A new family of choline kinase inhibitors with antiproliferative and antitumor activity derived from natural products

Background. Choline kinase alpha (ChoKα) is a critical enzyme in the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine, a major structural component of eukaryotic cell membranes. ChoKα is overexpressed in a large variety of tumor cells and has been proposed as a target for personalized medicine, both in cancer therapy and rheumatoid arthritis. Materials and methods. Triterpene quinone methides (TPQ) bioactive compounds isolated from plants of the Celastraceae family and a set of their semisynthetic derivatives were tested against the recombinant human ChoKα. Those found active as potent enzymatic inhibitors were tested in vitro for antiproliferative activity against HT29 colorectal adenocarcinoma cells, and one of the active compounds was tested for in vivo antitumoral activity in mice xenographs of HT29 cells. Results. Among 59 natural and semisynthetic TPQs tested in an ex vivo system, 14 were highly active as inhibitors of the enzyme ChoKα with IC50 <10 μM. Nine of these were potent antiproliferative agents (IC50 <10 μM) against tumor cells. At least one compound was identified as a new antitumoral drug based on its in vivo activity against xenographs of human HT-29 colon adenocarcinoma cells. Conclusions. The identification of a new family of natural and semisynthetic compounds with potent inhibitory activity against ChoKα and both in vitro antiproliferative and in vivo antitumoral activity supports further research on these inhibitors as potential anticancer agents. Their likely role as antiproliferative drugs deserves further studies in models of rheumatoid arthritis (AU)

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A new family of choline kinase inhibitors with antiproliferative and antitumor activity derived from natural products.

BACKGROUND: Choline kinase alpha (ChoKα) is a critical enzyme in the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine, a major structural component of eukaryotic cell membranes. ChoKα is overexpressed in a large variety of tumor cells and has been proposed as a target for personalized medicine, both in cancer therapy and rheumatoid arthritis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Triterpene quinone methides (TPQ) bioactive compounds isolated from plants of the Celastraceae family and a set of their semisynthetic derivatives were tested against the recombinant human ChoKα. Those found active as potent enzymatic inhibitors were tested in vitro for antiproliferative activity against HT29 colorectal adenocarcinoma cells, and one of the active compounds was tested for in vivo antitumoral activity in mice xenographs of HT29 cells. RESULTS: Among 59 natural and semisynthetic TPQs tested in an ex vivo system, 14 were highly active as inhibitors of the enzyme ChoKα with IC50 <10 µM. Nine of these were potent antiproliferative agents (IC50 <10 µM) against tumor cells. At least one compound was identified as a new antitumoral drug based on its in vivo activity against xenographs of human HT-29 colon adenocarcinoma cells. CONCLUSIONS: The identification of a new family of natural and semisynthetic compounds with potent inhibitory activity against ChoKα and both in vitro antiproliferative and in vivo antitumoral activity supports further research on these inhibitors as potential anticancer agents. Their likely role as antiproliferative drugs deserves further studies in models of rheumatoid arthritis.

Dihydro-beta-agarofuran sesquiterpenes: a new class of reversal agents of the multidrug resistance phenotype mediated by P-glycoprotein in the protozoan parasite Leishmania.

Leishmaniasis is the most important emerging and uncontrolled infectious disease and the second cause of death among parasitic diseases, after Malaria. One of the main problems concerning the control of infectious diseases is the increased resistance to usual drugs. Overexpression of P-glycoprotein (Pgp)-like transporters represents a very efficient mechanism to reduce the intracellular accumulation of drugs in cancer cells and parasitic protozoans, thus conferring a multidrug resistance (MDR) phenotype. Pgps are active pumps belonging to the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily of proteins. The inhibition of the activity of these proteins represents an interesting way to control drug resistance both in cancer and in infectious diseases. Most conventional mammalian Pgp-MDR modulators are ineffective in the modulation of Pgp activity in the protozoan parasite Leishmania. Consequently, there is a necessity to find effective modulators of Pgp-MDR for protozoan parasites. In this review we describe a rational strategy developed to find specific Pgp-MDR modulators in Leishmania, using natural and semisynthetic dihydro-beta-agarofuran sesquiterpenes from Celastraceae plants. A series of these compounds have been tested on a MDR Leishmania tropica line overexpressing a Pgp transporter to determine their ability to revert the resistance phenotype and to modulate intracellular drug accumulation. Almost all of these natural compounds showed potent reversal activity with different degrees of selectivity and a significant low toxicity. The three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship using the comparative molecular similarity indices analysis (CoMSIA), was employed to characterize the requirements of these sesquiterpenes as modulators at Pgp-like transporter in Leishmania.

