diazeniumdiolate and nitroxyl

Nitric oxide (NO) and nitroxyl (HNO) are small-molecular, unstable compounds that mediate a variety of biological effects, especially in the cardiovascular system. Because of the instability of NO and HNO, controlled release for experimental investigation of their activities requires the use of appropriate donor molecules. Early donors released these molecules via spontaneous decomposition, but more recently, NO and HNO donors which can be controlled by photoirradiation have been developed; these are far superior, allowing precise spatial and temporal control of NO and HNO release. Among photocontrollable NO donors, metal nitrosyl complexes and nitroarene compounds are very important; the former releases NO by photoinduced cleavage of the metal-NO bond, and the latter, by photoisomerization of the aryl nitro group. Only a few photocontrollable HNO donors are available so far, and these are based on retro hetero Diels-Alder reaction initiated by photoabsorption. This review of photocontrollable NO and HNO donors and their mechanisms also covers spontaneous-release donors to the extent necessary to understand their contribution to the development of the photocontrollable donors.

Topics: Azo Compounds; Cyanamide; Iron; Iron Compounds; Molecular Structure; Nitric Oxide; Nitric Oxide Donors; Nitrobenzenes; Nitrogen Oxides; Photochemical Processes; Photons

Nitroxyl (HNO) demonstrates a diverse and unique biological profile compared to nitric oxide, a redox-related compound. Although numerous studies support the use of HNO as a therapeutic agent, the inherent chemical reactivity of HNO requires the use of donor molecules. Two general chemical strategies currently exist for HNO generation from nitrogen-containing molecules: (i) the disproportionation of hydroxylamine derivatives containing good leaving groups attached to the nitrogen atom and (ii) the decomposition of nitroso compounds (X-N=O, where X represents a good leaving group). This review summarizes the synthesis and structure, the HNO-releasing mechanisms, kinetics and by-product formation, and alternative reactions of six major groups of HNO donors: Angeli's salt, Piloty's acid and its derivatives, cyanamide, diazenium diolate-derived compounds, acyl nitroso compounds, and acyloxy nitroso compounds. A large body of work exists defining these six groups of HNO donors and the overall chemistry of each donor requires consideration in light of its ability to produce HNO. The increasing interest in HNO biology and the potential of HNO-based therapeutics presents exciting opportunities to further develop HNO donors as both research tools and potential treatments.

Topics: Azo Compounds; Cyanamide; Hydroxamic Acids; Molecular Structure; Nitrites; Nitrogen Oxides; Nitroso Compounds; Sulfonamides

Diazeniumdiolate ions are convenient and, for a variety of applications, uniquely advantageous nitric oxide (NO) dosage forms. Ionic diazeniumdiolates generate bioactive NO in physiological fluids truly spontaneously (i. e., without metabolism or redox activation), with reliable half-lives ranging from 2 seconds to 20 hours depending on the ion's structure. They are generally simple-to-prepare solids with excellent shelf life and high NO content - up to 40% by weight. Very importantly from the pharmaceutical point of view, the ionic diazeniumdiolates can be easily derivatized to prodrug forms that can be activated for NO release enzymatically, photolytically, or by slowed hydrolysis, allowing for rational design of strategies for targeting pharmacological delivery of NO to sites of need without unwanted collateral exposure of other NO-sensitive compartments. In addition to their world-wide sale for use in probing the chemical biology of NO, published proof-of-concept studies with diazeniumdiolates suggest several more lucrative applications. These include: converting existing drugs and biologicals to NO-releasing form to improve performance and/or extend patent life; diazeniumdiolating medical devices for improved biocompatibility; anticancer drug discovery; use as surgical aids and for wound repair; field generation of NO gas; and non-medical uses such as extending the post-harvest life of cut flowers. Future work aimed at exploiting the full clinical potential of diazeniumdiolate technology will be pursued in this laboratory and strongly encouraged in others, with a concurrent fundamental research effort to broaden the knowledge base from which further opportunities can be inferred [e. g., exploiting the very recent finding that some diazeniumdiolates appear to offer a versatile platform from which nitroxyl (HNO)-generating prodrugs can be developed].

