Adriamycin-induced DNA adducts inhibit the DNA interactions of transcription factors and RNA polymerase

The Involvement of Long Non-Coding RNAs in Glutamine-Metabolic Reprogramming and Therapeutic Resistance in Cancer

Metabolic alterations that support the supply of biosynthetic molecules necessary for rapid and sustained proliferation are characteristic of cancer. Some cancer cells rely on glutamine to maintain their energy requirements for growth. Glutamine is an important metabolite in cells because it not only links to the tricarboxylic acid cycle by producing α-ketoglutarate by glutaminase and glutamate dehydrogenase but also supplies other non-essential amino acids, fatty acids, and components of nucleotide synthesis. Altered glutamine metabolism is associated with cancer cell survival, proliferation, metastasis, and aggression. Furthermore, altered glutamine metabolism is known to be involved in therapeutic resistance. In recent studies, lncRNAs were shown to act on amino acid transporters and glutamine-metabolic enzymes, resulting in the regulation of glutamine metabolism. The lncRNAs involved in the expression of the transporters include the abhydrolase domain containing 11 antisense RNA 1, LINC00857, plasmacytoma variant translocation 1, Myc-induced long non-coding RNA, and opa interacting protein 5 antisense RNA 1, all of which play oncogenic roles. When it comes to the regulation of glutamine-metabolic enzymes, several lncRNAs, including nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1, XLOC_006390, urothelial cancer associated 1, and thymopoietin antisense RNA 1, show oncogenic activities, and others such as antisense lncRNA of glutaminase, lincRNA-p21, and ataxin 8 opposite strand serve as tumor suppressors. In addition, glutamine-dependent cancer cells with lncRNA dysregulation promote cell survival, proliferation, and metastasis by increasing chemo- and radio-resistance. Therefore, understanding the roles of lncRNAs in glutamine metabolism will be helpful for the establishment of therapeutic strategies for glutamine-dependent cancer patients.

Cytotoxic mechanisms of doxorubicin at clinically relevant concentrations in breast cancer cells

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a chemotherapeutic agent frequently used for the treatment of a variety of tumor types, such as breast cancer. Despite the long history of DOX, the mechanistic details of its cytotoxic action remain controversial. Rather than one key mechanism of cytotoxic action, DOX is characterized by multiple mechanisms, such as (1) DNA intercalation and adduct formation, (2) topoisomerase II (TopII) poisoning, (3) the generation of free radicals and oxidative stress, and (4) membrane damage through altered sphingolipid metabolism. Many past reviews of DOX cytotoxicity are based on supraclinical concentrations, and several have addressed the concentration dependence of these mechanisms. In addition, most reviews lack a focus on the time dependence of these processes. We aim to update the concentration and time-dependent trends of DOX mechanisms at representative clinical concentrations. Furthermore, attention is placed on DOX behavior in breast cancer cells due to the frequent use of DOX to treat this disease. This review provides insight into the mechanistic pathway(s) of DOX at levels found within patients and establishes the magnitude of effect for each mechanism.

Reconstituted high density lipoprotein (rHDL), a versatile drug delivery nanoplatform for tumor targeted therapy

rHDL is a synthesized drug delivery nanoplatform exhibiting excellent biocompatibility, which possesses most of the advantages of HDL. rHDL shows almost no toxicity and can be degraded to non-toxic substances in vivo. The severe limitation of the application of various antitumor agents is mainly due to their low bioavailability, high toxicity, poor stability, etc. Favorably, antitumor drug-loaded rHDL nanoparticles (NPs), which are known as an important drug delivery system (DDS), help to change the situation a lot. This DDS shows an outstanding active-targeting ability towards tumor cells and improves the therapeutic effect during antitumor treatment while overcoming the shortcomings mentioned above. In the following text, we will mainly focus on the various applications of rHDL in tumor targeted therapy by describing the properties, preparation, receptor active-targeting ability and antitumor effects of antineoplastic drug-loaded rHDL NPs.

HSP27 role in cardioprotection by modulating chemotherapeutic doxorubicin-induced cell death

The common phenomenon expected from any anti-cancer drug in use is to kill the cancer cells without any side effects to non-malignant cells. Doxorubicin is an anthracycline derivative anti-cancer drug active over different types of cancers with anti-cancer activity but attributed to unintended cytotoxicity and genotoxicity triggering mitogenic signals inducing apoptosis. Administration of doxorubicin tends to both acute and chronic toxicity resulting in cardiomyopathy (left ventricular dysfunction) and congestive heart failure (CHF). Cardiotoxicity is prevented through administration of different cardioprotectants along with the drug. This review elaborates on mechanism of drug-mediated cardiotoxicity and attenuation principle by different cardioprotectants, with a focus on Hsp27 as cardioprotectant by prevention of drug-induced oxidative stress, cell survival pathways with suppression of intrinsic cell death. In conclusion, Hsp27 may offer an exciting/alternating cardioprotectant, with a wider study being need of the hour, specifically on primary cell line and animal models in conforming its cardioprotectant behaviour.