A new steroidal saponin from Solanum sisymbriifolium roots.

Isonuatigenin-3-O-beta-solatriose (1) was isolated from the roots of Solanum sisymbriifolium. Its structure was determined by spectroscopic methods.

Acetylenic acids from the aerial parts of Nanodea muscosa.

The aerial parts of Nanodea muscosa, collected in Chile, yielded two new acetylenic acids. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses, including 2D NMR techniques, as (13E)-octadec-13-en-11-ynoic acid (1) and (2E)-octadec-2-en-4-ynedioic acid (2). Compound 2 constitutes the first example of a conjugated ene-yne fatty diacid isolated from a natural source. Compounds 1 and 2 did not exhibit toxicity toward a panel of DNA damage checkpoint defective yeast mutants or show affinity for the 5-HT(1A), 5-HT(2A), D(2), and H(1) receptors.

Multidrug resistance phenotype mediated by the P-glycoprotein-like transporter in Leishmania: a search for reversal agents.

Abstract: Protozoan parasites are responsible for important diseases that threaten the lives of nearly one-quarter of the human population world-wide. Among them, leishmaniasis has become the second cause of death, mainly due to the emergence of parasite resistance to conventional drugs. P-glycoprotein (Pgp)-like transporters overexpression is a very efficient mechanism to reduce the intracellular accumulation of many drugs in cancer cells and parasitic protozoans including Plasmodium and Leishmania, thus conferring a multidrug resistance (MDR) phenotype. Therefore, there is a great clinical interest in developing inhibitors of these transporters to overcome such a resistance. Pgps are active pumps belonging to the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily of proteins, and consist of two homologous halves, each containing a transmembrane domain (TMD) involved in drug efflux, and a cytosolic nucleotide-binding domain (NBD) responsible for ATP binding and hydrolysis. Most conventional cancer MDR modulators interact with the drug-binding sites on the TMDs of Pgps, but they are also usually transported and the required concentrations for a permanent inhibition produce subsequent side-effects that hamper their clinical use. Besides, they only poorly modulate the resistance in protozoan parasites. We review here a rational strategy developed to overcome the MDR phenotype in Leishmania, consisting in: i) the selection of an MDR Leishmania tropica line that overexpresses a Pgp-like transporter; ii) the use of their cytosolic NBDs as new pharmacological targets; iii) the search of new natural compounds that revert the MDR phenotype in Leishmania by binding to the TMDs; iv) the combination of subdoses of the above selected modulators directed to both targets in the transporter, NBDs and TMDs, to accumulate their reversal effects while diminishing their toxicity. In this way, we have reverted the MDR phenotype in Leishmania, including the resistance to the most promising new antileishmania agents, the alkyl-lysophospholipids. This approach might be extrapolated to be used in other eukaryotic cells.

Chemosensitization of a multidrug-resistant Leishmania tropica line by new sesquiterpenes from Maytenus magellanica and Maytenus chubutensis.

Parasite resistance to drugs has emerged as a major problem in current medicine, and therefore, there is great clinical interest in developing compounds that overcome these resistances. In an intensive study of South American medicinal plants, herein we report the isolation, structure elucidation, and biological activity of dihydro-beta-agarofuran sesquiterpenes from the roots of Maytenus magellanica (1-14) and M. chubutensis (14-17). This type of natural products may be considered as privileged structures. The structures of 10 new compounds, 1, 3, 6-9, and12-15, were determined by means of (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopic studies, including homonuclear (COSY and ROESY) and heteronuclear correlation experiments (HMQC and HMBC). The absolute configurations of eight hetero- and homochromophoric compounds, 1, 3,6-9, 12, and 13, were determined by means of CD studies. Fourteen compounds, 1-3 and 6-16, have been tested on a multidrug-resistant Leishmania tropica line overexpressing a P-glycoprotein-like transporter to determine their ability to revert the resistance phenotype and to modulate intracellular drug accumulation. From this series, 1, 2, 3, 14, and 15 showed potent activity, 1 being the most active compound. The structure-activity relationships of the different compounds are discussed.

