Uptake and cytofluorescence localization of ellipticine derivatives in sensitive and resistant Chinese hamster lung cells

RNA–Intercalating Agent Interactions: in vitro Antiviral Activity Studies

Twenty intercalating agents were tested to examine the effects of intercalating dye-induced perturbations upon the antiviral activity of poly (adenylate–uridylate) [poly (A-U)]. Neither poly (A-U) alone nor each intercalative dye was an efficacious antiviral agent. When poly (A-U) was combined with major groove intercalating dyes (acridine orange or proflavine), no synergism was observed. When poly (A-U) was combined with minor groove intercalating dyes [ethidium (EB), propidium (PI), adriamycin (ADR) or daunomycin (DMN)] or minor/major groove intercalating dyes [9-aminoacridine (9-AA), N2-methyl-9-hydroxy-ellipticine (NMHE) or N2,N6-dimethyl-9-hydroxy-ellipticine (DMHE)] the 50% effective doses (ED50) of the poly (A-U), 9-AA, ADR, DMHE, DMN, EB, NMHE and PI decreased 18-, 22-, 60-, 274-, 61-, 154-, 113- and 299-fold, respectively. When poly (A-U) was combined individually with 11 dyes whose mode of intercalation was not known, the ED50 of ametantrone (HAQ), chloroquine (CHL), mitoxantrone (DHAQ) and quinine (QUI) decreased 125-, 65-, 251- and 32-fold, respectively. These results suggest that the four dyes may intercalate into poly (A-U) from the minor groove. Ten (ADR, CHL, DMN, DHAQ, DMHE, EB, HAQ, NMHE, PI, QUI) of the 20 dyes evaluated exhibited significant synergism with poly (A-U), as quantified by the fractional inhibitory concentration index. Interferon (IFN) neutralization assays demonstrated that the IFN-inducing capability of the dye/poly (A-U) combinations approximated the sum of the capabilities of the poly (A-U) and the dyes employed. These results suggest that the majority of the dyes tested potentiate the antiviral activity of poly (A-U) without affecting the amount of IFN induced.

Cellular resistance to the antitumor DNA topoisomerase II inhibitor S16020-2: importance of the N-[2(Dimethylamino)ethyl]carbamoyl side chain

The new olivacine derivative S16020-2 (NSC-659687) is a DNA topoisomerase II inhibitor endowed with a remarkable antitumor activity against various experimental tumors. In vitro physicochemical properties of this compound, in particular its interaction with DNA and DNA topoisomerase II, were very similar to those of ellipticine derivatives, except for a strictly ATP-dependent mechanism of cleavable complex induction. From the Chinese hamster lung fibroblast cell line DC-3F, a subline resistant to S16020-2, named DC-3F/S16, was selected by adding stepwise increasing concentrations of the drug to the cell growth medium. Whereas DC-3F/9-OH-E cells, a DC-3F subline resistant to 9-hydroxy-ellipticine, are cross-resistant to S16020-2, DC-3F/S16 cells are only very weakly cross-resistant to ellipticine derivatives, indicating that, despite their structural similarity, these compounds may differ in their mechanisms of action. Uptake and efflux rates of S16020-2 were identical in the resistant and the sensitive cells. Topoisomerase IIalpha was expressed at the same level in both sensitive and resistant cells, whereas expression of the beta-enzyme was approximately 50% lower in the resistant cells. Sequencing of both alpha- and beta-isoform cDNAs revealed a point mutation that converts Arg(486) to a Gly in the alpha cDNA, whereas the beta cDNA was not modified. This amino acid substitution in a highly conserved sequence of the enzyme appears to be responsible for the resistance to S16020-2. Comparative analysis of the properties of the ellipticine and S16020-2-resistant cells suggests that S16020-2, which is a DNA intercalator, might also interact with this enzyme amino acid sequence through its side chain.

