Radiosensitization by the 2,4-dinitro-5-aziridinyl benzamide CB 1954: a structure/activity study

CB 1954 (2,4-dinitro-5-aziridinyl benzamide) is a radiosensitizer which is up to 10 times more efficient in vitro than would be predicted on the basis of its electron affinity. In order to determine the contribution of the various functional groups comprising the molecule to overall sensitizing efficiency, nine structural analogues have been studied. The redox potential, E7(1), and sensitizing efficiency, C1.6, were obtained for each compound. The value of C1.6 depends on both redox potential and the magnitude of an additional component defined by C1.6/C1.6, where C1.6 is derived from a structure/activity relationship (Adams et al. 1979 b, Wardman 1982) described by the equation: log (C1.6/mol dm-3) = (6.96 +/- 0.22) + (9.54 +/- 0.56)E7(1)V. The magnitude of C1.6/C1.6 for CB 1954 and its analogues depends on alkyl substitution of the amide, the presence/absence and position of the nitro groups and is independent of the presence of the aziridine group. Holding cells in the presence of the drug post-irradiation marginally enhanced sensitization by CB 1954, CB 10-107 and by CB 10-092 but the largest effect was seen with the mononitro compound CB 7060 which also has a value of 26 for C1.6/C1.6. This compound was also interesting in that when combined with 2-phenyl-4(5)amino-5(4)-imidazole carboxamide (phenyl AIC) an enhancement of sensitization was obtained. In contrast, phenyl AIC protected against radiosensitization by CB 1954. Taken together, the data suggest that multiple mechanisms of radiosensitization may contribute to the abnormal radiosensitizing efficiency of CB 1954 and its analogues. This has implications for the further design and development of novel radiosensitizing drugs.     

H2O2 as a DNA fragmenting agent in the alkaline elution interstrand crosslinking and DNA-protein crosslinking assays

A method for DNA fragmentation by H2O2 in the DNA alkaline elution procedure is described. Treatment of cell suspensions for 1 h with 100 microM H2O2 or 5 mM H2O2 at 0-1 degree C resulted in DNA breakage equivalent to doses of 300 and 3000 rad of gamma-rays, respectively. The elution profiles were reproducible and H2O2 was used for measurements of interstrand crosslinks and DNA-protein crosslinks induced in HeLa cells by mitomycin C, cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II), and trans-diamminedichloroplatinum(II). The comparison of data obtained with the use of H2O2 and gamma-rays has shown that both methods have similar sensitivity and reproducibility.     

Time scale of radiation damage by 2,4-dinitrophenyl-aziridine (CB 1954) in Chinese hamster cells: a rapid-mix study

A rapid-mix device was used to study the time-scale of radiation sensitization of hypoxic cells by CB 1954, a monofunctional alkylating agent. It has an electron affinity (E1(7)-385 mV) similar to that of misonidazole but its effectiveness as a sensitizer occurs at a five-fold lower concentration under stationary-state conditions. In the rapid-mix study, the enhancement ratio (e.r.) value of 1 mmol dm-3 CB 1954 rapidly rises to 1.75 within 120 ms, with no further rise by 500 ms. The e.r. obtained is lower than that observed under stationary-state conditions for a similar concentration. The data suggests that CB 1954 sensitizes by at least two independent mechanisms.     

DNA alkylation and formation of DNA interstrand cross-links by potential antitumour 2,5-bis(1-aziridinyl)-1,4-benzoquinones

A series of 3,6-substituted 2,5-bis(1-aziridinyl)-1,4-benzoquinone derivatives was shown to alkylate calf thymus DNA and to form DNA interstrand cross-links. Alkylation and cross-link formation were enhanced after electrochemical reduction of the compounds and increased with lower pH in the pH range from 4.5 to 8.0. Reduction especially shifts the pH at which cross-linking and alkylation occurs to higher values, which are more physiologically relevant. This shift is probably caused by the increase in pK_a value of the aziridine ring after reduction of the quinone moiety. The inactivation of single-stranded bacteriophage M13mp19 DNA to form phages in an E. coli host, by the 3,6-unsubstituted parent compound 2,5-bis(1-aziridinyl)-1,4-benzoquinone (TW13) was dependent upon reduction and pH in a similar way as was alkylation. The compound in our series with the least bulky, 3,6-substitutents, TW13, caused a high amount of cross-link formation. Compounds with methyl-substituted aziridine rings showed low cross-linking ability. Our results support the concept that the protonated reduced compound is the reactive species that alkylates DNA, and that steric factors play an important role in the reactivity towards DNA. A correlation is observed between the ability to induce DNA interstrand cross-links and inactivation of M13mp19 bacteriophage DNA. Cross-link formation was also demonstrated in E. coli K12 cells, where the compounds are reduced endogenously by bacterial reductases.     

