The binding of amsacrine to human plasma proteins

Acridine/Acridone-Carborane Conjugates as Strong DNA-Binding Agents with Anticancer Potential

Synthesis of acridine derivatives that act as DNA-targeting anticancer agents is an evolving field and has resulted in the introduction of several drugs into clinical trials. Carboranes can be of importance in designing biologically active compounds due to their specific properties. Therefore, a series of novel acridine analogs modified with carborane clusters were synthesized. The DNA-binding ability of these analogs was evaluated on calf thymus DNA (ct-DNA). Results of these analyses showed that 9-[(1,7-dicarba-closo-dodecaborane-1-yl)propylamino]acridine (30) interacted strongly with ct-DNA, indicating its ability to intercalate into DNA, whereas 9-[(1,7-dicarba-closo-dodecaborane-1-yl)propanamido]acridine (29) changed the B-form of ct-DNA to the Z form. Compound 30 demonstrated cytotoxicity, was able to inhibit cell proliferation, arrest the cell cycle in the S phase in the HeLa cancer cell line, and induced the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In addition, it was specifically localized in lysosomes and was a weak inhibitor of Topo IIα.

Recent advances in small organic molecules as DNA intercalating agents: synthesis, activity, and modeling

The interaction of small molecules with DNA plays an essential role in many biological processes. As DNA is often the target for majority of anticancer and antibiotic drugs, study about the interaction of drug and DNA has a key role in pharmacology. Moreover, understanding the interactions of small molecules with DNA is of prime significance in the rational design of more powerful and selective anticancer agents. Two of the most important and promising targets in cancer chemotherapy include DNA alkylating agents and DNA intercalators. For these last the DNA recognition is a critical step in their anti-tumor action and the intercalation is not only one kind of the interactions in DNA recognition but also a pivotal step of several clinically used anti-tumor drugs such as anthracyclines, acridines and anthraquinones. To push clinical cancer therapy, the discovery of new DNA intercalators has been considered a practical approach and a number of intercalators have been recently reported. The intercalative binding properties of such molecules can also be harnessed as diagnostic probes for DNA structure in addition to DNA-directed therapeutics. Moreover, the problem of intercalation site formation in the undistorted B-DNA of different length and sequence is matter of tremendous importance in molecular modeling studies and, nowadays, three models of DNA intercalation targets have been proposed that account for the binding features of intercalators. Finally, despite DNA being an important target for several drugs, most of the docking programs are validated only for proteins and their ligands. Therefore, a default protocol to identify DNA binding modes which uses a modified canonical DNA as receptor is needed.

Systematic evaluation of avidin-biotin interaction by fluorescence spectrophotometry

The avidin-biotin interaction was evaluated systematically by fluorescence spectroscopy under different conditions of temperature, pressure, pH, metal ions, incubation time and initial avidin concentration. The binding constant was calculated according to the modified Stern-Volmer equation, which deduced the existence of static quenching mechanism. The data obtained revealed that avidin-biotin interaction exhibited temperature, pH, metal ions, incubation time and initial avidin concentration sensitivity. The binding constants decreased with increase in temperature, while the binding sites were independent of temperature. The values of thermodynamic parameter ΔH (-149.85 kJ mol(-1)) and ΔS (-284.26 J mol(-1) K(-1)) suggested hydrogen bonds and van der Waals played a major role in the reaction. The binding constants between avidin and biotin increased firstly and then decreased gradually with the increase of pH values. Metal ions can also affected the binding constants between avidin and biotin. The association kinetics firstly acquired by the combination of the change in fluorescence per unit time and the modified Stern-Volmer equation indicated that the reaction time required to reach equilibrium was 2200 s, and the average reaction rate for the binding process was very high in the first 180 s. Reaction of the avidin in the first 180 s was more than 40% of the total avidin involved in the whole process.

