Cytotoxicity and reversal of multidrug resistance by tryptanthrin-derived indoloquinazolines.

AIM: To evaluate the effects and elucidate the mechanisms of a series of indoloquinazolines as novel anticancer agents. METHODS: Condensation of the substituted isatoic anhydride with the substituted isatin was performed to prepare compounds 1-4, followed by adding malononitrile to prepare compounds 5-7. Cytotoxicity was measured by MTT assays. Apoptosis induction was evaluated using DNA fragmentation, cell cycle assay, caspase 3/7 activity and Western blot. RESULTS: Compounds 3, 4, and 5 display cytotoxicity against MCF-7, HeLa, SKOV3, and A498 cancer cells. DNA ladders appear in cells treated with compounds 3, 4, and 5. Within those, compound 4 exhibits the greatest activity in regards to sub-G(1) accumulations in the cell cycle and the activation of caspase-3/7. Furthermore, Fas and Fas ligand levels are elevated by compound 4, implying that the apoptosis is in part mediated through the signals. On the other hand, compounds 1 and 7 display chemosensitizing activity since cytotoxicity of doxorubicine and etoposide is enhanced in combination with compound 1 and 7, respectively, in MCF-7/adr (doxorubicin-resistant) and MCF-7/vp (etoposide-resistant). CONCLUSION: The cytotoxicity of indoloquinazolines is structure-dependent rather than cell type-dependent due to the similar degree of cytotoxicity induced by the individual compounds in all four cell lines. Further modification of the tryptanthrin skeleton is important to develop novel anticancer agents bearing either cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cells or drug resistance reversal in MCF-7/adr and MCF-7/vp.

Downregulation of GSTpi expression by tryptanthrin contributing to sensitization of doxorubicin-resistant MCF-7 cells through c-jun NH2-terminal kinase-mediated apoptosis.

Overexpression of GSTpi and underexpression of Topo II expression are associated with multidrug resistance (MDR) phenotype through nontransporter pathway. Tryptanthrin, a quinazoline derivative, was reported to sensitize resistant cells to doxorubicin by downregulation of MDR1 expression. This study aims to extendedly investigate the effect of tryptanthrin on the role of nontransporter-based genes in determining the MDR response in doxorubicin-resistant MCF-7 cells (MCF-7/adr). Results show that tryptanthrin downregulates GSTpi expression and reduces glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity, but has no effect on Topo II expression. Less production of GSTpi decomposes the protein-protein interactions of GSTpi and c-jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK). The resulting free-form JNK undergoes phosphorylation upon elevated intracellular doxorubicin accumulation and subsequently activates JNK-mediated apoptosis. In conclusion, in addition to transporter pathway, tryptanthrin reverses MDR partly by modulating GSTpi-related pathway, a nontransporter pathway, in MCF-7/adr cells. It indicates that tryptanthrin may act as a potential chemoadjuvant agent through multiple targets.

Olanzapine induces SREBP-1-related adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells.

Olanzapine is a second-generation atypical antipsychotic drug (AAPD). Major side effects of olanzapine are weight gain and development of diabetes mellitus, which are risk factors of cardiovascular diseases. The possible causes of metabolic adverse effects are known as poor satiety and increased food intake due to blockade of receptors such as 5-HT(2C) in CNS. In this study, we examine the effect of olanzapine on peripheral adipogenesis using cultured 3T3-L1 cell model. Olanzapine increased triacylglyceride (TG) accumulation during 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation to mature adipocyte phenotype. TG accumulation was accompanied by overexpression of fatty acid synthase and adiponectin that are the downstream genes of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 (SREBP-1), one of the key transcription factors in lipid homeostasis. We further consisted that mostly SREBP-1 and at a lesser extent peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-gamma), but not CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-alpha (C/EBP-alpha), were overexpressed and activated in 3T3-L1 adipocytes exposed to olanzapine. Furthermore, we showed that olanzapine enhanced the activity of SRE-1-containing LDLR promoter in transfected 3T3-L1 adipocytes and HepG2 cells. Taken together, olanzapine may cause body weight gain not only through influencing CNS receptors, but also affecting the peripheral adipogenesis regulated by SREBP-1.

Tryptanthrin inhibits MDR1 and reverses doxorubicin resistance in breast cancer cells.

Development of agents to overcome multidrug resistance (MDR) is important in cancer chemotherapy. Up to date, few chemicals have been reported to down-regulate MDR1 gene expression. We evaluated the effect of tryptanthrin on P-glycoprotein (P-gp)-mediated MDR in a breast cancer cell line MCF-7. Tryptanthrin could depress overexpression of MDR1 gene. We observed reduction of P-gp protein in parallel with decreases in mRNA in MCF-7/adr cells treated with tryptanthrin. Tryptanthrin suppressed the activity of MDR1 gene promoter. Tryptanthrin also enhanced interaction of the nuclear proteins with the negatively regulatory CAAT region of MDR1 gene promoter in MCF-7/adr. It might result in suppression of MDR1 gene. In addition, tryptanthrin decreased the amount of mutant p53 protein with decreasing mutant p53 protein stability. It might contribute to negative regulation of MDR1 gene. In conclusion, tryptanthrin exhibited MDR reversing effect by down-regulation of MDR1 gene and might be a new adjuvant agent for chemotherapy.