S16020-2, a new highly cytotoxic antitumor olivacine derivative: DNA interaction and DNA topoisomerase II inhibition

S16020-2 (NSC-659687) is a new olivacine derivative that is highly cytotoxic in vitro and displays remarkable antitumor activity against various experimental tumors, especially some solid tumor models. Its antitumor activity is notably higher than that of 2-methyl-9-hydroxy-ellipticinium (NMHE) and comparable to that of doxorubicin HCl, although with a different tumor specificity. S16020-2 is being tested in phase I clinical trials. A study of the interaction of S16020-2 with DNA showed that it binds through intercalation between adjacent DNA base pairs, inducing an unwinding of 10 degrees of the double helix. Its DNA affinity is approximately equal to that of NMHE and decreases as a function of the salt concentration, indicating a significant electrostatic contribution to the overall binding free energy. S16020-2 did not interfere with the catalytic cycle of DNA topoisomerase I but stimulated DNA topoisomerase II-mediated DNA cleavage via a strictly ATP-dependent mechanism. The interactions of S16020-2 and NMHE with DNA topoisomerase II in vitro are very similar. Both drugs have the same DNA sequence specificity of cleavage and the same biphasic dose-effect response, and neither drug inhibited the rate of DNA religation. In contrast with these observations, in in vivo experiments, S16020-2 was able to induce topoisomerase II-mediated DNA strand breaks at concentrations 500-fold lower than NMHE. We conclude that DNA topoisomerase II most likely is the cellular target involved in the mechanism of cytotoxicity of S16020-2. Its higher biological activity and potency to induce cellular DNA cleavage suggest the involvement of as-yet-unidentified cellular factors.

Induction of pgp3 expression and reversion of the multidrug resistance phenotype in 9-OH-ellipticine-resistant Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts transfected with the MYC oncogene

Chinese hamster lung cells resistant to the DNA topoisomerase II inhibitor 9-OH-ellipticine (DC-3F/9-OH-E) are cross resistant to various drugs through the expression of the MDR phenotype. The myc oncogene was approximately 10-fold amplified and 20-fold overexpressed in parental DC-3F cells as compared with DC-3F/9-HO-E cells. Transfection of the resistant cells with a mouse c-myc gene did not alter the resistance to topoisomerase II inhibitors and, in cells with a low multidrug (MDR) expression, reversed this phenotype. Northern and Western blot analyses revealed an increased expression of pgp1 in the DC-3F/9-OH-E cells, which was not modified in the myc-transfected clones. However, myc expression in these clones resulted in an increased expression of pgp3, roughly in proportion to the level of myc expression. Transfection of the DC-3F/9-OH-E cells with the human MDR3 gene, homologous to pgp3, also resulted in the reversion of the MDR phenotype. These results show that (1) expression of the transfected myc gene positively regulates pgp3 expression but has no effect on pgp1; (2) when observed, reversion of the MDR phenotype is proportional to the levels of myc and pgp3 expression; and (3) this reversion, resulting from pgp3 expression, is associated with a decreased functional activity of the pgp1 protein and might require an appropriate balance of pgp1 and pgp3 expression.

Microspectrofluorometry of the protonation state of ellipticine, an antitumor alkaloid, in single cells

The protonation state and intracellular distribution of ellipticine were investigated in single human mammary T47D cells by confocal laser microspectrofluorimetry. In the cell nucleus, only the protonated form of ellipticine was detected as a direct consequence of its apparent pK increase upon DNA binding. Both protonated and neutral forms were present in the aqueous cytoplasm, where the pH is close to the drug pK. When cells were incubated in high concentrations of K+, a condition that depolarizes the plasma membrane potential, ellipticine cellular accumulation was reduced. In the cytoplasm, ellipticine was mainly bound to mitochondria, and its protonation equilibrium was shifted toward the neutral form. The fluorescence spectrum of ellipticine bound to mitochondria was insensitive to valinomycin, whereas it was markedly shifted toward the protonated form after carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxy-phenylhydrazone or nigericin addition. Similar studies with ellipticine bound to isolated mitochondria suggest that it behaves as a fluorescent probe of mitochondrial pH in both isolated mitochondria and single living cells.

