Kinetics of association and dissociation of two enantiomers, NSC 613863 (R)-(+) and NSC 613862 (S)-(-) (CI 980), to tubulin.

The kinetics of binding of R- and S-enantiomers were studied by the fluorescence stopped-flow technique. For the R-enantiomer, the time course of the increase in fluorescence is best fitted by a sum of two exponentials. In pseudo-first-order conditions, the first observed rate constant showed a linear concentration dependence whereas the second showed a hyperbolic one. The dissociation rate constants were determined independently by displacement experiments with 2-methoxy-5-(2,3,4-trimethoxyphenyl)-2,4,6-cycloheptatrien-1-one (MTC). The two exponential phases were assumed to be due to a two-step binding mechanism: an initial binding followed by a conformational change. This is different from colchicine and MTC binding, where the two phases show a hyperbolic concentration dependence and are attributed to the parallel binding to different isoforms of tubulin [Banerjee, A., & Luduena, R. F. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 13335-13339]. R-isomer binding did not discriminate between the tubulin isoforms. The temperature dependence of all the rate constants were measured, and the entire thermodynamic reaction path was constructed. For the S-isomer, the direct fluorescence stopped-flow study showed that the signals were largely imputable to the fluorescence of the binding at low-affinity sites [Leynadier, D., Peyrot, V., Sarrazin, M., Briand, C., Andreu, J. M., Rener, G. A., & Temple, C., Jr. (1993) Biochemistry 32, 10674-10682]. Therefore, we exploited the competition between R- and S-isomers to determine the binding kinetics of the S-isomer to the R-site. The observed rate constants for competitive binding showed a linear concentration dependence, thus allowing us to calculate the association rate constant of the S-isomer to the R-site. The kinetics of displacement of the S-isomer by MTC allowed the dissociation rate constant for the S-isomer to be determined. The binding of both enantiomers to tubulin in presence of tropolone methyl ether (analog of the colchicine C ring) was decreased, indicating the involvement of the C subsite.

Differential effects of ethyl 5-amino-2-methyl-1,2-dihydro-3-phenylpyrido[3,4-b]pyrazin-7-yl carbamate analogs modified at position C2 on tubulin polymerization, binding, and conformational changes.

NSC 613863 (R)-(+) and NSC 613862 (S)-(-) (CI980) are two chiral isomers of ethyl 5-amino 2-methyl-1,2-dihydro-3-phenylpyrido[3,4-b]pyrazin-7-yl carbamate which have potent antitubulin activity. The S-isomer is a more potent antimitotic compound than the R-isomer, and the two isomers differ markedly in binding to tubulin [Leynadier, D., Peyrot, V., Sarrazin, M., Briand, C., Andreu, J. M., Rener, G. A., & Temple, C., Jr. (1993) Biochemistry 32, 10675-10682]. To understand the origin of such differences, we studied the interactions of three R- and S-isomer structural analogs which differ in C2 (the chiral carbon), i.e., C179, NSC 337238, and NSC 330770. C179 is a methylated dehydrogenated achiral compound. It bound to tubulin with an apparent affinity Ka of (2.29 +/- 0.17) x 10(4) M-1, inhibited tubulin polymerization in vitro at a half-inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 100 microM, and presented no GTPase activity. The substitution of -CH3 by -H leads to the NSC 337238 compound. It bound to tubulin with a higher affinity [Ka = (2.62 +/- 0.35) x 10(5) M-1] and inhibited tubulin polymerization at a lower concentration (IC50 = 14 microM). It presented no GTPase activity and induced the formation of abnormal polymers at a protein critical concentration (Cr) of 2 mg mL-1. NSC 330770, a demethylated hydrogenated molecule, interacted strongly with tubulin [Ka = (3.30 +/- 0.56) x 10(6) M-1].(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Antineoplastic agents 322. synthesis of combretastatin A-4 prodrugs.

