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Pewklang T, Wet-osot S, Wangngae S, Ngivprom U, Chansaenpak K, Duangkamol C, Lai RY, Noisa P, Sukwattanasinitt M, Kamkaew A. Flavylium-Based Hypoxia-Responsive Probe for Cancer Cell Imaging. Molecules 2021; 26:4938. [PMID: 34443527 PMCID: PMC8400153 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26164938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
A hypoxia-responsive probe based on a flavylium dye containing an azo group (AZO-Flav) was synthesized to detect hypoxic conditions via a reductase-catalyzed reaction in cancer cells. In in vitro enzymatic investigation, the azo group of AZO-Flav was reduced by a reductase in the presence of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) followed by fragmentation to generate a fluorescent molecule, Flav-NH2. The response of AZO-Flav to the reductase was as fast as 2 min with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.4 μM. Moreover, AZO-Flav displayed high enzyme specificity even in the presence of high concentrations of biological interferences, such as reducing agents and biothiols. Therefore, AZO-Flav was tested to detect hypoxic and normoxic environments in cancer cells (HepG2). Compared to the normal condition, the fluorescence intensity in hypoxic conditions increased about 10-fold after 15 min. Prolonged incubation showed a 26-fold higher fluorescent intensity after 60 min. In addition, the fluorescence signal under hypoxia can be suppressed by an electron transport process inhibitor, diphenyliodonium chloride (DPIC), suggesting that reductases take part in the azo group reduction of AZO-Flav in a hypoxic environment. Therefore, this probe showed great potential application toward in vivo hypoxia detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thitima Pewklang
- School of Chemistry, Institute of Science, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand; (T.P.); (S.W.-o.); (S.W.); (U.N.); (C.D.)
| | - Sirawit Wet-osot
- School of Chemistry, Institute of Science, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand; (T.P.); (S.W.-o.); (S.W.); (U.N.); (C.D.)
| | - Sirilak Wangngae
- School of Chemistry, Institute of Science, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand; (T.P.); (S.W.-o.); (S.W.); (U.N.); (C.D.)
| | - Utumporn Ngivprom
- School of Chemistry, Institute of Science, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand; (T.P.); (S.W.-o.); (S.W.); (U.N.); (C.D.)
| | - Kantapat Chansaenpak
- National Nanotechnology Center, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Thailand Science Park, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand;
| | - Chuthamat Duangkamol
- School of Chemistry, Institute of Science, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand; (T.P.); (S.W.-o.); (S.W.); (U.N.); (C.D.)
| | - Rung-Yi Lai
- School of Chemistry, Institute of Science, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand; (T.P.); (S.W.-o.); (S.W.); (U.N.); (C.D.)
| | - Parinya Noisa
- Laboratory of Cell-Based Assays and Innovations, Institute of Agricultural Technology, School of Biotechnology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand;
| | - Mongkol Sukwattanasinitt
- Thailand Nanotec-CU Center of Excellence on Food and Agriculture, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand;
| | - Anyanee Kamkaew
- School of Chemistry, Institute of Science, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand; (T.P.); (S.W.-o.); (S.W.); (U.N.); (C.D.)
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Induction of p53-mediated senescence is essential for the eventual anticancer therapeutic effect of RH1. Arch Pharm Res 2019; 42:815-823. [DOI: 10.1007/s12272-019-01132-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Sharma A, Arambula JF, Koo S, Kumar R, Singh H, Sessler JL, Kim JS. Hypoxia-targeted drug delivery. Chem Soc Rev 2019; 48:771-813. [PMID: 30575832 PMCID: PMC6361706 DOI: 10.1039/c8cs00304a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 303] [Impact Index Per Article: 60.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Hypoxia is a state of low oxygen tension found in numerous solid tumours. It is typically associated with abnormal vasculature, which results in a reduced supply of oxygen and nutrients, as well as impaired delivery of drugs. The hypoxic nature of tumours often leads to the development of localized heterogeneous environments characterized by variable oxygen concentrations, relatively low pH, and increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The hypoxic heterogeneity promotes tumour invasiveness, metastasis, angiogenesis, and an increase in multidrug-resistant proteins. These factors decrease the therapeutic efficacy of anticancer drugs and can provide a barrier to advancing drug leads beyond the early stages of preclinical development. This review highlights various hypoxia-targeted and activated design strategies for the formulation of drugs or prodrugs and their mechanism of action for tumour diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Sharma
- Department of Chemistry, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Korea.
