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A novel combined chemical-enzymatic synthesis of cross-linked DNA using a nucleoside triphosphate analogue.

A novel method using combined chemical and enzymatic reactions to allow the preparation of covalently cross-linked DNA duplexes has been described. The method can be used to specifically link two complementary bases of a DNA duplex containing all four natural bases. The modified nucleotide 9-(2-deoxy-5-O-triphospho-beta-D-ribofuranosyl)-N6,N6-ethano -2,6-diaminopurine (6edDTP) was prepared by total chemical synthesis and was found to be incorporated into DNA duplexes in the place of 2'-deoxyguanosine 5'-O-triphosphate by the Klenow fragment of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I, T4 and T7 DNA polymerases, avian myeloma virus reverse transcriptase, and rat DNA polymerase beta. Once incorporated, the aziridine of the nucleotide is rapidly opened by the N4 of the cytosine on the complementary strand to give cross-linked DNA, where the modified nucleotide is covalently joined to the complementary base by an ethano linkage. The duplexes produced were found to be recognized as substrates by various DNA polymerases. The Km for the incorporation of the 6edDTP into DNA catalyzed by the Klenow fragment of E. coli DNA polymerase I was found to be 29 microM, and the kcat was found to be 0.014 s-1. The modified nucleoside also served as a substrate for terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase, where it was added to single-stranded DNA and then hybridized to a complementary strand, after which cross-linking of the two strands occurred within 1 min.

Animals↗

Thiol-specific probes indicate that the beta-chain of platelet glycoprotein Ib is a transmembrane protein with a reactive endofacial sulfhydryl group.

We used two membrane-permeable fluorescent reagents, monobromobimane and N-[[5-(dimethylamino)-1-naphthalenyl]sulfonyl]aziridine (N-dansylaziridine), and one membrane-impermeable fluorescent probe, monobromo(trimethylammonio)bimane, all three of which react selectively with protein thiols, to assess the presence of reactive sulfhydryls in the platelet glycoprotein Ib (GPIb) molecule and establish the topology of any GPIb-reactive thiols in the platelet membrane. Intact platelets were reacted with 1-10 mM monobromobimane or monobromo(trimethylammonio)bimane or 50-100 microM N-dansylaziridine for 30-60 min at 37 degree C. The platelets were then washed, solubilized in 1% Triton X-100, and analyzed by nonreduced-reduced polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis either directly or indirectly after immunopurification of GPIb. Monobromobimane and N-dansylaziridine labeled GPIb beta but not GPIb alpha in intact platelets. This labeling could be inhibited by pretreating the platelets with either N-ethylmalemide or p-(chloromercuri)benzenesulfonic acid, confirming the specificity of these probes for thiol groups. Monobromo(trimethylammonio)bimane, the membrane-impermeable reagent, did not label GPIb beta in intact platelets. However, it did label GPIb beta in sonicated platelets, indicating that the thiol group of GPIb beta occupies an intracellular location. Since the carbohydrate moiety of GPIb beta can be labeled from the outside of intact platelets with membrane-impermeable reagents, we conclude that GPIb beta has a transmembrane orientation.

Aziridines↗

Chemistry and DNA alkylation reactions of aziridinyl quinones: development of an efficient alkylating agent of the phosphate backbone.

