Antifolates induce inhibition of amido phosphoribosyltransferase in leukemia cells

A new mathematical model of folate homeostasis in E. coli highlights the potential importance of the folinic acid futile cycle in cell growth

Folate (vitamin B9) plays a central role in one-carbon metabolism in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. This pathway mediates the transfer of one-carbon units, playing a crucial role in nucleotide synthesis, methylation, and amino acid homeostasis. The folinic acid futile cycle adds a layer of intrigue to this pathway, due to its associations with metabolism, cell growth, and dormancy. It also introduces additional complexity to folate metabolism. A logical way to deal with such complexity is to examine it by using mathematical modelling. This work describes the construction and analysis of a model of folate metabolism, which includes the folinic acid futile cycle. This model was tested under three in silico growth conditions. Model simulations revealed: 1) the folate cycle behaved as a stable biochemical system in three growth states (slow, standard, and rapid); 2) the initial concentration of serine had the greatest impact on metabolite concentrations; 3) 5-formyltetrahydrofolate cyclo-ligase (5-FCL) activity had a significant impact on the levels of the 7 products that carry the one-carbon donated from folates, and the redox couple NADP/NADPH; this was particularly evident in the rapid growth state; 4) 5-FCL may be vital to the survival of the cells by maintaining low levels of homocysteine, as high levels can induce toxicity; and 5) the antifolate therapeutic trimethoprim had a greater impact on folate metabolism with higher nutrient availability. These results highlight the important role of 5-FCL in intracellular folate homeostasis and mass generation under different metabolic scenarios.

The Intersection of Purine and Mitochondrial Metabolism in Cancer

Nucleotides are essential to cell growth and survival, providing cells with building blocks for DNA and RNA, energy carriers, and cofactors. Mitochondria have a critical role in the production of intracellular ATP and participate in the generation of intermediates necessary for biosynthesis of macromolecules such as purines and pyrimidines. In this review, we highlight the role of purine and mitochondrial metabolism in cancer and how their intersection influences cancer progression, especially in ovarian cancer. Additionally, we address the importance of metabolic rewiring in cancer and how the evolving landscape of purine synthesis and mitochondria inhibitors can be potentially exploited for cancer treatment.

Targeting leukemia-specific dependence on the de novo purine synthesis pathway

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a devastating disease, and clinical outcomes are still far from satisfactory. Here, to identify novel targets for AML therapy, we performed a genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 screen using AML cell lines, followed by a second screen in vivo. We show that PAICS, an enzyme involved in de novo purine biosynthesis, is a potential target for AML therapy. AML cells expressing shRNA-PAICS exhibited a proliferative disadvantage, indicating a toxic effect of shRNA-PAICS. Treatment of human AML cells with a PAICS inhibitor suppressed their proliferation by inhibiting DNA synthesis and promoting apoptosis and had anti-leukemic effects in AML PDX models. Furthermore, CRISPR/Cas9 screens using AML cells in the presence of the inhibitor revealed genes mediating resistance or synthetic lethal to PAICS inhibition. Our findings identify PAICS as a novel therapeutic target for AML and further define components of de novo purine synthesis pathway and its downstream effectors essential for AML cell survival.

Identification and Validation of Novel Biomarkers for Diagnosis and Prognosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide due to poor survival outcome. Thus, there is an urgent need to identify effective biomarkers for early diagnosis and prognosis prediction.

Methods: A total of 389 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between HCC samples and normal were selected based on the Robust Rank Aggregation (RRA) method. We combined DEGs expression and clinical traits to construct a gene co-expression network through WGCNA. Forty hub genes were selected from the key module. Among them, YWHAB, PPAT, NOL10 were eventually identified as prognostic biomarkers using multivariate Cox regression model. Biomarkers expression pattern was investigated by informatic analysis and verified by RNA-seq of 32 patients with HCC. DiseaseMeth 2.0, MEXPRESS, and Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) were used to assess the methylation and immune status of biomarkers. GSVA, CCK8, colony formation assay, Edu imaging kit, wound-healing assay, and xenograft tumor model were utilized to investigate the effects of biomarkers on proliferation, metastasis of HCC cells in vitro, and in vivo. The Kaplan–Meier (KM) plotter and ROC curves were used to validate the prognostic and diagnostic value of biomarker expression.

Results: All the selected biomarkers were upregulated in HCC samples and higher expression levels were associated with advanced tumor stages and T grades. The regulation of YWHAB, PPAT, NOL10 promoter methylation varied in tumors, and precancerous normal tissues. Immune infiltration analysis suggested that the abnormal regulations of these biomarkers were likely attributed to B cells and dendritic cells. GSVA for these biomarkers showed their great contributions to proliferation of HCC. Specific inhibition of their expression had strong effects on tumorigenesis in vitro and in vivo. ROC and KM curves confirmed their usefulness of diagnosis and prognosis of HCC.

