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PubMed1991

Induction of natural killer activity by xanthenone analogues of flavone acetic acid: relation with antitumour activity.

Flavone-8-acetic acid (FAA) induces haemorrhagic necrosis and tumour regression in experimental tumours and induces natural killer (NK) activity. Xanthenone-4-acetic acid (XAA) forms the basis of a series of analogues of FAA which vary in antitumour potency. FAA, XAA and 15 XAA derivatives were tested for their ability to induce either NK activity in mouse spleens or haemorrhagic necrosis in mouse colon 38 tumours. Some derivatives were active in both assays (one at a dose 8-fold lower than that of FAA). When both assays were quantitated, a significant correlation (r = 0.85; P less than 0.001) was found. NK assays could be useful in screening compounds such as FAA and XAA analogues which appear to mediate their antitumour activity by biological response modification. Since tumour necrosis may not be mediated directly by NK cells, FAA and active XAA derivatives may exert pleiotropic effects that include NK induction and tumour necrosis by acting on host cells to release cytokines.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Flavone acetic acid potentiates the induction of endothelial procoagulant activity by tumour necrosis factor.

Treatment of human umbilical vein endothelial cells with flavone acetic acid (FAA) at 800 micrograms/ml for 4 h resulted in a 3-11-fold increase in procoagulant activity. This increase was due to enhanced tissue factor expression on the endothelial cell surface, as evidenced by the blocking of the enhanced clotting with antibody to tissue factor, by substitution of normal with factor VII deficient plasma, or by simultaneous treatment of the endothelial cells with cycloheximide or actinomycin D. FAA was not toxic to endothelial cell at concentrations up to 1.6 mg/ml over 4 h. Combined treatment with FAA and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) (100 pg/ml) produced a 675-fold (range 160-1980) increase in tissue factor activity, compared to 5-fold and 50-fold increases for the individual agents respectively. Northern blotting of total RNA from cells treated with the combination of agents or either agent alone, followed by probing with a cDNA to human tissue factor demonstrated a synergistic increase in tissue factor mRNA after combination treatment. In vivo, the combination of FAA and TNF-alpha could be shown to induce greater growth delay in two murine tumours than would be predicted on the basis of the activity of either agent alone.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

In vitro methods for screening agents with an indirect mechanism of antitumour activity: xanthenone analogues of flavone acetic acid.

Xanthenone-4-acetic acid (XAA) resembles flavone acetic acid (FAA) in its effects on solid tumours in mice. The activity of methyl-substituted XAA derivatives in vitro was determined using 18 h 51Cr-release assays, continuous exposure growth inhibition assays and stimulation of tumouricidal activity of cultured murine resident peritoneal macrophages. The macrophage assay identified the high biological activity and dose potency of 5-MeXAA in vivo, and was the most accurate in vitro predictor of the ability of congeners to induce either haemorrhagic necrosis of subcutaneous Lewis lung and colon 38 tumours or splenic natural killer activity. In vitro immune stimulation may be more appropriate than direct cytotoxicity for screening compounds with indirect mechanisms of antitumour activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Interaction between flavone acetic acid (LM-975, NSC 349512) and radiation in Glasgow's osteogenic sarcoma in vivo.

Flavone acetic acid (FAA) is a new anticancer agent in Phase II trials in Europe. In preclinical testing FAA showed broad activity against murine solid tumors and minimal activity against murine leukemias. Our interest in studying the combination of FAA and radiation was based on two of its biological effects which might modify radiation damage. First, FAA depletes ATP and inhibits macromolecular synthesis which are needed to repair radiation-induced DNA strand breaks; and second, inhibition of tumor blood flow by FAA could lead to radiobiological hypoxia. Various schedules of FAA (170 mg/kg I.V.) (n = 9, SF = 0.44) and radiation (10 Gy) (n = 9, SF = 0.37) were investigated against s.c. implanted Glasgow osteogenic sarcoma. In the same model we studied both the kinetics of ATP depletion by 31P-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and the repair of radiation induced single and double strand breaks by alkaline elution. The combined response was not significantly different from log-additive when radiation was given 24, 5 or 1 hr before FAA. When FAA was given immediately before radiation an increase in tumor response, significantly different from log-additive (p = 0.03) was observed. This enhancement disappeared when radiation was delayed for between 1 and 48 hr after FAA. While decreased ATP levels and increased response to radiation occurred within minutes after FAA administration, no effect of FAA at either 180 or 200 mg/kg was observed on the repair of radiation induced single or double strand breaks (10 and 50 Gy, respectively; 5 hr after FAA) in spite of significant ATP depletion in the tumors.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1992

