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Biomedical subjects

B H Long

Publications and source records attributed to B H Long.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Eleutherobin, a novel cytotoxic agent that induces tubulin polymerization, is similar to paclitaxel (Taxol).

Eleutherobin is a novel natural product isolated from a marine soft coral that is extremely potent for inducing tubulin polymerization in vitro and is cytotoxic for cancer cells with an IC50 similar to that of paclitaxel. This compound is cross-resistant along with other multidrug-resistant agents against P-glycoprotein-expressing cells and is cross-resistant with paclitaxel against a cell line that has altered tubulin. In mechanistic studies, eleutherobin shares with paclitaxel the ability to induce tubulin polymerization in vitro and is most likely cytotoxic by virtue of this mechanism. Human colon carcinoma cells exposed to eleutherobin contain multiple micronuclei and microtubule bundles, and they arrest in mitosis, depending on concentration, cell line, and length of exposure. These morphological abnormalities appearing in cultured cells are indistinguishable from those induced by paclitaxel. Electron microscopy reveals that eleutherobin induces homogeneous populations of long, rigid microtubules similar to those formed by paclitaxel. Thus, eleutherobin is a new chemotype with a mechanism of action similar to that of paclitaxel and, as such, has promising potential as a new anticancer agent.

Alkaloids↗
PubMed1998

Cellular uptake profile of paclitaxel using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

A new method for studying cellular uptake has been developed. This method is based on selected reaction monitoring liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry analysis of preparations from cell culture. The limit of detection for paclitaxel was approximately 0.1 microM intracellular concentration. This method has been utilized to study the uptake of paclitaxel and an analog (BMS-190616) in normal and multidrug resistant (MDR) cell lines. Paclitaxel and the analog, that had been noted to overcome MDR in animal models, were incubated with normal cells (HCT116) and MDR cells (HCT116(VM)46) at therapeutic concentrations. Intracellular drug concentrations were assayed at intervals from 0 to 1.0 h. Results show that paclitaxel accumulates to a level 12 times greater and BMS-190616 to a level 5 times greater in the normal cells as compared to MDR cells suggesting that paclitaxel is more sensitive to MDR than the analog. Furthermore, the steady state level of BMS-190616 was 4 fold greater than paclitaxel in the MDR cell line suggesting that at least part of this compound's increased therapeutic effect can be attributed to processes of uptake and efflux at the cellular level. These data show that the method is rapid, sensitive and presents a unique advantage over traditional radioisotopic methods in that it can readily be employed on a range of analogs without any additional synthetic effort.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic↗
PubMed1997

Synthesis and biological activity of A-nor-paclitaxel analogues.

A number of paclitaxel analogues with a 5-membered A-ring (A-nor-paclitaxels, or (15-->1)-abeo-paclitaxels) have been prepared in order to determine whether analogues of this class might have improved bioactivity as compared with paclitaxel. Most of the compounds synthesized were less active than paclitaxel, but one analogue was equivalent to paclitaxel in a tubulin-assembly assay, and another analogue was more cytotoxic than paclitaxel in two different cell lines of the NCI screen.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic↗
PubMed1995

Laparoscopic discectomy with anterior lumbar interbody fusion. A preliminary review.

