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Stevens MFG, Wheelhouse RT. Antitumour imidazotetrazines: past, present… and future? RSC Chem Biol 2023; 4:736-741. [PMID: 37799580 PMCID: PMC10549241 DOI: 10.1039/d3cb00076a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
It is 40 years since the publication of the patent that announced the imidazotetrazines temozolomide and mitozolomide to the world and 30 since the discovery that they function as prodrugs of alkyldiazonium reactive intermediates. Temozolomide combined with radiation is established as the first-line treatment for glioma but despite the attentions of the inventors and others, further examples of this intriguing ring system have yet to enter the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malcolm F G Stevens
- Biodiscovery Institute, School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham NG7 2RD UK
| | - Richard T Wheelhouse
- Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of Bradford BD7 1DP UK
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2
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Mavudila R, Muya JT, Hoeil C, Kasende OE. Computational study of the ring opening mechanism of substituted temolozolomide, TMZ-R (R = Cl, OH, CF3) in water solvent. Chem Phys Lett 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cplett.2019.136651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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3
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Yang Z, Wei D, Dai X, Stevens MFG, Bradshaw TD, Luo Y, Zhang J. C8-Substituted Imidazotetrazine Analogs Overcome Temozolomide Resistance by Inducing DNA Adducts and DNA Damage. Front Oncol 2019; 9:485. [PMID: 31263673 PMCID: PMC6584802 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.00485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Temozolomide (TMZ) is the standard of care chemotherapeutic agent used in the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme. Cytotoxic O6-methylguaine lesions formed by TMZ are repaired by O6-methyl-guanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT), a DNA repair protein that removes alkyl groups located at the O6-position of guanine. Response to TMZ requires low MGMT expression and functional mismatch repair. Resistance to TMZ conferred by MGMT, and tolerance to O6-methylguanine lesions conferred by deficient MMR severely limit TMZ clinical applications. Therefore, development of new TMZ derivatives that can overcome TMZ-resistance is urgent. In this study, we investigated the anti-tumor mechanism of action of two novel TMZ analogs: C8-imidazolyl (377) and C8-methylimidazole (465) tetrazines. We found that analogs 377 and 465 display good anticancer activity against MGMT-overexpressing glioma T98G and MMR deficient colorectal carcinoma HCT116 cell lines with IC50 value of 62.50, 44.23, 33.09, and 25.37 μM, respectively. Analogs induce cell cycle arrest at G2/M, DNA double strand break damage and apoptosis irrespective of MGMT and MMR status. It was established that analog 377, similar to TMZ, is able to ring-open and hydrolyze under physiological conditions, and its intermediate product is more stable than MTIC. Moreover, DNA adducts of 377 with calf thymus DNA were identified: N7-methylguanine, O6-methylguanine, N3-methyladenine, N3-methylthymine, and N3-methylcytidine deoxynucleotides. We conclude that C8 analogs of TMZ share a mechanism of action similar to TMZ and are able to methylate DNA generating O6-methylguanine adducts, but unlike TMZ are able at least in part to thwart MGMT- and MMR-mediated resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhikuan Yang
- Medical School, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Danping Wei
- Medical School, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Xiaoli Dai
- Medical School, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Malcolm F G Stevens
- Centre for Biomolecular Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Tracey D Bradshaw
- Centre for Biomolecular Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Ying Luo
- Medical School, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Jihong Zhang
- Medical School, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
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Liu JK, Patel J, Eloy JA. The role of temozolomide in the treatment of aggressive pituitary tumors. J Clin Neurosci 2015; 22:923-9. [PMID: 25772801 DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2014.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2014] [Accepted: 12/24/2014] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Pituitary tumors are amongst the most common intracranial neoplasms and are generally benign. However, some pituitary tumors exhibit clinically aggressive behavior that is characterized by tumor recurrence and continued progression despite repeated treatments with conventional surgical, radiation and medical therapies. More recently, temozolomide, a second generation oral alkylating agent, has shown therapeutic promise for aggressive pituitary adenomas and carcinomas with favorable clinical and radiographic responses. Temozolomide causes DNA damage by methylation of the O(6) position of guanine, which results in potent cytotoxic DNA adducts and consequently, tumor cell apoptosis. The degree of MGMT expression appears to be inversely related to therapeutic responsiveness to temozolomide with a significant number of temozolomide-sensitive pituitary tumors exhibiting low MGMT expression. The presence of high MGMT expression appears to mitigate the effectiveness of temozolomide and this has been used as a marker in several studies to predict the efficacy of temozolomide. Recent evidence also suggests that mutations in mismatch repair proteins such as MSH6 could render pituitary tumors resistant to temozolomide. In this article, the authors review the development of temozolomide, its biochemistry and interaction with O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT), its role in adjuvant treatment of aggressive pituitary neoplasms, and future works that could influence the efficacy of temozolomide therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- James K Liu
- Center for Skull Base and Pituitary Surgery, Neurological Institute of New Jersey, Department of Neurological Surgery, Rutgers University, New Jersey Medical School, Suite 8100, 90 Bergen Street, Newark, NJ 07103, USA; Department of Neurological Surgery, Rutgers University, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Rutgers University, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA.