Flavone acetic acid as a modifier of endothelial cell function.

Flavone acetic acid (FAA) causes significant regression of larger established tumors in murine systems in vivo, but is only slightly toxic in vitro. This in vivo effect is thought to be indirect, or immunological, rather than a direct cytotoxic effect on tumor cells. Using the WHFIB fibrosarcoma, which grows both in vivo and in vitro, and the murine endothelial cell line B10, we have studied the effect of FAA on the survival of tumor and endothelial cells in vitro. The times taken for 1 mg ml-1 FAA to reduce survival to 0.1 surviving fraction were 63 hr for B10 and greater than 85 hr for WHFIB in vitro. WHFIB tumors in vivo were more sensitive than tumor cells in vitro, a single dose of 150 mg kg-1 FAA inducing a tumor growth delay of 10 days at treatment size + 2 mm. As FAA is more toxic to tumor-bearing animals than to those which are non-tumor bearing the effect of tumor conditioned medium on the cytotoxicity of FAA toward B10 cells was studied; no enhanced effect was seen. As FAA is only weakly cytotoxic in vitro to endothelial cells, and even less so to tumor cells, sublethal effects of FAA on endothelial cell function in vitro were studied. The permeability of monolayers of human unbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) in vitro is transiently increased by FAA. Also, procoagulant activity of HUVEC is induced by FAA and this activity is further enhanced in the presence of a factor isolated from Meth-A tumor cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Combining bioreductive drugs (SR 4233 or SN 23862) with the vasoactive agents flavone acetic acid or 5,6-dimethylxanthenone acetic acid.

PURPOSE: To determine whether 5,6-dimethylxanthenone acetic acid (DMXAA), a potent analogue of flavone acetic acid (FAA) inhibits blood flow in mouse mammary tumors, and to assess whether DMXAA enhances the antitumor effects of Tirapazamine (SR 4233) and the novel bioreductive drug SN 23862 (a dinitrobenbenzene mustard). METHODS AND MATERIALS: MDAH-MCa-4 mouse mammary tumors were grown i.m. in the leg of C3H/HeN mice. Tumor blood flow was assessed by the pertechnetate clearance method and subsequent growth delay was determined in the same tumors. RESULTS: Administration of DMXAA (65-70 mumol/kg) resulted in inhibition of tumor blood flow to approximately 25% of control values, with no recovery observed up to 36 h post-treatment. Combination of DMXAA with SR 4233 provided a significant increase in tumor growth inhibition relative to either drug alone. In this effect, DMXAA was qualitatively similar to FAA, but was approximately 10 x more potent. The interaction between DMXAA (65 mumol/kg) and SR 4233 (200 mumol/kg) was maximal with SR 4233 given between 15 min before and 60 min after DMXAA. For SN 23862, a similar enhanced growth delay was observed in combination with DMXAA, with no obvious time dependence between 15 min before and 4 h after DMXAA. When mean values for groups treated with SR 4233 (200 mumole/kg) alone and in combination with DMXAA (65-90 mumole/kg) were compared, a correlation was observed between tumor blood flow inhibition and subsequent growth delay. CONCLUSION: DMXAA is a potent inhibitor of blood flow in MDAH-MCa-4 tumors. Combination of this vasoactive drug with bioreductive agents leads to an enhanced antitumor effect. For SR 4233 and DMXAA, this enhanced effect may be predictable by measurement of tumor blood flow inhibition shortly after drug administration.

