Microbial transformation of oral contraceptive ethisterone by Aspergillus niger and Cunninghamella blakesleeana.

Ethisterone (17α-ethynyl-17ß-hydroxyandrost-4-en-3-one) (1) is a synthetic steroidal estrogen. It is extensively used as an oral contraceptive. The current study involves the structural transformation of ethisterone (1) by Aspergillus niger, and Cunninghamella blakesleeana. Fermentation of 1 with C. blakesleeana afforded two new polar metabolites, 17α-ethynyl-6ß,15ß,17ß-trihydroxyandrost-4-en-3-one, and 17α-ethynyl-7ß,15ß,17ß-trihydroxyandrost-4-en-3-one, while transformation of ethisterone with A. niger yielded a new metabolite, 17α-ethynyl-6α,17ß-dihydroxyandrost-4-en-3-one, along with a known metabolite, 17α-ethynyl-11α,17ß-dihydroxyandrost-4-en-3-one. Modern spectroscopic techniques were used to characterize the structures of all transformed products.

18F-labeled ethisterone derivative for progesterone receptor targeted PET imaging of breast cancer.

PURPOSE: A novel radiolabeled probe 1­(17­[18F]fluoro­3,6,9,12,15­pentaoxaheptadecyl­1H­1,2,3­triazole testosterone ([18F]FPTT) was synthesized and evaluated for PET imaging of progesterone receptor (PR)-positive breast cancer. METHODS: The ethinyl group of ethisterone, a PR targeting pharmacophore, was coupled with azide modified PEG-OTs by click chemistry to obtain the labeling precursor. The final [18F]FPTT was synthesized by a one-step nucleophilic substitution reaction with 18F. The in vitro stabilities of [18F]FPTT in saline or rat serum were determined after 2 h incubation. Then the in vitro cell binding, ex vivo biodistribution and in vivo imaging of [18F]FPTT were further investigated to evaluate the PR targeting ability and feasibility for the diagnosis of PR-positive breast cancer with PET imaging. RESULTS: [18F]FPTT was obtained in high decay-corrected radiochemical yield (78 ±â€¯9%) at the end of synthesis. It had high radiochemical purity (>98%) after HPLC purification and good in vitro stability. The molar activity of [18F]FPTT was calculated as 17 GBq/µmol. The microPET imaging of [18F]FPTT in tumor-bearing mice showed much higher tumor uptake in PR-positive MCF-7 tumor (3.9 ±â€¯0.20%ID/g) than that of PR-negative MDA-MB-231 tumor (1.3 ±â€¯0.08%ID/g). The high MCF-7 tumor uptake could be specifically inhibited by blocking with ethisterone (1.3 ±â€¯0.11%ID/g) or [19F]FPTT (2.20 ±â€¯0.17%ID/g), respectively. The biodistribution in estrogen-primed female SD rats of [18F]FPTT showed high uterus and ovary uptakes (8.31 ±â€¯1.74%ID/g and 3.79 ±â€¯0.82%ID/g at 1 h post-injection). The specific uptakes of uterus and ovary in normal rats were 3.52 ±â€¯0.29%ID/g and 3.22 ±â€¯0.50%ID/g respectively and could be inhibited by co-injecting of ethisterone. CONCLUSION: A novel [18F]FPTT probe based on ethisterone modification could be a potential diagnostic agent for PR-positive breast cancer.

Investigation on the Interaction of Norgestrel with Human Serum Albumin Using Spectroscopy and Molecular-Docking Method.

The interaction of norgestrel with human serum albumin (HSA) was investigated by spectroscopy and molecular-docking methods. Results of spectroscopy methods suggested that the quenching mechanism of norgestrel on HSA was static quenching and that the quenching process was spontaneous. Negative values of thermodynamic parameters (ΔG, ΔH, and ΔS) indicated that hydrogen bonding and van der Waals forces dominated the binding between norgestrel and HSA. Three-dimensional fluorescence spectrum and circular dichroism spectrum showed that the HSA structure was slightly changed by norgestrel. Norgestrel mainly bound with Sudlow site I based on a probe study, as confirmed by molecular-docking results. Competition among similar structures indicated that ethisterone and norethisterone affected the binding of norgestrel with HSA. CH3 in R1 had little effect on norgestrel binding with HSA. The surface hydrophobicity properties of HSA, investigated using 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid, was changed with norgestrel addition.

