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PURPOSE: Cancer cell survival depends on adaptive mechanisms that include modulation of oxidative stress. One such mechanism may be via up-regulation of uncoupling protein-2 (UCP2), a mitochondrial inner membrane anion carrier recently found to provide cytoprotection in nontumor cells by acting as a sensor and negative regulator of reactive oxygen species production. We hypothesized that UCP2 expression may be increased in colon cancer as part of tumor adaptation. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: UCP2 expression was characterized by real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting using paired human colon adenocarcinoma and peritumoral specimens. Oxidant production was characterized by tissue malondialdehyde levels. Tissue microarrays constructed of 107 colon adenocarcinomas as well as representative specimens of hyperplastic polyps and tubular adenomas were used for UCP2 immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: UCP2 mRNA and protein levels were 3- to 4-fold higher in adenocarcinomas, and UCP2 mRNA levels showed significant correlation with increased tumor tissue malondialdehyde contents. Immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays showed positive staining for UCP2 in most adenocarcinomas (86.0%); positive staining for UCP2 was seen less often in tubular adenomas (58.8%) and rarely seen in hyperplastic polyps (11.1%). CONCLUSIONS: UCP2 expression is increased in most human colon cancers, and the level of expression appears to correlate with the degree of neoplastic changes. These findings may foster the idea that UCP2 is part of a novel adaptive response by which oxidative stress is modulated in colon cancer. Show less

The bZIP transcription factor Nrf2 controls a genetic program that protects cells from oxidative damage and maintains cellular redox homeostasis. Keap1, a BTB-Kelch protein, is the major upstream regulator of Nrf2 and controls both the subcellular localization and steady-state levels of Nrf2. In this report, we demonstrate that Keap1 functions as a substrate adaptor protein for a Cul3-dependent E3 ubiquitin ligase complex. Keap1 assembles into a functional E3 ubiquitin ligase complex with Cul3 and Rbx1 that targets multiple lysine residues located in the N-terminal Neh2 domain of Nrf2 for ubiquitin conjugation both in vivo and in vitro. Keap1-dependent ubiquitination of Nrf2 is inhibited following exposure of cells to quinone-induced oxidative stress and sulforaphane, a cancer-preventive isothiocyanate. A mutant Keap1 protein containing a single cysteine-to-serine substitution at residue 151 within the BTB domain of Keap1 is markedly resistant to inhibition by either quinone-induced oxidative stress or sulforaphane. Inhibition of Keap1-dependent ubiquitination of Nrf2 correlates with decreased association of Keap1 with Cul3. Neither quinone-induced oxidative stress nor sulforaphane disrupts association between Keap1 and Nrf2. Our results suggest that the ability of Keap1 to assemble into a functional E3 ubiquitin ligase complex is the critical determinant that controls steady-state levels of Nrf2 in response to cancer-preventive compounds and oxidative stress. Show less

The bZIP transcription factor Nrf2 controls a genetic program that protects cells from oxidative damage and maintains cellular redox homeostasis. Keap1, a BTB-Kelch protein, is the major upstream regulator of Nrf2 and controls both the subcellular localization and steady-state levels of Nrf2. In this report, we demonstrate that Keap1 functions as a substrate adaptor protein for a Cul3-dependent E3 ubiquitin ligase complex. Keap1 assembles into a functional E3 ubiquitin ligase complex with Cul3 and Rbx1 that targets multiple lysine residues located in the N-terminal Neh2 domain of Nrf2 for ubiquitin conjugation both in vivo and in vitro. Keap1-dependent ubiquitination of Nrf2 is inhibited following exposure of cells to quinone-induced oxidative stress and sulforaphane, a cancer-preventive isothiocyanate. A mutant Keap1 protein containing a single cysteine-to-serine substitution at residue 151 within the BTB domain of Keap1 is markedly resistant to inhibition by either quinone-induced oxidative stress or sulforaphane. Inhibition of Keap1-dependent ubiquitination of Nrf2 correlates with decreased association of Keap1 with Cul3. Neither quinone-induced oxidative stress nor sulforaphane disrupts association between Keap1 and Nrf2. Our results suggest that the ability of Keap1 to assemble into a functional E3 ubiquitin ligase complex is the critical determinant that controls steady-state levels of Nrf2 in response to cancer-preventive compounds and oxidative stress. Show less