Aniline Mustard↗
PubMed1994

Antitumor and cytotoxic screen of 5,6,7-trisubstituted flavones from Gomphrena martiana.

An in vivo antitumor screening of extracts of Gomphrena martiana indicated positive activity in the petroleum ether extract, and its further bioactivity-directed fractionation resulted in a lipophilic flavonoid fraction. Upon inoculation of various doses of 5,6,7-trisubstituted flavones on two murine tumor lines, Sarcoma 180 and Ehrlich's carcinoma, a decrease of tumor growth was observed. An in vitro KB cultured cell screen indicated cytotoxicity.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Free radical intermediates in the oxidation of flavone-8-acetic acid: possible involvement in its antitumour activity.

The sulphate radical (SO4.-), a model one-electron oxidant, reacts with the antitumour drug flavone-8-acetic acid (FFA) with the rate constant 9.1 x 10(8) dm3mol-1s-1 to yield an uncharged radical that reacts with oxygen (k approximately 1 x 10(9) dm3mol-1s-1). The oxidation of FAA by SO4.- in a steady-state system was found to release carbon dioxide with a yield of 96% relative to that of the SO.4-. The results are interpreted by fast (t1/2 < or = 1 microsecond) and efficient decarboxylation of the FAA radical cation, resulting in a carbon-centred radical. The reaction of the latter with oxygen is a possible source of radical-driven cytotoxic pathways, such as singlet oxygen formation via the Russell mechanism or H-abstraction from lipids. On the basis of the observations in the model system, a possible free radical mechanism for the antitumour action of the drug is suggested.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1992

Flavone acetic acid induced changes in human endothelial permeability: potentiation by tumour-conditioned medium.

Flavone acetic acid (FAA) causes significant regression of larger established tumours in murine in vivo systems. This in vivo effect of FAA has been shown to include a vascular component. In an effort to elucidate the mechanism of action of FAA, we have studied the effects of FAA on the permeability of human endothelium in vitro. Monolayers of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) grown on polycarbonate filters were incubated in 1 mg/ml FAA for 120 min at 37 degrees C. During the first 60 min, there was a 6-8-fold increase in permeability; this was followed by a return to control levels even in the continued presence of FAA. In contrast, in the presence of tumour conditioned medium, FAA caused a rapid 6-fold increase in permeability which did not subsequently return to control levels. The permeability changes which occurred under the latter conditions were accompanied by a rapid contraction of the cytoskeleton. The permeability of monolayers of human melanoma cells was unaffected by FAA.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1993

Flavone acetic acid and 5,6-dimethylxanthenone-4-acetic acid: relationship between plasma nitrate elevation and the induction of tumour necrosis.

Antitumour agents such as flavone acetic acid, xanthenone acetic acid (XAA), 5,6-dimethylxanthenone-4-acetic acid and tumour necrosis factor-alpha, following single dose administration to mice with colon 38 adenocarcinomas, induce tumour haemorrhagic necrosis and an elevation in plasma nitrate. The relationship between these two effects has been studied using firstly a series of methyl-substituted XAA derivatives with varying antitumour activity, and secondly the inhibitors NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (NMMA), N-nitro-L-arginine (NNA) and canavanine, which affect nitric oxide synthesis. Elevation of plasma nitrate resulting from the oxidation of L-arginine by nitric oxide synthase is inhibited by NNA rather than by NMMA or canavanine. The results demonstrate that tumour necrosis can be induced in the absence of a significant elevation of plasma nitrate.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2005

Artelastin is a cytotoxic prenylated flavone that disturbs microtubules and interferes with DNA replication in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells.

