituted analogues were synthesized from a protected pyrimidinyl propionaldehyde and a substituted benzoyl glutamate moiety by a key reductive amination step. Pyrimidine and linking chain substituted analogues were built up stepwise from p-aminobenzoic acid or analogues. The compounds were tested as inhibitors of methotrexate uptake as a measure of binding to the reduced folate transport system, as inhibitors of glycinamide ribonucleotide transformylase, as substrates for folylpolyglutamate synthetase, and as inhibitors of tumor cell growth in cell culture. With the exception of 2'-F substituent, the ring-substituted analogues are less active than the parent compound. Replacement of the 10-nitrogen by carbon, sulfur, or oxygen produced less than 2-fold changes to biological activity in vitro. A four-atom linking chain and an amino group at the 2-position on the pyrimidine ring are important for good activity.

Adenocarcinoma↗

In vivo antitumor activity and metabolism of a series of 5-deazaacyclotetrahydrofolate (5-DACTHF) analogues.

This study compares the antitumor activity and metabolism of the purine de novo biosynthesis inhibitor 5-deazaacyclotetrahydrofolate and a series of analogues. All compounds have similar IC50 values for inhibition of MCF-7 cell growth, activity of glycineamide ribonucleotide transformylase, and methotrexate uptake by MOLT-4 cells, the latter a measure of cellular uptake potential. Only 5-deazaacyclotetrahydrofolate and the 2'-fluoro and 3'-fluoro analogues demonstrated significant inhibition of colon 38 adenocarcinoma or HCT-116 colon carcinoma growth in vivo. This correlated with the Km of these compounds for folylpolyglutamate synthetase. 5-Deazaacyclotetrahydrofolate and 2'-fluoro-5-deazaacyclotetrahydrofolate which displayed the strongest antitumor activity were detectable in colon 38 tumor tissue 24 hr after dosing and were present nearly exclusively as the polyglutamated species. These results indicate that polyglutamation represents a critical step in the in vivo antitumor activity of these compounds.

Acyltransferases↗

New inhibitors of sepiapterin reductase. Lack of an effect of intracellular tetrahydrobiopterin depletion upon in vitro proliferation of two human cell lines.

N-Acetylserotonin (compound 1) and N-acetyldopamine (compound 7) inhibit bovine adrenal medullary sepiapterin reductase in a manner competitive with the pterin substrate and have Ki values of 0.12 and 0.4 microM, respectively. Molecular modeling suggests that the phenyl rings of the two compounds bind in the pyrimidine pocket of the enzyme with the 3-hydroxyl of dopamine or the 5-hydroxyl of serotonin aligned at the pyrimidine 4-position. Further, the acetyl moieties of the two inhibitors appear to mimic the substrate side chain. Consistent with this analysis, N-acetyl-m-tyramine (compound 13) is also an excellent competitive inhibitor (Ki = 0.13 microM), whereas N-acetyltryptamine (compound 2), N-acetyl-p-tyramine (compound 14) and N-acetylphenylethylamine (compound 15) all bind poorly. Interestingly, restricted-rotation analogs of N-acetyldopamine and N-acetyl-m-tyramine are noncompetitive inhibitors of the enzyme. Modification of N-acetyldopamine to N-chloroacetyldopamine (compound 10) or of N-acetylserotonin to the N-chloroacetyl (5) or N-methoxyacetyl (compound 6) analogs results in greatly increased competitive affinity, with Ki = 0.014 microM for the dopamine analog and 0.006 and 0.008 microM, respectively, for the serotonin analogs. In MOLT-4 T-cell leukemia and MCF-7 breast adenocarcinoma in culture, 0.1 mM N-methoxyacetylserotonin depleted tetrahydrobiopterin by greater than or equal to 97 and greater than 50%, respectively, with no effect upon cell growth. In both cell lines, the GTP cyclohydrolase inhibitor, 2,4-diamino-6-hydroxypyrimidine at 1-5 mM also depleted tetrahydrobiopterin greater than or equal to 97%. In this case, however, modest growth inhibition did occur. Since the growth inhibition could not be reversed upon tetrahydrobiopterin repletion, inhibition was due to other effects of the inhibitor rather than to tetrahydrobiopterin depletion. The results show that there is no effect on cell growth when at least 97% of the tetrahydrobiopterin in these cell lines is depleted. Since the sepiapterin reductase inhibitor depleted tetrahydrobiopterin with fewer nonspecific effects than the cyclohydrolase inhibitor, it will be useful for determining metabolic effects of tetrahydrobiopterin depletion.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases↗

Grayanotoxin-I-modified eel electroplax sodium channels. Correlation with batrachotoxin and veratridine modifications.

To probe the structure-function relationships of voltage-dependent sodium channels, we have been examining the mechanisms of channel modification by batrachotoxin (BTX), veratridine (VTD), and grayanotoxin-I (GTX), investigating the unifying mechanisms that underlie the diverse modifications of this class of neurotoxins. In this paper, highly purified sodium channel polypeptides from the electric organ of the electric eel were incorporated into planar lipid bilayers in the presence of GTX for comparison with our previous studies of BTX (Recio-Pinto, E., D. S. Duch, S. R. Levinson, and B. W. Urban. 1987. J. Gen. Physiol. 90:375-395) and VTD (Duch, D. S., E. Recio-Pinto, C. Frenkel, S. R. Levinson, and B. W. Urban. 1989. J. Gen. Physiol. 94:813-831) modifications. GTX-modified channels had a single channel conductance of 16 pS. An additional large GTX-modified open state (40-55 pS) was found which occurred in bursts correlated with channel openings and closings. Two voltage-dependent processes controlling the open time of these modified channels were characterized: (a) a concentration-dependent removal of inactivation analogous to VTD-modified channels, and (b) activation gating similar to BTX-modified channels, but occurring at more hyperpolarized potentials. The voltage dependence of removal of inactivation correlated with parallel voltage-dependent changes in the estimated K1/2 of VTD and GTX modifications. Ranking either the single channel conductances or the depolarization required for 50% activation, the same sequence is obtained: unmodified > BTX > GTX > VTD. The efficacy of the toxins as activators follows the same ranking (Catterall, W. A. 1977. J. Biol. Chem. 252:8669-8676).

