ABSTRACT
ß-Nitro-substituted ethyl carboxylates are a new class of cytotoxic agents; they can be easily obtained in fair to good yields in a single-step reaction by a Pd-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition of aryl boronic acids to 2-nitro-acrylates. Of all the tested derivatives, 2-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-nitropropionic acid ethyl ester (6) is most cytotoxic especially against the human ovarian cancer cell line A2780 therefore making this compound an interesting candidate for further investigations.
Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology , Carboxylic Acids/pharmacology , Nitro Compounds/chemistry , Animals , Antineoplastic Agents/chemical synthesis , Antineoplastic Agents/chemistry , Carboxylic Acids/chemical synthesis , Carboxylic Acids/chemistry , Cell Line, Tumor , Cell Proliferation/drug effects , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Drug Evaluation, Preclinical , Fibroblasts/drug effects , Humans , MCF-7 Cells , Mice , Molecular Structure , NIH 3T3 Cells , Structure-Activity RelationshipABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Mediation of RNA interference by oligonucleotides constitutes a powerful approach for the silencing of genes involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory disease, but in vivo application of this technique requires effective delivery to immune cells and/or sites of inflammation. The aim of the present study was to develop a new carrier system to mediate systemic administration of oligonucleotides to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) joints, and to develop an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO)-based approach to interfere with CD40-CD154 interactions in an experimental model of RA. METHODS: A novel liposomal carrier with amphoteric properties, termed Nov038, was developed and assessed for its ability to systemically deliver an ASO directed against CD40 (CD40-ASO). Male DBA/1 mice with collagen-induced arthritis were treated with Nov038-encapsulated CD40-ASO, and the effects of treatment on various parameters of disease activity, including clinical score, paw swelling, lymph node responses, and inflammatory cytokine production in the joints, were assessed. RESULTS: Nov038 was well tolerated, devoid of immune-stimulatory effects, and efficacious in mediating systemic oligonucleotide delivery to sites of inflammation. In mice with collagen-induced arthritis, Nov038 enabled the therapeutic administration of CD40-ASO and improved established disease, while unassisted CD40-ASO was ineffective, and anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (anti-TNFalpha) treatment was less effective in this model. Nov038/CD40-ASO efficacy was attributed to its tropism for monocyte/macrophages and myeloid dendritic cells (DCs), resulting in rapid down-regulation of CD40, inhibition of DC antigen presentation, and reduction in collagen-specific T cell responses, as well as decreased levels of TNFalpha, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and IL-17 in arthritic joints. CONCLUSION: Amphoteric liposomes represent a novel carrier concept for systemic and antigen-presenting cell-targeted oligonucleotide delivery with clinical applicability and numerous potential applications, including target validation in vivo and inflammatory disease therapeutics. Moreover, Nov038/CD40-ASO constitutes a potent alternative to monoclonal antibody-based approaches for interfering with CD40-CD40L interactions.
