Chemical differentiating agents. Differentiation of HL-60 cells by hexamethylenebis[acetamide] analogues.

Hexamethylenebis[acetamide] (HMBA) is an agent in clinical trial that induces differentiation of certain types of tumor cells to nonmalignant phenotypes. In an attempt to discover a more potent compound, a number of bis-functionalized amides, imides, and hydrazine derivatives of HMBA were prepared and evaluated in vitro with the HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cell line. Among the compounds evaluated, the 5,5-dimethylhydantoin derivative is almost 10 times more potent than HMBA in inducing differentiation. The bis-imide, diacetyl-HMBA, is both more potent and effective than its parent compound. Six of the 16 compounds evaluated cause at least 20% differentiation. An inverse relationship between the degree of differentiation and the percentage of viable cells is described for HMBA and its analogues.

Spiromustine analogues. Relationships between structure, plasma stability, and antitumor activity.

Spiromustine is a hydantoin-containing nitrogen mustard currently in Phase I clinical trial. Since the in vitro plasma half-life of this compound (6.4 min, 37 degrees C, pH 7.4) appeared to be influenced by the hydantoin ring, analogues containing 2-5 methylene spacer groups between this ring and the nitrogen mustard moiety were prepared and evaluated for hydrolytic stability and antitumor activity. Stability correlated with structure and pKa values. The proximity of the hydantoin ring to the mustard function was a stabilizing factor. Activity against murine P-388 leukemia was demonstrated and a gradual decrease in this activity was observed as the hydrolytic instability increased. A relationship between analogue structure and a mass spectral rearrangement ion was identified.

Elimination of band compression in sequencing gels by the use of N4-methyl-2'-deoxycytidine 5'-triphosphate.

Taq DNA polymerase, Sequenase, and the large fragment of E.coli polymerase I effectively utilize N4-methyl-2'-deoxycytidine 5'-triphosphate (N4-methyl-dCTP) in the place of dCTP in dideoxynucleotide terminator sequencing reactions on single-stranded templates. When the resulting fragment mixtures are resolved on sequencing gels, they are found to be free of band compressions even in cases where such compressions remain unresolved by the substitution of 7-deaza-dGTP for dGTP. Sequencing reactions using N4-methyl-dCTP instead of dCTP are somewhat more prone to false stops than are sequencing reactions using 7-deaza-dGTP instead of dGTP; this difference is more pronounced when sequencing with Sequenase at 37 degrees C than when sequencing with Taq DNA polymerase at 72 degrees C. For the three polymerases investigated, replacement of dCTP by N4-methyl-dCTP does not fundamentally change the characteristic variations in band intensities seen in the C-lane. N4-methyl-dCTP can also be used for sequencing double-stranded DNA and for DNA amplification by the polymerase chain reaction.

Detection of DNA targets with biotinylated and fluoresceinated RNA probes. Effects of the extent of derivitization on detection sensitivity.

The substituted nucleotide aminohexyl-ATP (AH-ATP) was used for synthesis of RNA probes from a plasmid template using the T7 phage promoter. Following synthesis, RNA probes were modified by reaction with N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) esters of biotin or fluorescein. Nearest-neighbor analysis was used to quantitate both the incorporation of the substituted nucleotide into RNA and the subsequent modification of the incorporated nucleotide by the NHS esters. The results indicate that AH-ATP is efficiently incorporated into RNA and that modification of the amine group is also efficient. The T7 polymerase shows a bias for ATP over AH-ATP and truncated transcripts are produced if 100% AH-ATP is used for synthesis. However, the use of 50% AH-ATP in the synthesis reaction yields full-length RNA probes that contain on average one amine-labeled nucleotide every 12 bases. This RNA is readily modified by the respective NHS esters to obtain one biotin group per 15-18 total RNA bases or one fluorescein group per 25-35 bases. Probes modified with biotin or fluorescein were used to detect picogram levels of target DNA in a dot blot hybridization format.