Efficient synthesis of ethisterone glycoconjugate via bis-triazole linkage.

Synthesis of sugar based triazolyl azido-alcohols was accomplished via one pot click reaction of glycosyl alkynes with epichlorohydrin in aqueous medium. All the developed triazolyl azido-alcohols were further utilized for the synthesis of bis-triazolyl ethisterone glycoconjugates using CuAAC reaction. The developed triazole-linked ethisterone glycoconjugates would be crucial in androgen receptor pharmacology and chemical biology.

Click chemistry inspired highly facile synthesis of triazolyl ethisterone glycoconjugates.

Numerous deoxy-azido sugars 3 were prepared by the reaction of tosyl/bromo sugars with NaN3 in dry DMF under heating condition. The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of deoxy-azido sugars 3 with ethisterone 4 to afford regioselective triazole-linked ethisterone glycoconjugates 5 was investigated in the presence of CuI and DIPEA in dichloromethane or CuSO4·5H2O and sodium ascorbate in aqueous medium. All the developed compounds were characterized by spectroscopic analysis (IR, (1)H &(13)C NMR, and MS spectra). Structure of triazolyl ethisterone glycoconjugate 5a has been further confirmed by its Single Crystal X-ray analysis.

Novel C,N-chelate platinum(II) antitumor complexes bearing a lipophilic ethisterone pendant.

The novel steroidal carrier ligand 17-α-[4'-ethynyl-dimethylbenzylamine]-17-ß-testosterone (ET-dmba 1) and the steroid--C,N-chelate platinum(II) derivatives [Pt(ET-dmba)Cl(L)] (L = DMSO (2) and PTA (3; PTA =1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane)) have been prepared. Values of IC(50) were calculated for the new platinum complexes 2 and 3 against a panel of human tumor cell lines representative of ovarian (A2780 and A2780cisR) and breast cancers (T47D). At 48h incubation time complexes 2 and 3 show very low resistance factors (RF of <2) against an A2780 cell line which has acquired resistant to cisplatin and were more active than cisplatin (about 4-fold for 3) in T47D (AR+, AR=androgen receptor). Compound 1 retains a moderate degree of relative binding affinity (RBA=0.94%) for androgen receptors. The cytotoxicity of the non steroidal platinum analogues [Pt(dmba)Cl(L)] (dmba=dimethylbenzylamine; L=DMSO (4) and PTA (5)) has also been studied for comparison purposes. Theoretical calculations at the BP86/def2-TZVP level of theory on complex 3 have been undertaken.

Cytotoxicity, cellular localisation and biomolecular interaction of non-covalent metallo-intercalators with appended sex hormone steroid vectors.

A range of terpyridine platinum(II) metallo-intercalators with bioactive steroids attached has been created with the aim of localizing cytotoxic drugs. Complexes where the steroid does not interfere with access to the terpyridine are shown to retain potent cytotoxicity and show certain selectivity towards their natural receptors. Because the intercalation of the terpyridine moiety between the bases of the DNA is the origin of the biological activity, a dramatic decrease of the activity is observed when the access to the terpyridine unit is hindered by the steroidal unit.

Structure-activity relationships of synthetic progestins in a yeast-based in vitro androgen bioassay.