Intracellular pH (pHi) has an important role in the maintenance of normal cell function, and hence this parameter has to be tightly controlled within a narrow range, largely through the activity of transporters located at the plasma membrane. These transporters can be modulated by endogenous or exogenous molecules as well as, in some pathological situations, leading to pHi changes that have been implicated in both cell proliferation and cell death. Whereas intracellular alkalinization seems to be a common feature of proliferative processes, the precise role of pHi in apoptosis is still unclear. The present review gathers the most recent advances along with previous data on both the origin and the role of pHi alterations in apoptosis and highlights the major concerns that merit further research in the future. Special attention is given to the possible role played by pHi-regulating transporters. Show less

We present a method for high-throughput cytological profiling by microscopy. Our system provides quantitative multidimensional measures of individual cell states over wide ranges of perturbations. We profile dose-dependent phenotypic effects of drugs in human cell culture with a titration-invariant similarity score (TISS). This method successfully categorized blinded drugs and suggested targets for drugs of uncertain mechanism. Multivariate single-cell analysis is a starting point for identifying relationships among drug effects at a systems level and a step toward phenotypic profiling at the single-cell level. Our methods will be useful for discovering the mechanism and predicting the toxicity of new drugs. Show less

The platinum compound oxaliplatin has been shown to be an effective chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of colorectal cancer. In this study, we investigate the molecular mechanisms of action of oxaliplatin to identify means of predicting response to this agent. Exposure of colon cancer cells to oxaliplatin resulted in G2/M arrest and apoptosis. Immunofluorescent staining demonstrated that the apoptotic cascade initiated by oxaliplatin is characterised by translocation of Bax to the mitochondria and cytochrome c release into the cytosol. Oxaliplatin treatment resulted in caspase 3 activation and oxaliplatin-induced apoptosis was abrogated by inhibition of caspase activity with z-VAD-fmk, but was independent of Fas/FasL association. Targeted inactivation of Bax or p53 in HCT116 cells resulted in significantly increased resistance to oxaliplatin. However, the mutational status of p53 was unable to predict response to oxaliplatin in a panel of 30 different colorectal cancer cell lines. In contrast, the expression profile of these 30 cell lines, assessed using a 9216-sequence cDNA microarray, successfully predicted the apoptotic response to oxaliplatin. A leave-one-out cross-validation approach was used to demonstrate a significant correlation between experimentally observed and expression profile predicted apoptosis in response to clinically achievable doses of oxaliplatin (R=0.53; P=0.002). In addition, these microarray experiments identified several genes involved in control of apoptosis and DNA damage repair that were significantly correlated with response to oxaliplatin. Show less

We have determined and refined a crystal structure of the initial assembly complex of archaeal box C/D sRNPs comprising the Archaeoglobus fulgidus (AF) L7Ae protein and a box C/D RNA. The box C/D RNA forms a classical kink-turn (K-turn) structure and the resulting protein-RNA complex serves as a distinct platform for recruitment of the fibrillarin-Nop5p complex. The cocrystal structure confirms previously proposed secondary structure of the box C/D RNA that includes a protruded U, a UU mismatch, and two sheared tandem GA base pairs. Detailed structural comparisons of the AF L7Ae-box C/D RNA complex with previously determined crystal structures of L7Ae homologs in complex with functionally distinct K-turn RNAs revealed a set of remarkably conserved principles in protein-RNA interactions. These analyses provide a structural basis for interpreting the functional roles of the box C/D sequences in directing specific assembly of box C/D sRNPs. Show less

AbstractEight docking programs (DOCK, FLEXX, FRED, GLIDE, GOLD, SLIDE, SURFLEX, and QXP) that can be used for either single‐ligand docking or database screening have been compared for their propensity to recover the X‐ray pose of 100 small‐molecular‐weight ligands, and for their capacity to discriminate known inhibitors of an enzyme (thymidine kinase) from randomly chosen “drug‐like” molecules. Interestingly, both properties are found to be correlated, since the tools showing the best docking accuracy (GLIDE, GOLD, and SURFLEX) are also the most successful in ranking known inhibitors in a virtual screening experiment. Moreover, the current study pinpoints some physicochemical descriptors of either the ligand or its cognate protein‐binding site that generally lead to docking/scoring inaccuracies. Proteins 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Show less

Purpose

The cytotoxicity, intracellular accumulation and DNA adduct formation of the ruthenium complex imidazolium trans-imidazoledimethylsulfoxide tetrachlororuthenate (ImH[ trans-RuCl(4)(DMSO)Im], Nami-A) were compared in vitro with those of cisplatin in four human tumor cell lines: Igrov-1, 2008, MCF-7, and T47D.

