[Acyclic nucleoside phosphonates as potential antineoplastic agents]. / Acyklické nukleosidfosfonáty jako potenciální antineoplastika.

Recently, Gilead Sciences (Foster City, CA, USA) presented a potential cytostatic drug GS-9219. It is a novel lipophilic prodrug of cyprPMEDAP, in vivo releasing the active compound PMEG in a two-step process. GS-9219 has shown a substantial therapeutic potential in treatment of spontaneous non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in dogs and its utilization in the human medicine is prospective. Hence, cyprPMEDAP represents a key intermediate in the intracellular activation of GS-9219. Both acyclic nucleoside phosphonates PMEG and cyprPMEDAP, serving as the basis for development of GS-9219, were discovered and their mechanism of action was investigated in detail at the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. The biological studies using the rat lymphoma were carried out at the First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University.

Experimental therapy with 9-[2-(phosphonomethoxy)ethyl]-2,6-diaminopurine (PMEDAP): origin of resistance.

The role of MRP4 and MRP5 transporters in the acyclic nucleoside phosphonate PMEDAP efflux was studied in vitro (CCRF-CEM cells) and in vivo (spontaneous transplantable T-cell lymphoma of SD/Cub inbred rats). The increased resistance against the cytostatic agent PMEDAP during longterm treatment was found to be associated with overexpression of MRP4 and MRP5 genes. The course of both gene activation differs significantly. While the MRP5 function is important in the onset of PMEDAP resistance, the intensity of the relative MRP4 gene expression increases rather continuously. Our data indicate cooperative acting of both MRP4 and MRP5 genes during the PMEDAP resistance development.

[Biological mechanisms of aging]. / Biologické mechanizmy stárnutí.

Contemporary views on the mechanisms of aging and aging variations--progeria and longevity are presented. Replicative aging, the roles of glycation and free radicals on the genetical determination of progeria and longevity are discussed.

Upregulation of asparagine synthetase fails to avert cell cycle arrest induced by L-asparaginase in TEL/AML1-positive leukaemic cells.

L-Asparaginase is a standard component in chemotherapy of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Leukaemic cells carrying TEL/AML1 fusion gene are more sensitive to treatment with L-asparaginase compared to other subtypes of ALL. We demonstrate in vitro the prolonged growth suppression of TEL/AML1[+] cells compared to TEL/AML1[-] leukaemic cells after L-asparaginase treatment simulating treatment protocol. Cell cycle analysis revealed TEL/AML1[+] cells to accumulate in G1/G0 phase (81-98%) compared to TEL/AML1[-] cells (47-60%). Quantitative analysis of asparagine synthetase (AsnS) expression showed the ability of TEL/AML1[+] cells to increase AsnS mRNA levels after L-asparaginase treatment to the same extent as TEL/AML1[-] leukaemic and nonleukaemic lymphoid cells. We hypothesise that TEL/AML1[+] cells are unable to progress into the S phase of cell cycle under nutrition stress caused by L-asparaginase, despite the ability of AsnS upregulation. Significantly higher expression of AsnS was found in untreated leukaemic cells from children with TEL/AML1[+] ALL (n=20) in comparison with the group of age-matched children with ALL bearing no known fusion gene (n=25; P=0.0043). Interestingly, none of the TEL/AML1[+] patients with high AsnS level relapsed, whereas 10/15 patients with AsnS below median relapsed (P=0.00028). Therefore, high AsnS levels in TEL/AML1[+] patients correlate with better prognosis, possibly reflecting the stretched metabolic demand of the lymphoblast.

O-Phosphonatomethylcholine, its analogues, alkyl esters, and their biological activity.

