Pharmacokinetics and Metabolism in Mice of IDN 5390 (13-(N-Boc-3-i-butylisoserinoyl)-C-7,8-seco-10-deacetylbaccatin III), a New Oral C-seco-Taxane Derivative with Antiangiogenic Property Effective on Paclitaxel-Resistant Tumors

The antitumor effects of herbal medicine Triphala on oral cancer by inactivating PI3K/Akt signaling pathway: based on the network pharmacology, molecular docking, in vitro and in vivo experimental validation

BACKGROUND

This research aimed to investigate the anti-tumor effects and underlying genetic mechanisms of herbal medicine Triphala (TRP) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

METHODS

The target genes of Triphala (TRP) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) were identified, and subsequent functional enrichment analysis was conducted to determine the enriched signaling pathways. Based on these genes, a protein-protein interaction network was constructed to identify the top 10 genes with the highest degree. Genes deregulated in OSCC tumor samples were identified to be hub genes among the top 10 genes. In vitro experiments were performed to investigate the influence of TRP extracts on the cell metabolic activity, migration, invasion, apoptosis, and proliferation of two OSCC cell lines (CAL-27 and SCC-9). The functional rescue assay was conducted to investigate the effect of applying the inhibitor and activator of an enriched pathway on the phenotypes of cancer cells. In addition, the zebrafish xenograft tumor model was established to investigate the influence of TRP extracts on tumor growth and metastasis in vivo.

RESULTS

The target genes of TRP in OSCC were prominently enriched in the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, with the identification of five hub genes (JUN, EGFR, ESR1, RELA, and AKT1). TRP extracts significantly inhibited cell metabolic activity, migration, invasion, and proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis in OSCC cells. Notably, the application of TRP extracts exhibited the capacity to downregulate mRNA and phosphorylated protein levels of AKT1 and ESR1, while concomitantly inducing upregulation of mRNA and phosphorylated protein levels in the remaining three hub genes (EGFR, JUN, and RELA). The functional rescue assay demonstrated that the co-administration of TRP and the PI3K activator 740Y-P effectively reversed the impact of TRP on the phenotypes of OSCC cells. Conversely, the combination of TRP and the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 further enhanced the effect of TRP on the phenotypes of OSCC cells. Remarkably, treatment with TRP in zebrafish xenograft models demonstrated a significant reduction in both tumor growth and metastatic spread.

CONCLUSIONS

Triphala exerted significant inhibitory effects on cell metabolic activity, migration, invasion, and proliferation in OSCC cell lines, accompanied by the induction of apoptosis, which was mediated through the inactivation of the PI3K/Akt pathway.

Research on the Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacology of Taxus × media

Taxus × media, belonging to the genus Taxus of the Taxaceae family, is a unique hybrid plant derived from a natural crossbreeding between Taxus cuspidata and Taxus baccata. This distinctive hybrid variety inherits the superior traits of its parental species, exhibiting significant biological and medicinal values. This paper comprehensively analyzes Taxus × media from multiple dimensions, including its cultivation overview, chemical composition, and multifaceted applications in the medical field. In terms of chemical constituents, this study delves into the bioactive components abundant in Taxus × media and their pharmacological activities, highlighting the importance and value of these components, including paclitaxel, as the lead compounds in traditional medicine and modern drug development. Regarding its medicinal value, the article primarily discusses the potential applications of Taxus × media in combating tumors, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities, and treating diabetes. By synthesizing clinical research and experimental data, the paper elucidates the potential and mechanisms of its primary active components in preventing and treating these diseases. In conclusion, Taxus × media demonstrates its unique value in biological research and tremendous potential in drug development.