The Product of Matrix Metalloproteinase Cleavage of Doxorubicin Conjugate for Anticancer Drug Delivery: Calorimetric, Spectroscopic, and Molecular Dynamics Studies on Peptide-Doxorubicin Binding to DNA

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are extracellular matrix degradation factors, promoting cancer progression. Hence, they could provide an enzyme-assisted delivery of doxorubicin (DOX) in cancer treatment. In the current study, the intercalation process of DOX and tetrapeptide–DOX, the product of the MMPs’ cleavage of carrier-linked DOX, into dsDNA was investigated using stationary and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectrophotometry and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). The molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on the same tetrapeptide–DOX^…DNA and DOX^…DNA systems were also performed. The undertaken studies indicate that DOX and tetrapeptide–DOX can effectively bond with dsDNA through the intercalation mode; however, tetrapeptide–DOX forms less stable complexes than free DOX. Moreover, the obtained results demonstrate that the differences in DNA affinity of both forms of DOX can be attributed to different intercalation modes. Tetrapeptide–DOX shows a preference to intercalate into DNA through the major groove, whereas DOX does it through the minor one. In summary, we can conclude that the tetrapeptide–DOX intercalation to DNA is significant and that even the lack of non-specific proteases releasing DOX from the tetrapeptide conjugate, the presence of which is suggested by the literature for the efficient release of DOX, should not prevent the cytostatic action of the anthracycline.

Inhibition of glycolysis disrupts cellular antioxidant defense and sensitizes HepG2 cells to doxorubicin treatment

Increased glucose consumption is a known hallmark of cancer cells. Increased glycolysis provides ATP, reducing agents and substrates for macromolecular synthesis in intensely dividing cells. Therefore, inhibition of glycolysis is one strategy in anticancer therapy as well as in improved efficacy of conventional anticancer chemotherapeutic agents. One such agent is doxorubicin (DOX), but the mechanism of sensitization of tumor cells to DOX by inhibition of glycolysis has not been fully elucidated. As oxidative stress is an important phenomenon accompanying DOX action and antioxidant defense is closely related to energy metabolism, the aim of the study was the evaluation of oxidative stress markers and antioxidant abilities of cancer cells treated with DOX while glycolysis is inhibited. HepG2 cells were treated with DOX and one of three glycolysis inhibitors: 2-deoxyglucose, dichloroacetate or 3-promopyruvate. To evaluate the possible interaction mechanisms, we assessed mRNA expression of selected genes related to energy metabolism and antioxidant defense; oxidative stress markers; and reduced glutathione (GSH) and NADPH levels. Additionally, glutamine consumption was measured. It was demonstrated that the chemotherapeutic agent and glycolysis inhibitors induced oxidative stress and associated damage in HepG2 cells. However, simultaneous treatment with both agents resulted in even greater lipid peroxidation and a significant reduction in GSH and NADPH levels. Moreover, in the presence of the drug and an inhibitor, HepG2 cells had a reduced ability to take up glutamine. These results indicated that cells treated with DOX while glycolysis was inhibited had significantly reduced ability to produce NADPH and antioxidant defenses.

Lipoplex-Mediated Deintercalation of Doxorubicin from Calf Thymus DNA-Doxorubicin Complex

In this paper, we report the lipoplex-mediated deintercalation of anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) from the DOX-DNA complex under controlled experimental conditions. We used three zwitterionic liposomes, namely, 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC), 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC), and 2-oleoyl-1-palmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC), which are widely different in their phase transition temperatures to form a lipoplex with calf thymus DNA in the presence of Ca(2+) ions. The study revealed that DPPC being in sol-gel phase was more effective in releasing the drug from the DOX-DNA complex compared with liposomes that remain in liquid crystalline phase (DMPC and POPC). The higher extent of drug release in the case of DPPC liposomes was attributed to the stronger lipoplex formation with DNA as compared with that of other liposomes. Owing to the relatively smaller head group area, the DPPC liposomes in their sol-gel phase can absorb a larger number of Ca(2+) ions and hence offer a strong electrostatic interaction with DNA. This interaction was confirmed by time-resolved anisotropy and circular dichroism spectroscopy. Apart from the electrostatic interaction, the possible hydrophobic interaction between the liposomes and DNA was also taken into account for the observed deintercalation. The successful uptake of drug molecules by liposomes from the drug-DNA complex in the post-release period was also confirmed using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM).