Alkyl-lysophospholipid resistance in multidrug-resistant Leishmania tropica and chemosensitization by a novel P-glycoprotein-like transporter modulator.

Drug resistance has emerged as a major impediment in the treatment of leishmaniasis. Alkyl-lysophospholipids (ALP), originally developed as anticancer drugs, are considered to be the most promising antileishmanial agents. In order to anticipate probable clinical failure in the near future, we have investigated possible mechanisms of resistance to these drugs in Leishmania spp. The results presented here support the involvement of a member of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily, the Leishmania P-glycoprotein-like transporter, in the resistance to ALP. (i) First, a multidrug resistance (MDR) Leishmania tropica line overexpressing a P-glycoprotein-like transporter displays significant cross-resistance to the ALP miltefosine and edelfosine, with resistant indices of 9.2- and 7.1-fold, respectively. (ii) Reduced expression of P-glycoprotein in the MDR line correlates with a significant decrease in ALP resistance. (iii) The ALP were able to modulate the P-glycoprotein-mediated resistance to daunomycin in the MDR line. (iv) We have found a new inhibitor of this transporter, the sesquiterpene C-3, that completely sensitizes MDR parasites to ALP. (v) Finally, the MDR line exhibits a lower accumulation than the wild-type line of bodipy-C(5)-PC, a fluorescent analogue of phosphatidylcholine that has a structure resembling that of edelfosine. Also, C-3 significantly increases the accumulation of the fluorescent analogue to levels similar to those of wild-type parasites. The involvement of the Leishmania P-glycoprotein-like transporter in resistance to drugs used in the treatment of leishmaniasis also supports the importance of developing new specific inhibitors of this ABC transporter.

Anti-tumor promoting effects of sesquiterpenes from Maytenus cuzcoina (Celastraceae).

Ten sesquiterpenoids (1-10), with a dihydro-beta-agarofuran skeleton, were isolated from Maytenus cuzcoina (Celastraceae). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis, including homo- and heteronuclear correlations NMR experiments (COSY, ROESY, HMQC and HMBC), and chemical correlations. The compounds have been tested for their inhibitory effects on Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) activation induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), as a test for potential cancer chemopreventive agents. Compounds 1-3, 6 and 7 showed strong inhibitory effects on EBV-EA induction (100% inhibition at 1000 mol ratio/TPA). Their structure-activity relationship is discussed.

Macrocarpins A-D, new cytotoxic nor-triterpenes from Maytenus macrocarpa.

Macrocarpins A (1), B (2), C (3) and D (4), four new nor-triterpenes, have been isolated from the roots of Maytenus macrocarpa. The structures were established by spectroscopic examinations. Natural compounds 1, 2, 4 and the acetyl derivative 1a are cytotoxic against four tumoral cell lines with IC50 values ranging between 0.4 and 5.2 microM.

New terpenoids from Maytenus blepharodes.

Three new terpenoids, xuxuarine Ealpha (1), a triterpene dimer based on two pristimerin units, and two sesquiterpenoids with a dihydro-beta-agarofuran skeleton (2 and 3) were isolated from Maytenus blepharodes. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis, including homonuclear and heteronuclear correlation NMR experiments (COSY, ROESY, HMQC, and HMBC). The absolute configurations of 1 and 2 were determined by CD studies.

New natural sesquiterpenes as modulators of daunomycin resistance in a multidrug-resistant Leishmania tropica line.

The effects produced by nine dihydro-beta-agarofuran sesquiterpenes isolated from Crossopetalum tonduzii (1-8) and Maytenus macrocarpa (9) (Celastraceae) on the reversion of the resistant phenotype on a multidrug-resistant Leishmania line and their binding to recombinant C-terminal nucleotide-binding domain of Leishmania P-glycoprotein-like transporter were studied. The structures of the new compounds (1-5) were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including (1)H-(13)C heteronuclear correlation (HMQC), long-range correlation spectra with inversal detection (HMBC), ROESY experiments, and chemical correlations. The absolute configuration of one of them (1) was determined by CD studies. The structure-activity relationship is discussed.

Triterpene trimers from Maytenus scutioides: cycloaddition compounds?