Inhibition of Na,K-ATPase by a new ATP analog, adenosine-5-N'-(2,4-dinitro-5-fluorophenyl)phosphohydrazide.

A new ATP analog, adenosine-5-N'-(2,4-dinitro-5-fluorophenyl) phosphohydrazide (DNPH-AMP), has been synthesized, which is an irreversible inhibitor of Na,K-ATPase. Interaction of the analog with the enzyme in the presence of K+ is described by the scheme: [formula: see text] and corresponding kinetic constants k3 and Ki are found equal to 2.5 min-1 and 1.6 mM. In the presence of Na+ the time course of enzyme inactivation by DNPH-AMP is a biphasic curve in the semilogarithmic plot. The k3 and Ki values calculated for this case according to Fritzsch [Fritzsch (1985) J. Theor. Biol. 117, 397] are equal to 2.45 min-1 and 2.5 mM, respectively. ATP transforms the K(+)-type of Na,K-ATPase inactivation into the one that takes place in the presence of Na+.     

Effects of hyperthermia on DNA interstrand crosslinking after treatment with BCNU in 9L rat brain tumor cells

The effects of hyperthermia (42 degrees C) on 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU)-mediated DNA interstrand crosslink formation were investigated in 9L rat brain tumor cells using the technique of alkaline elution. When cells were treated with 60 microM BCNU for 1 hr at 37 degrees C and incubated for 6 hr in drug-free medium at 42 degrees C, there was a 50% increase in crosslinking; and when cells were treated at 42 degrees C and incubated at 37 degrees C, there was a 45% increase in crosslinking compared with the results for cells treated and incubated at 37 degrees C. When cells were treated and incubated at 42 degrees C, there was a 129% increase in DNA crosslinking. The same relative order of results was found for cell survival. These results suggest that hyperthermia can increase DNA interstrand crosslink formation and the consequent cell death through two independent mechanisms: an increase in the amount of initial alkylation because of the increased rate of hydrolysis of BCNU at higher temperatures, and the effect of heat on DNA structure that leads to an increase in the number of crosslinks formed.     

Toxic action of 2'-chloro-2,4-dinitro-5',6-di(trifluoromethyl) diphenylamine in the rat.

2'-Chloro-2,4-dinitro-5',6-di(trifluoromethyl)diphenylamine (CDTD) is a potent uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation in isolated rat liver or brain mitochondria. The concentration of CDTD causing 50% uncoupling in vitro is dependent on the mitochdonrial protein concentration and is 2 nM at 0.9 mg protein/ml for rat liver mitochondria. Oxidative phosphorylation can be restored to CDTD uncoupled liver mitochondria by the addition of a 10 000-fold molar excess of bovine serum albumin to DCTD. Rats given a lethal dose (7.0 mumol/kg) of CDTD intrapertioneally show signs of toxicity typical of uncoupling agents. Mitochondria isolated from the livers of these rats show almost complete inhibition of ATP synthesis and mitochondria obtained from the livers of rats at various times after a single oral dose show maximal inhibition of ATP synthesis 4 h after dosing with complete recovery by about 24 h. A single oral administration of 58 mumol/kg or above, but not intraperitoneal injection, of CDTD into rats produced an increase in the water content of the brain and spinal cord. The additional fluid has been shown to contain Na+ ions. The increase in cerebral fluid is dose related, no effect being seen at 23 mumol/kg. This extra fluid is thought to be responsible for the hind limb weakness observed in these rats. These observations suggest that there are two facets to CDTD toxicity: early deaths (within 2 h), which appear to be due to uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation, and delayed deaths, 2--3 days after dosing which are probably related to an increase in fluid in the brain and spinal cord.     

S1-nuclease enhancement of the ethidium bromide binding assay of drug-induced DNA interstrand crosslinking in human brain tumor cells

A modification, using S1-nuclease, of a simple and sensitive fluorometric assay with ethidium bromide was developed for the measurement of cellular DNA interstrand crosslinking induced by bifunctional alkylators. Cells are lysed and treated with proteinase K and sodium dodecyl sulfate followed by extensive dialysis to yield intact high-molecular-weight DNA, free of contaminating proteins, on which the crosslink assay is then performed. The assay depends on the differential binding of ethidium bromide to single- and double-stranded DNA. Because of the higher ethidium bromide binding capacity of double-stranded DNA, the fluorescence retained after a heating/cooling cycle is directly proportional to the drug-induced cellular DNA interstrand crosslinking. We demonstrate that the sensitivity of this assay can be increased up to fourfold by including an S1-nuclease digestion step. This modified technique is simple and suited to the quantitation of low levels of DNA-interstrand crosslinking in cells.     

