Reversal of P-glycoprotein-mediated paclitaxel resistance by new synthetic isoprenoids in human bladder cancer cell line

We isolated a paclitaxel-resistant cell line (KK47/TX30) from a human bladder cancer cell line (KK47/WT) in order to investigate the mechanism of and reversal agents for paclitaxel resistance. KK47/TX30 cells exhibited 700-fold resistance to paclitaxel and cross-resistance to vinca alkaloids and topoisomerase II inhibitors. Tubulin polymerization assay showed no significant difference in the ratio of polymerized alpha- and beta-tubulin between KK47/WT and KK47/TX30 cells. Western blot analysis demonstrated overexpression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and lung resistance-related protein (LRP) in KK47/TX30 cells. Drug accumulation and efflux studies showed that the decreased paclitaxel accumulation in KK47/TX30 cells was due to enhanced paclitaxel efflux. Cell survival assay revealed that verapamil and cepharanthine, conventional P-gp modulators, could completely overcome paclitaxel resistance. To investigate whether new synthetic isoprenoids could overcome paclitaxel resistance, we synthesized 31 isoprenoids based on the structure of N-solanesyl-N,N'-bis(3,4-dimethoxybenzyl)ethylenediamine (SDB), which could reverse multidrug resistance (MDR), as shown previously. Among those examined, trans-N,N'-bis(3,4-dimethoxybenzyl)-N-solanesyl-1,2-diaminocyclohexane (N-5228) could completely reverse paclitaxel resistance in KK47/TX30 cells. N-5228 inhibited photoaffinity labeling of P-gp by [(3)H]azidopine, suggesting that N-5228 could bind to P-gp directly and could be a substrate of P-gp. Next, we investigated structural features of these 31 isoprenoids in order to determine the structural requirements for the reversal of P-gp-mediated paclitaxel resistance, suggesting that the following structural features are important for overcoming paclitaxel resistance: (1) a basic structure of 8 to 10 isoprene units, (2) a cyclohexane ring or benzene ring within the framework, (3) two cationic sites in close proximity to each other, and (4) a benzyl group with 3,4-dimethoxy functionalities, which have moderate electron-donating ability. These findings may provide valuable information for the development of P-gp-mediated MDR-reversing agents.

Novel mechanism of N-solanesyl-N,N'-bis(3,4-dimethoxybenzyl)ethylenediamine in potentiation of antitumor drug action on multidrug-resistant and sensitive Chinese hamster cells

The mechanism of the synthetic isoprenoid N-solanesyl-N,N'-bis(3,4-dimethoxybenzyl)ethylenediamine (SDB-ethylenediamine) in potentiating antitumor drug action against multidrug-resistant cells was comparatively studied with other potentiators such as verapamil and cepharanthine. SDB-ethylenediamine increased the accumulation of [3H]daunorubicin (DNR) in Chinese hamster V79 (V79/S) and its multidrug-resistant mutant (V79/ADM) cells. Even after SDB-ethylenediamine was removed from the medium, its effect continued. But when verapamil was removed from the medium, its effect disappeared immediately. Unlike verapamil and cepharanthine, SDB-ethylenediamine did not greatly inhibit the efflux of [3H]DNR from V79/ADM, the binding of [3H]vinblastine to membrane vesicles of V79/ADM, or the binding of [3H]azidopine to P-glycoprotein in the cytoplasmic membrane of V79/ADM. It did stimulate the influx of [3H]DNR into the ATP-depleted cells of V79/S and V79/ADM. Thus, SDB-ethylenediamine uniquely potentiates antitumor drugs. The increased intracellular accumulation of antitumor drugs in the presence of SDB-ethylenediamine is due not only to the inhibition of active efflux but also to the stimulation of the influx of antitumor drugs.

Synergistic effect in culture of bleomycin-group antibiotics and N-solanesyl-N,N'-bis(3,4-dimethoxybenzyl)ethylenediamine, a synthetic isoprenoid

Like bleomycin and peplomycin, libromycin, a newly developed bleomycin-group antibiotic, was potentiated 130-fold against Chinese hamster V79 cells (V79/S) and 47-fold against its multidrug-resistant mutant (V79/ADM) by N-solanesyl-N,N'-bis(3,4-dimethoxybenzyl)ethylenediamine (SDB-ethylenediamine) at 10 and 3 micrograms/ml, respectively. But neocarzinostatin, known to cause DNA strand scission as bleomycins do, was potentiated only twofold. This suggests that the high potentiation by SDB-ethylenediamine is unique to the bleomycin-group antibiotics. Isobologram analysis revealed that the combined effect of peplomycin and SDB-ethylenediamine was highly synergistic. SDB-ethylenediamine did not increase the intracellular accumulation of [3H]peplomycin in V79/S cells. Analyses by an alkaline elution method demonstrated that single strand scission in DNA of intact V79/S cells caused by 1-h incubation with peplomycin was greatly stimulated by pre- and co-existence of SDB-ethylenediamine, but DNA strand breaks in isolated nuclei were not affected. Apparently some cytoplasmic constituent(s) is involved in the potentiation mechanism. SDB-ethylenediamine did not block the DNA repair which occurred after the removal of peplomycin from the medium. Two fragments of SDB-ethylenediamine, solanesol (polyprenoid moiety) and a diamine component (verapamil-like moiety), were not synergistic with peplomycin, even when they were mixed together. This indicates that the steric conformation of the intact SDB-ethylenediamine molecule is important for the activity.

Cytocidal activity of a synthetic isoprenoid, N-solanesyl-N,N'-bis(3,4-dimethoxybenzyl)ethylenediamine, and its potentiation of antitumor drugs against multidrug-resistant and sensitive cells in vitro

A synthetic isoprenoid, N-solanesyl-N,N'-bis(3,4-dimethoxybenzyl)ethylenediamine (SDB-ethylenediamine), inhibited the colony formation of multidrug-resistant mutant cell lines derived from Chinese hamster V79 (V79/ADM) and human hepatoma PLC/PRF/5 (PLC/COL) cells to a greater extent than that of the parental cells. When combined with other clinically useful antitumor agents, it potentiated the cytotoxic activity of almost all kinds of drugs tested including adriamycin (ADM), actinomycin D, vincristine, cytosine arabinoside, and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and the potentiation ratios were higher against V79/ADM cells than against V79/S cells. Among the antitumor agents tested, the activities of bleomycin-group antibiotics were more strongly enhanced by SDB-ethylenediamine and the potentiation was higher in the parental cells than in V79/ADM cells. SDB-ethylenediamine enhanced the uptake of ADM and daunorubicin into V79/ADM and its parental cells, but it did not increase the uptake of 5-FU or peplomycin, indicating that different mechanisms operate for potentiation in the cases of the latter drugs, i.e., not simply an increase of intracellular drug uptake. Two fragments of SDB-ethylenediamine, solanesol (polyprenoid moiety) and the diamine component (verapamil-like moiety), showed neither cytotoxic activity nor potentiator activity, even if they were mixed together, indicating that the steric conformation of intact SDB-ethylenediamine molecule is important for these two activities.