Synthesis and cytotoxic activity of 7-oxo-7H-dibenz[f,ij]isoquinoline and 7-oxo-7H-benzo[e]perimidine derivatives.

A series of 7-oxo-7H-dibenz[f,ij]isoquinoline and 7-oxo-7H-benzo[e]perimidines bearing cationic side chains were prepared from aminoanthraquinones. The perimidines were prepared from 1-aminoanthraquinone by initial condensation with urea or dimethylacetamide. A series of 2-, 4-, 8-, and 11-carboxy derivatives of the dibenzisoquinolines were prepared from aminoanthraquinonecarboxylic acids. The cationic derivatives were prepared from these via amide, amine, or methylene linkers to study the effects of side chain positioning on biological activity. Within the series of carboxamide-linked compounds, the order of increasing cytotoxicity was 8- < 4- < 2- < 11-. The 2- and 4-carboxamides showed substantial growth delays against in vivo subcutaneous colon 38 tumors in mice, but the 11-carboxamide had curative activity in this refractory model and is being investigated further.

Dicationic bis(9-methylphenazine-1-carboxamides): relationships between biological activity and linker chain structure for a series of potent topoisomerase targeted anticancer drugs.

Bis(9-methylphenazine-1-carboxamides) joined by a variety of dicationic (CH(2))(n)()NR(CH(2))(m)NR(CH(2))(n) linkers of varying length (carboxamide N-N distances from 11.0 to 18.4 A) and rigidity were prepared by reaction of 9-methylphenazine-1-carboxylic acid imidazolide with the appropriate polyamines. The compounds were evaluated for growth inhibitory properties in P388 leukemia, Lewis lung carcinoma, and wild-type (JL(C)) and mutant (JL(A) and JL(D)) forms of human Jurkat leukemia with low levels of topoisomerase II (topo II). The compounds all had IC(50) ratios of <1 in the resistant Jurkat lines, consistent with topo II inhibition not being the primary mechanism of action. Analogues joined by an (CH(2))(2)NR(CH(2))(2)NR(CH(2))(2) linker were extremely potent cytotoxins, with selectivity toward the human cell lines, but absolute potencies declined sharply from R = H through R = Me to R = Pr and Bu. In contrast, (CH(2))(2)NR(CH(2))(3)NR(CH(2))(2) compounds showed reverse effects, with the R = Me analogue being more potent than the R = H one as well as being the most potent in the series [IC(50) in JL(C) cells 0.08 nM; superior to that for the clinical bis(naphthalimide) LU 79553]. Overall, the IC(50)s of analogues with linker chains (CH(2))(n)NH(CH(2))(m)NH(CH(2))(n) were inversely proportional to linker length. Constraining the rigidity of the linker chain by incorporating a piperazine ring did not decrease potency significantly. A representative compound bound tightly to DNA with high selectivity for GC sites, compatible with recent work suggesting that compounds of this type place their side chains in the major groove, making specific contacts with guanine bases. Representative compounds were susceptible to transport mediated resistance, being much less effective in cells that overexpressed P-glycoprotein. Overall the results suggest these compounds have a similar mode of action, mediated primarily by poisoning of topo I (possibly with some involvement of topo II). The bis(9-methylphenazine-1-carboxamides) show very high in vitro growth inhibitory potencies compared to their monomeric analogues. Two compounds showed in vivo activity in murine colon 38 syngeneic and HT29 human colon tumor xenograft models using intraperitoneal dosing.

Positioning of the carboxamide side chain in 11-oxo-11H-indeno[1,2-b]quinolinecarboxamide anticancer agents: effects on cytotoxicity.