Inhibition of cardiac HERG currents by the DNA topoisomerase II inhibitor amsacrine: mode of action

1 The topoisomerase II inhibitor amsacrine is used in the treatment of acute myelogenous leukemia. Although most anticancer drugs are believed not to cause acquired long QT syndrome (LQTS), concerns have been raised by reports of QT interval prolongation, ventricular fibrillation and death associated with amsacrine treatment. Since blockade of cardiac human ether-a-go-go-related gene (HERG) potassium currents is an important cause of acquired LQTS, we investigated the acute effects of amsacrine on cloned HERG channels to determine the electrophysiological basis for its proarrhythmic potential. 2 HERG channels were heterologously expressed in human HEK 293 cells and Xenopus laevis oocytes, and the respective potassium currents were recorded using patch-clamp and two-microelectrode voltage-clamp electrophysiology. 3 Amsacrine blocked HERG currents in HEK 293 cells and Xenopus oocytes in a concentration-dependent manner, with IC50 values of 209.4 nm and 2.0 microm, respectively. 4 HERG channels were primarily blocked in the open and inactivated states, and no additional voltage dependence was observed. Amsacrine caused a negative shift in the voltage dependence of both activation (-7.6 mV) and inactivation (-7.6 mV). HERG current block by amsacrine was not frequency dependent. 5 The S6 domain mutations Y652A and F656A attenuated (Y652A) or abolished (F656A, Y652A/F656A) HERG current blockade, indicating that amsacrine binding requires a common drug receptor within the pore-S6 region. 6 In conclusion, these data demonstrate that the anticancer drug amsacrine is an antagonist of cloned HERG potassium channels, providing a molecular mechanism for the previously reported QTc interval prolongation during clinical administration of amsacrine.

High-performance liquid chromatographic methods for the determination of topoisomerase II inhibitors

Various methods for separating eleven different types of topoisomerase II (TOPO-2) inhibitors, including epipodophyllotoxins, anthracyclines, anthracenediones, anthrapyrazoles, anthracenebishydrazones, indole derivatives, aminoacridines, benzisoquinolinediones, isoflavones, bisdioxopiperazines and thiobarbituric acids, are summarized. Proper sample preparation and storage is critical to the successful analysis of some TOPO-2 inhibitors due to difficulties associated with adsorption, instability and complex biological components. Solid-phase and liquid-liquid extractions are widely used to separate TOPO-2 inhibitors from biological samples, although simple deproteinization followed by direct analysis of the supernatant is preferable to extraction based on its speed and simplicity. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is the favored method for the bioanalysis of TOPO-2 inhibitors. UV or diode array detection is generally employed for early pharmacokinetic studies, while fluorescence or electrochemical detection is used more frequently for analytes with fluorescent or oxidative-reductive properties. For analyses requiring highly sensitive and/or specific detection, electrospray mass spectrometry (ESI-MS or ESI-MS-MS) provides a suitable alternative. A comprehensive compilation of the HPLC techniques currently used to separate TOPO-2 inhibitors will aid the future development of analytical methods for new TOPO-2 inhibitors.

Effects of anticancer drugs on the metabolism of the anticancer drug 5,6-dimethylxanthenone-4-acetic (DMXAA) by human liver microsomes

AIMS

To investigate the effects of various anticancer drugs on the major metabolic pathways (glucuronidation and 6-methylhydroxylation) of DMXAA in human liver microsomes.

METHODS

The effects of various anticancer drugs at 100 and 500 microM on the formation of DMXAA acyl glucuronide (DMXAA-G) and 6-hydroxymethyl-5-methylxanthenone-4-acetic acid (6-OH-MXAA) in human liver microsomes were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (h.p.l.c.). For those anticancer drugs showing significant inhibition of DMXAA metabolism, the inhibition constants (Ki) were determined. The resulting in vitro data were extrapolated to predict in vivo changes in DMXAA pharmacokinetics.

