Preparation and in vivo biological investigations on a novel radioligand for bone scanning: technetium-99m-labeled zoledronic acid derivative

Inhibition of zoledronic acid derivatives with extended methylene linkers on osteoclastogenesis involve downregulation of JNK and Akt pathways

Bisphosphonates (BPs), especially zoledronic acid (ZOL), are clinically used to treat osteolytic bone lesions. However, serious side-effects may be also induced during the therapeutic process. To improve the BPs drugs, here, we investigated the effects of a series of ZOL derivatives with increasing number of methylene linker between the imidazole ring and the P-C-P backbone named IPrDP, IBDP, IPeDP, and IHDP on cell viability and receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclast differentiation, function and apoptosis induction in mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs). Our results suggested that IPeDP and IHDP, which contains 4 and 5 methylene linkers, respectively, exerted lower toxicity on BMMs compared with ZOL, IPrDP, and IBDP, which contains 1, 2, and 3 methylene linkers respectively. At concentrations below cytotoxicity threshold, IPeDP and IHDP possessed strong abilities of antiosteoclast formation, antibone absorption, and inducing osteoclast apoptosis, which were similar to ZOL and more powerful than IPrDP and IBDP. The mechanism behind these effects of IPeDP and IHDP might involve the interference of small GTPases prenylation through suppression of mevalonate pathway. The downregulation of JNK and Akt phosphorylation and subsequent inhibition of the expression of c-Fos and NFATc1 might also be involved. Our results supported the potential usage of IPeDP and IHDP to treat bone-related disorders involving increased osteoclastogenesis. Our attempt to extend the methylene linker between the imidazole ring and the P-C-P backbone of ZOL also reveals some regularities between the structure and properties of the BPs drugs.

Synthesis and evaluation of a novel 99m Tc nitrido radiopharmaceutical with alendronate dithiocarbamate as a potential bone-imaging agent

Currently, a popular strategy for designing novel radioprobes as bone-imaging agents is based on the concept of bifunctional radiopharmaceuticals. Considering the dithiocarbamate ligand can act as a suitable bifunctional linking agent to attach technetium-99m (^99m Tc) to corresponding target molecules, in this study, alendronate dithiocarbamate (ALNDTC) was synthesized and radiolabeled with [^99m Tc≡N]²⁺ core by ligand exchange reaction to produce ^99m TcN-ALNDTC complex, for the potential use as a novel probe for bone imaging. The radiochemical purity of the complex was over 90%. The complex was stable in vitro and could bind to hydroxyapatite. The partition coefficient result indicated it was hydrophilic, and an evaluation of biodistribution in mice indicated that the complex exhibited a higher bone uptake than did ^99m Tc-labeled methylenediphosphonate (^99m Tc-MDP). Further, single photon emission computed tomography imaging study indicated clear accumulation in bone, suggesting that ^99m TcN-ALNDTC would be a promising candidate for bone imaging.

Synthesis, preclinical, and pharmacokinetic evaluation of a new zoledronate derivative as a promising antiosteoporotic candidate using radiolabeling technique

A novel zoledronic acid (ZL) derivative, 3-(2-ethyl-4-methyi-1H-imidazole-1-yl)-1-hydroxy-1-phosphonopropyl phosphonic acid (EMIHPBP), was synthesized, characterized, and successfully radiolabeled with ^99m Tc. The in vivo biodistribution of ^99m Tc-EMIHPBP was investigated and compared with the previously reported zoledronate derivatives aiming to formulate a novel zoledronate derivative with a high-potential uptake to bone as a promising antiosteoporotic candidate. To further evaluate the bone uptake efficiency, the pharmacokinetics of ^99m Tc-EMIHPBP was investigated and showed that maximum concentration in bone (C_max ) was 31.60 ± 0.15%ID/gram after 60 minutes (t_max ). Cumulative residence of ^99m Tc-EMIHPBP in the bone [AUC _(0-∞) (%ID∙min/gram bone)] was 3685.23, mean residence time was 384.354 minutes, and the calculated bone bioavailability was 15.831%. Finally, the time needed for half of the ^99m Tc-EMIHPBP formulation to be eliminated from bone (t_1/2 ) was 263.914 minutes. Excellent bone uptake can be obtained 1-hour postinjection with high bone/blood ratio of 23.76 detected with gamma counter. The biodistribution and kinetic studies could recommend EMIHPBP as a promising antiosteoporotic candidate with high selectivity to the skeletal system and rapid clearance from soft tissues.