Conclusions: These findings identified YWHAB, PPAT, and NOL10 as novel biomarkers and validated their diagnostic and prognostic value for HCC.

In Silico Structure Modeling and Molecular Docking Analysis of Phosphoribosyl Pyrophosphate Amidotransferase (PPAT) with Antifolate Inhibitors

BACKGROUND

Cancer remains one of the most serious disease worldwide. Robust metabolism is the hallmark of cancer. PPAT (phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate amidotransferase) catalyzes the first committed step of de novo purine biosynthesis. Hence PPAT, the key regulatory spot in De novo purine nucleotide biosynthesis, is an attractive and credible drug target for leukemia and other cancer therapeutics.

OBJECTIVE

In the present study, detailed computational analysis has been performed for PPAT protein, the key enzyme in de novo purine biosynthesis which is inhibited by many folate derivatives, hence we aimed to investigate and gauge the inhibitory effect of antifolate derivatives; lomexterol (LTX) methotrexate (LTX), and pipretixin (PTX) with human PPAT to effectively capture and inhibit De novo purine biosynthesis pathway.

METHODS

The sequence to structure computational approaches followed by molecular docking experiments was performed to gain insight into the inhibitory mode, binding orientation and binding affinities of selected antifolate derivatives against important structural features of PPAT.

RESULTS

Results indicated a strong affinity of antifolate inhibitors for the conserved active site of PPAT molecule encompassing a number of hydrophobic, hydrogen bonding, Vander Waals and electrostatic interactions.

CONCLUSION

Conclusively, the strong physical interaction of selected antifolate inhibitors with human PPAT suggests the selective inhibition of De novo purine biosynthesis pathway by antifolate derivatives towards cancer therapeutics.

Dysregulation of de novo nucleotide biosynthetic pathway enzymes in cancer and targeting opportunities

Cancer is a disease of uncontrolled cell growth and a major cause of death worldwide. Many molecular events characterize tumor initiation and progression. Global gene expression analyses using next-generation sequencing, proteomics and metabolomics show genomic, epigenetic, and metabolite concentration changes in various tumors. Molecular alterations identified include multiple cancer-driving mutations, gene fusions, amplifications, deletions, and post-translational modifications. Data integration from many high-throughput platforms unraveled dysregulation in many metabolic pathways in cancer. Since cancer cells are fast-growing, their metabolic needs are enhanced, hence the requirement for de novo synthesis of essential metabolites. One critical requirement of fast-growing cells and a historically important pathway in cancer is the nucleotide biosynthetic pathway and its enzymes are valuable targets for small molecule inhibition. Purines and pyrimidines are building blocks of DNA synthesis and due to their excessive growth, cancer cells extensively utilize de novo pathways for nucleotide biosynthesis. Methotrexate, one of the early chemotherapeutic agents, targets dihydrofolate reductase of the folate metabolic pathway that is involved in nucleotide biosynthesis. In this review, we discuss the nucleotide biosynthetic pathways in cancer and targeting opportunities.

Methotrexate disposition, anti-folate activity and efficacy in the collagen-induced arthritis mouse model

Methotrexate (MTX) efficacy in autoimmune arthritis is variable and unpredictable resulting in the need for the identification of biomarkers to guide drug therapy. This study utilizes the collagen-induced arthritis mouse model to investigate erythrocyte MTX disposition and anti-folate activity as biochemical markers of efficacy in autoimmune arthritis. Following induction of arthritis, DBA/1J mice were treated with once-weekly subcutaneous MTX at varying doses over a period of 40 days. At the completion of the study tissue samples were analyzed for MTX and folate content and assessed for their relationship with MTX efficacy. MTX treatment resulted in a reduction in disease activity that was variable and dose-dependent. Erythrocyte accumulation of MTX and its polyglutamate metabolites were dose proportionate, however, polyglutamate metabolites represented a mean ± S.E.M. of 8.9 ± 0.4% of total erythrocyte MTX, which is markedly lower than previously observed in humans and failed to display any significant association with MTX efficacy. MTX treatment resulted in reductions in erythrocyte 5-methyl-tetrahydrofolate (5mTHF) levels that were similar to those previously observed in human studies. Disease induction was associated with a decrease in liver 5mTHF and increased formyl-tetrahydrofolate (fTHF) that was normalized in MTX treated mice. MTX efficacy was associated with reductions in erythrocyte 5mTHF (P = 0.04) and increases in liver 5mTHF (P = 0.0001). Together, these findings demonstrate a relationship between alterations in tissue folate levels and MTX efficacy, and supports erythrocyte levels of 5mTHF as a marker of MTX efficacy in autoimmune arthritis.

Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase Deficiency Potentiates the Antiproliferative Activity of Methotrexate through Enhanced Depletion of Intracellular ATP

Lower plasma nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) levels are associated with improved response to methotrexate (MTX) in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Cell-based studies confirmed that reduced cellular NAMPT activity potentiates the pharmacologic activity of MTX; however, the mechanism of this interaction has yet to be defined. Therefore, in this study, we investigate the mechanism of enhanced pharmacologic activity of MTX in NAMPT-deficient A549 cells. Small interfering RNA-based silencing of NAMPT expression resulted in a greater than 3-fold increase in sensitivity to MTX (P < 0.005) that was completely reversed by supplementation with folinic acid. Despite a 68% reduction in cellular NAD levels in NAMPT-deficient cells, no change in expression or activity of dihydrofolate reductase was observed and uptake of MTX was not significantly altered. MTX did not potentiate the depletion of cellular NAD levels, but NAMPT-deficient cells had significant elevations in levels of intermediates of de novo purine biosynthesis and were 4-fold more sensitive to depletion of ATP by MTX (P < 0.005). Supplementation with hypoxanthine and thymidine completely reversed the antiproliferative activity of MTX in NAMPT-deficient cells and corresponded to repletion of the cellular ATP pool without any effect on NAD levels. Together, these findings demonstrate that increased MTX activity with decreased NAMPT expression is dependent on the antifolate activity of MTX and is driven by enhanced sensitivity to the ATP-depleting effects of MTX. For the first time, these findings provide mechanistic details to explain the increase in pharmacological activity of MTX under conditions of reduced NAMPT activity.

One-carbon metabolism and nucleotide biosynthesis as attractive targets for anticancer therapy

Cancer-related metabolism has recently emerged as one of the “hallmarks of cancer”. It has several important features, including altered metabolism of glucose and glutamine. Importantly, altered cancer metabolism connects different biochemical pathways into the one fine-tuned metabolic network, which stimulates high proliferation rates and plasticity to malignant cells. Among the keystones of cancer metabolism are one-carbon metabolism and nucleotide biosynthesis, which provide building blocks to anabolic reactions. Accordingly, the importance of these metabolic pathways for anticancer therapy has well been documented by more than fifty years of clinical use of specific metabolic inhibitors – methotrexate and nucleotides analogs. In this review we discuss one-carbon metabolism and nucleotide biosynthesis as common and specific features of many, if not all, tumors. The key enzymes involved in these pathways also represent promising anti-cancer therapeutic targets. We review different aspects of these metabolic pathways including their biochemistry, compartmentalization and expression of the key enzymes and their regulation at different levels. We also discuss the effects of known inhibitors of these pathways as well as the recent data on other enzymes of the same pathways as perspective pharmacological targets.

In silico analysis of glycinamide ribonucleotide transformylase inhibition by PY873, PY899 and DIA

In humans, purine de novo synthesis pathway consists of multi-functional enzymes. Nucleotide metabolism enzymes are potential drug targets for treating cancer and autoimmune diseases. Glycinamide ribonucleotide transformylase (GART) is one of the most important trifunctional enzymes involved in purine synthesis. Previous studies have demonstrated the role of folate inhibitors against tumor activity. In this present study, three components of GART enzyme were targeted as receptor dataset and in silico analysis was carried out with folate ligand dataset. To accomplish the task, Autodock 4.2 was used for determining the docking compatibilities of ligand and receptor dataset. Taken together, it has been suggested that folate ligands could be potentially used as inhibitors of GART.

LD-aminopterin in the canine homologue of human atopic dermatitis: a randomized, controlled trial reveals dosing factors affecting optimal therapy

BACKGROUND

Options are limited for patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) who do not respond to topical treatments. Antifolate therapy with systemic methotrexate improves the disease, but is associated with adverse effects. The investigational antifolate LD-aminopterin may offer improved safety. It is not known how antifolate dose and dosing frequency affect efficacy in AD, but a primary mechanism is thought to involve the antifolate-mediated accumulation of 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR). However, recent in vitro studies indicate that AICAR increases then decreases as a function of antifolate concentration. To address this issue and understand how dosing affects antifolate efficacy in AD, we examined the efficacy and safety of different oral doses and schedules of LD-aminopterin in the canine model of AD.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

This was a multi-center, double-blind trial involving 75 subjects with canine AD randomized to receive up to 12 weeks of placebo, once-weekly (0.007, 0.014, 0.021 mg/kg) or twice-weekly (0.007 mg/kg) LD-aminopterin. The primary efficacy outcome was the Global Score (GS), a composite of validated measures of disease severity and itch. GS improved in all once-weekly cohorts, with 0.014 mg/kg being optimal and significant (43%, P<0.01). The majority of improvement was seen by 8 weeks. In contrast, GS in the twice-weekly cohort was similar to placebo and worse than all once-weekly cohorts. Adverse events were similar across all treated cohorts and placebo.

