Antiproliferative activity of ecteinascidin 743 is dependent upon transcription-coupled nucleotide-excision repair.

While investigating the novel anticancer drug ecteinascidin 743 (Et743), a natural marine product isolated from the Caribbean sea squirt, we discovered a new cell-killing mechanism mediated by DNA nucleotide excision repair (NER). A cancer cell line selected for resistance to Et743 had chromosome alterations in a region that included the gene implicated in the hereditary disease xeroderma pigmentosum (XPG, also known as Ercc5). Complementation with wild-type XPG restored the drug sensitivity. Xeroderma pigmentosum cells deficient in the NER genes XPG, XPA, XPD or XPF were resistant to Et743, and sensitivity was restored by complementation with wild-type genes. Moreover, studies of cells deficient in XPC or in the genes implicated in Cockayne syndrome (CSA and CSB) indicated that the drug sensitivity is specifically dependent on the transcription-coupled pathway of NER. We found that Et743 interacts with the transcription-coupled NER machinery to induce lethal DNA strand breaks.

Control of permeation of bleomycin A2 by polyene antibiotics in cultured Chinese hamster cells.

Control of permeation of bleomycin A2, a well-known antitumor antibiotic, in combination with various polyene macrolide antibiotics was analyzed in cultured Chinese hamster cells in vitro. Three polyene antibiotics, filipin, pentamycin, and pimaricin, were found to enhance the action of bleomycin A2 remarkably, while amphotericin B or nystatin could not. Although DNA synthesis and colony-forming activity of polyene-sensitive Chinese hamster V79 cells were synergistically inhibited by the combination of filipin and bleomycin A2, in a polyene-resistant subline (AMBR-1) derived from V79, they were only slightly affected in the presence of both drugs. The cellular uptake of [14C]bleomycin A2 by V79 was enhanced 2- to 4-fold in the presence of increasing doses of filipin or pentamycin, but not in the presence of amphotericin B. The treatment of V79 cells with filipin for 20 to 30 min was enought to block DNA synthesis almost completely when combined with 20 microgram belomycin A2 per ml. The pretreatment of the hamster cells with 6 microgram filipin per ml for 60 min continued to enhance the inhibitory action by bleomycin A2 of DNA synthesis up to 5 hr after the removal of filipin from the cultured medium.

Differential control of synergistic effect with polyene macrolide antibiotics upon Chinese hamster cells in vitro.

An amphotericin B-resistant cell (AMBR-1), which was isolated from aneuploid Chinese hamster cells (V79), was found to show much higher resistance than the parent V79 cells to other polyene antibiotics, such as pentamycin and filipin. To obtain the 50 to 60% inhibition of the control protein synthesis activity by a synergistic combination of fusidic acid and amphotericin B, 50 microgram fusidic acid per ml were combined with 10 microgram amphotericin B in V79 cells, whereas in AMBR cells 50 microgram fusidic acid per ml were combined with 100 microgram polyene antibiotic per ml. Bleomycin (10 microgram/ml), which alone did not affect cellular DNA synthesis, inhibited DNA synthesis of V79 cells by more than 90% of the control activity when combined with only 1 microgram pentamycin per ml, whereas a similar extent of inhibition in AMBR cells was observed by combination with more than 5 microgram pentamycin per ml.

Suppression of metastasis by thymidine phosphorylase inhibitor.

We developed a novel inhibitor of thymidine phosphorylase (TP), 5-chloro-6-[1-(2-iminopyrrolidinyl) methyl] uracil hydrochloride (TPI), that is about 1000-fold more active than 6-amino-5-chlorouracil, one of the most potent TP inhibitors. TPI inhibited the high chemotactic motility and basement membrane invasion of KB/TP cells, a TP-positive clone transfected with Rous sarcoma virus (RSV)/TP, to the levels seen in KB/CV cells, a control clone transfected with RSV. In nude mice, oral administration of TPI suppressed not only macroscopic liver metastases of highly metastatic KB/TP cells but also the level of human beta-globin as a molecular marker of micrometastases in the livers of the mice. These findings demonstrate that TP plays a key role in the invasiveness and metastasis of TP-expressing solid tumors and suggest that TPI might be a novel antimetastatic agent for blood-borne metastasis.