High cell density-dependent resistance and P-glycoprotein-mediated multidrug resistance in mitoxantrone-selected Chinese hamster cells

Mitoxantrone (MIT) resistance has been studied in a colony selected from the CHO AA8 parental line in one step under a low degree of selective pressure (9 nM). The cells of the clonal isolate AA8/MIT C1(0) were sensitive to 9 nM MIT at low cell density but able to grow at high density. Parental AA8 cells were not able to grow under the latter condition. Decreased MIT accumulation (-20%) was observed at this step (step 0) in the absence of overexpression of mdr RNA coding for the drug efflux pump P-glycoprotein. Furthermore, AA8/MIT C1(0) did not exhibit cross resistance to vincristine, Adriamycin and etoposide at low cell density. During subsequent controlled growth for 2 months at high cell density in the presence of 9 nM drug, an additional selection occurred leading to a 4-fold MIT-resistant subline AA8/MIT C1(+). This subline was characterized at this step (step I) and after an additional 4 months of culture in the presence of 9 nM MIT (step II). Analysis of mdr gene expression and gene copy number showed an increase in mdr RNA and a pattern of mdr gene amplification which changed between step I and II. AA8/MIT C1(+)II exhibited a classical multidrug resistance phenotype with decreased accumulation of [14C]MIT and cross-resistance to vincristine, Adriamycin and etoposide. The ability to form the cleavable complex in the presence of etoposide in DNA topoisomerase II-containing nuclear extracts was identical in AA8/MIT C1(+)II and AA8 cell lines. These results demonstrate a new sequence of events in MIT resistance: low level of drug resistance at high cell density followed by mdr gene amplification.

In vitro antiviral activity of poly (A-U) and ellipticines

The role of N2-methyl-9-hydroxy-ellipticine (NMHE) and N2,N6-dimethyl-9-hydroxy-ellipticine (DMHE) in modulating the antiviral activity of poly (A-U) was examined using a human foreskin fibroblast-vesicular stomatitis virus (HSF-VSV) bioassay in which the concentration of poly (A-U) was fixed at 0.05 mM or 0.2 mM while the NMHE or DMHE concentration was varied to produce variable NMHE (or DMHE)/ribonucleotide ratios ranging from 1:16 to 2:1. Poly (A-U), NMHE and DMHE tested individually were not efficacious antiviral agents. When the poly (A-U) was combined with the NMHE or DMHE, the antiviral activity of the poly (A-U) was potentiated 16- to 20-fold a NMHE (or DMHE)/ribonucleotide ratios in the region of 1/4. Poly (A-U), NMHE and DMHE induce beta-IFN. The interferon-inducing activity of the NMHE (or DMHE)/poly (A-U) combination was equal to the sum of the interferon-inducing activity of the poly (A-U) alone and the NMHE (or DMHE) alone. The direct viral inactivation study demonstrated that NMHE, DMHE, poly (A-U) and the NMHE (or DMHE)/poly (A-U) combinations did not inactivate VSV at concentrations near the 50% viral inhibitory dose. Photomicrographs of HSF cells incubated with NMHE alone or with a NMHE/poly (A-U) combination suggest that poly (A-U) affects the subcellular distribution of the NMHE by steering the NMHE to the nucleolus. These observations suggest that modulation of a nuclear process may be responsible for the enhanced antiviral activity.

Selective alteration of mitochondrial function by Ditercalinium (NSC 335153), a DNA bisintercalating agent

The bifunctional intercalator Ditercalinium (NSC 335153) demonstrates an anti-tumoral cytotoxicity markedly different from other intercalating agents. A delayed toxicity is observed in eucaryotic cells, both in vitro and in vivo, at drug concentrations far below those required to observe immediate toxic effects. Fluorescence microscopy demonstrates that Ditercalinium and the mitochondrial-staining fluorophore DiOC2(5) are concentrated in the same cellular organelles of L1210 cells. Electron microscopy of Ditercalinium-treated cells reveals extensive and progressive swelling of mitochondria, with no other ultrastructural changes observed. Ditercalinium uptake and toxicity are in part related to mitochondrial membrane potential. However, drug accumulation itself does not immediately alter the mitochondrial membrane potential. Cellular ATP pool levels and the rate of respiration fall progressively after drug treatment. Nucleotide pools in DC3F cells, measured between drug treatment and death, show marked drops in pyrimidine levels while purine nucleotide levels decline more slowly. Addition of uridine or cytidine partially rescues Ditercalinium-treated cells, while toxicity is increased in the presence of 2-deoxyglucose. The combined evidence indicates that the toxicity of Ditercalinium to murine leukemia cells (L1210) and Chinese Hamster lung cells (DC3F) is due to disruption of mitochondrial function.

