In vitro and intracellular inhibition of topoisomerase II by the antitumor agent merbarone.

Merbarone has previously been shown to have antitumor activity of unknown mechanism in P388 and L1210 tumor models (A. D. Brewer et al., Biochem. Pharmacol., 34:2047-2050, 1985) and is currently undergoing Phase I clinical trials. Here we report that merbarone is an inhibitor of topoisomerase II. Merbarone inhibited purified mammalian topoisomerase II with a 50% inhibitory concentration of 20 microM, as assessed by ATP-dependent unknotting of P4 phage DNA or relaxation of supercoiled pBR322 plasmid. In contrast to the type II enzyme, inhibition of catalytic activity of topoisomerase I required about 10-fold higher concentrations of merbarone, with a 50% inhibitory concentration of approximately 200 microM. Unlike epipodophyllotoxin analogues and certain DNA intercalative agents which stabilize the topoisomerase II-DNA "cleavable complex," merbarone did not cause detectable topoisomerase II-induced DNA cleavage. Furthermore, merbarone inhibited the production by amsacrine or teniposide of topoisomerase II-associated DNA strand breaks; under identical conditions novobiocin did not decrease these breaks, setting merbarone apart from a novobiocin-like class of topoisomerase II inhibitor. In L1210 cells, merbarone produced only small numbers of protein-associated DNA strand breaks, and only at very high concentrations. Merbarone reduced in a concentration-dependent manner the number of amsacrine- or teniposide-stimulated protein-associated DNA strand breaks in L1210 cells or their isolated nuclei. The data suggest that merbarone represents a novel type of topoisomerase II inhibitor.

Biochemical characterization of a virus isolate, recovered from a patient with herpes keratitis, that was clinically resistant to acyclovir.

In vitro susceptibility assays of herpes simplex virus (HSV) do not necessarily correlate with treatment outcome. An HSV type 1 (HSV-1) isolate, N4, recovered from a patient who presented with herpes keratitis with localized immunosuppression, was characterized for susceptibility. Although the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) for this isolate was less than the accepted breakpoint for defining resistance to acyclovir (>2.0 microg/mL), the following lines of evidence suggest that the isolate was acyclovir resistant: (1) the clinical history confirmed that the infection was nonresponsive to acyclovir; (2) the in vitro susceptibility was similar to that of a thymidine kinase (TK)-negative, acyclovir-resistant virus SLU360; (3) the IC(50) of acyclovir was more than 10 times the IC(50) for an acyclovir-susceptible control strain; (4) plaque-purified clonal isolates were resistant to acyclovir (IC(50)s, >2.0 microg/mL); and (5) biochemical studies indicated that the HSV-1 N4 TK was partially impaired for acyclovir phosphorylation. Although residue changes were found in both the viral tk and pol coding regions of HSV-1 N4, characterization of a recombinant virus expressing the HSV-1 N4 polymerase suggested that the TK and Pol together conferred the acyclovir-resistance phenotype.

Modification of the hydroxy lactone ring of camptothecin: inhibition of mammalian topoisomerase I and biological activity.

Several camptothecin derivatives containing a modified hydroxy lactone ring have been synthesized and evaluated for inhibition of topoisomerase I and cytotoxicity to mammalian cells. Each of the groups of the hydroxy lactone moiety, the carbonyl oxygen, the ring lactone oxygen, and the 20-hydroxy group, were shown to be critical for enzyme inhibition. For example the lactol, lactam, thiolactone, and 20-deoxy derivatives did not stabilize the covalent DNA-topoisomerase I complex. With a few exceptions, those compounds that did not inhibit topoisomerase I were not cytotoxic to mammalian cells. Two cytotoxic derivatives that did not inhibit topoisomerase I were shown to produce non-protein-associated DNA single-strand breaks and are likely to have a different mechanism of action. One of these compounds was tested for antitumor activity and was found to be inactive. The present findings, as well as other reports that the hydroxy lactone ring of camptothecin is critical for antitumor activity in vivo, correlate with the structure-activity relationships at the level of topoisomerase I and support the hypothesis that antitumor activity is related to inhibition of this target enzyme.

Antitumor activity of bis(diphenylphosphino)alkanes, their gold(I) coordination complexes, and related compounds.

