The synthesis of novel taxoids for oral administration

A group of novel taxoids, with modifications at C-7, C-10, C-3′ and C-14 positions of paclitaxel, was synthesized in order to improve their biological profile by decreasing their affinity with P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and increasing cellular permeability. Most of the new taxoids demonstrated the similar potent cytotoxic activities in MCF-7 human tumor cell line as paclitaxel in vitro. In the permeability assay with monolayers of Caco-2 cells, most of the compounds demonstrated an increased trans-cellular transport in A-to-B direction in comparison with paclitaxel. Among them the compounds T-13, T-15 and T-26 showed the highest permeability, and with efflux ratios better than that of ortataxel. The interaction of the compounds T-13 and T-26 with P-gp was evaluated using Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK)-multidrug resistance-1(MDR1) and MDCK-wild-type (WT). The results indicated that T-13 and T-26 were poor substrates for P-gp and possessed inhibiting effects of P-gp mediated efflux. It was thus clear that simultaneous modifications at the C-7, C-10 and C-3′ positions of paclitaxel significantly impaired its interactions with P-gp and interfered with P-gp mediated efflux.     

Syntheses and biological activity of C-3'-difluoromethyl-taxoids

A series of new taxoids bearing difluoromethyl group at the C-3' position and modifications at the C-10 and C-14 positions has been synthesized and their biological activities studied. The in vitro cytotoxicity assay results indicate that these newly developed taxoids exhibit comparable to several times better activity against drug-sensitive cell line LCC6-WT, and 40-70 times better activity against the corresponding drug-resistant cancer cell line LCC6-MDR as compared to that of paclitaxel. Apoptosis analysis has revealed the exceptional activity of SB-T-12843 (1e) in inducing apoptosis in both MDR-bearing and MDR-negative cancer cells.     

Synthesis and microtubule binding of fluorescent paclitaxel derivatives

The preparation of two new fluorescent derivatives of paclitaxel in which the fluorophore is bonded to paclitaxel at the C-10 position is reported. Both analogues, 10-deacetyl-10-(m-aminobenzoyl)paclitaxel (1, BTax) and 10-deacetyl-10-[7-(diethylamino) coumarin-3-carbonyl]paclitaxel (2, CTax) retain good activity as promoters of in vitro tubulin assembly. Microtubule binding enhances the emission intensity of both probes.     

A facile route to paclitaxel C-10 carbamates

A general protocol for the synthesis of paclitaxel C-10 carbamates is described. The method entails MeI-mediated activation of 2'-O-TBS-7-O-TES-10-O-deacetyl-paclitaxel-10-O-carbonylimidazole prior to reaction with amines. This method is effective for the synthesis of paclitaxel C-10 derivatives, including bifunctional molecules.     

Structural significance of the acyl group at the C-10 position and the A ring of the taxane core of paclitaxel for inducing nitric oxide and tumor necrosis factor production by murine macrophages

The antitumor agent, paclitaxel (Taxol), mimics the actions of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on murine macrophages (Mphi). Various synthetic analogs of paclitaxel were examined for their potencies to induce nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) production by murine peritoneal Mphi, and by human peripheral blood cells. The benzoyl group at C-2, the hydroxy group at C-7 and the acetyl group at C-10 were found to be critically important sites to activate murine Mphi. Nor-seco-taxoid analogs lacking the A ring of the taxane core of paclitaxel were inactive, but inhibit paclitaxel- or LPS-induced NO production. All the compounds tested did not induce TNF production by human blood cells.     

