Preparation, optimisation and characterisation of sequence selective compounds

DNA is the pharmacological target for most platinum drugs; however, the majority of these drugs show little or no specificity for particular base pairs. Considerable progress has been made in the design of sequence selective compounds, such that an antiparallel association of a polyamide can have high affinity for selected DNA base pairs. Hairpin polyamides have distinct advantages as they achieve affinities and specificities that are comparable to that of DNA-binding proteins. Platinum(II) hairpin polyamides are expected to display antitumour activity and target specific sequences of DNA. Five DNA-sequence-selective hairpin polyamide platinum(II) complexes, containing pyrrole (Py) and imidazole (Im) heterocyclic rings, have been synthesised using a combination of solid and solution phase chemistry. One mononuclear sequence selective complex, β-Ala-PyPyPy-L4-ImImIm-L4-Pt (HLSP-6) [β-Ala is β-alanine, L4 is 4-(Fmoc-amino)butyric acid and Pt is transplatin], and two dinuclear sequence selective complexes, β-Ala-PyPyPy-L4-ImImIm-L6'-Pt-(Pt) (DNHLSP-6) [L6' is 2,6-Fmoc-Lysine-(Fmoc)-OH] and β-Ala-PyPyImImIm-L4'-PyPyPyPyPy-L6'-Pt-(Pt) (DNHLSP-10) (L4' is 2-Boc-4-Fmoc-L-diaminobutyric acid), were synthesised entirely using solid phase chemistry. Two mononuclear sequence selective complexes, Pt-L6-β-Ala-Py-L4-Im (HSP-2) and Pt-L6-β-Ala-PyPyPy-L4-ImImIm (HSP-6), were synthesised using a combination of solid and solution phase chemistry. The synthesis of a trinuclear sequence selective polyamide was also attempted using a combination of solid and solution phase chemistry. The polyamides were synthesised in a series of reaction steps. Each heterocyclic ring and linker was coupled through solid phase chemistry using 2-(1H-benzotriazole-1-y1)-1,1,3,3-tetramethyluronium hexafluorophosphate (HBTU). Once the organic components were assembled, the platinum(II) group/s was/were added using either solid or solution phase chemistry. The polyamide sequence of PyPyPy-L4-ImImIm was designed to target the guanine rich telomere region of DNA. The metal complexes reported in this study will span sequences between 2, 5 or 7 DNA base pairs (depending on their length), which include 5'-(A/T)GGG(A/T)-3' and 5'-(A/T)(A/T)(A/T)GGG(A/T)-3'. All complexes were characterised using 1H and 195Pt NMR, high resolution mass spectrometry and elemental analysis. The binding of HLSP-6 and DNHLSP-6 to guanosine was also monitored by 1H NMR

Synthesis and characterisation of metallopolyamide complexes

Platinum(II) and ruthenium(II)-based complexes that contain imidazole, pyrrole and β-alanine subunits, capable of recognising specific DNA base-pair sequences, have been synthesised. These polyamides, two platinum(II), [Cl(NH3)2Pt-L6-β-Ala-Py-L4-Im]+ (HSP-2), and [Cl(NH3)2Pt-L6-β-Ala-PyPyPy-L4-ImImIm]+ (HSP-6) and two ruthenium, Δ and Λ-[β-Ala-Py-L4-Im-β-dpq-Ru(phen)2]2+ (Δ and Λ-RUP1), were designed to recognise DNA sequences up to seven base-pairs in length. They were obtained in good yield by a combination of solid and solution phase chemistries. The chirality of the ruthenium precursors Δ- and Λ-[Ru(phen)2(phendo)]2+ was conserved throughout the synthesis. Characterisation was achieved using NMR, UV–Vis and ESI-MS and CD for Δ- and Λ-RUP1. Cytotoxicity was not determined for HSP-2 or HSP-6, due to insolubility, however the IC50 values of Δ and Λ-RUP1 were confirmed to be greater than 40 μM (at an incubation time of 48 h). LD studies indicated that the ruthenium complexes interact with ct-DNA through a mixed binding mode, which is influenced by complex concentration and chirality

Synthesis of DNA-sequence-selective hairpin polyamide platinum complexes

Two DNA-sequence-selective hairpin polyamide platinum(II) complexes, containing pyrrole and imidazole heterocyclic rings, have been synthesised by different methods. A six-ring complex, selective for (A/T)GGG(A/T) DNA sequences, was made by using solid-phase synthesis, whilst an eight-ring complex, selective for (A/T)CCTG(A/T) DNA sequences, was made by utilising standard wet chemistry. Solid-phase synthesis resulted in a significantly higher yield, required less purification and is more efficient than the wet synthesis; as such, it is the preferred method for further work. The metal complexes were characterised by 1H and 195Pt NMR spectroscopy and ESI mass spectrometry. The two compounds provide a foundation for the synthesis of more complex molecules containing multiple hairpins and/or platinum groups

Daucus carota pentane/diethyl ether fraction inhibits motility and reduces invasion of cancer cells

Daucus carota (DC) is a herb used in folklore medicine in Lebanon to treat numerous diseases including cancer. Recent studies in our laboratory on DC oil and its fractions revealed potent anticancer activities in vitro and in vivo. The present study aims to investigate the effect of the most potent DC fraction, pentane/diethyl ether (50:50), on lung, skin, breast and glioblastoma cancer cell motility and invasion. Upon treatment, a pronounced decrease in cancer cell motility was observed in the 4 cell lines. The treatment also led to a decrease in cancer cell invasion and an increased cell adhesion. Additionally, the DC fraction caused a decrease in the activation of the ρ-GTPases Rac and CDC42, a finding that may partially explain the treatment-induced decrease in cell motility. The current study demonstrates a crucial effect of the DC pentane/diethyl ether fraction on cancer cell motility and metastasis, making it a potential candidate for cancer therapy specifically targeting cancer motility and metastasis.PublishedN/

