Nucleosides and nucleotides. 152. 1-(3-C-Ethynyl-β-D-ribo-pentofuranosyl)uracil as a broad spectrum antitumor nucleoside

Synthesis of Novel Amide and Schiff’s Base Functionalized Novel Pyrido[ 1,2-a] Pyrimidin-4-One Derivatives and Their Anticancer Activity Studies

Abstract:

A series of novel amide and Schiffs base functionalized novel pyrido[1,2-a] pyrimidin- 4-one derivatives was prepared starting from 6-(thiophen-2-yl)/phenyl-4-(trifluoromethyl) pyridin- 2-amine 1a and 1b. These compounds on reacting with EMME afford compounds 2a and 2b, followed by cyclization to afford compounds 3a and 3b. Treatment of compounds 3a and 3b with hydrazine hydrate gave compounds 4a and 4b, which further reacted with different substituted aromatic aldehydes to give Schiff’s base derivatives 5a-j. In another way, compounds 3a, 3b by reacting with aliphatic amines give amide derivatives 6a-f. All the compounds, 5a-j and 6a-f, were screened against four human cancer cell lines (HeLa, COLO205, Hep G2, and MCF 7). Among all the derivatives, compounds 5c, 5e, 6a, and 6b showed promising anticancer activity.

A convenient synthesis of branched-chain nucleoside isothiocyanates via aza-Claisen rearrangement

Stereocontrolled introduction of a nitrogen atom at either C-2' or C-3' positions of nucleosides derived from uridine, 4-N-benzoylcytidine and adenosine was investigated. An efficient and rapid procedure was employed for creating new chiral centers at C-2' and C-3' positions using [3,3]-sigmatropic aza-Claisen rearrangement of allyl thiocyanates under conventional and microwave conditions. Structure of isothiocyanate products was confirmed by 1-D and 2-D NMR spectral analyses including selective ¹H 1-D-NOE experiments.

[Medicinal chemistry targeting nucleosides and nucleic acids based on fine synthetic chemistry]

Nucleosides and nucleotides are one of the most important elements for cells by the fact that they are components of DNAs and RNAs. In addition, they play important roles in most fundamental cellular metabolic pathways such as energy donors, second messengers, and cofactors for various enzymes. Therefore, there exists a rich source in drug discovery targeting nucleosides and nucleotides. In order to utilize nucleosides and nucleic acids on the drug development, it is very important to develop reactions and methods, by which the highly coordinating and labile nucleoside intermediates can be used. With these in mind, we have been working on synthetic nucleoside and nucleic acid chemistry. First, branched sugar nucleoside derivatives, which are potential antitumor agents, have been synthesized utilizing samarium diiodide (SmI(2)) mediated Reformatsky reaction or aldol reaction. 3'-beta-Carbamoylmethylcytidine (CAMC) was found to exhibit potent cytotoxicity against various human tumor cell lines. Synthetic methodology of the caprazamycins, which are promising antibacterial nucleoside natural products, was also developed by the strategy including beta-selective ribosylation without using a neighboring group participation. Our synthetic route provided a range of key analogues with partial structures to define the pharmacophore. Simplification of the caprazamycins was further pursued to develop diketopiperazine analogs. Medicinal chemistry of oligodeoxynucleotides has been conducted. Thus, novel triazole-linked dumbbell oligodeoxynucleotides and modular bent oligodeoxynucleotides were synthesized. They exhibit excellent binding affinity to NF-kappaB or HMGB1 A-box protein, which are important therapeutic targets. Therefore, the results obtained conclusively demonstrated these oligodeoxynucleotides could be proposed as powerful decoy molecules.

Asymmetric synthesis of novel pseudo-D-vinylcyclopropyl nucleosides bearing quaternary carbon as potential anti-herpesvirus agent

Pseudo-D-vinylcyclopropyl nucleosides 10-12 bearing a quaternary carbon were designed and synthesized starting from (R)-epichlorohydrin using a tandem reaction of double alkylation and lactonization via oxirane-ring opening reaction, a Wittig reaction, and chemoselective reduction as potential anti-herpesvirus agent.