M4IDP, a zoledronic acid derivative, induces G1 arrest, apoptosis and autophagy in HCT116 colon carcinoma cells via blocking PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway

AIMS

The aim of this work was to examine the antitumor effects and mechanisms of M₄IDP, a zoledronic acid derivative, on human colorectal cancer (CRC) HCT116 cells.

MAIN METHODS

The effects of M₄IDP on proliferation, cell cycle and ROS production were determined by CCK-8 and flow cytometry assays. Annexin-V-FITC/PI, Hoechst 33258, MDC staining assays and Ad-mCherry-GFP-LC3B fluorescence assay were performed to investigate apoptosis and autophagy. The effects of M₄IDP on the induction of ER stress as well as the expression of cell cycle, apoptosis and autophagy-related proteins were analyzed by western blot assay.

KEY FINDINGS

M₄IDP exhibited strong and sustained inhibitory effect on the growth of HCT116 cells. G1 arrest caused by M₄IDP might be attributed to the enhancement of p27 and reduction of cyclin D1 expression. Proper-time treatment of M₄IDP activated autophagy and promoted autophagic flux, while long-time treatment might inhibit the autophagic degradation and undermine the autophagy. M₄IDP-induced apoptosis and autophagy were related to the ROS production and subsequent ER stress. M₄IDP treatment increased the expression of PTEN, inhibited the phosphorylation of PDK1, Akt, mTOR, p70S6K, and increased the phosphorylation of GSK-3β and Bad, suggesting that the inhibition of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway might be involved in the antitumor activities of M₄IDP.

SIGNIFICANCE

Our study indicates the antitumor properties of M₄IDP and its potential clinical use in CRC therapy by blocking PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. This study also provides a better understanding of the antitumor effects and the underlying mechanisms of bisphosphonates in the field of CRC therapy.

Synthesis, crystal structure and antitumor effect of a novel copper(II) complex bearing zoledronic acid derivative

A great majority of Cu(II) complexes currently studied in the anticancer research field exert their antiproliferative activities through ligand exchange. In this work, we present the synthesis and structural characterization of two novel Cu(II) complexes, {[Cu3(ZL)2(H2O)6]·6H2O}n (1) (ZL = 1-hydroxy-2-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)ethane-1,1-diyldiphosphonic acid) and [Cu(IPrDP)2]·3H2O (2) (IPrDP = 1-hydroxy-3-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)propane-1,1-diyldiphosphonic acid). Due to the insolubility of polymer 1 in common solvents, only the biological activities of complex 2 were investigated. The antitumor activity of complex 2 was evaluated against a panel of human cancer cell lines, including U2OS, A549, HCT116, MDA-MB-231 and HepG2. Complex 2 exhibited comparable cytotoxic effect to cisplatin (CDDP) against the human colon carcinoma cells HCT116, and superior selectivity for inhibiting human hepatocarcinoma cells rather than normal liver cells. The cell cycle distribution analysis indicates that complex 2 inhibits human carcinoma cells by inducing the cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase, showing a similar mechanism of action to that of CDDP. The binding interaction of complex 2 with calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) has been explored by UV-vis absorption and circular dichroism (CD), demonstrating complex 2 has a moderate binding affinity for DNA through intercalation.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of bisphosphonate compound labeled with (99m)Tc(CO)3(+)