Topics: Animals; Azo Compounds; Drug Design; Equipment and Supplies; Humans; Nitric Oxide; Nitrogen Oxides

Diazeniumdiolate-based aspirin prodrugs have previously been shown to retain the anti-inflammatory properties of aspirin while protecting against the common side effect of stomach ulceration. Initial analysis of two new prodrugs of aspirin that also release either nitroxyl (HNO) or nitric oxide (NO) demonstrated increased cytotoxicity toward human lung carcinoma cells compared to either aspirin or the parent nitrogen oxide donor. In addition, cytotoxicity was significantly lower in endothelial cells, suggesting cancer-specific sensitivity. To assess the chemotherapeutic potential of these new prodrugs in treatment of breast cancer, we studied their effect both in cultured cells and in a nude mouse model. Both prodrugs reduced growth of breast adenocarcinoma cells more effectively than the parent compounds while not being appreciably cytotoxic in a related nontumorigenic cell line (MCF-10A). The HNO donor also was more cytotoxic than the related NO donor. The basis for the observed specificity was investigated in terms of impact on metabolism, DNA damage and repair, apoptosis, angiogenesis and metastasis. The results suggest a significant pharmacological potential for treatment of breast cancer.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Apoptosis; Aspirin; Azo Compounds; Blotting, Western; Breast Neoplasms; Cell Movement; Cell Proliferation; Cyclooxygenase 2; Female; Humans; Mice; Nitric Oxide; Nitric Oxide Donors; Nitrogen Oxides; Prodrugs; Reactive Oxygen Species; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Messenger; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Recent theoretical studies have suggested that the parent diazeniumdiolate ion, H2N-N(O)═NO(-) ("diazeniumdiolated ammonia"), might be stable enough to be isolated and that it could potentially serve as a uniquely advantageous prodrug form of bioactive nitroxyl (HNO). Here, we report on an attempt to isolate its O(2)-benzylated derivative by aminolysis of the C═N bond in PhC(NH2)═N-N(O)═NOBn. The reaction proved remarkably sluggish in comparison to aminolysis of unsubstituted benzamidine, and the desired product could not be isolated, apparently because of base sensitivity of the NH2 group. Consistent with this interpretation, O-benzylhydroxylamine and N2O were recovered from the reaction mixture in high yields, along with N,N'-dibutylbenzamidine. Theoretical calculations rationalize the observed slow aminolysis by demonstrating that the diazeniumdiolate group greatly suppresses the electrophilicity of the adjacent C═N carbon center, rendering attack at that position endothermic. The data provide significant insights into the challenges inherent to the pursuit of diazeniumdiolated ammonia.

Topics: Amidines; Ammonia; Azo Compounds; Benzamidines; Nitrogen Oxides

Amine-based diazeniumdiolates (NONOates) have garnered widespread use as nitric oxide (NO) donors, and their potential for nitroxyl (HNO) release has more recently been realized. While NO release rates can vary significantly with the type of amine, half-lives of seconds to days under physiological conditions, there is as yet no way to determine a priori the NO or HNO production rates of a given species, and no discernible trends have manifested other than that secondary amines produce only NO (i.e., no HNO). As a step to understanding these complex systems, here we describe a procedure for modeling amine-based NONOates in water solvent that provides an excellent correlation (R(2) = 0.94) between experimentally measured dissociation rates of seven secondary amine species and their computed NO release activation energies. The significant difference in behavior of NONOates in the gas and solvent phases is also rigorously demonstrated via explicit additions of quantum mechanical water molecules. The presented results suggest that the as-yet unsynthesized simplest amine-based NONOate, the diazeniumdiolated ammonia anion [H2N-N(O)═NO(-)], could serve as an unperturbed HNO donor. These results provide a step forward toward the accurate modeling of general NO and/or HNO donors as well as for the identification of tailored prodrug candidates.