Artelastin, a novel prenylated flavone, previously isolated from the wood bark of Artocarpus elasticus, was evaluated for its capacity to inhibit the growth of fifty-two human tumor cell lines, representing nine different tumor types. A pronounced dose-dependent growth inhibitory effect was detected in all the cell lines, with GI50 values ranging from 0.8-20.8 microM. Studies to elucidate the basis of the growth inhibitory activity of artelastin were performed in the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line (GI50 = 6.0 microM). We show that artelastin exerts a biphasic effect in the DNA synthesis of MCF-7 cells, a stimulatory effect at low concentrations (below GI50) for short times of exposition (6 h and 24 h), and an inhibitory effect at high concentrations (above GI50). Remarkably, treated cells that have DNA synthesis affected could be viable and metabolically active. Furthermore, artelastin acts as a cytotoxic rather than a cytostatic compound. Massive cytoplasmatic vacuoles were detected in cells after artelastin treatment. Together with these morphological alterations, cells show the presence of abnormal nuclear morphologies, and occasionally nuclear condensation, which were identified as apoptotic by TUNEL assay. Moreover, artelastin was shown to disturb the microtubule network while no effect was observed on the kinetochores. Flow cytometry analysis of cells treated with artelastin reveal an accumulation in S phase that interferes with the cell cycle progression. Additionally, according to BrdU patterns, studies with synchronized cells at G0 and at G1/S transition also suggest that artelastin delays DNA replication since progression of cells trough S-phase is perturbed.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic↗
PubMed2006

Polymethoxylated flavones induce Ca(2+)-mediated apoptosis in breast cancer cells.

Flavonoids, polyphenolic phytochemicals which include flavones and isoflavones, are present in the common human diet. It has been suggested that these compounds may exert anticancer activity; however, the mechanisms involved remain unknown. We have recently shown (Sergeev, 2004, Biochem Biophys Res Commun 321: 462-467) that isoflavones can activate the novel apoptotic pathway mediated by cellular Ca(2+). Here, we report that polymethoxyflavones (PMFs) derived from sweet orange (Citrus sinensis L.) inhibit growth of human breast cancer cells via Ca(2+)-dependent apoptotic mechanism. The treatment of MCF-7 breast cancer cells with 5-hydroxy-3,6,7,8,3',4'-hexamethoxyflavone (5-OH-HxMF) and 3'-hydroxy-5,6,7,4'-tetramethoxyflavone (3'-OH-TtMF) induced a sustained increase in concentration of intracellular Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)](i)) resulting from both depletion of the endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) stores and Ca(2+) influx from the extracellular space. This increase in [Ca(2+)](i) was associated with the activation of the Ca(2+)-dependent apoptotic proteases, mu-calpain and caspase-12, as evaluated with the calpain and caspase-12 peptide substrates and antibodies to active (cleaved) forms of the enzymes. Corresponding non-hydroxylated PMFs, 3,5,6,7,8,3',4'-heptamethoxyflavone (HpMF) and 5,6,7,3',4'-pentamethoxyflavone (PtMF), were dramatically less active in inducing Ca(2+)-mediated apoptosis. Our results strongly suggest that the cellular Ca(2+) modulating activity of flavonoids underlies their apoptotic mechanism and that hydroxylation of PMFs is critical for their ability to induce an increase in [Ca(2+)](i) and, thus, activate Ca(2+)-dependent apoptotic proteases.

Apoptosis↗
PubMed2005

Flavone C-glycosides from flowers of Trollius ledebouri.

The ethanol extract of the flowers of Trollius ledebouri yielded four flavone C-glycosides, 2''-O-vanilloylvitexin, 2''-O-feruloylorientin, 2''-O-beta-L-galactopyranosylvitexin, and 2''-O-beta-L-galactopyranosylorientin, along with known compounds, 6''-O-acetylorientin, 2''-O-(4'''-hydroxybenzoyl)vitexin, vitexin, and orientin. Their structures were elucidated by means of UV, IR, MS and NMR spectroscopic analyses.

Flowers↗
PubMed2001

Effect of wogonin, a plant flavone from Scutellaria radix, on the suppression of cyclooxygenase-2 and the induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase in lipopolysaccharide-treated RAW 264.7 cells.