Cytostatic evaluations of nucleoside analogs related to unnatural base pairs for a genetic expansion system

The introduction of an unnatural base pair into DNA enables the expansion of genetic information. To apply unnatural base pairs to in vivo systems, we evaluated the cytostatic toxicity of several nucleoside analogs by an MTT assay. Several nucleoside analogs based on two types of unnatural base pairs were tested. One is a hydrogen-bonded base pair between 2-amino-6-(2-thienyl)purine (s) and pyridin-2-one (y), and the other is a hydrophobic base pair between 7-(2-thienyl)imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (Ds) and pyrrole-2-carbaldehyde (Pa). Among the nucleoside analogs, the ribonucleoside of 6-(2-thienyl)purine possessed the highest cytostatic activity against CCRF-CEM and especially HT-1080, as well as the normal fibroblast cell line, WI-38. The other analogs, including its 2'-deoxy, 2-amino, and 1-deazapurine nucleoside derivatives, were less active against CCRF-CEM and HT-1080, and the toxicity of these nucleosides toward WI-38 was low. The nucleosides of y and Pa were inactive against CCRF-CEM, HT-1080, and WI-38. In addition, no cytostatic synergism was observed with the combination of the pairing nucleosides of s and y or Ds and Pa.

Synthesis of 3′-β-carbamoylmethylcytidine (CAMC) and its derivatives as potential antitumor agents

3'-beta-Carbamoylmethylcytidine (CAMC) and its derivatives were synthesized using an intramolecular Reformatsky-type reaction promoted by SmI2 as the key step. In vitro tumor cell growth inhibitory activity was evaluated and CAMC was found to exhibit potent cytotoxicity against various human tumor cell lines. From a structure-activity relationship study it was postulated that the cytotoxic mechanism of action of CAMC did not require phosphorylation at the 5'-hydroxyl group. This study provides a novel strategy for the development of a new type of antitumor nucleoside.

Antitumor activity of sugar-modified cytosine nucleosides

Nucleoside analogues which show antimetabolic activity in cells have been successfully used in the treatment of various tumors. Nucleosides such as 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (araC), 6-mercaptopurine, fludarabine and cladribine play an important role in the treatment of leukemias, while gemcitabine, 5-fluorouracil and its prodrugs are used extensively in the treatment of many types of solid tumors. All of these compounds are metabolized similarly to endogenous nucleosides and nucleotides. Active metabolites interfere with the de novo synthesis of nucleosides and nucleotides or inhibit the DNA chain elongation after being incorporated into the DNA strand as terminators. Furthermore, nucleoside antimetabolites incorporated into the DNA strand induce strand-breaks and finally cause apoptosis. Nucleoside antimetabolites target one or more specific enzyme(s). The mode of inhibitory action on the target enzyme is not always similar even among nucleoside antimetabolites which have the same nucleoside base, such as araC and gemcitabine. Although both nucleosides are phosphorylated by deoxycytidine kinase and are also good substrates of cytidine deaminase, only gemcitabine shows antitumor activity against solid tumors. This suggests that differences in the pharmacological activity of these nucleoside antimetabolites may reflect different modes of action on target molecules. The design, in vitro cytotoxicity, in vivo antitumor activity, metabolism and mechanism of action of sugar-modified cytosine nucleosides, such as (2'S)-2'-deoxy-2'-C-methylcytidine (SMDC), 1-(2-deoxy-2-methylene-beta-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl)cytosine (DMDC), 1-(2-C-cyano-2-deoxy-1-beta-D-arabino-pentofuranosyl)cytosine (CNDAC) and 1-(3-C-ethynyl-beta-D-ribo-pentofura-nosyl)cytosine (ECyd), developed by our groups, are discussed here.