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Meredith EL, Kumar A, Konno A, Szular J, Alsford S, Seifert K, Horn D, Wilkinson SR. Distinct activation mechanisms trigger the trypanocidal activity of DNA damaging prodrugs. Mol Microbiol 2017; 106:207-222. [PMID: 28792090 PMCID: PMC5656836 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/04/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Quinone‐based compounds have been exploited to treat infectious diseases and cancer, with such chemicals often functioning as inhibitors of key metabolic pathways or as prodrugs. Here, we screened an aziridinyl 1,4‐benzoquinone (ABQ) library against the causative agents of trypanosomiasis, and cutaneous leishmaniasis, identifying several potent structures that exhibited EC50 values of <100 nM. However, these compounds also displayed significant toxicity towards mammalian cells indicating that they are not suitable therapies for systemic infections. Using anti‐T. brucei ABQs as chemical probes, we demonstrated that these exhibit different trypanocidal modes of action. Many functioned as type I nitroreductase (TbNTR) or cytochrome P450 reductase (TbCPR) dependent prodrugs that, following activation, generate metabolites which promote DNA damage, specifically interstrand crosslinks (ICLs). Trypanosomes lacking TbSNM1, a nuclease that specifically repairs ICLs, are hypersensitive to most ABQ prodrugs, a phenotype exacerbated in cells also engineered to express elevated levels of TbNTR or TbCPR. In contrast, ABQs that contain substituent groups on the biologically active aziridine do not function as TbNTR or TbCPR‐activated prodrugs and do not promote DNA damage. By unravelling how ABQs mediate their activities, features that facilitate the desired anti‐parasitic growth inhibitory effects could be incorporated into new, safer compounds targeting these neglected tropical diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Louise Meredith
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK
| | - Ambika Kumar
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK
| | - Aya Konno
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK
| | - Joanna Szular
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK
| | - Sam Alsford
- Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, UK
| | - Karin Seifert
- Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, UK
| | - David Horn
- The Wellcome Trust Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Shane R Wilkinson
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK
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Quantitative proteomic analysis of anticancer drug RH1 resistance in liver carcinoma. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2016; 1864:219-32. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2015.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2015] [Revised: 10/26/2015] [Accepted: 11/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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Heapy AM, Patterson AV, Smaill JB, Jamieson SMF, Guise CP, Sperry J, Hume PA, Rathwell K, Brimble MA. Synthesis and cytotoxicity of pyranonaphthoquinone natural product analogues under bioreductive conditions. Bioorg Med Chem 2014; 21:7971-80. [PMID: 24436995 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2013.09.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED We have synthesised a focused library of derivatives of natural products containing the pyranonaphthoquinone moiety including the first report of such a scaffold with an appended tetrazole functionality. Examples include kalafungin derivatives as well as analogues of nanaomycin and eleutherin. These compounds were assessed for cytotoxic activation by breast cancer cell lines engineered to express the prototypic human one- and two-electron quinone bioreductive enzymes, NADPH: cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (POR) and NAD(P)H quinoneoxidoreductase 1 (NQO1; DT-diaphorase), respectively. Several compounds were observed to be cytotoxic at sub-micromolar level and a pattern of increased aerobic potency was observed in cells over expressing POR. A subset of analogues was assessed under anoxic conditions, where cytotoxicity was reduced, implicating redox cycling as a major mechanism of toxicity. The substrate specificity for reductive enzymes is relevant to the future design of bioreductive prodrugs to treat cancer.
