Solid-phase synthesis of 2,4-diaminoquinazoline libraries.

A series of libraries containing the 2,4-diaminoquinazoline ring system were prepared, starting from polymer-bound amines. The key steps included reaction of the support-bound amine with 6,7-dimethoxy-2,4-dichloroquinazoline, followed by displacement of the second chlorine with an amine and subsequent TFA-mediated cleavage of the product from the support. When a symmetrical or unsymmetrical diamine was used in the displacement step, the free amine could be acylated with an activated acid to generate another set of compounds. The optimization of conditions for the reductive amination and displacement steps will be discussed as well as the final choice of resin for library production. In addition, quality control methods for library analysis is also described.

Design, synthesis, and evaluation of latent alkylating agents activated by glutathione S-transferase.

In search of compounds with improved specificity for targeting the important cancer-associated P1-1 glutathione S-transferase (GST) isozyme, new analogs 4 and 5 of the previously reported glutathione S-transferase (GST)-activated latent alkylating agent gamma-glutamyl-alpha-amino-beta-[[[2-[[bis[bis(2-chloroethyl)amino]ph osp horyl]oxy]ethyl]sulfonyl]propionyl]-(R)-(-)-phenylglycine (3) have been designed, synthesized, and evaluated. One of the diastereomers of 4 exhibited good selectivity for GST P1-1. The tetrabromo analog 5 of the tetrachloro compound 3 maintained its specificity and was found to be more readily activated by GSTs than 3. The GST activation concept was further broadened through design, synthesis, and evaluation of a novel latent urethane mustard 8 and its diethyl ester 9. Interestingly, 8 showed very good specificity for P1-1 GST. Cell culture studies were carried out on 4, 5, 8, and 9 using cell lines engineered to have varying levels of GST P1-1 isozyme. New analogs 4 and 5 exhibited increased toxicity to cell lines with overexpressed GST P1-1 isozyme. The urethane mustard 8 and its diethyl ester 9 were found to be not as toxic. However, they too exhibited more toxicity to a cell line engineered to have elevated P1-1 levels, which was in agreement with the observed in vitro specificity of 8 for P1-1 GST isozyme. Mechanistic studies on alkaline as well as enzyme-catalyzed decomposition of latent mustard 3 provided experimental proof for the hypothesis that 3 breaks down into an active phosphoramidate mustard and a reactive vinyl sulfone. The alkylating nature of the decomposition products was further demonstrated by trapping those transient species as relatively stable diethyldithiocarbamic acid adducts. These results substantially extend previous efforts to develop drugs targeting GST and provide a paradigm for development of other latent drugs.

Salt-induced immobilizations of DNA oligonucleotides on an epoxide-activated high-performance liquid chromatographic affinity support.

Synthetic oligonucleotides, possessing a recognition sequence for the transcription factor NF-kappa B, were immobilized onto an epoxide-activated hydroxyethylmethacrylate HPLC affinity support in the presence of high concentrations of potassium phosphate. The extent of immobilization increased with salt concentration in a manner analogous to that which has been reported for salt-induced immobilizations of proteins. High immobilization efficiencies were achieved, and at 2.7 M potassium phosphate, 85-90% of the DNA initially present in the reaction mixture was immobilized. Reactions were examined for double stranded DNA, one strand of which was modified with a 5'-mercaptohexyl spacer arm, and for each of the strands comprising the duplex. For double stranded immobilizations, about 85% of the non-modified strand (the d22 strand) was released from the support under melting conditions, suggesting that d22 exhibited low reactivity when organized as the duplex. For immobilizations of single stranded DNA, mild acid hydrolysis of the products was used to provide information concerning the mode of attachment. For reactions of the d22 strand alone, only about 60% each of guanine and adenine were recovered from the immobilized oligonucleotide following mild acid hydrolysis. This suggests that when d22 is immobilized as the single strand, significant attachment occurs through the purine bases, in contrast with the low reactivity exhibited by d22 in the duplex. Purified p50 protein, the DNA binding element of NF-kappa B, and nuclear extracts from phorbol ester-stimulated HeLa cells were injected onto a column packed with the double stranded product. In both cases p50 was retained on the column and was recovered upon elution with a salt gradient.

p-Nitrobenzyl side-chain protection for solid-phase synthesis.

A solid-phase supported peptide synthesis (SPPS) strategy using p-nitrobenzyl (pNB) esters, thioethers and carbamates for side-chain protection is described. The synthesis of Fmoc p-nitrobenzyl side-chain protected amino acids of lysine, cysteine, glutamic acid and aspartic acid are synthesized and incorporated into the synthesis of tetramers by standard Fmoc methodology using Wang polystyrene resins. Deprotection is carried out on resin in mildly acidic reducing conditions, using a solution of DMF, SnCl2, phenol and HOAc. The yellow by-products associated with the deprotection of the pNB protecting group are then removed by treatment with a solution of benzene sulfinic acid in DMF. The methodology is successfully extended in the synthesis of a peptide with multiple pNB protecting groups.