Described herein are detailed hydrolytic studies of a series of aziridinyl quinones, which trap nucleophiles when protonated. This study provided a compilation of the rate constants for nucleophile trapping and of the pKa values for the protonated aziridinyl quinones. A linear free energy relationship, including the antitumor agent DZQ, as well as other synthetic quinone derivatives, was obtained as a result of this study. Protonated DZQ has the relatively high pKa value of 3.8, which explains the enhanced cross-linking of DNA by DZQ and other related aziridinyl quinones at pH 4. The literature often shows aziridinyl quinone protonation occurring at the aziridinyl nitrogen, but the dependence of pKa values on quinone substituents indicates the presence of delocalization, which must arise from O-protonation. Also investigated were the DNA alkylation reactions of protonated aziridinyl quinones. At the outset of this study, we postulated that these "hard" electrophiles would alkylate the phosphate backbone of DNA. Bulk DNA is up to 35% alkylated by protonated aziridinyl quinones as judged by the incorporation of the quinone chromophore into the DNA. The presence of phosphate alkylation was verified by a 1H-31P NMR correlation experiment with DZQ-alkylated hexamer. Our modeling studies present a new picture of DZQ alkylation of DNA, where there is competition between N(7) and phosphate alkylation. The conclusions of this part of our study are that the phosphate backbone should be considered as a possible target of any DNA-alkylating agent and that an assessment of phosphate alkylation is best made with a 1H-31P NMR correlation experiment. Finally, the benzimidazole-based aziridinyl quinone 2 was observed to undergo aziridine ring opening followed by hydrolytic removal of the aminoethyl group from the quinone ring. This reaction was used to tag the phosphate backbone of DNA with aminoethyl groups. Such tags render anionic phosphates cationic and could also be employed as points of attachment for chromophores, spin labels, or other moieties to DNA.

Alkylating Agents↗

Aziridinomitosenes by anionic cyclization: deuterium as a removable blocking group.

Treatment of 11a with methyllithium affords the destannylated product 12 together with a small amount of tetracyclic product derived from intramolecular Michael addition. The same procedure from the deuterated analogue 11b gives the tetracyclic 18 as the major product, the result of a substantial kinetic deuterium isotope effect that favors formation of 16 and 17 by suppressing indole ring lithiation to the undesired 15. When the product mixture is quenched with phenylselenenyl chloride, 17 is converted into the aziridinomitosene 19 in 80% yield. Conversion into the aziridinomitosene alcohol 21 and the deprotected aziridine 20 is also demonstrated.

Anions↗

Synthetic enantiopure aziridinomitosenes: preparation, reactivity, and DNA alkylation studies.

An enantiocontrolled route to aziridinomitosenes had been developed from l-serine methyl ester hydrochloride. The tetracyclic target ring system was assembled by an internal azomethine ylide cycloaddition reaction based on silver ion-assisted intramolecular oxazole alkylation and cyanide-induced ylide generation via a labile oxazoline intermediate (62 to 66). Other key steps include reductive detritylation of 26, methylation of the N-H aziridine 56, oxidation of the sensitive cyclohexenedione 68 to quinone 70, and carbamoylation using Fmoc-NCO. Although the aziridinomitosene tetracycle is sensitive, a range of protecting group manipulations and redox chemistry can be performed if suitable precautions are taken. A study of DNA alkylation by the first C-6,C-7-unsubstituted aziridinomitosene 11a has been carried out, and evidence for DNA cross-link formation involving nucleophilic addition to the quinone subunit is described.

Alkylation↗

Dynamic kinetic asymmetric cycloadditions of isocyanates to vinylaziridines.

The first examples of the use of racemic vinylaziridines in a Pd-catalyzed dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformation have been examined. Optimization studies of the Pd-catalyzed addition of vinylaziridines to isocyanates revealed that the chiral ligand between trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane and 2-diphenylphosphino-1-naphthoic acid is superior to that involving 2-diphenylphosphino benzoic acid. Surprisingly, high ee's required the use of an acid whose pKa was about 4.7 +/- 0.1 as a cocatalyst. Both acetic acid and hydroxybenzotriazole meet this requirement. Less electrophilic isocyanates (e.g., benzyl, p-methoxyphenyl) gave higher ee's than more electrophilic ones (phenyl or benzoyl). Both N-benzyl and N-arylaziridines react well to give good yields and ee's, whereas N-tosylaziridines gave lower ee's. A 1,1-disubstituted aziridine led to the formation of a tertiary C-N bond with ee's comparable to the formation of the secondary C-N bond. The products were easily reduced almost quantitatively to the sensitive imidazolidines which can be readily hydrolyzed to the vicinal diamines. The reactivity pattern is consistent with a Curtin-Hammett situation wherein the enantiodiscriminating event is the cyclization of a rapidly equilibrating dynamic pi-allyl palladium intermediate.