Inhibition of DNA synthesis and cell cycle in Chinese hamster cells by sterol-binding polyene amphotericin B.

Amphotericin B, a sterol-binding polyene antibiotic, was found to inhibit DNA synthesis more than protein or RNA synthesis of asynchronous cultures of Chinese hamster V79 cells. DNA synthesis in the asynchronous V79 cells was inhibited to 40--60% of the control activity in the presence of 50 micrograms/ml amphotericin B. However, addition of 50 micrograms/ml of polyene immediately after to onset of DNA synthesis (early S phase) caused a drastic reduction of DNA synthesis (below 10--20% of the control in synchronized V79 cells, whereas the inhibition was much lessened when the polyene was added 1 h later (middle S phase). In contrast, there was no inhibition of DNA synthesis by amphotericin B in an amphotericin-B-resistant (AMBR) clone that was derived from V79. Flow microfluorometry analysis confirmed that a large number of asynchronous V79 cells were arrested in the G1 phase of the cell cycle when treated with lower dose of amphotericin B. A higher dose of the polyene antibiotic also accumulated cells at the G2 (or at both S and G2) phase as well as the G1 phase. Morphological studies by scanning electron microscope showed an increased number of V79 cells with decreased microvilli in V79 cells treated with amphotericin B.

Prognostic significance of multidrug resistance protein in adult T-cell leukemia.

The response of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) to chemotherapy is poor, and a major obstacle to successful treatment is intrinsic or acquired drug resistance. To determine the clinical significance of multidrug resistance protein (MRP) 1 in ATL, we studied MRP1 expression and its association with clinical outcome. The expression of MRP1 mRNA in leukemia cells from 48 ATL patients was studied by slot blot analysis. The expression level of MRP1 mRNA in chronic-type ATL was significantly higher than that in lymphoma-type ATL (P = 0.033). There was no correlation between MRP1 expression and age, gender, WBC count, LDH, hypercalcemia, blood urea nitrogen, or performance status. However, the expression of MRP1 mRNA correlated only with peripheral blood abnormal lymphocyte counts (P = 0.008). The transporting activity of MRP1 was assessed using membrane vesicles. Membrane vesicles prepared from ATL cells with high expression of MRP1 mRNA showed a higher ATP-dependent leukotriene C(4) uptake than did those with low expression of MRP1 mRNA. This uptake was almost completely inhibited by LTD(4) antagonists ONO-1078 and MK571. In acute- and lymphoma-type ATL, high expression of MRP1 mRNA at diagnosis correlated with shorter survival, and Cox regression analysis revealed that MRP1 expression was an independent prognostic factor. These findings suggest that functionally active MRP1 is expressed in some ATL cells and that it is involved in drug resistance and has a possible causal relationship with poor prognosis in ATL. Multidrug resistance-reversing agents, such as ONO-1078 and MK571, that directly interact and inhibit the transporting activity of MRP1 may be useful for treating ATL patients.

Antitumor effect of a combination of 6-methylthioinosine and amphotericin B on mouse leukemia L1210.

Antileukemic activity of 5 kinds of sulfur-containing purine ribonucleosides were examined in the presence and absence of amphotericin B against L1210 in mice. Among these compounds, 6-methylthioninosine was potentiated by amphotericin B. 6-Methylthioinosine in combination with amphotericin B produced a 75% increase in the lifespans, which was greater than the increase in lifespans by 6-methylthioinosine (38%) or amphotericin B alone (2%). Antitumor effects of other sulfur-containing ribonucleosides, such as 6-thiocyanatoguanine, 6-thiocyanatopurine, 6-thiocyanatoinosine, and 6-methylthiopurine, were not augmented by amphotericin B.

Novel screening method for agents that overcome classical multidrug resistance in a human cell line.