RESULTS

Vinblastine, vincristine and amsacrine at 500 microM significantly (P < 0.05) inhibited DMXAA glucuronidation (Ki = 319, 350 and 230 microM, respectively), but not 6-methylhydroxylation in human liver microsomes. Daunorubicin and N-[2-(dimethylamino)-ethyl]acridine-4-carboxamide (DACA) at 100 and 500 microM showed significant (P < 0.05) inhibition of DMXAA 6-methylhydroxylation (Ki = 131 and 0.59 microM, respectively), but not glucuronidation. Other drugs such as 5-fluoroucacil, paclitaxel, tirapazamine and methotrexate exhibited little or negligible inhibition of the metabolism of DMXAA. Pre-incubation of microsomes with the anticancer drugs (100 and 500 microM) did not enhance their inhibitory effects on DMXAA metabolism. Prediction of DMXAA-drug interactions in vivo based on these in vitro data indicated that all the anticancer drugs investigated except DACA appear unlikely to alter the pharmacokinetics of DMXAA, whereas DACA may increase the plasma AUC of DMXAA by 6%.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that alteration of the pharmacokinetics of DMXAA appears unlikely when used in combination with other common anticancer drugs. However, this does not rule out the possibility of pharmacokinetic interactions with other drugs used concurrently with this combination of anticancer drugs.

Use of the avidin (imino)biotin system as a general approach to affinity precipitation

Affinity precipitation, especially secondary effect affinity precipitation, has repeatedly been suggested as a valuable technique for the biotechnical downstream process. The present lack of applications is related to the scarcity of predictable affinity macroligands and to the fact that rather high affinity constants are required in affinity precipitation (K(D) < 10(-10)). The latter are rarely found in nature, at least in the case of small affinity ligands (affinity tags), and are usually difficult to handle (complex dissociation) once one has found them. In this article we describe a new type of thermoresponsive affinity macroligand. The base polymer (poly-N-isopropylacrylamide, or PNIPAAm) is produced by chain transfer polymerization. As a consequence, the structure, as well as the solubility behavior, is very homogeneous (polydispersity < 1.2), whereas the average molecular mass is small (<5000 g/mol). In pure water, the base polymer shows sharp thermoprecipitation at 32.2 degrees C. Each oligomer carries a single amino end group, which allows easy and defined coupling of the affinity ligand, while preserving the ligand's activity to the highest possible degree. Herein, the oligomer was coupled to iminobiotin. The ensuing affinity macroligand has a high affinity to avidin (and avidin-tagged molecules) at elevated pH (<10), but releases the avidin easily at lower pH (approximately 4). The affinity macroligands were used to purify avidin from solutions containing large amounts of lysozyme as well as from cell culture supernatants containing 5% fetal calf serum. In both cases, pure avidin was recovered (residual protein contamination below the detection limit), with yields of >90%.

Human alpha-1-glycoprotein and its interactions with drugs

For about half a century, the binding of drugs to plasma albumin, the "silent receptor," has been recognized as one of the major determinants of drug action, distribution, and disposition. In the last decade, the binding of drugs, especially but not exclusively basic entities, to another plasma protein, alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AAG), has increasingly become important in this regard. The present review points out that hundreds of drugs with diverse structures bind to this glycoprotein. Although plasma concentration of AAG is much lower than that of albumin, AAG can become the major drug binding macromolecule in plasma with significant clinical implications. Also, briefly reviewed are the physiological, pathological, and genetic factors that influence binding, the role of AAG in drug-drug interactions, especially the displacement of drugs and endogenous substances from AAG binding sites, and pharmacokinetic and clinical consequences of such interactions. It can be predicted that in the future, rapid automatic methods to measure binding to albumin and/or AAG will routinely be used in drug development and in clinical practice to predict and/or guide therapy.

Induction of hypomagnesemia during Amsacrine treatment

Serious cardiac arrhythmias and QT interval prolongation have been reported following Amsacrine chemotherapy. The underlying mechanism is unknown. In this study, electrolyte and electrocardiographic parameters were prospectively studied in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treated with an Amsacrine containing combination chemotherapy regime. Data were collected immediately before and at 20 (+20) and 90 (+90) min after commencement of Amsacrine administration. Sixteen episodes were studied in six consecutive patients over a continuous 9 month period. One patient developed asymptomatic ventricular tachycardia during administration. Results from +20 and +90 min were compared with baseline by Wilcoxon matched pairs test. There was no significant change in potassium, albumin, or ionized calcium concentration at +20 or +90 min. The magnesium concentration at +20 min was significantly reduced (mean -0.04 mmol/liter; P < 0.05) but not so at +90 min. Sodium concentration at +20 min was significantly reduced (mean - 1.9 mmol/liter; P < 0.01). Electrocardiographic analysis showed no significant alteration in PR interval or QRS duration. Heart rate fell significantly from baseline, mean change -10 and -8 min-1 at +20 and +90 min, respectively (P < 0.01 for both). Corrected QT interval (QTc) was significantly prolonged at +20 min (+0.05) and +90 min (+0.05) (P = 0.0001 and P < 0.0001, respectively). This study confirms the high incidence of QTc prolongation with Amsacrine administration and suggests that transient hypomagnesemia may contribute to the risk of cardiac arrhythmia in this setting.