A series of 11-oxo-11H-indeno[1,2-b]quinolines bearing a carboxamide-linked cationic side chain at various positions on the chromophore was studied to determine structure-activity relationships between cytotoxicity and the position of the side chain. The compounds were prepared by Pfitzinger synthesis from an appropriate isatin and 1-indanone, followed by various oxidative steps, to generate the required carboxylic acids. The 4- and 6-carboxamides (with the side chain on a terminal ring, off the short axis of the chromophore) were effective cytotoxins. The dimeric 4- and 6-linked analogues were considerably more cytotoxic than the parent monomers, but had broadly similar activities. In contrast, analogues with side chains at the 8-position (on a terminal ring but off the long axis of the chromophore) or 10-position (off the short axis of the chromophore but in a central ring) were drastically less effective. The 4,10- and 6,10-biscarboxamides had activities between those of the corresponding parent monocarboxamides. The first of these showed good activity against advanced subcutaneous colon 38 tumours in mice.

Topoisomerase I/II selectivity among derivatives of N-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]acridine-4-carboxamide (DACA).

DACA (N-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]acridine-4-carboxamide dihydrochloride) has high experimental antitumor activity and has completed phase I/II clinical trials. It targets both topoisomerase (topo) I and II, but the roles of each of these enzymes in the antitumour action of DACA are not known. We have used a series of DACA analogues (mainly monosubstituted halogen derivatives) to relate in vitro and in vivo biological activity. We measured topo II selectivity by comparing the inhibition of Jurkat human leukaemia cell lines with high and low topo II content. We determined survival curves following exposure of H460 human lung carcinoma cells for 1 h. We used plasmid DNA to compare the effects of DACA analogues on isolated topo I and II, measuring in particular the inhibition of topo I- and II-mediated DNA relaxation. The results indicate that 5-halogen substituted derivatives are the most active in clonogenic cytotoxicity assays and that this activity is related to their selective activity towards Jurkat cells with high topo II activity. In isolated topo assays, 5-halogen substituted derivatives were also the most potent and in each case the concentration required for inhibition of topo II relaxation was greater than that for inhibition of topo I relaxation. The drug concentration providing efficient cytotoxicity corresponded to that which suppressed the activity of topo I but not of topo II. We hypothesize that DACA analogues act both in vitro and in vivo to simultaneously poison topo II and inhibit topo I catalytic activity, and that this combination contributes to the high antitumour activity of DACA analogues.

Synthesis of substituted indeno[1,2-b]quinoline-6-carboxamides, [1]benzothieno[3,2-b]quinoline-4-carboxamides and 10H-quindoline-4-carboxamides: evaluation of structure-activity relationships for cytotoxicity.

New substituted indeno[1,2-b]quinoline-6-carboxamides, [1]benzothieno[3,2-b]quinoline-4-carboxamides and 10H-quindoline-4-carboxamides were prepared from methyl 2-amino-3-formylbenzoate by a new Friedlander synthesis. Evaluation of these carboxamides for cytotoxicity in a panel of cell lines showed that small lipophilic substituents in the non-carboxamide ring, in a pseudo-peri position to the side chain, significantly increased cytotoxic potency while retaining a pattern of cytotoxicity consistent with a non-topo II mode of action. The methyl-substituted indeno[1,2-b]quinoline-6-carboxamide demonstrated substantial effectiveness (20-day growth delays) in a sub-cutaneous colon 38 in vivo tumor model. This is comparable to that reported for the dual topo I/II inhibitor DACA that is in clinical trial.

Synthesis and antitumor activity of some indeno[1,2-b]quinoline-based bis carboxamides.

A series of bis(11-oxo-11H-indeno[1,2-b]quinoline-6-carboxamides) linked through the 6-carboxamides were prepared by coupling the requisite acid imidazolides with various diamines. Compounds with mono-cationic linker chains were more potent cytotoxins than the corresponding monomer in a panel of rodent and human cell lines, while those with the dicationic linker chains (CH2)2NR(CH2)2NR(CH2)2 and (CH2)2NR(CH2)3NR(CH2)2 showed extraordinarily high potencies (for example, IC50s of 0.18-1.4 nM against human Jurkat leukemia; up to 1000-fold more potent than the parent monomer). As seen previously in the monomeric series, small, lipophilic 4-substituents significantly increased potency in cell culture. The dimeric compounds were all slightly to significantly more potent in the mutant JL(A) and JL(D) cell lines that under-express topo II, suggesting that this enzyme is not their primary target. An 11-imino-linked dimer was much less active, and an asymmetric indeno[1,2-b]quinoline-6-carboxamide/naphthalimide dimer was less active than the comparable symmetric bis(indeno[1,2-b]quinoline-6-carboxamide). Selected analogues were active against sub-cutaneously implanted colon 38 tumors in mice, giving growth delays comparable to that of the clinical topo I inhibitor irinotecan at up to 10-fold lower doses. These compounds form an interesting new class of putative topo I inhibitors.

