fostriecin and merbarone

Etoposide (VP-16)-resistant K562 cells (K/VP.5) were 26-fold resistant to VP-16, due in part to a reduction in DNA topoisomerase II (topoisomerase II) protein levels. Compared with parental K562 cells, VP-16-resistant K/VP.5 cells were found to be 3.4-fold more sensitive to the effects of dexrazoxane (ICRF-187), a topoisomerase II inhibitor that does not stabilize topoisomerase II-DNA covalent complexes. In contrast, K/VP.5 cells were 4.0-fold cross-resistant to merbarone and showed no cross-resistance to fostriecin, two other topoisomerase II inhibitors that do not stabilize topoisomerase II-DNA covalent complexes. Preincubation with ICRF-187 resulted in greater inhibition of subsequent VP-16-induced topoisomerase II-DNA covalent complexes in K/VP.5 cells than in K562 cells. Conversely, preincubation with merbarone resulted in less inhibition of VP-16-induced topoisomerase II-DNA covalent complexes in K/VP.5 cells than in parental K562 cells. Preincubation with forstriecin had little effect on VP-16-induced topoisomerase II-DNA covalent complex formation in either cell line. The onset rates for ICRF-187 inhibition of VP-16-induced topoisomerase II-DNA complex formation were similar in sensitive and resistant cells. In addition, ICRF-187 had a comparable concentration-dependent inhibitory effect on the topoisomerase II catalytic activities of K562 and K/VP.5 cells. Together, our results indicate that collateral sensitivity to ICRF-187 in K/VP.5 cells is due to decreased topoisomerase II protein levels rather than to an alteration in topoisomerase II activity. Furthermore, results suggest that ICRF-187, merbarone, and fostriecin have different mechanisms of action that can be studied effectively in K/VP.5 and K562 cells.

Topics: Alkenes; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Enzyme Inhibitors; Etoposide; Humans; Leukemia; Polyenes; Pyrones; Razoxane; Thiobarbiturates

DNA topoisomerase II (topo II) is required at mitosis in yeast for high chromosome condensation and for chromosome segregation. Recent studies on intact mammalian cells using topo II inhibitors that do not stabilize cleavable complexes also suggest a requirement for topo II for complete chromosome condensation and perhaps also for entry into mitosis. We have investigated the effects of merbarone, ICRF-187, and aclarubicin, three topo II inhibitors that do not stabilize the cleavable complex, on entry into mitosis and on chromosome condensation in BHK and in tsBN2 cells. We have compared their effects with those of etoposide, a topo II inhibitor that stabilizes the cleavable complex. All inhibitors induced a concentration-dependent G2 delay or arrest that could be overcome with fostriecin or okadaic acid or by inactivation of RCC1 in tsBN2 cells. Mitotic chromosomes from cells treated with etoposide were extensively fragmented, whereas mitotic chromosomes from cells treated with merbarone, ICRF-187, or aclarubicin were intact but elongated and tangled. These results provide strong evidence that topo II activity is required in chromosome condensation for final coiling of the chromatids. Our results also indicate that protein phosphatases and RCC1 play a role in G2 delay induced by all inhibitors, whether they do or do not stabilize the cleavable complex.

Topics: Aclarubicin; Alkenes; Animals; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; Antineoplastic Agents; Cell Cycle Proteins; Cell Line; Chromosomes; Cricetinae; DNA-Binding Proteins; Enzyme Inhibitors; Etoposide; G2 Phase; Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors; Kidney; Mitosis; Nuclear Proteins; Okadaic Acid; Phosphoprotein Phosphatases; Polyenes; Pyrones; Razoxane; Temperature; Thiobarbiturates; Topoisomerase II Inhibitors

Topoisomerase II (topo II) is a target for many cytotoxic agents. Two observations, however, warrant caution in their therapeutic use: first, these agents can inhibit differentiation and second, perturbations in function render the enzyme error-prone. Illegitimate recombination events occurring at sites where topo II acts in differentiation could be particularly important in the development of secondary malignancies (relatively frequent after therapy with agents that target topo II). Topo II inhibitors are heterogeneous in mechanisms of action; in site-specificity of cleavable complex 'entrapment' (where present) and in the relative potency against the two topo II isoforms, all potentially influencing the site of maximum DNA damage. The object of this study was to examine the effect of topo II inhibitors on human haemopoietic precursor cells, to determine which have most impact on differentiation. We selected two which act via cleavable complex entrapment, but with different site preferences (m-AMSA and VP-16), and two acting via other mechanisms (merbarone and fostriecin). VP-16 and m-AMSA showed similar patterns with low dose stimulation of granulocyte-macrophage colony formation and high dose inhibition of all colony types. The stimulation was accompanied by an increase in colony size and blast content, consistent with a low dose inhibition of differentiation. Forstriecin, in contrast, stimulated predominantly mixed and erythroid colonies. Merbarone failed to increase colony formation. Neither produced substantial inhibition of colony formation. The effects on granulocyte-macrophage progenitors were confirmed using 7-day suspension cultures, using nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction and 3-4,5,dimethylthiazol 2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays for differentiated cells and total cell mass, respectively. These results demonstrate that the effects of topo II inhibitors on haemopoietic cell proliferation and differentiation are agent-specific and can involve lineage-restricted partial inhibition of differentiation.

Topics: Adult; Alkenes; Amsacrine; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; Antineoplastic Agents; Bone Marrow; Bone Marrow Cells; Colony-Forming Units Assay; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; Etoposide; Hematopoietic Stem Cells; Humans; Polyenes; Pyrones; Thiobarbiturates; Topoisomerase II Inhibitors