Long-term intake of white tea prevents oxidative damage caused by adriamycin in kidney of rats

BACKGROUND

White tea infusion (Camelia sinensis) has antioxidants properties. The infusion contains polyphenols that have been proposed to induce antioxidant response element (ARE) response via nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (NRF2). Adriamycin (ADR) has antitumour properties and oxidative effects. Oxidative stress is related to a variety of kidney diseases. Prevention of the oxidative stress through long-term intake of white tea and the study of the molecular mechanisms involved in protection could be of great interest. Rats were given distilled water, 0.015 or 0.045 g of solid white tea extract kg(-1) body weight for 12 months. Animals received an injection of ADR. In kidney, oxidative stress parameters were measured, the expressions of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 gene (Nrf2), and detoxifying and antioxidants genes were analysed, and the activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione reductase (GR) were measured.

RESULTS

ADR administration increased oxidative parameters and decreased the antioxidant activity; significantly increased the expression of analysed genes and the activity of CAT and SOD and decreased GR activity. The highest white tea dose protected redox status and inhibited ARE response.

CONCLUSION

Long-term intake of white tea protected kidney against the oxidative stress. ADR activated the ARE response but in animals treated with the highest dose of white tea, this response was inhibited, probably for antioxidant protection. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

IS METABOLIC ACTIVATION OF TOPOISOMERASE II POISONS IMPORTANT IN THE MECHANISM OF CYTOTOXICITY?

The antitumor drugs doxorubicin and etoposide, a phodophyllotoxin derivative, are clinically active for the treatment of human malignancies. Because of their extreme effectiveness in the clinic, their modes of actions have been the subject of intense research for over several decades both in the laboratory and in the clinic. It has been found that both doxorubicin and etoposide (VP-16) act on topoisomerase II, induce DNA cleavage, and form double-strand breaks, causing tumor cell death. However, both of these drugs also undergo extensive metabolism in tumor cells and in vivo to various reactive intermediates that bind covalently to cellular DNA and proteins. Moreover, both drugs are metabolized to reactive free radicals that induce lipid peroxidation and DNA damage. However, the role of drug activation in the mechanism of cytotoxicity remains poorly defined. In this review, we critically evaluate the significance of metabolic activation of doxorubicin and etoposide in the mechanism of tumor cytotoxicity.

Molecular mechanisms by which white tea prevents oxidative stress

The flavonoid content of tea (Camellia sinensis) has beneficial properties in the prevention of diseases. However, the mechanisms by which white tea can protect against oxidative stress remain unclear. To shed light on this issue, rats were given distilled water (controls), 0.15 mg/day (dose 1) or 0.45 mg/day (dose 2) of solid tea extract/kg body weight for 12 months. All the animals received an injection of adriamycin (ADR; 10 mg/kg body weight), except half of the control group, which were given an injection of saline solution. The expression of the nuclear factor, E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (Nqo1), glutathione S-transferase (Gst), haem oxygenase-1 (Ho1), catalase (Cat), superoxide dismutase (Sod) and glutathione reductase (Gr) in liver was analysed by real-time PCR, and the activity of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione reductase (GR) was measured spectrophotometrically. ADR significantly increased the expression of Nrf2, Gst, Nqo1, Ho1, Cat, Sod and Gr with respect to the control levels and also increased the activity of CAT, SOD and GR. The intake of white tea increased in a higher degree the expression of Nrf2, Gst, Nqo1 and Ho1 in the tea + ADR group compared with the control group and C + ADR group. In addition, tea + ADR groups decreased the expression and activity of CAT, SOD and GR in a dose-dependent manner.

Activation of microbubbles by low-level therapeutic ultrasound enhances the antitumor effects of doxorubicin

OBJECTIVE

To prove that DNA damage, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) are contributing factors for the inhibition of cell proliferation induced by doxorubicin (DOX) administration combined with microbubble-assisted low-level therapeutic ultrasound (US) in K562 cells.

METHODS

3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay was adopted to examine cytotoxicity of different treatments. Changes on apoptosis and necrosis rates, DNA fragmentation, intracellular reactive oxygen species production, mitochondrial membrane potential, cellular membrane permeability and DOX-uptake were analysed by flow cytometry. Nuclear morphology changes were observed under a fluorescence microscope. Ultrasonic cavitation was measured by spectrofluorimetry.

RESULTS

Under optimal conditions, MB-US significantly aggravated DOX-induced K562 cell death, especially necrosis, when compared with either monotherapy. Synergistic potentiation on DNA damage, ROS generation and MMP loss were observed. Ultrasonic cavitation effects, plasma membrane permeabilization and DOX-uptake were notably improved after MB-US exposure.

CONCLUSIONS

MB-US could increase the susceptibility of tumours to antineoplastic drugs, suggesting a potential clinical method for US-mediated tumour chemotherapy.

KEY POINTS

• Microbubble-ultrasound (MB-US) aggravated doxorubicin (DOX) induced K562 cell death, especially necrosis • MB-US synergistically potentiated DOX-initiated DNA damage, ROS generation and MMP loss • Ultrasonic cavitation effects, plasma membrane permeabilization and DOX-uptake were improved after treatment • MB-US holds significant potential for improving the efficacy of conventional chemotherapy.