STUDY DESIGN: Patients presenting with L5-S1 anterior column disease with or without herniation into the spinal canal but without stenosis underwent magnetic resonance imaging screening before surgery to determine surgical suitability for laparoscopic anterior lumbar interbody fusion relative to the aortic bifurcation and approach to the disc space. OBJECTIVES: To analyze and evaluate the laparoscopic approach, technique, and benefit of anterior lumbar discectomy and interbody fusion by distraction and compression-loading of autograft only as compared with cage-spacer-enhanced autograft fusion. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Advancement in minimally invasive spine surgery techniques has provided options with less morbidity for posterior lumbar procedures. General surgical advancements in laparoscopy and advantages of traditional anterior lumbar interbody fusion, including restoration of disc height and exposure for safe nerve decompression, provided a basis for an integrated procedure that would address anterior column abnormality with low surgical morbidity. METHODS: Five patients underwent technically successful laparoscopic anterior lumbar interbody fusion with approach to the disc space by an experienced laparoscopic general surgeon. A sixth patient in the study group was unable to undergo laparoscopic fusion because of an iliac vein tear during the surgical approach. After the approach, a spine surgeon followed with complete manual discectomy and interbody autogenous fusion laparoscopically. Two to three Cloward-type dowels were obtained by separate incision from the anterior iliac crest. RESULTS: All patients by 6-month follow-up examination were clinically fused with no motion on flexion-extension radiographs. One patient had slight anterior retropulsion of one dowel without the necessity of reoperation. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic L5-S1 anterior lumbar interbody arthrodesis may represent a viable option for patients with abnormality, including anterior column and degenerative disc disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel C-4 aziridine-bearing paclitaxel (taxol) analogs.

Three novel C-4 aziridine-bearing paclitaxel analogs, 3-5, have been synthesized during the course of our continuing effort at C-4 modification. The key step in the synthesis is the aziridine ring formation at the C-4 position via an intramolecular Mitsunobu reaction. The syntheses and the biological evaluation of these C-4 aziridine-containing derivatives are herein discussed.

Aziridines↗
PubMed1994

Paclitaxel inhibits progression of mitotic cells to G1 phase by interference with spindle formation without affecting other microtubule functions during anaphase and telephase.

Very low concentrations of paclitaxel, a clinically active anticancer agent isolated from the bark of the Pacific yew tree, were found to produce micronuclei in human colon carcinoma cells, suggesting inhibition of mitotic spindle assembly or function. The possibility that paclitaxel acts at the level of the mitotic spindle was investigated by evaluating its ability to inhibit the progression of mitotic cells to G1 phase. Paclitaxel inhibited mitotic progression with a median inhibitory concentration of 4 nM, a concentration equivalent to the median cytotoxic concentration, without arresting cells in mitosis. A direct correlation was shown to exist between the cytotoxic potency and ability to inhibit mitotic progression for analogues of paclitaxel and antimicrotubule agents but not for the topoisomerase II-active agents etoposide and teniposide. After release from the nocodazole block, cells synchronized in mitosis remained sensitive to very low concentrations of paclitaxel for < 30 min, the time required for spindle formation, yet remained sensitive to vinblastine for > 90 min. This result indicates that very low concentrations of paclitaxel inhibit formation of mitotic spindles in cells without affecting function of preformed spindles and without arresting cells in mitosis. Continuous exposure to low nanomolar concentrations of paclitaxel for more than one cell cycle resulted in cells with DNA contents > 4C and as much as 8C. These results support a hypothesis, that, by not being capable of segregating sister chromatids, paclitaxel-treated cells eventually reform nuclear membranes around individual or clusters of chromosomes, revert to G1 phase cells containing 4C DNA, and enter S phase, resulting in cells with as much as 8C DNA content. It is proposed that this is the primary cytotoxic mechanism of paclitaxel.

Anaphase↗
PubMed1994

Structure-activity relationships of VP-16 analogues.

A total of 27 selected analogues of VP-16 and VM-26 were compared with VP-16 and VM-26 for their relative abilities to stabilize the enzyme-substrate intermediate normally formed between eukaryote topoisomerase II and DNA. This activity was compared with cytotoxicity results obtained using the human colon HCT116 cell line and antitumor results obtained after intraperitoneal injection of mice with murine leukemia P388. The most potent analogues were those containing OH groups (demethyl) in either the 3' and 4' or the 3', 4', and 5' positions, the latter being twice as potent as VP-16. VM-26 was only 40% more potent than VP-16 in this assay. It was generally found that the 4'-esters had little activity in vitro, yet were cytotoxic and had antitumor activities. All other analogues with little in vitro activity were not very cytotoxic and had little if any antitumor activity. A very good correlation exists between stabilization of topoisomerase II-DNA intermediates, cytotoxicity, and antitumor activity.

