Anthracene-9,10-diones as potential anticancer agents: bacterial mutation studies of amido-substituted derivatives reveal an unexpected lack of mutagenicity.

Fifteen anthracene-9,10-dione ("anthraquinone") derivatives with (omega-aminoalkyl)carboxamido substituents at the 1-, 2-, 1,4-, or 2, 6-ring positions were tested for bacterial mutagenicity in reverse-mutation assays using Salmonella typhimurium frameshift strains TA1538, TA98, and TA97a, in the presence and absence of a metabolic activation system prepared from the livers of rats treated with Aroclor 1254. Six of the compounds were also tested in S. typhimurium TA100 and Escherichia coli WP2uvrApKM101 strains, which carry mutations particularly sensitive to reversion by DNA base-pair substitution. Two structurally related compounds, mitoxantrone and bisantrene, were tested in parallel as positive controls. Mitoxantrone was mutagenic to S. typhimurium TA1538 and TA98, whereas bisantrene was weakly mutagenic to both these strains but strongly mutagenic toward the TA97a variant. By contrast, although they are also DNA-binding intercalators, none of the amide-functionalized anthracene-9,10-diones of the present study showed significant mutagenic activity in any of the bacterial strains examined. Further, neither substituent position nor systematic alterations in the nature of attached side chains appeared to induce mutagenicity with these agents, although other studies have shown that such structural factors markedly influence their cytotoxic potencies toward mammalian cells in vitro.

The structure of human parvovirus B19 at 8 A resolution.

Empty capsids of the human parvovirus B19, self-assembled in a baculovirus expression system, have been crystallized in a cubic space group P2(1)3 with a = 362 A. In spite of extensive purifications, the crystals diffract X-rays to only 8.0 A resolution. Diffraction data were collected using oscillation photography with synchrotron radiation. The orientations of the particles in the unit cell were determined with a self-rotation function and their positions were obtained with an R-factor search using the known homologous canine parvovirus (CPV) structure. The resultant phases were improved by electron density averaging and solvent flattening to include all the terms between 23.0 and 8.0 A resolution. The central eight-stranded antiparallel beta-barrel, common to many viruses, is situated similarly in B19 with respect to the icosahedral symmetry axes to that observed for feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) and CPV. However, the surface structure of B19 is significantly different from the other known parvoviruses. The most striking difference is that B19 lacks the prominent spikes on the threefold icosahedral axes observed in FPV and CPV. This spike region contains residues involved in host recognition and antigenicity for the latter viruses, showing that there are major differences between subgroups of autonomous parvoviruses.

Characterization of the feline host range and a specific epitope of feline panleukopenia virus.

The feline parvovirus subgroup is comprised of viruses isolated from various carnivores, including the dog, cat, mink, raccoon, Arctic fox, and raccoon dog. Those viruses are > 98% identical in their DNA sequences and are very similar antigenically. We have shown that although canine parvovirus (CPV) replicates in numerous feline cell lines in vitro it does not infect cats after parenteral inoculation (U. Truyen and C. R. Parrish, (1992) J. Virol. 66, 5399-5408). Here we use recombination mapping to locate some viral determinants required for feline host range, and show that the ability to replicate in cats was determined by the right-hand 45% of the genome, most likely a function of the capsid protein gene. Efficient replication in the cat appeared to require feline panleukopenia virus sequences from both ends of the VP2 molecule, which contained differences of VP2 amino acid residues 80, 564, and 568. The difference at amino acid 80 was also associated with expression of an FPV-specific antigenic epitope. The differences which affected the feline host range were located in a region of the capsid structure where three VP2 molecules interact, and the mutations gave rise to changes in the conformation of loops of the three adjoining VP2 monomers. The mechanism(s) of the in vivo feline host range restriction were not defined, and we were unable to show in vitro inhibition of virus infectivity by feline serum components or erythrocytes.

Structure determination of feline panleukopenia virus empty particles.

Various crystal forms of the single-stranded DNA, feline panleukopenia virus (FPV), a parvovirus, have been grown of both full virions and empty particles. The structure of empty particles crystallized in an orthorhombic space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit cell dimensions a = 380.1 A, b = 379.3 A, and c = 350.9 A, has been determined to 3.3 A resolution. The data were collected using oscillation photography with synchrotron radiation. The orientations of the empty capsids in the unit cell were determined using a self-rotation function and their positions were obtained with an R-factor search using canine parvovirus (CPV) as a model. Phases were then calculated, based on the CPV model, to 6.0 A resolution and gradually extended to 3.3 A resolution by molecular replacement electron density averaging. The resultant electron density was readily interpreted in terms of the known amino acid sequence. The structure is contrasted to that of CPV in terms of host range, neutralization by antibodies, hemagglutination properties, and binding of genomic DNA.

Anthracene-9,10-diones as potential anticancer agents. Synthesis, DNA-binding, and biological studies on a series of 2,6-disubstituted derivatives.