1-Butylimidazole-derived ionic liquids: synthesis, characterisation and evaluation of their antibacterial, antifungal and anticancer activities

The reaction of 1-butylimidazole (1a) with aryl/alkoxy halides (2a–h) using a microwave solvent-free approach delivered imidazolium-based ILs (3a–h) in good yield. Some of them showed promising antibacterial and antifungal activities.

Protective effect of white tea extract against acute oxidative injury caused by adriamycin in different tissues

Adriamycin (ADR) is an anticancer agent that increases oxidative stress in cells. We evaluated the protective effect of the long term consumption of white tea at two different doses against this drug. For this purpose rats were given distilled water (controls), 0.15 mg (Dose 1) or 0.45 mg (Dose 2) of solid tea extract/kg body weight for 12 months. All the animals received an injection of ADR, except half of the control group, which were given an injection of saline solution. This gave four experimental groups: Control (C), C+ADR, Dose 1+ADR, and Dose 2+ADR. The antioxidant activity (in liver, heart and brain microsomes) was analysed. White tea consumption for 12 months, at a non-pharmacological dose, reversed the oxidative damage caused by ADR, on both protein and lipid levels in all three organs. The heart recovered its antioxidant activity only at the highest dose of tea.

Combinatorial strategies employing nutraceuticals for cancer development

Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Therefore, the fight against cancer is one of the most important areas of research in medicine, and one that possibly contributes to the increased interest in chemoprevention as an alternative approach to the control of cancer. Cancer prevention by nutraceuticals present in fruits and vegetables has received considerable attention because of their low cost and wide safety margin. A substantial amount of evidence from human, animal, and cell culture studies has shown cancer chemopreventive effects from these natural products. However, single-agent intervention has failed to produce the expected outcome in clinical trials; therefore, combinations of nutraceuticals are gaining increasing popularity. Thus, combinations of nutraceuticals that mimic real-life situations and are competent in targeting multiple targets with very little or virtually no toxicity are needed. In this review, we summarize the results of those studies that report combinatorial cancer chemopreventive action of various nutraceuticals and their combinations with anticancer drugs.

Doxorubicin delivery into tumor cells with ultrasound and microbubbles

Doxorubicin is a potent chemotherapeutic whose severe side effects limit its application. Drug-targeted delivery with noninvasive techniques is required to increase the drug concentration locally and to reduce systemic side effects. Microbubble-assisted ultrasound has become a promising strategy for noninvasive local drug delivery. The aim of this study is to evaluate the applicability and the effectiveness of administration of doxorubicin combined with microbubble-assisted ultrasound in human U-87MG glioblastoma and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. In the present study, the doxorubicin delivery aided by microbubble-assisted ultrasound enhanced the death of breast cancer and glioblastoma cells, including the induction of apoptosis. Various microbubbles were evaluated including Vevo Micromarker, BR14, SonoVue and experimental polymer shelled microbubbles. The results showed that Vevo Micromarker microbubble-assisted ultrasound could induce an enhancement of doxorubicin in glioblastoma and breast cancer cell death. Polylactide-Shelled PEG and Vevo Micromarker microbubbles were the best microbubbles for efficient doxorubicin delivery in the U-87 MG and MDA-MB-231 cells, respectively. Moreover, the induction of apoptosis by doxorubicin and Vevo Micromarker microbubble-assisted ultrasound was examined and results showed a positive increment for acoustic pressures above 600 kPa. The conclusions drawn from in vitro study show the potential of this strategy for an in vivo application.

Analysis of proteome changes in doxorubicin-treated adult rat cardiomyocyte

Doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy in cancer patients is well established. The proposed mechanism of cardiac damage includes generation of reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial dysfunction and cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Exposure of adult rat cardiomyocytes to low levels of DOX for 48h induced apoptosis. Analysis of protein expression showed a differential regulation of several key proteins including the voltage dependent anion selective channel protein 2 and methylmalonate semialdehyde dehydrogenase. In comparison, proteomic evaluation of DOX-treated rat heart showed a slightly different set of protein changes that suggests nuclear accumulation of DOX. Using a new solubilization technique, changes in low abundant protein profiles were monitored. Altered protein expression, modification and function related to oxidative stress response may play an important role in DOX cardiotoxicity.