| | - Jimmy Patel
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Rutgers University, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Jean Anderson Eloy
- Center for Skull Base and Pituitary Surgery, Neurological Institute of New Jersey, Department of Neurological Surgery, Rutgers University, New Jersey Medical School, Suite 8100, 90 Bergen Street, Newark, NJ 07103, USA; Department of Neurological Surgery, Rutgers University, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Rutgers University, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA
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5
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Ramirez YP, Mladek AC, Phillips RM, Gynther M, Rautio J, Ross AH, Wheelhouse RT, Sakaria JN. Evaluation of novel imidazotetrazine analogues designed to overcome temozolomide resistance and glioblastoma regrowth. Mol Cancer Ther 2014; 14:111-9. [PMID: 25351918 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-14-0113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The cellular responses to two new temozolomide (TMZ) analogues, DP68 and DP86, acting against glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cell lines and primary culture models are reported. Dose-response analysis of cultured GBM cells revealed that DP68 is more potent than DP86 and TMZ and that DP68 was effective even in cell lines resistant to TMZ. On the basis of a serial neurosphere assay, DP68 inhibits repopulation of these cultures at low concentrations. The efficacy of these compounds was independent of MGMT and MMR functions. DP68-induced interstrand DNA cross-links were demonstrated with H2O2-treated cells. Furthermore, DP68 induced a distinct cell-cycle arrest with accumulation of cells in S phase that is not observed for TMZ. Consistent with this biologic response, DP68 induces a strong DNA damage response, including phosphorylation of ATM, Chk1 and Chk2 kinases, KAP1, and histone variant H2AX. Suppression of FANCD2 expression or ATR expression/kinase activity enhanced antiglioblastoma effects of DP68. Initial pharmacokinetic analysis revealed rapid elimination of these drugs from serum. Collectively, these data demonstrate that DP68 is a novel and potent antiglioblastoma compound that circumvents TMZ resistance, likely as a result of its independence from MGMT and mismatch repair and its capacity to cross-link strands of DNA.
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MESH Headings
- Aniline Compounds/administration & dosage
- Aniline Compounds/chemical synthesis
- Aniline Compounds/pharmacokinetics
- Animals
- Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating/administration & dosage
- Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating/chemical synthesis
- Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating/pharmacokinetics
- Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins/metabolism
- Brain Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Brain Neoplasms/metabolism
- Cell Cycle/drug effects
- Cell Line, Tumor
- DNA Damage/drug effects
- DNA Modification Methylases/metabolism
- DNA Repair Enzymes/metabolism
- Dacarbazine/administration & dosage
- Dacarbazine/analogs & derivatives
- Dacarbazine/pharmacokinetics
- Drug Resistance, Neoplasm/drug effects
- Fanconi Anemia Complementation Group D2 Protein/metabolism
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/drug effects
- Glioblastoma/drug therapy
- Glioblastoma/metabolism
- Heterocyclic Compounds, 2-Ring/administration & dosage
- Heterocyclic Compounds, 2-Ring/chemical synthesis
- Heterocyclic Compounds, 2-Ring/pharmacokinetics
- Humans
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/drug therapy
- Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/metabolism
- Temozolomide
- Tumor Suppressor Proteins/metabolism
- Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulian P Ramirez
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Ann C Mladek
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Roger M Phillips
- Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, University of Bradford, Bradford, United Kingdom
| | - Mikko Gynther
- School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jarkko Rautio
- School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Alonzo H Ross
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts.