Topics: Azo Compounds; Free Radicals; Half-Life; Kinetics; Nitric Oxide; Nitric Oxide Donors; Nitrogen Oxides; Quantum Theory; Thermodynamics; Water

Structural modifications of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have successfully reduced the side effect of gastrointestinal ulceration without affecting anti-inflammatory activity, but they may increase the risk of myocardial infarction with chronic use. The fact that nitroxyl (HNO) reduces platelet aggregation, preconditions against myocardial infarction, and enhances contractility led us to synthesize a diazeniumdiolate-based HNO-releasing aspirin and to compare it to an NO-releasing analogue. Here, the decomposition mechanisms are described for these compounds. In addition to protection against stomach ulceration, these prodrugs exhibited significantly enhanced cytotoxcity compared to either aspirin or the parent diazeniumdiolate toward nonsmall cell lung carcinoma cells (A549), but they were not appreciably toxic toward endothelial cells (HUVECs). The HNO-NSAID prodrug inhibited cylcooxgenase-2 and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity and triggered significant sarcomere shortening on murine ventricular myocytes compared to control. Together, these anti-inflammatory, antineoplasic, and contractile properties suggest the potential of HNO-NSAIDs in the treatment of inflammation, cancer, or heart failure.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Aspirin; Azo Compounds; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Survival; Cells, Cultured; Cyclooxygenase 2; Enzyme Inhibitors; Glyceraldehyde 3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (NADP+); Humans; Lung Neoplasms; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Models, Chemical; Molecular Structure; Myocytes, Cardiac; Nitric Oxide; Nitrogen Oxides; Prodrugs; Sarcomeres

We introduce a strategy for generating mixtures of nitric oxide (NO) and nitroxyl (HNO) at tunable rates in physiological media. The approach involves converting a spontaneously HNO/NO-generating ion to a caged (prodrug) form that is essentially stable in neutral media, but that can be activated for HNO/NO release by adding an enzyme capable of efficiently opening the cage to regenerate the ion. By judiciously choosing the enzyme, substrate, and reaction conditions, unwanted scavenging of the HNO and NO by the protein can be minimised and the catalytic efficiency of the enzyme can be maintained. We illustrate this approach with a proof-of-concept study wherein the prodrug is Gal-IPA/NO, a diazeniumdiolate of structure iPrHN-N(O)NOR, with R=β-d-galactosyl. Escherichia coli-derived β-d-galactosidase at concentrations of 1.9-15nM hydrolysed 56μM substrate with half-lives of 140-19min, respectively, producing the IPA/NO anion (iPrHN-N(O)NO(-), half-life ∼3min), which in turn spontaneously hydrolysed to mixtures of HNO with NO. Using saturating substrate concentrations furnished IPA/NO generation rates that were directly proportional to enzyme concentration. Consistent with these data, the enzyme/substrate combination applied to ventricular myocytes isolated from wild-type mouse hearts resulted not only in a significant positive inotropic effect, but also rescued the cells from the negative inotropy, hypercontractions, and occasional cell death seen with the enzyme alone. This mechanism represents an alternate approach for achieving controlled fluxes of NO/HNO to investigate their biological actions.