CONCLUSIONS

Once-weekly LD-aminopterin was safe and efficacious in canine AD. Twice-weekly dosing negated efficacy despite having the same daily and weekly dose as effective once-weekly regimens. Optimal dosing in this homologue of human AD correlated with the concentration-selective accumulation of AICAR in vitro, consistent with AICAR mediating LD-aminopterin efficacy in AD.

Rice folate enhancement through metabolic engineering has an impact on rice seed metabolism, but does not affect the expression of the endogenous folate biosynthesis genes

Folates are key-players in one-carbon metabolism in all organisms. However, only micro-organisms and plants are able to synthesize folates de novo and humans rely entirely on their diet as a sole folate source. As a consequence, folate deficiency is a global problem. Although different strategies are currently implemented to fight folate deficiency, up until now, all of them have their own drawbacks. As an alternative and complementary means to those classical strategies, folate biofortification of rice by metabolic engineering was successfully achieved a couple of years ago. To gain more insight into folate biosynthesis regulation and the effect of folate enhancement on general rice seed metabolism, a transcriptomic study was conducted in developing transgenic rice seeds, overexpressing 2 genes of the folate biosynthetic pathway. Upon folate enhancement, the expression of 235 genes was significantly altered. Here, we show that rice folate biofortification has an important effect on folate dependent, seed developmental and plant stress response/defense processes, but does not affect the expression of the endogenous folate biosynthesis genes.

Low-dose methotrexate results in the selective accumulation of aminoimidazole carboxamide ribotide in an erythroblastoid cell line

Therapeutic and toxic response to low-dose methotrexate (MTX) in the treatment of autoimmune disease continues to be highly variable, resulting in a critical need to identify predictive biomarkers of response. Biomarker development has been hampered by an incomplete understanding of the molecular pharmacology of low-dose MTX. To address this issue, accumulation of the substrates for aminoimidazole carboxamide ribonucleotide transformylase (AICART) and thymidylate synthase (TS) was measured as markers of pharmacological activity of MTX in an erythroblastoid cell line. A 115-fold increase in the AICART substrate and anti-inflammatory mediator, 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-β-d-ribofuranosyl 5'-monophosphate (ZMP), was observed following exposure to 10 nM MTX but subsequently decreased with increasing MTX concentrations, declining to baseline levels with 1000 nM MTX. In contrast, the TS substrate, 2'-deoxyuridine 5'-monophosphate disodium salt (dUMP), displayed concentration-dependent accumulation, increasing 29-, 342-, and 471-fold over baseline with 10, 100, and 1000 nM MTX, respectively. Cellular levels of dUMP correlated with levels of the parent drug (MTX-PG1; r = 0.66, P < 0.001) and its polyglutamates (MTX-PG2-6) (r = 0.81, P < 0.001), whereas cellular levels of ZMP were only moderately correlated with MTX-PG1 (r = 0.34, P < 0.01). In contrast, accumulation of ZMP at 10 nM MTX was associated with a 2.9-fold increase in the AICART inhibitor dihydrofolate (DHF), represented primarily by long-chain DHF polyglutamates. Selectivity, defined as the ratio of ZMP to dUMP, was maximal following exposure to 6 nM MTX. Characterizing the range of MTX concentrations that selectively promote ZMP accumulation while preserving pyrimidine biosynthesis may lead to optimization of low-dose MTX therapy.

In silico analysis of the amido phosphoribosyltransferase inhibition by PY873, PY899 and a derivative of isophthalic acid

Selectively decreasing the availability of precursors for the de novo biosynthesis of purine nucleotides is a valid approach towards seeking a cure for leukaemia. Nucleotides and deoxynucleotides are required by living cells for syntheses of RNA, DNA, and cofactors such as NADP(+), FAD(+), coenzyme A and ATP. Nucleotides contain purine and pyrimidine bases, which can be synthesized through salvage pathway as well. Amido phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT), also known as glutamine phosphoribosylpyrophosphate amidotransferase (GPAT), is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the PPAT (phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate amidotransferase) gene. APRT catalyzes the first committed step of the de novo pathway using its substrate, phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate (PRPP). As APRT is inhibited by many folate analogues, therefore, in this study we focused on the inhibitory effects of three folate analogues on APRT activity. This is extension of our previous wet lab work to analyze and dissect molecular interaction and inhibition mechanism using molecular modeling and docking tools in the current study. Comparative molecular docking studies were carried out for three diamino folate derivatives employing a model of the human enzyme that was built using the 3D structure of Bacillus subtilis APRT (PDB ID; 1GPH) as the template. Binding orientation of interactome indicates that all compounds having nominal cluster RMSD in same active site's deep narrow polar fissure. On the basis of comparative conformational analysis, electrostatic interaction, binding free energy and binding orientation of interactome, we support the possibility that these molecules could behave as APRT inhibitors and therefore may block purine de novo biosynthesis. Consequently, we suggest that PY899 is the most active biological compound that would be a more potent inhibitor for APRT inhibition than PY873 and DIA, which also confirms previous wet lab report.