Combretastatin A-4 (1a), the principal cancer cell growth-inhibitory constituent of the Zulu medicinal plant Combretum caffrum, has been undergoing preclinical development. However, the very limited water solubility of this phenol has complicated drug formation. Hence, derivatives of the combretastatin A-4 (1a) 3'-phenol group were prepared for evaluation as possible water-soluble prodrugs. As observed for combretastatin A-4, the sodium salt (1b), potassium salt (1c) and hemisuccinic acid ester (1e) derivatives of phenol 1a were essentially insoluble in water. Indeed, these substances regenerated combretastatin A-4 upon reaction with water. A series of other simple derivatives (1d, 1f-j) proved unsatisfactory in terms of water solubility or stability, or both. The most soluble derivatives evaluated included the ammonium (1l), potassium (1m) and sodium (1n) phosphate salts, where the latter two proved most stable and suitable. Both the potassium (1m) and sodium (1n) phosphate derivatives of combretastatin A-4 were also found to exhibit the requisite biological properties necessary for a useful prodrug. Sodium salt 1n was selected for drug formulation and further pre-clinical development.

Phosphonate analogs of carbocyclic nucleotides.

Cyclopentadiene was converted in six steps to the key intermediate (+/-)-(1 alpha,2 beta,4 alpha)-4-amino-2-(benzyloxy)cyclopentanol (10), which in turn was converted to the carbocyclic nucleoside analogs 14 and 19 by standard procedures developed in these laboratories. Compounds 14 and 19 were then further converted to the target phosphonates 1b and 2b by modification of literature procedures. The phosphonate 1b was 40-fold more cytotoxic to HEp-2 cells than its parent, CDG, presumably after conversion to the diphosphoryl phosphonate.

Inhibition of microtubules and cell cycle arrest by a new 1-deaza-7,8-dihydropteridine antitumor drug, CI 980, and by its chiral isomer, NSC 613863.

CI 980 (NSC 613862; [S-(-)]) and NSC 613863 [R-(+)] are the two chiral isomers of ethyl 5-amino 1,2-dihydro-2-methyl-3-phenylpyrido[3,4-b]pyrazin-7-ylcar bamate (NSC 370147), which is a mitotic inhibitor with in vivo and in vitro activity against murine multidrug-resistant sublines. We have characterized the inhibition of in vitro microtubule assembly by the S (CI 980) and R (NSC 613863) enantiomers, their actions on the cytoplasmic microtubule network of epithelial-like PtK2 cells, and on the cell cycle of different human and murine leukemias and PtK2 cells. Assembly of purified tubulin, or tubulin plus microtubule-associated proteins, into microtubules was substoichiometrically inhibited by both compounds, which also induced a slow depolymerization of preassembled microtubules. Half inhibitory concentrations were 0.4-0.7 microM and 1.6-2.1 microM for the S and R isomers, respectively. Excess of both drugs induced polymerization of liganded tubulin into abnormal polymers similar to colchicine. The cytoplasmic microtubules of PtK2 cells were disrupted by both compounds in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, which was observed by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy and quantified by an enzyme-linked immunoassay of cytoskeletal tubulin. Half inhibitory concentrations were 6 nM S isomer, 100 nM R isomer, and 1 microM colchicine. Twenty nM S isomer or 500-700 nM R isomer gave nearly maximal effect. At these concentrations, half maximal microtubule depolymerization took place after 2 h of treatment. After drug removal, slow microtubule assembly and nearly complete reorganization of the cytoplasmic microtubules of PtK2 cells were observed (24 h). One nM S enantiomer or 25 nM R enantiomer induced mitotic arrest in 8 h in U937, HL60, and EL4 leukemias. PtK2 cells also stopped in mitosis after a 24-h incubation with 50 nM R isomer or 5 nM S isomer. The inhibition of cell division was irreversible in the leukemic cells, while PtK2 cells partially resumed growth. Although the interactions of CI 980 with microtubules in vitro are not very different from other drugs, it is a most potent cellular microtubule and mitotic inhibitor.

Tubulin binding of two 1-deaza-7,8-dihydropteridines with different biological properties: enantiomers NSC 613862 (S)-(-) and NSC 613863 (R)-(+).

Several fluorescence properties of two enantiomers, NSC 613862 (S)-(-) and NSC 613863 (R)-(+), have been compared. Even though the two isomers showed the same fluorescence behavior in solution in different solvents, drastic differences were observed after binding to purified calf brain tubulin. Binding measurements for the two compounds were performed both by fluorescence spectroscopy and by column gel permeation, a direct method of measurement. For both isomers, the binding was characterized by the presence of one high-affinity binding site with an apparent association constant of (3.2 +/- 0.5) x 10(6) M-1 and (4.1 +/- 0.9) x 10(6) M-1 for the R- and S-isomer, respectively, and by several low-affinity sites. Both isomers were also shown to induce GTPase activity in tubulin. The high-affinity binding site seems to be the same for the two isomers. Moreover, fluorescence competition experiments suggest at least a partial overlap of the colchicine and podophyllotoxin site. To explain the differences in fluorescence behavior after binding to tubulin, we hypothesize that the R-isomer is positioned differently in its binding locus as compared with the S-isomer.

