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Biomedical subjects

J Balzarini

Publications and source records attributed to J Balzarini.

At least 433 records · Page 24Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Alpha, beta- and beta, gamma-methylene 5'-phosphonate derivatives of 3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxythymidine-5'-triphosphate. Correlation between affinity for reverse transcriptase, susceptibility to hydrolysis by phosphodiesterases and anti-retrovirus activity.

A series of 5'-phosphorylated derivatives of 3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxythymidine (AzddThd), including AzddThd 5'-mono- and 5'-triphosphate, alpha, beta-methylene AzddThd-5'-diphosphate, alpha,beta-methylene AzddThd-5'-triphosphate, and beta,gamma-methylene AzddThd-5'-triphosphate, were evaluated for their cytostatic and anti-retrovirus properties, and their inhibitory effects on the reverse transcriptases of Moloney murine leukemia virus and human immunodeficiency virus. In contrast with the 5'-mono- and 5'-triphosphates of AzddThd, which showed cytostatic and anti-retrovirus activities comparable to those of AzddThd, the alpha,beta-methylene 5'-phosphonates of AzddThd were considerably less cytostatic and also much less inhibitory to cell transformation by Moloney murine sarcoma virus and cytopathogenicity of human immunodeficiency virus. The decreased biological activity of the phosphonate derivatives of AzddThd is most likely due to the resistance of these compounds to phosphorolytic attack by phosphodiesterases and phosphatases, and the reduced affinity for the retrovirus-associated reverse transcriptase.

Antiviral Agents↗
PubMed1988

Investigations on the anti-HIV activity of 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine analogues with modifications in either the pentose or purine moiety. Potent and selective anti-HIV activity of 2,6-diaminopurine 2',3'-dideoxyriboside.

Several 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine analogues with modifications in either the ribose or purine moiety were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on the replication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in MT-4 cell cultures. The 2',3'-dideoxyriboside of 2,6-diaminopurine (ddDAPR) inhibited HIV antigen expression and HIV-induced cytopathogenicity at a 50% effective dose of 2.4-3.8 microM, as compared to 3-6 microM for 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine (ddAdo), whereas 50% inhibition of MT-4 cell viability was noted only at a concentration of 477 and 889 microM, respectively. Both ddDAPR and ddAdo were only weakly inhibitory to the proliferation of a number of T-lymphoblast and T-lymphocyte cell lines, pointing to the selectivity of these compounds as anti-HIV agents. In contrast to ddAdo, ddDAPR was found to be a poor substrate for adenosine deaminase, which may be advantageous from a chemotherapeutic viewpoint. Substitution of an azido or fluoro group at the 2' and 3'-position of the ribose moiety in either "up" or "down" configurations resulted in a decrease of the anti-HIV potency and selectivity of ddAdo. In addition to ddDAPR other purine-modified ddAdo analogues, i.e. several pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine 2',3'-dideoxynucleosides, were investigated for their anti-HIV activity, but none of these derivatives proved as potent or selective as ddDAPR.

Adenosine Deaminase↗
PubMed1988

The in vitro and in vivo anti-retrovirus activity, and intracellular metabolism of 3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxythymidine and 2',3'-dideoxycytidine are highly dependent on the cell species.

Cell lines derived from different species show striking differences in their sensitivity to the cytostatic and anti-retrovirus activity, as well as the intracellular metabolism, of 3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxythymidine (AzddThd) and 2',3'-dideoxycytidine (ddCyd). AzddThd and ddCyd are considerably more cytostatic to human (i.e. Raji, Molt/4F, ATH8) cell lines than murine (i.e. L1210) cells. The intracellular levels of AzddThd 5'-triphosphate and ddCyd 5'-triphosphate formed do not seem related to the cytostatic effects achieved by these compounds. In human lymphoid (ATH8, Molt/4F) and caprine ovary (Tahr) cells AzddThd accumulates as its 5'-monophosphate (AzddTMP), whereas in murine leukemia (L1210) cells it is readily metabolized to the 5'-triphosphate (AzddTTP). The rapid conversion of AzddThd to AzddTTP in murine cells may explain why AzddThd has a pronounced activity against Moloney murine sarcoma virus (MSV)-induced transformation of murine C3H cells in vitro and MSV-induced tumor development in newborn NMRI mice in vivo. In contrast, ddCyd has not much activity in these murine assay systems, and this may seem related to the poor conversion of ddCyd to its 5'-triphosphate in murine cells. In human cells, however, ddCyd is more extensively phosphorylated to its 5'-triphosphate than in murine cells. When [3H]AzddThd and [3H]ddCyd were compared for their metabolism in ATH8 and Molt/4F cells, little [3H]AzddTTP was formed even after a 48-hr incubation period, whereas under the same conditions substantial levels of [3H]ddCTP built up gradually. Thus, much higher ddCTP than AzddTTP levels were achieved in human lymphoid cells, an observation that may be particularly relevant from a therapeutic viewpoint.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Rapid and automated tetrazolium-based colorimetric assay for the detection of anti-HIV compounds.