O-Phosphonatomethylcholine, an isopolar phosphocholine analogue with a phosphonomethyl ether group replacing a phosphomonoester residue, was prepared by reaction of diisopropyl 2-chloroethoxymethylphosphonate with dimethylamine followed by quaternization of the thus-obtained diisopropyl 2-dimethylaminoethoxymethylphosphonate with iodomethane; the ester groups in the quaternary intermediate were cleaved with bromotrimethylsilane. Replacement of dimethylamine in the reaction sequence by morpholine and/or pyrrolidine gave the N-methylmorpholinium or N-methylpyrrolidinium analogues of O-phosphonatomethylcholine. Reaction of O-phosphonomethylcholine monotetrabutylammonium salt with 1-bromoalkanes in acetonitrile afforded a series of the corresponding monoalkyl (C10-C16) esters. None of these compounds except for the hexadecyl ester exhibited any appreciable cytostatic activity against DU-145, H460, HT-29, or MES-SA cell lines in vitro (evaluated by 3H-Thd incorporation assay). The hexadecyl ester exhibited modest in vitro cytotoxic activity comparable to that of the anticancer drug miltefosine (hexadecyl O-phosphocholine). In vivo evaluation of hexadecyl O-phosphonomethylcholine [transplanted SD lymphoma in inbred SD/cub rats, 10 mg kg(-1) day(-1) intratumoral injection for 10 days] resulted in a 40% decrease in lymphoma mass.

9-[2-(Phosphonomethoxy)ethyl]adenine diphosphate (PMEApp) as a substrate toward replicative DNA polymerases alpha, delta, epsilon, and epsilon*.

The diphosphoryl derivative of the acyclic nucleotide phosphonate analog 9-[2-(phosphonomethoxy)ethyl]adenine (PMEA), found previously to weakly inhibit DNA pol delta/proliferating cell nuclear antigen, was studied as a substrate for pol alpha, delta, epsilon, and epsilon*. A comparison of the Vmax and Km for this derivative (PMEApp) and dATP demonstrated that the relative efficiency of the incorporation of this analog into the DNA chain is decreasing in the following order: pol delta approximately equal to pol epsilon approximately equal to pol epsilon* > pol alpha. Under the reaction conditions, this incorporation amounted to 4.4 to 0.7% of dAMP molecules. Similar Km values for PMEApp and dATP in pol epsilon and pol epsilon* catalyzed reactions revealed that proteolysis of the enzyme probably does not affect the dNTP binding site. The DNA polymerases tested were inhibited by the reaction product (PMEA terminated DNA chain) with similar Ki/Km ratios (pol alpha 0.2; pol delta, 0.1; pol epsilon 0.05; and pol epsilon*, 0.06). The associated 3'-5'-exonuclease activity of pol delta, epsilon, and epsilon* was able to excise PMEA from the 3'-OH end of DNA with a rate one order of magnitude lower than that of the dAMP residue.

Suppression of rat adjuvant arthritis by some acyclic nucleotide analogs.

The antiarthritic potential of two different acyclic nucleotide analogs, i.e. 9-(2-phosphonomethoxyethyl)adenine (PMEA), its bis(pivaloyloxymethyl)ester (Bis-POM-PMEA), and 1-(S)-(3-hydroxy-2-phosphonomethoxyethyl) cytosine (HPMPC) was investigated in the rat model of mycobacterial adjuvant-induced arthritis. With dependence on the dose, timing and route of administration, as well as on the genetic constitution of the arthritis-prone animals, PMEA was able to delay the onset, and substantially reduce or nearly completely inhibit the development of arthritic paw swelling. HPMPC was less active in this model. As compared with PMEA, its prodrug, Bis-POM-PMEA, expressed much more pronounced beneficial effects after both oral and i.p. administration.

Antitumour activity of N6-substituted PMEDAP derivatives against T-cell lymphoma.

