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Dendrimer versus linear conjugate: Influence of polymeric architecture on the delivery and anticancer effect of paclitaxel.

The relative difference in polymeric architectures of dendrimer and linear bis(poly(ethylene glycol)) (PEG) polymer in conjugation with paclitaxel has been described. Paclitaxel, a poorly soluble anticancer drug, was covalently conjugated with PAMAM G4 hydroxyl-terminated dendrimer and bis(PEG) polymer for the potential enhancement of drug solubility and cytotoxicity. Both conjugates were characterized by 1NMR, HPLC, and MALDI/TOF. In addition, molecular conformations of dendrimer, bis(PEG), paclitaxel, and its polymeric conjugates were studied by molecular modeling. Hydrolysis of the ester bond in the conjugate was analyzed by HPLC using esterase hydrolyzing enzyme. In vitro cytotoxicity of dendrimer, bis(PEG), paclitaxel, and polymeric conjugates containing paclitaxel was evaluated using A2780 human ovarian carcinoma cells. Cytotoxicity increased by 10-fold with PAMAM dendrimer-succinic acid-paclitaxel conjugate when compared with free nonconjugated drug. Data obtained indicate that the nanosized dendritic polymer conjugates can be used with good success as anticancer drug carriers.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Association of the anticancer antibiotic chromomycin A(3) with the nucleosome: role of core histone tail domains in the binding process.

The anticancer antibiotic chromomycin A(3) is a transcription inhibitor which forms two types of complexes with Mg(2+): complex I (1:1 in terms of chromomycin A(3)-Mg(2+)) and complex II (2:1 in terms of chromomycin A(3)-Mg(2+)). These complexes are the DNA-binding ligands. With the broad objective of elucidation of the mechanism for action of this group of transcription inhibitors in eukaryotic systems, we have studied the interaction of the antibiotic with nucleosome core particles under different conditions. We have demonstrated and characterized the role of core histone proteins, particularly the N-terminal tail domains, in the association of nucleosome with both complexes of chromomycin. From a scrutiny of the spectroscopic features of the two bound complexes and comparison of the binding and associated thermodynamic parameters, we have shown the following. Core histone(s) stand(s) in the way of access of the ligand(s) to nucleosomal DNA. N-Terminal intact and chopped core particles interact differentially with the same complex. The modes of interaction of the two complexes, I and II, with the same system are different. Tryptic removal of N-terminal tail domains of core histones enhances the binding potential and access of both complexes of chromomycin to the nucleosomal DNA. Agarose gel electrophoresis of an equilibrium mixture containing either complex I or complex II and a saturating concentration of the core particle has demonstrated that both complexes have a tendency to disrupt the nucleosome structure, leading to a release of nucleosomal DNA. Compared to the N-terminal intact nucleosome, the N-terminal chopped nucleosome is more susceptible to disruption. Therefore, we suggest from the above results that the N-terminal tail domains, which have an important role in eukaryotic gene expression, stand in the way of a free access of external agents such as anticancer drugs to the eukaryotic genome. The significance of the results to understand the molecular basis of the transcription inhibitory capacity of chromomycin is discussed.

Animals↗

Peroxidase- and nitrite-dependent metabolism of the anthracycline anticancer agents daunorubicin and doxorubicin.