Pharmacokinetics of continuous-infusion amsacrine and teniposide for the treatment of relapsed childhood acute nonlymphocytic leukemia

The systemic disposition of both amsacrine and teniposide was determined in children receiving treatment for resistant acute nonlymphocytic leukemia. As part of a phase I-II study, amsacrine and teniposide were given as continuous 72-h i.v. infusions at doses of 75-150 and 150-250 mg m-2 day-1, respectively. Plasma samples obtained during steady state were analyzed for drug concentrations by high-performance liquid chromatography assays specific for each compound. Clearance and systemic exposure values for both amsacrine and teniposide were calculated for 14 patients, and data were available for teniposide alone in an additional 14 subjects. Interpatient variability in clearance was substantial for each drug, producing overlapping systemic exposure across dose levels. No evidence of dose-dependent drug clearance was evident. Clearance values for teniposide given in combination with amsacrine were similar to previous values obtained when teniposide was given in an identical manner but as a single agent. In all, 80% of patients experienced some degree of mucositis after chemotherapy administration. Severe mucositis (Pediatric Oncology Group grades 3-4) occurred in 18% of cases, all of whom showed teniposide steady-state plasma concentrations above the median population value (11.9 micrograms/ml; P less than 0.0001). A comparison of the results of the present study on teniposide combined with amsacrine with those previously obtained for single-agent teniposide suggest that amsacrine produced little additive gastrointestinal toxicity. The evaluation of anti-cancer drug pharmacokinetics in individual patients during combination chemotherapy regimens helps to determine the relative importance of each agent when toxicity patterns are similar.

The fate of N1'-methanesulphonyl-N4'-(9-acridinyl)-3'-methoxy-2',5'-cyclohexadiene- 1',4'-diimine (m-AQDI), the primary oxidative metabolite of amsacrine, in transformed Chinese hamster fibroblasts

The cytotoxicity of the anti-leukaemia drug amsacrine (m-AMSA) has been suggested to result from its oxidative metabolism to the corresponding quinonediimine, N1'-methanesulphonyl-N4'-(9-acridinyl)-3'-methoxy-2',5'-cyclohexad iene-1',4'- diimine (mAQDI). The metabolic fate of mAQDI was examined in cultured CHO cells (subline AA8) to identify the end products to be expected following oxidative metabolism of m-AMSA. [Acridinyl-G-3H]-m-AQDI was rapidly accumulated by AA8 cells in phosphate buffered saline with complete conversion in less than one minute to m-AMSA, macromolecular adducts and polar low molecular weight species, each of these three classes being formed in approximately equal amounts. Two of the polar products were chromatographically identical to those formed on reaction of m-AQDI with reduced glutathione. These were identified by 1H NMR spectroscopy as the 1,4-addition product 5'-(S-glutathionyl)-m-AMSA and the previously unreported isomeric 6'-(S-glutathionyl)-m-AMSA. These thiol adducts were also formed rapidly from m-AQDI in deproteinized cell lysates indicating a non-enzymatic process, although the possibility of enzymatic catalysis in intact cells has not been eliminated. The absence of such products in AA8 cells after treatment with m-AMSA places an upper limit of 1% per hour on the rate of its oxidative metabolism in these cells and suggests that generation of m-AQDI is unlikely to be responsible for the cytotoxicity of m-AMSA in cultured tumour cells.

