Interaction with DNA of semisynthetic carminomycin and rubomycin derivatives

The apparent binding constants and the effect of semisynthetic derivatives of carminomycin and rubomycin (anthracycline antibiotics) on DNA fusion were studied. The following semisynthetic derivatives were used. 13-dihydrocarminomycin, 14-hydroxycarminomycin, 13-(4-methylpiperazinyl) imine carminomycin, 13-benzoylhydrazone carminomycin (carminazone), 13-tret-butoxycarbonyl hydrazone rubomycin, 13-(4-methylpiperazinyl) imine rubomycin, 14-(1-hydroxyl-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidyl-4)-acetoxyrubomycin (spin-labeled rubomycin). The above derivatives slightly differed from the initial antibiotics by their affinity to DNA. The binding constants of methylpiperazinyl imines was 2-3 times higher than those of the respective antibiotics.     

Production and antineoplastic activity of new asymmetric azines on the rubomycin base

New alkulidene hydrazones of rubomycin (daunorubicin) with the linear or branched chain of the carbon atoms were studied: rubomycin 13-(hexylidene-2")-hydrazone, rubomycin 13-(heptylidene-3")-hydrazone and rubomycin 13-(4"-methylpentylidene-2")-hydrazone. Alkylidene hydrazones of the formamidine derivatives were also studied: 13:cyclohexylidene hydrazone of 3'-desamino-3'-dimethylformamidine rubomycin and 13-(5"-oxypentyliden-2") hudrazone of 3'-desamino-3'-dimethylformamidine rubomycin. The latter two alkylidene hydrazones were modified twice. It was found that after a single intravenous administration to tumor-free mice the new substance had the same or lower toxicity as compared to that of rubomycin. Antitumor activity of the substances against lymphosarcoma LIO-I was studied comparatively with that of the initial rubomycin. It was shown that the molecule modification at C-13, as well as simultaneous modification at C-13 and the sugar amino group resulted in lowering of the antitumor activity in comparison to that of the starting rubomycin.     

Semisynthetic derivatives of daunorubicin and carminomycin: inhibition of DNA synthesis after intravenous administration to mice

Inhibition of DNA synthesis in the liver, kidneys, spleen and heart of mice after intravenous administration of 0.1 and 0.3 LD50 of semisynthetic derivatives of rubomycin (daunorubicin) and carminomycin was studied. The level of DNA synthesis inhibition was estimated by a decrease in incorporation of (methyl-3H) thymidine. Under the action of 13-trebutoxycarbonyl hydrazone and 14-salicyloiloxy derivatives of rubomycin and carminomycin maximum inhibition of DNA synthesis was reached later while its recovery started earlier as compared to the initial antibiotics.     

New derivatives of carminomycin and rubomycin

For preparing new semisynthetic analogs of anthracycline antibiotics, hydrolysis of 13-dimethylketals of 14-bromrubomycin and 14-brom-arminomycin in solution of diluted hydrochloric acid was studied. It was shown that such hydrolysis yielded 14-chlorrubomycin and 14-chlorcarminomycin. Conditions for separating the mixture of 14-chlor- and 14-bromrubomycins and the mixture of 14-chlor- and 14-bromcarminomycins by HPLC were developed. Interaction of 14-chlorine derivatives of rubomycin and carminomycin with potassium formate in the presence of the crown ether yielded 14-formyloxy derivatives of rubomycin and carminomycin. Interaction of rubomycin and carminomycin with formic acid in the presence of N-oxysuccinimide and dicyclohexylcarbodiimide resulted in formation of N-formyl derivatives of rubomycin and carminomycin.     

Isolation and evaluation of the structure of the new anthracycline antibiotics rubomycins F and H]

The rubomycin complex produced by Streptomyces coeruleorubidus 4-157 was studied and the two novel anthracyclines i.e. rubomycins F and H were isolated. The study of the physicochemical properties of the novel antibiotics in comparison with rubomycin C (daunomycin) and the specially prepared 3'-N-carbmethoxyrubomycin C showed that rubomycin F was 3'-N-carbethoxydaunomycin and rubomycin H was 3'-N-carbmethoxydaunomycin. Therefore, rubomycins F and H are novel representatives of natural anthracyclines undescribed previously.     