Plant flavonoids show anti-inflammatory activity both in vitro and in vivo. Some flavonoids, such as flavone derivatives, have been reported previously to inhibit nitric oxide (NO) production by suppressing inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression. In this investigation, the effects of wogonin, a potent inhibitor of NO production among the flavonoids tested, on cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) induction and activity were elucidated further in connection with iNOS, using a mouse macrophage cell line, RAW 264.7. Wogonin inhibited NO and prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) production from lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW cells with IC(50) values of 31 and 0.3 microM, respectively. When added after the induction of iNOS and COX-2, wogonin inhibited the formation of PGE(2) (IC(50) = 0.8 microM), but not the production of NO. Wogonin inhibited COX-2 activity directly (IC(50) = 46 microM) from the homogenate of aspirin-pretreated RAW cells, as determined by measuring [(14)C]PGE(2) formation from [(14)C]arachidonic acid. However, it did not inhibit iNOS or phospholipase A(2) activity. Western blotting showed that wogonin suppressed the induction of both iNOS and COX-2. Prednisolone also suppressed the induction of iNOS and COX-2. Whereas RU-486 (a steroid receptor antagonist) reversed the suppressive activity of prednisolone, it did not affect the suppressive activity of wogonin, suggesting that the suppressive activity of wogonin is not mediated by binding to a steroid receptor. Results from the present study demonstrated that wogonin is a direct COX-2 inhibitor, as well as an inhibitor of iNOS and COX-2 induction. Wogonin may be a potential agent for use in the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Analysis of structural requirements for Ah receptor antagonist activity: ellipticines, flavones, and related compounds.

A number of studies have examined the structure-activity relationships for the agonist activity of Ah receptor (AhR) ligands. Fewer studies have considered the structural basis for potential antagonist properties. Certain ellipticine derivatives have been reported to bind to the AhR and inhibit the ability of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) to transform the AhR to a form that recognizes a dioxin-responsive enhancer element (DRE) upstream of the cytochrome P4501A1 gene. In the present study, over 30 ellipticine derivatives and structurally related compounds were examined for their ability to bind to the AhR, activate it to a DRE-binding form, induce the luciferase gene under control of a DRE-containing enhancer, and block activation of the AhR by TCDD. The ability of several ellipticine derivatives to inhibit TCDD-elicited DRE binding and TCDD-induced luciferase activity was inversely related to their ability to alone stimulate these responses. The most potent antagonist activity was related to good AhR binding characteristics in terms of conforming to previously predicted 14 x 12 x 5 A van der Waals dimensions and the presence of an electron-rich ring nitrogen at or near a relatively unsubstituted X-axis terminal position. Based on these data, a number of flavone derivatives were synthesized and tested for their relative agonist/antagonist activity. These additional data were consistent with the hypothesis that an electron-rich center near or along a lateral position of the van der Waals binding cavity is a characteristic that enhances AhR antagonist activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Inhibition of DT-diaphorase (NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase, EC 1.6.99.2) by 5,6-dimethylxanthenone-4-acetic acid (DMXAA) and flavone-8-acetic acid (FAA): implications for bioreductive drug development.

