Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Jan Balzarini.
Several novel bicyclic furanopyrimidine deoxy nucleosides have been designed, prepared and evaluated as anti-Varicella Zoster Virus agents. The compounds have long ether side chains. Uniquely amongst compounds of this family to date the present agents show dual anti- (VZV) and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) activity. The lead compounds inhibit VZV at 10 nM and HCMV at 5 microM.
A new series of bis-functionalized fullerene C(60) derivatives bearing two or more solubilizing chains have been evaluated for their activity against HIV-1 and HIV-2 strains. Some of the compounds show activity against HIV-1 type in the low micromolar range. The effect of the positions of the addends on the C(60) nucleus has been investigated, indicating that only trans-2 isomers possess promising activity. The presence of a quaternary pyrrolidinium nitrogen is essential to increase solubility.
We describe the synthesis and the antiviral evaluation of novel alpha and beta dideoxynucleoside derivatives in which the base has been replaced by a 3-hydroxy-2-methylpyridin-4-one. The syntheses were successfully achieved by the use of the standard Vorbrüggen coupling conditions. Moderate activity of these compounds were found on herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 and type 2.
Diastereopure monofluorinated cyclopropanoid nucleosides were synthesized for biological studies. As key intermediates cis- and trans-(+/-)-[1-fluoro-2-(acetoxymethyl)cyclopropyl]methanol were prepared starting from diastereopure fluorinated cyclopropanecarboxylates. The latter were synthesized by copper(i)-catalyzed cyclopropanation of [small alpha]-fluorostyrene with ethyl diazoacetate. After reduction and O-acetylation the diastereomeric (2-fluoro-2-phenylcyclopropyl)methyl acetates were obtained. Oxidative degradation using RuO(4) and reduction of the formed carboxyl group with borane gave the fluorinated alcohols, which were coupled with different nucleobases. After deprotection, the corresponding cyclopropanoid nucleosides of adenine, cytosine, guanine, thymine and uracil were obtained. Antiviral tests revealed for the cis-configured guanosine a low, but specific activity against HSV-1 and HSV-2. In addition low affinities of the adenine derivatives to adenosine receptors were detected.
2,4-Diamino-6-hydroxypyrimidines substituted in position 5 by an allyl, benzyl, cyanomethyl, ethoxycarbonylmethyl, phenyl, cyclopropyl, or methyl group were prepared either by C5-alkylation or by formation of the pyrimidine ring by cyclization. Their alkylation with 2-[(diisopropoxyphosphoryl)methoxy]ethyl tosylate afforded N1- and O6-regioisomers that were separated and converted to the free phosphonic acids by treatment with bromotrimethylsilane followed by hydrolysis. Reaction of 2,4-diamino-6-[[(diisopropoxyphosphoryl)methoxy]ethoxy]pyrimidine with elemental bromine, N-chloro-, or N-iodosuccinimide gave the corresponding phosphorus-protected 5-bromo-, 5-chloro-, and 5-iodo derivatives, respectively. Their deprotection afforded 2,4-diamino-5-bromo- and -5-chloro-6-[2-(phosphonomethoxy)ethoxy]pyrimidines. 2,4-Diamino-5-methyl-6-[2-(phosphonomethoxy)ethoxy]pyrimidine was synthesized also by cross-coupling of the 5-bromo compound with AlMe(3), followed by deprotection. The compounds showed poor, if any, inhibitory activity against DNA viruses such as herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2, cytomegalovirus, varicella-zoster virus, and vaccinia virus. In contrast, several 5-substituted 2,4-diaminopyrimidine derivatives markedly inhibited retrovirus replication in cell culture. The 5-methyl derivative was exquisitely inhibitory to human immunodeficiency virus and Moloney murine sarcoma virus-induced cytopathicity in cell culture (EC(50) approximately 0.00018 mumol/mL) but also cytostatic to CEM cell cultures. In contrast, the 5-halogen-substituted derivatives showed pronounced antiretroviral activity (EC(50) = 0.0023-0.0110 mumol/mL), comparable to that of the reference drugs adefovir and tenofovir, but were devoid of measurable toxicity at 0.3 mumol/mL.
Two series of analogues of the novel human mitochondrial thymidine kinase inhibitor 1-[(Z)-4-(triphenylmethoxy)-2-butenyl]thymine were synthesized by replacing the triphenylmethoxy moiety by a variety of substituted amines and carboxamides. In all the cases, the selectivity against the mitochondrial enzyme was either maintained or improved, and several derivatives were almost as potent as the parent compound. A molecular model was built that can account for the observed selectivities.