The antitumour activity of four N6-substituted PMEDAP derivatives, Me2NEt-PMEDAP, allyl-PMEDAP, Me2-PMEDAP and cypr-PMEDAP, selected on the basis of their in vitro cytostatic activity, was studied in an in vivo model of haematological malignancy of inbred Sprague-Dawley rats. These compounds are believed to serve as the prodrugs of another (phosphonomethoxy)ethyl derivative, PMEG (9-[2-phosphonomethoxy) ethyl] guanine. We compared their toxicity and ability to inhibit tumour development in two different dosage regimes with those of their parent compound PMEDAP, as well with PMEG. The study confirmed the anticancer efficacy of the parental compound PMEDAP. Unlike PMEDAP, its N6-mono- and disubstituted congeners Me2NEt-PMEDAP, allyl-PMEDAP and Me2-PMEDAP were less potent or exhibited the same antineoplastic effect as PMEDAP. cypr-PMEDAP significantly decreased the survival of lymphoma-bearing rats due to high toxicity, which was approximately the same as that of PMEG. Therefore, these acyclic nucleoside phosphonates substituted at the 6-position of 2,6-diaminopurine ring do not seem to be promising drugs for the treatment of haematological malignancies.

Antitumour activity of a combined treatment with PMEDAP and docetaxel in the Prague inbred Sprague-Dawley/cub rat strain bearing T-cell lymphoma.

Antitumour efficiency of combined therapy with N-9-[2-(phosphonomethoxy)ethyl]-2,6-diaminopurine (PMEDAP) and docetaxel (DTX) was studied in an in vivo model of s.c. transplanted Sprague-Dawley (SD/Cub) rat T-cell lymphoma (phenotype SD10/96). The effect of the combined treatment of DTX with PMEDAP was significantly higher than that of DTX or PMEDAP alone. The s.c. administration of DXT into the vicinity of growing lymphoma together with i.p. administration of PMEDAP was found to be the most efficient combination. In this case, two out of four rats did not develop any lymphoma and remained alive. An irregular expression of Bcl2 protein was found in untreated and treated lymphomas, while the expression of protein p53 as well as MDM2 was not observed. All three types of the above-mentioned treatments (PMEDAP, DXT, DXT+PMEDAP) increased significantly the number of p21-positive cells, compared with untreated tumours.

Anticancer effect of PMEDAP--monitoring of apoptosis.

Antitumor effect of N-9-[2-(phosphonomethoxy) ethyl]-2,6-diaminopurine (PMEDAP) was studied in an in vivo model of s.c. transplanted Sprague-Dawley (SD/cub) rat T-cell lymphomas. Three individual SD/cub neoplasias (SD10/96, SD14/97, SD1/90) of different phenotypes were used. During the treatment, survival of the rats, increase of lymphoma mass, and DNA fragmentation detected by APO/BRDU kit, as well as Bcl2 and p53 protein expression, were followed. The study gives evidence of the positive therapeutic effect of PMEDAP in two of the three tested lymphomas, SD10/96 and SD14/97. Slowly growing SD1/90 lymphoma differs from the others in a uniform karyotype with trisomy of chromosome 11, CD4- immunophenotype, heterogeneous cellular morphology and constitutive expression of p53 protein found in some neoplastic cells. Thus, the diverse anticancer efficacy of PMEDAP treatment among SD/cub lymphomas could be associated with the different phenotypes of individual neoplasias.

9-[2-(phosphonomethoxy)ethyl]-2,6-diaminopurine (PMEDAP)--a potential drug against hematological malignancies--induces apoptosis.

Antitumor activity of the acyclic nucleotide analogs PMEDAP, PMEA, and PMEG was studied on a model of a spontaneous T-cell lymphoma in inbred SD/cub rats. Significant therapeutic effects were recorded after a treatment with 16 daily doses of PMEDAP at 5 mg/kg applied to the vicinity of the growing lymphoma. Identical administration of PMEA, or PMEG at a daily dose of 0.1 mg/kg did not affect the survival of lymphoma-bearing animals compared with untreated controls. A decrease in the lymphoma weight during PMEDAP administration was accompanied by the suppression of mitotic activity in neoplastic cells and increased chromatin condensation as witnessed by karyological examinations. Electron-microscopy showed the morphology of apoptotic cells (shrunken cells with condensed chromatin, apoptotic bodies) in lymphoma cell suspensions. An increase of nuclear DNA fragmentation was found during PMEDAP administration compared with spontaneous DNA fragmentation of untreated control lymphomas. These results indicate that PMEDAP application induces apoptosis in in vivo growing lymphomas. The antitumor effect of PMEDAP lasts only during the administration of the drug. After its cessation progression of neoplasia was reestablished.

