title: Calf thymus DNA binding/bonding properties of CC-1065 and analogs as related to their biological activities and toxicities.
abstract: CC-1065 is a potent natural antitumor antibiotic that binds non-covalently and covalently (N-3 adenine adduct) in the minor groove of B-form DNA. Synthetic analogs of CC-1065 do not exhibit the delayed death toxicity of CC-1065 and are efficacious anticancer agents, some of them curative in murine tumor models. In an attempt to understand the different biological properties of CC-1065 and analogs, we have determined the following quantities for CC-1065, enantiomeric CC-1065, and three biologically active analogs and their enantiomers: the calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) induced molar ellipticity of the adduct (or how rigidly the adduct is held in the right-hand conformation of the minor groove); the stability of the adduct with respect to long incubation times and to digestion by snake venom phosphodiesterase I (SVPD); the stabilizing effect on the CT-DNA helix of the covalently and non-covalently bound species with respect to thermal melting; and the CT-DNA binding/bonding (non-covalent/covalent) profiles at a low molar ratio of nucleotide to drug. The major observations from these studies are as follows: (i) molecules which show large DNA interaction parameters, stable adducts, and significant non-covalent binding exhibit delayed death toxicity; (ii) molecules which show intermediate DNA interaction parameters and stable adducts, but do not show significant non-covalent binding, do not exhibit delayed death toxicity and are biologically active; (iii) molecules which show small DNA interaction parameters and unstable DNA adducts are biologically inactive. The results suggest that a window exists in the affinity for the minor groove of DNA wherein an analog may possess the correct balance of toxicity and activity to make a useful anticancer agent. Outside of this window, the analog causes delayed deaths or has no significant biological activity.
authors.affiliation: Physical and Analytical Chemistry, Upjohn Company, Kalamazoo, MI 49001.
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Krueger
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Prairie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000187:drug effects; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects; D004355:Drug Stability; D000080890:Duocarmycins; D007211:Indoles; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D007933:Leucomycins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D051379:Mice; D043264:Phosphodiesterase I; D010727:Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases / Q000737:chemistry; D013302:Streptomyces / Q000737:chemistry; D013696:Temperature; D013816:Thermodynamics; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D000080890:Duocarmycins; D007211:Indoles; D007933:Leucomycins; C018782:CC 1065; D004247:DNA; D010727:Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases; D043264:Phosphodiesterase I; C470790:phosphodiesterase I, snake venom