Comparative genome-wide screening identifies a conserved doxorubicin repair network that is diploid specific in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The chemotherapeutic doxorubicin (DOX) induces DNA double-strand break (DSB) damage. In order to identify conserved genes that mediate DOX resistance, we screened the Saccharomyces cerevisiae diploid deletion collection and identified 376 deletion strains in which exposure to DOX was lethal or severely reduced growth fitness. This diploid screen identified 5-fold more DOX resistance genes than a comparable screen using the isogenic haploid derivative. Since DSB damage is repaired primarily by homologous recombination in yeast, and haploid cells lack an available DNA homolog in G1 and early S phase, this suggests that our diploid screen may have detected the loss of repair functions in G1 or early S phase prior to complete DNA replication. To test this, we compared the relative DOX sensitivity of 30 diploid deletion mutants identified under our screening conditions to their isogenic haploid counterpart, most of which (n = 26) were not detected in the haploid screen. For six mutants (bem1Delta, ctf4Delta, ctk1Delta, hfi1Delta,nup133Delta, tho2Delta) DOX-induced lethality was absent or greatly reduced in the haploid as compared to the isogenic diploid derivative. Moreover, unlike WT, all six diploid mutants displayed severe G1/S phase cell cycle progression defects when exposed to DOX and some were significantly enhanced (ctk1Delta and hfi1Delta) or deficient (tho2Delta) for recombination. Using these and other "THO2-like" hypo-recombinogenic, diploid-specific DOX sensitive mutants (mft1Delta, thp1Delta, thp2Delta) we utilized known genetic/proteomic interactions to construct an interactive functional genomic network which predicted additional DOX resistance genes not detected in the primary screen. Most (76%) of the DOX resistance genes detected in this diploid yeast screen are evolutionarily conserved suggesting the human orthologs are candidates for mediating DOX resistance by impacting on checkpoint and recombination functions in G1 and/or early S phases.

3-Methylcholanthrene elicits DNA adduct formation in the CYP1A1 promoter region and attenuates reporter gene expression in rat H4IIE cells

Cytochrome CYP1A (CYP1A) enzymes catalyze bioactivation of 3-methylcholanthrene (MC) to genotoxic metabolites. Here, we tested the hypothesis that CYP1A2 catalyzes formation of MC-DNA adducts that are preferentially formed in the promoter region of CYP1A1, resulting in modulation of CYP1A1 gene expression. MC bound covalently to plasmid DNA (50 micro g) containing human CYP1A1 promoter (pGL3-1A1), when incubated with wild-type (WT) liver microsomes (2 mg) and NAPPH 37 degrees C for 2h, giving rise to 9 adducts, as determined by (32)P-postlabeling. Eighty percent of adducts was located in the promoter region. Transient transfection of the adducted plasmids into rat hepatoma (H4IIE) cells for 16h, followed by MC (1 micro M) treatment for 24h inhibited reporter (luciferase) gene expression by 75%, compared to unadducted controls. Our results suggest that CYP1A2 plays a key role in sequence-specific MC-DNA adduct formation in the CYP1A1 promoter region, leading to attenuation of CYP1A1 gene expression.

DNA damage is an early event in doxorubicin-induced cardiac myocyte death

Anthracyclines are antitumor agents the main clinical limitation of which is cardiac toxicity. The mechanism of this cardiotoxicity is thought to be related to generation of oxidative stress, causing lethal injury to cardiac myocytes. Although protein and lipid oxidation have been documented in anthracycline-treated cardiac myocytes, DNA damage has not been directly demonstrated. This study was undertaken to determine whether anthracyclines induce cardiac myocyte DNA damage and whether this damage is linked to a signaling pathway culminating in cell death. H9c2 cardiac myocytes were treated with the anthracycline doxorubicin at clinically relevant concentrations, and DNA damage was assessed using the alkaline comet assay. Doxorubicin induced DNA damage, as shown by a significant increase in the mean tail moment above control, an effect ameliorated by inclusion of a free radical scavenger. Repair of DNA damage was incomplete after doxorubicin treatment in contrast to the complete repair observed in H2O2-treated myocytes after removal of the agent. Immunoblot analysis revealed that p53 activation occurred subsequent in time to DNA damage. By a fluorescent assay, doxorubicin induced loss of mitochondrial membrane potential after p53 activation. Chemical inhibition of p53 prevented doxorubicin-induced cell death and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential without preventing DNA damage, indicating that DNA damage was proximal in the events leading from doxorubicin treatment to cardiac myocyte death. Specific doxorubicin-induced DNA lesions included oxidized pyrimidines and 8-hydroxyguanine. DNA damage therefore appears to play an important early role in anthracycline-induced lethal cardiac myocyte injury through a pathway involving p53 and the mitochondria.

The power and potential of doxorubicin-DNA adducts

Doxorubicin (trade name Adriamycin) is a widely used anticancer agent which exhibits good activity against a wide range of tumors. Although the major mode of action appears to be normally as a topoisomerase II poison, it also exhibits a number of other cellular responses, one of which is the ability to form adducts with DNA. For adduct formation doxorubicin must react with cellular formaldehyde to form an activated Schiff base which is then able to form an aminal (N-C-N) linkage to the exocyclic amino group of guanine residues. The mono-adducts form primarily at G of 5'-GCN-3' sequences where the chromophore of the drug is intercalated between the C and N base pair. The structure of the adducts has have been well defined by 2D NMR, mass spectrometry and X-ray crystallography. The formation of these anthracycline adducts in cells grown in culture has been unequivocally demonstrated. The source of formaldehyde in cells can be endogenous, provided by coadministration of prodrugs that release formaldehyde or by prior complexation of anthracyclines with formaldehyde. Since the adducts appear to be more cytotoxic than doxorubicin alone, and also less susceptible to drug-efflux forms of resistance, they offer new approaches to improving the anticancer activity of the anthracyclines.