Stability of solutions of antineoplastic agents during preparation and storage for in vitro assays. III. Antimetabolites, tubulin-binding agents, platinum drugs, amsacrine, L-asparaginase, interferons, steroids and other miscellaneous antitumor agents

The stability of solutions of the antitumour antimetabolites, vinca alkaloids, podophyllotoxins, interferons, steroids and platinum drugs as well as maytansine, asparaginase, amsacrine, flavone-8-acetic acid, mitoguazone, and N-phosphonoacetyl-L-aspartate (PALA) is reviewed. Much of the published work has been done with biological, not stability-indicating, assays; thus, the relevant results should be used with caution. With this proviso, almost all of these drugs can be stored in solution for several days at room temperature or 4 degrees C. Most reports also suggest that the drugs that have been tested are stable when frozen in solution. For a number of the drugs, particular precautions are required; for instance, amsacrine should not be mixed with chloride-containing solutions, whereas cisplatin is most stable in solutions containing greater than 0.1 M chloride.

The clinical pharmacokinetics of N-5-dimethyl-9-[(2-methoxy-4-methyl-sulfonylamino)phenylamino]-4 -acridinecarboxamide (CI-921) in a phase 1 trial

The pharmacokinetics of CI-921 were studied after 65 infusions over a 20-fold dose range (13-270 mg/m2 per day) in 16 patients during a phase 1 trial. CI-921 was given by a 15 min infusion on three consecutive days. Plasma samples were collected after the first and third infusions, and urine, at 6 h intervals throughout the 3 days. CI-921 concentrations were measured by an HPLC method. Maximum plasma concentrations ranged from 3-86 mumol/l. The plasma concentration-time disposition curves were mainly biphasic over the 24-h postinfusion period. There was no significant difference by the paired t-test between the Cmax, AUC, CL, Vss, MRT, t1/2 alpha, or t1/2 beta calculated for the first and third infusions. The means (range) of model-independent pharmacokinetic parameters were: CL, 158 (94-290) ml/h per kg; Vss, 319 (219-614) ml/kg; MRT, 2.1 (1.1-3.5) h; t1/2 alpha, 0.5 (0.2-1.1) h; and t1/2 beta, 2.6 (1.1-5.0) h. There was a strong linear correlation between the dose and the AUC and Cmax, suggesting linear kinetics over this dose range. A very small amount (less than 1%) of the total dose was excreted as unchanged CI-921 in the urine, mostly in the 12-h postinfusion period.

Determination of amsacrine in human nucleated hematopoietic cells

A new method has been developed for the determination of amsacrine (AMSA) in human nucleated hematopoietic cells. In order to prevent efflux during the cell separation procedure, white blood cells (WBCs) were separated from red blood cells by dextran sedimentation, leaving the WBCs in their natural environment. After cell counting, pelletting the cell suspension and correcting for the admixture of supernatant, AMSA was extracted from the WBCs and determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Linearity of extraction was observed up to 40.10(6) cells. The inter-assay variation was 4.7%. Plasma and cellular concentrations were measured in five patients at the end of a 3-h infusion of 100 mg/m2 AMSA. A pharmacokinetic study of plasma and cellular AMSA concentrations up to 19 h after infusion was carried out. AMSA concentrations in WBCs correlated well with the plasma levels (n = 20, r = 0.967) with an accumulation factor compared to the plasma concentration of 2.6-9.8 in the patients studied. The method described is useful for studying cellular pharmacokinetics of AMSA in man.

The effect of food on the bioavailability and kinetics of the anticancer drug amsacrine and a new analogue, N-5-dimethyl-9-[(2-methoxy-4-methylsulphonylamino)phenylamino]-4 acridinecarboxamide in rabbits

Both amsacrine and its analogue, N-5-dimethyl-9-[(2-methoxy-4- methylsulphonylamino)phenylamino]-4-acridinecarboxamide (CI-921) are absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract in rabbits. The mean bioavailability for amsacrine was 50% +/- 17 (s.d.) in non-fasting animals, and was significantly increased in fasting animals (mean, 90% +/- 10). The bioavailability for CI-921 (mean, 26% +/- 11) in the non-fasting animal was significantly less than that found for amsacrine, but this difference disappeared in the fasting animal when the bioavailability of CI-921 was significantly increased to 69% +/- 23. Oral administration of both agents resulted in significantly prolonged elimination half-lives and mean residence times compared to the i.v. infusion, but no significant difference was observed in these parameters between the fasting and non-fasting state. This study suggests that oral dosing may be a possible alternative route for the administration of these anticancer agents.