Bisphosphines related to bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe) and their gold complexes are described that are active in a spectrum of transplantable tumor models. When administered ip on days 1-5 at its maximally tolerated dose (MTD) of 40 mumol/kg, dppe reproducibly gives 100% increase in life span (ILS) in mice bearing ip P388 leukemia. Coordination of chlorogold(I) to each phosphine in dppe gave a complex that had similar activity but at a much lower dose level than dppe; the MTD for the gold(I) complex was 7 mumol/kg. Among other metal complexes of dppe, the Au(III) complex was active (greater than 50% ILS) whereas Ag(I), Ni(II), Pt(II), Pd(II), and Rh(I) complexes were inactive. Among dppe analogues, replacement of phenyl groups with ethyl or benzyl groups resulted in inactivity for both ligands and the corresponding gold complexes whereas substitution with cyclohexyl or heterocyclic ring systems yielded ligands and/or gold complexes with antitumor activity. Among substituted-phenyl dppe and dppe(AuCl)2 analogues, 3-fluoro, 4-fluoro, perdeuterio, 4-methylthio, and 2-methylthio analogues were active; 4-methyl, 3-methyl, 4-methoxy, 4-dimethylamino, and 4-trifluoromethyl analogues were marginal or inactive. Analogues in which the ethane bridge of dppe or dppe(AuCl)2 was varied between one and six carbons, unsaturated or substituted, revealed that activity was maximal with ethane or cis-ethylene. Compounds with good P388 activity were also active in other animal tumor models.

1,4-Cyclohexanecarboxylates: potent and selective inhibitors of phosophodiesterase 4 for the treatment of asthma.

Evaluation of a variety of PDE4 inhibitors in a series of cellular and in vivo assays suggested a strategy to improve the therapeutic index of PDE4 inhibitors by increasing their selectivity for the ability to inhibit PDE4 catalytic activity versus the ability to compete for high affinity [3H]rolipram-binding sites in the central nervous system. Use of this strategy led ultimately to the identification of cis-4-cyano-4-[3-(cyclopentyloxy)-4-methoxyphenyl]cyclohexane-1-carboxyl ic acid (1, SB 207499, Ariflo), a potent second-generation inhibitor of PDE4 with a decreased potential for side effects versus the archetypic first generation inhibitor, (R)-rolipram.

Association of the anti-inflammatory activity of phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitors with either inhibition of PDE4 catalytic activity or competition for [3H]rolipram binding.

Phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitors are novel anti-inflammatory compounds. Unfortunately, the archetypal PDE4 inhibitor rolipram produces central nervous system and gastrointestinal side-effects. To exploit these agents, we need to identify PDE4 inhibitors that retain the anti-inflammatory activity with a reduced potential to elicit unwanted side-effects. PDE4 possesses both cyclic AMP catalytic activity that is inhibitable by rolipram and a high affinity binding site for rolipram. The function of this high affinity rolipram binding site is unclear; however, certain pharmacological effects of PDE4 inhibitors are associated with competition for this site. Since PDE4 inhibitors suppress both monocyte and neutrophil activation, the present experiments were carried out to establish a correlation between suppression of monocyte activation [tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) formation] or suppression of neutrophil activation (degranulation) with inhibition of either PDE4 catalytic activity or [3H] rolipram binding. Suppression of TNF alpha formation demonstrated a strong correlation with inhibition of PDE4 catalytic activity (r=0.87; P<0.01; Spearman's Rho = 0.79, P<0.05), whereas there was no correlation with inhibition of [3H]rolipram binding(r=0.21, P>0.5; Spearman's Rho=0.16, P>0.5). Suppression of neutrophil degranulation was not associated with inhibition of PDE4 catalytic activity (r=0.25, P>0.4; Spearman's Rho=0.33, P>0.2), but was associated with inhibition of [3H]rolipram binding (r=0.68, P<0.05; Spearman's Rho=0.6, P=0.06). These results indicate that anti-inflammatory effects of PDE4 inhibitors can be associated with either inhibition of PDE4 catalytic activity or high affinity rolipram binding.

Effect of TNF alpha production inhibitors BRL 61063 and pentoxifylline on the response of rats to poly I:C.