Methods

Cytotoxicity was assessed in vitro using a growth inhibition assay. Accumulation was determined by flameless atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). GG and AG intrastrand adducts were measured using the (32)P-postlabeling assay.

Results

Nami-A was on average 1053 times less cytotoxic than cisplatin. The cytotoxicity of cisplatin was linearly related to both intracellular platinum accumulation and DNA binding, while the cytotoxicity of Nami-A was significantly related only to DNA binding and not to intracellular ruthenium accumulation. The levels of accumulation of Nami-A measured as ruthenium and of cisplatin measured as platinum were correlated linearly with the incubation concentration over a concentration range of 0 to 600 micro M of both drugs. Ruthenium intracellular accumulation and DNA binding were on average 4.8 and 42 times less, respectively, than those of cisplatin. In addition, the numbers of GG and AG intrastrand adducts induced by Nami-A were 418 and 51 times fewer, respectively. Nami-A and cisplatin had the same binding capacity to calf thymus DNA. Nami-A was 25-40% less bound to cellular proteins than cisplatin.

Conclusions

There was no saturation of the uptake and DNA binding capacity of either Nami-A or cisplatin. Furthermore, the low binding of Nami-A to cellular DNA cannot simply be explained by a lower capacity to bind to DNA, because the absolute level of binding in vitro to calf thymus DNA was the same for Nami-A and cisplatin. Finally, the lower cytotoxicity of Nami-A on a molar basis than that of cisplatin can at least partly be explained by its reduced reactivity to DNA in intact cells. Show less

The striking difference in cytotoxic activity between the inactive cis-[Ru(bpy)(2)Cl(2)] and the recently reported highly cytotoxic alpha-[Ru(azpy)(2)Cl(2)] (alpha indicating the isomer in which the coordinating Cl atoms, pyridine nitrogens, and azo nitrogens are in mutual cis, trans, cis orientation) encouraged the synthesis of the mixed-ligand compound cis-[Ru(azpy)(bpy)Cl(2)]. The synthesis and characterization of the only occurring isomer, i.e., alpha-[Ru(azpy)(bpy)Cl(2)], 1 (alpha denoting the isomer in which the Cl ligands are cis related to each other and the pyridine ring of azpy is trans to the pyridine ring of bpy), are described. The solid-state structure of 1 has been determined by X-ray structure analysis. The IC(50) values obtained for several human tumor cell lines have indicated that compound 1 shows mostly a low to moderate cytotoxicity. The binding of the DNA model base 9-ethylguanine (9-EtGua) to the hydrolyzed species of 1 has been studied and compared to DNA model base binding studies of cis-[Ru(bpy)(2)Cl(2)] and alpha-[Ru(azpy)(2)Cl(2)]. The completely hydrolyzed species of 1, i.e., alpha-[Ru(azpy)(bpy)(H(2)O)(2)](2+), has been reacted with 9-EtGua in water at room temperature for 24 h. This resulted in the monofunctional binding of only one 9-EtGua, coordinated via the N7 atom. The product has been isolated as alpha-[Ru(azpy)(bpy)(9-EtGua)(H(2)O)](PF(6))(2), 2, and characterized by 2D NOESY NMR spectroscopy. The NOE data show that the 9-EtGua coordinates (under these conditions) at the position trans to the azo nitrogen atom. Surprisingly, time-dependent (1)H NMR data of the 9-EtGua adduct 2 in acetone-d(6) show an unprecedented positional shift of the 9-EtGua from the position trans to the azo nitrogen to the position trans to the bpy nitrogen atom, resulting in the adduct alpha'-[Ru(azpy)(bpy)(9-EtGua)(H(2)O)](PF(6))(2) (alpha' indicating 9-EtGua is trans to the bpy nitrogen). This positional isomerization of 9-EtGua is correlated to the cytotoxicity of 1 in comparison to both the cytotoxicity and 9-EtGua coordination of cis-[Ru(bpy)(2)Cl(2)], alpha-[Ru(azpy)(2)Cl(2)], and beta-[Ru(azpy)(2)Cl(2)]. This positional isomerization process is unprecedented in model base metal chemistry and could be of considerable biological significance. Show less