The first radical method for the introduction of an ethynyl group using a silicon tether and its application to the synthesis of 2'-deoxy-2'-C-ethynylnucleosides

A novel radical method for the stereoselective introduction of an ethynyl group has been developed. When a solution of ethynyldimethylsilyl (EDMS) or [2-(trimethylsilyl)ethynyl]dimethylsilyl (TEDMS) ethers of trans-2-iodoindanol was treated with Et(3)B followed by tetrabutylammonium fluoride in toluene, atom transfer 5-exo-cyclization and subsequent elimination occurred to give cis-2-ethynylindanol in high yield. The method was shown to be useful in the introduction of an ethynyl group in various five- and six-membered-ring iodohydrins. Furthermore, 2'-deoxy-2'-C-ethynyluridine (6) and -cytidine (7), which were designed as novel antimetabolites, were readily synthesized by using this method as the key step. This would be the first example in which a radical reaction was used for introducing an ethynyl group.

Sensitivity of human cancer cells to the new anticancer ribo-nucleoside TAS-106 is correlated with expression of uridine-cytidine kinase 2

TAS-106 [1-(3-C-ethynyl-beta-D-ribo-pentofuranosyl)cytosine] is a new anticancer ribo-nucleoside with promising antitumor activity. We have previously presented evidence suggesting that the TAS-106 sensitivity of cells is correlated with intracellular accumulation of the triphosphate of TAS-106, which may be affected both by cellular membrane transport mechanisms and uridine-cytidine kinase (UCK) activity. Since the presence of a UCK family consisting of two members, UCK1 and UCK2, has recently been reported in human cells, we investigated the relation between expression of UCK1 and UCK2 at both the mRNA and protein levels and UCK activity (TAS-106 phosphorylation activity) in a panel of 10 human cancer cell lines. Measurement of UCK activity in these cell lines revealed that it was well correlated with the cells' sensitivity to TAS-106. In addition, the mRNA or protein expression level of UCK2 was closely correlated with UCK activity in these cell lines, but neither the level of expression of UCK1 mRNA nor that of protein was correlated with enzyme activity. We therefore compared the protein expression level of UCK2 in several human tumor tissues and the corresponding normal tissues. Expression of UCK2 protein was barely detectable in 4 of the 5 human tumor tissues, but tended to be high in the pancreatic tumor tissue. It could not be detected at all in any of the normal tissues. Thus, expression of UCK2 appeared to be correlated with cellular sensitivity to TAS-106, and it may contribute to the tumor-selective cytotoxicity of TAS-106.

Cellular and biochemical mechanisms of the resistance of human cancer cells to a new anticancer ribo-nucleoside, TAS-106

We have established variants of DLD-1 human colon carcinoma and HT-1080 human fibrosarcoma cells resistant to the new anticancer ribo-nucleosides, 1-(3-C-ethynyl-beta-D-ribo-pentofuranosyl)-cytosine (ECyd, TAS-106) and 1-(3-C-ethynyl-beta-D-ribo-pentofuranosyl)uracil (EUrd). Both variants were shown to have decreased (3- to 24-fold decrease) uridine-cytidine kinase (UCK) activity, and exhibited cross-resistance to EUrd and TAS-106. Based on the IC(50) values determined by chemosensitivity testing, a 41- to 1102-fold resistance to TAS-106 was observed in the resistant cells. TAS-106 concentration-dependently inhibited RNA synthesis, while its effect on DNA synthesis was negligible. The degree of resistance (14- to 3628-fold resistance) calculated from the inhibition of RNA synthesis tended to be close to the degree of chemoresistance of tested cells to TAS-106. The experiments on the intracellular metabolism of TAS-106 in the parental cells revealed a rapid phosphorylation to its nucleotides, particularly the triphosphate (ECTP), its major active metabolite. The amount of TAS-106 transported into the resistant cells was markedly reduced and the intracellular level of ECTP was decreased from 1/19 to below the limit of detection; however, the unmetabolized TAS-106 as a percentage of the total metabolite level was high as compared with the parental cells. The ratio of the intracellular level of ECTP between parental and resistant cells tended to approximate to the degree of resistance calculated from the inhibitory effect on RNA synthesis. These results indicate that the TAS-106 sensitivity of cells is correlated with the intracellular accumulation of ECTP, which may be affected by both the cellular membrane transport mechanism and UCK activity.