Antimitotic agents: structure-activity studies with some pyridine derivatives.

Antitumor activity in mice was observed for the oxime of the previously reported ethyl [6-amino-4-[(1-methyl-2-phenyl-2-oxoethyl)amino]-5-nitropyridin -2-yl] carbamate (8) and several related compounds. These compounds are precursors of the active ethyl pyrido[3,4-b]pyrazin-7-ylcarbamates (e.g., 4), which are potent antimitotic agents. In the 5-nitropyridine series overall biological activity was reduced by replacement of the oxime moiety with a keto or alcohol group and by replacement of the 1-methyl group of the side chain with hydrogen. Reduction of the nitro group of the 5-nitropyridines containing an alcohol in the side chain to the corresponding 5-aminopyridines increased biological activity. Preliminary studies showed that the 5-nitropyridine oximes were considerably less potent than the pyridopyrazines as antimitotic agents and that the former are apparently not converted to the latter in vivo. The inhibition of the incorporation of pyrimidine nucleosides into DNA and RNA was identified as another possible mode of action of the 5-nitropyridine oximes.

Antimitotic agents. Chiral isomers of ethyl [5-amino-1,2-dihydro-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-methylpyrido[3,4-b]pyrazin-7 -yl]carbamate.

Metabolism studies with ethyl [5-amino-1,2-dihydro-2-methyl-3-phenylpyrido[3,4-b]pyrazin-7 - yl]carbamate (1) in mice were reported previously to give a hydroxylated metabolite, which was methylated to give a methoxy derivative. The metabolite and its derivatives were considered to be 4-(substituted)phenyl compounds, which have been confirmed by the synthesis of the [1,2-dihydro-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)- and [1,2-dihydro-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)pyrido[3,4-b]-pyrazin-7-yl]carbama tes (17 and 16). Both the S- and R-isomers of 17 are active in several biological systems, but the S-isomer is more potent then the R-isomer. The difference in activity between the S- and R-isomers of 17 is similar with that observed for S- and R-isomers of 1. As model reactions, several O-substituted derivatives were prepared by alkylation of (RS)-17 with benzyl chloride and condensation of (RS)-17 with butyl isocyanate and (S)-17 with 2-chloroethyl isocyanate.

Antimitotic agents: ring analogues and derivatives of ethyl [(S)-5-amino-1,2-dihydro-2-methyl-3-phenylpyrido[3,4-b]pyrazin-7- yl]carbamate.

The synthesis of ring analogues and derivatives of the S isomer of ethyl [5-amino-1,2-dihydro-2-methyl-3-phenylpyrido[3,4-b]pyrazin-7 - yl[carbamate, (S)-1, a potent antimitotic agent with anticancer activity, was directed toward the determination of the contribution of several structural features of this compound to biological activity. Replacement of the 5-amino with a 5(6H)-oxo group and either transposing the 6-ring nitrogen to or incorporation of a ring nitrogen at the 8-position caused a significant decrease in in vitro activity and destroyed in vivo activity. Although in vivo cytotoxicity was reduced, in vitro activity at higher doses relative to (S)-1 was retained by replacement of the 5-amino group with hydrogen and by expansion of the 1,2-dihydropyrazine to give a dihydro-1,4-diazepine ring.

Antimitotic agents. Alterations at the 2,3-positions of ethyl (5-amino-1,2-dihydropyrido[3,4-b]pyrazin-7-yl)carbamates.