KP1019 [indazolium trans-[tetrachlorobis(1H-indazole)ruthenate (III)] (FFC14A) is a metal complex with promising anticancer activity. Since chemoresistance is a major obstacle in chemotherapy, this study investigated the influence of several drug resistance mechanisms on the anticancer activity of KP1019. Here we demonstrate that the cytotoxic effects of KP1019 are neither substantially hampered by overexpression of the drug resistance proteins multidrug resistance-related protein 1, breast cancer resistance protein, and lung resistance protein nor the transferrin receptor and only marginally by the cellular p53 status. In contrast, P-glycoprotein overexpression weakly but significantly (up to 2-fold) reduced KP1019 activity. P-glycoprotein-related resistance was based on reduced intracellular KP1019 accumulation and reversible by known P-glycoprotein modulators. KP1019 dose dependently inhibited ATPase activity of P-glycoprotein with a K(i) of approximately 31 microM. Furthermore, it potently blocked P-glycoprotein-mediated rhodamine 123 efflux under serum-free conditions (EC(50), approximately 8 microM), however, with reduced activity at increased serum concentrations (EC(50) at 10% serum, approximately 35 microM). Moreover, P-glycoprotein-mediated daunomycin resistance could only be marginally restored by KP1019 in serum-containing medium, also indicating an influence of serum proteins on the interaction between KP1019 and P-glycoprotein. Acquired KP1019 resistance was investigated by selecting KB-3-1 cells against KP1019 for more than 1 year. Only an approximately 2-fold KP1019 resistance could be induced, which unexpectedly was not due to overexpression of P-glycoprotein or other efflux pumps. Accordingly, KP1019-resistant cells did not display reduced drug accumulation. Their unique cross-resistance pattern confirmed an ABC transporter-independent resistance phenotype. In summary, the likeliness of acquiring insensitivity to KP1019 during therapy is expected to be low, and resistance should not be based on overexpression of drug efflux transporters. Show less

Transcription factor Nrf2 is a major regulator of genes encoding phase 2 detoxifying enzymes and antioxidant stress proteins in response to electrophilic agents and oxidative stress. In the absence of such stimuli, Nrf2 is inactive owing to its cytoplasmic retention by Keap1 and rapid degradation through the proteasome system. We examined the contribution of Keap1 to the rapid turnover of Nrf2 (half-life of less than 20 min) and found that a direct association between Keap1 and Nrf2 is required for Nrf2 degradation. In a series of domain function analyses of Keap1, we found that both the BTB and intervening-region (IVR) domains are crucial for Nrf2 degradation, implying that these two domains act to recruit ubiquitin-proteasome factors. Indeed, Cullin 3 (Cul3), a subunit of the E3 ligase complex, was found to interact specifically with Keap1 in vivo. Keap1 associates with the N-terminal region of Cul3 through the IVR domain and promotes the ubiquitination of Nrf2 in cooperation with the Cul3-Roc1 complex. These results thus provide solid evidence that Keap1 functions as an adaptor of Cul3-based E3 ligase. To our knowledge, Nrf2 and Keap1 are the first reported mammalian substrate and adaptor, respectively, of the Cul3-based E3 ligase system. Show less