Effects of anticancer drugs on transcription factor–DNA interactions

DNA-interacting anticancer drugs are able to affect the propensity of DNA to interact with proteins through either reversible binding or covalent bond formation. The effect of the drugs on transcription factor interactions with DNA is reviewed. These effects can be classified as (i) competition between a drug and regulatory protein for target sequences; (ii) weakening of this interaction; (iii) enhancement of this interaction by chemical modification of the DNA and the creation of non-natural binding sites; and (iv) a 'suicide' mechanism, which is observed when a transcription factor induces changes in DNA structure, allowing a drug to bind to a target sequence. Several new strategies -- the antigene approach with oligonucleotides, peptide nucleic acids or locked nucleic acids, and sequence-specific polyamides -- are also reviewed.

Sequence specificity of formaldehyde-mediated covalent binding of anthracycline derivatives to DNA

Daunorubicin (DRB) and doxorubicin (DOX) in the presence of formaldehyde (CH2O) form covalent adducts with DNA. A G-specific adduct is formed by producing an aminal bridge between the C-3' of daunosamine and the C-2 of guanine. New derivatives of DRB, DOX and epidoxorubicin (EDOX) with an amidine group bonded to the C-3' of the daunosamine moiety, with either a morpholine or hexamethyleneimine ring attached to the amidine group, were studied in this paper. DNase I footprinting and analyses with restriction endonucleases were applied to compare the specificity of adduct formed by the amidine derivatives and their parent compounds. These approaches provide consistent results, proving that a GC pair is required for covalent binding of anthracycline derivatives to DNA and that different flanking sequences are able to modify the sequence preference of the drugs. The 5'-GC-3', 5'-CG-3' and 5'-TC-3' sequences were protected most efficiently by the parent compounds and their morpholine derivatives and some increased protection of 5'-TC-3' sequence was observed for morpholine analogues. Hexamethyleneimine derivatives bind to DNA with much lower efficiency. Finally, the sequence specificity of anthracycline derivatives was correlated with their ability to inhibit binding of transcription factors Sp1 and AP-1 to their DNA recognition sequences. The anthracycline derivatives were more potent in inhibiting Sp1 binding to its cognate GC box than in preventing AP-1 from binding to its mixed A.T and G.C site. Overall, the results indicate that the amidine derivatives of anthracyclines show similar, but not identical sequence specificity as parent compounds, though they exert their effect at a higher concentration.

Mitomycin C induces apoptosis and caspase-8 and -9 processing through a caspase-3 and Fas-independent pathway

Caspase-3 activity has been described to be essential for drug-induced apoptosis. Recent results suggest that in addition to its downstream executor function, caspase-3 is also involved in the processing of upstream caspase-8 and -9. To test the absolute requirement for caspase-3, we examined mitomycin C (MMC)-induced apoptosis in the caspase-3 deficient human breast cancer cell line MCF-7. MMC was used as anticancer drug since this agent was preferentially active compared to chemotherapeutic compounds with differing mechanisms of action such as cisplatin, docetaxel, or lovastatin. MMC treatment led to pronounced caspase-8, -9, and -7 processing and early morphological features of apoptosis within 48 h. This could be inhibited by the broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor z-VAD.fmk and to a lesser extent by z-IETD.fmk and z-LEHD.fmk, which have a certain preference for inhibiting caspase-8 and -9, respectively. MMC induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells was not mediated by the death receptor pathway as demonstrated by experiments using the inhibiting anti-Fas antibody ZB4 and transfections with CrmA, a viral serpin inhibitor of caspase-8, and the dominant negative Fas-associated death domain (FADD-DN). Stable expression with Bcl-2 significantly prevented the processing of caspase-9 but also of caspase-8 and blocked the induction of apoptosis. Thus, we provide evidence that caspase-3 activity is dispensable for MMC-induced apoptosis and for caspase-8 and -9 processing in MCF-7 cells.