A rapid, sensitive and automated assay procedure was developed for the in vitro evaluation of anti-HIV agents. An HTLV-I transformed T4-cell line, MT-4, which was previously shown by Koyanagi et al. (1985) to be highly susceptible to, and permissive for, HIV infection, served as the target cell line. Inhibition of the HIV-induced cytopathic effect was used as the end point. The viability of both HIV- and mock-infected cells was assessed spectrophotometrically via the in situ reduction of 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT). The procedure was optimized as to make optimal use of multichannel pipettes, microprocessor-controlled dispensing and optical density reading. The absorbance ratio of the mock-infected control to the HIV-infected samples was about 20. This allowed an accurate determination of the 50% effective doses, as demonstrated for 3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxythymidine (AZT), 2',3'-dideoxycytidine (ddCyd), dextran sulfate and heparin. The technique significantly reduced labor time as compared to the trypan blue exclusion method, and permits the evaluation of large numbers of compounds for their anti-HIV activity.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1988

Pentosan polysulfate, a sulfated oligosaccharide, is a potent and selective anti-HIV agent in vitro.

Several sulfated oligo- or polysaccharides such as pentosan polysulfate, fucoidan, dextran sulfate, heparin and iota-, kappa- and lambda-carrageenans proved to be potent and selective inhibitors of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in vitro. The most potent anti-HIV-1 activity was recorded for the oligosaccharide pentosan polysulfate, its 50% antiviral effective dose (ED50) being 0.19 microgram/ml in MT-4 cells. It inhibited HIV-1 antigen expression in HUT-78 cells at an ED50 of 0.02 microgram/ml, and complete inhibition of HIV-1 antigen expression was obtained at a concentration of 4.0 micrograms/ml. No toxicity for MT-4 cells was observed with pentosan polysulfate at a concentration of 2500 micrograms/ml. The anticoagulant activity of pentosan polysulfate was more than ten-fold lower than that of heparin (14.4 and 177 U/mg, respectively). In fact, pentosan polysulfate achieved its anti-HIV-1 activity at a concentration that is 370-fold below its anticoagulant threshold (1 U). Pentosan polysulfate inhibits virus adsorption to the cells, as was demonstrated by monitoring the association of radiolabeled HIV-1 virions with MT-4 cells.

Adsorption↗
PubMed1988

Combined effects of bromovinyldeoxyuridine and fractionated or continuous administration of 5-fluorouracil in P388 leukemia-bearing mice.

The combined effects of fractionated administration of the antiviral agent (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine (BVDU) and fractionated (4 injections at a 48-h interval) administration or continuous (7-day) infusion of 5-fluorouracil (FU) have been investigated in P388 leukemia-bearing mice. The LD50 of continuous FU infusion in normal mice was approximately 330 mg/kg, while that for the fractionated treatment was 160 mg/kg. When combined with BVDU (200 mumol/kg, 90 min before each FU injection; 4 injections at a 48-h interval), the LD50 of FU was decreased from 330 to 115 mg/kg and from 160 to 30 mg/kg, respectively. The 7-day continuous infusion of FU (up to a dose of 210 mg/kg) did not exert a therapeutic effect in P388-leukemic mice, and, similarly, combination of continuous FU infusion (at lower doses) with BVDU failed to increase the survival of the leukemic mice. If, however, FU was administered in fractionated doses, there was a dose-dependent increase in survival time of P388-leukemic mice, and simultaneous fractionated BVDU treatment allowed a 4-6-fold lower dose of FU to achieve the same increase in survival time, indicating that BVDU effectively increased the antitumor activity of FU in the leukemic mice.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Synthesis and anti-HIV activity of different sugar-modified pyrimidine and purine nucleosides.