Antigenic phenotype of LEW rat lymphatic leukemia.

LEW rat lymphatic leukemia/lymphoma was antigenically phenotyped by means of W3/13, OX7, P4/16 and F 17-23-2 MoAbs. T-cell lineage related markers were proven to be expressed by leukemia cells. AAS prepared in congenic rat strains have shown the following pattern: alpha RT1 (MHC) AAS directed against RT1 antigenic specificities both "public" and "private" gave positive reactions with 100% of leukemia cells, all cross-reacting AAS directed against "public" specificities only, reacted positively too with 17-100% of leukemia cells and no alien specificities have been detected when LEW antisera were tested. The expression of RT5 differentiation antigen was proved on leukemia cells by means of alpha RT5 congenic AAS. T-cell differentiation antigen RT6 was also detected by means of alpha RT6 AAS with closely similar specificity as MoAb P4/16 which also positively reacted with KPH-Lw-I cells. Leukemia T-cell origin is also supported by the absence of class II antigens (F 17-23-2 MoAb) and SIg receptors. A presence of leukemia/lymphoma associated antigen was indicated by AAS absorption analysis.

Spontaneous acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Sprague-Dawley rats. I. Immunogenetic analysis of four individual leukemias.

The antigenic phenotyping of four individual spontaneous ALLs of SD strain revealed practically complete concordance of RT1 class I expression with PBL of SD strain. RT5 antigen as well as class II and SIg markers were not proven. T cell markers defined by MoAbs OX7 (Thy 1.1) and W3/13 (T cell common) were detected on all four ALL tested.

Inhibitory effect of FK 506 and cyclosporin A on nitric oxide production by LPS-treated cultured rat macrophages.

We analyzed the effect of FK 506 on the production of nitric oxide by macrophages. Isolated rat peritoneal macrophages were cultured for 24 h with or without lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (5 microg/ml) and in the absence or presence of FK 506 (0.1 and 1 microg/ml). The concentration of NO2- in culture supernatants was taken as a measure of nitric oxide production. FK 506 (0.1 and 1 microg/ml) reduced the LPS-induced increase of NO2- levels by 68% and 81%, respectively. The impact of cyclosporin A (CsA) was studied in order to compare their effects. CsA (0.1 and 1 microg/ml) decreased the levels of nitrites by 39% and 69%, respectively. The results obtained suggest that both immunosuppressive drugs exhibit a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on nitric oxide production and that FK 506 is a more potent agent than CsA in this respect.

Antitumor activity of novel purine acyclic nucleotide analogs PMEA and PMEDAP.

PMEDAP and/or PMEA treatment of SD rat lymphomas significantly prolonged the mean survival time of tumor-bearing animals. Dose-dependent genotoxicity of both PMEDAP and PMEA was not observed in in vitro tests on stabilized diploid MRC-5 cell line. The mitotic activity of MRC-5 cells was completely inhibited after 48 hours exposure in culture medium containing PMEDAP (10 micrograms/ml), or PMEA (25 micrograms/ml), respectively. Significant concentration dependent inhibition of cell proliferation caused by PMEDAP and/or PMEA was also observed in murine splenocytes. The analogs specifically inhibit proliferation of mitogen-activated T-lymphocytes. Modulation of subpopulations of peripheral blood cells under in vivo conditions was found in inbred SD animals. Intraperitoneal administration of PMEDAP to young healthy SD animals induced the decrease of the CD4+/CD8+ value from 1.3-1.6 to 0.72 while i.p. application of PMEA caused a decrease of the same ratio to 0.62.

