benzofurans and dazmegrel

Previous studies have demonstrated that inhibitors of the arachidonic acid metabolism block migration and sensitise human glioma cells to treatment inducing apoptosis. This paradigm may provide a new concept for anti-invasive treatment strategies targeting invasive glioma cells. However, the effect of such treatment on other cellular elements in glial tumours such as endothelial cells is unknown. In this study we have analysed the expression of metabolites of the arachidonic acid pathway in endothelial cells in vitro and in vivo and we have assessed the influence of inhibitors of this pathway on motility, capillary like tube formation, and apoptosis in human endothelial cells. Human endothelial cells (HUVEC) in culture showed expression for thromboxane synthase and both isoforms of cyclo-oxygenase, COX-1 and COX-2. Immunostaining demonstrated low levels of COX-1 expression in capillaries and larger vessels of normal brain and moderately elevated levels of this enzyme in small vessels of brain tumours of various grades. Both thromboxane synthase and COX-2 expression was limited to endothelial cells found in anaplastic gliomas and glioblastomas. Thromboxane synthase inhibitors strongly decreased endothelial cell migration in HUVEC in vitro and capillary like tube formation was strongly inhibited by the compound at a similar dose range. The non-selective cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor ASA and the selective COX-2 inhibitor sulindac only had a minor effect on endothelial cell migration, however, the COX-2 inhibitor sulindac showed a synergistic effect with the thromboxane synthase inhibitor. Thromboxane synthase inhibitors induced apoptosis in endothelial cells as demonstrated by intracellular histone-complexed DNA fragmentation. These data suggest that inhibitors of thromboxane synthase influence migration and apoptosis in both human glioma cells and human endothelial cells. An anti-invasive treatment strategy using this class of compounds may therefore not only sensitise glioma cells to conventional treatments inducing apoptosis but may also be supported by an anti-angiogenic effect.

Topics: Apoptosis; Arachidonic Acid; Aspirin; Benzofurans; Cell Culture Techniques; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Movement; Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; Endothelial Cells; Humans; Imidazoles; Neuroglia; Thromboxane-A Synthase

The capacity of glial tumor cells to migrate and diffusely infiltrate normal brain compromises surgical eradication of the disease. Identification of genes associated with invasion may offer novel strategies for anti-invasive therapies. The gene for TXsyn, an enzyme of the arachidonic acid pathway, has been identified by differential mRNA display as being overexpressed in a glioma cell line selected for migration. In this study TXsyn mRNA expression was found in a large panel of glioma cell lines but not in a strain of human astrocytes. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated TXsyn in the parenchyma of glial tumors and in reactive astrocytes, whereas it could not be detected in quiescent astrocytes and oligodendroglia of normal brain. Glioma cell lines showed a wide range of thromboxane B2 formation, the relative expression of which correlated with migration rates of these cells. Migration was effectively blocked by specific inhibitors of TXsyn, such as furegrelate and dazmegrel. Other TXsyn inhibitors and cyclooxygenase inhibitors were less effective. Treatment with specific inhibitors also resulted in a decrease of intercellular adhesion in glioma cells. These data indicate that TXsyn plays a crucial role in the signal transduction of migration in glial tumors and may offer a novel strategy for anti-invasive therapies.