A series of base-modified pyrimidine 3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxynucleosides and 3'-substituted purine and pyrimidine 2',3'-dideoxynucleosides have been synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory activity against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication in MT-4 cells. The following pyrimidine derivatives emerged as the most potent and/or selective inhibitors of HIV-induced cytopathogenicity (in order of decreasing selectivity: 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT), 3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxyuridine (AzddUrd), 3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxy-5-methylcytidine (AzddMeCyd), 3'-fluoro-ddUrd (FddUrd), 3'-fluoro-ddThd (FddThd), the N4-hydroxylated derivative of AzddMeCyd and the N4-methylated derivative of AzddMeCyd. Among the purine 2',3'-dideoxynucleosides, 3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxyguanosine (AzddGuo), 3'-fluoro-ddGuo (FddGuo), and 3'-fluoro-2,6-diaminopurine 2',3'-dideoxynucleoside (FddDAPR) were the most selective inhibitors of HIV replication.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Novel DNA groove binding alkylators: design, synthesis, and biological evaluation.

A group of oligopeptides has been synthesized that are structurally related to the natural antiviral antitumor agents netropsin and distamycin but which bear alkylating functions. Cytostatic activity against both human and murine tumor cell lines as well as their in vitro activity against a range of viruses is reported. The biological activity of these agents is discussed both in terms of their alkylating reactivity and of their structural differences. The incorporation of alkylating moieties into these minor groove DNA binders results in up to 45-fold increase in cytostatic activity compared with netropsin and up to 18 times the activity of distamycin.

Alkylating Agents↗
PubMed1988

Linear free energy relationship studies of enzyme active site binding: thymidylate synthase.

The requirements for active-site binding of thymidylate synthase from three sources, Lactobacillus casei, murine leukemia L1210, and human lymphoblast (Molt/4F), were investigated by analyzing the binding of a series of 5-(p-substituted phenyl)-2'-deoxyuridylates (N1-substituted 5-aryl-2, 4-dioxopyrimidines) to the enzyme. Multiple regression analysis revealed that an increase in electron density of the heterocyclic ring and hydrophobic substituents enhance affinity. Correlations of biological results with spectral data indicated that higher electron densities at the oxygen atoms are responsible for increase in binding. These results support the presence of both a cationic binding site and a hydrophobic region. In addition, the results revealed an unusual reversal of electronic requirements for binding and catalysis. The formation of the binary complex is enhanced by electron-donating substituents, while the initial catalytic reaction, formation of the covalent ternary complex, is promoted and stabilized by electron-withdrawing substituents.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Mechanism of inhibitory effect of dextran sulfate and heparin on replication of human immunodeficiency virus in vitro.

The sulfated polysaccharides dextran sulfate and heparin have proved to be potent and selective inhibitors of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in vitro. Dextran sulfate (Mr 5000) and heparin (Mr 15,000) completely protected MT-4 cells against HIV-1-induced cytopathogenicity at a concentration of 25 micrograms/ml. Their 50% inhibitory concentrations were 9.1 micrograms/ml (dextran sulfate) and 7.0 micrograms/ml (heparin), respectively. No toxicity for the host cells was observed with these compounds at a concentration of 625 micrograms/ml. The anti-HIV-1 activity of heparins of various molecular weights correlated well with their anticoagulant activity. On the other hand, with dextran sulfates of low molecular weight (5000, 8000) a significant inhibitory effect on HIV-1 was achieved at a concentration that was not markedly inhibitory to the blood coagulation process. Dextran sulfate and heparin were not inhibitory to HIV-1 reverse transcriptase unless they were used at concentrations in excess of those that inhibited HIV-1 replication. They were highly effective against HIV-1 replication even when present only during the 2-hr virus adsorption period. Studies using radiolabeled HIV-1 virions indicated that dextran sulfate and heparin inhibit virus adsorption to the host cells.

Adsorption↗
PubMed1988

Phosphonylmethoxyethyl purine derivatives, a new class of anti-human immunodeficiency virus agents.