Preparation of 1-(3-C-(propa-1,2-dienyl)-D-ribo-pentofuranosyl)uracil, an allenic nucleoside

The Crabbé reaction was extended to the preparation of C-3'-allenyl-uridine. The effects of solvent and protecting group on the reaction were studied. The conversion in refluxing dioxan of disilyl either 3 proceeds to the corresponding allenic nucleoside 7; whereas, in refluxing THF the Mannich base 5 was obtained. Fully deprotected Mannich base and allenic uridines 6 and 9 were tested for their antitumor activity.

An efficient method for the preparation of 1'alpha-branched-chain sugar pyrimidine ribonucleosides from uridine: the first conversion of a natural nucleoside into 1'-substituted ribonucleosides

The 1'alpha-phenylselenouridine derivative 13 was successfully synthesized by enolization of the 3',5'-O-TIPDS-2'-ketouridine 8, and was subjected to a radical reaction with a vinylsilyl tether--an efficient procedure for preparing 1'alpha-branched-chain sugar pyrimidine nucleosides. Successive treatment of 8 with LiHMDS and PhSeCl in THF at < -70 degrees C gave the desired 1'-phenylseleno products in 85% yield as an anomeric mixture of the 1'alpha-product 11 and the 1'beta-product 12 (11/12= 2.5:1). Highly stereoselective reduction at the 2'-carbonyl of the 1'alpha-product 11 occurred from the beta-face by using NaBH4/CeCl3 in MeOH, and subsequent introduction of a dimethylvinylsilyl tether at the 2'-hydroxyl gave the radical reaction substrate 14. The photochemical radical atom-transfer reaction of 14 by using a high-pressure mercury lamp proceeded effectively in benzene to give the exo-cyclized PhSe-transferred product 18, in which (PhSe)2 proved to be essential as an additive for radical atom-transfer cyclization reactions. Subsequent phenylseleno-group elimination of 18 gave the sugar-protected 1'alpha-vinyluridine. With this procedure, 1'alpha-vinyluridine (22) and -cytidine (25), designed to be potential antitumor agents, were successfully synthesized. This study is the first example of functionalization at the anomeric 1'-position of a nucleoside by starting from a natural nucleoside to produce a ribo-type 1'-modified nucleoside.

1-(3-C-ethynyl-beta-D-ribo-pentofuranosyl)cytosine (ECyd, TAS-106)1: antitumor effect and mechanism of action

The antitumor activity, cellular metabolism and mechanism of action of the antitumor nucleoside analog, 1-(3-C-ethynyl-beta-D-ribo-pentofuranosyl)cytosine (ECyd) are described.

Synthesis of pyrimidine 2'-deoxy ribonucleosides branched at the 2'-position via radical atom-transfer cyclization reaction with a vinylsilyl group as a radical-acceptor tether

Recently, we developed a regio- and stereoselective method for introducing a vinyl group at the position beta to a hydroxyl group in halohydrins or alpha-phenylselenoalkanols via a radical atom-transfer cyclization reaction with a vinylsilyl group as a temporary connecting radical-acceptor tether. The synthesis of 2'-deoxy-2'-C-vinyl- and 2'-deoxy-2'-C-hydroxymethyluridines (7 and 8, respectively) and the corresponding 2'-deoxycytidine congeners (10 and 11, respectively), which were designed as potential antitumor and/or antiviral agents, was achieved using this radical atom-transfer cyclization as the key step. When the 2'-deoxy-2'-iodo-5'-O-monomethoxytrityl (MMTr) uridine derivative 19a, bearing a vinylsilyl group at the 3'-hydroxyl group, was heated with (Me(3)Sn)(2) and AIBN in benzene, the corresponding radical atom-transfer product was generated, which in turn was successively treated with tetrabutylammonium fluoride and TBSCl/imidazole to give the desired 2'-deoxy-5'-O-MMTr-3'-O-TBS-2'-C-vinyluridine (25). Compound 25 was successfully converted into the target 2'-deoxy-2'-branched pyrimidine ribonucleosides 7, 8, 10, and 11.