The tumour blood flow inhibitors 5,6-dimethylxanthenone-4-acetic acid (DMXAA) and flavone-8-acetic acid (FAA) have been shown to potentiate the antitumour activity of several bioreductive drugs in vivo. Whilst the induction of hypoxia as a result of blood flow inhibition is presumed to be responsible for enhancing the activity of bioreductive drugs, no studies have examined potential interactions between DMXAA or FAA and enzymes involved in bioreductive drug activation. Both FAA and DMXAA are competitive inhibitors of the enzyme DT-diaphorase (NAD(P)H:Quinone oxidoreductase EC 1.6.99.2) with respect to NADH, with Ki values of 75 and 20 microM, respectively. Cytochromes P450 reductase and b5 reductase activities are not significantly inhibited by FAA, whereas DMXAA partially inhibits cytochrome b5 reductase activity. The cytotoxicity of the indoloquinone EO9 (3-hydroxymethyl-5-aziridinyl-1-methyl-2-[1H-indole-4,7-dione] prop-beta-en-alpha-ol) against DLD-1 (IC50 = 0.32+/-0.08 microM) was significantly reduced when combinations of EO9 and FAA (IC50 = 12.26+/-5.43 microM) or DMXAA (IC50 > 40 microM) were used. In the case of menadione (which is detoxified by DT-diaphorase), combinations of menadione with FAA or DMXAA were more toxic (IC50 = 7.46+/-2.22 and 9.46+/-1.70 microM, respectively) than menadione alone (IC50 = 22.02+/-1.59 microM). Neither DMXAA nor FAA potentiated the activity of tirapazamine in vitro. These results suggest that the use of DMXAA and FAA to potentiate the activity of bioreductive drugs where DT-diaphorase plays a central role in either activation or detoxification may be inappropriate. The fact that FAA in particular does not inhibit other key enzymes involved in bioreductive activation suggests that it may be useful in terms of identifying DT-diaphorase-activated prodrugs.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1999

Induction of STAT and NFkappaB activation by the antitumor agents 5,6-dimethylxanthenone-4-acetic acid and flavone acetic acid in a murine macrophage cell line.

The antitumor agents flavone-8-acetic acid (FAA) and its dose-potent analogue 5,6-dimethylxanthenone-4-acetic acid (DMXAA), currently in clinical trials, have a novel mechanism of action that is mediated through their ability to induce a spectrum of cytokines. Since NFkappaB and STAT transcription factors participate in the regulation of a number of genes involved in immune and cytokine responses, we investigated whether these transcription factors were activated in the ANA-1 murine macrophage cell line by DMXAA and FAA compared with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a bacterial component that induces an overlapping spectrum of cytokines. Activation of STAT1 and STAT3 was observed distinctly 4 hr after DMXAA and FAA stimulation. DMXAA and FAA induced NFkappaB translocation with slower kinetics of activation compared with LPS. STAT activation by DMXAA and FAA was inhibited by cycloheximide, indicating a requirement for de novo protein synthesis. The ANA-1 cells produced high titres of interferons (IFNs) in the culture supernatant after stimulation with DMXAA and FAA, and the addition of antibodies to IFNalpha/beta inhibited STAT activation, indicating that IFNs mediated STAT activation. NFkappaB activation, on the other hand, was not inhibitable with cycloheximide or with antibodies to IFNalpha/beta. NFkappaB activation appeared to be a direct action of the anticancer agents, whereas activation of the STAT proteins was due, in part, to the high titres of IFNs induced. These results demonstrate the significance of the IFN response in initiating the cascade of secondary events that may contribute to the overall antitumor efficacy of DMXAA and FAA in murine models.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Antifertility and hormonal properties of flavones of Striga orobanchioides.

The two flavones, apigenin and luteolin, isolated from Striga orobanchioides, were investigated for endocrine and contraceptive properties. Graded doses of these compounds (5-25 mg/kg body weight/day) when administered from day 1 to day 4 of pregnancy showed dose-dependent and significant anti-implantation activity. The mean effective Dose 100% (MED(100)) for both compounds was found to be 25 mg/kg body weight. Oral administration of these compounds caused a significant increase in uterine weight in immature ovariectomised rats. It also caused a significant increase in uterine diameter, thickness of the endometrium and its epithelial cell height when compared with those of control rats. The uterotrophic potency was less than that of ethinyl estradiol. Simultaneous administration of these compounds with ethinyl estradiol caused a significant increase in uterine weight, uterine diameter, thickness of the endometrium and height of endometrial epithelium. The extent of these changes was also less than that in only ethinyl estradiol-treated rats. Hence the compounds exhibited estrogenic properties at their contraceptive dose level when given alone. However, along with ethinyl estradiol, they exhibited slight anti-estrogenic activity.

Animals↗