Trenimon: biochemical, physiological and genetic effects on cells and organisms

Dual-Action Therapeutics: DNA Alkylation and Antimicrobial Peptides for Cancer Therapy

Cancer remains one of the most difficult diseases to treat, requiring continuous research into innovative therapeutic strategies. Conventional treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy are effective to a certain extent but often have significant side effects and carry the risk of resistance. In recent years, the concept of dual-acting therapeutics has attracted considerable attention, particularly the combination of DNA alkylating agents and antimicrobial peptides. DNA alkylation, a well-known mechanism in cancer therapy, involves the attachment of alkyl groups to DNA, leading to DNA damage and subsequent cell death. Antimicrobial peptides, on the other hand, have been shown to be effective anticancer agents due to their ability to selectively disrupt cancer cell membranes and modulate immune responses. This review aims to explore the synergistic potential of these two therapeutic modalities. It examines their mechanisms of action, current research findings, and the promise they offer to improve the efficacy and specificity of cancer treatments. By combining the cytotoxic power of DNA alkylation with the unique properties of antimicrobial peptides, dual-action therapeutics may offer a new and more effective approach to fighting cancer.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel diaziridinylquinone–acridine conjugates

The synthesis and biological evaluation of a homologous series of conjugates (9-13) of 2,5-diaziridinylbenzoquinone (DZQ) and 9-carbonylacridine, a DNA intercalating moiety, via a polymethylene unit (n=2-6) are described. In addition, the non-acridine compound 14, analogous to compound 12, and the 5-methyl-DZQ derivatized conjugate 15, an analog of compound 10, were also prepared. Through a Comet assay, compounds 9-13 were shown to produce DNA interstrand cross-links at submicromolar concentrations, consistent with K562 leukemia cells accumulating in the G2/M stage in the cell cycle. The cytotoxicity of compounds 9-15 was examined using a MTT assay on several human cancer cell lines, including chronic myeloid leukemia K562, the non-small cell lung cancers H596 and H460, and colon carcinoma cells BE and HT29. H460 and HT29 are rich in DT-diaphorase (DTD), and H596 and BE cells have negligible amounts of functional DTD. Under continuous exposure of drugs, except to the non-aziridine compound 19b, the IC50 values of all other compounds were determined to be in the range of 0.3-11.3 nM. Compound 10, which has a propyl linker group, was subjected to in vivo studies. When BDF1 mice with established mouse mammary carcinoma were treated with compound 10 (2 mg/kg at day 1 and 5 mg/kg at day 7), a significant delay (9-10 days) in cancer growth was recorded when compared to untreated controls. Furthermore, administration of compound 10 to nu/nu BDF1 mice bearing human lung cancer H460 xenograft (1.5 mg/kg for 10 for five consecutive days from day 13 and 17) also showed a significant reduction in tumor growth compared to untreated controls. The half-life of compound 10 in the presence of five different peptidases (porcine esterase, carboxypeptidase A, B and Y, and pepsin) was determined to be between 30 and 60 h.

Morphologic changes in offspring of female mice exposed to ethanol before conception

OBJECTIVE

Our purpose was to evaluate the mutagenic effects of preconceptional ethanol exposure by use of the mouse model.

STUDY DESIGN

Fifty-three adult female CF-1 mice were divided into one of five groups with or without an ethanol diet for 28 days. Mice were then superovulated and mated. On day 14 of gestation all mice were killed and fetuses removed and examined for abnormalities.

RESULTS

The mutation index for the study and mutagen groups was similar (48% vs 41%). The percentage of any anatomic abnormality in any treatment group were between 50% and 100%. Anomalies of the abdominal wall were most commonly seen in the mutagenic groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Chronic ethanol exposure in the female mouse before conception yields anatomic abnormalities in the offspring. These mutagenic effects may be variable in that they may result in a dominant lethal mutation or a delayed interference with organogenesis. Ethanol consumption, whether before or after conception, poses an unfavorable outcome in the offspring produced.