Aziridines↗

Design of catalytic carbonylative polymerizations of heterocycles. Synthesis of polyesters and amphiphilic poly(amide-block-ester)s.

The combination of CH3C(O)Co(CO)3P(o-tolyl)3/m-methoxypyridine serves as a versatile catalyst for both the carbonylative polymerizations of epoxides and N-alkylaziridines under closely resembling mechanistic hypotheses. Diblock poly(beta-alanoid-b-beta-hydroxypropionate)s can be synthesized even when the aziridine and epoxide comonomers are added all together at the beginning of the reaction.

Aziridines↗

Catalytic enantioselective desymmetrization of meso-N-acylaziridines with TMSCN.

A catalytic enantioselective desymmetrization of meso-N-p-nitrobenzoylaziridines with TMSCN was developed using a chiral gadolinium catalyst generated from Gd(OiPr)3 and d-glucose-derived ligand 1. In this reaction, the addition of a catalytic amount of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) improved enantioselectivity. High enantioselectivity was obtained from a range of meso-aziridines at 0-60 degrees C. The product could be easily transformed into beta-amino acids. Thus, the developed catalytic enantioselective desymmetrization reaction allowed for efficient catalytic synthesis of chiral cyclic beta-amino acids. The incorporation of TFA into the catalyst complex was observed using ESI-MS. Generation of this new complex might be the origin of the improved enantioselectivity.

Amino Acids, Cyclic↗

Rhodium-catalyzed stereoselective formation of Z-enamines from allylaziridines.

Rhodium (I)-catalyzed isomerization of N-allylaziridines affords isolable Z-enamines in excellent yields and with high stereoselectivity. Cationic [Rh(BINAP)(COD)]OTf and RhH(CO)(PPh3)3 follow the same selectivity toward the Z-isomers. This selectivity is not observed with other N-allylamines which give the thermodynamically more stable E-isomers. These unexpected results suggest a possible deviation from the commonly accepted mechanism of isomerization. Preliminary results show that the Z-enamines undergo cycloaddition with DMAD to form highly strained N-cyclobutenyl aziridines.

Allyl Compounds↗

Key role of the Lewis base position in asymmetric bifunctional catalysis: design and evaluation of a new ligand for chiral polymetallic catalysts.

New chiral ligands for asymmetric polymetallic catalysts were designed on the basis of the assumption that the higher-order assembly structure is stabilized by modifying the modular unit. The designed ligands 6 and 7 contained a scaffolding cyclohexane ring with a Lewis base phosphine oxide directly attached to the scaffold. A module in the polymetallic complex contains two metals per ligand, and a stable 6-, 5-, 5-membered fused chelation ring system should be generated. Synthesis of these ligands is simple and high yielding, using a catalytic dynamic kinetic resolution promoted by the Trost catalyst as a key step. Ligand function was assessed in a catalytic asymmetric ring-opening reaction of meso-aziridines with TMSCN, a useful reaction for the synthesis of optically active beta-amino acids. The Gd complex generated from Gd(OiPr)3 and the ligand was a highly active and enantioselective catalyst in this reaction. Enantioselectivity was reversed compared to the previously reported d-glucose-derived catalyst containing the same chirality of the individual module. ESI-MS analysis and X-ray crystallographic studies indicate that the assembly state of the modules in the polymetallic catalysts differs depending on the chiral ligand. The difference in the higher-order structure stems from a subtle change (one carbon) in the position of the Lewis base relative to the Gd metal. The change in the higher-order structure of the polymetallic complex led to a dramatic reversal of the enantioselectivity and increased catalyst activity.

Aziridines↗

Pyrrolo[1,2-a]benzimidazole-based aziridinyl quinones. A new class of DNA cleaving agent exhibiting G and A base specificity.

