Biomedical subjects

G R Pettit

Publications and source records attributed to G R Pettit.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2000

Human THP-1 monocytic leukemic cells induced to undergo monocytic differentiation by bryostatin 1 are refractory to proteasome inhibitor-induced apoptosis.

The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway is the principal mechanism for the degradation of short-lived proteins in eukaryotic cells. We demonstrated that treatment of THP-1 human monocytic leukemia cells with Z-LLL-CHO, a reversible proteasome inhibitor, induced cell death through an apoptotic pathway. Apoptosis in THP-1 cells induced by Z-LLL-CHO involved a cytochrome c-dependent pathway, which included the release of mitochondrial cytochrome c, activation of caspase-9 and -3, and cleavage of Bcl-2 into a shortened 22-kDa fragment. Induction of apoptosis by protease inhibitor also was detected in U937 and TF-1 leukemia cell lines and cells obtained from acute myelogenous leukemia patients but not in normal human blood monocytes. Treatment of human blood monocytes with Z-LLL-CHO did not induce apoptosis or Bcl-2 cleavage in these cells that rarely proliferate. Interestingly, when THP-1 cells were induced to undergo monocytic differentiation by bryostatin 1, a naturally occurring protein kinase C activator, they were no longer susceptible to apoptosis induced by Z-LLL-CHO. Bryostatin 1-induced differentiation of THP-1 cells was associated with growth arrest, acquisition of adherent capacity, and expression of membrane markers characteristic of blood monocytes. Likewise, differentiated THP-1 cells were refractory to Z-LLL-CHO-induced cytochrome c release, caspase activation, and Bcl-2 cleavage. Resistance to Z-LLL-CHO-induced apoptosis in differentiated THP-1 cells was not due to cell cycle arrest. These findings show that the action of proteasome inhibitors is mediated primarily through a cytochrome c-dependent pathway and induces apoptosis in leukemic cells that are not differentiated.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

PubMed2000

Antineoplastic agents. 443. Synthesis of the cancer cell growth inhibitor hydroxyphenstatin and its sodium diphosphate prodrug.

A structure-activity relationship (SAR) study of the South African willow tree (Combretum caffrum) antineoplastic constituent combretastatin A-4 (3b) led to the discovery of a potent cancer cell growth inhibitor designated phenstatin (5a). This benzophenone derivative of combretastatin A-4 showed remarkable antineoplastic activity, and the benzophenone derivative of combretastatin A-1 was therefore synthesized. The benzophenone, designated hydroxyphenstatin (6a), was synthesized by coupling of a protected bromobenzene and a benzaldehyde to give the benzhydrol with subsequent oxidation to the ketone. Hydroxyphenstatin was converted to the sodium phosphate prodrug (6e) by a dibenzyl phosphite phosphorylation and subsequent benzyl cleavage (6a --> 6d --> 6e). While hydroxyphenstatin (6a) was a potent inhibitor of tubulin polymerization with activity comparable to that of combretastatin A-1 (3a), the phosphorylated derivative (6e) was inactive.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Antimicrobial and cancer cell growth inhibitory activities of 3beta-acetoxy-17beta-(L-prolyl)amino-5alpha-androstane in vitro.

The in vitro activity of the steroidal amide 3beta-acetoxy-17beta-(L-prolyl)amino-5alpha-androstane against 179 gram-positive clinical isolates was examined. The minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC)/MIC ratios were < or = 2 for 73% of methicillin-resistant Staphyllococcus aureus, 59% of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp. and 88% of penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae. The androstane derivative was bactericidal for a variety of other gram-positive genera, including Nocardia, Corynebacterium and Listeria. Variation in MICs is pH 6-8 media was slight. The frequency of occurrence of bacterial spontaneous mutations to resistance ranged from 10(-6) to 10(-9). Kill curve analysis confirmed the bactericidal nature of the steroidal amide, and demonstrated that killing was time dependent but not concentration dependent for all organisms. The ability of 3beta-acetoxy-17beta-(L-prolyl)amino-5alpha-androstane to inhibit human cancer cell growth was also evaluated. The concentration required to inhibit 50% of cell growth (GI50) was < 2.5 mg/l for all cell lines examined. In single-dose murine toxicity evaluations, the androstane derivative was non-toxic at doses up to 400 mg/kg.

Androstanes↗

PubMed2000

Synthesis and biological evaluation of aryl azide derivatives of combretastatin A-4 as molecular probes for tubulin.

