Trimethoprim resistance of dihydrofolate reductase variants from clinical isolates of Pneumocystis jirovecii.

Pneumocystis jirovecii is an opportunistic pathogen that causes serious pneumonia in immunosuppressed patients. Standard therapy and prophylaxis include trimethoprim (TMP)-sulfamethoxazole; trimethoprim in this combination targets dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR). Fourteen clinically observed variants of P. jirovecii DHFR were produced recombinantly to allow exploration of the causes of clinically observed failure of therapy and prophylaxis that includes trimethoprim. Six DHFR variants (S31F, F36C, L65P, A67V, V79I, and I158V) showed resistance to inhibition by trimethoprim, with Ki values for trimethoprim 4-fold to 100-fold higher than those for the wild-type P. jirovecii DHFR. An experimental antifolate with more conformational flexibility than trimethoprim showed strong activity against one trimethoprim-resistant variant. The two variants that were most resistant to trimethoprim (F36C and L65P) also had increased Km values for dihydrofolic acid (DHFA). The catalytic rate constant (kcat) was unchanged for most variant forms of P. jirovecii DHFR but was significantly lowered in F36C protein; one naturally occurring variant with two amino acid substitutions (S106P and E127G) showed a doubling of kcat, as well as a Km for NADPH half that of the wild type. The strongest resistance to trimethoprim occurred with amino acid changes in the binding pocket for DHFA or trimethoprim, and the strongest effect on binding of NADPH was linked to a mutation involved in binding the phosphate group of the cofactor. This study marks the first confirmation that naturally occurring mutations in the gene for DHFR from P. jirovecii produce variant forms of DHFR that are resistant to trimethoprim and may contribute to clinically observed failures of standard therapy or prophylaxis.

Differential splicing of Pneumocystis carinii f. sp. carinii inosine 5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase pre-mRNA.

Inosine 5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) is a rate-limiting enzyme in guanine nucleotide metabolism that has drawn attention as a drug target in several organisms. Pneumocystis carinii f. sp. carinii IMPDH mRNA (GeneBank Accession No: U42442) previously identified from cultured organisms yielded a predicted amino acid sequence about 70 amino acids shorter at the amino terminus than IMPDH from other species. Recent research has shown that the amino terminal region is important for enzyme activity, suggesting that the previous putative P. carinii IMPDH might not represent full length, functional enzyme. To test this hypothesis, RT-PCR was performed with total RNA isolated from P. carinii f. sp. carinii. Three IMPDH splicing variants were found and splicing preference was observed: P. carinii isolated from infected rat lung contained primarily splicing variant one (introns two and four deleted), but organisms from spinner flask culture contained primarily splicing variant three (all four introns deleted). Importantly, splicing variant one (GeneBank Accession No: AF196975) contained an open reading frame for 529 amino acids, a size comparable to that of other eukaryotic IMPDH forms. The other variants contained the same open reading frame (454 amino acids) previously reported. Sequence analysis and complementation studies suggest variant one represents the full length, catalytically active form of P. carinii IMPDH. The differential splicing of the enzyme may reflect a mechanism by which the organism regulates the expression of IMPDH in response to environmental stresses.

Synthesis and biological activities of conformationally restricted, tricyclic nonclassical antifolates as inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductases.

Seven novel tricyclic pyrimido[4,5-c][2,7]naphthyridones 5-8 and the corresponding naphthyridines 9-11 were synthesized as conformationally restricted inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and as antitumor and/or antiinfectious agents. The analogues were designed to orient the side chain trimethoxyphenyl group in different conformationally defined positions in order to explore the effect of the side chain orientation on binding affinity and selectivity for DHFR from various species. The semirigid orientations were achieved by bridging the C5 and N10 of compound 12 with a N-ethyl bridge and by variation of the position of double bonds in rings B and C as well as substitution at the 2',6'-positions of the phenyl ring. The synthesis of compounds 5-11 were accomplished by cyclocondensation of the appropriate keto ester (as the biselectrophile) with 2,4,6-triaminopyrimidine to afford the lactam 5. The dehydrolactams 6 and 7 were prepared by air oxidation and PtO2-catalyzed dehydrogenation of 7, respectively. The dichloro dehydro lactam 8 was obtained by refluxing lactam 5 and/or 6 in POCl3 or a mixture of POCl3/PCl5. Compounds 9-11 were obtained by two methods, direct borane reduction of lactam 5 or 6 or thiation of the dipivoylated lactam 15 followed by reductive dethiation. Compounds 9-11 were interconverted by air oxidation or PtO2-catalyzed reduction/oxidation, respectively. The compounds were evaluated as inhibitors of DHFR from Pneumocystis carinii (pc) and Toxoplasma gondii (tg) with rat liver (rl) serving as the reference mammalian enzyme. In the lactam series 5-8, the most unsaturated analogue 7 showed an IC50 of 86 nM against rlDHFR, almost 100-fold more active than 5 and 3-fold more active than 6. The 2',6'-dichloro dehydro lactam 8 was less active than the corresponding dehydro lactam 6 against rlDHFR. In the naphthyridine series 9-11, the dehydro analogue 10 was more active than 9 against rlDHFR. The fully reduced analogue 11 (as a mixture of cis and trans isomers) was the most active in the naphthyridine series. The analogues were, in general, more inhibitory against rlDHFR than against pcDHFR, or tgDHFR, and thus lacked selectivity. In addition, they were less potent than the bicyclic compounds trimetrexate 3 (TMQ) and piritrixim 4 (PTX).