Pyrrolo[1,2-a]benzimidazole(PBI)-based aziridinyl quinones cleave DNA under reducing conditions specifically at G + A bases without any significant cleavage at C + T bases. The postulated mechanisms involve phosphate alkylation by the reductively activated aziridine to afford a hydrolytically labile phosphotriester as well as the classic N(7) purine alkylation followed by depurination and backbone cleavage. Evidence is presented that the phosphate alkylation mechanism could contribute. The PBIs possess a unique spectrum of cytotoxicity against cancer cells (inactive against leukemia but active against nonsmall cell lung, colon, CNS, melanoma, ovarian, and renal cancers). Also reported are results of in vivo antitumor activity screens.

Alkylation↗

Synthesis of 5'-thymidinyl bis(1-aziridinyl)phosphinates as antineoplastic agents.

Reaction of 3'-acetylthymidine with phosphorus oxychloride in trimethyl phosphate yielded the phosphorodichloridate 5, which was subsequently reacted with aziridine, or 2,2-dimethylaziridine to give compounds 6 and 7, respectively. The 2,2-dimethylaziridine derivative 7 was considerably more active than 6 against leukemia L1210 and P-388 in mice but less active than the previously synthesized, simpler phosphinate derivatives 2 and 3. It appears that the thymidine moiety did not enable these compounds to use the nucleoside transport mechanism of the cells and also failed to increase the selectivity of the 2,2-dimethylaziridine analogues by interference with their binding to cholinesterase. Compound 7 strongly inhibited horse serum cholinesterase, while 6 was inactive.

Animals↗

Neurochemistry of aging. 1. Toxins for an animal model of Alzheimer's disease.

A chronic deficiency in central cholinergic function has been implicated in a number of neuropsychiatric diseases including Alzheimer's disease. Until recently, animal models that simulate the neurochemical conditions that appear to cause these diseases in humans, as a result of a direct manipulation of the central cholinergic system, were not available. Over the past few years, however, we have been successful in developing a cholinotoxin, 1-ethyl-1-(2-hydroxyethyl)aziridinium chloride (AF64A), which has the potential to serve as a novel compound in developing animal models of human brain disorders in which a cholinergic hypofunction has been implicated. In this paper are described the design, synthesis, and testing of several structural analogues of AF64A as potential cholinotoxins, by evaluating them for their ability to inhibit high-affinity choline transport and their affinity toward brain muscarinic receptors. One of the compounds, 1-cyclopropyl-1-(2-hydroxyethyl)aziridinium chloride (i.e. aziridine analogue of 13) was found to have a remarkably high affinity (about 40 times higher than AF64A) toward brain muscarinic receptors.

Alzheimer Disease↗

Preparation and antitumor activity of 7-substituted 1,2-aziridinomitosenes.

7-Methoxy-1,2-aziridinomitosenes were prepared from mitomycin A and its N-methyl homologue by catalytic reduction followed by air oxidation. Treatment of these products with amines, including ammonia, ethylenimine, 2-methylethylenimine, propargylamine, and furfurylamine gave the corresponding 7-(substituted amino) derivatives. Screening of these compounds against P-388 leukemia in mice revealed some good activities. The more easily reduced compounds gave prolongation of life span comparable to that of mitomycin C, but their optimal doses were higher. Among these compounds, a methyl group on the aziridine nitrogen increased potency. The 7-amino derivatives, which were difficult to reduce to hydroquinones, were essentially inactive. The aziridinomitosenes were subjected to a Hansch-type analysis, but no statistically significant correlation was found.

Animals↗

Studies on the nitroreductase prodrug-activating system. Crystal structures of complexes with the inhibitor dicoumarol and dinitrobenzamide prodrugs and of the enzyme active form.