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Guise CP, Abbattista MR, Tipparaju SR, Lambie NK, Su J, Li D, Wilson WR, Dachs GU, Patterson AV. Diflavin oxidoreductases activate the bioreductive prodrug PR-104A under hypoxia. Mol Pharmacol 2011; 81:31-40. [PMID: 21984255 DOI: 10.1124/mol.111.073759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The clinical agent PR-104 is converted systemically to PR-104A, a nitrogen mustard prodrug designed to target tumor hypoxia. Reductive activation of PR-104A is initiated by one-electron oxidoreductases in a process reversed by oxygen. The identity of these oxidoreductases is unknown, with the exception of cytochrome P450 reductase (POR). To identify other hypoxia-selective PR-104A reductases, nine candidate oxidoreductases were expressed in HCT116 cells. Increased PR-104A-cytotoxicity was observed in cells expressing methionine synthase reductase (MTRR), novel diflavin oxidoreductase 1 (NDOR1), and inducible nitric-oxide synthase (NOS2A), in addition to POR. Plasmid-based expression of these diflavin oxidoreductases also enhanced bioreductive metabolism of PR-104A in an anoxia-specific manner. Diflavin oxidoreductase-dependent PR-104A metabolism was suppressed >90% by pan-flavoenzyme inhibition with diphenyliodonium chloride. Antibodies were used to quantify endogenous POR, MTRR, NDOR1, and NOS2A expression in 23 human tumor cell lines; however, only POR protein was detectable and its expression correlated with anoxic PR-104A reduction (r(2) = 0.712). An anti-POR monoclonal antibody was used to probe expression using human tissue microarrays; 13 of 19 cancer types expressed detectable POR with 21% of cores (185 of 874) staining positive; this heterogeneity suggests that POR is a useful biomarker for PR-104A activation. Immunostaining for carbonic anhydrase 9 (CAIX), reportedly an endogenous marker of hypoxia, revealed only moderate coexpression (9.6%) of both CAIX and POR across a subset of five cancer types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher P Guise
- Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre, School of Medical Sciences, the University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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Danson SJ, Johnson P, Ward TH, Dawson M, Denneny O, Dickinson G, Aarons L, Watson A, Jowle D, Cummings J, Robson L, Halbert G, Dive C, Ranson M. Phase I pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic study of the bioreductive drug RH1. Ann Oncol 2011; 22:1653-1660. [PMID: 21378203 DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdq638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This trial describes a first-in-man evaluation of RH1, a novel bioreductive drug activated by DT-diaphorase (DTD), an enzyme overexpressed in many tumours. PATIENTS AND METHODS A dose-escalation phase I trial of RH1 was carried out. The primary objective was to establish the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of RH1. Secondary objectives were assessment of toxicity, pharmacokinetic determination of RH1 and pharmacodynamic assessment of drug effect through measurement of DNA cross linking in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and tumour, DTD activity in tumour and NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) polymorphism status. RESULTS Eighteen patients of World Health Organization performance status of zero to one with advanced refractory solid malignancies were enrolled. MTD was 1430 μg/m(2)/day with reversible bone marrow suppression being dose limiting. Plasma pharmacokinetic analysis showed RH1 is rapidly cleared from blood (t(1/2) = 12.3 min), with AUC increasing proportionately with dose. The comet-X assay demonstrated dose-related increases in DNA cross linking in PBMCs. DNA cross linking was demonstrated in tumours, even with low levels of DTD. Only one patient was homozygous for NQO1 polymorphism precluding any conclusion of its effect. CONCLUSIONS RH1 was well tolerated with predictable and manageable toxicity. The MTD of 1430 μg/m(2)/day is the dose recommended for phase II trials. The biomarkers of DNA cross linking, DTD activity and NQO1 status have been validated and clinically developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- S J Danson
- Department of Medical Oncology, University of Manchester, Christie Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester; Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology, Paterson Institute for Cancer Research.
| | - P Johnson
- Cancer Research UK Clinical Centre, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton
| | - T H Ward
- Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology, Paterson Institute for Cancer Research
| | - M Dawson
- Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology, Paterson Institute for Cancer Research
| | - O Denneny
- Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology, Paterson Institute for Cancer Research
| | - G Dickinson
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester
| | - L Aarons
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester
| | - A Watson
- Cancer Research UK Clinical Centre, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton
| | - D Jowle
- Department of Medical Oncology, University of Manchester, Christie Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester
| | - J Cummings
- Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology, Paterson Institute for Cancer Research
| | - L Robson
- Cancer Research UK Drug Development Office, Cancer Research UK, London
| | - G Halbert
- Cancer Research UK Formulation Unit, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
| | - C Dive
- Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology, Paterson Institute for Cancer Research
| | - M Ranson
- Department of Medical Oncology, University of Manchester, Christie Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester; Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology, Paterson Institute for Cancer Research
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Abstract