Cross-resistance studies on two K562 sublines resistant to diaziridinylbenzoquinones

Two resistant K562 sublines have been developed by treatment with AZQ (2,5-bis(carboethoxyamino)-3,6-diaziridinyl-1,4-benzoquinone) and BZQ (2,5-bis(2-hydroxyethylamino)-3,6-diaziridinyl-1,4-benzoquinone). The ID50 values of for AZQ on K562, the AZQ-resistant sublines (AZQR) and the BZQ-resistant sublines (BZQR) were 0.063, 1.47 and 0.244 microM, respectively. The relative ID50 values for BZQ on the same cell lines were 0.2, 0.67 and 0.83 microM, respectively. Although it is generally believed that these two quinones function by different mechanisms, the two sublines have similar decreased levels of cytochrome P-450 reductase and DT-diaphorase and increased levels of glutathione and superoxide dismutase, compared to the parent cell line. The sublines are also cross-resistant to adriamycin, mitozolamide, N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) and mitomycin C. This work indicates the potential multifactorial mechanisms by which drug resistance can be induced in cell lines in the absence of conventional 'P'-glycoprotein multidrug resistance.

Evaluation of the co-mutagenicity of ethanol and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol with Trenimon

The mutagenic potential of chronic treatments of male CF-1 mice with ethanol and delta 9-tetrahydrocannibinol (THC), and their comutagenic potential with a known mutagenic agent, Trenimon, were examined. This was accomplished by measuring the frequency of dominant lethal mutations arising from mating of treated males with nontreated females. Adult male mice were treated with 5% (v/v) ethanol as part of a liquid diet (28% ethanol-derived calories) for five weeks; 10 mg/kg body weight (p.o.) THC every two days for five weeks; a single injection of Trenimon (0.125 mg/kg, i.p.) on day 28 of diet treatment; and all combinations of treatments. The control group was pair-fed a liquid diet in which isocaloric sucrose replaced ethanol; these males were also given sesame oil (vehicle for THC) and saline (vehicle for Trenimon) on the same schedule as that for the treated males. Neither body weights nor hematocrits were adversely affected by any treatment. Both ethanol and Trenimon treatments resulted in a small (8-9%; p less than 0.05) decrease in testicular weight. The effect of combined treatment with ethanol and Trenimon was roughly additive. Treatment with THC had no effect on testicular weight. Seminal vesicle weights were not affected by any treatment. Treatments were without significant effect on fertility, as measured by the frequency of males producing pregnancies. Ethanol and Trenimon treatments produced approximately 3- and 7-fold increases, respectively in the frequencies of preimplantational loss over that seen for the control group (7.3%), resulting in significant ethanol and Trenimon effects (p less than 0.001). No interactive effects of ethanol and Trenimon treatments were noted. Frequencies of dead fetuses per pregnancy in the ethanol- and Trenimon-treated groups were increased approximately 2.5- and 4-fold, respectively, over the control value of approximately 16%. However, the effect of combined treatments was not greater than that due to Trenimon alone, resulting in Trenimon and ethanol effects (p less than 0.001) and ethanol-Trenimon interaction (p less than 0.001). The calculated mutation index resulting from each treatment yielded significant (p less than 0.001) ethanol- and Trenimon-induced effects. In contrast to effects of ethanol and Trenimon treatments, THC, given alone, or in combination with ethanol and/or Trenimon, had no effect on either preimplantational loss, fetal mortality or the resulting mutation index. The data suggest that chronic ethanol treatment, at levels resulting in minimal fertility impairment, increases the frequency of dominant lethal mutations. In contrast, chronic treatment with THC, as administered in the present study, appears to be without effect.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Effect of heat treatment on chromosomal aberrations induced by the alkylating agent trenimon or the restriction endonuclease Alu I in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells

Heat treatment of CHO cells in the G1-phase of the cell cycle leads to chromatid-type aberrations in first posttreatment metaphases. Posttreatment of heat-treated cells with the alkylating agent trenimon leads to a synergistic effect on the production of chromatid-type exchanges. These results indicate that heat induces lesions which like the lesions produced by trenimon give rise to chromatid-type aberrations during the first posttreatment S-phase, and that these lesions can interact with each other to produce chromatid-type exchanges. Treatment of CHO cells in the G1-phase of the cell cycle with the restriction endonuclease Alu I induces chromosomal aberrations. Pretreatment of cells with heat leads to a reduction of Alu I induced chromosome-type aberrations. When cells are allowed to recover after heat treatment for 22 h, the aberration frequencies produced by Alu I are the same as in cells not treated with heat. These findings can be explained by assuming that heat-induced accumulation of accessory proteins in the chromatin protects the DNA from being cut by Alu I, and that the cells recovered from the heat-induced protein accumulation after 22 h.