The reaction of ethyl (6-amino-4-chloro-5-nitropyridin-2-yl)carbamate (2) with alpha-amino ketone oximes gave 4-[(2-oxoethyl)amino]pyridine oximes 3, which were reductively cyclized to give a series of ethyl (1,2-dihydro-pyrido[3,4-b]pyrazin-7-yl)carbamates (6). In another approach, alpha-nitro ketones, alpha-oximino ketones, and alpha-nitro alcohols were reduced to give alpha-amino alcohols, which were reacted with 2 to give 4-[(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]pyridines (5). Oxidation of these alcohols with the chromium trioxide-pyridine reagent gave the corresponding ketones (4), which were also reductively cyclized to give 6. Structure-activity relationship studies indicated that alterations at the 2- and 3-positions of the pyrazine ring of 6 had a significant effect on cytotoxicity and the inhibition of mitosis in cultured lymphoid leukemia L1210 cells. Compounds that exhibited in vitro cytotoxicities at less than 1 nM showed the same level of in vivo activity, whereas the less potent compounds showed wide variations in their in vivo activity.

Potential antimitotic agents. Synthesis of some ethyl benzopyrazin-7-ylcarbamates, ethyl pyrido[3,4-b]pyrazin-7-ylcarbamates, and ethyl pyrido[3,4-e]-as-triazin-7-ylcarbamates.

Ring analogues and derivatives of the 1,2-dihydropyrido[3,4-b]pyrazin-7-ylcarbamates (e.g., 29), antimitotic agents with antitumor activity, were prepared in the search for compounds with greater selectivity. Methods were developed for the conversion of substituted benzoic acids (1-4) to give benzopyrazines (12-16 and 21) and of substituted pyridin-2-carbamates (23, 38, and 41) to give 2-aminopyrido[3,4-b]pyrazin-7-ylcarbamates (32 and 36) and pyrido[3,4-e]-as-triazin-7-ylcarbamates (47 and 50). In vitro evaluation indicated that activity was reduced by removal of the pyridine ring nitrogen of 29 to give 14 and was destroyed by increasing the basicity of the pyrazine ring of 29 to give 32 and 47.

New anticancer agents: alterations of the carbamate group of ethyl (5-amino-1,2-dihydro-3-phenylpyrido[3,4-b]pyrazin-7-yl)car bamates.

The ethyl (1,2-dihydropyrido[3,4-b]pyrazin-7-yl)carbamates have been reported to bind with cellular tubulin, to produce an accumulation of cells at mitosis, and to exhibit cytotoxic activity against experimental neoplasms in mice. Studies on the disposition of ethyl (5-amino-1,2-dihydro-2-methyl-3-phenylpyrido[3,4-b]pyrazin-7 -yl)carbamate (8) in mice showed that one metabolite was formed by cleavage of the ethyl carbamate moiety. Analogues with alterations in the carbamate group were prepared by transformations at the carbamate of 8, by reductive cyclization of nitropyridine intermediates, and by hydride reduction of the ring of heteroaromatic compounds. In vitro and in vivo evaluations of analogues indicated that a carbamate group was required for activity. No significant change in activity was observed when ethyl was replaced by methyl. However, activity was reduced when ethyl was replaced with bulky aliphatic groups and when ethoxy was replaced with a methylamino group. Also, the activity of 8 was decreased by acetylation of the 5-amino group and was destroyed by substitution of an amino group at the 8-position.

New anticancer agents: chiral isomers of ethyl 5-amino-1,2-dihydro-2-methyl-3-phenylpyrido[3,4-b]pyrazine-7-car bamate .

Racemic ethyl 5-amino-1,2-dihydro-2-methyl-3-phenylpyrido[3,4-b]pyrazine-7- carbamate (1a) has shown antitumor activity in a variety of in vivo experiments. The preparation of the R and S isomers gave compounds with significant differences in potency in several biological tests.

Synthesis of potential anticancer agents: imidazo[4,5-c]pyridines and imidazo[4,5-b]pyridines.

The 1,2-dihydropyrido[3,4-b]pyrazines (1) are mitotic inhibitors with significant antitumor activity in mice. Also, the active imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine 3 was shown to cause the accumulation of cells at mitosis. Routes were developed for the synthesis of congeners of 3 by cyclization of 4-(substituted amino)-5,6-diaminopyridines with ethyl orthoformate. Oxidative cyclization of either 4,5- or 5,6-diaminopyridines with aryl aldehydes produced the [4,5-c] and [4,5-b] imidazopyridine ring systems, respectively. The latter reaction with 6-(substituted amino)-4,5-diaminopyridines gave imidazo[4,5-c]pyridine ring analogues of 1. Biological studies indicated that the target compounds were less active than 1 and 3.