Bioregulatory mechanisms at the level of cell organelle interactions: microspectrofluorometric in situ studies

The spatiotemporal analysis of bioregulatory mechanisms at the level of intracellular multienzyme complexes and organelle interactions is made possible by the availability of endogenous and exogenous fluorescence probes, the development of microspectrofluorometers allowing one- and two-dimensional scans of intracellular fluorescence reactions, and the use of micromanipulatory techniques enabling the rapid alteration of metabolic states. Absorbed photons are not only a tool for quantitative evaluation of metabolic processes, they can also trigger alterations of cell membranes and functions as mediated by photosensitizer drugs. In the hierarchy of intracellular organization different levels of complexity are accessible to study, such as the regulation of multienzyme complexes and the interaction of organelle complexes. Typical applications of these methods are the investigation of drug effects (e.g., on melanoma cells), metabolic and structural alterations (e.g., in cystic fibrosis and Gaucher fibroblasts), organelle interactions in cells treated with toxic agents. The implications are relevant to biotechnology for better control of metabolite production and processing, design and testing of new drugs, understanding of drug resistance and better targeting of drugs or probes to selected intracellular sites. In addition, such in vitro methods can contribute to the provision of an alternative to "whole animal experiments" as already achieved in human and mouse fibroblasts, hepatocytes, hepatoma, Swiss 3T3 cells and other cells in culture, especially with regards to an analysis of the action of xenobiotics and drugs in cell physiology and pathology, fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, study of cytoskeleton dynamics and multiparameter probing of organelle activity during in vitro wound repair.

Adsorption of the cationic antitumoral drug celiptium to phosphatidylglycerol in membrane model systems. Effect on membrane electrical properties

The binding of the cationic antitumoral drug Celiptium to the anionic phospholipid phosphatidylglycerol was studied by measuring surface potentials and surface pressures in monolayers, and by determination of electrophoretic mobility on liposomes. Surface potential and zeta potential data were interpreted in terms of the Gouy-Chapman-Stern theory of the diffuse electrical double layer. A unique drug-to-lipid adsorption constant KaD, could not be calculated. KaD was observed to increase rapidly from 10(4) M-1 to 10(6) M-1 with an increase in drug concentration from 5 x 10(-7) M to 7 x 10(-6) M. This was accompanied by a marked decrease (in absolute value) in the corresponding electrophoretic mobilities which, from negative at low drug concentrations, became positive at drug concentrations of 10(-5) M and above. This indicates that the drug-to-lipid binding cannot be accounted for by a simple Langmuir adsorption isotherm, but corresponds to a more complex process, probably of a cooperative nature. Comparison of delta V and zeta potential data shows that adsorption of Celiptium to phosphatidylglycerol not only lowers the electrical surface potential, psi 0 (in absolute value) but also markedly reduces the polarization potential, delta Vp. These observations suggest that Celiptium destabilizes the electrical properties of cell plasma membranes.

Reduced DNA topoisomerase II activity and drug-stimulated DNA cleavage in 9-hydroxyellipticine resistant cells

We have isolated a Chinese hamster lung cell line resistant to 9-hydroxyellipticine (DC-3F/9-OH-E) which is also cross-resistant to topoisomerase II inhibitors such as amsacrine and etoposide. In this work we have studied quantitatively both DNA topoisomerase II activity by decatenation of kinetoplast DNA and drug-stimulated DNA cleavage of pBR 322. DNA topoisomerase II activity of DC-3F/9-OH-E nuclear extract was reduced by 3.5-fold as compared to that from DC-3F (sensitive parent) nuclear extract. We also found that DC-3F/9-OH-E nuclear extracts have a reduced capacity to induce in vitro topoisomerase II-mediated DNA cleavage upon stimulation by etoposide and amsacrine (7- and 10-fold respectively). Besides, mixing nuclear extracts from both sensitive and resistant cells indicates that either the enzyme in resistant cells is modified or a modulating factor is associated to it. Our results suggest that the resistance of the DC-3F/9-OH-E cell line to topoisomerase II inhibitors might be due to both a reduced amount of the enzyme and its reduced ability to form the cleavable complex in the presence of drugs.

