Biochemical and pharmacological activities of SR 26831, a potent and selective elastase inhibitor.

SR 26831 ([[5-(2-chloro-benzyl-2-(terbutyloxycarbonyl)]-4,5,6,7- tetrahydrothieno(3,2-c)pyridine]N-oxide) is the first member of a new class of human leukocyte elastase inhibitors. SR 26831 inhibited in a dose-dependent manner elastases from human leukocytes or pancreas with IC50 values of 80 +/- 2.6 nM and 4.8 +/- 0.12 microM, respectively. Steady-state studies revealed that SR 26831 behaved like a noncompetitive, irreversible inhibitor of both types of enzymes. SR 26831 inhibited in a dose-dependent manner degradation of [3H]elastin and [3H]collagens (types I and IV) by human leukocyte elastase (IC50 values were between 1.2 and 1.8 microM). In this respect, SR 26831 was 3- to 20-fold more active than alpha-1-antitrypsin. SR 26831 was also highly selective for elastases inasmuch as it did not inhibit pepsin, collagenase, trypsin, alpha-chymotrypsin, factor Xa, plasmin, kallikrein, cathepsins B, C, D and G and thrombin. In the rabbit, SR 26831 was cleared rapidly from blood after i.v. injection, but affected intracellular leukocyte elastase activity shortly after either i.v. or p.o. administration. In the rat, i.v. or p.o. administration of SR 26831 prevented in a dose-dependent manner acute lung injury induced by intratracheal instillation of human leukocyte elastase. SR 26831 (1 mg/kg) was still efficient when it was administered 90 min before elastase instillation and was also able to limit further hemorrhage development in response to elastase, after it had begun. SR 26831 may therefore be of therapeutic value in the treatment of diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or pulmonary emphysema thought to be due to the destructive action of leukocyte elastase.

1-Amino-substituted 4-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indoles (gamma-carbolines) as tricyclic analogues of ellipticines: a new class of antineoplastic agents.

A series of 1-amino-substituted 4-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indoles that are structurally related to ellipticines by deletion of a ring have been synthesized in order to evaluate their DNA affinity, their in vitro cytotoxicity on L1210 cultured cells, and their in vivo antitumor activity. Among 24 derivatives that have been prepared and studied for the structure-activity relationship in this new class of antineoplastic agents, those that have a NH(CH2)3N(R)2 side chain (R = CH3 or C2H5) at their 1-position, a 4-methyl group, and an 8-OH substituent, either with a 5-NH or with a 5-NCH3 group, show the most potent cytotoxicities on L1210 cultured cells and in vivo antitumor properties in P388 and L1210 leukemia systems. In vivo antineoplastic activity of the most potent products was confirmed in P388 and L1210 leukemia systems. In vivo antineoplastic activity of the most potent products was confirmed on other mouse experimental tumors from the standard NCI screening:B16 melanoma and C38 adenocarcinoma.

Physicochemical and pharmacological properties of the antitumor ellipticine derivative 2-(diethylamino-2-ethyl)9-hydroxy ellipticinium-chloride, HCl.

2-(Diethylamino-2-ethyl)9-hydroxyellipticinium-chloride, HCl (DHE), a new congener of the antitumor agent elliptinium acetate (Celiptium) (NMHE), has recently been selected for phase I clinical trials. NMHE has a methyl group at nitrogen 2 on the ellipticine ring while DHE possesses a basic diethylaminoethyl chain at this position. Compared to NMHE, the presence of the diethylaminoethyl side chain results in the following: a significant increase in the lipophilicity of the drug; no significant modification in either the binding constant values to DNA or the ability to intercalate between DNA base pairs; a marked decrease in the unwinding angle value of supercoiled DNA; and no significant change in the alteration of the catalytic activity of topoisomerase II in vitro. DHE appears to act as a simple reversible intercalating agent as shown by the selective mutagenic effect on Salmonella TA 1977 tester strain and by its inability to induce the SOS functions in a sfiA lac fusion containing Escherichia coli strain. From a pharmacological point of view, the presence of the diethylaminoethyl chain results in a 2-fold increase in the cytotoxicity to L1210 cultured cells, a strong increase in the antitumor efficiency on experimental murine tumors such as L1210 and P388 leukemia, B16 melanoma, M 5076 reticulosarcoma, and colon 38 adenocarcinoma, and finally an objective decrease in the acute and subacute toxicity in mice, rat, and macaque. The absence of significant differences in the interaction of NMHE and DHE with their potential targets in vitro leads to the hypothesis that the superiority of DHE in terms of cytotoxicity and antitumor efficiency may be due to an increase in the diffusion across cellular membrane and a more favorable biodistribution in vivo.

1-Amino-substituted 4-methyl-5H-pyrido[3',4':4,5]pyrrolo[3,2-c]pyridines: a new class of antineoplastic agents.

In an attempt to find new anticancer agents, a series of pyrido[3',4':4,5]pyrrolo[3,2-c]pyridines were synthesized and evaluated in the standard NCI screening. Among these new compounds, which are structurally related to 9-azaellipticines but differ by deletion of a cycle, those that have a 4-methyl group and a NHCH2CH2CH2NR2 side chain at the 1-position show significant cytotoxicity on L1210 cultured cells and antitumor properties in the in vivo P388 leukemia system. The in vivo antineoplastic activity of the most potent compounds were confirmed on the L1210 leukemia model.