Oxidation of the anticancer anthracyclines doxorubicin (DXR) and daunorubicin (DNR) by lactoperoxidase(LPO)/H(2)O(2) and horseradish peroxidase(HRP)/H(2)O(2) systems in the presence and absence of nitrite (NO(2)(-)) has been investigated using spectrophotometric and EPR techniques. We report that LPO/H(2)O(2)/NO(2)(-) causes rapid and irreversible loss of anthracyclines' absorption bands, suggesting oxidative degradation of their chromophores. Both the initial rate and the extent of oxidation are dependent on both NO(2)(-) concentration and pH. The initial rate decreases when the pH is changed from 7 to 5, and the reaction virtually stops at pH 5. Oxidation of a model hydroquinone compound, 2,5-di-tert-butylhydroquinone, by LPO/H(2)O(2) is also dependent on NO(2)(-); however, in contrast to DNR and DXR, this oxidation is most efficient at pH 5, indicating that LPO/H(2)O(2)/NO(2)(-) is capable of efficiently oxidizing simple hydroquinones even in the neutral form. Oxidation of anthracyclines by HRP/H(2)O(2)/NO(2)(-) is substantially less efficient relative to that by LPO/H(2)O(2)/NO(2)(-) at either pH 5 or pH 7, most likely due to the lower rate of NO(2)(-) metabolism by HRP/H(2)O(2). EPR measurements show that interaction of anthracyclines and 2,5-di-tert-butylhydroquinone with LPO/H(2)O(2)/NO(2)(-) generates the corresponding semiquinone radicals presumably via one-electron oxidation of their hydroquinone moieties. The possible role of the (*)NO(2) radical, a putative LPO metabolite of NO(2)(-), in oxidation of these compounds is discussed. Because in vivo the anthracyclines may co-localize with peroxidases, H(2)O(2), and NO(2)(-) in tissues, their oxidation via the proposed mechanism is likely. These observations reveal a novel, peroxidase- and nitrite-dependent mechanism for the oxidative transformation of the anticancer anthracyclines, which may be pertinent to their biological activities in vivo.

Antibiotics, Antineoplastic↗

Influence of substituent modifications on DNA binding energetics of acridine-based anticancer agents.

The DNA binding energetics of a series of analogues derived from the anticancer agent N-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]-9-aminoacridine-4-carboxamide (AAC) are investigated. The effects of substituent modification at the C5 position of the acridine chromophore on the interaction of AAC with DNA are determined using spectrophotometry and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). The binding affinity and binding free energy associated with the interaction of AAC with DNA are significantly enhanced upon substitution at the C5 position. Energetic profiles describing ligand-DNA complex formation obtained from ITC indicate that C5 substitution significantly enhances binding enthalpy relative to the parent AAC. In many cases, the enhanced binding enthalpies of the C5-substituted analogues correlate with anticancer activity. Because of the cationic character of AAC and its analogues, the DNA binding properties of these compounds are dependent on ionic strength. To quantitate the ionic contributions to complex formation, the observed binding free energy of each compound is parsed into its polyelectrolyte and nonelectrostatic components. Enhanced nonelectrostatic contributions to the overall binding free energies observed with C5-substituted analogues relative to the parent AAC suggest that C5 substituents play a critical role in directing both thermodynamic mechanisms associated with complex formation and molecular interactions between the ligand and its DNA binding site. These studies have demonstrated that substitution of AAC at the C5 position results in enhanced DNA binding affinity and energetics.

Acridines↗

The geometry of DNA supercoils modulates topoisomerase-mediated DNA cleavage and enzyme response to anticancer drugs.

Collisions with DNA tracking systems are critical for the conversion of transient topoisomerase-DNA cleavage complexes to permanent strand breaks. Since DNA is overwound ahead of tracking systems, cleavage complexes most likely to produce permanent strand breaks should be formed between topoisomerases and positively supercoiled molecules. Therefore, the ability of human topoisomerase IIalpha and IIbeta and topoisomerase I to cleave positively supercoiled DNA was assessed in the absence or presence of anticancer drugs. Topoisomerase IIalpha and IIbeta maintained approximately 4-fold lower levels of cleavage complexes with positively rather than negatively supercoiled DNA. Topoisomerase IIalpha also displayed lower levels of cleavage with overwound substrates in the presence of nonintercalative drugs. Decreased drug efficacy was due primarily to a drop in baseline (i.e., nondrug) cleavage, rather than an altered interaction with the enzyme-DNA complex. Similar results were seen for topoisomerase IIbeta, but the effects of DNA geometry on drug-induced scission were somewhat less pronounced. With both topoisomerase IIalpha and IIbeta, intercalative drugs displayed greater relative cleavage enhancement with positively supercoiled DNA. This appeared to result from negative effects of high concentrations of intercalative agents on underwound DNA. In contrast to the type II enzymes, topoisomerase I maintained approximately 3-fold higher levels of cleavage complexes with positively supercoiled substrates and displayed an even more dramatic increase in the presence of camptothecin. These findings suggest that the geometry of DNA supercoils has a profound influence on topoisomerase-mediated DNA scission and that topoisomerase I may be an intrinsically more lethal target for anticancer drugs than either topoisomerase IIalpha or IIbeta.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗

Contrasting chemistry of cis- and trans-platinum(II) diamine anticancer compounds: hydrolysis studies of picoline complexes.

cis-[PtCl2(NH3)(2-picoline)] (AMD473) is currently on clinical trials as an anticancer drug. The trans isomer, AMD443 (1), is also cytotoxic in a variety of cancer cell lines. The X-ray crystal structure of the trans isomer (1) shows that the pyridine ring is tilted by 69 degrees with respect to the platinum square-plane in contrast to the cis isomer in which it is almost perpendicular (103 degrees ). In the 3-picoline (2) and 4-picoline (3) trans isomers, the ring is tilted by 58 degrees /60 degrees (2 molecules/unit cell) and by 56 degrees , respectively. Hydrolysis may be an important step in the intracellular activation and anticancer mechanism of action of these complexes. The first hydrolysis step is relatively fast even at 277 K, with rate constants (determined by 1H,15N NMR) of k1 = 2.6 x 10(-5) s(-1), 12.7 x 10(-5) s(-1), and 5.2 x 10(-5) s(-1) (I = 0.1 M) for formation of the monoaqua complexes of 1-3, respectively. Although the hydrolysis of 3 is slower than 2, it is hydrolyzed to a greater extent. No formation of the diaqua complex was observed for any of the three complexes at 277 K, and it accounts for <3% of the platinum species at 310 K. In general the extent of hydrolysis of the trans complexes is much less than for their cis analogues. The pK(a) values for the monoaqua adducts of 1-3 were determined to be 5.55, 5.35, and 5.39, respectively, suggesting that they would exist largely as the monohydroxo complex at physiological pH. The pKa values for the diaqua adducts were determined to be 4.03 and 7.01 for 1, 3.97 and 6.78 for 2, and 3.94 and 6.88 for 3, the first pK(a) being >1 unit lower than for related cis complexes.

Animals↗

New Steric Hindrance Approach Employing the Hybrid Ligand 2-Aminomethylpiperidine for Diminishing Dynamic Motion Problems of Platinum Anticancer Drug Adducts Containing Guanine Derivatives.

A fundamental problem obscuring the role of the ammine and primary amine groups in the activity of clinically used Pt anticancer drugs is the dynamic character of the adducts with DNA and DNA constituents. Dynamic motion is slower in analogues containing only secondary or tertiary amines, but such agents are not used clinically. Recently we found that enclosing the N center within a piperidine (pip) ring greatly reduces dynamic motion. In this work, we test the hypothesis that a diamine with only one pip ring, 2-aminomethylpiperidine (pipen), would slow dynamic motion enough for insightful study of adducts with one site (cis to the primary amine) closely reflecting the coordination environment of clinically used drugs. Racemic pipen was prepared and resolved by improved methods. PtCl(2)(pipen) synthesized with the pipen enantiomer having an R configuration of the asymmetric carbon (determined on the basis of the [alpha](D) sign) has the S stereochemistry at the N asymmetric center. In the adduct (S,R)-pipenPt(5'-GMP)(2), restricted rotation of the two nonequivalent N7-coordinated 5'-GMP's about the Pt-N7 bonds potentially could lead to two head-to-tail (LambdaHT and DeltaHT) and two head-to-head (HH(1) and HH(2)) atropisomers. However, 1D and 2D NOESY NMR data at pH approximately 3 indicated the dominance of the two HT atropisomers in a LambdaHT:DeltaHT ratio of 2:1. Deprotonation of the phosphate group (pH 7) further stabilized the LambdaHT form, and the CD signal had the shape characteristic of a LambdaHT form with a positive peak at approximately 280 nm. However, at pH 9.5, where the 5'-GMP N1H was largely deprotonated, the NMR spectrum and the approximately 280 nm CD peak both revealed that the LambdaHT form had decreased. When the pH was jumped down to 6.9, the NMR signals of the LambdaHT form and the approximately 280 nm CD peak increased with a half-time of approximately 3 min. Thus, the pip ring lengthens the atropisomerization time from seconds for ethylenediaminePt(5'-GMP)(2) to minutes for (S,R)-pipenPt(5'-GMP)(2). This pH jump experiment indicates that the signs of the CD signal are opposite for the LambdaHT and DeltaHT forms. Changes with pH in both the relative abundance and shifts of the H8 signals of the LambdaHT and DeltaHT forms correlated with an increase in hydrogen bonding by the phosphate group of the 5'-GMP cis to the primary amine. The hydrogen bonding changes the 5'-GMP base tilt and hence the H8 chemical shift. Such information is not obtainable on 5'-GMP adducts of clinically used anticancer drugs.