SAICAR stimulates pyruvate kinase isoform M2 and promotes cancer cell survival in glucose-limited conditions

Pyruvate kinase isoform M2 (PKM2) plays an important role in the growth and metabolic reprogramming of cancer cells in stress conditions. Here, we report that SAICAR (succinylaminoimidazolecarboxamide ribose-5'-phosphate, an intermediate of the de novo purine nucleotide synthesis pathway) specifically stimulates PKM2. Upon glucose starvation, cellular SAICAR concentration increased in an oscillatory manner and stimulated PKM2 activity in cancer cells. Changes in SAICAR amounts in cancer cells altered cellular energy level, glucose uptake, and lactate production. The SAICAR-PKM2 interaction also promoted cancer cell survival in glucose-limited conditions. SAICAR accumulation was not observed in normal adult epithelial cells or lung fibroblasts, regardless of glucose conditions. This allosteric regulation may explain how cancer cells coordinate different metabolic pathways to optimize their growth in the nutrient-limited conditions commonly observed in the tumor microenvironment.

A link between impaired purine nucleotide synthesis and apoptosis in Drosophila melanogaster

The biosynthetic pathways and multiple functions of purine nucleotides are well known. However, the pathways that respond to alterations in purine nucleotide synthesis in vivo in an animal model organism have not been identified. We examined the effects of inhibiting purine de novo synthesis in vivo and in cultured cells of Drosophila melanogaster. The purine de novo synthesis gene ade2 encodes phosphoribosylformylglycinamidine synthase (EC 6.3.5.3). An ade2 deletion, generated by P-element transposon excision, causes lethality in early pupal development, with darkening, or necrosis, of leg and wing imaginal disc tissue upon disc eversion. Together with analysis of a previously isolated weaker allele, ade2(4), and an allele of the Prat gene, which encodes an enzyme for the first step in the pathway, we determined that the lethal arrest and imaginal disc phenotypes involve apoptosis. A transgene expressing the baculovirus caspase inhibitor p35, which suppresses apoptosis caused by other stresses such as DNA damage, suppresses both the imaginal disc tissue darkening and the pupal lethality of all three purine de novo synthesis mutants. Furthermore, we showed the presence of apoptosis at the cellular level in both ade2 and Prat mutants by detecting TUNEL-positive nuclei in wing imaginal discs. Purine de novo synthesis inhibition was also examined in tissue culture by ade2 RNA interference followed by analysis of genome-wide changes in transcript levels. Among the upregulated genes was HtrA2, which encodes an apoptosis effector and is thus a candidate for initiating apoptosis in response to purine depletion.

Revisiting the immunomodulators tacrolimus, methotrexate, and mycophenolate mofetil: their mechanisms of action and role in the treatment of IBD

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are thought to result from unopposed immune responses to normal gut flora in a genetically susceptible host. A variety of immunomodulating therapies are applied for the treatment of patients with IBDs. The first-line treatment for IBDs consists of 5-aminosalicylate and/or budesonide. However, these first-line therapies are often not suitable for continuous treatment or do not suffice for the treatment of severe IBD. Recently, efforts have been made to generate novel selective drugs that are more effective and have fewer side effects. Despite promising results, most of these novel drugs are still in a developmental stage and unavailable for clinical application. Yet, another class of established immunomodulators exists that is successful in the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases. While waiting for emerging novel therapies, the use of these more established drugs should be considered. Furthermore, one of the advantages of using established immunomodulators is the well-documented knowledge on the long-term side effects and on the mechanisms of action. In this review, the authors discuss 3 well-known immunomodulators that are being applied with increased frequency for the treatment of IBD: tacrolimus, methotrexate, and mycophenolate mofetil. These agents have been used for many years as treatment modalities for immunosuppression after organ transplantation, for the treatment of cancer, and for immunomodulation in several other immune-mediated diseases. First, this review discusses the potential targets for immunomodulating therapies in IBDs. Second, the immunomodulating mechanisms and effects of the 3 immunomodulators are discussed in relationship to these treatment targets.