Heterologous expression of taxane genes confers resistance to fall armyworm in Nicotiana benthamiana

KEY MESSAGE

Taxadiene synthase, taxadiene-5α-hydroxylase, and taxane 13α-hydroxylase genes were introduced into Nicotiana benthamiana, and the improved resistance to lepidoptera pest fall armyworm was reported. Fall armyworm (FAW) is a serious agricultural pest. Genetic engineering techniques have been used to create pest-resistant plant varieties for reducing pest damage. Paclitaxel is a diterpenoid natural metabolite with antineoplastic effects in medicine. However, the effects of taxanes on the growth and development of lepidoptera pests, such as the FAW, are unknown. Here, selected paclitaxel precursor biosynthesis pathway genes, taxadiene synthase, taxane 5α-hydroxylase, and taxane 13α-hydroxylase, were engineered in the heterologous host Nicotiana benthamiana plants. Bioassay experiments showed that the transgenic N. benthamiana plants displayed improved resistance to FAW infestation, with degeneration of gut tissues and induced expression of apoptosis-related genes. Cytotoxicity experiment showed that the paclitaxel precursor, 10-deacetylbaccatin III, is cytotoxic to Sf9 cells, causing cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and disorder of the cytoskeleton. Metabolome analysis showed that heterologous expression of taxane genes in N. benthamiana affected the digestive system, steroid hormone and purine metabolism pathways of FAW larvae. In summary, this study provides a candidate approach for FAW control.

Benefits of Zebrafish Xenograft Models in Cancer Research

As a promising in vivo tool for cancer research, zebrafish have been widely applied in various tumor studies. The zebrafish xenograft model is a low-cost, high-throughput tool for cancer research that can be established quickly and requires only a small sample size, which makes it favorite among researchers. Zebrafish patient-derived xenograft (zPDX) models provide promising evidence for short-term clinical treatment. In this review, we discuss the characteristics and advantages of zebrafish, such as their transparent and translucent features, the use of vascular fluorescence imaging, the establishment of metastatic and intracranial orthotopic models, individual pharmacokinetics measurements, and tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, we introduce how these characteristics and advantages are applied other in tumor studies. Finally, we discuss the future direction of the use of zebrafish in tumor studies and provide new ideas for the application of it.

Determination of 6258-70, a new semi-synthetic taxane, in rat plasma and tissues: Application to the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution study

Cancer is the leading cause of death all over the world. Among the chemotherapy drugs, taxanes play an important role in cancer treatment. 6258-70 is a new semi-synthetic taxane which has a broad spectrum of antitumor activity. A fast and reliable high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS/MS) method was developed for quantification of 6258-70 in rat plasma and tissues in this paper. After extraction by liquid-liquid extraction method with methyl tert-butyl ether, the samples were separated on a Kinetex C₁₈ column (50 mm×2.1 mm, 2.6 µm, Phenomenex, USA) within 3 min. The method was fully validated with the matrix effect between 87.7% and 99.5% and the recovery ranging from 80.3% to 90.1%. The intra- and inter-day precisions were less than 9.5% and the accuracy ranged from −3.8% to 6.5%. The reliable method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution studies of 6258-70 after intravenous administration in rats. The pharmacokinetic results indicated that the pharmacokinetic behavior of 6258-70 in rats was in accordance with linear features within tested dosage of 1 to 4 mg/kg, and there was no significant difference between the two genders. The tissue distribution study showed that 6258-70 had an effective penetration, spread widely and rapidly and could cross blood-brain barrier. The results of pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution may provide a guide for future study.

Characterization of in vitro metabolites of TM-2, a potential antitumor drug, in rat, dog and human liver microsomes using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

RATIONALE

TM-2 (13-(N-Boc-3-i-butylisoserinoyl-4,10-β-diacetoxy-2-α-benzoyloxy-5-β,20-epoxy-1,13-α-dihydroxy-9-oxo-19-norcyclopropa[g]tax-11-ene) is a novel semi-synthetic taxane derivative. Our previous study demonstrated that it is a promising taxane derivative. The in vitro comparative metabolic profile of a drug between animals and humans is a key issue that should be investigated at early stages of drug development to better select drug candidates. In this study, the in vitro metabolic pathways of TM-2 in rat, dog and human liver microsomes were established and compared.

METHODS

TM-2 was incubated with liver microsomes in the presence of NADPH. Two different types of mass spectrometers - a hybrid linear trap quadrupole orbitrap (LC/LTQ-Orbitrap) mass spectrometer and a triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer (LC/QqQ) were employed to acquire structural information of TM-2 metabolites. Accurate mass measurement using LC/LTQ-Orbitrap was used to determine the accurate mass data and elemental compositions of metabolites thereby confirming the proposed structures of the metabolites. For the chemical inhibition study, selective P450 inhibitors were added to incubations to initially characterize the cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes involved in the metabolism of TM-2.