In this study, radiolabeling of a bisphosphonate, alendronate (Alendronate sodium), was performed with the help of a bifunctional chelating agent. For that purpose, DTPA-NHS (Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid dianhydride-N-hydroxysuccinimide) was synthesized with an esterification between DTPA and NHS. Combining the DTPA-NHS ester with alendronate yields the DTPA-Alendronate compound. The structure of synthesized compound was analyzed by (1) H/(13) C/(31) P-NMR and HPLC. After then, the labeling with [(99m) Tc(CO)3 ](+) core of synthesized compound was provided. Performing quality controls of newly synthesized [(99m) Tc(CO)3 -DTPA-Alendronate] complex with thin layer radiochromatography (TLRC) and high-performance liquid radiochromatography (HPLRC), the labeling yield was found as 99%. It was observed that the compound conserves its stability for 24 h in serum media. Biodistribution of the radiolabeled complex was performed on Wistar Albino rats to determine radiopharmaceutical potential of the [(99m) Tc(CO)3 -DTPA-Alendronate] complex. It is thought that the data gained from this study will contribute to the development of complexes with bisphosphonate.

siRNA transfection with calcium phosphate nanoparticles stabilized with PEGylated chelators

Despite the enormous therapeutic potential of siRNAs, their delivery is still problematic due to unfavorable biodistribution profiles and poor intracellular bioavailability. Calcium phosphate co-precipitate has been used for nearly 40 years for in vitro transfection due to its non-toxic nature and simplicity of preparation. However, rapid particle growth has largely prevented the translation of this method for in vivo purposes. It has recently been shown that bisphosphonate derivatives can physically stabilize calcium phosphate nanoparticles while still allowing for efficient cell transfection with plasmid DNA. Herein, two novel PEGylated chelating agents (PEG-alendronate and PEG-inositolpentakisphosphate) with enhanced stabilizing properties are introduced, and it is demonstrated that the bisphosphonate-stabilized nanoparticles can efficiently deliver siRNA in vitro. The nanoparticles are mainly taken up by clathrin-dependent endocytosis, and acidification of the endosomal compartment is required to release the entrapped siRNA into the cytosol. Furthermore, particle uptake enhances the inhibition of the mevalonate pathway by the bisphosphonate in macrophages.

A novel 99mTc-labeled dimethyl-substituted zoledronic acid (DMIDP) with improved bone imaging efficiency

A novel zoledronic acid (ZL) derivative, 1-hydroxy-2-(2,4-dimethyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)-ethane-1,1-diyldiphosphonic acid (DMIDP, dimezoledronate), was successfully prepared and labeled with 99mTc in a high labeling yield. The biodistribution in mice shows that 99mTc-DMIDP has significant advantage regarding bone resorption and clearance from soft tissues compared with 99mTc-ZL and the clinically widely-used bone-imaging agent 99mTc-MDP (methylenediphosphonic acid). Kinetics of blood clearance displayed that distribution half-life (T 1/2α ) and elimination half-life (T 1/2β ) of 99mTc-DMIDP were 2.53 min and 23.53 min, while those of 99mTc-ZL were 2.28 and 52.63 min, respectively. Excellent images of the rabbit skeleton can be quickly obtained from 99mTc-DMIDP, which was faster than 99mTc-ZL and 99mTc-MDP. The present findings indicate that 99mTc-DMIDP possesses excellent potential for application as a novel bone scanning agent.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel (99m)Tc-labelled bisphosphonates as superior bone imaging agents

A series of novel zoledronic acid (ZL) derivatives 1-hydroxy-3-(2-methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propane-1,1-diyldiphosphonic acid (MIPrDP), 1-hydroxy-4-(2-methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)butane-1,1-diyldiphosphonic acid (MIBDP), and 1-hydroxy-5-(2-methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)pentane-1,1-diyldiphosphonic acid (MIPeDP) were prepared and successfully labeled with ^99mTc in high labeling yields. The in vitro stability and in vivo biodistribution of ^99mTc-MIPrDP, ^99mTc-MIBDP and ^99mTc-MIPeDP were investigated and compared. The biodistribution studies indicate that the radiotracer ^99mTc-MIPrDP has highly selective uptake in the skeletal system and rapid clearance from soft tissues. The present findings indicate that ^99mTc-MIPrDP holds great potential for use in bone imaging.