Cell Line↗
PubMed1994

Fluorescence polarization studies of the binding of BMS 181176 to DNA.

The DNA binding of BMS 181176, an antitumor antibiotic derivative of rebeccamycin was characterized by DNA unwinding assays, as well as by fluorescence emission and polarization spectroscopic techniques. Unwinding and rewinding of supercoiled DNA was interpreted in terms of intercalation of BMS 181176 into DNA. BMS 181176 shows an enhanced fluorescence emission upon binding to the AT sequence and no enhancement upon binding to the GC sequence. BMS 181176 appears to be a weaker binder to poly(dAdT).poly(dAdT) compared to doxorubicin and ethidium bromide. When bound to DNA, the rotational motion of BMS 181176 is substantially decreased as evident from the increase in fluorescence polarization. BMS 181176 exhibits a range of binding strengths depending on the DNA. This is demonstrated by the Acridine Orange displacement assay using fluorescence polarization.

Acridine Orange↗
PubMed1993

Biochemical characterisation of elsamicin and other coumarin-related antitumour agents as potent inhibitors of human topoisomerase II.

Elsamicin (EM) is a recently discovered antitumour agent that is structurally related to several other compounds displaying anticancer activities, including chartreusin (CT), chrysomycin V (CV) and M (CM), gilvocarcin V (GV) and ravidomycin (RM). The biochemical events resulting in cytotoxicity for most of these compounds have not been clearly elucidated. There is some evidence that GV and CT bind to DNA and that GV is photosensitive, causing DNA damage. Therefore, we investigated the effects of these chemicals on DNA in cells and on pBR322 plasmid DNA. Using alkaline elution techniques, we found that all these compounds induced, to a different extent, DNA breakage in the human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cell line. In addition, all either bound to or intercalated into DNA, as indicated by their ability to alter the electrophoretic migration of DNA in agarose gels. Using the P4 unknotting assay, EM, CT, CV, CM, GV and RM were found to be potent inhibitors of the catalytic activity of topoisomerase II (topo II). Their potencies were compared with the known topo II inhibitors teniposide (VM-26) and doxorubicin (DX). EM was the most potent, with an IC50 of 0.4 mumol/l followed in order by CV, GV, and CT. VM-26 was the least potent with an IC50 of 15 mumol/l. It was concluded from these results that EM, GV, CV, CM and CT are capable of inhibiting topo II and that EM is the most potent inhibitor of topo II yet discovered.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1992

Mechanisms of action of teniposide (VM-26) and comparison with etoposide (VP-16).

Teniposide is the result of extensive, long-term efforts to refine and improve on the cytotoxic activity of naturally occurring compounds extracted from podophyllin resins and purified. Isolation of an extremely potent though minor component of one of the early podophyllin derivatives led in turn to the synthesis and evaluation of several aldehyde condensation products. Two of these, teniposide and etoposide, were further investigated when their considerable antitumor activity in animals became apparent. Recognition of transient DNA breaks induced by teniposide, etoposide, and other podophyllotoxin analogues established not only that their site of activity was DNA but also that their cytotoxic effect was dose-dependent. Extensive investigation has further indicated that a primary mechanism of action of these agents involves inhibition of the catalytic activity of eukaryote topoisomerase II and, more important, the consequent stabilization of the normally transient covalent intermediate formed between the DNA substrate and the enzyme. As a result of elevated enzyme levels or enzyme activity, or both, in transformed cells, topoisomerase II inhibitors are highly selective for cancer cells versus normal cells. Although teniposide is not substantially more potent than etoposide in terms of catalytic inhibition or stabilization of the DNA-enzyme intermediate, it is more readily taken up by cells, which results in greater teniposide accumulation within the cells and, thus, a greater capacity for cytotoxicity.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1991

Mechanisms of resistance to etoposide and teniposide in acquired resistant human colon and lung carcinoma cell lines.