Regulation of DNA synthesis in cytochalasin B (CB)-induced binucleate HeLa cells

The effects of timing and duration of cytochalasin B (CB) treatment on the kinetics of the initiation of DNA synthesis in mono- and binucleate HeLa cells, synchronized in the G1 phase of the cell cycle by the reversal of a mitotic block (N₂O at 80 PSI), were studied. In the control, bi-, tri- and tetranucleate cells entered S phase slightly earlier than the mononucleate cells at a rate proportional to the number of their nuclei. The difference between any two adjacent sub-populations was less than 0.5 h. However, the binucleate cells produced by a 90 min CB treatment immediately after the reversal of the mitotic block exhibited a considerably shorter G1 period as compared to mononucleate cells (a difference of 1.5 h). This exaggerated difference in the duration of G1 period between mono- and binucleate cells disappeared when the CB treatment was delayed by 75 or 90 min indicating that it was an experimental artifact. From this study, we conclude that there is naturally some degree of nuclear cooperation in the multinucleate systems, particularly with regard to the initiation of DNA synthesis, which is not influenced by CB treatment.     

Differential radiosensitization of human tumour cells by 3-aminobenzamide and benzamide: inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribosylation)

The effect of 3-aminobenzamide (3AB) and benzamide (BZ) (inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase) on radiosensitivity was investigated in normal human fibroblasts and three human cell lines established from tumours with varying degrees of clinical radiocurability. The human tumour cell lines selected were: Ewing's sarcoma, a bone tumour usually considered radiocurable with moderate radiation doses; lung adenocarcinoma, a tumour considered radiocurable with high doses of radiotherapy; and osteosarcoma, a very resistant tumour which is rarely controlled by standard doses of radiotherapy. Poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase inhibitors were added to cultures 2 h prior to irradiation and removed 24 h after. Inhibitors were used at doses producing little or no toxicity in cells. In the presence of these inhibitors, a differential radiosensitization was observed. Ewing's sarcoma cells and normal human fibroblasts were sensitized to an equal extent by either 8 mM 3AB or 4 mM BZ. However, no sensitization was observed at these concentrations in the lung adenocarcinoma cells or osteosarcoma cells. The degree of radiosensitization in vitro by 3AB and BZ correlates well with the clinical radiocurability of these tumours in vivo.     

Roles of DNA interstrand crosslinking and its repair in the induction of sister-chromatid exchange and a higher induction in fanconi's anemia cells

The roles of DNA crosslink and its repair in the induction of sister-chromatid exchanges (SCEs) were studied in normal, xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) complementation group A, and Fanconi's anemia (FA) fibroblasts after treatment with mitomycin C (MC) or decarbamoyl mitomycin C (DMC) for 1 h. FA strains were 5—30-fold more sensitive to MC killing than normal cells, but normally responded to DMC killing. XP group-A cells were twice and only slightly more sensitive to DMC and MC killings, respectively, than normal cells. The induction rate of immediate SCEs by MC was 1.7 times higher, despite a normal SCE rate by DMC, in FA strains than that in normal cells. Alternatively, SCE rates by DMC and MC were 6 times and only 1.3 times higher, respectively, in XP cells than in normal cells. In normal cells, the reduction of MC-induced SCEs as a function of repair time followed a biphasic curve of the first rapid (half-life, 2 h) and the second slow (half-life, 14 h) components. Such components corresponded exactly to the first half-excision and the second slow repair processes of molecular crosslink repair. In MC-induced SCEs, FA17JTO cells exhibited only the slow reduction component without the first rapid component and a higher saturation level in the time-dependent reduction in SCEs. This indicates that SCEs are produced by crosslinks remaining unrepaired for long times (24—48 h) after treatment of FA cells. Conversely, XP group-A cells capable of the first half-excision manifested the first rapid reduction in SCEs, although the second component declined at the slowest rate (half-life, 48 h) owing to a defect in the second mono-adduct repair. The reduction in DMC-induced SCEs followed only the slow component. Thus, these results demonstrate that crosslink can be the lesion leading to SCE, and the MC-induced SCE frequency is higher in FA cells than in normal cells. In the FA20JTO strain, such a repair defect seemed to be less than in FA17JTO cells, judged from the survival and SCE characteristics.     