Malva pseudolavatera Leaf Extract Promotes ROS Induction Leading to Apoptosis in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells In Vitro

Malva pseudolavatera Webb & Berthel. is a plant from the Malvaceae family that has long been included in the human diet due to its various curative effects. Many plant leaf extracts from the various species of Malva genus have been reported to possess anti-cancer properties, however, studies on M. pseudolavatera Webb & Berthel. leaves have documented anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects with no emphasis on their possible anti-cancer potential. The present study explores the anti-cancer properties of Malva pseudolavatera Webb & Berthel. leaf extract on acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines in vitro and deciphers the underlying molecular mechanism. Treatment of AML cell lines with M. pseudolavatera methanolic leaf extract showed a dose- and time-dependent inhibition of proliferation and a dose-dependent increase in apoptotic hallmarks such as an increase in phosphatidylserine on the outer membrane leaflet and membrane leakage in addition to DNA fragmentation. The pro-apoptotic effect was induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) as well as an upregulation of cleaved poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), increase in Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, andrelease of cytochrome-c from the mitochondria. Major compounds of the extract included methyl linolenate, phytol, gamma-sitosterol, and stigmasterol as revealed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, and amino acids, amino acid derivatives, tiliroside, 13-hydroxyperoxyoctadecadienoic, and quercitrin as detected by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry

Annona cherimola Seed Extract Activates Extrinsic and Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathways in Leukemic Cells

Annona cherimola Mill is a large green fruit with black seeds widely known to possess toxic properties due to the presence of Annonaceous acetogenins. The present study investigates the anti-cancer properties of an Annona cherimola Mill ethanolic seed extract on Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) cell lines in vitro and elucidates the underlying cellular mechanism. The anti-proliferative effects of the extract on various AML cell lines and normal mesenchymal cells (MSCs) were assessed using WST-1 viability reagent. The pro-apoptotic effect of the extract was evaluated using Annexin V/PI staining and Cell Death ELISA. The underlying mechanism was deciphered by analyzing the expression of various proteins using western blots. Treatment with an A. cherimola seed ethanolic extract promotes a dose- and time-dependent inhibition of the proliferation of various AML cell lines, but not MSCs. Positive Annexin V staining, as well as DNA fragmentation, confirm an increase in apoptotic cell death by upregulating the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins which control both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways of apoptosis. GC/MS analysis revealed the presence of phytosterols, in addition to other bioactive compounds. In conclusion, Annona cherimola Mill seed extract, previously known to possess a potent toxic activity, induces apoptosis in AML cell lines by the activation of both the extrinsic and the intrinsic pathways

Wild carrot pentane-based fractions suppress proliferation of human HaCaT keratinocytes and protect against chemically-induced skin cancer

Abstract Background Previous studies in our laboratory showed that the Lebanese Daucus carota ssp. carota (wild carrot) oil extract possesses in vitro and in vivo anticancer activities. The present study aims to examine the cytotoxic effect of Daucus carota oil fractions on human epidermal keratinocytes and evaluate the chemopreventive activity of the pentane diethyl ether fraction on DMBA/TPA induced skin carcinogenesis in mice. Methods Wild carrot oil extract was chromatographed to yield four fractions (F1, 100% pentane; F2, 50:50 pentane:diethyl ether; F3, 100% diethyl ether; F4 93:7 chloroform:methanol). The cytotoxic effect of fractions (10, 25, 50 and 100\ua0\u3bcg/mL) was tested on human epidermal keratinocytes (non-tumorigenic HaCaT cells and tumorigenic HaCaT-ras variants) using WST a ssay. Cell cycle phase distribution of tumorigenic HaCaT-ras variants was determined by flow cytometry post-treatment with F2 fraction. Apoptosis related proteins were also assessed using western blot. The antitumor activity of F2 fraction was also evaluated using a DMBA/TPA induced skin carcinoma in Balb/c mice. Results All fractions exhibited significant cytotoxicity, with HaCaT cells being 2.4\u20133 times less sensitive than HaCaT-ras A5 (benign tumorigenic), and HaCaT-ras II4 (malignant) cells. GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of a major compound (around 60%) in the pentane/diethylether fraction (F2), identified as 2-himachalen-6-ol. Treatment of HaCaT-ras A5 and HaCaT-ras II4 cells with F2 fraction resulted in the accumulation of cells in the sub-G1 apoptotic phase and decreased the population of cells in the S and G2/M phases. Additionally, F2 fraction treatment caused an up-regulation of the expression of pro-apoptotic (Bax) and down-regulation of the expression of anti-apoptotic (Bcl2) proteins. A decrease in the phosphorylation of AKT and ERK was also observed. Intraperitoneal treatment with F2 fraction (50 or 200\ua0mg/kg) in the DMBA/TPA skin carcinogenesis mouse model showed a significant inhibition of papilloma incidence (mice with papilloma), yield (number of papilloma/mouse) and volume (tumor relative size) at weeks 15, 18 and 21. Conclusion The present data reveal that F2 fraction has a remarkable antitumor activity against DMBA/TPA-induced skin carcinogenesis, an effect that may be mediated through inhibition of the MAPK/ERK and PI3K/AKT pathways