BRL 61063 is a novel xanthine phosphodiesterase (PDE) type IV inhibitor with selective inhibitory activity for tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha production. This compound inhibits TNF alpha production by activated human blood monocytes in vitro and in animal models of endotoxemia and influenza infection. Inhibition of TNF alpha may be beneficial in many diseases; however, little is known about potential adverse effects of such inhibition on host defense. In an ex vivo study, we examined the effect of BRL 61,063 on the microbicidal and tumoricidal activity of pulmonary lavage cells during a local inflammatory response in rats challenged with Poly I:C. Pentoxifylline, a PDE inhibitor which also blocks TNF alpha production, was used for comparison. Treatment with BRL 61063 or pentoxifylline did not block the inflammatory response to Poly I:C or the activation of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells but reduced the level of tumoricidal activity attained. At the dosages used, pentoxifylline was more inhibitory than BRL 61063. Drug treatment did not prevent further stimulation of tumoricidal activity by LPS in vitro. LPS-stimulated cells from BRL 61063-treated rats reached a level of activation similar to the control group while the LPS-stimulated activity of BAL cells from pentoxifylline treated rats remained lower than control. Although pentoxifylline was more inhibitory for tumoricidal activity than BRL 61063, the latter was a more potent inhibitor of TNF alpha release as measured in vivo in LPS-challenged rats. This finding indicates that TNF alpha is not the main mediator involved in the activation of pulmonary macrophage tumoricidal function. Treatment with either BRL 61063 or pentoxifylline had little or no effect on the Poly I:C-induced candidacidal activity of BAL cells indicating that these compounds are unlikely to compromise non-specific host defense against infection.

Application of a tissue culture microtiter test for the detection of cytotoxic agents from natural products.

A method is described by which the growth inhibitory effects of cytotoxic compounds and fermentation broth cultures on adherent tumor cell lines can be quantitated. Cells are seeded into 96-well microtiter plates and 16 hours later the test compounds or broths are added to the wells. Cell growth is measured after three days (B16 mouse melanoma cells) or six days (HT-29, human colon carcinoma cells) by first fixing adherent cells, staining with Giemsa stain, washing away excess stain, then solubilizing stained cells with HCl. Absorbance is determined using a microELISA spectrophotometer and the data are transferred to and analyzed by a computer. The assay is rapid and reproducible and can be used to identify fermentation broths with cytotoxic components. Addition of DNA into the assay mixture (cells plus compound) inhibits the cytotoxic activities of certain DNA-reactive agents. The results of this study demonstrate the application of this assay system for primary and secondary evaluation of fermentation broths for in vitro antitumor activity.

Stimulation of intracellular topoisomerase I activity by vasopressin and thrombin. Differential regulation by pertussis toxin.

Incubation of cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells (A-10, ATCC CRL 1476) with [8-arginine]vasopressin (AVP) or thrombin increased the amount of DNA strand breakage induced by camptothecin, an inhibitor of topoisomerase I (DNA topoisomerase; EC 5.99.1.2) and transiently stimulated the extractable activity of this enzyme. Both topoisomerase-related responses were prevented by treatment of the cells with AVP or thrombin plus the appropriate receptor antagonist. The increase in strand breakage mediated by AVP and thrombin depended on the concentration of hormone. Neither AVP nor thrombin had any effect on strand breaks obtained with the epipodophyllotoxin VM-26, an inhibitor of topoisomerase II [DNA topoisomerase (ATP-hydrolysing); EC 5.99.1.3]. Pretreatment of the cells with pertussis toxin partially inhibited thrombin-mediated increases in camptothecin-induced strand breakage whereas AVP-mediated increases were unaffected. These results are consistent with the notion that AVP and thrombin induce a transient increase in intracellular topoisomerase I activity via interactions with their respective cell surface receptors and that the effects of the activation of these receptors are mediated by different G-proteins.

SK&F 86002 inhibits tumor necrosis factor formation and improves survival in endotoxemic rats.

We evaluated the effects of SK&F 86002, a dual 5-lipoxygenase/cyclooxygenase inhibitor, on the responses to 30 mg/kg Escherichia coli endotoxin (bacterial lipopolysaccharides, LPS) in conscious male Sprague-Dawley rats. Injection of LPS increased serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF alpha) activity from 20 U/ml (baseline) to 1,066 +/- 430 and 2,825 +/- 1,155 U/ml (n = 9) at 30 min and 1 h after administration of LPS, respectively (p less than 0.01 as compared with the vehicle control group). This dose of LPS reduced the survival rate to 9% at 48 h (mean survival time 9.7 +/- 2.7 h), increased heart rate (HR) to 494 +/- 18 beats/min, increased the hematocrit to 56 +/- 2 vol%, reduced the circulating platelet count at 6 h to 40% of the initial value, and produced leukopenia of 30% of the initial value at 1 h, with recovery to the initial value at 6 h. Administration of 30 mg/kg SK&F 86002 (intragastric, i.g.) 1 h before injection of LPS reduced serum TNF alpha concentrations to 92 +/- 58 and 184 +/- 117 U/ml at 30 min and 1 h (p less than 0.05), respectively, and also reduced the hemoconcentration. The survival rate was improved to 60% (mean survival time 38.1 +/- 4.3 h; p less than 0.05), although there was no effect on the hemodynamic responses to LPS. SK&F 86002 significantly reduced thrombocytopenia at 30 min and 1 h (p less than 0.05), but not at 3 and 6 h, and had no effect on changes in white blood cell (WBC) count.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Regulation of topoisomerase I and II activities by cyclic nucleotide- and phospholipid-dependent protein kinases. Effects of interactions between the two transduction pathways.