Effects of protein binding on the in vitro activity of antitumour acridine derivatives and related anticancer drugs.

PURPOSE: We set out to measure drug binding to serum proteins. These have been shown to reduce the free plasma concentrations of a number of anticancer drugs, particularly of those of complex organic structure, in both experimental studies and clinical trials. METHODS: We have used cultures of murine Lewis lung carcinoma cells as sensors of available drug to measure the effects of two drug-binding plasma proteins, alpha-acid glycoprotein (AAG) and human serum albumin (HSA), as well as of bovine serum albumin (BSA) on drug activity. RESULTS: The concentrations required for 50% growth inhibition (IC50 values) of a number of anticancer drugs were found to be linear functions of the added proteins. Assuming that cells respond to free drug, the data provide estimates of the product K x n, where K is the binding constant of the protein and n is the number of drug binding sites per protein molecule. Amsacrine, the amsacrine analogue asulacrine, camptothecin, DACA (N-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]acridine-4-carboxamide), doxorubicin, etoposide, mitoxantrone, paclitaxel and vincristine were tested. The K x n values for AAG were 30, 2,400, 8.7, 340, 29, 290 x 10(3) M(-1) and 120 x 10(3) M(-1), respectively, and the K x n values for HSA were 16, 580, 530, 10, 6.2, 4.3 x 10(3) M(-1) and 0.0 x 10(3) M(-1), respectively. The combined data allowed the estimation of free fractions of drug in plasma, assuming that AAG and HSA contributed most to protein binding. The data were in general comparable with that reported using equilibrium dialysis and ultrafiltration. Data for drug binding to BSA were different from those for HSA, in some cases by a large factor with values for HSA generally higher. The applicability of the method to analogue development was illustrated by examining the binding to AAG of a series of DACA analogues, and binding was found to be primarily related to lipophilicity. CONCLUSION: IC50 determinations provide a rapid means of estimating drug binding to plasma proteins and have utility in the assessment of new anticancer drugs.

Synthesis and cytotoxic activity of carboxamide derivatives of benzimidazo[2,1-a]isoquinoline and pyrido[3',2':4,5]imidazo[2,1-a]isoquinoline.

A series of benzimidazo[2,1-a]isoquinolines with carboxamide side chains at the 1-, 6-, 9- and 11-positions were prepared, in order to study the biological effects of varying the position of the side chain in this tetracyclic series. The 6-, 9- and 11-analogues were obtained by modifications to published chemistry. The 1-carboxamide analogue was obtained via a one-pot isocoumarin/isoquinolone conversion of 3-methylisocoumarin-8-carboxylic acid with o-phenylenediamine in buffered aqueous acid, which gave the required 1-acid. The compounds were evaluated in a panel of cell lines in culture. The 6-carboxamides, where the side chain is attached to one of the central rings, were not active, but the 1- and 11-carboxamides, where the side chain is attached to one of the terminal rings off the chromophore short axis, were reasonably cytotoxic (IC50s < 1 microM). Overall, the structure-activity relationships are broadly in line with those seen with other tri- and tetracyclic carboxamides, and are consistent with recent crystal structure studies of acridine-4-carboxamides bound to DNA. The most potent 1-carboxamide was highly active in vivo against s.c. colon 38 tumours in mice, providing a growth delay of 12 days.