Paclitaxel C-10 carbamates: potential candidates for the treatment of neurodegenerative tauopathies

A series of paclitaxel C-10 carbamates was synthesized and evaluated in a bi-directional permeability assay in comparison with paclitaxel and the blood-brain barrier-permeable C-10 ester derivative, TX-67. A number of the carbamates were found not to be substrates for Pgp. Moreover, when tested for Pgp-inhibitory potential, representative compounds proved to be devoid of Pgp interactions. Side-by-side comparison between TX-67 and the corresponding C-10 carbamate, CNDR-3, revealed a significantly longer half-life for CNDR-3 in both mouse and human plasma, suggesting that this class of derivatives is appropriate for further in vivo evaluation.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of C-3'NH/C-10 and C-2/C-10 modified paclitaxel analogues

Concurrent modifications on the C-3'NH/C-10, and C-2/C-10 positions on paclitaxel were carried out as a way of investigating possible synergistic effects. The biological activities of these analogues were evaluated in both a microtubule assembly assay and human ovarian cancer (A2780) and prostate cancer (PC3) cytotoxicity assay. In some cases the doubly modified analogues were more active than would have been predicted based on the activity of the singly modified analogues, indicating probable synergistic effects.     

Taxus metabolomics: methyl jasmonate preferentially induces production of taxoids oxygenated at C-13 in Taxus x media cell cultures

Cells from suspension cultures of Taxus cuspidata were extracted with pentane as a source of relatively non-polar taxoids. Of the 13 taxoids identified in this fraction, eight were oxygenated at C-14 and two had not been previously described. These taxoids, along with existing taxoid standards, were employed to profile the metabolites of Taxus x media cv. Hicksii cell suspension cultures induced with methyl jasmonate to produce paclitaxel (Taxol). The majority of the taxoid metabolites produced in these induced cultures were oxygenated at C-13, and not C-14.     

Monte Carlo docking simulations of cyclomaltoheptaose and dimethyl cyclomaltoheptaose with paclitaxel

The molecular basis for the remarkable enhancement of the solubility of paclitaxel by O-dimethylcyclomaltoheptaose (DM-beta-CD) over cyclomaltoheptaose (beta-cyclodextrin, beta-CD) was investigated with Monte Carlo docking-minimization simulation. As possible guests of inclusion complexation for the host cyclic oligosaccharides, two functional moieties of the suggested solution structure of paclitaxel were used where one is the C-3'N benzoyl moiety (B-ring) and the other is a hydrophobic (HP) cluster site among the C-3' phenyl (C-ring), C-2 benzoate (A-ring), and C-4 acetoxy moieties. The energetic preference of inclusion complexation of DM-beta-CD over beta-CD was analyzed on the basis of more efficient partitioning process of DM-beta-CD into the hydrophobic cluster site of the paclitaxel.     

Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of new second-generation taxoids

A series of second-generation taxoids bearing a substitutent on the C-2-benzoyl group and modifications at C-3′/C-10 positions was synthesized. These taxoids exhibited 2–3 orders of magnitude higher potency than that of paclitaxel against drug-resistant human breast cancer cell lines. It is also noteworthy that three taxoids showed almost no difference in activity against drug-resistant and drug-sensitive cell lines, which are categorized as “advanced second generation taxoids“.     

Seasonal changes in the concentrations of four taxoids in Taxus baccata L. during the autumn-spring period.

The concentrations of four common taxoids: baccatin III, paclitaxel, cephalomannine and 10-deacetylbaccatin III (10-DAB III) were measured in fresh needles and stems of Taxus baccata L. during the late autumn-spring period (November'96-April'97) which has not been investigated to date in this species. Baccatin III, paclitaxel and 10-DAB III were present on the surface of the twigs in concentrations of 8-26 micrograms/1000 g (fresh weight). Changes in the levels of baccatin III and paclitaxel inside the needles and stems showed similar trends over the investigated period. From November to March the total level of taxoids differed between the needles and stems, and were the same only in April. Total levels in fresh needles were stable from December to March. The highest concentrations of 10-DAB III in the whole analysed period in fresh stems were measured, as well as in the fresh needles except for samples collected in November and December when the levels of cephalomannine were higher. The concentrations of paclitaxel were usually the lowest. These results confirm that epigenetic factors--date of collection (and thus phyllogenesis) and kind of plant tissue--determine taxoid levels during the late autumn-spring period in T. baccata. The opposite patterns of changes for 10-DAB III and cephalomannine, especially in the fresh needles, suggest a possible role for 10-DAB III in the biosynthetic pathway to cephalomannine, a less polar taxoid with a side-chain at position C-13. As well, owing to the thermolability of taxoids, the influence of low temperatures in December and January could explain the highest observed concentrations of 10-DAB III in the fresh stems and needles, respectively.     