Stable acquired resistance to etoposide (VP-16) or teniposide (VM-26) in HCT116 human colon carcinoma cells and A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells, was previously obtained by weekly 1-h exposures to either drug (B. H. Long, Natl. Cancer Inst. Monogr., 4: 123-127, 1987). The purpose of this study was to identify possible mechanisms of resistance present in these cells by using human mdr1 and topoisomerase II DNA probes, antibodies to these gene products, and P4 phage unknotting assay for topoisomerase II activities. HCT116(VP)35 cells were 9-, 7-, and 6-fold resistant to VP-16, VM-26, and Adriamycin, respectively, and showed no cross-resistance to colchicine and actinomycin D. These cells had no differences in mdr1 gene, mdr1 mRNA, or P-glycoprotein levels but displayed decreased levels of topoisomerase II mRNA and enzyme activity without any alteration of drug sensitivity displayed by the enzyme. HCT116(VM)34 cells were 5-, 7-, and 21-fold resistant to VP-16, VM-26, and Adriamycin; were cross-resistant to colchicine (7-fold) and actinomycin D (18-fold); and possessed a 9-fold increase in mdr1 mRNA and increased P-glycoprotein without evidence of mdr1 gene amplification. No alterations in topoisomerase II gene or mRNA levels, enzyme activity, or drug sensitivity were observed. A549(VP)28 and A549(VM)28 cells were 8-fold resistant to VP-16 and VM-26 and 3-fold resistant to Adriamycin. Both lines were not cross-resistant to colchicine or actinomycin D but were hypersensitive to cis-platinum. No alterations in mdr1 gene, mdr1 mRNA, or P-glycoprotein levels, but lower topoisomerase II mRNA levels and decreased enzyme activities, were observed. Of the four acquired resistant cell lines, resistance is likely related to elevated mdr1 expression in one line and to decreased topoisomerase II expression in the other three lines.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗
PubMed1989

Esperamicins, a class of potent antitumor antibiotics: mechanism of action.

The esperamicins represent a class of antitumor antibiotics characterized by an unusual chemical core structure and extremely potent cytotoxicity. The mechanism by which these drugs produce cytotoxicity was investigated and found to be related to the formation of single- and double-strand DNA breaks. Using five structurally related analogs, we defined a structure-activity relationship for cytotoxicity in various eukaryotic and DNA-repair-deficient prokaryotic cell lines, for DNA breakage in a human colon carcinoma cell line, and for DNA breakage in vitro in pBR322 DNA. Mild reducing agents such as dithiothreitol greatly increased the DNA breakage potency of these analogs in vitro. Results suggest that the pendant aromatic chromophore of esperamicin A1 may contribute to the uptake of the drug into cells but may also hinder double-strand DNA break formation. Little DNA breakage specificity was observed for the drug in a 139-base-pair fragment of pBR322 DNA. Evidence supports a previously proposed mechanism whereby esperamicins may produce the observed DNA breaks through reduction of the methyl trisulfide group to a thiolate anion followed by a Michael addition of the anion across the alpha,beta-unsaturated ketone. This addition may result in the saturation of the bridgehead double bond, thus allowing the two triple bonds to approach each other, causing cyclization of the diyn-ene to form a phenylene diradical. It is likely that this diradical is the active form of the drug responsible for single- and double-strand DNA breakage produced by this class of antitumor agents.

Aminoglycosides↗
PubMed1988

Inhibitors of topoisomerase II: structure-activity relationships and mechanism of action of podophyllin congeners.