Two novel trimers, triscutins A and B (1 and 2), based on pristimerin triterpene units, were isolated and characterized from Maytenus scutioides. Their structures were determined on the basis of spectroscopic evidence, including 1H-13C heteronuclear correlation (HMQC), long-range correlation with inverse detection (HMBC), and ROESY NMR experiments; and their absolute configurations, by means of CD studies. Compounds 1 and 2 were assayed for antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities, and their possible biosynthetic route is proposed.

New phenolic and quinone-methide triterpenes from Maytenus amazonica.

The new nortriterpene methylene quinones amazoquinone (1) and (7S, 8S)-7-hydroxy-7,8-dihydro-tingenone (2), and the new norphenolic triterpenes 7,8-dihydro-6-oxo-tingenol (3), 23-nor-6-oxo-tingenol (4), and 23-oxo-iso-tingenone (5) were isolated from Maytenus amazonica. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. Compounds 1, 2, 3, and 5 showed low antitumor activity against four cancer cell lines.

New sesquiterpenes from Crossopetalum tonduzii.

Five new sesquiterpenes (1-5) with a dihydro-beta-agarofuran skeleton were isolated from Crossopetalum tonduzii. Their structures were elucidated by means of 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopic studies, including homonuclear and heteronuclear correlation experiments (COSY, ROESY, HMQC, and HMBC). The absolute configurations of 1 and 2 were determined by CD studies and chemical correlation. Compounds 1-3 were assayed against Spodoptera littoralis in an election test and showed low insect-antifeedant activity.

Friedelane triterpenoids from Maytenus macrocarpa.

A set of friedelane triterpenoids has been isolated from the stem bark exudates of Maytenus macrocarpa. It includes a new friedelan triterpene (1), together with the known compounds friedelin, 3-oxo-29-hydroxyfriedelane, 3-oxofriedelan-25-al, and canophyllol. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic and chemical evidence. Complete 1H and 13C assignments were achieved by 2D NMR spectroscopy. The new compound showed weak activity against aldose reductase. It did not display antitumor activity against P-388 lymphoid neoplasm, A-549 human lung carcinoma, HT-29 human colon carcinoma, or MEL-28 human melanoma cell lines.

A new bioactive norquinone-methide triterpene from Maytenus scutioides.

By antimicrobial and cytotoxic-guided fractionation, a bioactive norquinone-methide triterpene, 15 alpha-hydroxypristimerin, was isolated from a South American medicinal plant, Maytenus scutioides. Its structure was determined on the basis of spectroscopic evidence. Successful chemical transformation of pristimerin to netzahualcoyene indicates that the 15-hydroxy compounds seems to be a possible percursor of 14(15)-ene-quinone-methide-triterpenoids in the biogenetic pathway.

Biological activities of some Argyranthemum species.

Seven species of the genus Argyranthemum were studied for antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities. Argyranthemum adauctum, A. foeniculaceum and A. frutescens showed antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative and cytotoxic activity against HeLa and Hep-2 cell lines. Two new acetylenic compounds, frutescinol isovalerate and 3'-demethyl frutescinol isovalerate, were isolated from A. frutescens and their structures elucidated by spectroscopic studies.

Antibiotic phenol nor-triterpenes from Maytenus canariensis.

The new phenols 6-oxo-tingenol, 3-O-methyl-6-oxo-tingenol and 6-oxo-iguesterol were isolated from the root bark of Maytenus canariensis. Their structures were determined by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopic studies, including HMQC, HMBC, DEPT and ROESY and chemical transformations. The synthesis of 6-oxo-tingenol was achieved from tingenone. These compounds exhibit antibiotic activity against Gram-positive bacteria.

Scutione, a new bioactive norquinonemethide triterpene from Maytenus scutioides (Celastraceae).

Scutione (1), a new norquinonemethide triterpene with a netzahualcoyene type skeleton, has been isolated from the root bark of Maytenus scutioides (Celastraceae) by bioactivity-directed fractionation. The structure of 1 has been elucidated by means of 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopic studies, including 1H-13C heteronuclear correlation (HETCOR), a long-range correlation spectrum with inverse detection (HMBC) and ROESY experiments. Compound 1 showed antibiotic activity against Gram-positive bacteria and modest cytotoxic activity against HeLa, Hep-2 and Vero cell lines. Fluoride derivatives 2-4 were prepared and assayed for bioactivity, where 2 showed slight improvement of the cytotoxic potency.