Biotransformation of a potent anabolic steroid, mibolerone, with Cunninghamella blakesleeana, C. echinulata, and Macrophomina phaseolina, and biological activity evaluation of its metabolites.

Seven metabolites were obtained from the microbial transformation of anabolic-androgenic steroid mibolerone (1) with Cunninghamella blakesleeana, C. echinulata, and Macrophomina phaseolina. Their structures were determined as 10ß,17ß-dihydroxy-7α,17α-dimethylestr-4-en-3-one (2), 6ß,17ß-dihydroxy-7α,17α-dimethylestr-4-en-3-one (3), 6ß,10ß,17ß-trihydroxy-7α,17α-dimethylestr-4-en-3-one (4), 11ß,17ß-dihydroxy-(20-hydroxymethyl)-7α,17α-dimethylestr-4-en-3-one (5), 1α,17ß-dihydroxy-7α,17α-dimethylestr-4-en-3-one (6), 1α,11ß,17ß-trihydroxy-7α,17α-dimethylestr-4-en-3-one (7), and 11ß,17ß-dihydroxy-7α,17α-dimethylestr-4-en-3-one (8), on the basis of spectroscopic studies. All metabolites, except 8, were identified as new compounds. This study indicates that C. blakesleeana, and C. echinulata are able to catalyze hydroxylation at allylic positions, while M. phaseolina can catalyze hydroxylation of CH2 and CH3 groups of substrate 1. Mibolerone (1) was found to be a moderate inhibitor of ß-glucuronidase enzyme (IC50 = 42.98 ± 1.24 µM) during random biological screening, while its metabolites 2-4, and 8 were found to be inactive. Mibolerone (1) was also found to be significantly active against Leishmania major promastigotes (IC50 = 29.64 ± 0.88 µM). Its transformed products 3 (IC50 = 79.09 ± 0.06 µM), and 8 (IC50 = 70.09 ± 0.05 µM) showed a weak leishmanicidal activity, while 2 and 4 were found to be inactive. In addition, substrate 1 (IC50 = 35.7 ± 4.46 µM), and its metabolite 8 (IC50 = 34.16 ± 5.3 µM) exhibited potent cytotoxicity against HeLa cancer cell line (human cervical carcinoma). Metabolite 2 (IC50 = 46.5 ± 5.4 µM) also showed a significant cytotoxicity, while 3 (IC50 = 107.8 ± 4.0 µM) and 4 (IC50 = 152.5 ± 2.15 µM) showed weak cytotoxicity against HeLa cancer cell line. Compound 1 (IC50 = 46.3 ± 11.7 µM), and its transformed products 2 (IC50 = 43.3 ± 7.7 µM), 3 (IC50 = 65.6 ± 2.5 µM), and 4 (IC50 = 89.4 ± 2.7 µM) were also found to be moderately toxic to 3T3 cell line (mouse fibroblast). Interestingly, metabolite 8 showed no cytotoxicity against 3T3 cell line. Compounds 1-4, and 8 were also evaluated for inhibition of tyrosinase, carbonic anhydrase, and α-glucosidase enzymes, and all were found to be inactive.

Computational determination of binding structures and free energies of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase with novel steroid inhibitors.

Glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), the first and the rate-limiting enzyme in the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), catalyzes the oxidation of G6P to 6-phosphogluconolactone and the reduction of NADP(+) to NADPH. Its key role in cancer promotes the development of a potent and selective inhibitor that might increase cancer cell death when combined with radiotherapy. In the present study, we investigated the detailed binding modes and binding free energies for G6PD interacting with a promising series of recently developed inhibitors, i.e., the steroid derivatives, by performing molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and binding free energy calculations. The docking indicates that the inhibitors occupy the binding sites of both G6P and NADP(+). The calculated binding free energies on the basis of the MD-simulated enzyme-inhibitor complexes are in good agreement with the experimental activity data for all of the examined inhibitors. The valuable insights into the detailed enzyme-inhibitor binding including the important intermolecular interactions, e.g., the hydrogen bond interaction and the hydrophobic interaction, have been provided. The computational results provide new insights into future rational design of more potent inhibitors of G6PD as a treatment for cancer.