The specific inhibition of eukaryote DNA topoisomerase II by the anti-cancer drugs VP16, VM26, and 21 other congeners of podophyllotoxin has been extensively studied in this laboratory through the use of alkaline elution and other techniques. A structure-activity relationship has been established for cytotoxicity, single and double strand DNA breakage, and inhibition of the DNA strand passing activity of topoisomerase II. Furthermore, topoisomerase inhibition was measured in four naturally sensitive and resistant human lung carcinoma cells by quantifying the amount of single and double strand DNA breakage produced by VP16 and VM26 in cells and isolated nuclei. A direct correlation between double but not single strand DNA breaks and cytotoxicity was observed for the analogs in A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells. In fact, some analogs were capable of producing substantial single strand DNA breakage without producing cytotoxicity. A similar correspondence was observed between double strand DNA breaks and cytotoxicity produced by VP16 and VM26 in the naturally sensitive and resistant cell lines. Evidence is also presented suggesting that the association of the drug with enzyme-DNA intermediate complex and the formation of the enzyme-DNA complex alone both reflected equilibrium governed conditions that were readily reversible. These studies support a model based on the proposal that the actual cytotoxic events are genetic alterations caused by possible heterologous subunit exchanges occurring between adjacent enzyme molecules, which result from the stabilization of the intermediate complex, rather than the actual loss of topoisomerase II activity caused by the inhibition. The resistance of normal cells and cells with acquired resistance to the possible clastogenic effects of topoisomerase inhibition may be, in part, related to the low topoisomerase II levels found in such cells. Topoisomerase II may also play a role in gene amplification and tumor cell heterogeneity by serving as a vehicle through which genetic recombination events may occur.

Cell Line↗
PubMed1987

Production and biological activity of rebeccamycin, a novel antitumor agent.

An actinomycete, strain C-38,383, was selected in a screening program for the isolation of novel antitumor agents. A yellow crystalline product, named rebeccamycin, was isolated from the mycelium and was found to have activity against P388 leukemia, L1210 leukemia and B16 melanoma implanted in mice. Rebeccamycin inhibits the growth of human lung adenocarcinoma cells (A549) and produces single-strand breaks in the DNA of these cells. No DNA-protein cross-links were detected. A related antibiotic, staurosporine, is produced by Streptomyces staurosporeus and Streptomyces actuosus. Strain C-38,383 was found to resemble closely strains of Nocardia aerocolonigenes recently renamed Saccharothrix aerocolonigenes. A strain selection isolate without aerial mycelium, C-38,383-RK-1, failed to produce rebeccamycin while a strain with aerial mycelium, C-38,383-RK-2, was found to be a suitable strain for production. A description of the producing strain is presented and its taxonomic position is reviewed. A fermentor containing 37 liters of production medium gave a rebeccamycin yield of 663 mg/liter after 204 hours of incubation with strain C-38,383-RK-2.

Actinomycetales↗
PubMed1987

Structure-activity relationships of podophyllin congeners that inhibit topoisomerase II.

Various analogs of etoposide have been studied and compared in different tests in order to identify which tests best correlate with antitumor activity. These tests included DNA breakage assays using standard alkaline elution procedures as a means of studying topoisomerase II inhibition in intact cells, cytotoxicity studies in naturally sensitive and resistant human carcinoma cell lines, in vitro assays of the effect of the different congeners on topoisomerase II activity, and a preliminary evaluation of the ability of etoposide and teniposide to induce resistance. As in previous studies, a direct correlation was seen between double strand DNA breakage and cytotoxicity but not between single strand DNA breakage and cytotoxicity. Analogs with blocked 4'-hydroxyl groups were poor antitumor agents but were still capable of inhibiting topoisomerase II as evidenced by the production of DNA breaks. However, this DNA breakage was qualitatively different from that produced by VP16. None of the analogs were able to overcome either naive or acquired drug resistance. The dihydroxy analog of VP16, a possible bioactivated analog, was much less potent and possibly less stable than VP16. A model is proposed for the inhibition of topoisomerase II by demethylepipodophyllotoxins that may explain the relationship between double strand DNA breakage and cytotoxicity.

Cell Line↗