The reaction of trans-[RuCl(2)(PPh(3))(3)] (Ph = C(6)H(5)) with 2-thio-1,3-pyrimidine (HTPYM) and 6-thiopurines (TPs) produced mainly crystalline solids that consist of cis,cis,trans-[Ru(PPh(3))(2)(N,S-TPYM)(2)] (1) and cis,cis,trans-[Ru(PPh(3))(2)(N(7),S-TPs)(2)]X(2) (X = Cl(-), CF(3)SO(3)(-)). In the case of TPs, other coordination isomers have never been isolated and reported. Instead, the mother liquor obtained after filtration of 1 produced red single crystals of trans,cis,cis-[Ru(PPh(3))(2)(N,S-TPYM)(2)].2H(3)O(+).2Cl(-) (2.2H(3)O(+).2Cl(-)). Selected ruthenium(II)-thiobase complexes were studied for their structural, reactivity, spectroscopic, redox, and cytotoxic properties. Single crystals of 1 contain thiopyrimidinato anions chelated to the metal center via N and S. The Ru[bond]N bonds are significantly elongated for 1 [2.122(2) and 2.167(2) A] with respect to 2 [2.063(3) A] because of the trans influence from PPh(3). The coordination pseudo-octahedron for 2 is significantly elongated at the apical sites (PPh(3) ligands). Solutions of cis,cis,trans isomers in air are stable for weeks, whereas those of 2 turn green within 24 h, in agreement with the respective redox potentials. cis,cis,trans- and trans,cis,cis-[Ru(PH(3))(2)(N,S-TPYM)(2)], as optimized through the DFT methods at the Becke3LYP level are in good agreement with experimental geometrical parameters (1 and 2), with cis,cis,trans being more stable than trans,cis,cis by 3.88 kcal. The trend is confirmed by molecular modeling based on semiempirical (ZINDO/1) and molecular mechanics (MM) methods. Cytotoxic activity measurements for cis,cis,trans-[Ru(PPh(3))(N-THZ)(N(7),S -H(2)TP)(2)]Cl(2) (4) (THZ = thiazole, H(2)TP = 6-thiopurine) and cis,cis,trans-[Ru(PPh(3))(2)(N(7),S-HTPR)2]Cl(2) (5) (HTPR = 6-thiopurine riboside) against ovarian cancer cells A2780/S gave IC(50) values of 17 +/- 1 and 29 +/- 9 microM, respectively. Furthermore, the spectral analysis of HTPYM, TPs, and their Ru(II) complexes in solution shows that intense absorptions occur in the UVA/vis region of light, whereas standard nucleobases absorb in the UVB region. Show less

Ru(II) sulfoxide-maltolato complexes, Ru(ma)(2)(L)(2) (L = DMSO (1a) and TMSO (1b) or L(2) = BESE (1c)), were synthesized, as well as the analogous ethylmaltolato derivatives, Ru(etma)(2)(L)(2) (2a-c) (ma = 3-hydroxy-2-methylpyran-4-onate, etma = 2-ethyl-3-hydroxypyran-4-onate, TMSO = tetramethylene sulfoxide, BESE = 1,2-bis(ethylsulfinyl)ethane). A Ru(II) bidentate sulfoxide-metronidazole complex, RuCl(2)(BESE)(metro)(2) (3), was also synthesized (metro = metronidazole = 2-methyl-5-nitroimidazole-1-ethanol). The complexes were characterized generally by (1)H NMR, UV-vis, and IR spectroscopies, as well as MS, elemental analysis, solution conductivity, and cyclic voltammetry. The molecular structures of Ru(ma)(2)(S,R-BESE) (1c) and trans-RuCl(2)(R,R-BESE)(metro)(2) (3) were determined by X-ray crystallography. All sulfoxide ligands are S-bonded. The complexes were tested against human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-435S) using an in vitro MTT assay, a colorimetric determination of cell viability: 2a,b exhibit the lowest IC(50) values of 190 +/- 10 and 220 +/- 10 microM, respectively. Cisplatin exhibits an IC(50) value of 30 +/- 5 microM. Show less

New water-soluble bis(2-phenylazopyridine)ruthenium(II) complexes, all derivatives of the highly cytotoxic alpha-[Ru(azpy)(2)Cl(2)] (alpha denoting the coordinating pairs Cl, N(py), and N(azo) as cis, trans, cis, respectively) have been developed. The compounds 1,1-cyclobutanedicarboxylatobis(2-phenylazopyridine)ruthenium(II), alpha-[Ru(azpy)(2)(cbdca-O,O')] (1), oxalatobis(2-phenylazopyridine)ruthenium(II), alpha-[Ru(azpy)(2)(ox)] (2), and malonatobis(2-phenylazopyridine)ruthenium(II), alpha-[Ru(azpy)(2)(mal)] (3), have been synthesized and fully characterized. X-ray analyses of 1 and 2 are reported, and compound 1 is the first example in which the cbdca ligand is coordinated to a ruthenium center. The cytotoxicity of this series of water-soluble bis(2-phenylazopyridine) complexes has been determined in A2780 human ovarian carcinoma and A2780cisR, the corresponding cisplatin-resistant cell line. For comparison reasons, the cytotoxicity of the complexes alpha-[Ru(azpy)(2)Cl(2)], alpha-[Ru(azpy)(2)(NO(3))(2)], beta-[Ru(azpy)(2)Cl(2)] (beta indicating the coordinating pairs Cl, N(py), and N(azo) as cis, cis, cis, respectively), and beta-[Ru(azpy)(2)(NO(3))(2)] have been determined in this cell line. All the bis(2-phenylazopyridine)ruthenium(II) compounds display a promising cytotoxicity in the A2780 cell line (IC(50) = 0.9-10 microM), with an activity comparable to that of cisplatin and even higher than the activity of carboplatin. Interestingly, the IC(50) values of this series of ruthenium compounds (except the beta isomeric compounds) are similar in the cisplatin-resistant A2780cisR cell line compared to the normal cell line A2780, suggesting that the activity of these compounds might not be influenced by the multifactorial resistance mechanism that affect platinum anticancer agents. Show less