Accumulation of 5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate in human CCRF-CEM leukaemia cells treated with antifolates

Amido phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) catalyzes the first step of the de novo biosynthesis of purine nucleotides, the conversion of 5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate (PRPP) into 5-phosphoribosylamine (PRA). APRT is a valid target for development of inhibitors as anticancer drugs. We have developed a thin layer chromatographic assay for PRPP extracted from cells. Using coupling enzymes, PRPP with excess [2-14C]orotate (OA) is quantitatively converted to [2-14C]OMP and then [2-14C]UMP with hydrolysis of the PPi. The reaction products are isolated on poly(ethyleneimine)-cellulose (PEI-C) chromatograms. Human CCRF-CEM leukaemia cells growing in culture have been exposed to a number of antifolates and their effects upon cellular levels of PRPP determined. The steady-state level of PRPP measured in CCRF-CEM cells was 102+/-11 microM. Following addition of an antifolate to a culture, accumulation of PRPP in cells indicates the degree of inhibition of APRT. In human CCRF-CEM leukaemia cells, lometrexol (LTX), 2,4-diamino-6-(3,4,5-trimethoxybenzyl)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-quinazoline (PY899), methotrexate (MTX), N(alpha)(4-amino-4-deoxypteroyl)-N(delta)-hemiphthaloyl-L-ornithine (PT523), piritrexim (PTX), metoprine, 2,4-diamino-6-(3,4,5-trimethoxyanilino)-methylpyrido[3,2-d]pyrimidine (PY873) and multitargeted antifolate, N-[4-[2-(2-amino-3,4-dihydro-4-oxo-7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-5-yl)ethyl]benzoyl]-L-glutamic acid (MTA) directly or indirectly induce inhibition of APRT indicated by time-courses for accumulation of PRPP to maximum values of 3-12-fold. These data indicate that LTX induces the most potent inhibition of APRT.

Reduced folate carrier and dihydrofolate reductase expression in acute lymphocytic leukemia may predict outcome: a Children's Cancer Group Study

PURPOSE

Methotrexate is a major component of current treatment regimens for children with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). Potential mechanisms of methotrexate resistance include impaired drug uptake, decreased drug retention, and dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) amplification. The purpose of this study was to assess whether reduced folate carrier (RFC) and DHFR expression in untreated leukemic blasts correlated with outcome.

METHODS

Quantitative real-time RT-PCR was used to measure RFC and DHFR mRNA expression in leukemic blasts from 40 newly diagnosed patients with ALL obtained in a blinded fashion from Children's Cancer Group studies.

RESULTS

Low RFC expression at diagnosis correlated significantly with an unfavorable event free survival. Surprisingly, low, not high, DHFR expression correlated significantly with an unfavorable event-free survival. Proliferative cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression demonstrated a weak inverse relationship between sample PCNA and DHFR or RFC expression, suggesting that DHFR and RFC expression may be markers for factors other than drug resistance.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that impaired transport may be an important mechanism of intrinsic methotrexate resistance in ALL, and DHFR expression also may be an important prognostic factor in ALL. Additional studies are necessary to clarify the mechanism for the correlation of low DHFR expression with poor outcome.

Feedback inhibition of amidophosphoribosyltransferase regulates the rate of cell growth via purine nucleotide, DNA, and protein syntheses

To clarify the contributions of amidophosphoribosyltransferase (ATase) and its feedback regulation to the rates of purine de novo synthesis, DNA synthesis, protein synthesis, and cell growth, mutated human ATase (mhATase) resistant to feedback inhibition by purine ribonucleotides was engineered by site-directed mutagenesis and expressed in CHO ade (-)A cells (an ATase-deficient cell line of Chinese hamster ovary fibroblasts) and in transgenic mice (mhATase-Tg mice). In Chinese hamster ovary transfectants with mhATase, the following parameters were examined: ATase activity and its subunit structure, the metabolic rates of de novo and salvage pathways, DNA and protein synthesis rates, and the rate of cell growth. In mhATase-Tg mice, ATase activity in the liver and spleen, the metabolic rate of the de novo pathway in the liver, serum uric acid concentration, urinary excretion of purine derivatives, and T lymphocyte proliferation by phytohemagglutinin were examined. We concluded the following. 1) ATase and its feedback inhibition regulate not only the rate of purine de novo synthesis but also DNA and protein synthesis rates and the rate of cell growth in cultured fibroblasts. 2) Suppression of the de novo pathway by the salvage pathway is mainly due to the feedback inhibition of ATase by purine ribonucleotides produced via the salvage pathway, whereas the suppression of the salvage pathway by the de novo pathway is due to consumption of 5-phosphoribosyl 1-pyrophosphate by the de novo pathway. 3) The feedback inhibition of ATase is more important for the regulation of the de novo pathway than that of 5-phosphoribosyl 1-pyrophosphate synthetase. 4) ATase superactivity leads to hyperuricemia and an increased bromodeoxyuridine incorporation in T lymphocytes stimulated by phytohemagglutinin.