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is involved in the transport of a wide variety of organic compounds including a fluorescent dye, rhodamine 6G (RG), as well as anti-cancer drugs. Agents that overcome classical multidrug-resistance (MDR) increased the accumulation of RG in a MDR cell line, KB-C1. The effect of agents on RG-accumulation in KB-C1 cells was highly correlated with their effect on the reversion of vincristine-resistance in KB-C1 cells. RG was detected on a fluorescence microplate reader with a rhodamine channel. This assay may become a useful method for the screening of agents that overcome classical MBR, since it is quick and simple.

Apoptosis and cell proliferation in esophageal sqamous cell carcinoma treated by chemotherapy.

The p53 gene is associated with G1 arrest during the cell cycle and with apoptosis. To evaluate the preoperative chemotherapeutic effect in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, we retrospectively investigated the apoptotic index (AI) and Ki-67 labeling index (Ki-67LI) in relation to the expression of p53. Thirty patients with esophageal carcinoma who had received chemotherapy prior to surgery were examined using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl-transferase-mediated in-situ end-labeling (TUNEL) method for evaluating AI and immunohistochemical staining with anti Ki-67 and anti p53 antibody for evaluating Ki-67LI and p53 expression, respectively. The histological response rate of chemotherapy was 20.0%. A significant correlation between p53-negative expression and response to chemotherapy was found (P<0. 01). The AIs and Ki-67LIs in p53-negative tumors with ineffective responses to chemotherapy were significantly higher than those in p53-positive tumors with ineffective responses (P<0.05). The AIs and Ki-67LIs were significantly lower in p53-negative tumors with effective responses to chemotherapy than those in p53-negative tumors with ineffective responses (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). Furthermore, significant correlations were found between AIs and Ki-67LIs in p53 negative tumors (r=0.60, P<0.05). In esophageal carcinoma, p53-negative tumors with highly proliferative cells might be susceptible to apoptosis induced by chemotherapy.

The role of thymidine phosphorylase in the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis.

The activity and distribution of thymidine phosphorylase (TP) in the nasal mucosa of patients with nasal allergy was examined and compared with those in healthy subjects. TP activity was analyzed by spectrophotometry and expression was examined by immunoblotting and immunohistochemical staining using a monoclonal antibody specific to TP. The expression level of TP detected by immunoblotting showed a correlation with the activity detected by spectrophotometry. In nasal mucosa obtained from patients with nasal allergy, the level of TP was significantly higher than that from normal subjects. Eosinophils, basal cells in mucosal epithelium and fibroblasts in nasal mucosa obtained from patients with nasal allergy were stained with anti-TP monoclonal antibody. Strong staining of eosinophils present in nasal discharge was observed. The present results indicate that an increased number of TP-expressing cells, especially eosinophils in nasal mucosa, might be associated with the pathogenesis of nasal allergy.

Amphotericin B resistance is recessive in Chinese hamster hybrid cells.

Previous studies from our laboratory have shown that Chinese hamster V79 cells mutated to high level resistance to amphotericin B have a lower cellular level of cholesterol, the target molecule for the polyene antibiotic. Two amphotericin B-resistant (AMBR) mutants were each hybridized to their parental amphotericin B-sensitive (AMBS) V79 cells. All the hybrids derived from AMBR/AMBS fusions were as sensitive to polyene antibiotics (amphotericin B, filipin, and pimaricin) as AMBS cells or AMBS/AMBS hybrids. The AMBR/AMBS hybrids were found to contain cholesterol per phospholipids that is comparable to those in AMBS or AMBS/AMBS. The analysis of hybrids formed between mutant and wild-type cells thus indicated that resistance to amphotericin B is a recessive marker, and that the cellular level of cholesterol is compensated in the AMBS/AMBR hybrids. Hybrids of AMBR and AMBR cells were all resistant, so that the three AMBR mutants all fell into a single complementation group.

Secondary mutation resistant to 7-ketocholesterol rescues a sterol metabolic defect in amphotericin B-resistant Chinese hamster cell line.

