Protection from Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiomyopathy Using the Modified Anthracycline N-Benzyladriamycin-14-valerate (AD 198)

The anthracycline doxorubicin (Dox) is an effective antitumor agent. However, its use is limited because of its toxicity in the heart. N-Benzyladriamycin-14-valerate (AD 198) is a modified anthracycline with antitumor efficacy similar to that of Dox, but with significantly less cardiotoxicity and potentially cardioprotective elements. In the present study, we investigated the possibility of in vivo protective effects of low-dose AD 198 against Dox-induced cardiomyopathy. To do this, rats were divided into four groups: vehicle, Dox (20 mg/kg; single injection day 1), AD 198 (0.3 mg/kg per injection; injections on days 1, 2, and 3), or a combination treatment of Dox + AD 198. Seventy-two hours after beginning treatment, hearts from the Dox group had decreased phosphorylation of AMP kinase and troponin I and reduced poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, β-tubulin, and serum albumin expression. Dox also increased the phosphorylation of phospholamban and expression of inducible nitric-oxide synthase in hearts. Each of these Dox-induced molecular changes was attenuated in the Dox + AD 198 group. In addition, excised hearts from rats treated with Dox had a 25% decrease in left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP) and a higher than normal increase in LVDP when perfused with a high extracellular Ca2+ solution. The Dox-induced decrease in baseline LVDP and hyper-responsiveness to [Ca2+] was not observed in hearts from the Dox + AD 198 group. Thus Dox, with well established and efficient antitumor protocols, in combination with low levels of AD 198, to counter anthracycline cardiotoxicity, may be a promising next step in chemotherapy

Formulation, Development, and In Vitro Evaluation of a CD22 Targeted Liposomal System Containing a Non-Cardiotoxic Anthracycline for B Cell Malignancies

Doxorubicin cardiotoxicity has led to the development of superior chemotherapeutic agents such as AD 198. However, depletion of healthy neutrophils and thrombocytes from AD 198 therapy must be limited. This can be done by the development of a targeted drug delivery system that delivers AD 198 to the malignant cells. The current research highlights the development and in vitro analysis of targeted liposomes containing AD 198. The best lipids were identified and optimized for physicochemical effects on the liposomal system. Physiochemical characteristics such as size, ζ-potential, and dissolution were also studied. Active targeting to CD22 positive cells was achieved by conjugating anti-CD22 Fab’ to the liposomal surface. Size and ζ-potential of the liposomes was between 115 and 145 nm, and −8 to−15 mV. 30% drug was released over 72 h. Higher cytotoxicity was observed in CD22+ve Daudi cells compared to CD22−ve Jurkat cells. The route of uptake was a clathrin- and caveolin-independent pathway. Intracellular localization of the liposomes was in the endolysosomes. Upon drug release, apoptotic pathways were activated partly by the regulation of apoptotic and oncoproteins such as caspase-3 and c-myc. It was observed that the CD22 targeted drug delivery system was more potent and specific compared to other untargeted formulations

Involvement of PKC delta (PKCδ) in the resistance against different doxorubicin analogs

Doxorubicin is an anti-tumor antibiotic widely used in the management of cancer patients. Its main mechanism of action involves the generation of DNA damage and the inhibition of topoisomerase II, promoting apoptosis. AD 198 is a novel doxorubicin analog devoid of DNA binding and topoisomerase II inhibitory capacities. It has been proposed that AD 198 induces apoptosis by activating protein kinase C delta (PKCδ); a PKC isoform described as growth inhibitory in a large number of cell types. We have previously demonstrated that PKCδ over-expression in NMuMG cells induced the opposite effect, promoting proliferation and cell survival. In this study, we found that PKCδ overexpression confers an enhanced cell death resistance against AD 198 cytotoxic effect and against AD 288, another doxorubicin analog that preserves its mechanism of action. These resistances involve PKCδ-mediated activation of two well-known survival pathways: Akt and NF-κB. While the resistance against AD 198 could be abrogated upon the inhibition of either Akt or NF-κB pathways, only NF-κB inhibition could revert the resistance to AD 288. Altogether, our results indicate that PKCδ increases cell death resistance against different apoptosis inductors, independently of their mechanism of action, through a differential modulation of Akt and NF-κB pathways. Our study contributes to a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in PKCδ-induced resistance and may greatly impact in the rationale design of isozyme-specific PKC modulators as therapeutic agents. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC. 2010.Fil: Díaz Bessone, María Inés. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Oncología "Ángel H. Roffo"; ArgentinaFil: Berardi, Damian Emilio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Oncología "Ángel H. Roffo"; ArgentinaFil: Campodónico, Paola Bernadette. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Oncología "Ángel H. Roffo"; ArgentinaFil: Todaro, Laura Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Oncología "Ángel H. Roffo"; ArgentinaFil: Lothstein, Leonard. The University of Tennessee Health Science Center and Center for Cancer Research; Estados UnidosFil: Bal, Elisa Dora. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Oncología "Ángel H. Roffo"; ArgentinaFil: Urtreger, Alejandro Jorge. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Oncología "Ángel H. Roffo"; Argentin