Journal Article↗

Retro Models of Pt Anticancer Drug DNA Adducts: Chirality-Controlling Chelate Ligand Restriction of Guanine Dynamic Motion in (2,2'-Bipiperidine)PtG(2) Complexes (G = Guanine Derivative).

Features of cisplatin-type anticancer drug adducts with nucleic acids and their constituents are clouded because they exist as a fluxional mixture of conformers. Retro-model adducts containing the specially designed chiral diamine ligand, Bip = 2,2'-bipiperidine, are dramatically less fluxional. Conformers of BipPtG(2) adducts with R,S,S,R and S,R,R,S asymmetric centers at the N, C, C, and N Bip chelate ring atoms and G = 5'-GMP, 5'-dGMP, 3'-GMP, or 9-ethylguanine are amenable to separate characterization. All possible BipPtG(2) atropisomers (one head-to-head (HH) and Delta and Lambda head-to-tail (HT) atropisomers) were observed by NMR spectroscopy. At equilibrium at low pH, one HT atropisomer dominates. CD spectra, G H8 chemical shifts, and low-pH equilibria of BipPtG(2) and Me(2)()DABPtG(2) (Me(2)()DAB = N,N '-dimethyl-2,3-diaminobutane) are similar when the chelate ring atoms have the same stereochemistries; thus, Bip and Me(2)()DAB are termed chirality-controlling chelates (CCC) since these ligands dictate the absolute conformation of the major HT rotamer. In each case, the HT conformer that cannot form G O6-NH(CCC) hydrogen bonds was dominant, and the G H8 chemical shift indicated that this conformer had less tilted bases, allowing favorable base-base dipole-dipole interactions. For both the R,S,S,R and S,R,R,S Bip chiralities of the BipPt(3'-GMP)(2) complexes, the percentage of DeltaHT rotamer increased near pH 7, a probable consequence of phosphate-cis-G hydrogen bonds accompanied by favorable dipole interactions of less tilted bases. For the 5'-GMP complexes, these factors favor the LambdaHT rotamer near pH 7. When G has a 5'-phosphate group, rotamer distribution is also influenced by phosphate-NH(Bip) hydrogen bonds. At high pH, the nature and/or strength of interactions such as G dipole-G dipole interactions and G O6-NH(Bip) and phosphate-cis-G hydrogen bonding are altered by G N(1)H deprotonation. The features of the complexes at high pH can be largely explained as arising from the net result of these interactions. This information from retro models with a CCC ligand lays the foundation for understanding and evaluating the properties of the highly dynamic adducts of anticancer drugs.

Journal Article↗

Competition between glutathione and guanine for a ruthenium(II) arene anticancer complex: detection of a sulfenato intermediate.