Alkaline hydrolysis of the platinum anticancer drug oxaliplatin gives the oxalato monodentate complex and the dihydrated oxaliplatin complex in two consecutive steps. The acid dissociation constant for the oxalato monodentate intermediate was determined by a kinetic approach. The pK(a) value was estimated as 7.23. The monodentate intermediate is assumed to rapidly react with endogenous compounds, resulting in a continuous conversion of oxaliplatin via the monodentate form. Show less

Nucleotide excision repair is a major cellular defense mechanism against the toxic effects of the anticancer drug cisplatin and other platinum-based chemotherapeutic agents. In this study, mononucleosomes were prepared containing either a site-specific cis-diammineplatinum(II)-DNA intrastrand d(GpG) or a d(GpTpG) cross-link. The ability of the histone core to modulate the excision of these defined platinum adducts was investigated as a model for exploring the cellular response to platinum-DNA adducts in chromatin. Comparison of the extent of repair by mammalian cell extracts of free and nucleosomal DNA containing the same platinum-DNA adduct reveals that the nucleosome significantly inhibits nucleotide excision repair. With the GTG-Pt DNA substrate, the nucleosome inhibits excision to about 10% of the level observed with free DNA, whereas with the less efficient GG-Pt DNA substrate the nucleosome inhibited excision to about 30% of the level observed with free DNA. The effects of post-translational modification of histones on excision of platinum damage from nucleosomes were investigated by comparing native and recombinant nucleosomes containing the same intrastrand d(GpTpG) cross-link. Excision from native nucleosomal DNA is approximately 2-fold higher than the level observed with recombinant material. This result reveals that post-translational modification of histones can modulate nucleotide excision repair from damaged chromatin. The in vitro system established in this study will facilitate the investigation of platinum-DNA damage by DNA repair processes and help elucidate the role of specific post-translational modification in NER of platinum-DNA adducts at the physiologically relevant nucleosome level. Show less

Advances in bioinorganic chemistry since the 1970s have been driven by three factors: rapid determination of high-resolution structures of proteins and other biomolecules, utilization of powerful spectroscopic tools for studies of both structures and dynamics, and the widespread use of macromolecular engineering to create new biologically relevant structures. Today, very large molecules can be manipulated at will, with the result that certain proteins and nucleic acids themselves have become versatile model systems for elucidating biological function. Show less

Platinum anticancer drugs, such as cisplatin, are thought to exert their activity by DNA damage. Oxaliplatin, a clinically active diaminocyclohexane platinum compound, however, requires fewer DNA-Pt adducts than cisplatin to achieve cell growth inhibition. Here we investigated whether secondary DNA damage and apoptotic responses to oxaliplatin compensate for the reduced formation of DNA adducts. Oxaliplatin treatment of leukemic CEM and ovarian A2780 cancer cells resulted in early (4 hr) induction of DNA single-strand breaks measured by nucleoid sedimentation. These infrequent early lesions progress with time into massive double-stranded DNA fragmentation (fragments >50k bp) paralleled by characteristic apoptotic changes revealed by cell morphology and multivariate flow cytometry. Profound oxaliplatin-induced apoptotic DNA fragmentation was detectable following a 24 hr treatment of A2780 and CEM cells with 2 and 10 microM oxaliplatin, respectively. This DNA fragmentation was inhibited completely by the broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-fmk. Cisplatin, which forms markedly more DNA-Pt adducts in CEM and A2780 cells than equimolar oxaliplatin, was similarly potent as oxaliplatin in terms of early strand breaks and later apoptotic responses. Oxaliplatin was also profoundly apoptotic in several other tumor cell lines of prostate origin but had only a marginal effect in normal prostate PrEC cells. Collectively, the results demonstrate that, relative to the magnitude of the primary DNA-Pt lesions, oxaliplatin is disproportionately more potent than cisplatin in the induction of apoptosis. Apoptosis induction, possibly enhanced by a contribution of targets other than DNA, seems to be an important factor in the mechanism of action of oxaliplatin. Show less