Incubation of cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells (A-10) with activators of cyclic nucleotides resulted in transiently increased activity of extractable topoisomerase I or topoisomerase II. ANF, which induces cGMP accumulation, potentiated camptothecin-induced, topoisomerase I linked DNA strand breakage and increased the specific activity of extractable topoisomerase I (maximum activity 5-15 min after treatment), but had no effect on topoisomerase II activity. These effects are similar to those reported for AVP and phorbol esters, activators of protein kinase C. Forskolin and isoproterenol, which induce cAMP accumulation, activated extractable topoisomerase II (maximum 5-15 min after treatment), but not topoisomerase I. Permeable cyclic nucleotide analogs dBcAMP and 8BrcGMP selectively activated extractable topoisomerase II and topoisomerase I activities, respectively. Activation of topoisomerase I by either AVP or PdBu was attenuated by cotreatment with 8BrcGMP or dBcAMP, and activation of topoisomerase II by dBcAMP was attenuated by cotreatment with AVP or PdBU, suggesting that elements of the protein kinase C and the cyclic nucleotide linked signal-transduction pathways can interact to modify nuclear enzymic activity. IBMX, which elevates intracellular cAMP and cGMP, increased the extractable activities of both topoisomerase I and topoisomerase II. Thus, topoisomerase activity in cells may be governed in part by cyclic nucleotide levels.

Transient activation of topoisomerase I in leukotriene D4 signal transduction in human cells.

U937 human monoblast cells incubated with leukotriene D4 (LTD4) rapidly released arachidonic acid metabolites into the culture medium. Release was suppressed by the high-affinity LTD4 receptor antagonist SK&F 104353. Arachidonic acid release induced by LTD4 has been linked to a rapid induction of gene expression, and the propagation of the receptor binding signal is probably associated with enzymes that regulate gene expression. We have studied the participation of DNA topoisomerase I in LTD4 signal transduction. LTD4-specific release of arachidonic acid metabolites was inhibited (60-80%) by the topoisomerase I inhibitor camptothecin. LTD4 increased protein-linked DNA strand breakage induced by camptothecin in U937 cells; this enhancement was prevented by coincubation of the cells with LTD4 plus the receptor antagonist SK&F 104353. In addition, LTD4 produced a rapid transient increase in extractable topoisomerase I activity, which was maximum within the first 10 min after addition of LTD4 to the culture medium. Incubation of cultures for greater than 10 min with LTD4 before the addition of camptothecin resulted in no enhancement of camptothecin-induced DNA strand breakage, consistent with a reversal of topoisomerase I activation. Staurosporine, an inhibitor of protein kinase C, blocked LTD4-induced arachidonic acid release and attenuated the effect of LTD4 on camptothecin-induced DNA strand breakage. These results are consistent with the view that the regulation of topoisomerase I activity is involved in the propagation of LTD4-mediated signals in U937 cells.

Characterization of cAMP-dependent inhibition of LPS-induced TNF alpha production by rolipram, a specific phosphodiesterase IV (PDE IV) inhibitor.

Bacterial endotoxins (lipopolysaccharide or LPS) provoke shock and tissue injury by eliciting the release of toxic factors from reticuloendothelial cells. One of the principal endogenous factors involved in this process is tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha). In this study, inhibitors selective for different classes of phosphodiesterases (PDE), were examined for their effects on LPS-induced TNF alpha production by human monocytes. The selective cAMP-PDE IV inhibitors, rolipram and RO-20-1724 were capable of inhibiting LPS-induced TNF alpha production by human monocytes in a concentration-dependent manner. Rolipram was used to examine further the cellular pharmacology of PDE IV inhibitors on cytokine production. The IC50 for inhibition of LPS-induced TNF alpha production by rolipram was 0.1 microM, whereas production of IL-1 beta or IL-6 was unaffected. Furthermore, rolipram was equally effective in inhibiting TNF alpha production by a number of other stimuli. Inhibition of TNF alpha production by rolipram was associated with an elevation of intracellular cAMP, consistent with a mechanism involving phosphodiesterase inhibition. Rolipram was efficacious in suppressing LPS-induced TNF alpha mRNA expression, and at the protein level was also active when added to cultures post-stimulated with LPS. This indicates that rolipram may act at both the transcriptional and translational levels. Rolipram inhibited TNF alpha production in vivo in a rat endotoxemia model. Collectively, these data suggest that the prototypic inhibitor of PDE IV isozyme, rolipram, can effectively and selectively inhibit LPS-induced TNF alpha production through elevation of intracellular cAMP.