Two new aryl azides, (Z)-1-(3'-azido-4'-methoxyphenyl)-2-(3",4",5"-trimethoxyphenyl)ethene 9 and (Z)-1-(4'-azido-3'-methoxyphenyl)-2-(3",4",5"-trimethoxyphenyl)ethene 5, modeled after the potent antitumor, antimitotic agent combretastatin A-4 (CA-4), have been prepared by chemical synthesis as potentially useful photoaffinity labeling reagents for the colchicine site on beta-tubulin. Aryl azide 9, in which the 3'-hydroxyl group of CA-4 is replaced by an azido moiety, demonstrates excellent in vitro cytotoxicity against human cancer cell lines (NCI 60 cell line panel, average GI50 = 4.07 x 10(-8) M) and potent inhibition of tubulin polymerization (IC50 = 1.4+/-0.1 microM). The 4'-azido analogue 5 has lower activity (NCI 60 cell line panel, average GI50 = 2.28 x 10(-6) M, and IC50 = 5.2+/-0.2 microM for inhibition of tubulin polymerization), suggesting the importance of the 4'-methoxy moiety for interaction with the colchicine binding site on tubulin. These CA-4 aryl azide analogues also inhibit binding of colchicine to tubulin, as does the parent CA-4, and therefore these compounds are excellent candidates for photoaffinity labeling studies.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

PubMed2000

Inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinases, GSK-3beta and CK1 by hymenialdisine, a marine sponge constituent.

BACKGROUND: Over 2000 protein kinases regulate cellular functions. Screening for inhibitors of some of these kinases has already yielded some potent and selective compounds with promising potential for the treatment of human diseases. RESULTS: The marine sponge constituent hymenialdisine is a potent inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases, glycogen synthase kinase-3beta and casein kinase 1. Hymenialdisine competes with ATP for binding to these kinases. A CDK2-hymenialdisine complex crystal structure shows that three hydrogen bonds link hymenialdisine to the Glu81 and Leu83 residues of CDK2, as observed with other inhibitors. Hymenialdisine inhibits CDK5/p35 in vivo as demonstrated by the lack of phosphorylation/down-regulation of Pak1 kinase in E18 rat cortical neurons, and also inhibits GSK-3 in vivo as shown by the inhibition of MAP-1B phosphorylation. Hymenialdisine also blocks the in vivo phosphorylation of the microtubule-binding protein tau at sites that are hyperphosphorylated by GSK-3 and CDK5/p35 in Alzheimer's disease (cross-reacting with Alzheimer's-specific AT100 antibodies). CONCLUSIONS: The natural product hymenialdisine is a new kinase inhibitor with promising potential applications for treating neurodegenerative disorders.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed2000

Antineoplastic agents 440. Asymmetric synthesis and evaluation of the combretastatin A-1 SAR probes (1S,2S)- and (1R,2R)-1, 2-dihydroxy- 1-(2',3'-dihydroxy-4'-methoxyphenyl)-2-(3' ',4' ',5' '-trimethoxyphenyl)-ethane.

The synthetic (E)-isomer (3b) of natural combretastatin A-1 (1a) isolated from the African bushwillow Combretum caffrum was the focus of chiral hydroxylation (Sharpless) reactions as part of a structure-activity relationship study. The resulting (R,R)- and (S,S, )-diols (6 and 7) and synthetic intermediates were evaluated against a series of cancer cell lines, microorganisms, and tubulin. Chiral diols 6 and 7 showed increased activity against the P-388 murine lymphocytic leukemia cell line with ED(50) values of 3.9 and 2.9 microg/mL, respectively, when compared to the precursor (E)-stilbene 3b. In contrast, (E)-stilbene 3b exhibited more potent antibiotic activity than the chiral diols (6 and 7). Both diols, (R,R)-6 and (S, S)-7, displayed less cancer cell growth inhibition and less antibiotic activity than did natural combretastatin A-1 (1a) (P-388 ED(50) 0.25 microg/mL).

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Synthesis of the marine sponge cycloheptapeptide phakellistatin 5(1).

