title: Structurally similar diazenes exhibit significantly different biological activity.
abstract: We have previously synthesized various diazenecarboxamides (subsequently referred to as diazenes) that were cytotoxic to several tumor cell lines. To increase their biological activity, the structure has been modified appropriately. In the present study we examined the effects of N(1)-phenyl-N(2)-(2-pyridinylmethyl)diazenedicarboxamide (RL-337) obtained from the previously examined cytotoxic compound N(1)-phenyl-N(2)-(2-pyridinyl)diazenecarboxamide (JK-279), and compared them with those of diazene JK-279. Using a modified colorimetric MTT assay, the cytotoxicity of RL-337 was determined on human cervical carcinoma HeLa cells, glioblastoma A1235 cells, and prostate adenocarcinoma PC-3 cells. The possible synergistic effect of diazene RL-337 with cisplatin, doxorubicin, and vincristine, and its influence on intracellular GSH content was examined on HeLa cells. Diazene RL-337 was cytotoxic against all three human tumor cell lines, being more cytotoxic to HeLa cells than diazene JK-279. The higher efficacy of RL-337 than of JK-279 can be connected with higher basicity of the 2-picoline moiety present in the former diazene comparing with the pyridine fragment that is a part of the latter. The diazene RL-337 acted synergistically with cisplatin, doxorubicin, and vincristine (diazene JK-279 exhibited synergistic effect only with cisplatin). Glutathione (determined by Tietze's method) was not a target molecule of diazene RL-337 (but was for JK-279, as shown earlier). After just 1 h treatment with diazene RL-337, the cells started to lose membrane integrity. There was no cleavage of caspase-3 in RL-337-treated samples, and the majority of cells died 6 h after the treatment through necrosis (previously, apoptosis-like cell death was detected for diazene JK-279). Thus, although diazenes JK-279 and RL-337 are very similar in their structure, they exhibit widely different biological activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jakopec
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dubravcic
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brozovic
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Polanc
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Osmak
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001372:Aza Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011725:Pyridines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001372:Aza Compounds; C518001:N(1)-phenyl-N(2)-(2-pyridinylmethyl)diazenedicarboxamide; C509684:N-phenyl-2-(2-pyridinyl)diazenecarboxamide; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds; D011725:Pyridines; D005978:Glutathione