Antitumor activities and schedule dependence of orally administered MST-16, a novel derivative of bis(2,6-dioxopiperazine)

Development of water-soluble prodrugs of the bisdioxopiperazine topoisomerase IIβ inhibitor ICRF-193 as potential cardioprotective agents against anthracycline cardiotoxicity

The bisdioxopiperazine topoisomerase IIβ inhibitor ICRF-193 has been previously identified as a more potent analog of dexrazoxane (ICRF-187), a drug used in clinical practice against anthracycline cardiotoxicity. However, the poor aqueous solubility of ICRF-193 has precluded its further in vivo development as a cardioprotective agent. To overcome this issue, water-soluble prodrugs of ICRF-193 were prepared, their abilities to release ICRF-193 were investigated using a novel UHPLC-MS/MS assay, and their cytoprotective effects against anthracycline cardiotoxicity were tested in vitro in neonatal ventricular cardiomyocytes (NVCMs). Based on the obtained results, the bis(2-aminoacetoxymethyl)-type prodrug GK-667 was selected for advanced investigations due to its straightforward synthesis, sufficient solubility, low cytotoxicity and favorable ICRF-193 release. Upon administration of GK-667 to NVCMs, the released ICRF-193 penetrated well into the cells, reached sufficient intracellular concentrations and provided effective cytoprotection against anthracycline toxicity. The pharmacokinetics of the prodrug, ICRF-193 and its rings-opened metabolite was estimated in vivo after administration of GK-667 to rabbits. The plasma concentrations of ICRF-193 reached were found to be adequate to achieve cardioprotective effects in vivo. Hence, GK-667 was demonstrated to be a pharmaceutically acceptable prodrug of ICRF-193 and a promising drug candidate for further evaluation as a potential cardioprotectant against chronic anthracycline toxicity.

UHPLC-MS/MS method for analysis of sobuzoxane, its active form ICRF-154 and metabolite EDTA-diamide and its application to bioactivation study

Sobuzoxane (MST-16) is an approved anticancer agent, a pro-drug of bisdioxopiperazine analog ICRF-154. Due to the structural similarity of ICRF-154 to dexrazoxane (ICRF-187), MST-16 deserves attention as a cardioprotective drug. This study presents for the first time UHPLC-MS/MS assay of MST-16, ICRF-154 and its metabolite (EDTA-diamide) in cell culture medium, buffer, plasma and cardiac cells and provides data on MST-16 bioactivation under conditions relevant to investigation of cardioprotection of this drug. The analysis of these compounds that differ considerably in their lipophilicity was achieved on the Zorbax SB-Aq column using a mixture of aqueous ammonium formate and methanol as a mobile phase. The biological samples were either diluted or precipitated with methanol, which was followed by acidification for the assay of MST-16. The method was validated for determination of all compounds in the biological materials. The application of the method for analysis of samples from in vitro experiments provided important findings, namely, that (1) MST-16 is quickly decomposed in biological environments, (2) the cardiac cells actively metabolize MST-16, and (3) MST-16 readily penetrates into the cardiac cells and is converted into ICRF-154 and EDTA-diamide. These data are useful for the in-depth examination of the cardioprotective potential of this drug.

Anti-proliferative effects, cell cycle G2/M phase arrest and blocking of chromosome segregation by probimane and MST-16 in human tumor cell lines

Background

Anticancer bisdioxopiperazines, including ICRF-154, razoxane (Raz, ICRF-159) and ICRF-193, are a family of anticancer agents developed in the UK, especially targeting metastases of neoplasms. Two other bisdioxopiperazine derivatives, probimane (Pro) and MST-16, were synthesized at the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China. Cytotoxic activities and mechanisms of Raz (+)-steroisomer (ICRF-187, dexrazoxane), Pro and MST-16 against tumor cells were evaluated by MTT colorimetry, flow cytometry and karyotyping.

Results

Pro was cytotoxic to human tumor cell lines in vitro (IC₅₀<50 μM for 48 h). Four human tumor cell lines (SCG-7901, K562, A549 and HL60) were susceptible to Pro at low inhibitory concentrations (IC₅₀ values < 10 μM for 48 h). Although the IC₅₀ against HeLa cell line of vincristine (VCR, 4.56 μM), doxorubicin (Dox, 1.12 μM) and 5-fluoruouracil (5-Fu, 0.232 μM) are lower than Pro (5.12 μM), ICRF-187 (129 μM) and MST-16 (26.4 μM), VCR, Dox and 5-Fu shows a low dose-related – high cytotoxic activity. Time-response studies showed that the cytotoxic effects of Pro are increased for 3 days in human tumor cells, whereas VCR, Dox and 5-Fu showed decreased cytotoxic action after 24 h. Cell cycle G₂/M phase arrest and chromosome segregation blocking by Pro and MST-16 were noted. Although there was similar effects of Pro and MST-16 on chromosome segregation blocking action and cell cycle G₂/M phase arrest at 1- 4 μM, cytotoxicity of Pro against tumor cells was higher than that of MST-16 in vitro by a factor of 3- 10 folds. Our data show that Pro may be more effective against lung cancer and leukemia while ICRF-187 and MST-16 shows similar IC₅₀ values only against leukemia.