Redox dysregulation originating from metabolic alterations and dependence on mitogenic and survival signaling through reactive oxygen species represents a specific vulnerability of malignant cells that can be selectively targeted by redox chemotherapeutics. This review will present an update on drug discovery, target identification, and mechanisms of action of experimental redox chemotherapeutics with a focus on pro- and antioxidant redox modulators now in advanced phases of preclinal and clinical development. Recent research indicates that numerous oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes exert their functions in part through redox mechanisms amenable to pharmacological intervention by redox chemotherapeutics. The pleiotropic action of many redox chemotherapeutics that involves simultaneous modulation of multiple redox sensitive targets can overcome cancer cell drug resistance originating from redundancy of oncogenic signaling and rapid mutation.Moreover, some redox chemotherapeutics may function according to the concept of synthetic lethality (i.e., drug cytotoxicity is confined to cancer cells that display loss of function mutations in tumor suppressor genes or upregulation of oncogene expression). The impressive number of ongoing clinical trials that examine therapeutic performance of novel redox drugs in cancer patients demonstrates that redox chemotherapy has made the crucial transition from bench to bedside.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georg T Wondrak
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Arizona Cancer Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
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Abstract
Anticancer prodrugs designed to target specifically tumor cells should increase therapeutic effectiveness and decrease systemic side effects in the treatment of cancer. Over the last 20 years, significant advances have been made in the development of anticancer prodrugs through the incorporation of triggers for reductive activation. Reductively activated prodrugs have been designed to target hypoxic tumor tissues, which are known to overexpress several endogenous reductive enzymes. In addition, exogenous reductive enzymes can be delivered to tumor cells through fusion with tumor-specific antibodies or overexpressed in tumor cells through gene delivery approaches. Many anticancer prodrugs have been designed to use both the endogenous and exogenous reductive enzymes for target-specific activation and these prodrugs often contain functional groups such as quinones, nitroaromatics, N-oxides, and metal complexes. Although no new agents have been approved for clinical use, several reductively activated prodrugs are in various stages of clinical trial. This review mainly focuses on the medicinal chemistry aspects of various classes of reductively activated prodrugs including design principles, structure-activity relationships, and mechanisms of activation and release of active drug molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 160 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
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Abstract
Background: Despite substantial improvements in childhood cancer survival, drug resistance remains problematic for several paediatric tumour types. The urgent need to access novel agents to treat drug-resistant disease should be expedited by pre-clinical evaluation of paediatric tumour models during the early stages of drug development in adult cancer patients. Methods/results: The novel cytotoxic RH1 (2,5-diaziridinyl-3-[hydroxymethyl]-6-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone) is activated by the obligate two-electron reductase DT-diaphorase (DTD, widely expressed in adult tumour cells) to a potent DNA interstrand cross-linker. In acute viability assays against neuroblastoma, osteosarcoma, and Ewing′s sarcoma cell lines RH1 IC50 values ranged from 1-200 nM and drug potency correlated both with DTD levels and drug-induced apoptosis. However, synergy between RH1 and cisplatin or doxorubicin was only seen in low DTD expressing cell lines. In clonogenic assays RH1 IC50 values ranged from 1.5–7.5 nM and drug potency did not correlate with DTD level. In A673 Ewing's sarcoma and 791T osteosarcoma tumour xenografts in mice RH1 induced apoptosis 24 h after a single bolus injection (0.4 mg/kg) and daily dosing for 5 days delayed tumour growth relative to control. Conclusion: The demonstration of RH1 efficacy against paediatric tumour cell lines, which was performed concurrently with the adult Phase 1 Trial, suggests that this agent may have clinical usefulness in childhood cancer.
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Yan C, Kepa JK, Siegel D, Stratford IJ, Ross D. Dissecting the role of multiple reductases in bioactivation and cytotoxicity of the antitumor agent 2,5-diaziridinyl-3-(hydroxymethyl)-6-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone (RH1). Mol Pharmacol 2008; 74:1657-65. [PMID: 18794327 DOI: 10.1124/mol.108.050401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
2,5-Diaziridinyl-3-(hydroxymethyl)-6-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone (RH1) is a novel antitumor diaziridinyl benzoquinone derivative designed to be bioactivated by the two-electron reductase NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) and is currently in clinical trials. NQO1 is expressed at high levels in many solid tumors. RH1 cytotoxicity has been shown previously to be NQO1-dependent. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether other reducing enzymes such as cytochrome b(5) reductase (b5R), cytochrome P450 reductase (P450R), dihydronicotinamide riboside:quinone oxidoreductase 2 (NQO2), and xanthine oxidase/xanthine dehydrogenase (XO/XDH) also contribute to the bioactivation and cytotoxicity of RH1 in human tumor cells. For these studies, we established a series of stable MDA468 breast cancer cell lines overexpressing various levels of NQO1, b5R, P450R, and NQO2 and compared RH1-induced growth inhibition [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2,5-diphenyl)tetrazolium and sulforhodamine B analysis] and interstrand DNA cross-linking (comet analysis) in both parental MDA468 cells and transfected clones. RH1 toxicity correlated with NQO1 and NQO2 but not with either b5R or P450R activity levels in the respective series of transfected MDA468 cell clones. Enzymatic assays showed that RH1 was an in vitro substrate for xanthine oxidase. However, XO/XDH protein and activity could not be detected in a variety of human tumor cell lines. These studies suggest that NQO1 and NQO2 are the principal enzymatic determinants of RH1 bioactivation in MDA468 tumor cells and that b5R, P450R, and XDH/XO are unlikely to play major roles. Our studies also suggest that NQO2 may be particularly relevant as a bioactivation system for RH1 in NQO1-deficient tumors such as leukemias and lymphomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Yan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado 80045, USA
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