Regulation of the nuclear proteasome activity in myelomonocytic human leukemia cells after adriamycin treatment

Treatment of different human leukemia cell variants with the anthracycline adriamycin was associated with a rapid activation of the proteasome. Thus, proliferating U937, TUR, and retrodifferentiated U937 cells exhibited a 4.3-fold, 5.8-fold, and 4.3-fold proteasome activation within 15 minutes after adriamycin treatment, respectively. In contrast, little if any proteasome activation was detectable in a growth-arrested differentiated U937 population following adriamycin treatment. Further analysis of this mechanism revealed a significant reduction of adriamycin-induced proteasome activity after inhibition of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) by 3-aminobenzamide (3-ABA) in the proliferating leukemic cell types. These findings suggested that PARP is involved in the regulation of drug-induced proteasome activation. Indeed, anti-PARP immunoprecipitation experiments of adriamycin-treated cells revealed increasing levels of coprecipitated, enzymatically active proteasome particularly in the proliferating cell variants in contrast to the differentiated U937 cells, with a maximum after 15 minutes, and sensitivity to PARP inhibition by 3-ABA. The specific role of the PARP was investigated in U937 and TUR cell clones stably transfected with a constitutively active antisense PARP (asPARP) vector. Thus, asPARP-TUR cells developed a 25-fold increased sensitivity to adriamycin treatment. Furthermore, we investigated leukemic blasts isolated from acute myelogenous leukemia patients and obtained a similarly enhanced proteasome activity after adriamycin treatment, which was dependent on the PARP and thus could be coprecipitated with anti-PARP antibodies. Transient transfection of leukemic blasts with the asPARP vector significantly reduced the adriamycin-induced proteasome activation. These data suggest that the PARP-associated nuclear proteasome activation represents a potential target within chemotherapeutic defense mechanisms developed by leukemia cells.

Chemical approaches to control gene expression

A current goal in molecular medicine is the development of new strategies to interfere with gene expression in living cells in the hope that novel therapies for human disease will result from these efforts. This review focuses on small-molecule or chemical approaches to manipulate gene expression by modulating either transcription of messenger RNA-coding genes or protein translation. The molecules under study include natural products, designed ligands, and compounds identified through functional screens of combinatorial libraries. The cellular targets for these molecules include DNA, messenger RNA, and the protein components of the transcription, RNA processing, and translational machinery. Studies with model systems have shown promise in the inhibition of both cellular and viral gene transcription and mRNA utilization. Moreover, strategies for both repression and activation of gene transcription have been described. These studies offer promise for treatment of diseases of pathogenic (viral, bacterial, etc.) and cellular origin (cancer, genetic diseases, etc.).

Modifications of oxido-reductase activities in adriamycin-resistant leukaemia K562 cells

Adriamycin (ADR), a well-known antitumoral drug, interacts with DNA (nuclear and mitochondrial) and cardiolipin. Moreover, ADR induces numerous mitochondrial modifications in sensitive cells. However, no results have yet been obtained as to the repercussions of drug effects on oxido-reductase activities in ADR-resistant cells. To analyze mitochondrial damage induced by ADR treatment, we investigated lactate content, oxygen consumption, respiratory chain activities, and cytochrome content in ADR-sensitive K562 cells and two ADR-resistant variants (K562/R0.2 and K562/R0.5 cells). Biochemical investigations in ADR-resistant cells showed several mitochondrial modifications (in comparison to the parental cell line) according to the variant line and the physiologic state. More particularly, in K562/R0.5 cells cytochrome c (cyt c) oxidase (COX; EC 1.9.3.1) activity and cytochrome aa3 content dramatically decreased since cells enter into the stationary phase. Regardless of the number of multidrug-resistant cell subcultures in ADR-free medium, the cytochrome c oxidase activity in the stationary phase remained unchanged, indicating an irreversible effect of the drug. These alterations could correspond to several modifications of the nuclear and/or mitochondrial genome(s) following acquisition of the ADR resistance phenotype by K562 cells.

Production of formaldehyde and DNA-adriamycin or DNA-daunomycin adducts, initiated through redox chemistry of dithiothreitol/iron, xanthine oxidase/NADH/iron, or glutathione/iron

The reaction of the antitumor drugs adriamycin and daunomycin with the self-complementary DNA oligonucleotide (GC)4 to generate DNA-drug adducts was investigated as a function of redox reaction conditions. The redox systems dithiothreitol (DTT)/Fe(III) and xanthine oxidase/ NADH both gave the same distribution of four DNA-anthracycline adducts. In each of these adducts the anthracycline is bonded via a methylene linkage between the 3'-amino group of the drug and the 2-amino group of a deoxyguanosine of the DNA. The methylene linkage results from reaction of the drug and DNA with in situ-generated formaldehyde via Schiff base chemistry [Taatjes, D.J., Gaudiano, G., Resing, K., and Koch, T.H. (1997) J. Med. Chem. 40, 1276-1286]. Formaldehyde production is promoted by iron, inhibited by metal-chelating agents, and does not require drug. Iron enhances formaldehyde production by a factor of 30, EDTA inhibits its formation by a factor of 2, and Desferal inhibits its formation by a factor of more than 20. Hydrogen peroxide accumulates in significant quantities only with xanthine oxidase/NADH in the presence of Desferal. The results are explained in terms of Fenton oxidation of Tris buffer to formaldehyde. Biological reagents also cause DNA-drug adduct formation; reduction of ferric ion with glutathione in phosphate buffer in the presence of spermine produced the same DNA-drug adducts. The observations are discussed in terms of cytotoxicity resulting from iron chelated to adriamycin catalyzing in vivo production of formaldehyde which links adriamycin to DNA and tumor cell resistance resulting from factors which decrease formaldehyde.