A new antitumor nucleoside, 1-(3-C-ethynyl-beta-D-ribo-pentofuranosyl)cytosine (ECyd), is a potent inhibitor of RNA synthesis

The antitumor activity, metabolism, and mechanism of action of a newly developed antitumor nucleoside, 1-(3-C-Ethynyl-beta-D-ribo-pentofuranosyl)cytosine (ECyd) are described.

Nucleosides and nucleotides. 180. Synthesis and antitumor activity of nucleosides that have a hydroxylamino group instead of a hydroxyl group at the 2'- or 3'-position of the sugar moiety

The design and synthesis of potential antitumor antimetabolites 2'-deoxy-2'-(hydroxylamino)uridine (15), -cytidine (19, 2'-DHAC), and -adenosine (35), their regioisomers, 3'-deoxy-3'-(hydroxylamino)uridine (40) and -cytidine (45, 3'-DHAC), and their 2'-deoxy analogues, 2', 3'-dideoxy-3'-(hydroxylamino)uridine (49) and -cytidine (52, 3'-dDHAC), are described. We measured the pKa values of the hydroxylamino group in 15 and 40 using 13C NMR spectroscopy as a function of pH to be 2.9 and 3.4, respectively. We also found that these nucleosides gradually decomposed in neutral solution but not in acidic solution. This decomposition may be related to the generation of aminoxy radicals at the sugar moiety. The in vitro cytotoxicity of these nucleosides was evaluated using L1210 and KB cells. 2'-DHAC (19) inhibited the growth of L1210 and KB cells, with IC50 values of 1.58 and 1.99 microM, respectively. 3'-DHAC (45) and 3'-dDHAC (52) were also cytotoxic against L1210 cells, with IC50 values of 4.03 and 1.84 microM, respectively, but not against KB cells. The cytotoxicity of 2'-DHAC (19) and 3'-DHAC (45) against L1210 cells in vitro was reversed by the addition of cytidine, while that of 3'-dDHAC (52) was reversed by 2'-deoxycytidine. 2'-DHAC (19) and 3'-dDHAC (52) mainly inhibited DNA synthesis in L1210 cells, while 3'-DHAC (45) inhibited RNA synthesis. We also evaluated the antitumor activities of 2'-DHAC (19) and 3'-DHAC (45) against murine Meth-A fibrosarcoma cells in vivo. 2'-DHAC (19) was more active than 3'-DHAC (45) when administered intravenously on days 1-10 consecutively at 10 mg/kg/day. 2'-DHAC (19) inhibited tumor growth at a rate of 66.9%.

The characterization of cell death induced by 1-(3-C-ethynyl-beta-D-ribo-pentofuranosyl) cytosine (ECyd) in FM3A cells

The characterization of cell death induced by 1-(3-C-ethynyl-beta-D- ribopentofuranosyl) cytosine (ECyd), a potent inhibitor of RNA synthesis, was performed using mouse mammary tumor FM3A cells in vitro. Accompanied with the cell death induced by ECyd (3.0 muM) -treatment, about 100-200 kbp-sized and internucleosomal DNA fragmentation were observed by orthogonal-field-alternation gel electrophoresis (OFAGE) and conventional gel electrophoresis, respectively. Protease inhibitors, carbobenzoxy-L-aspart-1-yl[(2,6-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]methane (Z-Asp-CH2-DCB), N alpha-p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK) and N-p-tosyl-L-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone (TPCK), effectively blocked the cell death, suggesting that the proteases inhibited by Z-Asp-CH2-DCB, TLCK or TPCK were involved in the process of cell death.