Synthesis and antitumor properties of 3'-desamino-3'-dimethylformamidinorubomycin

Interaction of rubomycin (daunorubicin) chlorhydrate with dimethylformamidine diethyl acetal yielded 3'-desamino-3'dimethylformamidinorubomycin chlorhydrate (DFR). Comparative antitumor activity of DFR and rubomycin was studied on mice with respect to ascitic lymphadenosis NK/Ly and Ehrlich carcinoma, hemocytoblastosis La, leukemia P-388 and two solid tumors i. e. lymphosarcoma LIO-I and sarcoma 180. The highest antitumor effect of DFR was observed in the mice with Ehrlich carcinoma and lymphadenosis NK/Ly after the drug intravenous administration for 4 times. By selectivity of the antitumor effect DFR was inferior to rubomycin with respect to lymphosarcoma LIO-I and sarcoma 180. It was shown that the antileukemic activity of DFR and rubomycin with respect to hemocytoblastosis La was practically the same. In the experiments with leukemia P-388 DFR was inferior to rubomycin.     

Novel cytotoxic bufadienolides derived from bufalin by microbial hydroxylation and their structure-activity relationships

Microbial transformation was used to prepare novel cytotoxic bufadienolides. Twelve products (3-14) were obtained from bufalin (1) by the fungus Mucor spinosus. Their structures were elucidated by high-resolution mass spectroscopy (HR-MS) and extensive NMR techniques, including 1H NMR, 13C NMR, DEPT, 1H-1H correlation spectroscopy (COSY), two dimensional nuclear Overhauser effect correlation spectroscopy (NOESY), heteronuclear multiple quantum coherence (HMQC), and heteronuclear multiple bond coherence (HMBC). Compounds 3, 4, 9 and 11-14 are new mono- or dihydroxylated derivatives of bufalin with novel oxyfunctionalities at C-1beta, C-7beta, C-11beta, C-12beta and C-16alpha positions. The in vitro cytotoxic activities against human cancer cell lines of 3-14, together with 16 biotransformed products derived from cinobufagin (15-30) were determined by the MTT method, and their structure-activity relationships (SAR) were discussed.     

Stemodane skeletal rearrangement: chemistry and microbial transformation

Solvolytic rearrangement of the C/D ring system of the tetracyclic diterpenoid stemodinone (2) afforded the compounds 15(13-->12)abeo-13beta-hydroxystemaran-2-one (5) and 15(8-->9)abeo-8beta(H)-12beta-hydroxystachan-2-one (10). Terpene 5 possesses a novel diterpene skeleton. Oxidation of these compounds yielded their respective diketones. Bioconversion of 5 by Rhizopus oryzae yielded 15(13-->12)abeo-7beta,13beta-dihydroxystemaran-2-one (18) while microbial transformation of 10 provided 15(8-->9)abeo-8beta(H)-6alpha,12beta-dihydroxystachan-2-one (19), 15(8-->9)abeo-8beta(H)-7beta,12beta-dihydroxystachan-2-one (20) and 15(8-->9)abeo-8beta(H)-6alpha,12beta,14beta-trihydroxystachan-2-one (21). A rationale for the formation of the rearranged compounds is proposed.     

Bioconversion of Stemodia maritima diterpenes and derivatives by Cunninghamella echinulata var. elegans and Phanerochaete chrysosporium