Conclusion

It suggests that Pro has a wider spectrum of cytotoxic effects against human tumor cells than other bisdioxopiperazines, especially against solid tumors, and with a single cytotoxic pathway of Pro and MST-16 affecting chromosome segregation and leading also to cell G₂/ M phase arrests, which finally reduces cell division rates. Pro may be more potent than MST-16 in cytotoxicity. High dose- and time- responses of Pro, when compared with VCR, 5-Fu and Dox, were seen that suggest a selectivity of Pro against tumor growth. Compounds of bisdioxopiperazines family may keep up their cytotoxic effects longer than many other anticancer drugs.

Inhibition of DNA topoisomerase II by ICRF-193 induces polyploidization by uncoupling chromosome dynamics from other cell cycle events

ICRF-193, a novel noncleavable, complex-stabilizing type topoisomerase (topo) II inhibitor, has been shown to target topo II in mammalian cells (Ishida, R., T. Miki, T. Narita, R. Yui, S. Sato, K. R. Utsumi, K. Tanabe, and T. Andoh. 1991. Cancer Res. 51:4909-4916). With the aim of elucidating the roles of topo II in mammalian cells, we examined the effects of ICRF-193 on the transition through the S phase, when the genome is replicated, and through the M phase, when the replicated genome is condensed and segregated. Replication of the genome did not appear to be affected by the drug because the scheduled synthesis of DNA and activation of cdc2 kinase followed by increase in mitotic index occurred normally, while VP-16, a cleavable, complex-stabilizing type topo II inhibitor, inhibited all these processes. In the M phase, however, late stages of chromosome condensation and segregation were clearly blocked by ICRF-193. Inhibition at the stage of compaction of 300-nm diameter chromatin fibers to 600-nm diameter chromatids was demonstrated using the drug during premature chromosome condensation (PCC) induced in tsBN2 baby hamster kidney cells in early S and G2 phases. In spite of interference with M phase chromosome dynamics, other mitotic events such as activation of cdc2 kinase, spindle apparatus reorganization and disassembly and reassembly of nuclear envelopes occurred, and the cells traversed an unusual M phase termed "absence of chromosome segregation" (ACS)-M phase. Cells then continued through further cell cycle rounds, becoming polyploid and losing viability. This effect of ICRF-193 on the cell cycle was shown to parallel that of inactivation of topo II on the cell cycle of the ts top2 mutant yeast. The results strongly suggest that the essential roles of topo II are confined to the M phase, when the enzyme decatenates intertwined replicated chromosomes. In other phases of the cycle, including the S phase, topo II may thus play a complementary role with topo I in controlling the torsional strain accumulated in various genetic processes.

Different modes of cell-killing action between DNA topoisomerase I and II inhibitors revealed by kinetic analysis

We compared the modes of cell-killing by DNA topoisomerase I and II inhibitors. The effects of camptothecin (CPT), KT-6528 and UCE6 upon colony formation by inhibiting DNA topoisomerase I, and of etoposide (VP-16), teniposide, amsacrine and UCT4-A as inhibitors of DNA topoisomerase II were analyzed based upon a kinetic method that distinguishes between cell cycle phase-specific and -nonspecific agents. Human colorectal cancer WiDr cells were exposed to several concentrations of each agent for various periods and 90%-inhibitory concentrations (IC90) at each time were determined by means of a clonogenic assay. When exposure times and corresponding IC90s were plotted on a log-log scale, all inhibitors of DNA topoisomerase II gave curves including a linear portion with a slope of -1, which is characteristic of cell cycle phase-nonspecific agents. In contrast, the curves for all inhibitors of DNA topoisomerase I had a much steeper slope than -1, which is typical of cell cycle phase-specific agents. In agreement with this finding, the cells were remarkably accumulated in the G2-M phase when exposed to VP-16, but in late S-phase when exposed to CPT as determined by a flow cytometric assay. These results indicated that the two classes of agents kill cells in a quite different manner although they are inhibitors of similar enzymes.

The effects of ICRF-154 in combination with other anticancer agents in vitro

We studied the effects of ICRF-154 in combination with 11 anticancer agents on four human leukaemia cell lines. Cells were incubated for 3 days in the presence of two drugs (ICRF-154 and one other), and cell growth inhibition was determined by MTT assay. Effects of drug combinations at the ID50 level were analysed using the isobologram method (Steel). In the lymphoblastic leukaemia cell lines, MOLT-3, HSB, and B-ALL, supra-additive effects were observed for ICRF-154 in combination with amsacrine, bleomycin, doxorubicin, and etoposide. Additive effects were observed for its combinations with cisplatin, CPT-11, cytosine arabinoside, 5-fluorouracil, mitomycin C, and vincristine. Sub-additive to protective effects were observed in combination with methotrexate. In an erythroleukaemia cell line, K-562, no drug showed supra-additive effects with ICRF-154, while sub-additive to protective effects were observed for ICRF-154 in combination with cisplatin and methotrexate. The other drugs showed additive effects with ICRF-154. These results indicate that the combined effects of ICRF-154 with other agents vary, depending on the cell line. Against lymphoid malignancies, ICRF-154 would be advantageous when administered simultaneously with many anticancer agents. Of such agents, amsacrine, bleomycin, doxorubicin, and etoposide are the most suitable, while methotrexate is least suitable for such combined treatment.