Bis(phenazine-1-carboxamides): structure-activity relationships for a new class of dual topoisomerase I/II-directed anticancer drugs.

Ring-substituted bis(phenazine-1-carboxamides), linked by a -(CH(2))(3)NMe(CH(2))(3)- chain, were prepared from the corresponding substituted phenazine-1-carboxylic acids by reaction of the intermediate imidazolides with bis(3-aminopropyl)methylamine. The compounds were evaluated for growth inhibitory activity in a panel of tumor cell lines, including P388 leukemia, Lewis lung carcinoma, and wild-type (JL(C)) and mutant (JL(A) and JL(D)) forms of human Jurkat leukemia. The latter mutant lines are resistant to topoisomerase (topo) II targeted agents because of lower levels of the enzyme. Analogues with small, lipophilic substituents (e.g., Me, Cl) at the 9-position were the most potent inhibitors, superior to the corresponding dimeric bis(acridine-4-carboxamides) (bis-DACA analogues). Several of the compounds were preferentially (up to 2-fold) more cytotoxic toward the mutant Jurkat lines than the wild-type. To test whether this selectivity was related to topoisomerase action, the most potent of the compounds (9-methyl) was evaluated in a cell-free system. It poisoned topo I at drug concentrations of 0.25 and 0.5 microM and inhibited the catalytic activity of both topo I and topo II at concentrations of 1 and 5 microM, respectively. Results from the NCI human tumor cell line panel showed the compounds had preferential activity toward colon tumor lines (on average 9.5-fold more active in the HT29 line than in the cell line panel as a whole). Several analogues produced significant growth delays in the relatively refractory subcutaneous colon 38 tumor model in vivo. In particular, the 9-methyl compound was substantially more potent in this tumor model than the clinical dual topo I/II poison DACA (total dose 90 versus 400 mg/kg) with comparable activity. The bis(phenazine-1-carboxamides) are a new and interesting class of dual topo I/II-directed anticancer drugs.

Short-term cultures of clinical tumor material: potential contributions to oncology research.

The culture of surgical tumor specimens has long been considered as a potential approach to the tailoring of chemotherapy and radiotherapy to the individual patient, and to the development of improved therapy. Recent work highlighting the importance of cell-cell interactions in the growth and survival of cancer tissue, as well the demonstrated importance of drug- or radiation-induced loss of tumor cells (for instance by apoptosis), points to a need to reexamine the question of what information might be derived from such cultures. In this commentary, we consider whether the short-term culture of human tumor tissue as small cellular aggregates, preserving to some extent the three-dimensional organization of tumors in vivo, can be used to obtain information on the behavior of cancer cells before and after therapy. Using [3H]thymidine incorporation as an end-point, we show how the shapes of dose-response curves might be used to estimate two key cytokinetic properties of the cultured cells, proliferation rate, and susceptibility to drug- or radiation-induced cell death. We have illustrated this discussion with our studies of melanoma, ovarian cancer, and lung cancer samples. We consider how application of culture methods may lead not only to the discovery of new antitumor drugs, but also to improved choice of patients' treatment.

Cellular uptake of N-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]acridine-4-carboxamide (DACA).