Stemodane and stemarane diterpenes isolated from the plant Stemodia maritima and their dimethylcarbamate derivatives were fed to growing cultures of the fungi Cunninghamella echinulata var. elegans ATCC 8688a and Phanerochaete chrysosporium ATCC 24725. C. echinulata transformed stemodin (1) to its 7alpha-hydroxy- (2), 7beta-hydroxy- (3) and 3beta-hydroxy- (4) analogues. 2alpha-(N,N-Dimethylcarbamoxy)-13-hydroxystemodane (6) gave 2alpha-(N,N-dimethylcarbamoxy)-6alpha,13-dihydroxystemodane (7) and 2alpha-(N,N-dimethylcarbamoxy)-7alpha,13-dihydroxystemodane (8). Stemodinone (9) yielded 14-hydroxy-(10) and 7beta-hydroxy- (11) congeners along with 1, 2 and 3. Stemarin (13) was converted to the hitherto unreported 6alpha,13-dihydroxystemaran-19-oic acid (18). 19-(N,N-Dimethylcarbamoxy)-13-hydroxystemarane (14) yielded 13-hydroxystemaran-19-oic acid (17) along with the two metabolites: 19-(N,N-dimethylcarbamoxy)-2beta,13-dihydroxystemarane (15) and 19-(N,N-dimethylcarbamoxy)-2beta,8,13-trihydroxystemarane (16). P. chrysosporium converted 1 into 3, 4 and 2alpha,11beta,13-trihydroxystemodane (5). The dimethylcarbamate (6) was not transformed by this microorganism. Stemodinone (9) was hydroxylated at C-19 to give 12. Both stemarin (13) and its dimethylcarbamate (14) were recovered unchanged after incubation with Phanerochaete.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of some new A,B-ring modified steroidal D-lactones

Starting from the D-homo lactones of androst-4-en-3-one 3 and 4, prepared from 1 and 2, the new 17a homolactones 5-12, 14 and 15, were synthesized. The 4-hydroxy compounds 9 and 10 were obtained through the reaction of 4alpha,5alpha- (5 and 7) and 4beta,5beta- (6 and 8) epoxides with formic acid. The epoxides 5 and 6 were prepared from compound 3, and epoxides 7 and 8 from compound 4 by oxidation with H(2)O(2) under basic conditions. Compound 1 served as a starting substance for obtaining lactones 11-13. Oxidation of compound 1 with m-chloroperbenzoic acid yielded 11 and 12, but compound 13 gave 14. Compound 15 was obtained from 13 by oxidation with H(2)O(2) under basic conditions. The structures of epoxides 6 and 14 were confirmed by X-ray structural analysis. Cytotoxic activity against three tumor cell lines (human breast adenocarcinoma ER+, MCF-7, human breast adenocarcinoma ER-, MDA-MB-231, and prostate cancer PC3) was evaluated. Compounds 6 and 14 showed strong activity against PC3, the IC(50) being 10.6 and 2.2 microM, respectively, whereas compounds 3 and 8 showed strong activity against MDA-MB-231 (IC(50) is 9.3 and 3.6 microM, respectively). Aromatase inhibition assay showed that the tested compounds 9, 10, and 14 possess lower activity compared to formestane.     

Study of the biosynthesis of a carbohydrate fragment of rubomycin]

When the rubomycin-producing organism was grown in the presence of an evenly labeled C14-glucose and various non-labeled carbon sources, the carbohydrate part of the antibiotic also became evently labeled. The activity of I carbon atom of rubomycin sugar grown against the background of non-labeled glycerol was almost 3 times higher than the respective value of the aglycone activity. C14-acetate, C14-propionate, C14-methionine and daunosamine were not incorporated. The data are indicative of the fact that there was no splitting of the glucose carbon skeleton during conversion of glucose into amino sugar.     

Derivatives of daunorubicin containing an inosine fragment

Condensation of daunorubicin or its (13 R, S)-dihydro derivative with inosine dialdehyde in the presence of NaBH3CN yielded novel derivatives of anthracycline antibiotics with incorporated inosine residue: 3'-deamino-3'-[(2" R)-(hypoxanthyl-9)-(6" S)-hydroxymethylmorpholino-N4"]- daunorubicin and (13 R,S)-dihydro-3'-deamino-3'-[(2" R)-(hypoxanthyl-9)-(6" S)- hydroxymethylmorpholino-N4"]-daunorubicin. The compounds did not inhibit growth of Bacillus mycoides and were less cytotoxic in vitro and less toxic in vivo than the parent antibiotics.     