Doxoform and Daunoform: anthracycline-formaldehyde conjugates toxic to resistant tumor cells

The recent discovery that the clinically important antitumor drugs doxorubicin and daunorubicin alkylate DNA via catalytic production of formaldehyde prompted the synthesis of derivatives bearing formaldehyde. Reaction of the parent drugs with aqueous formaldehyde at pH 6 produced in 40-50% yield conjugates consisting of two molecules of the parent drug as oxazolidine derivatives bound together at their 3'-nitrogens by a methylene group. The structures were established as bis(3'-N-(3'-N,4'-O-methylenedoxorubicinyl)) methane (Doxoform) and bis(3'-N-(3'-N,4'-O-methylenedaunorubicinyl))methane (Daunoform) from spectroscopic data. Both derivatives are labile with respect to hydrolysis to the parent drugs. 3'-N,4'-O-Methylenedoxorubicin and 3'-N,4'-O-methylenedaunorubicin are intermediates in the hydrolysis. Daunoform reacts with the self-complementary deoxyoligonucleotide (GC)4 faster than the combination of daunorubicin and formaldehyde at an equivalent concentration to given drug-DNA adducts. In spite of hydrolytic instability, Doxoform is 150-fold more toxic to MCF-7 human breast cancer cells and 10000-fold more toxic to MCF-7/ADR resistant cells. Toxicity to resistant cancer cells is interpreted in terms of higher lipophilicity of the derivatives and circumvention of catalytic formaldehyde production.

Redox pathway leading to the alkylation of DNA by the anthracycline, antitumor drugs adriamycin and daunomycin

Reaction of the anthracycline, antitumor drugs adriamycin and daunomycin with the self-complementary DNA oligonucleotide GCGCGCGC, (GC)4, in the presence of the reducing agent dithiothreitol, the oxidizing agent hydrogen peroxide, or the alkylating agent formaldehyde gives a similar mixture of DNA-drug adducts. Negative ion electrospray mass spectra indicate that adduct formation involves coupling of the DNA to the anthracycline via a methylene group and that the major adduct is duplex DNA containing two molecules of anthracycline, each bound to a separate strand of the DNA via a methylene group. The source of the methylene group is formaldehyde. A molecular structure with each anthracycline intercalated at a 5'-CpG-3' site and covalently bound from its 3'-amino group to a 2-amino group of a 2'-deoxyguanosine nucleotide is proposed based upon spectral data and a relevant crystal structure. The reaction of (GC)4 with the anthracyclines and formaldehyde forms an equilibrium mixture with DNA-drug adducts which is shifted toward free DNA by dilution. The results suggest a pathway to the inhibition of transcription by reductively activated adriamycin and daunomycin. Reductive activation in the presence of oxygen yields hydrogen peroxide; hydrogen peroxide oxidizes constituents in the reaction mixture to formaldehyde; and formaldehyde couples the drug to DNA. In this regard, hydrogen peroxide reacts with adriamycin via Baeyer-Villiger reactions at the 13-position to yield 2, 3, and formaldehyde. Formaldehyde also results from hydrogen peroxide oxidation of Tris [tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane] present in transcription buffer and spermine, a polyamine commonly associated with DNA in vivo, presumably via the Fenton reaction.

Inhibition of transcription factor binding by ultraviolet-induced pyrimidine dimers

The formation of DNA photoproducts by ultraviolet (UV) light is responsible for the induction of mutations and the development of skin cancer. Cis-syn cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (pyrimidine dimers) are the most frequent lesions produced in DNA by UV irradiation. Besides being mutagenic, pyrimidine dimers may interfere with other important DNA-dependent processes. To analyze the effects of pyrimidine dimers on the ability of DNA sequences to be recognized by trans-acting factors, we have incorporated site-specific T-T dimers into oligonucleotides containing the recognition sequences of the sequence-specific transcription factors E2F, NF-Y, AP-1, NF kappa B, and p53. In each case, presence of the photodimer strongly inhibited binding of the respective transcription factor complex. Reduction of binding varied between 11- and 60-fold. The results indicate that the most common UV-induced DNA lesion can interfere severely with binding of several important cell cycle regulatory and DNA damage responsive transcription factors. We suggest that inhibition of transcription factor binding may be a major biological effect of UV radiation since promoter regions are known to be repaired inefficiently and since UV damage can deregulate the function of a large number of different factors.