Synthesis and dihydrofolate reductase inhibitory activities of 2,4-diamino-5-deaza and 2,4-diamino-5,10-dideaza lipophilic antifolates.

Two series of nonclassical antifolates (2,4-diamino-5-deaza compounds 2-5 and 5,10-dideaza compounds 6-13) were synthesized as inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) from Pneumocystis carinii (pc) and Toxoplasma gondii (tg) organisms that are responsible for fatal opportunistic infections in AIDS patients. Rat liver (rl) DHFR served as the mammalian reference enzyme to determine selectivity. Syntheses of the target 5-deaza compounds were achieved by initial construction of the pivaloyl-protected 2,4-diamino-6-bromopyrido[2,3-d]-pyrimidine 17 via a cyclocondensation of 2,4,6-triaminopyrimidine with bromomalonaldehyde. Sequential Heck coupling of 17 with styrene followed by ozonolysis afforded the 6-formyl derivative 19. Reductive amination of 19 with 3,4,5-trimethoxyaniline afforded the N10-H analog. The N10-Me and N10-Et analogs were synthesized by nucleophilic displacement of the 6-bromomethyl derivative 22 (obtained from the 6-formyl derivative 19 by reduction and bromination) with the appropriate N-alkylaniline. The trans-5,10-dideaza analogs 6-8 were synthesized via a Heck coupling of the appropriate methoxystyrene with 17, and selective reduction of the resulting 9,10-double bond afforded target compounds 9-11. Further reduction to the tetrahydro derivatives afforded analogs 12 and 13. The 5-deaza N10-Me 3,4,5-trimethoxy analog 3 maintained the best balance of potency and selectivity against both tgDHFR and pcDHFR. Compared to trimethoprim, compound 3 was only slightly less selective but was 300-fold more potent against tgDHFR. The 5,10-dideaza analogs were generally less potent and selective than the 5-deaza compounds.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of nonclassical 2,4-diamino-5-methylpyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidines with novel side chain substituents as potential inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductases.

Nine novel 2,4-diamino-5-methyl-6-substituted-pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidines, 2-10, were synthesized as potential inhibitors of Pneumocystis carinii dihydrofolate reductase (pcDHFR) and Toxoplasma gondii dihydrofolate reductase (tgDHFR). Compounds 2-5 were designed as conformationally restricted analogues of trimetrexate (TMQ), in which rotation around tau 3 was constrained by incorporation of the side chain nitrogen as part of an indoline or an indole ring. Analogue 6, which has an extra atom between the side chain nitrogen and the phenyl ring, has its nitrogen as part of a tetrahydroisoquinoline ring. Analogues 7-9 are epiroprim (Ro 11-8958) analogues and contain a pyrrole ring as part of the side chain substitution on the phenyl ring similar to epiroprim. These analogues were designed to investigate the role of the pyrrole substitution on the phenyl ring of 2,4-diamino-5-methyl-6-(anilinomethyl)pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidines. Molecular modeling indicated that a pyrrole substituent in the ortho position of the side chain phenyl ring was most likely to interact with pcDHFR in a manner similar to the pyrrole moiety of epiroprim. Analogue 10, in which a phenyl ring replaced a methoxy group, was synthesized to determine the contribution of a phenyl ring on selectivity, lipophilicity, and cell penetration. The synthesis of analogues 2-4 was achieved via reductive amination of 2,4-diamino-5-methyl 6-carboxaldehyde with the appropriately substituted indolines. The indolines were obtained from the corresponding indoles via NaCNBH3 reductions. Analogues 5-10 were synthesized by nucleophilic displacement of 2,4-diamino-5-methyl-6-(bromomethyl)-pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine with the 5-methoxyindolyl anion, 6,7-dimethoxytetrahydroisoquinoline, the appropriately substituted pyrroloaniline or 2-methoxy-5-phenylaniline. The pyrroloanilines were synthesized in two steps by treating the substituted nitroanilines with 2,5-dimethoxy-tetrahydrofuran to afford the nitropyrrole intermediates, followed by reduction of the nitro group with Raney Ni. The analogues were more potent than trimethoprim and epiroprim and more selective than TMQ and piritrexim against pcDHFR and tgDHFR. Compounds 5 and 10 had IC50 values of 1 and 0.64 microM, respectively, for the inhibition of the growth of T. gondii cells in culture, and showed excellent culture IC50/enzyme IC50 ratios, which were correlated with their calculated log P values, indicating a direct relationship between calculated lipophilicity and cell penetration.

Effect of N9-methylation and bridge atom variation on the activity of 5-substituted 2,4-diaminopyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines against dihydrofolate reductases from Pneumocystis carinii and Toxoplasma gondii.