Evidence for the participation of topoisomerases I and II in cadmium-induced metallothionein expression in Chinese hamster ovary cells.

CHO-Cdr20 cells are 10-20 times more resistant to killing by cadmium than the parental CHO cells. Resistance has been linked to amplification of the metallothionein genes MT-I and MT-II and their coordinate induction by cadmium and other toxic metals. We studied the roles of the nuclear enzymes topoisomerase I and topoisomerase II in Cd-induced expression of MT-II. Camptothecin-induced DNA strand breakage, mediated by topoisomerase I in cells, increased by approximately 20% when the resistant cells were incubated first with 50 microM Cd and then with camptothecin. Short DNA fragments were enriched in MT-II-hybridizing sequences, indicating that topoisomerase I-associated breakage was directed in part toward the location of induced gene activity. Ten microM camptothecin inhibited Cd-induced accumulation of MT-II mRNA as well as induced and uninduced RNA synthesis in the resistant cells. These data are consistent with the notion that topoisomerase I participates in most or all forms of RNA synthesis. Topoisomerase II inhibitors which trap cleavable complexes (amsacrine, VM-26, VP-16) increased DNA strand breakage at very high concentrations (50-100 microM); the increased breakage appeared to be concentrated near the MT-II gene. This class of inhibitor did not block the accumulation of MT-II message. Novobiocin, a second type of topoisomerase II inhibitor blocked transcription at 300 microM. Merbarone, a novel, third type of topoisomerase II inhibitor, blocked MT-II transcription at 50-100 microM. The latter two inhibited total RNA synthesis in induced, but not uninduced cells. Thus, it is possible that topoisomerase II plays more than one role in transcription and that more than one form of this enzyme is involved.

In vivo development and in vitro characterization of a subclone of murine P388 leukemia resistant to bis(diphenylphosphine)ethane.

Bis(diphenylphosphine)ethane (DPPE) and its gold coordination complexes have demonstrated antitumor activity in transplantable tumor models. This report describes the development of a P388 cell line (P388/DPPEc) that is resistant to DPPE and its analogues and the in vitro characterization of the cross-resistance of this subline to various antitumor and cytotoxic agents. The P388/DPPE tumor cell line was developed by serial transplantation in DPPE-treated mice. Resistance to DPPE was phenotypically stable. The P388/DPPE subline was cross-resistant to DPPE analogues and metal coordination complexes of DPPE. In addition, P388/DPPE cells were resistant to several mitochondrial uncouplers, including rhodamine-123, tetraphenylphosphonium, and carbonylcyanide-p-trifluro-methoxyphenyl hydrazone. P388/DPPE cells were less capable of sequestering and retaining 123Rh than were sensitive (P388/S) cells. Exposure to Au(DPPE)2+, a gold complex of DPPE with increased antitumor activity, resulted in a depletion of cellular ATP; the depletion was more rapid in the sensitive than the resistant cells. The rate of mitochondrial respiration, as measured by 14CO2 evolution from [6-14C]glucose, was greater in P388/S than in P388/DPPE. As with that evidenced for 123Rh, the cellular uptake of radiolabeled DPPE was decreased in P388/DPPEc cells. The results suggest that the basis for the resistance of this cell line may be an alteration in mitochondrial membrane potential. These data and the striking cross-resistance of P388/DPPE to mitochondrial uncouplers support the hypothesis that mitochondria may be one target involved in the cytotoxic or antitumor activities of these compounds. Mitochondria may also be causally related to the cytotoxic or antitumor activities, in that DPPE may be concentrated in cells via the presence of the inner mitochondrial membrane potential. Thus, P388/DPPE cells can serve as a tool to screen for and evaluate drugs that rely on affecting mitochondrial function, either mechanistically or causally, for their antitumor efficacy.