title: Structure-activity relationships for 4-nitrobenzyl carbamates of 5-aminobenz[e]indoline minor groove alkylating agents as prodrugs for GDEPT in conjunction with E. coli nitroreductase.
abstract: Twelve substituted 4-nitrobenzyl carbamate prodrugs of the 5-aminobenz[e]indoline class of DNA minor groove alkylating agents were prepared and tested as prodrugs for gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT) using a two-electron nitroreductase (NTR) from E. coli B. The prodrugs and effectors were tested in a cell line panel comprising parental and transfected human (SKOV/Skov-NTR(neo), WiDr/WiDr-NTR(neo)), Chinese hamster (V79(puro)/V79-NTR(puro)), and murine (EMT6/EMT6-NTR(puro)) cell line pairs. In the human cell line pairs, several analogues bearing neutral methoxyethoxy-, 2-hydroxyethoxy-, or 3-hydroxypropoxy-substituted side chains were good substrates for NTR as measured by cytotoxicity ratios, with NTR-ve/NTR+ve ratios similar to the established NTR substrates CB1954 (an aziridinyl dinitrobenzamide) and the analogous bromomustard. Selectivity for NTR decreased with increasing side-chain size or the presence of a basic amine group. Low to modest selectivity was observed in the Chinese hamster-derived cell line pair; however, in the murine EMT6/EMT6-NTR(puro) cell line pair, the above hydroxyalkoxy analogues again showed significant selectivity for NTR. The activity of the 2-hydroxyethoxy analogue was evaluated against NTR-expressing EMT6 tumors comprising ca. 10% NTR+ve cells at the time of tumor treatment. A small decrease in NTR+ve cells was observed after treatment, with a lesser effect against NTR-ve target cells, but these effects were not statistically significant and were much less than for the dinitrobenzamides. These results suggest that useful GDEPT prodrugs based on the 4-nitrobenzyl carbamate and 5-aminobenz[e]indoline motifs may be developed if optimization of pharmacokinetics can be addressed.
authors.affiliation: Auckland Cancer Society Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medical and Health Science, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, New Zealand. m.hay@auckland.ac.nz
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Hay
authors.forename: Graham J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Atwell
authors.forename: William R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Pullen
authors.forename: William A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Denny
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D002219:Carbamates / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D002460:Cell Line; D006224:Cricetinae; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology*; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D007700:Kinetics; D020714:Maximum Tolerated Dose; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009601:Nitroreductases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011355:Prodrugs / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D002219:Carbamates; D007211:Indoles; D011355:Prodrugs; D004247:DNA; D009601:Nitroreductases