Metabolic effects of thiopurine derivatives against human CCRF-CEM leukaemia cells

BACKGROUND and aims. To compare the metabolic effects induced by the anticancer drugs, 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP), 6-thioguanine (6-TG) and 6-methylmercaptopurine riboside (MMPR), which may inhibit the de novo biosynthesis of purine nucleotides or be mis-incorporated into DNA or RNA.

METHODS

Leukaemia cells were grown in culture, exposed to a thiopurine and cell extracts were analyzed for NTPs, dNTPs, drug metabolites and P-Rib-PP.

RESULTS

In leukaemia cells, 6-MP was converted to MPR-MP, thio-XMP, thio-GMP, thio-GDP and thio-GTP. Metabolites of 6-TG included thio-XMP, thio-GMP, thio-GDP and thio-GTP, while MMPR-MP was the only major metabolite of MMPR, MMPR (25 microM, 4 h) induced a 16-fold increase in P-Rib-PP and 6-MP (25 microM, 4 h) induced a delayed 5.2-fold increase. MPR-MP, thio-GMP and MMPR-MP are inhibitors of amido phosphoribosyltransferase from leukaemia cells with Ki values of 114 +/- 7.10 microM, 6.20 +/- 2.10 microM and 3.09 +/- 0.30 microM, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The nucleoside-5'-monophosphate derivatives of the 3 thiopurines inhibit amido phosphoribosyltransferase in growing leukaemia cells but there is also an initial inhibition of the further conversion of IMP in the pathway. In growing cells, MMPR acts solely as an inhibitor of de novo purine biosynthesis while 6-TG and to a lesser extent, 6-MP, are converted to significant concentrations of di- and tri-phosphate derivatives which may have other mechanisms of cytotoxicity.

Involvement of purine nucleotide synthetic pathways in gonadotropin-induced meiotic maturation in mouse cumulus cell-enclosed oocytes

This study was carried out to test the hypothesis that purine nucleotide-generating pathways are required for ligand-stimulated oocyte maturation in meiotically arrested cumulus cell-enclosed oocytes. Oocytes from hormonally primed, immature mice were cultured overnight in Eagle's minimum essential medium containing dibutyryl cyclic AMP (dbcAMP) (to maintain meiotic arrest), plus either mycophenolic acid or alanosine (inhibitors of guanyl and adenyl nucleotide production, respectively). Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) was added either at the outset of culture or after a 3-hr preincubation period. Under either of these conditions, the inhibitors suppressed FSH induction of germinal vesicle breakdown (GVB). In addition, the potency of FSH as an inducer of GVB was reduced following the 3-hr preincubation period, but this could be prevented if nucleotide precursors such as hypoxanthine, guanosine, or adenosine were included during the first 3 hr. Furthermore, preincubation had little effect on FSH induction of GVB when hypoxanthine was used to maintain meiotic arrest for the entire culture period. The phosphodiesterase inhibitor 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, could not mimic this protective effect of hypoxanthine. Azaserine and aminopterin, inhibitors of purine de novo synthesis, blocked hormone-triggered maturation in dbcAMP-arrested oocytes, but had little effect on hypoxanthine-arrested oocytes. The effect of azaserine on dbcAMP-treated oocytes could be reversed by the inclusion of AICA riboside, a compound that can be taken up by cells and phosphorylated to form AICAR, which can enter the purine de novo pathway at a point distal to the sites of azaserine inhibition. FSH was stimulatory to purine de novo synthesis, while azaserine, aminopterin, hypoxanthine, and AICA riboside all suppressed de novo synthesis in the presence or absence of FSH, with dbcAMP having no effect. HPLC analysis of 14C-hypoxanthine metabolism in oocyte-cumulus cell complexes revealed that changes in the pattern of purine metabolism did not mediate the meiosis-inducing effect of FSH. These data support the conclusion that purine nucleotide-generating pathways are vital participants in the mechanism(s) regulating hormone-induced meiotic maturation, and that either the de novo or salvage pathway can fulfill this nucleotide requirement.