Nucleosides and nucleotides. 176. 2'-Deoxy-2'-hydroxylaminocytidine: a new antitumor nucleoside that inhibits DNA synthesis although it has a ribonucleoside structure

The design and synthesis of potential antitumor antimetabolites 2'-deoxy-2'-hydroxylaminouridine (2'-DHAU) and -cytidine (2'-DHAC) are described. We found that 2'-DHAC in neutral solution generated 2'-aminoxy radicals at room temperature. 2'-DHAC inhibited the growth of L1210 and KB cells, with IC50 values of 1.58 and 1.99 microM, respectively, more potently than 2'-DHAU, with IC50 values of 34.5 and 27.3 microM, respectively. 2'-DHAC was effective against 9 human cell lines, with IC50 values of in the micromolar range. The in vivo antitumor activity of 2'-DHAC was also examined using the mouse leukemia P388 model, which gave a T/C value 167%. Phosphorylation of 2'-DHAC by uridine/cytidine kinase was essential for its cytotoxicity, as suggested by a competition experiment using several common nucleosides. Inhibition of DNA synthesis was the predominant mechanism of action of 2'-DHAC, although it has a ribo-configuration.

Nucleosides and nucleotides. 175. Structural requirements of the sugar moiety for the antitumor activities of new nucleoside antimetabolites, 1-(3-C-ethynyl-beta-D-ribo-pentofuranosyl)cytosine and -uracil1

We previously designed 1-(3-C-ethynyl-beta-d-ribo-pentofuranosyl)uracil (EUrd) and its cytosine congener (ECyd) as potential multifunctional antitumor nucleoside antimetabolites. They showed potent and broad-spectrum antitumor activity against various human and mouse tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. To clarify the structure-activity relationship of the sugar moiety, various 3'-C-carbon-substituted analogues, such as 1-propynyl, 1-butynyl, ethenyl, ethyl, and cyclopropyl derivatives, of ECyd and EUrd were synthesized. We also prepared 3'-deoxy analogues and 3'-homologues of ECyd and EUrd with different configurations to determine the role of the 3'-hydroxyl group and the length between the 3'-carbon atom and the ethynyl group and a 2'-ethynyl derivative of ECyd to determine the spatial requirements of the ethynyl group. The in vitro tumor cell growth inhibitory activities of these nucleosides against mouse leukemic L1210 and human KB cells showed that ECyd and EUrd were the most potent inhibitors in the series, with IC50 values of 0.016 and 0.13 microM for L1210 cells and 0.028 and 0.029 microM for KB cells, respectively. Only 3'-C-1-propynyl and -ethenyl derivatives of ECyd showed greatly reduced cytotoxicity. We found that the cytotoxic activity of these nucleosides predominantly depended on their first phosphorylation by uridine/cytidine kinase.

Stereo- and Regioselective Introduction of 1- or 2-Hydroxyethyl Group via Intramolecular Radical Cyclization Reaction with a Novel Silicon-Containing Tether. An Efficient Synthesis of 4'alpha-Branched 2'-Deoxyadenosines(1)

An efficient method for the synthesis of 4'alpha-branched 2'-deoxyadenosines starting from 2'-deoxyadenosine has been developed utilizing a novel radical cyclization reaction with a silicon tether. The radical reaction of 4'beta-(phenylseleno)-3'-O-diphenylvinylsilyl adeninenucleoside derivative 17 with Bu(3)SnH and AIBN, followed by Tamao oxidation, gave selectively either the 4'alpha-(2-hydroxyethyl) derivative 21 or 4'alpha-(1-hydroxyethyl) derivative 19, depending on the reaction conditions. With a lower Bu(3)SnH concentration, the reaction gave the 4'alpha-(2-hydroxyethyl) derivative 21, via a 6-endo-radical cyclized product 20, as the sole product in 72% yield. The reaction of 17 in the presence of excess Bu(3)SnH gave 19 quantitatively, via a 5-exo-cyclized product 18, as a diastereomeric mixture. The reaction mechanism was examined using Bu(3)SnD. The results demonstrated that the 5-exo cyclized (3-oxa-2-silacyclopentyl)methyl radical (C) was formed initially which was trapped when the concentration of Bu(3)SnH(D) was high enough. With lower concentrations of Bu(3)SnH(D), radical C rearranged into the ring-enlarged 4-oxa-3-silacyclohexyl radical (D) which was then trapped with Bu(3)SnH(D) to give endo-cyclized product F.