N-[2-(Dimethylamino)ethyl]acridine-4-carboxamide (DACA), a DNA intercalating dual topoisomerase I/II poison, has high experimental antitumour activity, is able to overcome several forms of multidrug resistance, and is undergoing clinical trial. We prepared 3H-labelled DACA and investigated its uptake using cultured Lewis lung carcinoma cells (LLTC), P388 leukaemia cells and P/DACT cells that were multidrug resistant. The kinetics of uptake and efflux were very rapid and equilibrium was obtained within seconds of drug addition. Fluorescence microscopy of LLTC cells treated with DACA showed punctate fluorescence in the cytoplasm, consistent with uptake into vesicles. To investigate the role of lipophilicity in drug uptake, a fluorimetric assay was developed to measure uptake of a more hydrophilic derivative, 9-amino-5-sulphonylmethyl-DACA (as-DACA). The calculated n-octanol-water partition coefficient for as-DACA was 20-fold lower than that for DACA. On the other hand, as determined by ethidium displacement from DNA, as-DACA bound DNA 16-fold more strongly than did DACA. Uptake and efflux of DACA and as-DACA were very rapid and the uptake ratios in LLTC cells were 550 for DACA and 54 for as-DACA. At equitoxic concentrations (corresponding to the IC50 values), LLTC cell association was estimated to be approximately 1.6 x 10(8) molecules per cell for DACA and 3.0 x 10(6) molecules per cell for as-DACA. It is argued that DACA binds predominantly to lipophilic sites such as proteins and cellular membranes, while as-DACA associates predominantly with DNA. The high affinity of DACA for membranes may contribute to the rapidity of its uptake and efflux, as well as to its ability to overcome multidrug resistance.

Dimeric analogues of non-cationic tricyclic aromatic carboxamides are a new class of cytotoxic agents.

A series of tricyclic aromatic carboxamides, and their corresponding dimeric analogues, were prepared and their growth-inhibitory properties were evaluated in a series of cell lines. The dimeric compounds were prepared by reaction of the appropriate acids with carbonyl-1,1'-diimidazole, isolating the resulting imidazolides, and reacting these with a stoichiometric amount of the diamine. The monomeric carboxamides containing a (CH2)2NMe2 side chain had widely differing inhibitory potencies, with the known nitronaphthalimide (mitonafide) and acridine-4-carboxamide (DACA) being the most potent. The corresponding bis analogues, linked by a (CH2)3NMe(CH2)3 chain, were generally more potent, with the largest increases (dimer/monomer ratio 20- to 30-fold) seen for the nitronaphthalimides and the phenazines. Based on the intrinsic cytotoxicity of the monomers and the highest degree of increase in cytotoxicity on dimerization, the most interesting chromophores appear to be the acridine-4-carboxamide and phenazine-1-carboxamide. Both of these compounds showed significant growth delays (approximately 6 days) in an in vivo colon 38 tumour model in mice.

Carbamate analogues of amsacrine active against non-cycling cells: relative activity against topoisomerases IIalpha and beta.

PURPOSE: Methyl N-(4'-(9-acridinylamino)-phenyl)carbamate hydrochloride (AMCA) and methyl N-(4'-(9-acridinylamino)-2-methoxyphenyl)carbamate hydrochloride (mAMCA) are analogues of the topoisomerase II (topo II) poison amsacrine, and are distinguished from amsacrine by their high cytotoxicity towards non-cycling cells. Since mammalian cells contain two forms (alpha and beta) of topo II and the alpha isoform is down-regulated in non-cycling cells, we have considered whether these carbamate analogues target topo IIbeta selectively. METHODS: A drug permeable yeast strain (JN394 top2-4) was transformed using a shuttle vector containing either human top2alpha, human top2alpha or yeast top2 under the control of a GAL1 promoter. The strain was analysed at a non-permissive temperature, where only the plasmid-borne topo II was active. RESULTS: AMCA and mAMCA produced comparable levels of cell killing with human DNA topo IIalpha, human DNA topo IIbeta and yeast DNA topo II. Two other acridine derivatives N-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]acridine-4-carboxamide (DACA) and its 7-chloro derivative, which like AMCA and mAMCA are able to overcome multidrug resistance mechanisms, were much more active against human DNA topo IIalpha than against human DNA topo IIbeta and yeast DNA topo II. A series of mutant Chinese hamster and human lines with defined topo lesions, including the HL60/MX2 line that lacks topo IIbeta expression, was also used to compare resistance to amsacrine, AMCA and etoposide. Loss of topo IIbeta activity had a greater effect on amsacrine and AMCA than on etoposide. Resistance of murine Lewis lung cultures in exponential and plateau phase was also measured. Loss of topo IIalpha activity, as measured in both mutant cells expressing lower amounts of enzyme and in cells in plateau phase, resulted in concomitant acquisition of resistance that was greatest for etoposide and least for AMCA. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the carbamate analogues of amsacrine recognize both topo IIalpha and beta in cells.