Nucleoside analogs act as prodrugs that must be converted to 5'-phosphates by intracellular kinases to become active in the treatment of viral and oncological diseases. Activation may be reversed by dephosphorylation if the 5'-phosphates are substrates for 5'-nucleotidases. Dephosphorylation by cytosolic enzymes decreases the efficacy of the analogs, whereas dephosphorylation by mitochondrial enzymes may decrease mitochondrial toxicity. Both effects may influence the outcome of therapy. We investigated the dephosphorylation of the 5'-phosphates of commonly used nucleoside analogs by two cytosolic (cN-II and dNT-1) and one mitochondrial (dNT-2) nucleotidase. Most uracil/thymine nucleotide analogs were dephosphorylated by all three human enzymes but cytosine-containing nucleotide analogs were inactive. Only cN-II showed some activity with the monophosphates of the two purine analogs 2-chloro-2'-deoxyadenosine and 9-beta-D-arabinosylguanine. We conclude that overproduction of any of the three 5'-nucleotidases cannot explain development of resistance against cytosine analogs but that overproduction of cN-II could lead to resistance against purine analogs. Of the tested analogs, only (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine was preferentially dephosphorylated by mitochondrial dNT-2. We propose that in future developments of analogs this aspect be considered in order to reduce mitochondrial toxicity. We tested inhibition of dNT-1 and dNT-2 by a large variety of synthetic metabolically stable nucleoside phosphonate analogs and found one (PMcP-U) that inhibited dNT-1 and dNT-2 competitively and a second (DPB-T) that inhibited dNT-2 by mixed inhibition. Both inhibitors are useful for specific 5'-nucleotidase assays and structural studies and may open up possibilities for therapy.
The synthesis and biological evaluation of a bicyclo[3.1.0]hexene nucleoside designed as a conformational mimic of the anti-HIV agent stavudine (1, D4T) is described. The unsaturated methanocarbocyclic pseudosugar of N-MCD4T (2) was constructed from an iodo-substituted precursor by a DBU-catalyzed olefination reaction. Mitsunobu coupling with N(3)-benzoylthymine afforded the desired target after deprotection. Both D4T and N-MCD4T are in the North (N) hemisphere of the pseudorotational cycle but 70 degrees away from a perfect N (P = 0 degrees ) conformation toward the East and West hemispheres, respectively. Despite this large difference, the double bond reduces the puckering amplitude (nu(max)) of N-MCD4T to 6.81 degrees, and the superposition of both structures showed a RMS deviation of only 0.039 A. The combined structural analysis of P and nu(max) shows that while the value of P may differ substantially, the low nu(max) resolves the differences and becomes the dominant pseudorotational parameter. N-MCD4T is active against HIV-1 and HIV-2 in CEM, MT-2, and MT-4 cells, and while it is somewhat less potent than D4T, it also appears to be less toxic. The triphosphate (N-MCD4TTP) inhibits HIV reverse transcriptase with a 10-fold higher IC(50) than D4TTP. By virtue of its carbocyclic nature, N-MCD4T (2) is a more robust molecule stable to conditions that would cleave D4T.
Herein, we report the design, synthesis, and biological effects of nucleosides bearing a disulfide function on the sugar ring as prodrugs of potentially active mercaptonucleotides that can target ribonucleotide reductase or reverse transcriptase. We show that cytidine derivatives efficiently reduce dNTP pools in human CEM/SS cells and that 3'-deoxythymidin-3'-yl methyl disulfide is able to interfere with both cellular dNTP synthesis and HIV reverse transcription.
A variety of semisynthetic derivatives of natural antibacterial glycopeptide antibiotics such as vancomycin, eremomycin, ristocetin A, teicoplanin A(2)-2, DA-40926, their aglycons, and also the products of their partial degradation with a destroyed or modified peptide core show marked anti-retroviral activity in cell culture. In particular, aglycon antibiotic derivatives containing various substituents of a preferably hydrophobic nature displayed activity against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), HIV-2, and Moloney murine sarcoma virus at a 50% inhibitory concentration in the lower micromolar (1-5 microM) concentration range while not being cytostatic against human lymphocytic cells at 250 microM or higher. The mode of anti-HIV action of the antibiotic aglycon derivatives could be ascribed to inhibition of the viral entry process.