Animals↗

Preparation of a chiral matrix. Resolution of (6R,S)-N5-formyltetrahydrofolate.

Combination chemotherapy involving (6R,S)-N5-formyltetrahydrofolate and 5-fluorouracil has raised considerable speculation concerning the effects of the unnatural (6R) diastereomer. The inability to obtain quantities of the individual diastereomers has greatly limited work in this area. Commercially available chiral columns, suitable for diastereomer analysis, are inadequate for preparative work. We report here on the use of epoxide-activated media in the construction of a bovine serum albumin-based high-performance liquid chromatography matrix capable of resolving the diastereomers of (6R,S)-N5-formyltetrahydrofolate in milligram quantities. Similar columns based upon alternative protein matrices may prove useful for the resolution of additional materials.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Studies on the mechanism of antitumor action of 2-desamino-2-methyl-5,8-dideazaisofolic acid.

The new folate analogue, 2-desamino-2-methyl-5,8-dideazaisofolic acid, 2c, was synthesized and evaluated using a variety of biochemical and antitumor assays. For purposes of comparison, its 2-desamino, 2b, and 2-amino, 2a, counterparts, as well as N10-propargly-5,8-dideazafolic acid, 1a, and the corresponding 2-desamino, 1b, and 2-desamino-2-methyl, 1c, modifications were included in these studies. Compound 2c was found to be a potent inhibitor of the growth of L1210 and MCF-7 cells in culture, being only 2-fold and 5-fold less effective than 1c, respectively. However, although analogue 2c was 189-fold less inhibitory toward L1210 thymidylate synthase (TS) than 1c, its cytotoxicity was reversed completely by thymidine alone which suggests that the compound behaves as a TS inhibitor in cells. Enzymatically synthesized polyglutamates of 2c were substantially more inhibitory toward human TS than the parent compound. Compound 2c was the most efficient substrate for mammalian folyl-polyglutamate synthetase of the compounds studied having a Vmax/Km nearly 12-fold larger than 1c. Both 1c and 2c were effective inhibitors of the uptake of [3H]methotrexate into MOLT-4 cells, implying that each is efficiently transported into tumor cells. These results suggest that a weak inhibitor of TS in vitro can be a potent cytotoxic agent if it can readily gain entry into target cells and be converted to polyglutamated metabolites.

Animals↗

Synthesis and biological evaluation of 5-deazaisofolic acid, 5-deaza-5,6,7,8-tetrahydroisofolic acid, and their N9-substituted analogues.

Prompted by recent disclosures concerning the potent antitumor activities of 5-deaza-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrofolic acid and 5,10-dideaza-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrofolic acid (DDATHF), we have prepared 5-deazaisofolic acid (3a) and 5-deaza-5,6,7,8-tetrahydroisofolic acid (4a). Reductive condensation of 2,6-diamino-3,4-dihydro-4- oxopyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine with di-tert-butyl N-(4-formylbenzoyl)-L-glutamate and subsequent deprotection with trifluoroacetic acid yielded 5-deazaisofolic acid in good yield. Catalytic hydrogenation of this analogue then gave 4a. The 9-CH3 and 9-CHO modifications of 3a and the 9-CH3 derivative of 4a were also synthesized. Each of the new analogues was evaluated with a variety of folate-requiring enzymes as well as MCF-7 cells in culture. Compound 4a had an IC50 of ca. 1 microM against MCF-7 cells and was nearly 100-fold less potent than DDATHF in this regard. The three oxidized isofolate analogues were all poor inhibitors of tumor cell growth.

Animals↗

Folate analogues. 35. Synthesis and biological evaluation of 1-deaza, 3-deaza, and bridge-elongated analogues of N10-propargyl-5,8-dideazafolic acid.

Structural modifications at the pyrimidine ring and at the C9,N10-bridge region of the thymidylate synthase (TS) inhibitors N10-propargyl-5,8-dideazafolate (1; PDDF; CB 3717), 2-desamino-N10-propargyl-5,8-dideazafolate (2, DPDDF), and 2-desamino-2-methyl-N10-propargyl-5,8-dideazafolate (3, DMPDDF) have been carried out. Methods for the synthesis of 2-desamino-N10-propargyl-1,5,8-trideazafolate (4), 2-desamino-2-methyl-N10-propargyl-3,5,8-trideazafolate (5a), and 2-desamino-2-methyl-N10-propargyl-5,8-dideaza-1,2-dihydrofolate (6) have been developed. The bridge-extended analogues isohomo-PDDF (7) and isohomo-DMPDDF (8) contain an additional methylene group interposed between N10 and the phenyl ring of 1 and 3, respectively. All new compounds were evaluated as inhibitors of TS and the growth of tumor cells in culture. Selected analogues were tested as substrates of folylpolyglutamate synthetase (FPGS) and striking differences in substrate activity were observed among these compounds, indicating that structural modifications at the pyrimidine ring of classical antifolates profoundly influence their polyglutamylation. Enzyme inhibition data established that both N1 and N3-H of the pyrimidine ring are essential for efficient binding of quinazoline-type antifolates to human TS.

Biological Transport↗