Glutathione-S-transferase activates novel alkylating agents.

Alkylating agents which are activated by glutathion-S-transferases (GSTs) have been designed and synthesized. The model compound gamma-glutamyl-alpha-amino-beta-[(2-ethyl N,N,N',N'-tetraethylphosphorodiamidate) sulfonyl]propionylglycine (1) and the nitrogen mustards gamma-glutamyl-alpha- amino-beta-[[2-ethyl N,N,N',N'-tetrakis (2-chloroethyl)phosphorodiamidate] sulfonyl]propionylglycine (2) and gamma-glutamyl-alpha-amino-beta-[[2-ethyl-N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2- chloroethyl)phosphorodiamidate]sulfonyl]-propionyl-(R)-(-)-phenylg lycine (3) were prepared via multistep chemical synthesis. The compounds were tested with recombinant human A1-1, M1a-1a and P1-1 GSTs. HPLC studies showed that the compounds were differentially and catalytically cleaved by biologically relevant concentrations of the GSTs. Mass spectral studies of the cleavage mixture of 2 showed that M1a-1a GST liberated the cytotoxic phosphate moiety needed for efficacy as an alkylating agent. Cell culture studies with MCF-7 breast cancer cells showed that 1 was not toxic at 200 microM, while 2 and 3 showed IC50S of 40.6 and 37.5 microM, respectively, for the same cell line. MCF-7 cells transfected to overexpress P1-1 GST showed enhanced sensitivity with 2 and 3, with IC50S of 20.9 and 9.5 microM, respectively. This result correlates well with the rates of cleavage of 2 and 3 by P1-1 GST observed in vitro and demonstrates that higher levels of cellular P1-1 GST will give increased sensitivity to these drugs.

Isozyme-specific glutathione-S-transferase inhibitors: design and synthesis.

Glutathione-S-transferase (GST) isozyme-selective inhibitors were designed by an empirically guided strategy. In the first phase, literature data were used to select C-terminal modifications which generated maximum variation in the catalytic efficiency (Vmax/Km) for glutathione (GSH) analogs used as substrates with different rat GSTs. Also, on the basis of literature data, the sulfhydryl group was functionalized with a selection of alkyl and aryl groups to maximize potential isozyme specificity. Affinity chromatography sorbents were prepared from these which showed isozyme selectivity for both rat tissue and recombinant human GST isozymes. Some of these compounds also showed selective inhibition of GST activity in catalysis of the reaction of 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene with GSH. In the second phase, electronic effects were explored through synthesis of an isostructural series of S-benzyl GSH ligands with different substituents on the aromatic ring. GST isozyme specificity for these ligands, measured by binding to derivatized sorbents, varied substantially, with hydrophobic substituents favoring the human GST M1a isozyme and electronegative moieties favoring GST P1. In the third phase, information obtained from testing both series of compounds was combined and used to prepare GSH analogs with chemical features responsible for isozyme specificity at both the C-terminus and the sulfur. This approach gave two new compounds which showed improved potency while still maintaining selectivity in the inhibition of GSTs. A detailed discussion of the logic used in the selection of functional groups for maximum potency and selectivity is included.

Construction of affinity sorbents utilizing glutathione analogs.

Solution-phase N-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc) mediated peptide synthesis has been adapted to the synthesis of glutathione (gamma-glutamyl-cysteinyl-glycine) analogs. A protecting group strategy has been devised in which all of the masking groups are removed with mild base. This allows for the synthesis of acid-sensitive materials and lessens concerns about the alkylation at sulfur by carbocations known to be present in the trifluoroacetic acid mixtures usually employed for deprotection of peptides made by the Fmoc methodology. A series of structurally varied glutathione analogs were prepared by modifying the peptide in two ways. The first involved C-terminal substitution for glycine by one of several different amino acids. The second involved substitution of one of five alkyl or aryl groups onto the cysteine sulfhydryl. The complete set of all combinations would yield 48 reagents, of which 25 have actually been synthesized. Following confirmation of the structures by FAB mass spectrometry, the peptides were immobilize by conjugation to epoxyfunctionalized Sepharose at pH 11-12. The amount and identity of immobilized peptide was assayed by amino acid analysis of acid-hydrolyzed resin. One of the tripeptides was purified by ion-exchange and preparative HPLC.