Cellular pharmacology of N,N',N''-triethylene thiophosphoramide.
N,N',N''-triethylene thiophosphoramide (Thio-TEPA) is an alkylating agent whose antineoplastic activity has been known for nearly 30 years. Human plasma pharmacokinetic studies revealed the presence of TEPA, a Thio-TEPA metabolite which after 4 h achieved plasma concentrations equal to those of the parent compound. We studied the activity of both Thio-TEPA and TEPA against murine leukemia P388 cells in culture. We found that Thio-TEPA is approximately two-fold more active than TEPA in arresting cell growth (IC50 = 2.8 microM for TEPA and 1.5 microM for Thio-TEPA). In inhibiting [3H]thymidine incorporation, Thio-TEPA and TEPA have the same activity (IC50 = 2 microM for both compounds). Experiments in which drug was removed from cell cultures which were further incubated in drug-free media, revealed that the bulk of the cell damage occurs during the first 4 h of incubation. Cell cultures exposed to 0.5 microM Thio-TEPA for 22 h fully recovered their [3H]thymidine incorporation ability after 24 h of drug-free incubation. Cells exposed to 2.5 microM Thio-TEPA for 22 h partially recovered their ability to incorporate [3H]thymidine. Cells exposed to 10 microM Thio-TEPA for 22 h did not recover their ability to incorporate [3H]thymidine. Gas liquid chromatographic analysis of the media from incubated cells showed that the concentration of Thio-TEPA remained unchanged during the incubations and that TEPA was not present. In Thio-TEPA doses ranging from 0.1 microM to 100 microM, [3H]uridine and [3H]-leucine incorporation were less affected than [3H]thymidine incorporation. This may indicate that a longer observation time may be needed to allow the DNA damage to be expressed in terms of protein or RNA synthesis.
D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000187:drug effects; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007700:Kinetics; D007930:Leucine / Q000378:metabolism; D007941:Leukemia P388 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D007942:Leukemia, Experimental / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013852:Thiotepa / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism; D014529:Uridine / Q000378:metabolism
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D013852:Thiotepa; D007930:Leucine; D013936:Thymidine; D014529:Uridine