Synthesis of a novel C-10 spiro-epoxide of paclitaxel.

New analogues of paclitaxel (1a, active constituent of Taxol) were synthesized containing an epoxide at the C-10 position. The introduction of the epoxide was carried out by selective removal of the C10-acetate followed by protection of the C2'- and C7-hydroxyl groups. After oxidation to yield a ketone at the C10-position, this intermediate was reacted with dimethylsulfonium ylide. Deprotection and further manipulations provide the C10-spiro epoxide of paclitaxel (1b) and the corresponding C7-MOM ether (1c).     

A novel 2'-(N-methylpyridinium acetate) prodrug of paclitaxel induces superior antitumor responses in preclinical cancer models

The development of novel strategies for the treatment of malignancies by successful intervention in advanced stage disease is a major challenge in oncology. We tested the hypothesis that this can be achieved by the rational design of taxoid onium salts modified at C-7 and C-2' positions. The characterization of these molecules revealed a dramatically improved water solubility and prodrug behavior in plasma. Specifically, all compounds released parental paclitaxel with half-lives ranging from 0.9 to 180 min. In the absence of plasma, only the 2'-(N-methylpyridinium acetate) derivative of paclitaxel (2'-MPA-paclitaxel) revealed a complete abrogation of paclitaxel specific microtubule assembly disassembly dynamics and a 3 log reduction in cellular binding, indicating that reversible blockage of the C-2' position by methylpyridinium acetate yields a true paclitaxel prodrug. Structure/activity profiles of all compounds in tissue culture revealed cytotoxicity effective at picomolar concentrations with a panel of 16 cancer cell lines in contrast to 4 nonmalignant cell lines. Importantly, the decisive cytotoxic potential observed in vitro for all compounds correlated only with in vivo findings for 2'-MPA-paclitaxel. Specifically, the 2'-MPA-paclitaxel prodrug induced regression of primary tumors in three xenograft models of nonsmall cell lung carcinoma, ovarian carcinoma and prostate cancer, in contrast to ineffective C-7 derivatives and parental paclitaxel. At the same time, a reduced systemic toxicity of 2'-MPA-paclitaxel was observed in contrast to a far more toxic parental paclitaxel. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that the 2'-MPA-paclitaxel prodrug is a promising new candidate for cancer therapy.     

The coral-derived natural products eleutherobin and sarcodictyins A and B: effects on the assembly of purified tubulin with and without microtubule-associated proteins and binding at the polymer taxoid site

We examined interactions with purified tubulin of synthetic sarcodictyins A and B and eleutherobin (coral-derived antimitotic agents) and of compound 1, an analogue of sarcodictyin A methylated at the C-3 oxygen atom (i.e., the methyl ketal analogue of sarcodictyin A and thus structurally similar to eleutherobin but lacking the C-3 sugar moiety). Eleutherobin was much more active than sarcodictyins A and B, which were somewhat more active than compound 1. Effects of eleutherobin did not differ greatly from those of paclitaxel and epothilone A. Eleutherobin and epothilone A were competitive inhibitors of the binding of radiolabeled paclitaxel to tubulin polymer (apparent Ki values of 2.1 and 2.6 microM, respectively). Tubulin assembly reactions induced by all compounds were similar to the paclitaxel-driven reactions in being enhanced by the addition of microtubule-associated proteins and/or GTP to the reaction mixture and by progressively higher reaction temperatures. Antiproliferative activity was studied in six human cancer cell lines, including two paclitaxel-resistant lines with point mutations in a beta-tubulin gene. Except for compound 1, effects on cell growth were generally in accord with effects on purified tubulin. Thus, sarcodictyins A and B had IC50 values in the 200-500 nM range; paclitaxel, <10 nM (except in the resistant lines); and eleutherobin and epothilone A, 10-40 nM. The antiproliferative activity of compound 1 was more comparable to that of eleutherobin than sarcodictyin A, despite its weak interaction with tubulin. The activities of the sarcodictyins, eleutherobin, and compound 1 in the mutant ovarian lines were similar to their activities in the parental line.     