The organometallic anticancer complex [(eta6-bip)Ru(en)Cl]+ (1; bip = biphenyl, en = ethylenediamine) selectively binds to guanine (N7) bases of DNA (Novakova, O.; Chen, H.; Vrana, O.; Rodger, A.; Sadler, P. J.; Brabec, V. Biochemistry 2003, 42, 11544-11554). In this work, competition between the tripeptide glutathione (gamma-L-Glu-L-Cys-Gly; GSH) and guanine (as guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate, cGMP) for complex 1 was investigated using HPLC, LC-MS and 1H,15N NMR spectroscopy. In unbuffered solution (pH ca. 3), the reaction of 1 with GSH gave rise to three intermediates: an S-bound thiolato adduct [(eta6-bip)Ru(en)(GS-S)] (4) and two carboxylate-bound glutathione products [(eta6-bip)Ru(en)(GSH-O)]+ (5, 6) during the early stages (<6 h), followed by en displacement and formation of a tri-GS-bridged dinuclear Ru(II) complex [((eta6-bip)Ru)2(GS-mu-S)3]2- (7). Under physiologically relevant conditions (micromolar Ru concentrations, pH 7, 22 mM NaCl, 310 K), the thiolato complex 4 was unexpectedly readily oxidized by dioxygen to the sulfenato complex [(eta6-bip)Ru(en)(GS(O)-S)] (8) instead of forming the dinuclear complex 7. Under these conditions, competitive reaction of complex 1 with GSH and cGMP gave rise to the cGMP adduct [(eta6-bip)Ru(en)(cGMP-N7)]+ (10) as the major product, accounting for ca. 62% of total Ru after 72 h, even in the presence of a 250-fold molar excess of GSH. The oxidation of coordinated glutathione in the thiolato complex 4 to the sulfenate in 8 appears to provide a facile route for displacement of S-bound glutathione by G N7. Redox reactions of cysteinyl adducts of these Ru(II) arene anticancer complexes could therefore play a significant role in their biological activity.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Steamed American ginseng berry: ginsenoside analyses and anticancer activities.

This study was designed to determine the changes in saponin content in American ginseng berries after treatment by heating and to assess the anticancer effects of the extracts. After steaming treatment (100-120 degrees C for 1 h, and 120 degrees C for 0.5-4 h), the content of seven ginsenosides, Rg1, Re, Rb1, Rc, Rb2, Rb3, and Rd, decreased; the content of five ginsenosides, Rh1, Rg2, 20R-Rg2, Rg3, and Rh2, increased. Rg3, a previously identified anticancer ginsenoside, increased significantly. Two hours of steaming at 120 degrees C increased the content of ginsenoside Rg3 to a greater degree than other tested ginsenosides. When human colorectal cancer cells were treated with 0.5 mg/mL steamed berry extract (120 degrees C 2 h), the antiproliferation effects were 97.8% for HCT-116 and 99.6% for SW-480 cells. At the same treatment concentration, the effects of unsteamed berry extract were 34.1% for HCT-116 and 4.9% for SW-480 cells. After staining with Hoechst 33258, apoptotic cells increased significantly by treatment with steamed berry extract compared with unheated extracts. Induction of apoptosis activity was confirmed by flow cytometry after staining with annexin V/PI. The steaming of American ginseng berries augments ginsenoside Rg3 content and increases the antiproliferative effects on two human colorectal cancer cell lines.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic↗

Optimization of the Schiff bases of N-hydroxy-N'-aminoguanidine as anticancer and antiviral agents.

