Unlabelled iododeoxyuridine increases the cytotoxicity and incorporation of [1251]-iododeoxyuridine in two human glioblastoma cell lines

Microarray analysis of differentially expressed genes after exposure of normal human fibroblasts to ionizing radiation from an external source and from DNA-incorporated iodine-125 radionuclide

Exposure of cells to ionizing radiation (IR) produces changes in the expression level of a large number of genes. However, less is known of gene-expression changes caused by local radiation exposure from radionuclides within cells. We studied changes in the genome-wide gene expression induced by decay of 125I incorporated into DNA as [125I]-iododeoxyuridine (125I-IUdR) in normal IMR-90 human lung fibroblasts and compared them with the changes produced by external gamma-radiation delivered at high (HDR) or low (LDR) dose rate. We found that more than 2000 genes were consistently up- or down-regulated following HDR and LDR gamma-radiation. The profiles of differentially expressed genes following HDR and LDR shared about 64% (up) and 74% (down) genes in common, with many genes identified as radiation-responsive for the first time. In contrast, in all only 206 genes changed their expression level in the 125I-IUdR-treated cells, even though the total number of DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) produced by 125I-IUdR exceeded that produced by the gamma-radiation. With few exceptions, the expression levels of 125I-IUdR-responsive genes were also altered following gamma-irradiation. Therefore, nuclear DNA-localized decays of 125I produce 10 times fewer differentially expressed genes than whole-cell exposure to gamma-radiation of comparable dose. These results suggest that the effect of IR on the changes in global gene expression depends on the distribution of energy depositions within the cell. In contrast to cell survival, DNA DSB may not be the major factor modulating changes in gene expression following irradiation.

Short fluorodeoxyuridine exposure of different human glioblastoma lines induces high-level accumulation of S-phase cells that avidly incorporate 125I-iododeoxyuridine

PURPOSE

Radio-iododeoxyuridine (IdUrd) is a potential Auger radiation therapy agent incorporated into DNA during the synthesis phase. In this study we sought to optimise S-phase targeting by modulating cellular cycling and radio-IdUrd DNA incorporation using short non-toxic fluorodeoxyuridine (FdUrd) incubations.

METHODS

Three human glioblastoma cell lines with different p53 expression were pre-treated with various FdUrd conditions. After different intervals, (125)I-IdUrd DNA incorporation was measured. Fluorescence-activated cell sorter cell cycle analysis was performed after identical intervals post FdUrd pre-treatment.

RESULTS

The highest increase in (125)I-IdUrd DNA incorporation was induced by 1-h incubation with 1 muM FdUrd. Increase in radio-IdUrd DNA incorporation was greatest 16-24 h after FdUrd, reaching factors of >or=7.5 over baseline incorporation in the three cell lines. Furthermore, cell synchronisation in S phase was observed with a peak of >or=69.5% in the three cell lines at 16 and 24 h post FdUrd, corresponding to an increase of 2.5-4.1 over baseline.

CONCLUSION

FdUrd-induced thymidine synthesis inhibition led to S-phase accumulation that was maximal after an interval of 16-24 h and time-correlated with the highest radio-IdUrd DNA incorporation. These observations might allow the rational design of an Auger radiation therapy targeting a maximal number of S-phase cells in single treatment cycles.

Modulation of 5-fluorouracil cytotoxicity through thymidylate synthase and NF-κB down-regulation and its application on the radiolabelled iododeoxyuridine therapy on human hepatoma cell

The inhibition of thymidylate synthase (TS) by 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) was known to increase the incorporation of radiolabelled iododeoxyuridine (IdUrd) into DNA. The relatively non-toxic compounds such as thiol-containing antioxidant pyrrolidinodithiocarbamte (PDTC) or aromatic fatty acid phenylbutyrate (PB) had been reported to enhance the cytotoxic efficacy of 5-FU. We designed a novel strategy through triplet combination of PB, PDTC and 5-FU to increase the radiolabelled IdUrd uptake and investigated the underlying mechanisms. The growth inhibition and [(125)I]IdUrd-DNA incorporation by PB, PDTC, 5-FU in different combinations were tested on parent or p21(Waf1) transfected Hep3B cells. The combination of PB and PDTC was more effective in enhancing 5-FU cytotoxicity than either drug alone. The combination of PB/PDTC and 5-FU blocked cells in S-phase and resulted in 8.5-fold increase of radiolabelled IdUrd-DNA incorporation. The transfection of p21(Waf1) did not change the general pattern of enhancement. Intriguingly, the combination of PB and PDTC effectively down-regulated NF-kappaB and TS and prevented their up-regulation from 5-FU treatment than either drug alone through a p21(Waf1)-independent mechanism. Based on this strategy, the 3-drug combination offered potential for improved radiolabelled IdUrd molecular radiotherapy for hepatoma treatment.