A study of the structure-activity relationship of a series of newly synthesized phosphonylmethoxyalkyl purine and pyrimidine derivatives revealed that several adenine derivatives substituted at the N9 position by a 2-phosphonylmethoxyethyl (PME) group inhibited human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-induced cytopathogenicity and HIV antigen expression in vitro at concentrations significantly below the toxicity threshold for the host cells. In terms of anti-HIV potency in MT-4 cells, the PME 2,6-diaminopurine derivative (50% effective dose [ED50], 1 microM) ranked first, followed by the PME adenine derivative (ED50, 2 microM [MT-4]) and the PME 2-monoaminopurine derivative (ED50, 45 microM). Antiretroviral activity was also demonstrated in ATH8 and H9 cells, which were de novo infected with HIV, and extended to C3H mouse fibroblasts infected with Moloney murine sarcoma virus. Unlike 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine, these compounds were not found to be degraded by deaminases derived from bovine intestine.

Adenine↗
PubMed1988

Potent and selective activity of 3'-azido-2,6-diaminopurine-2',3'-dideoxyriboside, 3'-fluoro-2,6-diaminopurine-2',3'-dideoxyriboside, and 3'-fluoro-2',3'-dideoxyguanosine against human immunodeficiency virus.

Several sugar-modified 2,6-diaminopurine and guanine 2',3'-dideoxyribosides were synthesized and evaluated in vitro for their ability to inhibit the cytopathic effect and replication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the causative agent of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). 3'-Azido-2,6-diaminopurine-2',3'-dideoxyriboside (AzddDAPR), 3'-fluoro-2,6-diaminopurine-2',3'-dideoxyriboside (FddDAPR), and 3'-fluoro-2',3'-dideoxyguanosine emerged as potent and selective anti-HIV agents in MT4 cells (50% effective antiviral dose: 0.3-4.5 microM). Their selectivity indexes, based on the ratio of the 50% cytotoxic dose to the 50% antiviral effective dose, were 157, 80, and 96, respectively, as compared to 106 for 2,6-diaminopurine-2',3'-dideoxyriboside (ddDAPR) and 132 for 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine (ddAdo), two other potent anti-HIV agents. The 9-beta-D-arabinoside and 9-beta-D-2'-deoxyxyloside derivatives of 2,6-diaminopurine were devoid of any antiretrovirus activity. Both AzddDAPR and FddDAPR, like the parent compounds ddDAPR and ddAdo, proved susceptible to deamination by beef intestine adenosine deaminase (Km, 11, 148, 29, and 73 microM, respectively). 2'-Deoxycoformycin, a potent inhibitor of adenosine deaminase, decreased the antiretrovirus and cytostatic activity of ddDAPR and FddDAPR to a greater extent than that of AzddDAPR. This suggests that ddDAPR and FddDAPR are primarily active as their guanine analogues, whereas AzddDAPR may be potentially active as a 2,6-diaminopurine derivative as well.

Adenosine Deaminase↗
PubMed1987

Selective inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) by 3'-azido-2', 3'-dideoxyguanosine in vitro.

3'-Azido-2',3'-dideoxyguanosine (AzddGuo) is a potent and selective inhibitor of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in vitro. AzddGuo completely inhibits HIV-induced cytopathogenicity and viral antigen expression in MT-4 cells at a concentration of 5.0 microM. Its 50% effective dose for inhibiting HIV-induced cytopathogenicity is 1.4 microM, as compared to 6.4 microM for 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine (ddAdo). Thus, AzddGuo is approximately 4.6-fold more potent as an anti-HIV agent than ddAdo, one of the most promising compounds for the treatment of AIDS. However, AzddGuo is about 4.7 times more cytotoxic than ddAdo, so that its selectivity index, as based on the ratio of the 50% cytotoxic dose to the 50% antiviral effective dose, is almost the same as that of ddAdo (136 and 139, respectively).

Animals↗
PubMed1987

The 2',3'-dideoxyriboside of 2,6-diaminopurine selectively inhibits human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication in vitro.