Hydroxyurea, hydroxyguanidine, and some thiosemicarbazones have been shown to have anticancer and antiviral activities. One of their possible sites of action is the enzyme ribonucleotide reductase (RR). Combination of the structural features of these compounds led to the design and synthesis of the Schiff bases of N-hydroxy-N'-aminoguanidine. Synthesis and structure-activity studies of some of these compounds point to increased size and lipophilicity as important factors for activity. To optimize the activities of this series of compounds, 13 derivatives of high lipophilicity and molecular size have been synthesized and their biological activities studied. The most active anticancer compounds against L1210 in vitro (compounds 9 and 12) are about 7 times more active than hydroxyguanidine and hydroxyurea. The most active antiviral compounds against Rous sarcoma virus transformation of chick fibroblasts in vitro (7, 9) are about 40 times more active than hydroxyguanidine. One of the compounds (4) shows promising activity in vivo (% T/C = 140 against P388 leukemia in mice) and is undergoing further studies by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Studies of the inhibition of transformation of chick embryo cells by Rous sarcoma virus show that all these compounds inhibit transformation while some compounds inhibit viral replication as well.

Animals↗

Synthesis and anticancer activity of 5-diethylaminomethyl derivatives and nitrogen mustards of uracil and 2-thiouracils.

Several 5-diethylaminomethyl derivatives and nitrogen mustards of uracil and 2-thiouracil have been synthesized and tested for their potential anticancer activity in vitro on KB cells and in vivo on Ehrlich carcinoma. Among the alkylating derivatives tested several showed cytotoxic activity in vitro and compound V [5-[bis(2-chloroethyl) amino] methyl-6-propyluracil hydrochloride] showed both in vitro and in vivo anticancer activity.

Alkylating Agents↗

Synthesis and biological evaluation of N-heterocyclic indolyl glyoxylamides as orally active anticancer agents.

A series of N-heterocyclic indolyl glyoxylamides were synthesized and evaluated for in vitro and in vivo anticancer activities. They exhibited a broad spectrum of anticancer activity not only in murine leukemic cancer cells but also in human gastric, breast, and uterus cancer cells as well as their multidrug resistant sublines with a wide range of IC(50) values. They also induced apoptosis and caused DNA fragmentation in human gastric cancer cells. Among the compounds studied, 7 showed the most potent activity of growth inhibition (IC(50) = 17-1711 nM) in several human cancer cells. Given orally, compounds 7 and 13 dose-dependently prolonged the survival of animals inoculated with P388 leukemic cancer cells. N-Heterocyclic indolyl glyoxylamides may be useful as orally active chemotherapeutic agents against cancer and refractory cancerous diseases of multidrug resistance phenotype.

Administration, Oral↗

Stereoselective synthesis of beta-lactams with polyaromatic imines: entry to new and novel anticancer agents.

We present herein stereoselective synthesis of novel beta-lactams using polyaromatic imines following the Staudinger reaction. Consistent mechanisms for these results have been advanced. As a measure of cytotoxicity, some of these compounds have been assayed against nine human cancer cell lines. Structure-activity study has revealed that 1-N-chrysenyl and 1-N-phenanthrenyl 3-acetoxy-4-aryl-2-azetidinones have potent anticancer activity. The presence of the acetoxy group at C(3) of the beta-lactams has proven to be obligatory for their anticancer activity.

Animals↗

Structures of three classes of anticancer agents bound to the human topoisomerase I-DNA covalent complex.

Human topoisomerase I (top1) is the molecular target of a diverse set of anticancer compounds, including the camptothecins, indolocarbazoles, and indenoisoquinolines. These compounds bind to a transient top1-DNA covalent complex and inhibit the resealing of a single-strand nick that the enzyme creates to relieve superhelical tension in duplex DNA. (Hertzberg, R. P.; et al. Biochem. 1989, 28, 4629-4638. Hsiang, Y. H.; et al. J. Biol. Chem 1985, 260, 14873-14878. Champoux, J. J. Annu. Rev. Biochem. 2001, 70, 369-413. Stewart, L.; et al. Science 1998, 729, 1534-1541.) We report the X-ray crystal structures of the human top1-DNA complex bound with camptothecin and representative members of the indenoisoquinoline and indolocarbazole classes of top1 poisons. The planar nature of all three structurally diverse classes allows them to intercalate between DNA base pairs at the site of single-strand cleavage. All three classes of compounds have a free electron pair near Arg364, a residue that if mutated confers resistance to all three classes of drugs. The common intercalative binding mode is augmented by unexpected chemotype-specific contacts with amino acid residues Asn352 and Glu356, which adopt alternative side-chain conformations to accommodate the bound compounds. These new X-ray structures explain how very different molecules can stabilize top1-DNA covalent complexes and will aid the rational design of completely novel structural classes of anticancer drugs.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

The role of intracellularly released formaldehyde and butyric acid in the anticancer activity of acyloxyalkyl esters.