Site-directed mutations of human growth hormone that selectively modify its lactogenic activity and binding properties

Two novel analogs of human (h) GH, 1) Des-7-hGH (Arg8Met, Asp11Ala) in which the Arg8 was substituted by Met and Asp11 by Ala, and 2) bovine (b) GH/hGH hybrid II (MetAla 1-13/14-191, Ala11Asp) composed of 13 N-terminal amino acid of bGH and elongated by two amino acids (Met-Ala-1-13) and 14-191 amino acids of hGH, were constructed and expressed in Escherichia coli. CD spectra indicated that the alpha-helix content of the purified proteins was similar to that of the native hormone. Both analogs retained their full ability to stimulate the proliferation of Nb2 lymphoma cells, and their binding to the lactogen receptors in homogenate of Nb2 cells and in microsomal fraction from bovine lactating mammary gland was only slightly reduced. However, their ability to bind to the somatogen receptors in intact IM-9 lymphocytes and bovine liver was reduced by 7- to 11-fold (bGH/hGH hybrid II) and 20- to 30-fold (Des-7-hGH). Both analogs were able to down-regulate the respective lactogen and somatogen receptors in intact Nb2 and IM-9 cells. The galactopoietic activity of both analogs in the lactating bovine mammary explants bioassay was almost completely abolished, and the bGH/hGH hybrid II exhibited a remarkable antagonistic activity. These results further indicate that the lactogen receptors in different species or organs are not identical. We have shown that the new recombinant analogs of hGH that recognize both somatogen and lactogen receptors but have modified postreceptor effects are helpful in elucidating these differences.     

Production of bacteriocin jenseniin G by Propionibacterium is pH sensitive

Bacteriocin jenseniin G is detected typically in 50-fold concentrated 10 d cultures of the producer, Propionibacterium thoenii ( jensenii ) P126 at low concentrations (32–64 AU ml⁻¹). The effect of pH on production was examined by growing the producer in sodium lactate broth, both statically and in stirred fermenters, with or without pH control. Activity was detected in unconcentrated static producer cultures at day 7 through to day 14. Maximal jenseniin G activity (21 AU ml⁻¹) was observed in concentrated supernates at day 9, remaining relatively constant through to day 14. Producer cultures grown in stirred fermenters without pH control yielded detectable activity in 50-fold concentrated supernates at day 3 and maximal activity at day 11. Producer growth in stirred fermenters at controlled pH yielded maximum production at pH 6·40 and maximum activity (160 AU ml⁻¹) at day 13. Jenseniin G activity at pH 6·40 represented a fivefold increase over previous reports. Medium pH was critical to jenseniin G production.     

An intramolecular cyclization reaction is responsible for the in vivo inefficacy and apparent pH insensitive hydrolysis kinetics of hydrazone carboxylate derivatives of doxorubicin

Contradictory reports concerning the pH sensitive hydrolysis kinetics of certain hydrazone carboxylates of doxorubicin have appeared in this journal (Kaneko et al., Bioconjugate Chem. 1991, 2, 133. Padilla De Jesús et al., Bioconjugate Chem. 2002, 13, 453). Since the pH stability of the drug-carrier linkage in macromolecular prodrugs has a significant bearing on pharmacological efficacy, the hydrolysis kinetics of low molecular weight and polymeric doxorubicin hydrazone carboxylates were therefore reinvestigated. As observed previously, the conjugates readily release native doxorubicin at pH 5. Unexpectedly, in neutral buffer the hydrazone carboxylate conjugates do not release native doxorubicin, but instead rapidly release a doxorubicin derivative substituted at C-9 by 3,6-dihydro-1,3,4-oxadiazin-2-one with first-order kinetics (t(1/2) = 2.5 h). The proposed intramolecular cyclization reaction involving doxorubicin's C-14 hydroxyl and the carboxylate-substituted hydrazone rationalizes the seemingly anomalous hydrolysis kinetics seen for hydrazone carboxylate linked doxorubicin, and provides a possible explanation for the poor antitumor activity exhibited by polymer-doxorubicin conjugates utilizing this specific type of linkage.     