The present study compared the phosphorylation rate of 3'-azidothymidine (AZT) in isolated maternal and fetal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with that in amniocytes obtained during gestation and at term. Maternal PBMCs were isolated from venous blood samples obtained from HIV-seronegative pregnant women during delivery. Immediately after delivery, cord blood specimens were collected, and fetal PBMCs were isolated. In a separate set of experiments, maternal and fetal PBMCs and amniocytes were obtained at 17-21 weeks of gestation. The fresh isolated PBMCs and amniocytes were maintained in RPMI 1640 medium until incubation with 10 microM tritiated AZT (10 microCi/mL). Thereafter, methanolic cell extracts were prepared for determination of AZT phosphates by high-performance liquid chromatography. Fetal PBMCs can efficiently convert AZT to its antivirally active metabolite. There were no significant differences after 6 or 12 hours of incubation with AZT between AZT phosphate levels in maternal and fetal PBMCs isolated at term or at 17-21 weeks of gestation: AZT monophosphate was found to be the major metabolite (about 95%). AZT phosphate levels in the amniocytes were up to sevenfold higher than those in the maternal or fetal PBMCs. These results show that during pregnancy and at term, fetal PBMCs-like maternal PBMCs-are able to take up AZT and to efficiently generate the active metabolite AZT triphosphate. These results are of major significance both in enabling efficient treatment of the fetuses of HIV-infected women and in the prediction and understanding of the efficacy and toxicity of AZT in pregnant women and their fetuses.
The synthesis of a series of N-aminoimidazoles (NAIMs) with an uncommon spectrum of antiretroviral activity is described. From a group of 60 closely related molecules, we were able to subdivide the molecules in different groups based on their anti-HIV and anti-SIV activity in vitro: (i) molecules acting on a new, immediate postintegration step, (ii) molecules acting on both postintegration and HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) as NNRTI, and (iii) molecules that mainly act at the HIV-1 RT according to an NNRTI-type mode of action.
Herpes virus thymidine kinases are responsible for the activation of nucleoside antiviral drugs including (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine. Such viral thymidine kinases (tk), beside having a broader substrate specificity compared with host cell enzymes, also show significant variation in nucleoside phosphorylation among themselves. We have determined the crystal structure of Varicella zoster virus (VZV, human herpes virus 3) thymidine kinase complexed with (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine 5'-monophosphate and ADP. Differences in the conformation of a loop region (residues 55-61) and the position of two alpha-helices at the subunit interface of VZV-tk compared with the herpes simplex virus type 1 (human herpes virus 1) enzyme give rise to changes in the positioning of residues such as tyrosine 66 and glutamine 90, which hydrogen bond to the substrate in the active site. Such changes in combination with the substitution in VZV-tk of two phenylalanine residues (in place of a tyrosine and methionine), which sandwich the substrate pyrimidine ring, cause an alteration in the positioning of the base. The interaction of the (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine deoxyribose ring with the protein is altered by substitution of tyrosine 21 and phenylalanine 139 (analagous to herpes simplex virus type 1 histidine 58 and tyrosine 172), which may explain some of the differences in nucleoside sugar selectivity between both enzymes. The altered active site architecture may also account for the differences in the substrate activity of ganciclovir for the two thymidine kinases. These data should be of use in the design of novel antiherpes and antitumor drugs.
A group of 3'-O-nitro-2'-deoxyuridines, 3'-O-nitro-2'-deoxycytidines, and 5'-O-nitro-2'-deoxyuridines possessing a variety of substituents (H, Me, F, I) at the C-5 position were synthesized for evaluation as anticancer/antiviral agents that have the ability to concomitantly release cytotoxic nitric oxide (*NO). Although these compounds generally released a greater percent of *NO than the reference drug isosorbide dinitrate upon incubation in the presence of l-cysteine, or serum, their cytotoxicity (CC(50) = 10(-3) to 10(-6) M range) was comparable to 5-iodo-2'-deoxyuridine, but weaker than 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine, against a variety of cancer cell lines. No differences in cytotoxicity against nontransfected (KBALB, 143B), and the corresponding transfected (KBALB-STK, 143B-LTK) cancer cell lines possessing the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) thymidine kinase gene (TK(+)) were observed, indicating that expression of the viral TK enzyme did not provide a gene therapeutic effect. These nitrate esters were inactive antiviral agents except for 5-iodo-3'-O-nitro-2'-deoxyuridine that showed modest activity against HSV-1, HSV-2, and vaccinia virus.