The effect of N9-methylation and bridge atom variation on inhibitory potency and selectivity of 2,4-diaminopyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines against dihydrofolate reductases (DHFR) was studied. Specifically three nonclassical 2,4-diamino-5-((N-methylanilino)methyl)pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines with 2',5'-dimethoxyphenyl (2), 3',4'-dichlorophenyl (3), 1'-naphthyl (4), one classical analogue with a 4'-L-glutamate substituent (10), and four nonclassical 2,4-diamino-5-((phenylthio)methyl)pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines with 3',4'-dimethoxyphenyl (5), 3',4'-dichlorophenyl (6), 1'-naphthyl (7), and 2'-naphthyl (8) substituents were synthesized. The classical and nonclassical analogues were obtained by displacement of the intermediate 2,4-diamino-5-bromomethylpyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine, 14, with appropriately substituted N-methylaniline, thiophenols, or 4-(N-methylamino)benzoyl-L-glutamate. Compounds 2-8 and 10 were evaluated against Pneumocystis carinii (pc), Toxoplasma gondii (tg), and rat liver (rl) DHFRs. The N-methyl and thiomethyl analogues were more inhibitory than their corresponding anilinomethyl analogues (previously reported) against all three DHFRs. The inhibitory potency of these analogues was greater against rlDHFR than against tgDHFR which resulted in a loss of selectivity for tgDHFR compared to the N9-H analogues. The classical N9-methyl analogue 10 was more potent and about 2-fold more selective against tgDHFR than its corresponding desmethyl analogue. All of the analogues, 2-8 and 10, were more selective than trimetrexate (TMQ) against pcDHFR (except 4) and significantly more selective than TMQ against tgDHFR.

Pneumocystis carinii and Toxoplasma gondii dihydrofolate reductase inhibitors and antitumor agents: synthesis and biological activities of 2,4-diamino-5-methyl-6-[(monosubstituted anilino)methyl] pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidines.

Thirteen 2,4-diamino-5-methyl-6-[(monosubstituted anilino)methyl]pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidines 5-17 were synthesized as potential Pneumocystis carinii (pc) and Toxoplasma gondii (tg) dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) inhibitors and as antitumor agents. Compounds 5-17 were designed to investigate the structure-activity relationship of monomethoxy and monohalide substitution in the phenyl ring and N10-methylation of the C9-N10 bridge. The synthetic route to compounds 5-12 involved the reductive amination of a common intermediate, 2,4-diamino-5-methylpyrido[2, 3-d]pyrimidine-6-carbonitrile (18), with the appropriate anilines. N10-Methylation was achieved by reductive methylation. In contrast to previous reports of trimethoprim, the removal of methoxy and chloro groups from the phenyl ring in the 2, 4-diamino-5-methyl-6-[(substituted anilino)methyl]pyrido[2, 3-d]pyrimidine series generally did not decrease DHFR inhibitory activity. The monosubstituted phenyl analogues 5-12 were as potent against pcDHFR and tgDHFR as the previously reported disubstituted phenyl analogues. N10-Methylation generally resulted in a marginal increase in potency against both pcDHFR and tgDHFR. Compounds 5, 7, and 9 were evaluated and shown to inhibit the growth of T. gondii cells in culture at nanomolar concentrations. Compounds 6-8, 9, 11, and 16 were selected by the National Cancer Institute for evaluation in an in vitro preclinical antitumor screening program. All six compounds showed GI50 values in the 10(-7)-10(-9) M range in more than 20 cell lines.

Conformationally restricted analogues of trimethoprim: 2,6-diamino-8-substituted purines as potential dihydrofolate reductase inhibitors from Pneumocystis carinii and Toxoplasma gondii.

Twenty-two 2,6-diamino-8-substituted purines (2-23) were synthesized, in which rotation around the two flexible bonds of trimethoprim (TMP), linking the pyrimidine ring to the side chain phenyl ring, was restricted by incorporation into a purine ring, in an attempt to increase the potency and selectivity of TMP against dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) from the organisms that often cause fatal opportunistic infections in patients with AIDS, i.e., Pneumocystis carinii (pc) and Toxoplasma gondii (tg). The syntheses of analogues 2-20 were achieved via a one-pot reaction of 2,4,5,6-tetraaminopyrimidine and the appropriately substituted benzaldehyde or phenyl acetaldehyde, in acidic methoxyethanol. Analogues 21-23 were synthesized via nucleophilic displacement of 2,6-diamino-8-(chloromethyl)purine with the appropriate anilines or 2-naphthalenethiol. The compounds were evaluated as inhibitors of pcDHFR and tgDHFR with rat liver (rl) DHFR as the mammalian reference enzyme. Compound 11, the 3',4'-dichlorophenyl analogue, was as potent as TMP and had a selectivity ratio of 13 for pcDHFR, which ranked it as one of the three most selective inhibitors of pcDHFR (compared to rlDHFR) known to date. It also displayed a selectivity ratio of 38 for tgDHFR. None of the other analogues showed any improvement compared to TMP in potency or selectivity. In the preclinical in vitro screening program of the National Cancer Institute, compound 11 showed a GI50 of 10(-6) M for the inhibition of the growth of 17 tumor cell lines.

2,4-Diamino-6,7-dihydro-5H-cyclopenta[d]pyrimidine analogues of trimethoprim as inhibitors of Pneumocystis carinii and Toxoplasma gondii dihydrofolate reductase.