Phakellistatin 5 (1), a constituent of The Federated States of Micronesia (Chuuk) marine sponge Phakellia costada, was synthesized by solution-phase and solid-phase techniques. Because the linear peptide bearing (R)-Asn resisted cyclization, the synthesis of this peptide was repeated using the PAL resin attachment proceeding from N-Fmoc-D-Asp-alpha-OCH(2)CH=CH(2). After addition of the final unit (Ala), the allyl ester was removed under neutral conditions with Pd(o) [P(C(6)H(5))(3)](4). Removal of the final Fmoc-protecting group and cyclization with PyAOP provided (R)-Asn-phakellistatin 5 (2) in 28% overall yield. The same synthetic route from (S)-Asp led to natural phakellistatin 5 (1) in 15% overall recovery. The solution-phase and solid-phase synthetic products derived from (S)-Asp were found to be chemically but not biologically identical with natural phakellistatin 5 (1). This important fact suggested that a trace, albeit highly cancer-cell growth inhibitory, constituent accompanied the natural product or that there is a subtle conformational difference between the synthetic and natural cyclic peptides.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Isolation and structures of schleicherastatins 1-7 and schleicheols 1 and 2 from the teak forest medicinal tree Schleichera oleosa.

Bioassay (P-388 lymphocytic leukemia cell line)-guided separation of an extract prepared from the bark and stem of the Sri Lankan tree Schleichera oleosa led to the isolation of seven cancer cell growth inhibitory hydroxylated sterols designated schleicherastatins 1-7 (1-7) and two related sterols, schleicheols 1 and 2 (8, 9). The structure of schleicherastatin 1 (1) was completely elucidated by X-ray crystal structure determination. Based upon that defined structure, the remaining new sterol structures were deduced by highfield (300 and 500 MHz) NMR and MS interpretations. In this new series of sterols, hydroxylation at C-22 appears to be important for promoting cancer cell growth inhibition.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic↗

PubMed2000

Novel cytotoxic diterpenes from Casearia arborea.

Cytotoxicity-guided fractionation of the dichloromethane-methanol extract of the roots of Casearia arborea yielded five novel clerodane diterpenes, casearborins A-E (1-5), as well as cucurbitacin B. The presence of cucurbitacins glycosides was also detected. The absolute configuration of casearborin E was determined by X-ray crystallography.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic↗

PubMed2000

Antineoplastic agents 430. Isolation and structure of cribrostatins 3, 4, and 5 from the republic of maldives cribrochalina species.

Continued investigation of cancer-cell growth-inhibitory constituents of the blue marine sponge Cribrochalina sp. has led to discovery of cribrostatins 3 (4a), 4 (5), and 5 (4b) in 10(-5) to 10(-7) % of the wet weight. The structure of cribrostatin 3 (4a) was determined by results of high field (500 MHz) (1)H and (13)C NMR and HRMS interpretations. The same general approach to the structures of cribrostatins 4 (5) and 5 (4b) was completed by X-ray crystal structure determinations. Cribrostatins 3, 4, and 5 provided significant cancer cell line inhibitory activities. Cribrostatins 1 and 2(2) and the newly isolated cribrostatins 3-5 displayed antibacterial and/or antifungal activities.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Effects of combretastatin A-4 prodrug against a panel of malignant human B-lymphoid cell lines.

Combretastatin A-4 (CA-4) is one of a family of compounds isolated from the South African willow tree Combretum caffrum. CA-4 was found to be active against murine melanoma and a variety of other human solid tumors. For the first time, we report the effect of CA-4 against a panel of malignant human B-lymphoid cell lines [early pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Reh), diffuse large cell lymphoma (WSU-DLCL2), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (WSU-CLL) and Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WSU-WM)]. Our results indicate, using the prodrug form of CA-4, a concentration-dependent growth inhibition in all tested cell lines, although WSU-DLCL2 was more sensitive. Exposure to 4 nM CA-4 for 96 h induced 77% growth inhibition in Reh, 86% in WSU-CLL and 92% in WSU-WM. When used against the WSU-DLCL2 cell line, this same concentration of CA-4 was completely toxic. Morphological examination showed CA-4 induced the formation of giant, multinucleated cells, a phenomenon commonly found in mitotic catastrophe. Only minimal numbers of cells showing characteristics of apoptosis were detected. In WSU-DLCL2 cells, CA-4 (3 nM) induced the highest apoptosis (5%) after 48 h, while the percentage of dead cells was approximately 47%. Exposure of Reh, WSU-CLL, WSU-WM and WSU-DLCL2 cells for 24 h to 5 nM CA-4 induced 19, 28, 57 and 75% G2/M arrest, as determined by flow cytometry, respectively. Based on these preliminary studies, we believe that mitotic catastrophe is the predominant mechanism by which CA-4 induces cell death rather than apoptosis. Further studies to elucidate the mechanisms of CA-4 activity in vitro and in vivo are currently under investigation in our laboratory.