Structure-activity relationships for substituted bis(acridine-4-carboxamides): a new class of anticancer agents.

A series of acridine-substituted bis(acridine-4-carboxamides) linked by a (CH2)3N(Me)(CH2)3 chain have been prepared by reaction of the isolated imidazolides of the substituted acridine-4-carboxylic acids with N,N-bis(3-aminopropyl)methylamine. These dimeric analogues of the mixed topoisomerase I/II inhibitor N-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]acridine-4-carboxamide (DACA), currently in clinical trial, show superior potencies to the corresponding monomeric DACA analogues in a panel of cell lines, including wild-type (JLC) and mutant (JLA and JLD) forms of human Jurkat leukemia. The latter mutant lines are resistant to topoisomerase II targeted agents because of lower levels of the enzyme. Analogues with small substituents (e.g., Me, Cl) at the acridine 5-position were clearly superior, with IC50's as low as 2 nM against the Lewis lung carcinoma and 11 nM against JLC. Larger substituents at any position caused a steady decrease in potency, likely due to lowering of DNA binding affinity. A small series of analogues of the most potent bis(5-methylDACA) compound, with second substituents (Me and Cl) in the 1- or 8- position had broadly similar potencies to the 5-Me compound, indicating that, while the 1- and 8-substituents are acceptable, they add little to the enhancing effect of the 5-methyl group. All of the compounds were at least equitoxic (some up to 4-fold more cytotoxic) against the mutant Jurkat lines than in the wild-type, consistent with a relatively greater effect on topoisomerase I compared with topoisomerase II. The bis(5-methylDACA) compound was found to inhibit the action of purified topoisomerase I in a cell-free assay. Compounds were on average 10-fold less cytotoxic in an MCF7 breast cancer line overexpressing P-glycoprotein than in the wild-type line and showed some selectivity for colon tumor lines in the NCI human tumor cell line panel. Several analogues produced significant growth delays in the relatively refractory subcutaneous colon 38 tumor model in vivo at substantially lower doses than DACA. The bis(acridine-4-carboxamides) represent a new and interesting class of potent topoisomerase inhibitors.

5,7-Disubstituted analogues of the mixed topoisomerase I/II poison N-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]acridine-4-carboxamide (DACA): DNA binding and patterns of cytotoxicity.

DACA is a DNA-intercalating agent and dual topoisomerase (topo) I/II inhibitor currently in clinical trial as an anticancer drug. Substitutions in the acridine ring of DACA have significant effects on biological activity, with 5-substituted analogues being more potent but relatively less active against cell lines that underexpress topo II, and the converse for 7-substituted analogues. A small series of 5,7-disubstituted analogues was therefore prepared and evaluated. The compounds were prepared by CDI-assisted coupling of the appropriate acridine acids. When these contained no or only one halogen atom, they could be prepared by Al/Hg amalgam reduction of the corresponding acridine acids. However, this method could not be used to prepare dihalogen-substituted acridine acids due to substantial dehalogenation, and these intermediates were synthesized via cyclization of the appropriate aldehydes to give the acridines directly. These compounds showed enhanced DNA binding compared with the parent DACA, indicating that the known favourable influence of 5-substituents on DNA binding is retained. Cell line studies showed that the 5,7-disubstituted compounds retained both the broad-spectrum effectiveness of the 7-monosubstituted analogues and the higher cytotoxic potency of the 5-monosubstituted analogues. The 7-chloro-5-methyl and 5-chloro-7-methyl analogues showed comparable in vivo antitumour activity to DACA in the subcutaneous colon 38 model, but were substantially more potent (optimal doses of 60 mg/kg compared with 200 mg/kg for DACA).

Mechanism of cytotoxicity of N-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl] acridine-4-carboxamide and of its 7-chloro derivative: the roles of topoisomerases I and II.