Three previously unreported (R,S)-2,4-diamino-5-[(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl) alkyl]-6,7-dihydro-5H-cyclopenta[d]pyrimidines 15a-c were synthesized as analogues of trimethoprim (TMP) and were tested as inhibitors of Pneumocystis carinii, Toxoplasma gondii, and rat liver dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR). The length of the alkyl bridge between the cyclopenta[d]pyrimidine and trimethoxyphenyl moiety ranged from one in 15a to three carbons in 15c. The products were tested as competitive inhibitors of the reduction of dihydrofolate by Pneumocystis carinii, Toxoplasma gondii, and rat liver DHFR. Compounds 15a-c had IC50 values of > 32, 1.8 and 1.3 microM, respectively, against P. carinii DHFR, as compared to 12 microM for TMP. Against the T. gondii enzyme, 15a-c had IC50 values of 21, 0.14 and 0.14 microM, respectively, as compared to 2.7 microM for TMP. Inhibitors 15b and 15c with two- and three-carbon bridges were significantly more potent than 15a against all three enzymes. Unlike TMP, 15b and 15c were better inhibitors of the rat liver enzyme than of the microbial enzymes. The potency of 15b and 15c against rat liver DHFR was less than has been reported for the corresponding 6,7-dihydro-5H-cyclopenta[d]pyrimidines with a classical p-aminobenzoyl-L-glutamate side chain as inhibitors of bovine, murine, and human DHFR.

2,4-Diaminopyrido[3,2-d]pyrimidine inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductase from Pneumocystis carinii and Toxoplasma gondii.

Six previously unknown 2,4-diamino-6-(anilinomethyl)- and 2,4-diamino-6-[(N-methylanilino)-methyl]pyrido[3,2-d]pyrimidines (5-10) were synthesized from 2,4-diamino-6-(bromomethyl)-pyrido[3,2-d]pyrimidine hydrobromide (11.HBr) by treatment with the appropriate aniline or N-methylaniline in dimethylformamide at room temperature, with or without NaHCO3 present. Compounds 5-10 were tested as inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductase from Pneumocystis carinii, Toxoplasma gondii, and rat liver as a part of a larger effort directed toward the discovery of lipophilic nonclassical antifolates combining high enzyme selectivity and high potency. Of the six analogues tested, the most potent and selective against T. gondii DHFR was 2,4-diamino-6-[(3',4',5'-trimethoxy-N-methylanilono)methyl]pyrido[ 3,2-d d pyrimidine (7), which had an IC50 of 0.0047 microM against this enzyme as compared with 0.026 microM against the rat liver enzyme. The potency of 7 against T. gondii DHFR was similar to that of trimetrexate (TMQ, 1) and piritrexim (PTX, 2) but was > 500-fold greater than that of trimethoprim (TMP, 3). However, while 7 was more selective than either TMQ (19x) or PTX (63x) against this enzyme, its selectivity in comparison with TMP was 8-fold lower. 2,4-Diamino-6-[3',4',5'-trimethoxyanilino)methyl]pyrido[3,2-d]pyri midin e (6) was 17-fold less active than 7 and was also less selective. 2,4-Diamino-6-[(3',4'-dichloro-N-methylanilino)methyl]pyrido[3, 2-d]pyrimidine (10) had an IC50 of 0.022 microM against P. carinii DHFR and was comparable in potency to TMQ and PTX. The species selectivity of 10 for P. carinii versus rat liver DHFR was greater than that of either TMQ (21-fold) or PTX (31-fold). On the other hand, even though 10 was slightly more active than TMQ against the P. carinii enzyme, its selectivity was 7-fold lower than that of TMP. Thus, the goal of combining high enzyme binding activity, which is characteristic of the fused-ring compounds TMQ and PTX, with high selectivity for T. gondii and P. carinii DHFR versus rat liver DHFR, which is characteristic of the monocyclic compound TMP, remained unmet in this limited series.

6-Substituted 2,4-diaminopyrido[3,2-d]pyrimidine analogues of piritrexim as inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductase from rat liver, Pneumocystis carinii, and Toxoplasma gondii and as antitumor agents.