RESULTS

A total of 12 components (M1-M12) were detected and identified as the metabolites of TM-2 in vitro. M1-M5 were formed by hydroxylation of the taxane ring or the lateral chain. Hydroxylated products can be further oxidized to the dihydroxylated metabolites M6-M10. M11 was a trihydroxylated metabolite. M12 was tentatively identified as a carboxylic acid derivative. The metabolism of TM-2 is much the same in all three species with some differences. The chemical inhibition study initially demonstrated that the formation of M2, the major metabolite of TM-2, is mainly mediated by CYP3A4.

CONCLUSIONS

Hydroxylation is the major biotransformation of the TM-2 pathway in vitro. CYP3A4 may play a dominant role in the formation of M2 in liver microsomes. The knowledge of the metabolic pathways of TM-2 is important to support further research of TM-2.

HPLC-MS/MS method for quantitative determination of the novel dual inhibitor of FGF and VEGF receptors E-3810 in tumor tissues from xenograft mice and human biopsies

We developed and validated a high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analytical method to measure E-3810, a novel dual inhibitor of fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1-3 in tissues and determined the drug concentration in a biopsy of human breast cancer for the first time. The method is a modification of our previous one in plasma to study the clinical pharmacokinetics of the drug during the phase I/II trial. In view of the changes in matrix, we applied a partial validation protocol to determine recovery, sensitivity, range of linearity, precision, accuracy and stability of the method over three runs in a mouse tumor tissue and liver. The recovery of E-3810 from liver or tumor homogenate was >69%, and the lower limit of quantification was 5 ng/ml. The method was linear in the concentration range 5.0-500.0 ng/ml, as demonstrated by a determination coefficient R(2) ≥ 0.9955. The range of the calibration curve was appropriate for the analysis, as demonstrated by the accuracy, which was between 91.4% and 106.7%. Interday precision and accuracy on quality control samples at 9, 30 and 300 ng/ml were 3.1-11.2% and 98.3-111.4%, respectively. The assay was applied successfully to determine the intratumor concentration of E-3810 in different mouse xenograft tumor models and in a biopsy of a patient with breast cancer included in the phase I/II trial of the drug. In mouse tumors, the concentrations of E-3810 were higher than necessary to exert antitumor activity in vitro (1 µM). Even more of interest was the result obtained in a human biopsy of few milligrams, where E-3810 reached 4.9 µg/g (11 µM).

Taxane's substituents at C3' affect its regioselective metabolism: different in vitro metabolism of cephalomannine and paclitaxel

To investigate how taxane's substituents at C3' affect its metabolism, we compared the metabolism of cephalomannine and paclitaxel, a pair of analogs that differ slightly at the C3' position. After cephalomannine was incubated with human liver microsomes in an NADPH-generating system, two monohydroxylated metabolites (M1 and M2) were detected by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. C4'' (M1) and C6alpha (M2) were proposed as the possible hydroxylation sites, and the structure of M1 was confirmed by (1)H NMR. Chemical inhibition studies and assays with recombinant human cytochromes P450 (P450s) indicated that 4''-hydroxycephalomannine was generated predominantly by CYP3A4 and 6alpha-hydroxycephalomannine by CYP2C8. The overall biotransformation rate between paclitaxel and cephalomannine differed slightly (184 vs. 145 pmol/min/mg), but the average ratio of metabolites hydroxylated at the C13 side chain to C6alpha for paclitaxel and cephalomannine varied significantly (15:85 vs. 64:36) in five human liver samples. Compared with paclitaxel, the major hydroxylation site transferred from C6alpha to C4'', and the main metabolizing P450 changed from CYP2C8 to CYP3A4 for cephalomannine. In the incubation system with rat or minipig liver microsomes, only 4''-hydroxycephalomannine was detected, and its formation was inhibited by CYP3A inhibitors. Molecular docking by AutoDock suggested that cephalomannine adopted an orientation in favor of 4''-hydroxylation, whereas paclitaxel adopted an orientation favoring 3'-p-hydroxylation. Kinetic studies showed that CYP3A4 catalyzed cephalomannine more efficiently than paclitaxel due to an increased V(m). Our results demonstrate that relatively minor modification of taxane at C3' has major consequence on the metabolism.