Interaction of the novel anthracycline antitumor agent N-benzyladriamycin- 14-valerate with the C1-regulatory domain of protein kinase C: Structural requirements, isoform specificity, and correlation with drug cytotoxicity

Anthracycline antibiotics like doxorubicin (DOX) are known to exert their antitumor effects primarily via DNA intercalation and topoisomerase II inhibition. By contrast, the noncross-resistant cytoplasmically localizing DOX analogue, N-benzyladriamycin-14-valerate (AD 198), only weakly binds DNA and does not inhibit topoisomerase II, yet it displays superior antitumor activity, strongly suggesting a distinct cytotoxic mechanism. In recent modeling studies, we reported a structural similarity between AD 198 and commonly accepted ligands for the C1-domain of protein kinase C (PKC), and we hypothesized that the unique biological activity of AD 198 may derive, in part, through this kinase. Consistent with this hypothesis, the present biochemical studies demonstrate that AD 198 competes with [3H]phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate ([ 3H]PDBu) for binding to phorbol-responsive PKC isoforms, the isolated C1b domain of PKC-δ (δ C1b), and the nonkinase phorbol ester receptor, β2-chimaerin. In NIH/3T3 cells, AD 198 competitively blocks PKC activation by C1-ligands. Importantly, neither DOX nor N-benzyladriamycin, the principal AD 198 metabolite, inhibits basal or phorbol-stimulated PKC activity or appreciably competes for [3H]PDBu binding. In CEM cells, structure activity studies with 14-acyl congeners indicate that the rapid induction of apoptosis correlates with competition for [3H]PDBu binding, strongly implicating phorbol-binding proteins in drug activity. Collectively, these studies support the conclusion that AD 198 is a C1-ligand and that C1-ligand receptors are selective drug targets. These studies provide the impetus for continuing efforts to understand the molecular basis for the unique biological activity of AD 198 and provide for the design of analogues with improved affinity for C1-domains and potentially greater antitumor activity. © 2002 American Association for Cancer Research

Interferon-resistant Daudi Cell Line with a Stat2 Defect Is Resistant to Apoptosis Induced by Chemotherapeutic Agents*

Interferon-α (IFNα) has shown promise in the treatment of various cancers. However, the development of IFN resistance is a significant drawback. Using conditions that mimic in vivo selection of IFN-resistant cells, the RST2 IFN-resistant cell line was isolated from the highly IFN-sensitive Daudi human Burkitt lymphoma cell line. The RST2 cell line was resistant to the antiviral, antiproliferative, and gene-induction actions of IFNα. Although STAT2 mRNA was present, STAT2 protein expression was deficient in RST2 cells. A variant STAT2 mRNA, which resulted from alternative splicing within the intron between exon 19 and 20, was expressed in several human cell lines but at relatively high levels in RST2 cells. Most importantly, the RST2 line showed an intrinsic resistance to apoptosis induced by a number of chemotherapeutic agents (camptothecin, staurosporine, and doxorubicin). Expression of STAT2 in RST2 cells not only rescued their sensitivity to the biological activities of IFNs but also restored sensitivity to apoptosis induced by these chemotherapeutic agents. The intrinsic resistance of the RST2 cells to IFN as well as chemotherapeutic agents adds a new dimension to our knowledge of the role of STAT2 as it relates to not only biological actions of IFN but also resistance to chemotherapy-induced apoptosis