Unique potentiometric detection systems for HPLC determination of some steroids in human urine.

Isocratic HPLC with potentiometric detection is used for the determination of some 17-ketosteroids (17-KS), e.g., androsterone, dehydroepiandrosterone and estrone, and their respective sulfated conjugates (17-KSS). Glassy carbon or composite electrodes containing a mixture of graphite and poly(vinyl chloride), PVC, were used as substrate electrodes. These substrates were covered either by montmorillonite or potassium tetrakis(p-chlorophenyl) borate containing PVC-based rubber phase membranes. The neutral 17-KS compounds were derivatized with Girard's reagent P (GP) to obtain cationic pyridinium acetohydrazones prior to the HPLC/potentiometric detection assay. No side reactions were observed, and the GP itself was not interfering. The method yielded accurate and reproducible results and was applicable to samples containing down to micromolar concentrations. Next, the 17-KSS compounds, acting as anionic charged molecules, were determined directly in human urine samples with the HPLC/potentiometry combination without preliminary derivatization. For this purpose, a new anion-sensitive potentiometric electrode was developed using a macrocyclic polyamine containing, PVC-based, rubber phase membrane. The three 17-KSS compounds were also determined accurately down to micromolar concentrations. Especially, the main androgen metabolites as dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and androsterone sulfate could be selectively determined with a developed potentiometric sensor in human urine samples without time-consuming cleanup and preconcentration step.

New steroidal aromatase inhibitors: suppression of estrogen-dependent breast cancer cell proliferation and induction of cell death.

BACKGROUND: Aromatase, the cytochrome P-450 enzyme (CYP19) responsible for estrogen biosynthesis, is an important target for the treatment of estrogen-dependent breast cancer. In fact, the use of synthetic aromatase inhibitors (AI), which induce suppression of estrogen synthesis, has shown to be an effective alternative to the classical tamoxifen for the treatment of postmenopausal patients with ER-positive breast cancer. New AIs obtained, in our laboratory, by modification of the A and D-rings of the natural substrate of aromatase, compounds 3a and 4a, showed previously to efficiently suppress aromatase activity in placental microsomes. In the present study we have investigated the effects of these compounds on cell proliferation, cell cycle progression and induction of cell death using the estrogen-dependent human breast cancer cell line stably transfected with the aromatase gene, MCF-7 aro cells. RESULTS: The new steroids inhibit hormone-dependent proliferation of MCF-7aro cells in a time and dose-dependent manner, causing cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase and inducing cell death with features of apoptosis and autophagic cell death. CONCLUSION: Our in vitro studies showed that the two steroidal AIs, 3a and 4a, are potent inhibitors of breast cancer cell proliferation. Moreover, it was also shown that the antiproliferative effects of these two steroids on MCF-7aro cells are mediated by disrupting cell cycle progression, through cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase and induction of cell death, being the dominant mechanism autophagic cell death. Our results are important for the elucidation of the cellular effects of steroidal AIs on breast cancer.

Micro-analytical identification, by NMR, of elevated steroid in urine of Cushing's syndrome patients.

We previously reported that the daily urinary unidentified ketosteroid glucuronide (US-G) level in patients with Cushing's syndrome was much higher than that in the healthy subjects. Furthermore, urine samples from patients with Cushing's syndrome, including those with pituitary adenoma and adrenal adenoma, yielded almost the same high excretion levels, despite the different sites of the adenomas. We extracted US obtained by hydrolysis of US-G in urine of patients with Cushing's syndrome, purified it, and analyzed its chemical structure. Molecular weight and molecular formula were analyzed by MS spectrometry, and the chemical structure was analyzed by NMR spectrometry, utilizing small quantities of refined US. The substance has a molecular weight of 304 Da, a molecular formula of C19H28O3, and its chemical structure is 3alpha,11beta-dihydroxyandrost-4-en-17-one.