Mitomycin C and its analog trigger cytotoxicity in MCF-7 and K562 cancer cells through the regulation of RAS and MAPK/ERK pathways

Mitomycin C (MC) is an anti-cancer drug which functions by forming interstrand crosslinks (ICLs) between opposing DNA strands. MC analog, 10-decarbamoyl mitomycin C (DMC), unlike MC, has stronger cytotoxic effects on cancer cells with TP53 mutation. We previously demonstrated that MC/DMC could activate p21WAF1/CIP1 in MCF-7 (TP53-proficient) and K562 (TP53 deficient) cells in a TP53-independent mode. We also found that MC/DMC regulate AKT activation in a TP53-dependent manner and that AKT deactivation is not associated with the activation of p21WAF1/CIP1 in response to MC/DMC treatment. RAS proteins are known players in the upstream mediated signaling of p21WAF1/CIP1 activation that leads to control of cell proliferation and cell death. Thus, this prompted us to investigate the effect of both drugs on the expression of RAS proteins and regulation of the MAPK/ERK signaling pathways in MCF-7 and K562 cancer cells. To accomplish this goal, we performed comparative label free proteomics profiling coupled to bioinformatics/complementary phosphoprotein arrays and Western blot validations of key signaling molecules. The MAPK/ERK pathway exhibited an overall downregulation upon MC/DMC treatment in MCF-7 cells but only DMC exhibited a mild downregulation of that same pathway in TP53 mutant K562 cells. Furthermore, treatment of MCF-7 and K562 cell lines with oligonucleotides containing the interstrand crosslinks (ICLs) formed by MC or DMC shows that both ICLs had a stronger effect on the downregulation of RAS protein expression in mutant TP53 K562 cells. We discuss the implication of this regulation of the MAPK/ERK pathway in relation to cellular TP53 status.

Synthesis of Oligonucleotides Containing Trans Mitomycin C DNA Adducts at N6 of Adenine and N2 of Guanine

Mitomycin C, (MC), an antitumor drug, is a DNA alkylating agent currently used in the clinics. Inert in its native form, MC is reduced to reactive mitosenes, which undergo nucleophilic attack by guanine or adenine bases in DNA to form monoadducts as well as interstrand crosslinks (ICLs). Although ICLs are considered the most cytotoxic lesions, the role of each individual adduct in the drug's cytotoxicity is still not fully understood. Synthetic routes have been developed to access modified oligonucleotides containing dG MC-monoadducts and dG-MC-dG ICL at a single position of their base sequences to investigate the biological effects of these adducts. However, until now, oligonucleotides containing monoadducts formed by MC at the adenine base had not been available, thus preventing the examination of the role played by these lesions in the toxicity of MC. Here, we present a route to access these substrates. Structural proof of the adducted oligonucleotides were provided by enzymatic digestion to nucleosides and high-resolution mass spectral analysis. Additionally, parent oligonucleotides containing a dG monoadduct and a dG-MC-dG ICL were also produced. The stability and physical properties of all substrates were compared via CD spectroscopy and UV melting temperature studies. Finally, virtual models were created to explore the conformational space and structural features of these MC-DNA complexes.

Synthesis of Oligonucleotides containing the cis-Interstrand Crosslink Produced by Mitomycins in their Reaction with DNA

Mitomycin C (MC) an antitumor drug and decarbamoylmitomycin C (DMC), a derivative of MC lacking the carbamoyl moiety, are DNA alkylating agents which can form DNA interstrand crosslinks (ICLs) between deoxyguanosine residues located on opposing DNA strands. MC forms primarily deoxyguanosine adducts with a 1"-R stereochemistry at the guanine-mitosene bond (1"-α, trans) whereas DMC forms mainly adducts with a 1"-S stereochemistry (1"-β, cis). The crosslinking reaction is diastereospecific: trans-crosslinks are formed exclusively at CpG sequences, while cis-crosslinks are formed only at GpC sequences. Until now, oligonucleotides containing 1"-β-deoxyguanosine adducts or ICL at a specific site could not be synthesized, thus limiting the investigation of the role played by the stereochemical configuration at C1'' in the toxicity of these compounds. Here, a novel biomimetic synthesis to access these substrates is presented. Structural proof of the adducted oligonucleotides and ICL were provided by enzymatic digestion to nucleosides, high resolution mass spectral analysis, CD spectroscopy and UV melting temperature studies. Finally, a virtual model of the 25-mer 1"-β ICL synthesized was created to explore the conformational space and structural features of the crosslinked duplex.

Isolation and Rationale for the Formation of Isomeric Decarbamoylmitomycin C- N6-deoxyadenosine Adducts in DNA

Mitomycin C (MC) is an anticancer agent that alkylates DNA to form monoadducts and interstrand cross-links. Decarbamoylmitomycin C (DMC) is an analogue of MC lacking the carbamate on C10. The major DNA adducts isolated from treatment of culture cells with MC and DMC are N²-deoxyguanosine (dG) adducts and adopt an opposite stereochemical configuration at the dG-mitosene bond. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of DMC-DNA alkylation, we have reacted short oligonucleotides, calf thymus, and M. luteus DNA with DMC using biomimetic conditions. These experiments revealed that DMC is able to form two stereoisomeric deoxyadenosine (dA) adducts with DNA under bifuntional reduction conditions and at low temperature. The dA-DMC adducts formed were detected and quantified by HPLC analysis after enzymatic digestion of the alkylated DNA substrates. Results revealed the following rules for DMC dA alkylation: (i) DMC dA adducts are formed at a 48- to 4-fold lower frequency than dG adducts, (ii) the 5'-phosphodiester linkage of the dA adducts is resistant to snake venom diesterase, (iii) end-chain dA residues are more reactive than internal ones in duplex DNA, and (iv) nucleophilic addition by dA occurs on both faces of DMC and the ratio of stereoisomeric dA adducts formed is dependent on the end bases located at the 3' or 5' position. A key finding was to discover that temperature plays a determinant role in the regioselectivity of duplex DNA alkylation by DMC: at 0 °C, both dA and dG alkylation occur, whereas at 37 °C, DMC preferentially alkylates dG residues.