DNA interstrand crosslinking agents: synthesis, DNA interactions, and cytotoxicity of dimeric achiral seco-amino-CBI and conjugates of achiral seco-amino-CBI with pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)

The design and synthesis of three novel bisalkylating agents derived from the achiral seco-duocarmycin or CC-1065 analogs and pyrrolobenzodiazepines (PBDs) are described: achiral seco-CBI (cyclopropanebenz[e]indoline)-PBD 11, achiral seco-CI-PBD 12, and achiral seco-CBI dimer 13. Compounds 11 and 12 demonstrated enhanced cytotoxicity over the monomer counterparts against the growth of P815 murine mastocytoma cells in culture. Conjugate 11 was found to covalently react with adenine-N3 positions within the minor groove at AT-rich sequences and to produce DNA interstrand crosslinks. Both compounds were found to induce apoptosis in P815 cells. Due to its poor water solubility, dimer 13 did not give any appreciable DNA binding or cytotoxicity.     

DNA polymerase II (polB) is involved in a new DNA repair pathway for DNA interstrand cross-links in Escherichia coli

DNA-DNA interstrand cross-links are the cytotoxic lesions for many chemotherapeutic agents. A plasmid with a single nitrogen mustard (HN2) interstrand cross-link (inter-HN2-pTZSV28) was constructed and transformed into Escherichia coli, and its replication efficiency (RE = [number of transformants from inter-HN2-pTZSV28]/[number of transformants from control]) was determined to be approximately 0.6. Previous work showed that RE was high because the cross-link was repaired by a pathway involving nucleotide excision repair (NER) but not recombination. (In fact, recombination was precluded because the cells do not receive lesion-free homologous DNA.) Herein, DNA polymerase II is shown to be in this new pathway, since the replication efficiency (RE) is higher in a polB+ ( approximately 0. 6) than in a DeltapolB (approximately 0.1) strain. Complementation with a polB+-containing plasmid restores RE to wild-type levels, which corroborates this conclusion. In separate experiments, E. coli was treated with HN2, and the relative sensitivity to killing was found to be as follows: wild type < polB < recA < polB recA approximately uvrA. Because cells deficient in either recombination (recA) or DNA polymerase II (polB) are hypersensitive to nitrogen mustard killing, E. coli appears to have two pathways for cross-link repair: an NER/recombination pathway (which is possible when the cross-links are formed in cells where recombination can occur because there are multiple copies of the genome) and an NER/DNA polymerase II pathway. Furthermore, these results show that some cross-links are uniquely repaired by each pathway. This represents one of the first clearly defined pathway in which DNA polymerase II plays a role in E. coli. It remains to be determined why this new pathway prefers DNA polymerase II and why there are two pathways to repair cross-links.     

Heteroarylamide smoothened inhibitors: Discovery of N-[2,4-dimethyl-5-(1-methylimidazol-4-yl)phenyl]-4-(2-pyridylmethoxy)benzamide (AZD8542) and N-[5-(1H-imidazol-2-yl)-2,4-dimethyl-phenyl]-4-(2- pyridylmethoxy)benzamide (AZD7254)

Aberrant hedgehog (Hh) pathway signaling is implicated in multiple cancer types and targeting the Smoothened (SMO) receptor, a key protein of the Hh pathway, has proven effective in treating metastasized basal cell carcinoma. Our lead optimization effort focused on a series of heteroarylamides. We observed that a methyl substitution ortho to the heteroaryl groups on an aniline core significantly improved the potency of this series of compounds. These findings predated the availability of SMO crystal structure in 2013. Here we retrospectively applied quantum mechanics calculations to demonstrate the o-Me substitution favors the bioactive conformation by inducing a dihedral twist between the heteroaryl rings and the core aniline. The o-Me also makes favorable hydrophobic interactions with key residue side chains in the binding pocket. From this effort, two compounds (AZD8542 and AZD7254) showed excellent pharmacokinetics across multiple preclinical species and demonstrated in vivo activity in abrogating the Hh paracrine pathway as well as anti- tumor effects.     

Evidence that O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase becomes covalently bound to DNA containing 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea-induced precursors of interstrand cross-links

The reaction of partially purified human O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase with 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea-treated DNA resulted in formation of a DNA-protein covalent complex. Complex formation required active alkyltransferase and brief treatment of DNA with the drug. DNA lost its capacity to form the complex once drug-induced DNA interstrand cross-links were completely formed. These results are consistent with a model in which the transferase catalyzes cleavage at O6-guanine and transfer of the alkyl moiety in a putative O6, N1-ethanoguanine intermediate of cross-link formation. DNA-protein complex formation presumably results when the transferase accepts the N1-ethanoguanine-DNA structure, analogous to its acceptance of simple alkyl groups.