The synthesis and biological activity are reported for 21 6-substituted 2,4-diaminopyrido[3,2-d]pyrimidine analogues (4-24) of piritrexim (PTX) as inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and as antitumor agents. Recombinant DHFR from Pneumocystis carinii (pc) and native DHFR from Toxoplasma gondii (tg) were the target enzymes tested; these organisms are responsible for fatal opportunistic infections in AIDS patients. Rat liver (rl) DHFR served as the mammalian reference enzyme to determine selectivity for the pathogenic DHFR. The synthesis of S9-bridged compounds 4-6 was achieved by aryl displacement of 2,4-diamino-6-chloropyrido[3, 2-d]pyrimidine (27) with thiol nucleophiles. Oxidation of 4-6 with hydrogen peroxide in glacial acetic acid afforded the corresponding sulfone analogues 7-9. The N9-bridged compounds 10-24 were synthesized from their precursor 3-amino-6-(arylamino)-2-pyridinecarbonitriles via a thermal cyclization with chloroformamidine hydrochloride. Unlike the S9-bridged compounds, the arylamino side chains of the N9-bridged analogues were introduced prior to the formation of the 2, 4-diaminopyrido[3,2-d]pyrimidine nucleus. A reversed two-atom-bridged analogue (25) was also synthesized using a synthetic strategy similar to that utilized for compounds 10-24. The IC50 values of these compounds against pcDHFR ranged from 0.0023 x 10(-6) M for 2,4-diamino-6-(N-methyl-3',4'-dimethoxyanilino)pyrido[3, 2-d]pyrimidine (21), which was the most potent, to 90.4 x 10(-6) M for 2,4-diamino-6-(4'-methoxyanilino)pyrido[3,2-d]pyrimidine (12), which was the least potent. The three S9-bridged compounds tested were more potent than the corresponding sulfone-bridged compounds for all three DHFRs. N9-Methylation increased the potency by as much as 17 000-fold (compounds 15 and 21). None of the analogues were selective for pcDHFR. Against tgDHFR the most potent analogue was again 21 with an IC50 value of 0.00088 x 10(-6) M and the least potent was 12 with an IC50 of 2.8 x 10(-6) M. N9-Methylation afforded an increase in potency of up to 770-fold (compound 15 NH vs 21 N-CH3) compared to the corresponding N9-H analogue. In contrast to pcDHFR, several analogues had a greater selectivity ratio for tgDHFR compared to trimetrexate (TMQ) or PTX, most notably 2, 4-diamino-6-[(3',4'- dimethoxyphenyl)thio]pyrido[3,2-d]pyrimidine (4), 2,4-diamino-6-[(2'-methoxyphenyl)sulfonyl]pyrido[3, 2-d]pyrimidine (7), and 2,4-diamino-6-(2', 5'-dimethoxyanilino)pyrido[3,2-d]pyrimidine (14) which combined relatively high potency at 10(-7)-10(-8) M along with selectivity ratios of 3.97, 6.67, and 4.93, respectively. Several analogues synthesized had better selectivity ratios than TMQ or PTX for both pcDHFR and tgDHFR, and the potencies of the N9-methylated compounds were comparable to or greater than that of TMQ or PTX. Selected compounds were evaluated as inhibitors of the growth of a variety of tumor cells in culture. The N9-CH3 analogues were, in general, highly potent with GI50 values in the nanomolar range. The N9-H and S9 analogues were less potent with GI50 values in the millimolar to micromolar range.

2,4-Diaminothieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine lipophilic antifolates as inhibitors of Pneumocystis carinii and Toxoplasma gondii dihydrofolate reductase.

Ten previously unreported 2,4-diaminothieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine lipophilic dihydrofolate reductase inhibitors were synthesized as potential inhibitors of Pneumocystis carinii and Toxoplasma gondii dihydrofolate reductase. Pivaloylation of 2,4-diamino-5-methylthieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine followed by dibromination with N-bromosuccinimide in the presence of benzoyl peroxide gave 2,4-bis(pivaloylamino)-6-bromo-5-(bromomethyl)thieno[2,3-d]pyrimid ine, which after condensation with substituted anilines or N-methylanilines and deprotection with base yielded 2,4-diamino-6-bromo-5-[(substituted anilino)methyl]thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidines. Removal of the 6-bromo substituent was accomplished with sodium borohydride and palladium chloride. The reaction yields were generally good to excellent. The products were tested as inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) from P. carinii, T. gondii, and rat liver. Although the IC50 could not be reached for the 6-unsubstituted compounds because of their extremely poor solubility, three of the five 6-bromo derivatives were soluble enough to allow the IC50 to be determined against all three enzymes. 2,4-Diamino-5-[3,5-dichloro-4-(1-pyrrolo)anilino]methyl]- 6-bromothieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine was the most active of the 6-bromo derivatives, with an IC50 of 7.5 microM against P. carinii DHFR, but showed no selectivity for either P. carinii or T. gondii DHFR relative to the enzyme from rat liver.

2,4-Diamino-5-chloroquinazoline analogues of trimetrexate and piritrexim: synthesis and antifolate activity.

Ten heretofore undescribed 2,4-diamino-5-chloroquinazoline analogues of trimetrexate (TMQ) and piritrexim (PTX) were synthesized and tested as inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) from rat liver, Pneumocystis carinii, and Toxoplasma gondii. The most active quinazolines against both the P. carinii and the T. gondii enzyme were those with an ArCH2-NH or ArNHCH2 side chain. Among ArNH(CH2)n compounds with n = 1-3 and either 2',5'-dimethoxyphenyl or 3',4',5'-trimethoxyphenyl as the Ar moiety, activity decreased in the order n = 1 > n = 2 > n = 3. The best inhibitor of P. carinii DHFR, 2,4-diamino-5-chloro-6-[(N-methyl-3',4',5'-trimethoxyanilino)methy l] quinazoline (10) had an IC50 of 0.012 microM and was slightly more potent than TMQ and PTX. Compound 10 was also the best inhibitor of T. gondii DHFR, with an IC50 of 0.0064 microM corresponding again to a minor increase in activity over TMQ and PTX. However, as with these standard agents, 10 showed no appreciable selectivity for either the P. carinii or T. gondii enzyme relative to the rat liver enzyme. The highest selectivity achieved in this limited series was with 2,4-diamino-5-chloro-6-[N-(3',4',5'-trimethoxybenzyl)-N-methylamino] quinazoline (17) against T. gondii DHFR. While 17 (IC50 = 0.016 microM) was somewhat less potent than 10, its selectivity, as defined by the ratio IC50(rat liver)/IC50(T. gondii) was ca. 30-fold higher than that of TMQ or PTX. Two compounds, 2,4-diamino-5-chloro-6-[(3',4',5'-trimethoxyanilino)methyl] quinazoline (9) and 2,4-diamino-5-chloro-6-[N-(3',4',5'-trimethoxybenzyl) amino]quinazoline (15), were also tested against human DHFR and were found to have an IC50/[E] of 0.5, indicating that their binding was near-stoichiometric.