Effects of cytosine arabinoside on human leukemia cells

Cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) is used to treat leukemias, with complete remission induced by combination chemotherapy in approximately 70% of cases of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Ara-CTP acts as a competitive inhibitor of DNA polymerase and may also be incorporated into DNA. Accumulation of deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs) induced by Ara-C may indicate disruption of DNA synthesis in susceptible leukemia cells. A procedure has been developed for the quantification of Ara-CTP and dNTPs from small samples of leukaemia cells from patients (4 x 10(7) cells) activated with concanavalin A (10 micrograms/ml, 48 hr) and grown in the presence of [32P]orthophosphate (1.1 microM, 9 x 10(6) Ci/mol, 16 hr). The susceptibilities to Ara-C of the human leukemia cell lines CCRF-CEM (IC50 = 6.30 nM), CCRF-HSB-2 (IC50 = 10.4 nM) and MOLT-4 (IC50 = 10.0 nM) may be correlated with their abilities to accumulate high concentrations of Ara-CTP (> 1000 amol/cell) with increases of between 1.3- and 3.4-fold in dATP, dGTP and dTTP for the four cell lines, while dCTP decreased between 0.23- and 0.78-fold. By contrast, an Ara-C-resistant derivative of HL-60 cells (IC50 = 400 nM) accumulated only low concentrations of Ara-CTP (71 amol/cell) without significant changes in dNTPs. High concentrations of Ara-CTP in leukemia cells induce accumulations of dATP, dGTP and dTTP due to inhibition of DNA synthesis, and depletion of dCTP. This imbalance in the pools of the four dNTPs could lead to genetic miscoding and cell death.

5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribotide transformylase-IMP cyclohydrolase from human CCRF-CEM leukemia cells: purification, pH dependence, and inhibitors

The bifunctional enzyme 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribotide (AICAR) transformylase-IMP cyclohydrolase has been purified 780-fold to apparent homogeneity from human CCRF-CEM leukemia cells, completed with chromatography on Affi-Gel Blue followed by AICAR-Sepharose 4B. Using a sensitive radioassay, IMP cyclohydrolase has a Ks value for 5-formamidoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribotide (FAICAR) at pH 7.4 of 0.87 +/- 0.11 microM. The following purine nucleotide derivatives were potent competitive inhibitors of IMP cyclohydrolase: 2-mercaptoinosine 5'-monophosphate (Ki = 0.094 +/- 0.024 microM), xanthosine 5'-monophosphate (Ki = 0.12 +/- 0.01 microM), 2-fluoroadenine arabinoside 5'-monophosphate (Ki = 0.16 +/- 0.02 microM), 6-mercaptopurine riboside 5'-monophosphate (Ki = 0.20 +/- 0.02 microM), adenosine N1-oxide 5'-monophosphate (Ki = 0.28 +/- 0.03 microM), and N6-(carboxymethyl)adenosine 5'-monophosphate (Ki = 1.7 +/- 0.42 microM). The pH dependencies of Vmax and Vmax/Ks values for IMP cyclohydrolase are consistent with a single ionizable amino acid residue (pKa = 7.57 +/- 0.09) of the enzyme which must be unprotonated for catalysis to occur and a residue (pKa = 7.57 +/- 0.14) which must be unprotonated for FAICAR to bind. The pKa values of 5.81 +/- 0.03 and 9.41 +/- 0.04 determined for FAICAR indicate that ionization of the substrate does not contribute significantly to the pH effects observed. Chemical modification of IMP cyclohydrolase provides evidence for arginine and cysteine residues at the active site, and roles for these residues in the mechanism of catalysis are proposed.

Critical role of phenylalanine 34 of human dihydrofolate reductase in substrate and inhibitor binding and in catalysis

Directed mutagenesis has been used to construct five variants of human dihydrofolate reductase in which smaller residues are substituted for phenylalanine 34, a residue participating in the binding of substrate and methotrexate by interaction with their pteridine rings. The variant enzymes are stable and have decreased affinities for methotrexate (by factors of 2700-60000 at pH 7.65) due to a decreased rate of methotrexate association and a much larger increase in the rate constant for dissociation. However, the catalytic efficiencies of the variants are also lowered by factors of 160-5000, so that it is doubtful whether these enzymes are capable of conferring methotrexate resistance on the cells harboring them. High concentrations of dihydrofolate cause marked inhibition of all the variants, which complicates the determination of kinetic parameters. By the use of stopped-flow spectrophotometry and fluorimetry and other methods, it has been shown that, like the wild-type enzyme, the variants have a branched reaction pathway, but in contrast to the wild-type enzyme, the distribution of flux between alternate pathways is dependent on the concentration of dihydrofolate. This different branch point is a consequence of the very rapid dissociation of tetrahydrofolate from the ternary product complexes of the variant enzymes. Inhibition by dihydrofolate is due to its combination with the enzyme-NADP complex and the slow dissociation of NADP from the resulting abortive complex. When steady state kinetics for this model are simulated using the experimentally determined rate and dissociation constants for the alanine 34 variant, most steady state experimental results are closely approximated.