X-ray structures of the basic/helix-loop-helix/leucine zipper (bHLHZ) domains of Myc-Max and Mad-Max heterodimers bound to their common DNA target (Enhancer or E box hexanucleotide, 5'-CACGTG-3') have been determined at 1.9 A and 2.0 A resolution, respectively. E box recognition by these two structurally similar transcription factor pairs determines whether a cell will divide and proliferate (Myc-Max) or differentiate and become quiescent (Mad-Max). Deregulation of Myc has been implicated in the development of many human cancers, including Burkitt's lymphoma, neuroblastomas, and small cell lung cancers. Both quasisymmetric heterodimers resemble the symmetric Max homodimer, albeit with marked structural differences in the coiled-coil leucine zipper regions that explain preferential homo- and heteromeric dimerization of these three evolutionarily related DNA-binding proteins. The Myc-Max heterodimer, but not its Mad-Max counterpart, dimerizes to form a bivalent heterotetramer, which explains how Myc can upregulate expression of genes with promoters bearing widely separated E boxes. Show less

The application of pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) modeling in drug development has emerged during the past decades and it is has been suggested that the investigation of PK-PD relationships during drug development may facilitate and optimize the design of subsequent clinical development. Especially in oncology, well designed PK-PD modeling could be extremely useful as anticancer agents usually have a very narrow therapeutic index. This paper describes the application of the current insights in the use of PK-PD modeling to the design of clinical trials in oncology. The application of PK-PD modeling in each separate stage of (pre)clinical drug development of anticancer agents is discussed. The implementation of this approach is illustrated with the clinical development of docetaxel. Show less

Antitumor effects of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (cisplatin) and the clinical inactivity of its trans isomer (transplatin) have been considered a paradigm for the classical structure-activity relationships of platinum drugs. However, several new analogues of transplatin which exhibit a different spectrum of cytostatic activity including activity in tumor cells resistant to cisplatin have been recently identified. Analogues containing the planar amine ligand of the general structure trans-[PtCl(2)(NH(3))(L)], where L = planar amine, represent an example of such compounds. DNA is believed to be the major pharmacological target of platinum compounds. To contribute to the understanding of mechanisms underlying the activation of trans geometry in transplatin analogues containing planar amine ligands, various biochemical and biophysical methods were employed in previous studies to analyze the global modifications of natural DNA by trans-[PtCl(2)(NH(3))(L)]. These initial studies have revealed some unique features of the DNA binding mode of this class of platinum drugs. As the monofunctional lesions represent a significant fraction of stable adducts formed in DNA by bifunctional antitumor trans-platinum compounds with planar ligands, we analyzed in the present work short DNA duplexes containing the single, site-specific monofunctional adduct of a representative of this class of platinum drugs, antitumor trans-[PtCl(2)(NH(3))(thiazole)]. It has been shown that, in contrast to the adducts of monodentate chlorodiethylenetriamineplatinum(II) chloride or [PtCl(NH(3))(3)]Cl, the monofunctional adduct of trans-[PtCl(2)(NH(3))(thiazole)] inhibits DNA synthesis and creates a local conformational distortion similar to that produced in DNA by the major 1,2-GG intrastrand CL of cisplatin, which is considered the lesion most responsible for its anticancer activity. In addition, the monofunctional adducts of trans-[PtCl(2)(NH(3))(thiazole)] are recognized by HMGB1 domain proteins and removed by the nucleotide excision repair system similarly as the 1,2-GG intrastrand CL of cisplatin. The results of the present work further support the view that the simple chemical modification of the structure of an inactive platinum compound alters its DNA binding mode into that of an active drug and that processing of the monofunctional DNA adducts of the trans-platinum analogues in tumor cells may be similar to that of the major bifunctional adducts of "classical" cisplatin. Show less