Synthesis and antiparasitic and antitumor activity of 2, 4-diamino-6-(arylmethyl)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinazoline analogues of piritrexim.

Nineteen previously undescribed 2,4-diamino-6-(arylmethyl)-5,6,7, 8-tetrahydroquinazolines (5a-m, 10-12) were synthesized as part of a larger effort to assess the therapeutic potential of lipophilic dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) inhibitors against opportunistic infections of AIDS. Condensation of appropriately substituted (arylmethyl)triphenylphosphoranes with 4, 4-ethylenedioxycyclohexanone, followed by hydrogenation (H2/Pd-C) and acidolysis, yielded the corresponding 4-(arylmethyl)cyclohexanones, which were then condensed with cyanoguanidine to form the tetrahydroquinazolines. Three simple 2, 4-diamino-6-alkyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinazoline model compounds (9a-c) were also prepared in one step from commercially available 4-alkylcyclohexanones by this method. Enzyme inhibition assays against rat liver DHFR, Pneumocystis carinii DHFR, and the bifunctional DHFR-TS enzyme from Toxoplasma gondii were carried out, and the selectivity ratios IC50(rat)/IC50(P. carinii) and IC50(rat)/IC50(T. gondii) were compared. The three most potent inhibitors of P. carinii DHFR were the 2,5-dimethoxybenzyl (5j), 3, 4-dimethoxybenzyl (5k), and 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzyl (5l) analogues, with IC50 values of 0.057, 0.10, and 0.091 microM, respectively. The remaining compounds generally had IC50 values in the 0.1-1.0 microM range. However all the compounds were more potent against the rat liver enzyme than the P. carinii enzyme and thus were nonselective. The T. gondii enzyme was always more sensitive than the P. carinii enzyme, with most of the analogues giving IC50 values of 0.01-0.1 microM. Moderate 5-10-fold selectivity for T. gondii versus rat liver DHFR was observed with five compounds, the best combination of potency and selectivity being achieved with the 2-methoxybenzyl analogue 5d, which had an IC50 of 0.014 microM and a selectivity ratio of 8.6. One compound (5l) was tested for antiproliferative activity against P. carinii trophozoites in culture at a concentration of 10 microgram/mL and was found to completely suppress growth over 7 days. The suppressive effect of 5l was the same as that of trimethoprim (10 microgram/mL) + sulfamethoxazole (250 microgram/mL), a standard clinical combination for the treatment of P. carinii pneumonia in AIDS patients. Four compounds (5a,h,k,l) were tested against T. gondii tachyzoites in culture and were found to have a potency (IC50 = 0.1-0.5 microM) similar to that of pyrimethamine (IC50 = 0.69 microM), a standard clinical agent for the treatment of cerebral toxoplasmosis in AIDS patients. Compound 5h was also active against T. gondii infection in mice when given qdx8 by peritoneal injection at doses ranging from 62.5 (initial dose) to 25 mg/kg. Survival was prolonged to the same degree as with 25 mg/kg clindamycin, another widely used drug against toxoplasmosis. Three compounds (5j-l) were tested for antiproliferative activity against human tumor cells in culture. Among the 25 cell lines in the National Cancer Institute panel for which data were confirmed in two independent experiments, the IC50 for at least two of these compounds was <10 microM against 17 cell lines (68%) and in the 0. 1-1 microM range against 13 cell lines (52%). One compound (5j) had an IC50 of <0.01 microM against four of the cell lines. The activity profiles of 5k,l were generally similar to that of 5j except that there were no cells against which the IC50 was <0.01 microM.

Synthesis of classical and a nonclassical 2-amino-4-oxo-6-methyl-5-substituted pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine antifolate inhibitors of thymidylate synthase.