Positive interactive radiosensitisation in vitro with the combination of two nucleoside analogues, (E)-2′-deoxy- 2′-(fluoromethylene) cytidine and iododeoxyuridine

(E)-2'-Deoxy-2'-(fluoromethylene) cytidine (FMdC), an inhibitor of ribonucleotide diphosphate reductase (RR), is a potent radiation-sensitiser acting through alterations in the deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate (dNTP) pool in the de novo pathway to DNA synthesis. The activity of thymidine kinase (TK), a key enzyme in the 'salvage pathway', is known to increase in response to a lowering of dATP induced by FMdC. Nucleoside analogues such as iododeoxyuridine (IdUrd) are incorporated into DNA after phosphorylation by TK. Radiation sensitisation by IdUrd depends on IdUrd incorporation. Therefore, we have investigated the radiosensitising effect of the combination of FMdC and IdUrd on WiDr (a human colon cancer cell-line) and compared it to the effect of either drug alone. We analysed the effects of FMdC and IdUrd on the dNTP pools by high-performance liquid chromatography, and measured whether the incorporation of IdUrd was increased by FMdC using a [(125)I]-IdUrd incorporation assay. The combination in vitro yielded radiation-sensitiser enhancement ratios of >2, significantly higher than those observed with FMdC or IdUrd alone. Isobologram analysis of the combination indicated a supra-additive effect. This significant increase in radiation sensitivity with the combination of FMdC and IdUrd could not be explained by changes in the dNTP pattern since the addition of IdUrd to FMdC did not further reduce the dATP. However, the increase in the radiation sensitivity of WiDr cells might be due to increased incorporation of IdUrd after FMdC treatment. Indeed, a specific and significant incorporation of IdUrd into DNA could be observed with the [(125)I]-IdUrd incorporation assay in the presence of 1 microM unlabelled IdUrd when combined with FMdC treatment.

A balanced deoxyribonucleoside mixture increased the rate of DNA incorporation of 5-[125I]Iodo-2'-deoxyuridine in glioblastoma cells

Administration of nucleotide mixtures has been shown to restore and sustain the proliferation of leukocytes and enterocytes. Since it has been suggested that cancer cells use exogenous nucleotides more efficiently than normal cells, we hypothesized that administration of nucleotide mixtures would also stimulate the proliferation of cancer cells, thereby increasing the number of cells targeted by the thymidine analog 5-[(125)I]iodo-2'-deoxyuridine ([(125)I]IUdR). We first evaluated the influence of different deoxyribonucleoside mixtures on the DNA incorporation of [(125)I]IUdR in 3 human glioblastoma cell lines. Results showed that a 4-h coincubation with a mixture of identical concentration (10 microM) of deoxyadenosine, deoxyuridine, deoxyguanosine and deoxycytidine (AUGC) increased by 8.5-, 6.2-, and 2.0-fold the rate of DNA incorporation of [(125)I]IUdR in exponentially growing LN229, U87 and U251 cells, respectively. Replacing deoxyuridine by thymidine (ATGC) reversed the effect of the mixture, whereas removing deoxyuridine allowed a mixture of 10 microM AGC to increase by 2.2-fold the rate of DNA incorporation of [(125)I]IUdR in LN229 cells. Furthermore, the rate of DNA incorporation of [(125)I]IUdR in LN229 and U87 cells was increased up to 19.9- and 9.4-fold, respectively, by extending the coincubation time with 10 microM AUGC to 9 h, and up to 40.9- and 26.8-fold by incubating confluent cells for 4 h with 10 microM AUGC. Flow cytometry analysis showed that exposure of confluent cells to AUGC increased the percentage of cells in S phase of the cell cycle. Thus, co-administration of a balanced deoxyribonucleoside mixture may improve the use of radiolabeled nucleotide analogs, such as [(125)I]IUdR, for the targeting of cancer cells.