DACA [N-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]acridine-4-carboxamide], an acridine derivative that is highly active against solid tumours in mice, is currently in clinical trial. The ability of DACA to overcome "atypical" (topoisomerase II-mediated) multidrug resistance has been hypothesised to stem from its dual topoisomerase I/II specificity. We investigated the topoisomerase specificity of DACA and its 7-chloro derivative (C1-DACA) using camptothecin and amsacrine as control compounds. In cell-free assays employing supercoiled plasmid DNA, C1-DACA at 5 microM induced topoisomerase I-mediated DNA breakage, indicating cleavable complex formation (poisoning), and at 10 microM it inhibited relaxation of DNA, consistent with suppression (self-inhibition) of poisoning. In this assay, DACA provided no evidence of poisoning of this enzyme but inhibited its function at concentrations above 10 microM. In DNA cleavage assays utilising purified topoisomerase II, DACA induced breakage of supercoiled plasmid DNA at 5 microM whereas C1-DACA showed very weak poisoning at 1 microM and inhibition at 5 microM. Under conditions required for the assay of DNA relaxation, C1-DACA, but not DACA, inhibited topoisomerase II action at 5 microM. The actions of DACA and C1-DACA could also be distinguished by their ability to form DNA-protein cross-links in H460 human lung carcinoma cells as measured by precipitation of DNA-protein complexes with sodium dodecyl sulfate and potassium chloride. Both drugs stimulated the formation of complexes at low concentrations but inhibited formation at high concentrations. In survival assays with H460 cells, both drugs demonstrated biphasic responses with self-inhibition of cytotoxicity at intermediate drug concentrations. It was concluded that although both drugs have dual topoisomerase I/II specificity, DACA preferentially poisons topoisomerase II and C1-DACA preferentially poisons topoisomerase I. In addition, drug-induced inhibition of topoisomerase action at higher drug concentrations may mask poisoning in the cell-free assays as well as masking cytotoxicity in cultured cells. A model in which drug binding occludes topoisomerase-binding sites on the DNA can explain this self-inhibition of cytotoxic action.

Ring-substituted 11-oxo-11H-indeno[1,2-b]quinoline-6-carboxamides with similar patterns of cytotoxicity to the dual topo I/II inhibitor DACA.

A series of ring-substituted analogues of the topoisomerase inhibitor 11-oxo-11H-indeno[1,2-b]quinoline-6-carboxamides was prepared and evaluated. The compounds were prepared by Pfitzinger reaction of the appropriate isatin-7-carboxylic acids and 1-indanones, followed by selective thermal decarboxylation of the resulting tetracyclic diacids, subsequent oxidation of the methylene group with alkaline permanganate under carefully controlled conditions, and 1,1'-carbonyldiimidazole-induced amidation. The compounds were evaluated in a panel of cell lines in culture. The largest increases in cytotoxicity (five to tenfold) were shown by 4-substituted analogues, with the 4-Cl derivative having an IC50 of 8 nM against the Lewis lung carcinoma.

Cytotoxicity of salicylaldehyde benzoylhydrazone analogs and their transition metal complexes: quantitative structure-activity relationships.

A series of salicylaldehyde benzoylhydrazone derivatives, their copper(II) complexes and a range of transition metal complexes of the unsubstituted ligand has been synthesized and evaluated for cytotoxicity against a human adenocarcinoma cell line. A QSAR analysis revealed ligand cytotoxicity is strongly correlated with electronic and transport factors and can be modeled by treating each 'half' of the molecule as an isolated unit. Activity increases when substituents in the benzoyl ring were electron withdrawing whereas, for the salicylaldehyde ring, electron donation was required. The cytotoxicity of the Cu(II) complexes was greater than, and paralleled the ligands. Activity for the transition metal complexes of the unsubstituted ligand mirrored charge density on the metal.

Inhibition of the action of the topoisomerase II poison amsacrine by simple aniline derivatives: evidence for drug-protein interactions.