Compounds 2-5 were designed as potential antifolate nonpolyglutamatable inhibitors of thymidylate synthase (TS). These analogues are structurally related to 2-amino-4-oxo-5-substituted quinazolines and 2-amino-4-oxo-5-substituted pyrrolo[2, 3-d]pyrimidines which have shown excellent inhibition of TS and, for the quinazoline, significant promise as clinically useful antitumor agents. Compounds 2-4 were synthesized by appropriate amine exchange reactions on pivaloyl-protected 5-dimethylaminomethyl-substituted 6-methyl pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine 7 which in turn was obtained from the Mannich reaction of pivaloylated-6-methyl pyrrolo[2, 3-d]pyrimidine 6. In instances where the amine exchange reaction was sluggish, the Mannich base was quaternized with methyl iodide which afforded much faster exchange reaction with improved yields. For compound 5, 4-mercaptopyridine was used as the nucleophile and reacted with 7. The analogues 2-4 inhibited Lactobacillus casei (lc) TS and recombinant human (h) TS with IC50 in the 10(-4) to 10(-5) M range. Compound 5 inhibited lcTS and hTS 20% at 26 and 25 microM, respectively. In addition, compound 5 inhibited the growth of Pneumocystis carinii and Toxoplasma gondii cells in culture by 76% at 32 x 10(-6) M and 50% at 831 x 10(-6) M, respectively.

2,4-diamino-5-deaza-6-substituted pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine antifolates as potent and selective nonclassical inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductases.

Fifteen novel nonclassical and two classical 2,4-diamino-6-(benzylamino)pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine antifolates were synthesized as potential inhibitors of Pneumocystis carinii, (pc) Toxoplasma gondii, (tg) rat liver (rl), and human (h) recombinant dihydrofolate reductases (DHFR). These analogues lack a 5-methyl substitution which has been shown to be important for increased hDHFR inhibitory activity. In addition, they contain a reversal of the C9-N10 bridge present in folates and most antifolates. The synthesis of the compounds involved the reaction of 2,4,6-triaminopyrimidine with the sodium salt of nitromalonaldehyde to afford the key intermediate 2,4-diamino-6-nitropyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine (7), in a single step. Reduction of 7 to the 2,4,6-triaminopyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine (8), followed by reductive amination with the appropriate benzaldehydes or phenylacetaldehydes afforded the target compounds. N9 methylation of these analogues was carried out using formaldehyde and sodium cyanoborohydride. The analogues demonstrated significant inhibition of pcDHFR and tgDHFR. N9 methylation significantly increased DHFR inhibitory potency. Compound 11, the 3'4'5'-trimethoxy-substituted analogue with a selectivity ratio of 9.4 for tgDHFR (compared to rlDHFR) was the most selective analogue of the nonclassical series. Compound 22, the N9 methyl 2'5'-dimethoxy-substituted analogue was the most potent analogue against tgDHFR (IC 50 = 6.3 nM) and was the second most selective analogue for tgDHFR (compared to rlDHFR) in the nonclassical series. The naphthyl-substituted analogues 23-25 were generally more potent against rlDHFR than against pcDHFR and tgDHFR. Selected analogues were also evaluated against Streptococcus faecium (sf) DHFR, Escherichia coli (ec) DHFR, Lactobacillus casei (lc) DHFR and tgDHFR with hDHFR as the mammalian reference, under slightly different assay conditions than those employed for rlDHFR. Analogues 11 and 22 had selectivity ratios of greater than 100 for tgDHFR (compared to hDHFR). Analogue 22 in particular, was the most selective analogue of the nonclassical series against tgDHFR (selectivity ratio = 303.5) with excellent potency (28 nM). Analogue 11, also displayed significant selectivity for sfDHFR (selectivity ratio = 4902). Compound 22 was evaluated in vivo for the inhibition of the growth of T.gondii trophozoites in mice, where at 50 mg/kg orally, it demonstrated distinct prolongation of survival without toxicity. Compounds 11, 12 and 21-23 were evaluated as antitumor agents in the National Cancer Institutes preclinical in vitro screening program. Compounds 12, 22, and 23 showed GI50s for tumor growth inhibition in the 10 -6 - 10 -7 M range.

Synthesis and biological activities of tricyclic conformationally restricted tetrahydropyrido annulated furo[2,3-d]pyrimidines as inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductases.

The synthesis of seven 2,4-diamino-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-7-substituted pyrido[4',3':4,5]furo[2,3-d]pyrimidines 1-6 are reported as nonclassical antifolate inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and compound 7 as a classical antifolate inhibitor of tumor cells in culture. The compounds were designed as conformationally restricted analogues of trimetrexate. The synthesis was accomplished from the cyclocondensation of 3-bromo-4-piperidone with 2, 4-diamino-6-hydroxypyrimidine to afford regiospecifically 2, 4-diamino-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropyrido[4',3':4,5]furo[2, 3-d]pyrimidine-7-hydrobromide (16). This in turn was alkylated with the appropriate benzyl halide to afford the target compounds 1-6. The classical antifolate 7 utilized 4-(chloromethyl)benzoyl-l-glutamic acid diethyl ester (17) instead of the benzyl halide for alkylation, followed by saponification to afford 7. Compounds 1-6 showed moderate inhibitory potency against DHFR from Pneumocystis carinii, Toxoplasma gondii, Mycobacterium avium, and rat liver. The classical analogue 7 was 88-fold more potent against M. avium DHFR than against rat liver DHFR. The classical analogue was also inhibitory against the growth of tumor cells, CCRF-CEM, and FaDu, in culture.

Nonclassical 2,4-diamino-6-(aminomethyl)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinazoline antifolates: synthesis and biological activities.