Sex pheromone analysis and effective attraction of males of the cabbage webworm,Hellula undalis,inhabiting the Mekong Delta of Vietnam

Hellula undalis is a harmful insect pest of green mustard in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. In order to establish a tool for a sustainable pest control program, the sex pheromone of H. undalis inhabiting the Mekong Delta was examined. GC-EAD and GC–MS analyses of pheromone gland extracts from the virgin females elucidated three new components, (Z)-11-tetradecenyl acetate (Z11-14:OAc), (Z)-11-hexadecenal (Z11-16:Ald), and (11E,13E)-11,13-hexadecadien-1-ol, in addition to the known pheromone component (11E,13E)-11,13-hexadecadienal (E11,E13-16:Ald). Double bond positions of the two monoenyl components were determined by GC–MS analysis of the pheromone extract treated with dimethyl disulfide. On the other hand, GC–MS analysis of the female body extract detected the unsaturated hydrocarbon (3Z,6Z,9Z)-3,6,9-tricosatriene (Z3,Z6,Z9-23:H). Field examinations of their synthetic compounds indicated the significant role of E11,E13-16:Ald as a major component and a clear synergistic effect of the two monoenyl compounds as a minor component. Although the 3:3:7 mixture of Z11-14:OAc, E11-16:Ald, and E11,E13-16:Ald captured the largest number of males among the tested mixtures, the activity was still quite a bit lower than that of virgin females. However, the 3:3:7:1 mixture, which was prepared by adding a small amount of Z3,Z6,Z9-23:H to the 3:3:7 ternary lure, succeeded in attracting males more powerfully than the females did. This strong synergistic effect was not observed when the triene was added to unmixed E11,E13-16:Ald, indicating important roles of not only the triene but also the two monoenyl compounds as natural pheromone components.     

Studies on anabolic steroids--12. Epimerization and degradation of anabolic 17 beta-sulfate-17 alpha-methyl steroids in human: qualitative and quantitative GC/MS analysis.

The epimerization and dehydration reactions of the 17 beta-hydroxy group of anabolic 17 beta-hydroxy-17 alpha-methyl steroids have been investigated using the pyridinium salts of 17 beta-sulfate derivatives of methandienone 1, methyltestosterone 4, oxandrolone 7, mestanolone 10 and stanozolol 11 as model compounds. Rearrangement of the sulfate conjugates in buffered urine (pH 5.2) afforded the corresponding 17-epimers and 18-nor-17,17-dimethyl-13(14)-enes in a ratio of 0.8:1. These data indicated that both epimerization and dehydration of the 17 beta-sulfate derivatives were not dependent upon the respective chemical features of the steroids studied, but were instead inherent to the chemistry of the tertiary 17 beta-hydroxy group of these steroids. Interestingly, in vivo studies carried out with human male volunteers showed that only methandienone 1, methyltestosterone 4 and oxandrolone 7 yielded the corresponding 17-epimers 2, 5 and 8 and the 18-nor-17,17-dimethyl-13(14)-enes 3, 6 and 9 in ratios of 0.5:1, 2:1 and 2.7:1, respectively. No trace of the corresponding 17-epimers and 18-nor-17,17-dimethyl-13(14)-enes derivatives of mestanolone 10 and stanozolol 11 was detected in urine samples collected after administration of these steroids. These data suggested that the in vivo formation of the 17-epimers and 18-nor-17,17-dimethyl-13(14)-enes derivatives of 17 beta-hydroxy-17 alpha-methyl steroids is also dependent upon phase I and phase II metabolic reactions other than sulfation of the tertiary 17 beta-hydroxyl group, which are probably modulated by the respective chemical features of the steroidal substrates. The data reported in this study demonstrate that the 17-epimers and 18-nor-17,17-dimethyl-13(14)-enes are not artifacts resulting from the acidic or microbial degradation of the parent steroids in the gut as previously suggested by other authors, but arise from the rearrangement of their 17 beta-sulfate derivatives. Unchanged oxandrolone 7 was solely detected in the unconjugated steroid fraction whereas unchanged steroids 1, 4 and 11 were recovered from the glucuronide fraction. These data are indirect evidences suggesting that the glucuronide conjugates of compounds 1 and 4 are probably enol glucuronides and that of compound 11 is excreted in urine as a N-glucuronide involving its pyrazole moiety. The urinary excretion profiles of the epimeric and 18-nor-17,17-dimethyl-13(14)-ene steroids are presented and discussed on the basis of their structural features.     