Chromosome 11 participation in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Five cases of spontaneous acute lymphoblastic leukaemias (ALL) of Sprague-Dawley (SD) inbred rats have been studied cytogenetically. Chromosome studies were performed on direct preparations of the lymphomas using common cytogenetic methods. For detailed karyology, G-banded preparations were used. The chromosome numbers of metaphase cells in all leukaemias were near diploidy, the majority of metaphases being pseudodiploid with 1-2 stable marker chromosomes. The most frequent change involved chromosome 11, where the translocation form of trisomy 11 or 11q+ aberration was observed. Chromosome 11 abnormalities were found in all five leukaemias studied, suggesting to be a nonrandom change. 11 q11-q12 is supposed to be the critical region involved in the genesis or progression of SD ALL. These results are in agreement with our previous observations in nine cases of SD ALL (Sladká et al., 1988).

Cytogenetic changes in Sprague-Dawley rat lymphomas in the course of in vivo passages.

Changes in the karyotype in three spontaneous Sprague-Dawley rat lymphomas (SD7/95, SD8/96, SD9/96) have been studied in the course of in vivo passages. In individual lymphomas karyological findings of primary disease from lymph nodes were compared with changes found in the 1st and 10th passages of the lymphoma and bone marrow samples. Chromosome studies were performed on direct preparations using the G-banding technique. Chromosome counts of all specimens studied were near diploidy, the majority of metaphase cells being pseudodiploid. In later passages of two lymphomas, the tendency in selection to hyperdiploid karyotype, particularly in bone marrow was observed. The examination revealed an increased percentage of breaks in lymph node cells of primary disease and the existence of nonrandom change, derivative chromosome 11, which occurred in structural variability in all three lymphomas studied. The aberration involving chromosome 11 was evaluated as the addition of unknown material at chromosome band 11q11 or as a duplication or triplication of segment 11q12-q23. If this structural aberration was not found, the excessive derivative chromosome 11 or translocation t(11;13) was proved to be present. Further, rearrangements of chromosomes 13 and 7 were nonrandom chromosome abnormalities revealed in later passages of the lymphomas. The results are in accordance with our previous observations in 14 cases of SD lymphomas that showed nonrandom occurrence of rearrangements concerning chromosome 11 and also relatively frequent translocation involving chromosome 13.

The members of the LEW-LEW.C-4A (AUG) congenic pair differ in at least two alloantigenic systems, RT4 and RT6.

In rats, two alloantigenic loci, RT4 and RT6, were separated by recombination in a backcross population of (LEW X LEW.C-4A) X LEW hybrids using cytotoxicity tests with alloantisera and immunofluorescence with monoclonal antibody P4/16 in combination with histogenetic (skin graft) testing. Two new recombinant congenic strains were established, LEW.C-4A/I of the genotype CCRT4aaRT6aa and LEW.6B of the genotype ccRT4bbRT6bb. In the rat, transplantation results localize the histocompatibility locus RT4 closer to the locus albino, the T-cell RT6 locus without any proven histocompatibility effect is closely linked to the haemoglobin locus Hbb, in contrast to the mouse in which the haemoglobin (Hbb) and histocompatibility H-1 loci are closely linked.

Electron-microscopic demonstration of virus particles in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Retrovirus-like particles were detected by the negative staining method in supernatants of lymph node and spleen cell suspensions prepared from Sprague-Dawley rats with spontaneous acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Similar particles were found in supernatants of cell suspensions from a lymphoma that developed after inoculation of lymph node and spleen cell suspension prepared from animals with spontaneous ALL into the subcutis of Sprague-Dawley recipients. On ultrathin sections, budding forms of the virus particles were seen as a dot at the periphery of neoplastically transformed cells.

The cross-reaction patterns of the MRC OX-3, OX-6, and OX-17 monoclonal antibodies on rat inbred and congenic strains.

MRC OX-3, MRC OX-6, and MRC OX-17 antibodies directed against rat MHC class II antigens were tested on a panel of rat inbred and congenic strains with different haplotypes using indirect immunoperoxidase and immunofluorescence techniques. In accordance with reports of others the MRC OX-17 was found to define RT1 class II monomorphic and the MRC OX-3 polymorphic determinants. MRC OX-6, giving no reaction with RT1d and RT1dv1 haplotypes, was shown to be directed against a rat MHC class II polymorphic determinant.