Transplacental genetic and cytogenetic effects of alkylating agents in the mouse. II. Induction of chromosomal aberrations

Six monofunctional alkylating agents, trenimon, cyclophosphamide, and isoniazid were proven for transplacental cytogenetic activity in mouse embryos at day 10 of gestational age under the same conditions as used in the mammalian spot test. With the exception of isoniazid, all compounds led to an increase in the aberration frequencies in embryonal cells. The results were statistically not significant in the case of EMS, while all other chemicals showed a dose-dependent clastogenic activity. After treatment with monofunctional alkylants, chromatid breaks were dominating, while polyfunctional compounds also produced chromatid exchanges, especially in the case of trenimon. ENU and DMS showed a very early aberration maximum 6 hr after injection. For both compounds, very similar dose-response curves were found for induction of chromatid breaks in the dose range 10-75 mg/kg. There is no correlation between the Swain-Scott factors of monofunctional alkylants and their ability to induce chromosomal damage when compared in terms of pharmacological doses. A quantitative comparison of data found in the cytogenetic test in embryonal cells with those obtained in the mammalian spot test led to the conclusion that chromosomal mutations are of minor relevancy for the expression of recessive alleles in heterozygous mouse embryos. With this respect, the mammalian spot test must be considered as an in vivo test for the detection of gene mutations in somatic cells of the mouse.

The action of anticlastogens in human lymphocyte cultures and its modification by rat liver S9 mix. I. Studies with AET and sodium fluoride

The action of beta-aminoethylisothiouronium bromide hydrobromide (AET) and sodium fluoride (NaF) on the clastogenic activity of Trenimon, cyclophosphamide, and bleomycin was tested on cultures of human peripheral lymphocytes with and without the addition of rat liver S9 mix. In addition, the influence of both anticlastogens on the SCE-inducing activity of Trenimon and cyclophosphamide was examined under the same conditions. In the absence of S9 mix both substances displayed the known anticlastogenic action when TR was the standard clastogen but acted coclastogenically in the experiments with BM. Under the influence of rat-liver S9 mix this action on TR-induced chromosome damage was decreased and only a slight anticlastogenic effect was observed in the experiments with activated cyclophosphamide. S9-activated BM lost some of its strong chromosome-damaging effect and AET proved clearly anticlastogenic under these test conditions. AET displayed a slight decreasing effect on SCE induced by TR, but had no effect on CP-induced SCE. No anti-SCE effect at all was found in the experiments with NaF. Detailed analyses revealed different actions of both anticlastogens on the different types of structural chromosome damage.

Liquid-holding experiments with human peripheral lymphocytes. II. Experiments with trenimon and 1-beta-D-arabinosylcytosine

Liquid holding of trenimon-treated human peripheral lymphocytes in the G0 stage of the cell cycle leads to an elevation in the frequencies of chromosome aberrations and a decrease in the frequencies of chromatid aberrations. The frequencies of aberrant metaphases are not influenced significantly under these experimental conditions. Storage of trenimon-treated cells in the presence of 1-beta-D-arabinosylcytosine (araC) leads to an additional increase in the frequencies of chromosome-type aberrations, with an increase in the frequencies of aberrant metaphases as well. These findings are interpreted as DNA double-strand breaks being formed during the repair of damaged DNA, and that araC exaggerates this effect by inhibiting repair. AraC does not influence the frequencies of SCEs significantly, which indicates that either the lesions or the repair pathways leading to chromosome aberrations are different from those leading to SCEs.