The study assessed the prognostic value of fluorine 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography ([18F]FDG-PET) after salvage chemotherapy before high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplantation (HDT/SCT) in patients with induction failure or relapsing chemosensitive lymphoma. Retrospective analysis of the clinical and conventional imaging data of 60 patients scheduled for HDT/SCT was performed in parallel with the analysis of the [18F]FDG-PET results. To determine the ability of [18F]FDG-PET to predict clinical outcome, PET images were reread without knowledge of conventional imaging and clinical history. Presence or absence of abnormal [18F]FDG uptake was related to progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Thirty patients showed a negative [18F]FDG-PET scan before HDT/SCT; 25 of those remained in complete remission, with a median follow-up of 1510 days. Two patients died due to a treatment-related mortality but without evidence of recurrent disease at that time (228-462 days). Only 3 patients had a relapse (median PFS, 1083 days) after a negative [18F]FDG-PET scan. Persistent abnormal [18F]FDG uptake was seen in 30 patients and 26 progressed (median PFS, 402 days); of these 26, 16 died from progressive disease (median OS, 408 days). Four patients are still in complete remission after a positive scan. Comparison between groups indicated a statistically significant association between [18F]FDG-PET findings and PFS (P <.000001) and OS (P <.00002). [18F]FDG-PET has an important prognostic role in the pretransplantation evaluation of patients with lymphoma and enlarges the concept of chemosensitivity used to select patients for HDT/SCT.
Because metabolic changes induced by chemotherapy precede the morphological changes, fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography ([(18)F]FDG PET) is thought to predict response to therapy earlier and more accurately than other modalities. To be a reliable predictor of response, changes in tumour [(18)F]FDG uptake should reflect changes in viable cell fraction, but little is known about the contribution of apoptotic and necrotic cancer cells and inflammatory tissue to the [(18)F]FDG signal. In a tumour mouse model we investigated the relation between chemotherapy-induced changes in various tumoral components and tumour uptake and size. SCID mice were subcutaneously inoculated in the right thigh with 5 x 10(6) Daudi cells. When the tumour measured 15-20 mm, Endoxan was given intravenously. At different time points [1-15 days (d1-d15) after the injection of Endoxan], ex vivo autoradiography and histopathology were performed in two mice and [(18)F]FDG uptake in the tumour and tumour size were correlated with the different cell fractions measured with flow cytometry in five mice. At d1/d3, similar reductions in [(18)F]FDG uptake and viable tumoral cell fraction were observed and these reductions preceded changes in tumour size. By d8/d10, [(18)F]FDG uptake had stabilised despite a further reduction in viable tumoral cell fraction. At these time points a major inflammatory response was observed. At d15, an increase in viable tumour cells was again observed and this was accurately predicted by an increase in [(18)F]FDG uptake, while the tumour volume remained unchanged. In contrast with variations in tumour volume, [(18)F]FDG is a good marker for chemotherapy response monitoring. However, optimal timing seems crucial since a transient increase in stromal reaction may result in overestimation of the fraction of viable cells.
A series of 2,6-bis(arylidene)cycloalkanones (1) and related compounds containing one or two substituents at the four position of the cyclohexyl ring were prepared and shown to display cytotoxic activity towards murine P388 and L1210 cells as well as human Molt 4/C8 and CEM T-lymphocytes. In some of the series of compounds, positive correlations were noted between the potencies of the enones and the magnitude of the Hammett sigma values of the aryl substituents. Four representative compounds were cytotoxic to a number of human tumours in vitro, particularly towards colon cancer and leukemic cells. A noteworthy feature of the compounds prepared in this study is that, in general, they were well tolerated when administered to rodents. A number of lead molecules emerged from this investigation as well as guidelines for future expansion of these series of compounds.
The novel purine derivatives of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (8 and 9) and 1-amino-1-hydroxymethylcyclopropane (12 and 13) with methylene spacer between the base and the cyclopropane ring were prepared by multistep synthetic route involving alkylation of adenine and 6-(N-pyrrolyl)purine with 2-hydroxy-methyl-1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid derivative 3 as a key reaction. All novel compounds were racemic. The N-9 substitution of the purine ring and the Z-configuration of the cyclopropane ring in 4-13 were deduced from their 1H and 13C NMR spectra by analyses of chemical shifts, H-H coupling constants and connectivities in two-dimensional homo- and heteronuclear correlation spectra. An unequivocal proof of the stereostructure of 1, 4 and 5 was obtained by their X-ray structure analysis. The novel compounds were evaluated on cytostatic and antiviral activities in several cell lines. The 6-(N-pyrrolyl)purine derivative of 1,2-aminocyclopropane alcohol 12 exhibited a more pronounced inhibitory activity against the proliferation of cervical carcinoma (HeLa) and human fibroblast (WI-38) cells than other types of tumor cell lines. None of the compounds showed inhibitory activities against cytomegalovirus, varicella-zoster virus or other viruses.