Reductive metabolism of the dinitrobenzamide mustard anticancer prodrug PR-104 in mice.

PURPOSE: PR-104, a bioreductive prodrug in clinical trial, is a phosphate ester which is rapidly metabolized to the corresponding alcohol PR-104A. This dinitrobenzamide mustard is activated by reduction to hydroxylamine (PR-104H) and amine (PR-104M) metabolites selectively in hypoxic cells, and also independently of hypoxia by aldo-keto reductase (AKR) 1C3 in some tumors. Here, we evaluate reductive metabolism of PR-104A in mice and its significance for host toxicity. METHODS: The pharmacokinetics of PR-104, PR-104A and its reduced metabolites were investigated in plasma and tissues of mice (with and without SiHa or H460 tumor xenografts) and effects of potential oxidoreductase inhibitors were evaluated. RESULTS: Pharmacokinetic studies identified extensive non-tumor reduction of PR-104A to the 5-amine PR-104H (identity of which was confirmed by chemical synthesis), especially in liver. However, high concentrations of PR-104H in tumors that suggested intra-tumor activation is also significant. The tissue distribution of PR-104M/H was broadly consistent with the target organ toxicities of PR-104 (bone marrow, intestines and liver). Surprisingly, hepatic nitroreduction was not enhanced when the liver was made more hypoxic by hepatic artery ligation or breathing of 10% oxygen. A screen of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs identified naproxen as an effective AKR1C3 inhibitor in human tumor cell cultures and xenografts, suggesting its potential use to ameliorate PR-104 toxicity in patients. However, neither naproxen nor the pan-CYP inhibitor 1-aminobenzotriazole inhibited normal tissue reduction of PR-104A in mice. CONCLUSIONS: PR-104 is extensively reduced in mouse tissues, apparently via oxygen-independent two-electron reduction, with a tissue distribution that broadly reflects toxicity.

Hypoxia-activated prodrugs: substituent effects on the properties of nitro seco-1,2,9,9a-tetrahydrocyclopropa[c]benz[e]indol-4-one (nitroCBI) prodrugs of DNA minor groove alkylating agents.

Nitrochloromethylbenzindolines (nitroCBIs) are a new class of hypoxia-activated prodrugs for antitumor therapy. The recently reported prototypes undergo hypoxia-selective metabolism to form potent DNA minor groove alkylating agents and are selectively toxic to some but not all hypoxic tumor cell lines. Here we report a series of 31 analogues that bear an extra electron-withdrawing substituent that serves to raise the one-electron reduction potential of the nitroCBI. We identify a subset of compounds, those with a basic side chain and sulfonamide or carboxamide substituent, that have consistently high hypoxic selectivity. The best of these, with a 7-sulfonamide substituent, displays hypoxic cytotoxicity ratios of 275 and 330 in Skov3 and HT29 human tumor cell lines, respectively. This compound (28) is efficiently and selectively metabolized to the corresponding aminoCBI, is selectively cytotoxic under hypoxia in all 11 cell lines examined, and demonstrates activity against hypoxic tumor cells in a human tumor xenograft in vivo.

Iron(II) tris-[N4-substituted-3,5-di(2-pyridyl)-1,2,4-triazole] complexes: structural, magnetic, NMR, and density functional theory studies.

Eight mononuclear iron(II) complexes of N(4)-3,5-di(2-pyridyl)-1,2,4-triazole (Rdpt) ligands have been prepared and characterized. In all cases the iron(II)/ligand ratio used is 1:3, giving red complexes of the general formula [Fe(II)(Rdpt)(3)](BF(4))(2) x solvents, in 55-89% yield. The ligands differ only in the nature of the N(4)-substituent (amino, pyrrolyl, iso-butyl, methyl, phenyl, para-tolyl, 3,5-dichlorophenyl, and 4-pyridyl; for ligands adpt, pldpt, ibdpt, medpt, phdpt, ptdpt, Cldpt, and pydpt, respectively) allowing substituent effects on the properties of the resulting iron(II) complexes to be probed. The low temperature crystal structures of seven of the complexes reveal low spin iron(II) environments. Packing analyses reveal anion-pi and acetonitrile-pi interactions involving the tetrafluoroborate counteranions and interstitial acetonitrile molecules, respectively. Both "pi-pockets" and "pi-sandwiches" are observed. Solid state magnetic susceptibility measurements (4-300 K) indicate the iron(II) is low spin (LS) in all complexes at all temperatures studied, except for [Fe(II)(pldpt)(3)](BF(4))(2) x 1 1/2 H(2)O which has the beginnings of spin crossover (SCO) at elevated temperatures. Downfield shifts and peak broadening observed in the variable temperature (1)H NMR studies indicate that in d(3)-nitromethane solution the LS [Fe(II)(Rdpt)(3)](2+) complexes are in equilibrium with a trace of a high spin (HS) species. (15)N NMR spectra (measured and calculated) of the ligands reveal that altering the N(4)-substituent changes the chemical shift of the N(1) triazole and pyridine nitrogen atoms, allowing probing of the relationship between ligand substituent and the nature of the coordinating nitrogen atoms.

Intermediates in the reduction of the antituberculosis drug PA-824, (6S)-2-nitro-6-{[4-(trifluoromethoxy)benzyl]oxy}-6,7-dihydro-5H-imidazo[2,1-b][1,3]oxazine, in aqueous solution.

The reduction chemistry of the new anti-tuberculosis drug PA-824, together with a more water-soluble analogue, have been investigated using pulse and steady-state radiolysis in aqueous solution. Stepwise reduction of these nitroimidazo-dihydrooxazine compounds through electron transfer from the CO(2) (-) species revealed that, unlike related nitroimidazoles, 2-electron addition resulted in the reduction of the imidazole ring in preference to the nitro group. In mildly acidic solution a nitrodihydroimidazo intermediate was formed, which was reduced further to the amine product. In both alkaline and neutral solution, an intermediate produced on 2-electron reduction was resistant to further reduction and reverted to parent compound on extraction or mass spectrometric analysis of the solution. The unusual reduction chemistry of these nitroimidazole compounds, exhibiting ring over nitro group reduction, is associated with alkoxy substitution in the 2-position of a 4-nitroimidazole. The unique properties of the intermediates formed on the reduction of PA-824 need to be considered as playing a possible role in its bactericidal action.

Complete 1H, 13C and 15N NMR assignment of tirapazamine and related 1,2,4-benzotriazine N-oxides.

1H, 13C and 15N NMR measurements (1D and 2D including 1H--15N gs-HMBC) have been carried out on 3-amino-1, 2,4-benzotriazine and a series of N-oxides and complete assignments established. N-Oxidation at any position resulted in large upfield shifts of the corresponding N-1 and N-2 resonances and downfield shifts for N-4 with the exception of the 3-amino-1,2,4-benzotriazine 1-oxide in which a small upfield shift of N-4 was observed. Density functional GIAO calculations of the 15N and 13C chemical shifts [B3LYP/6-31G(d)//B3LYP/6-311+G(2d,p)] gave good agreement with experimental values confirming the assignments. The combination of 13C and 15N NMR provides an unambiguous method for assigning the 1H and 13C resonances of N-oxides of 1,2,4-benzotriazines.