Synthesis and antineoplastic activity of some cyano-, carboxy-, carbomethoxy-, and carbamoylborane adducts of heterocyclic amines.

Boron analogues of piperidine, piperazine, morpholine, and imidazole proved to be cytotoxic against the growth of murine and human tissue culture cells. Significant activity was demonstrated for single-cell suspensions of L1210 lymphoid leukemia, Tmolt3 lymphoblastic leukemia, and HeLa-S3 cervical carcinoma. Trimethylamine-imidazole carbonyldihydroborane 17 demonstrated activity against solid tumor growth of human colorectal adenocarcinoma, KB nasopharynx, and osteosarcoma. In addition, 4-methylpiperidine-carbomethoxyborane 12, 2-methylimidazole-3-cyanoborane 16, and 1-methylimidazole-3-(N-ethylcarbamoyl)borane 19 were active against the KB nasopharynx growth. Piperidine-cyanoborane 2, piperidine-carboxyborane 4, and 1-methylimidazole-3-(N-ethylcarbamoyl)borane 19 were effective in reducing the growth of osteosarcoma cells. The imidazole derivatives 13-19, as well as 4-methylpiperidine-carboxyborane 11 and carbomethoxyborane 12, demonstrated good activity against lung bronchogenic and glioma growth. In the in vivo studies, N-methylmorpholine-carboxyborane 7,4-phenylpiperidine-carboxyborane 9, 4-phenylpiperidine-carbomethoxyborane 10, 4-methylpiperidine-carboxyborane 11, imidazole cyanoborane 14, and 1-methylimidazole-3-carbomethoxyborane 18 demonstrated the best activity against Lewis Lung growth and P388 lymphocytic leukemia growth in mice. Mode of action studies in L1210 leukemia cells demonstrated that piperidine-carboxyborane 4 and N-methylmorpholine-carboxyborane 7 inhibited DNA synthesis, purine synthesis at PRPP amido transferase and IMP dehydrogenase sites, and thymidine kinase and thymidine diphosphate kinase activities, while lowering d(NTP) pool levels. Also, DNA strand scission was evident after incubation with these drugs.

Synthesis, cytotoxicity, hypolipidemic and anti-inflammatory activities of amine-boranes and esters of boron analogues of choline and thiocholine.

Boron analogues of carbamoylcholine and thiocholine and esters of these analogues were prepared. These compounds were fairly stable toward hydrolysis and demonstrated moderate anti-inflammatory and hypolipidemic activities in mice. The hypolipidemic activity of the compounds at a dose of 8 mg/kg/day was equivalent in reducing lipid levels in serum to those of clofibrate at 150 mg/kg/day and lovastatin at 8 mg/kg/day. The compounds demonstrated significant cytotoxic activity against the growth of murine and human tumor cells; all were active against the growth of human HeLa-S3 uterine suspended cells, and some were active against murine L1210 lymphoid leukemia, human Tmolt3 leukemia cells, colorectal adenocarcinoma, KB nasopharynx, osteosarcoma, and glioma. These studies demonstrated that antimetabolite analogues of acetylcholine exhibit the same types of pharmacological activity as other boron-substituted betaine and amino acids. Furthermore, a strong positive correlation exists between hypolipidemic activity and cytotoxicity for these new choline derivatives, as has previously been demonstrated for other boron-containing amino acids, amides, esters, and peptides.

The metabolism and biological activity of a 9-substituted cytokinin.

In order to test the metabolic stability of 9-substituted cytokinins, 6-benzylamino-9-methyl purine has been synthesized and labeled with (14)C in the 9-methyl carbon or doubly labeled with (14)C in the 9-methyl carbon and (3)H in the methylene moiety of the side chain. Although the 6-benzylamino-9-methylpurine is chemically stable, cytokinin-requiring tissues begin removing the 9-substituent in as little as 10 minutes. Among the various metabolic products is free benzylaminopurine. Thus, the biological activity of 9-substituted cytokinins could be accounted for by their conversion to the free base.

Synthesis and hypolipidemic activity of amine-carboxyboranes, and their amides and esters in rodents.

A series of amine carboxyboranes including their amides and esters were synthesized and shown to have potent hypolipidemic activity in rodents at 20 mg/kg/day. Ethylamine carboxyborane, di-n-propylamine-carboxyborane, trimethylamine-carbomethoxyborane, n-butylamine carbomethoxyborane, methylamine-N-ethyl carbamoylborane and trimethylamine-N-n-octyl carbamoylborane were the most potent derivatives demonstrating hypocholesterolemic and hypotriglycemic activities in rats orally at 20 mg/kg/day. These derivatives lowered tissue lipids, e.g. cholesterol, in the rat liver, small intestine and aorta. The fecal lipids were elevated. Furthermore, the agents lowered cholesterol and triglycerides in the serum VLDL and LDL fractions but caused elevations in the HDL fraction after 14 days. The agents inhibited hepatic enzymatic activities of rate limiting steps involved in lipid metabolism, e.g. ATP dependent citrate lyase, sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase and phosphatidylate phosphohydrolase.

Hypolipidaemic activity in rodents of boron analogs of phosphonoacetates and cyanoborane adducts of dialkyl aminomethylphosphonates.

Boron analogues of phosphonoacetates proved to be potent hypolipidaemic agents in rodents, lowering both serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels. (C2H5O)3PBH2COOCH3 proved to be the most effective agent in mice, lowering serum cholesterol 46% and serum triglycerides 54% after 16 days. (C2H5O)3PBH2COOH and Na+H+(C2H5O)2(-O)PBH2COO- caused greater than a 40% reduction in lipids. The cyanoborane adducts of aminomethylphosphonates were generally less effective; (C6H5O)2P(O)CH2NH2BH2CN was the most effective, lowering serum cholesterol 32% and serum triglycerides 43% after 16 days. The phosphonoacetates appeared to lower lipid concentrations by several mechanisms. First, they lowered the de novo synthesis of cholesterol and triglycerides in the liver. Second, they accelerated the excretion of lipids into the bile and faeces. Thirdly, they modulated LDL and HDL-cholesterol contents in a manner which suggests they reduced the deposition of lipids in peripheral tissues, and accelerated the movement of cholesterol from tissues (e.g. plaques) to the liver for excretion into the bile.