The 2',3'-dideoxyriboside of 2,6-diaminopurine(ddDAPR) is, like 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine (ddAdo), a potent and selective inhibitor of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in vitro. The ddDAPR compound inhibits HIV antigen expression and HIV-induced cytopathogenicity in MT4 cells at a 50% effective dose (ED50) of 2.5-3.6 microM, as compared to 3.1-6.4 microM for ddAdo. Both compounds are endowed with a high selectivity index: 112 for ddDAPR and 139 for ddAdo. The 2',3'-unsaturated derivatives of ddDAPR and ddAdo, i.e. ddeDAPR and ddeAdo, are considerably more cytotoxic and less effective against HIV than the parental compounds. Like ddAdo, ddDAPR is only weakly inhibitory to the proliferation and DNA and RNA synthesis of a series of human B-lymphoblast, T-lymphoblast and T-lymphocyte cell lines. In contrast to ddAdo, which is rapidly deaminated by beef intestine adenosine deaminase at an initial velocity (Vi) of 145 mumol/mg protein/min, ddDAPR and ddeDAPR are poor substrates for the enzyme (Vi: 8 and 0.7 mumol/mg protein/min, respectively), which further contributes to the potential of ddDAPR as a chemotherapeutic agent against AIDS.

Adenosine Deaminase Inhibitors↗
PubMed1987

The 2',3'-dideoxyriboside of 2,6-diaminopurine and its 2',3'-didehydro derivative inhibit the deamination of 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine, an inhibitor of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication.

The 2',3'-dideoxyriboside of 2,6-diaminopurine (ddDAPR) and its 2',3'-didehydro derivative (ddeDAPR) are poor substrates for adenosine deaminase (ADA) but potent inhibitors of the enzyme. Their Km values for ADA are of the same order of magnitude as those of the natural adenosine (Ado) and 2'-deoxyadenosine (dAdo), but their Vmax values are 35-fold (ddDAPR) to 350-fold (ddeDAPR) lower than those of Ado and dAdo. The Ki/K values of ADA for ddeDAPR (as inhibitor) and Ado, 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine (ddAdo) and 9-beta-D-arabinofuranosyladenine (araA) as the substrates are 0.17, 0.05 and 0.06, respectively. ddDAPR is about 3-fold less potent as an inhibitor of ADA than ddeDAPR. The 2,6-diaminopurine derivatives ddeDAPR and ddDAPR [which is also a potent inhibitor of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)], may hold great promise, from a chemotherapeutic viewpoint, in combination with other adenosine analogues such as ddAdo and araA, which have been recognized and/or being pursued as either anti-retrovirus or anti-herpesvirus agents.

Adenosine Deaminase↗
PubMed1987

The effect of (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine on DNA repair and mutagenesis of herpes simplex virus type 1.

Growth of HSV-1 in (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine (BVDU) results in incorporation of the analog into HSV-1 DNA. Employing the technique of Weigle-type reactivation (WR), HSV-1 inactivated by uv irradiation but not by growth in BVDU is a substrate for induced cellular repair pathways. Growth of mammalian cells in BVDU does not induce cellular repair pathways detected by WR. HSV-1 temperature sensitive (ts) mutants demonstrate an increased reversion frequency to the nonpermissive phenotype (ts+) following growth in a high concentration of BVDU. A ts mutant did not display an increased reversion frequency following growth in equally inhibitory concentrations of an HSV-1 polymerase inhibitor, aphidicolin. These findings suggest that BVDU incorporated into HSV-1 DNA may not be readily excised and may be a mutagenic lesion in viral DNA, although other explanations are possible.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Sensitive and rapid assay on MT-4 cells for detection of antiviral compounds against the AIDS virus.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection of MT-4 cells, an HTLV-I-transformed T-cell line, proved to be a rapid and sensitive assay system for the detection of potential antiviral drugs effective against the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Four days after HIV inoculation of the MT-4 cells, viral antigen expression was monitored in parallel with indirect immunofluorescence microscopy and laser flow cytofluorography. When 3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxythymidine (AzddThd, AZT) and 2',3'-dideoxycytidine (ddCyd) were evaluated under these conditions, they inhibited viral antigen expression at a minimum (33% inhibitory) concentration of 0.0004 and 0.02 microM, respectively. Similar minimum effective concentrations were found for AzddThd and ddCyd in assays where inhibition of viral cytopathogenicity was based on cell survival. While laser flow cytofluorography could be best adapted for quantitative measurements, cell survival and reconstitution of disrupted cell aggregates gave an equally rapid and sensitive endpoint; and the latter may be ideally suited for preliminary drug screening.

Antigens, Viral↗