The discovery of BMS-275183: an orally efficacious novel taxane

The evolution of 2, a C-4-methylcarbonate analogue of paclitaxel with minimal oral bioavailability and oral efficacy, into its C-3'-t-butyl-3'-N-t-butyloxycarbonyl analogue (15i), a novel taxane with oral efficacy in preclinical models that is comparable to iv administered paclitaxel, is described.     

Development and validation of a method to determine the unbound paclitaxel fraction in human plasma

Paclitaxel is pharmaceutically formulated in a mixture of Cremophor EL and ethanol (1:1, v/v). The unbound fraction of the anticancer drug paclitaxel in plasma is dependent on both plasma protein binding and entrapment in Cremophor EL micelles. We have developed a simple and reproducible method for the quantification of the unbound paclitaxel fraction in human plasma. Human plasma was spiked with [3H]paclitaxel and [14C]glucose (unbound reference) and incubated at 37 degrees C for 30 min. Plasma ultrafiltrate was prepared by a micropartition system (MPS-1) and collected in a sample cup containing 100 microl of plasma to prevent the loss of paclitaxel due to adsorption. The radionuclides were separated after combustion of the biological samples using a sample oxidizer and the radioactivity was determined by liquid scintillation counting. The unbound fraction of paclitaxel was calculated by dividing the ratios of 3H and 14C in plasma ultrafiltrate and in plasma. The method was thoroughly validated using human plasma spiked with pharmacologically relevant concentrations of paclitaxel (10-1000 ng/ml) and Cremophor EL (0.25-2.0%). The method was precise, with a within-day precision ranging from 3.9 to 11.0% and a between-day precision ranging from 5.8 to 13.1%. In patient plasma with low serum albumin values containing 1% of Cremophor EL, the unbound fraction appeared to be significantly higher than that in plasma with normal albumin values. The determination of the unbound fraction of paclitaxel proved to be stable during a 10-week storage at -20 degrees C. Furthermore, the assay was applicable in patient samples. This assay can be used to determine the unbound fraction of paclitaxel in plasma. Moreover, its design should allow the determination of the unbound concentrations of other hydrophobic drugs.     

Substrate specificity for the hydroxylation of polyoxygenated 4(20),11-taxadienes by Ginkgo cell suspension cultures

Three C-14 oxygenated taxanes isolated from callus cultures of Taxus spp., 2alpha,5alpha,10beta,14beta-tetra-acetoxy-4(20),11-taxadiene 3, 2alpha,5alpha,10beta-triacetoxy-14beta-propionyloxy-4(20),11-taxadiene 4, 2alpha,5alpha,10beta-triacetoxy-14beta-(2-methylbutyryl)-oxy-4(20),11-taxadiene 5, and three deacetylated derivatives of 3, 10beta-hydroxy-2alpha,5alpha,14beta-triacetoxy-4(20),11-taxadiene 6, 14beta-hydroxy-2alpha,5alpha,10beta-triacetoxy-4(20),11-taxadiene 7, 10beta,14beta-dihydroxy-2alpha,5alpha-diacetoxy-4(20),11-taxadiene 8, could all be regio- and stereo-selectively hydroxylated at the 9alpha-position by Ginkgo cell suspension cultures to yield a series of new 9alpha,14beta-dihydroxylated taxoids. The effects of functional groups, especially at C-14 of the substrates, on the biotransformation were also investigated. The results revealed that substrates with an acetoxyl group at C-14 could be more efficiently 9alpha-hydroxylated than those with a longer ester chain or a hydroxyl group at C-14. An acetoxyl or hydroxyl group at C-10 had no effect on the conversion rates of the substrates, but substrates with the hydroxyl group (compared with the acetoxyl analogues) could be converted into 9alpha-hydroxylated products more easily.     