Annexin A5↗

PubMed2000

Magnetic resonance imaging to measure therapeutic response using an orthotopic model of human pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most incurable and lethal human cancers in the United States. To facilitate development of novel therapeutic agents, we previously established an orthotopic pancreatic tumor model that closely mimics the natural biological behavior of human pancreatic cancer. In this study, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques were developed to detect tumor formation noninvasively and monitor serially tumor growth kinetics in this orthotopic model used for experimental drug testing. By using an optimized T2-weighted imaging method, we were able to distinguish human pancreas cancer from normal mouse pancreas. Orthotopic tumor formation was detected as early as day 1 after tumor cell implantation with a tumor volume as small as 12 mm3. Mice with evidence of tumor were separated into four treatment groups: control, auristatin-PE, gemcitabine, and their combination. After treatment, the mice were imaged at least three times before termination of the experiment. Comparison between MRI tumor volume measurements and tumor weights made at biopsy resulted in a correlation coefficient of 0.98. The tumor growth curves constructed from serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements clearly showed tumor growth inhibition in treated mice compared with the control group. As expected, the group treated with the combination had the highest response rate compared with either auristatin-PE or gemcitabine alone, and the data were statistically highly significant (p < 0.004). From these results, we conclude that noninvasive MRI can be used to monitor serially therapeutic response in this orthotopic human pancreatic tumor model and can be used in the future to evaluate novel antitumor agents before human studies.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed2000

Sustained intracellular retention of dolastatin 10 causes its potent antimitotic activity.

Dolastatin 10 is a highly cytotoxic antimitotic peptide in phase II clinical trials. Its cytotoxicity has been as much as 50-fold greater than that of vinblastine, despite quantitatively similar effects of the two drugs on tubulin polymerization. We compared uptake and efflux of radiolabeled dolastatin 10 and vinblastine in human Burkitt lymphoma CA46 cells to gain an understanding of the greater cytotoxicity of the peptide. In the Burkitt cells, dolastatin 10 was 20-fold more cytotoxic than vinblastine (IC(50) values, 50 pM and 1.0 nM). When drug uptake at 24 h was compared at IC(50) values of the two drugs, the intracellular concentrations were almost identical (50-100 nM). The accumulation factor observed for dolastatin 10 was 900 to 1800 versus 60 to 100 for vinblastine. The two drugs showed very divergent uptake kinetics, however. Vinblastine and dolastatin 10 reached maximum intracellular concentrations after 20 min and 6 h, respectively. Depletion of cellular ATP content did not alter the uptake of either drug, indicating passive uptake of both. When drug-preloaded cells were transferred to drug-free medium, there was no loss of dolastatin 10 for at least 2 h, whereas vinblastine exited the cells rapidly (approximate intracellular half-life, 10 min), with less than 10% of the initial drug remaining in the cells after the 2-h incubation. The potency of dolastatin 10 probably derives from its tenacious binding to tubulin, a property that in cells becomes translated into prolonged intracellular retention of the drug. Optimal clinical use of dolastatin 10 may require administration by infusion rather than by bolus.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

PubMed2000

The guanine nucleotide exchange factor RasGRP is a high -affinity target for diacylglycerol and phorbol esters.

RasGRP is a recently described guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) that possesses a single C1 domain homologous to that of protein kinase C (PKC). The phorbol ester [(3)H]phorbol 12, 13-dibutyrate ([(3)H]PDBu) bound to this C1 domain (C1-RasGRP) with a dissociation constant of 0.58 +/- 0.08 nM, similar to that observed previously for PKC. Likewise, the potent PKC activator bryostatin 1, a compound currently in clinical trials, showed high affinity binding for C1-RasGRP. Structure activity analysis using several phorbol ester analogs showed both similarities and differences in ligand selectivity compared with PKC; the differences were comparable in magnitude to those between different PKC isoforms. Similarly, the potency of the PKC inhibitor calphostin C to inhibit [(3)H]PDBu binding to C1-RasGRP was similar to that observed for PKC. In contrast to the relative similarities in ligand recognition, the lipid cofactor requirements differed between RasGRP and PKC. The C1 domain plus the EF-hand motif of RasGRP (C1EF-RasGRP) was markedly less dependent on acidic phospholipids than was PKCalpha. The differences in lipid requirements were reflected in differential ligand selectivity under conditions of limiting lipid. Despite the presence of twin EF-hand like motifs, calcium did not affect the binding of [(3)H]PDBu to C1EF-RasGRP. We conclude that RasGRP is a high affinity receptor for phorbol esters and diacylglycerol. RasGRP thus provides a direct link between diacylglycerol generation or phorbol ester/bryostatin treatment and Ras activation.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Effects of atmospheric CO2 enrichment on the growth and development of Hymenocallis littoralis (Amaryllidaceae) and the concentrations of several antineoplastic and antiviral constituents of its bulbs.