The action of the anticancer drug amsacrine appears to involve molecular interactions with both DNA and topoisomerase II. It has been shown previously that DNA intercalators can inhibit the action of amsacrine and several other topoisomerase II poisons, presumably as a result of interference with the DNA binding sites for the enzyme. We show here that drug molecules such as N-phenylmethanesulfonamide, which mimic the anilino side chain of amsacrine, inhibit the cytotoxicity against cultured Lewis lung murine carcinoma of amsacrine, amsacrine analogues including asulacrine and DACA (N-[2-(dimethylamino)-ethyl]acridine-4-carboxamide dihydrochloride), and etoposide. In contrast, the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin was slightly increased by co-incubation with N-phenylmethanesulfonamide. The cytotoxicity of amsacrine was also modulated in human Jurkat leukemia, HCT-8 colon, and HT-29 colon cell lines. Because o-AMSA, an amsacrine analogue containing a methoxy group in the ortho rather than in the meta position, is known to be inactive as an antitumor drug, the abilities of the ortho and meta methoxy-substituted derivatives of methyl-N-phenylcarbamate to reverse the cytotoxicity of amsacrine, asulacrine, and DACA were compared. The ortho substitution decreased activity while meta substitution slightly increased it, suggesting that the side chains were binding to a similar site to that occupied by amsacrine. To determine whether the side chain variants actively inhibited the formation of DNA-topoisomerase II covalent complexes, cultured cells were treated with amsacrine or asulacrine, harvested, and lysed directly on acrylamide gels before electrophoresis and Western blotting to identify non-DNA-bound topoisomerase II. Extractable topoisomerase II was depleted in cells incubated with amsacrine but partially restored by coculture with methyl-N-phenylcarbamate. The findings are consistent with the hypothesis that low molecular weight molecules can modulate the effects of topoisomerase II poisons by directly interacting with the enzyme.

Nitrogen, sulfur and oxygen donor adducts with copper(II) complexes of antitumor 2-formylpyridinethiosemicarbazone analogs: physicochemical and cytotoxic studies.

The preparation of N-, S- and O-donor ligand adducts with CuX+ (HX = 6-methyl-2-formylpyridinethiosemicarbazone (6HL); 2-formylpyridine-2'-methylthiosemicarbazone (2'L); 2-formylpyridine-4'-methylthiosemicarbazone (4'HL) is described. The N-donors, 2,2'-bipyridyl (bipy), 4-dimethylaminopyridine (dmap) give the complexes [Cu(6L)(bipy)]PF6, [Cu(6L)(bipy)]Cl.5H2O, [Cu(4'L)(bipy)]PF6, [Cu(6L)(dmap)2]PF6.2.5 H2O and [Cu(4'L)(dmap)2]PF6.H2O which have been characterized by physical and spectroscopic techniques. Pentafluorothiophenolate (pftp) gives S-donor complexes [CuX(pftp)] (X = 6L and 4'L) and thiolato co-ordination is proposed on the basis of spectroscopic evidence. Paratritylphenolate (ptp) and HPO4(2-) give O-donor complexes [Cu(6L)(ptp)], [Cu(4'L)(ptp)], [¿Cu(6L)¿2HPO4].4H2O, and [¿Cu(4'L)¿2HPO4].5H2O which have been characterized by physical and spectroscopic techniques, as have the precursor complexes [Cu(6L)(CH3COO)].H2O, [Cu(4'L)(CH3COO)], Cu(6HL)(CF3COO)](CF3COO).0.5H2O, [Cu(4'HL)(CF3COO)](CF3COO), [Cu(2'L)Cl2) and [Cu(2'L)(NO3)2]. Protonation constants for the ligands and some of their complexes have been determined. 2-Formylpyridinethiosemicarbazone (HL) complexes of silver, gold, zinc, mercury, cadmium and lead are also discussed. Cytotoxicity against the human tumor cell line HCT-8 and antiviral data for selected compounds are presented.