Biochemical evidence for a secretory role of the pineal body. Oxidation of [1-14C]- and [6-14C]glucose in vitro by pineal body, pituitary, and brain from young and adult animals

The conversion of [1-¹⁴C] label from glucose to ¹⁴CO₂in vitro by bovine pineal bodies was 7-24 times as great as that of [6-¹⁴C]. These values for C-1/C-6 oxidation ratios are similar to those found for all known endocrine tissues and in contrast to those for brain which range from 1.0 to 1.4. Total glucose oxidation, both C-1 and C-6, and C-1/C-6 ratios were lower in pineal bodies from adult (3-8 years) than from young (5-10 months) animals. Total glucose oxidation by the posterior pituitary was lower in the adult than in the young, generally lower in the anterior pituitary of the adult, and higher in the brain of the adult. Epinephrine, 10^?4m , increased the oxidation by pineal tissue of [1-¹⁴C] by 170 per cent and of [6-¹⁴C] by 46 per cent. The relatively high C-1/C-6 ratios found for pineal tissue are indicative of an operative hexosemonophosphate pathway, which we have previously suggested to be correlated with hormone secretion and/or storage. The present findings provide biochemical support for the hypothesis that the pineal body has an endocrine function in mammals.     

Glucose Catabolism in Rhizobium japonicum

Glucose catabolism in Rhizobium japonicum ATCC 10324 was investigated by the radiorespirometric method and by assaying for key enzymes of the major energy-yielding pathways. Specifically labeled glucose gave the following results for resting cells, with values expressed as per cent (14)CO(2) evolution: C-1=59%, C-2=51%, C-3=45%, C-4=59%, and C-6=43%. These values indicate that glucose was degraded by the Entner-Doudoroff pathway alone. Cells which grew in glucose-yeast extract-salts medium gave essentially the same pattern except for retardation of the C-6 carbon. The rates were: C-1=54%, C-2=42%, C-3=51%, C-4=59%, and C-6=32%. Hexokinase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, transketolase, and an enzyme system which produces pyruvate from 6-phosphogluconate were found to be present in these cells. No 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase was detected. Oxidation of specifically labeled pyruvate gave the following (14)CO(2) evolution pattern: C-1=78%, C-2=48%, and C-3=37%; the pattern from acetate was C-1=73%; and C-2=56%. Oxidation of glutamate showed the preferential rate of (14)CO(2) evolution to be C-1 > C-2=C-5 > C-3, 4, whereas a higher yield of (14)CO(2) was obtained from the C-1 and C-4 carbons of succinate than from the C-2 and C-3 carbons. These data are consistent with the operation of the Entner-Doudoroff pathway and tricarboxylic acid cycle as the catabolic pathways of glucose oxidation in R. japonicum.     

Enzymatic acetylation of 10-deacetylbaccatin III to baccatin III by C-10 deacetylase from Nocardioides luteus SC 13913

Baccatin III is a polycyclic diterpene which can be used for the semi-synthesis of paclitaxel and analogs. An enzymatic process was developed for the conversion of 10-deacetylbaccatin III (10-DAB) to baccatin III without requiring protection of the 7-hydroxyl group. A C-10 deacetylase from Nocardioides luteus SC 13912 was immobilized on diethylaminoethyl cellulose (DEAE-Cellulose) and the immobilized enzyme was used in the biotransformation process. The reaction was catalyzed using vinyl acetate as acyl donor at ambient temperature and at pH 7. A reaction yield of 51% was obtained.