Topics: Animals; Anions; Azo Compounds; beta-Galactosidase; Hydrolysis; Mice; Muscle Cells; Myocardium; Nitric Oxide; Nitrogen Oxides

The growing evidence that nitroxyl (HNO) has a rich pharmacological potential that differs from that of nitric oxide (NO) has intensified interest in HNO donors. Recently, the diazeniumdiolate (NONOate) based on isopropylamine (IPA/NO; Na[(CH(3))(2)CHNH(N(O)NO)]) was demonstrated to function under physiological conditions as an organic analogue to the commonly used HNO donor Angeli's salt (Na(2)N(2)O(3)). The decomposition mechanism of Angeli's salt is dependent on pH, with transition from an HNO to an NO donor occurring abruptly near pH 3. Here, pH is shown to also affect product formation from IPA/NO. Chemical analysis of HNO and NO production led to refinement of an earlier, quantum mechanically based prediction of the pH-dependent decomposition mechanisms of primary amine NONOates such as IPA/NO. Under basic conditions, the amine proton of IPA/NO is able to initiate decomposition to HNO by tautomerization to the nitroso nitrogen (N(2)). At lower pH, protonation activates a competing pathway to NO production. At pH 8, the donor properties of IPA/NO and Angeli's salt are demonstrated to be comparable, suggesting that at or above this pH, IPA/NO is primarily an HNO donor. Below pH 5, NO is the major product, while IPA/NO functions as a dual donor of HNO and NO at intermediate pH. This pH-dependent variability in product formation may prove useful in examination of the chemistry of NO and HNO. Furthermore, primary amine NONOates may serve as a tunable class of nitrogen oxide donor.

Topics: Amines; Azo Compounds; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Nitrogen Oxides

Synthesis of previously inaccessible, potentially liver selective HNO donor V-IPA/NO ([iPrHN(3)-N(1)(O(1))=N(2)-O(2)-R], where R = vinyl) is reported here. A novel fluoride-labile TOM group at O-2 in conjunction with MOM protection at N-3 in IPA/NO is employed. The strategy developed is also extended to synthesis of other NO-releasing prodrugs and has applications in diversity-oriented synthesis of HNO- and NO-prodrugs.

Topics: Azo Compounds; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; Nitric Oxide; Nitrogen Oxides; Prodrugs; Vinyl Compounds

Here we describe a novel caged form of the highly reactive bioeffector molecule, nitroxyl (HNO). Reacting the labile nitric oxide (NO)- and HNO-generating salt of structure iPrHN-N(O)═NO(-)Na(+) (1, IPA/NO) with BrCH(2)OAc produced a stable derivative of structure iPrHN-N(O)═NO-CH(2)OAc (2, AcOM-IPA/NO), which hydrolyzed an order of magnitude more slowly than 1 at pH 7.4 and 37 °C. Hydrolysis of 2 to generate HNO proceeded by at least two mechanisms. In the presence of esterase, straightforward dissociation to acetate, formaldehyde, and 1 was the dominant path. In the absence of enzyme, free 1 was not observed as an intermediate and the ratio of NO to HNO among the products approached zero. To account for this surprising result, we propose a mechanism in which base-induced removal of the N-H proton of 2 leads to acetyl group migration from oxygen to the neighboring nitrogen, followed by cleavage of the resulting rearrangement product to isopropanediazoate ion and the known HNO precursor, CH(3)-C(O)-NO. The trappable yield of HNO from 2 was significantly enhanced over 1 at physiological pH, in part because the slower rate of hydrolysis for 2 generated a correspondingly lower steady-state concentration of HNO, thus, minimizing self-consumption and enhancing trapping by biological targets such as metmyoglobin and glutathione. Consistent with the chemical trapping efficiency data, micromolar concentrations of prodrug 2 displayed significantly more potent sarcomere shortening effects relative to 1 on ventricular myocytes isolated from wild-type mouse hearts, suggesting that 2 may be a promising lead compound for the development of heart failure therapies.