Anti-tumor mechanisms of 3'-ethynyluridine and 3'-ethynylcytidine as RNA synthesis inhibitors: development and characterization of 3'-ethynyluridine-resistant cells

To discover the mechanisms of anti-tumor action of 3'-ethynyluridine (EUrd) and 3'-ethynylcytidine (ECyd), we established an EUrd-resistant variant from human fibrosarcoma HT-1080 cells. The cells were cross-resistant to ECyd. Uridine/cytidine kinase activity diminished in the resistant cells. The incorporation of EUrd and ECyd into the RNA fraction in the resistant cells was less than that of the parental cells. EUrd-triphosphate inhibited RNA synthesis by human RNA polymerase II. The results led us to conclude that EUrd and ECyd are phosphorylated by uridine/cytidine kinase to 5'-triphosphates, and that their triphosphates might inhibit RNA polymerase.

Nucleosides and nucleotides. 158. 1-(3-C-ethynyl-beta-D-ribo-pentofuranosyl)-cytosine, 1-(3-C-ethynyl-beta-D-ribo-pentofuranosyl)uracil, and their nucleobase analogues as new potential multifunctional antitumor nucleosides with a broad spectrum of activity

We previously designed 1-(3-C-ethynyl-beta-D-ribo-pentofuranosyl)uracil (EUrd) as a potential multifunctional antitumor nucleoside antimetabolite. It showed a potent and broad spectrum of antitumor activity against various human tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. To determine the structure-activity relationship, various nucleobase analogues of EUrd, such as 5-fluorouracil, thymine, cytosine, 5-fluorocytosine, adenine, and guanine derivatives, were synthesized by condensation of 1-O-acetyl-2,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-3-C-ethynyl-alpha,beta-D-ribo-pentofur anose (6) and the corresponding pertrimethylsilylated nucleobases in the presence of SnCl4 or TMSOTf as a Lewis acid in CH3CN followed by debenzoylation. The in vitro tumor cell growth inhibitory activity of these 3'-C-ethynyl nucleosides against mouse leukemia L1210 and human nasopharyngeal KB cells showed that 1-(3-C-ethynyl-beta-D-ribo-pentofuranosyl)cytosine (ECyd) and EUrd were the most potent inhibitors in the series, with IC50 values for L1210 cells of 0.016 and 0.13 microM and for KB cells of 0.028 and 0.029 microM, respectively. 5-Fluorocytosine, 5-fluorouracil, and adenine nucleosides showed much lower activity, with IC50 values of 0.4-2.5 microM, while thymine and guanine nucleosides did not exhibit any activity up to 300 microM. We next evaluated the tumor cell growth inhibitory activity of ECyd and EUrd against 36 human tumor cell lines in vitro and found that they were highly effective against these cell lines with IC50 values in the nanomolar to micromolar range. These nucleosides have a similar inhibitory spectrum. The in vivo antitumor activities of ECyd and EUrd were compared to that of 5-fluorouracil against 11 human tumor xenografts including three stomach, three colon, two pancreas, one renal, one breast, and one bile duct cancers. ECyd and EUrd showed a potent tumor inhibition ratio (73-92% inhibition relative to the control) in 9 of 11 and 8 of 11 human tumors, respectively, when administered intravenously for 10 consecutive days at doses of 0.25 and 2.0 mg/kg, respectively, while 5-fluorouracil showed potent inhibitory activity against only one tumor. Such excellent antitumor activity suggests that ECyd and EUrd are worth evaluating further for use in the treatment of human cancers.