Two 2-yr crops of tropical spider lily (Hymenocallis littoralis) plants were grown in field soil in clear-plastic-wall open-top enclosures in the Sonoran Desert environment of central Arizona. Half of the plants were exposed to ambient air of 400 ppm atmospheric CO(2) concentration and half of them were exposed to air of 700 ppm CO(2). This 75% increase in the air's CO(2) content resulted in a 48% increase in aboveground plant biomass and a 56% increase in belowground (bulb) biomass. It also increased the concentrations of five bulb constituents that have been demonstrated to possess anticancer and antiviral activities. Mean percentage increases in these concentrations were 6% for a two-constituent (1:1) mixture of 7-deoxynarciclasine and 7-deoxy-trans-dihydronarciclasine, 8% for pancratistatin, 8% for trans-dihydronarciclasine, and 28% for narciclasine, for a mean active ingredient percentage concentration increase of 12%. Combined with the 56% increase in bulb biomass, these percentage concentration increases resulted in a mean active ingredient increase of 75% for the 75% increase in the air's CO(2) concentration used in our experiments.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2000

Antineoplastic agents 429. Syntheses of the combretastatin A-1 and combretastatin B-1 prodrugs.

The original synthesis of combretastatin A-1 (1) was modified to allow an efficient scale-up procedure for obtaining this anti-neoplastic stilbene. Subsequent conversion to a useful prodrug was accomplished by diphosphorylation (to 10), with in situ formation of dibenzylchlorophosphite, followed by cleavage of the benzyl ester protecting groups with trimethyliodosilane. The phosphoric acid intermediate was treated with sodium methoxide to complete a practical route to the sodium phosphate prodrug (4). Selective hydrogenation of phosphate 10 and treatment of the product with sodium methoxide led to combretastatin B-1 prodrug (5). The phosphoric acid precursor of prodrug 4 was employed in a parallel series of reactions to produce a selection of metal and ammonium cation prodrug candidates. Each of the phosphate salts was evaluated from the perspective of relative solubility behavior and cancer cell growth inhibition. The sodium phosphate prodrug of combretastatin A-1 (4) was selected for detailed antineoplastic studies.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Antineoplastic agents 442. Synthesis and biological activities of dioxostatin.

A high-yield regioselective synthesis of (E)-combretastatin A-1 2b was completed using methoxymethyl (MOM) protection and a Wadsworth-Emmons reaction as key steps. In turn, (E)-stilbene 11 was converted by convenient syntheses to both (S,S)- and (R,R)-1,3-dioxolanes 5a and 6a. A Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation reaction was employed for preparation of intermediates (S,S)-12 and (R,R)-13. The (4S,5S)-4-(2',3'-dihydroxy4'-methoxyphenyl)-5-(3",4",5"-trimethoxyphenyl)-1, 3-dioxolane 5a was found to be a highly potent inhibitor of microtubule assembly (IC50 = 0.59 microM) and was designated dioxostatin. Conversion to sodium phosphate 17 (P388 lymphocytic leukemia cell line: ED50 = 0.2 microg/ml) provided a very useful water-soluble prodrug.

Angiogenesis Inhibitors↗

PubMed2000

Antineoplastic agents 453. Synthesis of pancratistatin prodrugs.

A new and efficient synthesis of the (+)-pancratistatin phosphate prodrug (2a) has been accomplished. Selective protection (tetraacetate 4) of (+)-pancratistatin (la) was followed by phosphorylation (to 5) with dibenzyl chlorophosphite (prepared in situ from dibenzyl phosphite). Cleavage of the acetate (with sodium methoxide) and benzyl (by hydrogenolysis) protecting groups followed by concomitant reaction with two equivalents of sodium methoxide afforded a good yield of disodium (+)-pancratistatin phosphate (2a). Further increases in yields of the prodrug (2a) were realized by avoiding heat in the final purification steps. Fourteen (2b-o) additional metal and ammonium cation derived phosphate prodrugs were also synthesized.

Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids↗