Effects of verapamil on the cellular accumulations and toxicity of several antitumor drugs in 9-hydroxy-ellipticine-resistant cells

9-OH-Ellipticine (9-OH-E)-resistant cells are not only resistant to the DNA topoisomerase II inhibitors, but also to some other antitumor agents, such as actinomycin D (AD), adriamycin (ADM), daunorubicin and vincristine. It was previously shown that a decreased uptake accounts for the cross-resistance of these cells to AD and ADM which then suggested that the 9-OH-E-resistant cells might display some of the properties usually associated with the multidrug resistance phenotype. In this work, we have examined the effects of verapamil, a drug which is known to overcome the multidrug resistance, on the toxicity and the cellular accumulation of four cytotoxic agents: 9-OH-E, 2N-methyl-9-hydroxy-ellipticinium (NMHE), AD and ADM, either on 9-OH-E resistant cells or on a multidrug resistant subline derived from the same sensitive parental cells. Verapamil inhibited the cellular accumulation of the ellipticine derivatives in the sensitive DC-3F cells, and the toxicity of these drugs on these cells was correspondingly decreased. On either one of the resistant cell lines, verapamil had no effect on the toxicity and the cellular accumulation of 9-OH-E. In contrast, in the presence of verapamil, the cellular accumulation of NMHE by the 9-OH-E and the multidrug resistant cells was about 50% and 300% increased, respectively. The increased NMHE cellular concentration in the multidrug resistant cells was associated with an 8-fold increased toxicity. The major structural characteristics which might account for this difference between the sensitivities of both ellipticine derivatives to the effects of verapamil on the multidrug resistant cells is the presence of a positive charge on the nitrogen in position 2 of the 6H-pyridocarbazole molecule. Finally, verapamil circumvented partially the cross-resistance of DC-3F/9-OH-E cells to AD and ADM by increasing the accumulation of these drugs inside the cells.

Relationship between the uptake and cytotoxicity of celiptium in wild type and resistant mutants of the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae

Celiptium, a cationic and amphiphilic drug currently employed in cancer chemotherapy, was found to be accumulated against its concentration gradient by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae. Accumulation was reduced in Celiptium resistant amiA mutants which were also observed to have reduced electric transmembrane potentials delta psi. This suggested a relationship between Celiptium toxicity and accumulation in S. pneumoniae, and indicated a delta psi - driven uptake in a manner reminiscent of that observed for other lipophilic cations such as tetraphenylphosphonium.

Effects of 7H-pyridocarbazole mono and bifunctional DNA-intercalators on Chinese hamster lung cells in vitro

The effects of two 7H-pyridocarbazole dimers, PyDi1 and PyDi2, on Chinese hamster lung cells in culture in vitro, were compared to those of the corresponding monomers, PyMo1 and PyMo2, by measuring the rates of macromolecule syntheses, the growth kinetics of the drug-treated cells, and the cell cycle progression. The dimers, which are endowed with a very high DNA affinity, were about 10- and 40-fold more cytotoxic than the monomers from which they markedly differ in the following ways: in contrast to monomers, the dimers do not provoke the arrest of cell cycle progression in the G2 + M phase; after a transitory exposure to either one of the dimers, the cell growth arrest was delayed for 6-8 generations. Therefore, the 7H-pyridocarbazole dimers express their cytotoxicity through a mechanism of action different from that of their mono-intercalating counterparts. They might then constitute a new series of antitumour drugs.

Effect of membrane potential on the cellular uptake of 2-N-methyl-ellipticinium by L1210 cells

Some quaternary ammonium derivatives of ellipticine are active antitumor drugs on both experimental and human tumors. Because of their positive charge, the cellular uptake of these molecules is expected to be influenced by the electric membrane potential. Experimental variations of the potential were produced by changing the external potassium concentration and the potassium permeability by the addition of valinomycin. Using the fluorescent lipophilic cationic dye 3,3-dihexyloxacarbocyanine iodide, the L1210 cell membrane potential was estimated at -35 mV by flow cytometric analysis, and the same technique was then used to study the effects of the membrane potential variations on 2-N-methyl-ellipticinium (NME) cellular uptake. Our results show that indeed NME uptake depends on the cell membrane potential, which might then influence its pharmacological properties.