The recent identification of tetrahydrogestrinone (THG), a non-marketed designer androgen used for sports doping but previously undetectable by established mass spectrometry-based urine drug screens, and its production by a facile chemical modification of gestrinone has raised concerns about the risks of developing designer androgens from numerous marketed progestins. We therefore have used yeast-based in vitro androgen and progesterone bioassays to conduct a structure-activity study assessing the intrinsic androgenic potential of commercially available progestins and their derivatives, to identify those compounds or structures with the highest risk of forming a basis for such misapplication. Progestins had a wide range of androgenic bioactivity that was not reliably predicted for individual steroids by their progestin bioactivity. 17alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone and 19-norprogesterone derivatives with their bulky 17beta-substituents were strong progestins but generally weak androgens. 17alpha-Ethynylated derivatives of testosterone, 19-nortestosterone and 18-methyl-19-nortestosterone such as gestrinone, ethisterone, norethisterone and norgestrel had the most significant intrinsic androgenicity of all the commercially marketed progestins. Facile chemical modification of the 17alpha-ethynyl group of each of these progestins produces 17alpha-methyl, ethyl and allyl derivatives, including THG and norbolethone, which further enhanced androgenic bioactivity. Thus by using the rapid and sensitive yeast bioassay we have screened a comprehensive set of progestins and associated structures and identified the ethynylated testosterone, 19-nortestosterone and 18-methyl-19-nortestosterone derivatives as possessing the highest risk for abuse and potential for conversion to still more potent androgens. By contrast, modern progestins such as progesterone, 17alpha-hydroxyprogesterone and 19-norprogesterone derivatives had minimal androgenic bioactivity and pose low risk.

Microbial transformation of 17alpha-ethynyl- and 17alpha-ethylsteroids, and tyrosinase inhibitory activity of transformed products.

The microbial transformation of the 17alpha-ethynyl-17beta-hydroxyandrost-4-en-3-one (1) (ethisterone) and 17alpha-ethyl-17beta-hydroxyandrost-4-en-3-one (2) by the fungi Cephalosporium aphidicola and Cunninghamella elegans were investigated. Incubation of compound 1 with C. aphidicola afforded oxidized derivative, 17alpha-ethynyl-17beta-hydroxyandrosta-1,4-dien-3-one (3), while with C. elegans afforded a new hydroxy derivative, 17alpha-ethynyl-11alpha,17beta-dihydroxyandrost-4-en-3-one (4). On the other hand, the incubation of compound 2 with the fungus C. aphidicola afforded 17alpha-ethyl-17beta-hydroxyandrosta-1,4-dien-3-one (5). Two new hydroxylated derivatives, 17alpha-ethyl-11alpha,17beta-dihydroxyandrost-4-en-3-one (6) and 17alpha-ethyl-6alpha,17beta-dihydroxy-5alpha-androstan-3-one (7) were obtained from the incubation of compound 2 with C. elegans. Compounds 1-6 exhibited tyrosinase inhibitory activity, with compound 6 being the most potent member (IC(50)=1.72 microM).

The effect of structural QSAR parameters on skin penetration.

The permeability coefficients (log kp) of solutes through stratum corneum have been previously related to the octanol-water partition coefficients (log Poct) and solvatochromic parameters. In this study, permeation coefficient data are related to the theoretical chemistry-derived structural parameters and also molecular connectivity and molecular shape indices. The results show that these parameters are comparable with the solvatochromic parameters in correlation with log kp. Log Poct can be corrected by the theoretical parameters to explain permeation coefficients and the equilibrium distribution of compounds between the stratum corneum and water (log Km). Diffusion estimated from the expression log(D/h)=log kp-log Km, where D is the diffusion coefficient and h is the path length for diffusion was also analyzed successfully by the structural parameters.

Steroids 49. Investigations on the dehydration of 17 alpha-ethynyl-17 beta-hydroxysteroids.

The acidic dehydration of 17 alpha-ethynyl-17 beta-hydroxysteroids (1-3) was investigated. On reaction with thionyl chloride, phosphorus oxychloride, and formic acid, the desired dehydration was accompanied by chlorination, Wagner-Meerwein rearrangement, and D-homoaromatic rearrangement. The structure of the product from the transformation of 17 beta-hydroxypregn-20-yne derivative (3) on reaction with formic acid was misjudged. It was regarded as a pregn-16-en-20-yne (10) instead of the actually rearranged D-homoaromatic compound (11). As a consequence, physical data corresponding to this latter structure have been cited in the literature as those of pregn-16-en-20-yne derivative (10). This confusion prompted us to prepare compounds of both types (4, 9, 10, and 11), the characterization of which is here described.