| | | | - Jann N Sakaria
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
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6
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The medicinal chemistry of imidazotetrazine prodrugs. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2014; 7:797-838. [PMID: 25014631 PMCID: PMC4113733 DOI: 10.3390/ph7070797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2014] [Revised: 06/17/2014] [Accepted: 06/18/2014] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Temozolomide (TMZ) is the standard first line treatment for malignant glioma, reaching “blockbuster” status in 2010, yet it remains the only drug in its class. The main constraints on the clinical effectiveness of TMZ therapy are its requirement for active DNA mismatch repair (MMR) proteins for activity, and inherent resistance through O6-methyl guanine-DNA methyl transferase (MGMT) activity. Moreover, acquired resistance, due to MMR mutation, results in aggressive TMZ-resistant tumour regrowth following good initial responses. Much of the attraction in TMZ as a drug lies in its PK/PD properties: it is acid stable and has 100% oral bioavailability; it also has excellent distribution properties, crosses the blood-brain barrier, and there is direct evidence of tumour localisation. This review seeks to unravel some of the mysteries of the imidazotetrazine class of compounds to which TMZ belongs. In addition to an overview of different synthetic strategies, we explore the somewhat unusual chemical reactivity of the imidazotetrazines, probing their mechanisms of reaction, examining which attributes are required for an active drug molecule and reviewing the use of this combined knowledge towards the development of new and improved anti-cancer agents.
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7
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Glioblastoma multiforme therapy and mechanisms of resistance. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2013; 6:1475-506. [PMID: 24287492 PMCID: PMC3873674 DOI: 10.3390/ph6121475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 164] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2013] [Revised: 11/04/2013] [Accepted: 11/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a grade IV brain tumor characterized by a heterogeneous population of cells that are highly infiltrative, angiogenic and resistant to chemotherapy. The current standard of care, comprised of surgical resection followed by radiation and the chemotherapeutic agent temozolomide, only provides patients with a 12–14 month survival period post-diagnosis. Long-term survival for GBM patients remains uncommon as cells with intrinsic or acquired resistance to treatment repopulate the tumor. In this review we will describe the mechanisms of resistance, and how they may be overcome to improve the survival of GBM patients by implementing novel chemotherapy drugs, new drug combinations and new approaches relating to DNA damage, angiogenesis and autophagy.
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Pletsas D, Garelnabi EAE, Li L, Phillips RM, Wheelhouse RT. Synthesis and quantitative structure-activity relationship of imidazotetrazine prodrugs with activity independent of O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase, DNA mismatch repair, and p53. J Med Chem 2013; 56:7120-32. [PMID: 23895620 DOI: 10.1021/jm401121k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The antitumor prodrug temozolomide is compromised by its dependence for activity on DNA mismatch repair (MMR) and the repair of the chemosensitive DNA lesion, O6-methylguanine (O6-MeG), by O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (E.C. 2.1.1.63, MGMT). Tumor response is also dependent on wild-type p53. Novel 3-(2-anilinoethyl)-substituted imidazotetrazines are reported that have activity independent of MGMT, MMR, and p53. This is achieved through a switch of mechanism so that bioactivity derives from imidazotetrazine-generated arylaziridinium ions that principally modify guanine-N7 sites on DNA. Mono- and bifunctional analogues are reported, and a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) study identified the p-tolyl-substituted bifunctional congener as optimized for potency, MGMT-independence, and MMR-independence. NCI60 data show the tumor cell response is distinct from other imidazotetrazines and DNA-guanine-N7 active agents such as nitrogen mustards and cisplatin. The new imidazotetrazine compounds are promising agents for further development, and their improved in vitro activity validates the principles on which they were designed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios Pletsas
- School of Pharmacy and ‡Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, University of Bradford , Bradford, West Yorkshire BD7 1DP, U.K
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