Synthesis, in vitro antifungal activity and mechanism of action of four sterol hydrazone analogues against the dimorphic fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis

The design and synthesis of novel sterol hydrazone analogues (9, 10, 11 and 12) are described, followed by their evaluation as inhibitors of fungal growth, using Paracoccidioides brasiliensis as the biological tester. Compounds 9, 10, 11 and 12 generated a dose-dependent effect in fungal growth, particularly 9, 11 and 12, which were active at nanomolar concentrations (100 nM). When P. brasiliensis in its pathogenic yeast-like phase was treated individually with each of the aforementioned compounds at concentrations that reduced growth rate around 50%, the analysis of sterol composition in the resulting surviving cells demonstrated a 50% reduction of the final sterols brasicasterol and ergosterol, and concomitant increase in the levels of lanosterol. These results indicate that these compounds inhibit the enzyme Δ(24)-sterol methyl transferase (SMT), in a manner dependent on the stereochemical location of the hydrazone group. Compound 12, instead, induced a good antiproliferative activity not associated with blockage of any step in the pathway to sterol biosynthesis, suggesting a different mode of action. The X-ray crystal structure of H1 was determined to obtain information regarding the rings and side chain conformation of the sterol hydrazones. Comparison of the inhibitory effects of sterol hydrazones (9-12) and azasterols (AZA1-AZA3) on SMT with the molecular electrostatic potential, negative isopotential energy surfaces (-10 kcal/mol) and local ionization potential calculated via DFT methods, showed that changes in the electronic moiety introduced by the N and O atoms were not as important as the additional flexibility of the side chain introduced by an extra methylene group.     

Study of toxicity and antineoplastic activity of 14-substituted derivatives of rubomycin and carminomycin

Toxicity and antitumor activity of five derivatives of rubomycin and carminomycin were studied in animals. The derivatives were prepared by modification of the methyl C-14 group. These were the following: 14-chlorrubomycin, 14-chlorcarminomycin, 14-salicyloyloxyrubomycin, 14-salicyloyloxycarminomycin and 14-quinaldinoyloxyrubomycin. The chemotherapeutic study revealed that, in their activity, all the compounds were inferior to the starting antibiotics. Unlike the other derivatives, 14-chlorcarminomycin induced a significant inhibition of leukemia P-388 development (the average lifespan of the mice amounted to 165 per cent as compared to the control). However, in the magnitude of its effect, the derivative was inferior to carminomycin.     

Effect of rubomycin (daunorubicin) and its nitroxyl analog on the functioning of rat heart mitochondria

Changes in the functional parameters of the rat heart mitochondria were studied in time after a single intraperitoneal administration of rubomycin, the rubomycin combination with 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxyl (TEMPO-OH) and ruboxyl, a nitroxyl derivative of rubomycin. The administration of rubomycin resulted in inhibition of the heart mitochondria bioenergetic functions (a decrease in the respiration control coefficient, RCC, and the respiration rate, RR, on phosphorylation) during respiration in the presence of NAD(+)-dependent substrates 6 to 24 hours after the administration. Later the mitochondria functions recovered while in 2 to 3 weeks a secondary decrease in the RCC and RR was observed. During respiration in the presence of succinate the inhibitory effect on the antibiotics was higher. The combined administration of rubomycin and TEMPO-OH eliminated the primary inhibition. In the presence of ruboxyl the inhibitory effect in regard to the NAD(+)-dependent substrates was not detected. The mechanisms of the toxic action of the anthracycline antibiotics are discussed.