Amphotericin B-resistant mutants isolated from Chinese hamster V79 cells (1) are defective in cholesterol synthesis and more sensitive to an oxygenated sterol analog, 7-ketocholesterol, than their parental cell line. We isolated 7-ketocholesterol-resistant mutants from an amphotericin B-resistant mutant, AMBR-1. The 7-ketocholesterol-resistant mutants had regained increased level of free cholesterol, and they showed somewhat similar dose-response curves to amphotericin B as that of V79. Sterol synthesis from acetate, but not from mevalonate, in 7-ketocholesterol-resistant clones was threefold higher than that of AMBR-1. 7-Ketocholesterol-resistant clone, unlike AMBR-1, could form colonies in the presence of lipoprotein-depleted serum. The results are discussed in terms of probable change in the sterol biosynthetic pathway by the different lesions.

ATP-Dependent efflux of CPT-11 and SN-38 by the multidrug resistance protein (MRP) and its inhibition by PAK-104P.

Non-P-glycoprotein-mediated multidrug-resistant C-A120 cells that overexpressed multidrug resistance protein (MRP) were 10.8- and 29. 6-fold more resistant to 7-ethyl-10-[4-(1-piperidino)-1-piperidino]carbonyloxycamptothecin (CPT-11) and SN-38, respectively, than parental KB-3-1 cells. To see whether MRP is involved in CPT-11 and SN-38 resistance, MRP cDNA was transfected into KB-3-1 cells. The transfectant, KB/MRP, which overexpressed MRP, was resistant to both CPT-11 and SN-38. 2-[4-Diphenylmethyl)-1-piperazinyl]ethyl-5-(trans-4,6-dimethyl-1,3 , 2-dioxaphosphorinan-2-yl)-2, 6-dimethyl-4-(3-nitrophenyl)-3-pyridinecarboxylate P-oxide (PAK-104P) and MK571, which reversed drug resistance in MRP overexpressing multidrug-resistant cells, significantly increased the sensitivity of C-A120 and KB/MRP cells, but not of KB-3-1 cells, to CPT-11 and SN-38. The accumulation of both CPT-11 and SN-38 in C-A120 and KB/MRP cells was lower than that in KB-3-1 cells. The treatment with 10 microM PAK-104P increased the accumulation of CPT-11 and SN-38 in C-A120 and KB/MRP cells to a level similar to that found in KB-3-1 cells. The ATP-dependent efflux of CPT-11 and SN-38 from C-A120 and KB/MRP cells was inhibited by PAK-104P. DNA topoisomerase I expression, activity, and sensitivity to SN-38 were similar in the three cell lines. Furthermore, the conversion of CPT-11 to SN-38 in KB-3-1 and C-A120 cell lines was similar. These findings suggest that MRP transports CPT-11 and SN-38 and is involved in resistance to CPT-11 and SN-38 and that PAK-104P reverses the resistance to CPT-11 and SN-38 in tumors that overexpress MRP.

Effect of multidrug resistance-reversing agents on transporting activity of human canalicular multispecific organic anion transporter.