Topics: Arachidonic Acids; Aspirin; Astrocytes; Benzofurans; Brain Neoplasms; Cell Adhesion; Cell Movement; Enzyme Induction; Enzyme Inhibitors; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Glioma; GTP-Binding Proteins; Humans; Imidazoles; Indomethacin; Lysine; Models, Biological; Neoplasm Proteins; Neoplastic Stem Cells; Oligodendroglia; Pentanoic Acids; Phenotype; Pyridines; RNA, Messenger; RNA, Neoplasm; Signal Transduction; Thromboxane B2; Thromboxane-A Synthase; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Pretreatment with the thromboxane synthase inhibitor OKY-046 but not the cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor ibuprofen protects against ischemia-induced acute tubular necrosis. However, ibuprofen together with the vasodilating agent prostaglandin E1 is protective. This suggests that a high prostaglandin to thromboxane ratio is the major factor operative in preventing tubular necrosis, the subject of this study. Rats that had unilateral nephrectomy (n = 60) with the exception of rats that had sham operations (n = 8) underwent 45 minutes of left renal pedicle clamping. Thirty minutes before the operation, the rats received either a saline solution or a thromboxane synthase inhibitor that was given intravenously. The inhibitors OKY-046 (2 milligrams per kilogram, n = 10), UK38485 (1 milligram per kilogram, n = 9) and U63357A (10 milligrams per kilogram, n = 10) were given as a single bolus while the inhibitor CGS13080 (0.1 milligram per kilogram, n = 9, and 1.0 milligram per kilogram, n = 7) was given by constant infusion and continued for 60 minutes after reperfusion. With saline solution therapy, five minutes after reperfusion, thromboxane B2 increased from 154 to 2,537 picograms per milliliter (p less than 0.00001) and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha increased from 51 to 266 picograms per milliliter (p less than 0.004). At 24 hours, the creatinine level increased from 0.5 to 2.8 milligrams per deciliter (p less than 0.00001). Only OKY-046 yielded a creatinine level at 24 hours of 1.2 milligrams per deciliter, a value lower than that for those in the saline solution control group (p less than 0.002). Furthermore, OKY-046 led to the highest prostaglandin to thromboxane ratio (p less than 0.035). The five other ratios which occurred after drug therapy were inversely related to the decrease in the creatinine value (r = -0.93, p less than 0.02). Histologically, OKY-046 was the only thromboxane synthase inhibitor to prevent acute tubular necrosis (p less than 0.05). Results show that a high prostaglandin to thromboxane ratio protects against acute tubular necrosis.

Topics: 6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha; Animals; Benzofurans; Creatinine; Evaluation Studies as Topic; Ibuprofen; Imidazoles; Ischemia; Kidney; Kidney Tubular Necrosis, Acute; Male; Methacrylates; Pyridines; Rats; Thromboxane B2; Thromboxane-A Synthase

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of thromboxane synthase inhibition on vascular responsiveness. To achieve this goal, the effects of thromboxane synthase inhibitors on mesenteric vascular responses to sympathetic nerve stimulation, norepinephrine, and angiotensin II were determined in vivo. In normotensive rats, chronic treatment with the thromboxane synthase inhibitor, UK38,485 (100 mg/kg X d X 7 d), attenuated vascular responses to nerve stimulation and angiotensin II, but not to norepinephrine. Indomethacin treatment (5 mg/kg X three doses) did not attenuate vascular responses, but did prevent chronic UK38,485 administration from attenuating vascular reactivity. A single dose of UK38,485 (100 mg/kg) did not modify vascular responses to nerve stimulation or angiotensin II, even though platelet thromboxane synthase was inhibited completely. In spontaneously hypertensive rats, chronic administration (100 mg/kg X d X 7 d) of either UK38,485, OKY1581, or U-63557A (three structurally distinct thromboxane synthase inhibitors) attenuated vascular responses to nerve stimulation and angiotensin II. Only U-63557A suppressed responses to norepinephrine. Chronic treatment with UK38,485 or U-63557A did not influence vascular reactivity in hypertensive rats treated with indomethacin. Also, chronic administration of lower doses of UK38,485 or U-63557A (30 mg/kg X d X 7 d) did not affect vascular responsiveness in hypertensive rats, despite complete blockade of platelet thromboxane synthase. These data indicate that chronic administration of high doses of thromboxane synthase inhibitors attenuates vascular responses to sympathetic nerve stimulation and angiotensin II, but not usually to norepinephrine. This action may be mediated by endoperoxide shunting within the blood vessel wall.

Topics: Acrylates; Angiotensin II; Animals; Aorta, Abdominal; Benzofurans; Blood Platelets; Blood Pressure; Electric Stimulation; Imidazoles; Methacrylates; Norepinephrine; Rats; Thromboxane B2; Thromboxane-A Synthase; Vascular Resistance