Topics: Animals; Azo Compounds; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Mice; Molecular Structure; Muscle Cells; Nitric Oxide Donors; Nitrogen Oxides; Prodrugs

Aqueous photochemistry of diazen-1-ium-1,2,2-triolate (Angeli's anion) and (Z)-1[N-(3-aminopropyl)-N-(3-aminopropyl)amino]diazen-1-ium-1,2-diolate (DPTA NONOate) has been investigated by laser kinetic spectroscopy. In neutral aqueous solutions, 266 nm photolysis of these diazeniumdiolates generates a unique spectrum of primary products including the ground-state triplet (3NO-) and singlet (1HNO) nitroxyl species and nitric oxide (NO*). Formation of these spectrophotometrically invisible products is revealed and quantitatively assayed by analyzing a complex set of their cross-reactions leading to the formation of colored intermediates, the N2O2*- radical and N3O3- anion. The experimental design employed takes advantage of the extremely slow spin-forbidden protic equilibration between 3NO- and 1HNO and the vast difference in their reactivity toward NO*. To account for the kinetic data, a novel combination reaction, 3NO-+1HNO, is introduced, and its rate constant of 6.6x10(9) M-1 s-1 is measured by competition with the reduction of methyl viologen by 3NO-. The latter reaction occurring with 2.1x10(9) M-1 s-1 rate constant and leading to the stable, colored methyl viologen radical cation is useful for detection of 3NO-. The distributions of the primary photolysis products (Angeli's anion: 22% 3NO-, 58% 1HNO, and 20% NO*; DPTA NONOate: 3% 3NO-, 12% 1HNO, and 85% NO*) show that neither diazeniumdiolate is a highly selective photochemical generator of nitroxyl species or nitric oxide, although the selectivity of DPTA NONOate for NO* generation is clearly greater.

Topics: Azo Compounds; Lasers; Nitric Oxide; Nitrogen Oxides; Photolysis; Solutions; Ultraviolet Rays

Isopropylamine diazeniumdiolate, IPA/NO, the product of the reaction of isopropylamine and nitric oxide, NO, decomposes in a pH-dependent manner to afford nitroxyl, HNO, in the pH range of 13 to above 5, and NO below pH 7. Theoretical studies using B3LYP/6-311+G(d) density functional theory, the polarizable continuum and conductor-like polarizable continuum solvation models, and the high-accuracy CBS-QB3 method on the simplified model compound methylamine diazeniumdiolate predict a mechanism involving HNO production via decomposition of the unstable tautomer MeNN+(O-)NHO-. The production of NO at lower pH is predicted to result from fragmentation of the amide/NO adduct upon protonation of the amine nitrogen.

Topics: Aza Compounds; Azo Compounds; Electrochemistry; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Methylamines; Models, Chemical; Molecular Structure; Nitric Oxide; Nitrogen Oxides; Thermodynamics

Diazeniumdiolates, more commonly referred to as NONOates, have been extremely useful in the investigation of the biological effects of nitric oxide (NO) and related nitrogen oxides. The NONOate Angeli's salt (Na(2)N(2)O(3)) releases nitroxyl (HNO) under physiological conditions and exhibits unique cardiovascular features (i.e., positive inotropy/lusitropy) that may have relevance for pharmacological treatment of heart failure. In the search for new, organic-based compounds that release HNO, we examined isopropylamine NONOate (IPA/NO; Na[(CH(3))(2)CHNH(N(O)NO]), which is an adduct of NO and a primary amine. The chemical and pharmacological properties of IPA/NO were compared to those of Angeli's salt and a NO-producing NONOate, DEA/NO (Na[Et(2)NN(O)NO]), which is a secondary amine adduct. Under physiological conditions IPA/NO exhibited all the markers of HNO production (e.g., reductive nitrosylation, thiol reactivity, positive inotropy). These data suggest that primary amine NONOates may be useful as HNO donors in complement to the existing series of secondary amine NONOates, which are well-characterized NO donors.

Topics: Animals; Azo Compounds; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; Cardiovascular System; Cell Survival; Cells, Cultured; Cricetinae; Cricetulus; Cyclic GMP; Dogs; Glutathione; Hemodynamics; Hydrazines; Lethal Dose 50; Male; Nitric Oxide Donors; Nitrites; Nitrogen Oxides; Uric Acid