Previous studies described a family of anticancer histone deacetylase inhibitor prodrugs of formula Me(CH(2))(2)COOCH(R)OR(1), which upon intracellular hydrolysis release acids and aldehydes. This study examines the mechanisms by which the prodrugs affect tumor cells and the contribution of the released aldehyde (formaldehyde or acetaldehyde) and acids to their anticancer activity. Type I prodrugs release 2 equiv of a carboxylic acid and 1 equiv of an aldehyde, and of Type II release 2 equiv of acids and 2 equiv of an aldehyde. SAR studied inhibition of proliferation, induction of differentiation and apoptosis, histone acetylation, and gene expression. Formaldehyde, measured intracellularly, was the dominant factor affecting proliferation and cell death. Among the released acids, butyric acid elicited the greatest antiproliferative activity, but the nature of the acid had minor impact on proliferation. In HL-60 cells, formaldehyde-releasing prodrugs significantly increased apoptosis. The prodrugs affected to a similar extent the wild-type HL-60 and MES-SA cell lines and their multidrug-resistant HL-60/MX2 and MES-Dx5 subclones. In a cell-free histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition-assay only butyric acid inhibited HDAC activity. The butyric acid and formaldehyde induced cell differentiation and increased p53 and p21 levels, suggesting that both affect cancer cells, the acid by inhibiting HDAC and the aldehyde by an as yet unknown mechanism.

Acetaldehyde↗

A-ring-substituted estrogen-3-O-sulfamates: potent multitargeted anticancer agents.

Efficient and flexible syntheses of 2-substituted estrone, estradiol and their 3-O-sulfamate (EMATE) derivatives have been developed using directed ortho-lithiation methodology. 2-Substituted EMATEs display a similar antiproliferative activity profile to the corresponding estradiols against a range of human cancer cell lines. 2-Methoxy (3, 4), 2-methylsulfanyl (20, 21) and 2-ethyl EMATEs (32, 33) proved the most active compounds with 2-ethylestradiol-3-O-sulfamate (33), displaying a mean activity over the NCI 55 cell line panel 80-fold greater than the established anticancer agent 2-methoxyestradiol (2). 2-Ethylestradiol-3-O-sulfamate (33) was also an effective inhibitor of angiogenesis using three in vitro markers, and various 2-substituted EMATEs also proved to be inhibitors of steroid sulfatase (STS), a therapeutic target for the treatment of hormone-dependent breast cancer. The potential of this novel class of multimechanism anticancer agents was confirmed in vivo with good activity observed in the NCI hollow fiber assay and in a MDA-MB-435 xenograft mouse model.

Angiogenesis Inhibitors↗

An efficient synthesis of the taxane-derived anticancer agent ABT-271.

ABT-271, 1, has been identified as a promising anticancer agent. ABT-271 is a novel taxane possessing a C9-(R)-hydroxyl group as opposed to a C9-ketone which is present in Taxol and Taxotere. To further evaluate ABT-271 as a potential anticancer agent, an efficient synthesis was developed which allows the large scale synthesis of ABT-271. Ketalization of the 7,9-diol of 9-DHAB-III, 2, allows selective removal of the C13-acetate with phenyllithium. The resulting C13-hydroxyl group is then acylated using LiHMDS and beta-lactam 22 to give ABT-271 in protected form. The protecting groups were removed first by acidic hydrolysis followed by basic hydrolysis to provide ABT-271. Application of this synthetic sequence provided over 600 g of ABT-271, 1.

Antineoplastic Agents↗