Twenty 6-substituted 2,4-diaminotetrahydroquinazolines were designed, synthesized, and biologically evaluated as novel nonclassical inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) from Pneumocystis carinii and Toxoplasma gondii and as antitumor agents. The 6-substituents included substituted anilinomethyls, with alkoxy (OCH3, and OCH2CH3) and halogen (Cl and Br) moieties on the phenyl ring; an indolinomethyl; and 1-naphthylaminomethyls. The compounds were synthesized from a protected key intermediate 2,4-bis(acetamido)-5,6,7, 8-tetrahydroquinazoline-6-carboxaldehyde (26) by reductive amination with the appropriate amine. Compound 26 was obtained via a Diels--Alder reaction of 2-(trimethylsiloxy) -1,3-butadiene with acrolein to afford cyclohexanone-4-carboxaldehyde dimethyl acetal (23) after deprotection of the silyloxy group and protection of the aldehyde in a single step. Cyclocondensation of 23 with dicyandiamide followed by protection of the 2,4-diamino groups and deprotection of the 6-acetal gave 26. The compounds were significantly potent ((7-330) x 10(-9) M) and selective against T. gondii (versus rat liver DHFR). The most selective analogue against T. gondii DHFR was 2,4-diamino-6-[[(2',5'-dimethoxyphenyl) methylamino]methyl]-5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinazoline (5) which showed exceptionally high inhibitory activity against the growth of T. gondii cells in culture (IC50 = 5.4 x 10(-8) M). Selected analogues were evaluated as inhibitors of the growth of tumor cells in culture. The most active analogues inhibited the growth of tumor cells at GI50 = 10(-8) M.

Novel 2,4-diamino-5-substituted-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines as classical and nonclassical antifolate inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductases.

Eight novel, nonclassical, antifolate 2,4-diamino-5-(anilinomethyl)pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines, 1-8, with 3',4',5'-trimethoxyphenyl, 3',4'-dimethoxyphenyl, 2',5'-dimethoxyphenyl, 4'-methoxyphenyl, 2',5'-diethoxyphenyl, 3',4'-dichlorophenyl, 1'naphthyl, and phenyl substituents were synthesized as potential inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductases (DHFRs). The classical analogue N-[4-[N-[(2,4-diaminopyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin- 5-yl)methyl]amino]benzoyl]-L-glutamic acid (9) was also synthesized as an inhibitor of DHFR and an antitumor agent. The classical and nonclassical analogues were obtained via reductive condensations of the key intermediate 2,4-diamino-5-cyanopyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine (12) with the appropriate substituted aniline or (p-aminobenzoyl)-L-glutamate followed by reduction of the intermediate Schiff bases with NaCNBH3. Compounds 1-9 were evaluated in vitro as inhibitors of rat liver (rl), Pneumocystis carinii (pc), and Toxoplasma gondii (tg) DHFRs. The nonclassical analogues were significantly selective against tgDHFR (vs rat liver DHFR), ranging from 7- to 92-fold. The inhibitory activity was lower in pcDHFR and rlDHFR (IC50s > 10(-5) M) than in tgDHFR (IC50s = 10(-6) M). The classical analogue had inhibitory activity similar to that of methotrexate (MTX) against the growth of human leukemia CCRF-CEM, A253, and FaDu squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the head and neck cell lines. Further evaluation of 9 against CCRF-CEM and its sublines having defined mechanisms of MTX resistance demonstrated that the analogue utilizes the reduced folate/MTX-transport system and primarily inhibits DHFR and poly-gamma-glutamylation plays a role in its mechanism of action. Compound 9 was found to be 3-fold more efficient than aminopterin as a substrate for human folylpolyglutamate synthetase.

6-substituted 2,4-diamino-5-methylpyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidines as inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductases from Pneumocystis carinii and Toxoplasma gondii and as antitumor agents.

The synthesis and biological activity of 15 6-substituted 2,4-diamino-5-methylpyrido[2,3-d]-pyrimidines are reported. These compounds were synthesized in improved yields by modifications of procedures previously reported by us. Specifically, dimethoxyphenyl-substituted compounds with H and CH3 at the N-10 position and trimethoxyphenyl-substituted compounds with N-10 ethyl, isopropyl, and propargyl moieties were synthesized. These compounds were evaluated as inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductases (DHFR) from Pneumocystis carinii, Toxoplasma gondii, and rat liver, and selected analogues were evaluated as inhibitors of the growth of T. gondii and tumor cells in culture. All the compounds showed increased selectivity (vs rat liver DHFR) for T. gondii DHFR compared to trimetrexate. In general, for the trimethoxy-substituted analogues, increasing the size of the N-10 substituent from a methyl group to larger groups resulted in a decrease in selectivity and potency for both P. carinii and T. gondii DHFR. For the dimethoxy-substituted analogues, N-10 methylation in general decreased potency but increased selectivity for T. gondii DHFR. In an attempt to improve the cell penetration of these analogues, the N-10 naphthyl-substituted analogues were also synthesized. These analogues displayed excellent cell penetration and inhibition of T. gondii cells in culture. Further, these analogues were potent inhibitors of the growth of tumor cells in the preclinical in-vitro screening program of the National Cancer Institute with IC50s in the nanomolar range.