Expression of genetic damage induced by alkylating agents in germ cells of female mice

The purpose of the present experiments was to analyse the frequencies of meiotic non-disjunction and structural aberrations by comparative cytogenetic investigations in unfertilized mII oocytes and first-cleavage metaphases after pre-ovulatory treatment of female mice with alkylating agents. We also present data on the expression of both types of aberration during embryogenesis in terms of dominant lethal effects. Trenimon (TR, 1 mg/kg) induced meiotic non-disjunction, but no structural aberrations were detected at metaphase II. On the contrary, at first-cleavage metaphase, TR revealed a strong clastogenic effect. A dose of 0.25 mg TR/kg increased the frequency of cells with structural aberrations to 51.79%. Mainly chromatid and a few isochromatid aberrations were found. These results support the observations previously made (see Brewen and Preston, 1979; Obe and Beek, 1979) that an intervening round of DNA replication is necessary for a TR-induced DNA lesion to be transformed into a structural aberration. The frequency of aberrant eggs in toto analysed at first cleavage (63.39%) can be quantitatively correlated to the rate of embryonic mortality (55.17%) as measured in the dominant lethal assay at the first day after treatment. We also present data on the effects of cyclophosphamide (CYC) on the first meiotic division. CYC (150 mg/kg) enhanced the incidence of meiotic non-disjunction only slightly, but induced a high frequency of dominant lethal effects (58.94%) at the first day after application.

Comparative evaluation of different pairs of DNA repair-deficient and DNA repair-proficient bacterial tester strains for rapid detection of chemical mutagens and carcinogens

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the usefulness of different pairs of DNA repair-deficient and DNA repair-proficient bacterial tester strains in a mutagenicity/carcinogenicity screen, possibly as complements to the Ames test. 70 carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic compounds, representing a variety of chemical structures, were tested for their DNA-damaging effects, using 6 different DNA-repair-deficient bacterial strains. 2 Bacillus subtilis systems, H17/M45 and HLL3g/HJ-15, were used. The susceptibility of Escherichia coli AB1157 was compared with the susceptibility of 4 recombination-deficient mutants, JC5547, JC2921, JC2926 and JC5519. The test compounds were applied onto paper disks (spot test, ST), or incorporated into a top agar layer (agar-incorporation test, AT). The 2 B. subtilis systems were generally found to be more sensitive and reliable than the assays using E coli. The incorporation of the test compounds in the agar increased the sensitivity of the test for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other poorly water-soluble compounds. Hydrazines and several other highly polar chemicals could be tested more efficiently when applied onto paper disks. About 30% of the test compounds did not induce any growth inhibition and so could not be tested properly. In order to evaluate the ability of these DNA-repair tests to complement the Ames Salmonella mutagenicity test in a genetic toxicology screening program, results from this study were compared with published data both on mutagenicity in the Ames test and on carcinogenicity. 8 carcinogens generally found to be non-mutagenic for Salmonella were tested: 2 showed DNA-damaging properties (mitomycin C, 1,2-dimethylhydrazine), 5 failed to do so (actinomycin D, griseofulvin, thioacetamide, diethylstilbestrol, safrole), and one (thiourea) was not toxic, so that no classification was possible. 2 non-carcinogenic bacterial mutagens were examined; one, sodium azide, was equitoxic for repair-proficient and -deficient strains, while the other, nitrofurantoin, primarily inhibited repair-deficient strains. The DNA-repair tests failed to indicate the mutagenic and carcinogenic properties of acridine orange. Nalidixic acid, a non-mutagenic DNA synthesis inhibitor, damaged bacterial DNA. Apart from the differences summarized above, carcinogenicity was indicated correctly by the Salmonella S9 assay and most sets of DNA-repair-deficient and DNA-repair-proficient tester strains evaluated in this study. Thus, several more carcinogens could be detected by performing the Ames test and the bacterial DNA-repair tests in tandem than by using either test alone. Nevertheless, the use of both bacterial in vitro systems in a battery of short-term tests for mutagenicity/carcinogenicity evaluation is not considered to be ideal, since the Ames test and the pairs of DNA-repair-deficient and DNA-repair-proficient tester strains used had several shortcomings in common under the conditions of this study.