The canalicular multispecific organic anion transporter (cMOAT), also termed MRP2, is a recently identified ATP-binding cassette transporter. We previously established stable human cMOAT cDNA-transfected cells, LLC/cMOAT-1 from LLC-PK1 cells, and LLC/CMV cells that were transfected with an empty vector. We found that LLC/cMOAT-1 cells have increased resistance to vincristine (VCR), 7-ethyl-10-hydroxy-camptothecin, and cisplatin but not to etoposide. The multidrug resistance-reversing agents cyclosporin A (CsA) and 2-[4-(diphenylmethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-5-(trans-4,6-dimethyl-1,3, 2-dioxaphosphorinan-2-yl)-2, 6-dimethyl-4-(3-nitrophenyl)-3-pyridinecarboxylate P-oxide (PAK-104P) almost completely reversed the resistance to VCR, 7-ethyl-10-hydroxy-camptothecin, and cisplatin of LLC/cMOAT-1 cells; and DL-buthionine-(S,R)-sulfoximine, (3'-oxo-4-butenyl-4-methyl-threonine(1), (valine(2)) cyclosporin (PSC833), and 3-([(3-(2-[7-chloro-2-quinolinyl]ethenyl)phenyl)-((3-dimethylamino-3- oxopropyl)-thio)-methyl]thio)propanoic acid (MK571) partially reversed the resistance to these drugs. CsA and PAK-104P at 10 microM enhanced the accumulation of VCR in LLC/cMOAT-1 cells almost to the level in LLC/CMV cells without the agents. The efflux of VCR from LLC/cMOAT-1 cells was enhanced compared with LLC/CMV cells and inhibited by CsA and PAK-104P. Transport of leukotriene C(4) (LTC(4)) and S-(2, 4-dinitrophenyl)glutathione also was studied with membrane vesicles prepared from these cells. LTC(4) and S-(2, 4-dinitrophenyl)glutathione were actively transported into membrane vesicles prepared from LLC/cMOAT-1 cells. The K(m) and V(max) values for the uptake of LTC(4) by the LLC/cMOAT-1 membrane vesicles were 0. 26 +/- 0.05 microM and 7.48 +/- 0.67 pmol/min/mg protein, respectively. LTC(4) transport was competitively inhibited by PAK-104P, CsA, MK571, and PSC833, with K(i) values of 3.7, 4.7, 13.1, and 28.9 microM, respectively. These findings demonstrate that cMOAT confers a novel drug-resistance phenotype. CsA and PAK-104P may be useful for reversing cMOAT-mediated drug resistance in tumors.

Reversal of multidrug resistance-associated protein-mediated drug resistance by the pyridine analog PAK-104P.

Three agents, verapamil, cepharanthine, and 2-[4-(diphenylmethyl)-1-piperazinyl]ethyl-5-(trans-4,6-dimethyl-1, 3,2-dioxaphosphorinan-2-yl)-2,6-dimethyl-4-(3-nitrophenyl)-3-py ridinecarboxylate P-oxide (PAK-104P), that reverse drug resistance in P-glycoprotein (P-Gp)-mediated multidrug-resistant cells were examined for their activity to reverse drug resistance in multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP)-mediated multidrug-resistant C-A120 cells. Agents other than PAK-104P could not reverse the resistance to doxorubicin in C-A120 cells. PAK-104P moderately reversed the doxorubicin resistance. In contrast, PAK-104P almost completely reversed the resistance to vincristine (VCR) in C-A120 cells as well as in KB-8-5 cells, and other agents moderately reversed the VCR resistance in C-A120 cells. PAK-104P at 10 microM enhanced the accumulation of VCR in C-A120 cells to the level of that in KB-3-1 cells without the agent. PAK-104P competitively inhibited the ATP-dependent [3H]leukotriene C4 uptake in membrane vesicles isolated from C-A120 cells. These findings demonstrate that PAK-104P can completely reverse the resistance to VCR in both P-Gp- and MRP-mediated multidrug-resistant cells and that PAK-104P directly interacts with MRP and inhibits the transporting activity of MRP.

Reversal of P-glycoprotein and multidrug-resistance protein-mediated drug resistance in KB cells by 5-O-benzoylated taxinine K.

A newly synthesized taxoid originally from the Japanese yew Taxus cuspidata, 5-O-benzoylated taxinine K (BTK) was examined for its ability to reverse P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and multidrug resistance protein (MRP)-mediated multidrug resistance. BTK reversed the resistance to paclitaxel, doxorubicin (ADM), and vincristine (VCR) of KB-8-5 and KB-C2 cells that overexpress P-gp by directly interacting with P-gp. BTK also moderately reversed the resistance to ADM of KB/MRP cells that overexpress MRP. However, BTK neither inhibited the transporting activity of MRP nor reduced intracellular glutathione levels in KB/MRP cells. BTK shifted the distribution of ADM in KB/MRP cells from punctate cytoplasmic compartments to the nucleoplasm and cytoplasm by inhibiting acidification of cytoplasmic organelles. These two functions of BTK make it able to reverse both P-gp- and MRP-mediated MDR. BTK in combination with ADM should be useful for treating patients with tumors that overexpress both P-gp and MRP.