The E. coli nitroreductase enzyme (NTR) has been widely used in suicide gene therapy (GDEPT and ADEPT) applications as a activating enzyme for nitroaromatic prodrugs of the dinitrobenzamide class. NTR has been previously shown to be a homodimeric enzyme with two active sites. We present here the crystal structures of the reduced form of NTR and its complexes with the inhibitor dicoumarol and three dinitrobenzamide prodrugs. Comparison of the structures of the oxidized and reduced forms of the native enzyme shows that the principal structural changes occur in the FMN cofactor and indicate that the enzyme itself is a relatively rigid structure that primarily provides a rigid structural framework on which hydride transfer occurs. The aziridinyldinitrobenzamide prodrug CB 1954 binds in nonidentical ways in both of the two active sites of the homodimeric enzyme, employing both hydrophobic and (in active site B) a direct H-bond contact to the side chain of Lys14. In active site A the 2-nitro group stacks above the FMN, and in active site B the 4-nitro group does, explaining why reduction of either nitro group is observed. In contrast, the larger mustard group of the dinitrobenzamide mustard compound SN 23862 forces the prodrug to bind at both active sites with only the 2-nitro group able to participate in hydride transfer from the FMN, explaining why only the 2-hydroxylamine reduction product is observed. In each site, the nitro groups of the prodrug make direct H-bond contacts with the enzyme; in active Site A the 2-nitro to Ser40 and the 4-nitro to Asn71, while in active Site B the 2-nitro contacts the main chain nitrogen of Thr41 and the 4-nitro group the Lys14 side chain. The related amide-substituted mustard SN 27217 binds in a broadly similar fashion, but with the larger amide group substituent able to reach and contact the side chain of Arg107, further restricting the prodrug conformations in the binding site. The inhibitor dicoumarol appears to bind primarily by pi-stacking interactions and hydrophobic contacts, with no conformational changes in the enzyme. One of the hydroxycoumarin subunits stacks above the plane of the FMN via pi-overlap with the isoalloxazine ring, penetrating deep into the groove, with the other less well-defined. These studies suggest guidelines for further prodrug design. Steric bulk (e.g., mustard rather than aziridine) on the ring can limit the possible binding orientations, and the reducible nitro group must be located para to the mustard. Substitution on the carboxamide side chain still allows the prodrugs to bind, but also limits their orientation in the binding site. Finally, modulating substrate specificity by alteration of the structure of the enzyme rather than the prodrug might usefully focus on modifying the Phe124 residue and those surrounding it.

Aniline Mustard↗

Synthesis of the aziridinomitosene skeleton by intramolecular Michael addition of alpha-lithioaziridines: an aromatic route featuring deuterium as a removable blocking group.

A convergent synthetic route to the 1,2-aziridinopyrrolo(1,2-a)indole 34 has been developed. Key features of this route include the deuterium kinetic isotope effect to block undesired indole lithiation during tin-lithium exchange from 27a to 30a, the intramolecular Michael addition to generate the enolate 31a, and conversion into 34 by trapping with phenylselenenyl chloride. Reductive cleavage of the N-trityl group in 34 allows access to tetracyclic aziridinomitosenes containing the aziridine N-H subunit. Reduction of the C(9) ester in 34 with LAH gives the primary alcohol 35 with the correct C(9), C(9a), C(10) oxidation state corresponding to the aziridinomitosenes, and deprotection of 34 affords 37.

Aziridines↗

Efficient synthesis of enantiomerically pure 2-acylaziridines: Facile syntheses of N-Boc-safingol, N-Boc-D-erythro-sphinganine, and N-Boc-spisulosine from a common intermediate.

Various enantiomerically pure 2-acylaziridines were prepared efficiently from the corresponding aziridine-2-carboxylate via Weinreb's amide and the subsequent treatment of organometallic compounds. The carbonyl group of those 2-acylaziridines was stereoselectively reduced by NaBH4in the presence of ZnCl2 to give erythro-1,2-amino alcohols with high diastereoselectivities and chemical yields. Using this methodology, we prepared (1R,2S)-N-Boc-norephedrine 5, N-Boc-safingol 8, N-Boc-D-erythro-sphinganine 9, and N-Boc-spisulosine 10 in high yields.

Aziridines↗