title: Exemestane metabolites: Synthesis, stereochemical elucidation, biochemical activity and anti-proliferative effects in a hormone-dependent breast cancer cell line.
abstract: Exemestane is a third-generation steroidal aromatase inhibitor that has been used in clinic for hormone-dependent breast cancer treatment in post-menopausal women. It is known that exemestane undergoes a complex metabolization, giving rise to some already identified metabolites, the 17β-hydroxy-6-methylenandrosta-1,4-dien-3-one (17-βHE) and the 6-(hydroxymethyl)androsta-1,4,6-triene-3,17-dione (6-HME). In this study, four metabolites of exemestane have been analyzed, three of them were synthesized (6β-spirooxiranandrosta-1,4-diene-3,17-dione (2), 1α,2α-epoxy-6-methylenandrost-4-ene-3,17-dione (3) and 17-βHE (4)) while one was acquired, the 6-HME (6). The stereochemistry of the epoxide group of 2 and 3 has been unequivocally elucidated for the first time on the basis of NOESY experiments. New structure-activity relationships (SAR) have been established through the observation that the substitution of the double bonds by epoxide groups led to less potent derivatives in microsomes. However, the reduction of the C-17 carbonyl group to a hydroxyl group originating 17-βHE (4) resulted in a significant increase in activity in MCF-7aro cells when compared to exemestane (IC50 0.25 μM vs 0.90 μM, respectively). All the studied metabolites reduced MCF-7aro cells viability in a dose and time-dependent manner, and metabolite 3 was the most potent one. Altogether our results showed that not only exemestane but also its main metabolites are potent aromatase inhibitors and reduce breast cancer cells viability. This suggests that exemestane efficacy may also be due to the active metabolites that result from its metabolic transformation. Our results emphasize the importance of performing further studies to expand our understanding of exemestane actions in breast cancer cells.
authors.affiliation: CEF, Center for Pharmaceutical Studies & Pharmaceutical Chemistry Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Carla L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Varela
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, n° 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMC), University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 823, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Amaral
authors.affiliation: CEF, Center for Pharmaceutical Studies & Pharmaceutical Chemistry Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Elisiário
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tavares da Silva
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, n° 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMC), University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 823, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Andreia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, n° 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMC), University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 823, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Georgina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Correia-da-Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Coimbra, 3001-401, Portugal; Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, 3001-401, Portugal.
authors.forename: Rui A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.affiliation: CEF, Center for Pharmaceutical Studies & Pharmaceutical Chemistry Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Saul C P
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: CEF, Center for Pharmaceutical Studies & Pharmaceutical Chemistry Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Fernanda M F
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Roleira
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, n° 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMC), University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 823, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: natercia@ff.up.pt.
authors.forename: Natércia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Teixeira
mesh_terms: D000730:Androstadienes / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D060326:Chemistry Techniques, Synthetic; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D061986:MCF-7 Cells; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000730:Androstadienes; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D004958:Estradiol; C056516:exemestane
keywords: Aromatase; Aromatase inhibitors; Exemestane; Exemestane metabolites; Hormone-dependent breast cancer; Structure–activity relationships (SAR) studies