A series of 2,6-bis(omega-aminoalkanamido)anthracene-9,10-diones (9,10-anthraquinones), of general formula Ar(NHCO(CH2)nNR2)2, where Ar = anthracene-9,10-dione and n = 1 or 2, have been synthesized by treatment of the corresponding bis(omega-haloalkanamido) derivatives with appropriate secondary amines. The DNA-binding properties of these compounds were evaluated by thermal denaturation studies, unwinding of closed-circular DNA, determination of association constants in solution, and examined by molecular modeling. A representative compound in the series has been examined by X-ray crystallography. In vitro cytotoxicity data is reported for the compounds and some indications of structure-activity relationships have been discerned. In particular, those compounds with two methylene links (n = 2) in each side chain separating the amide and terminal amine moieties have superior activity and, in general, enhanced DNA binding characteristics. It is postulated that the mode of reversible binding of these compounds to DNA involves the side chains occupying both major and minor grooves and, further, that this may confer cytotoxic properties which are distinct from those of previously reported anthracene-9,10-dione cytotoxins.

Structure determination of monoclinic canine parvovirus.

The three-dimensional structure of the single-stranded DNA canine parvovirus has been determined to 3.25 A resolution. Monoclinic crystals belonging to space group P2(1) (a = 263.1, b = 348.9, c = 267.2 A, beta = 90.82 degrees) were selected for data collection using primarily the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source and oscillation photography. There was one icosahedral particle per crystallographic asymmetric unit, giving 60-fold redundancy. The particle orientations in the unit cell were determined with a rotation function. The rough positions of the particles in the unit cell were estimated by considering the packing of spheres into the P2(1) crystal cell. More accurate particle centers were determined from Harker peaks in a Patterson function. Hollow-shell models were used to compute phases to 20 A resolution. The radii of the models were based on packing considerations, the fit of spherical shells to the low-resolution X-ray data and low-angle solution scattering data. The phases were extended to 9 A resolution using molecular replacement real-space averaging. These were then used to determine the heavy-atom position of a K2PtBr6 derivative, for which only 5% of the theoretically observable reflections had been recorded. The center of gravity of the 60 independent heavy-atom sites gave an improved particle center position. Single isomorphous replacement phases to 8 A resolution were then calculated with the platinum derivative. These were used to initiate phase improvement and extension to 3.25 A resolution using density averaging and Fourier back-transformation in steps of one reciprocal lattice point at a time. The resulting electron density map was readily interpretable and an atomic model was built into the electron density map on a PS390 graphics system using the FRODO program. The R factor prior to structure refinement for data between 5.0 and 3.25 A was 36%.

Preliminary X-ray crystallographic investigation of human parvovirus B19.

Crystals that diffract X rays to at least 8 A resolution have been grown from human B19 parvovirus empty capsids. These particles consist of VP-2 derived from a baculovirus expression system. This is possibly the first time that a self-assembled empty viral capsid, grown in other than normal host cells, has been crystallized. Partial X-ray diffraction data have been collected using synchrotron radiation. The space group is P2(1)3 with a = 362 A. The particle position in the crystal cell is given, at least roughly, from packing considerations.

The three-dimensional structure of canine parvovirus and its functional implications.

The three-dimensional atomic structure of a single-stranded DNA virus has been determined. Infectious virions of canine parvovirus contain 60 protein subunits that are predominantly VP-2. The central structural motif of VP-2 has the same topology (an eight-stranded antiparallel beta barrel) as has been found in many other icosahedral viruses but represents only about one-third of the capsid protein. There is a 22 angstrom (A) long protrusion on the threefold axes, a 15 A deep canyon circulating about each of the five cylindrical structures at the fivefold axes, and a 15 A deep depression at the twofold axes. By analogy with rhinoviruses, the canyon may be the site of receptor attachment. Residues related to the antigenic properties of the virus are found on the threefold protrusions. Some of the amino termini of VP-2 run to the exterior in full but not empty virions, which is consistent with the observation that some VP-2 polypeptides in full particles can be cleaved by trypsin. Eleven nucleotides are seen in each of 60 symmetry-related pockets on the interior surface of the capsid and together account for 13 percent of the genome.

Experimental DNA-binding and computer modelling studies on an analogue of the anti-tumor drug amsacrine.

The DNA-binding properties of the anti-cancer drug amsacrine and a 9-aminoacridine analogue substituted at the 4 position with a 4-methanesulphonanilido-group, have been examined by means of unwinding, melting and equilibrium binding experiments. These find that the latter compound is at least as effective as a DNA-binder and intercalator as amsacrine itself. Molecular modelling and energetic calculations have confirmed this, and have produced plausible intercalation geometries. These show that there are subtle differences in the low-energy minor groove arrangements adopted by the substituents of the two drugs. Speculation is advanced that these differences may be relevant to the marked differences in cytotoxicity shown by the two compounds.