spergualin and gusperimus

Spergualin (SG) and 15-deoxyspergualin (DSG) are derivatives of spermidine. Their substrate and inhibitor activities toward amine oxidase from bovine plasma were determined. SG was a good substrate of amine oxidase next to spermidine. The Km and Vmax for SG were 46.5 microM and 0.429 microM/minute, respectively, whereas the Km and Vmax for spermidine were 111 microM and 3.75 microM/minute, respectively. Thus SG has about two-fold stronger affinity to amine oxidase than spermidine, but its catalysis rate was one ninth of spermidine. In contrast, DSG was hardly oxidized and inhibited spermidine oxidation at low concentration. Affinity of both compounds for amine oxidase was determined by inhibition kinetics using benzylamine as substrate. SG and DSG competitively inhibited amine oxidase activity showing the Ki values of 175 microM and 7.46 microM, respectively.

Topics: Amine Oxidase (Copper-Containing); Animals; Benzylamines; Cattle; Guanidines; Kinetics; Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-NH Group Donors; Spermidine

Deoxyspergualin, an analog of spergualin, has been known as a novel immunosuppressive agent with strong immunosuppressive activity in in vivo experimental systems. In the present study, we examined the effect of deoxyspergualin (DSG) and methyldeoxyspergualin (MeDSG) on the proliferation and differentiation of human B lymphocytes in vitro. Highly purified B cells from human tonsil samples were isolated by Percoll density gradient from nonrosetted cells and were used as target cells. Both agents had little effect on the proliferative response of resting or activated B lymphocytes. However, they suppressed the immunoglobulin synthesis of B lymphocytes not only in a T cell-dependent, but also in a T cell-independent system. The inhibition of antibody synthesis was manifested in the early stage of B cell differentiation. Both drugs also suppressed Ig secretion, but not proliferation, of an EBV-transformed human B lymphoblastoid cell line. These results indicate that DSG and MeDSG have a selective immunosuppressive effect on the differentiation pathway of B lymphocytes.

Topics: Antibody-Producing Cells; B-Lymphocytes; Cell Differentiation; Cell Line, Transformed; Guanidines; Herpesvirus 4, Human; Humans; Immunoglobulins; Immunosuppressive Agents; Kinetics; Lymphocyte Activation; Staphylococcus aureus

A transplantable mouse T cell leukemia, DL 812, is characterized by high sensitivity to 3-[(4-amino-2-methyl-5-pyrimidinyl)methyl]-1-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea hydrochloride (ACNU) and intensive systemic infiltration. When subcutaneously inoculated, DL812 cells invade many organs and cause marked splenomegaly without forming local tumors. Disseminated DL812 leukemias are clinically completely cured by a single intraperitoneal injection of 1 mg ACNU, but more ACNU-resistant leukemias relapse immediately. A novel antitumor antibiotic, spergualin, is effective against various mouse leukemias. The effects of its analog with stronger anti-leukemia activity, 15-deoxyspergualin (DSG), on the relapse of DL812 leukemias after ACNU treatment were investigated. DDD mice were subcutaneously inoculated with 10(6) DL812 cells and intraperitoneally injected with 1 mg ACNU once on day 11 and with 100 micrograms DSG daily from day 12 on. The relapses were clinically completely suppressed for at least 30 days. Winn assays with spleen cells revealed that host immunity did not play a major role in maintenance of the clinical cure. Thus, when DSG treatment was discontinued after 15 or 30 daily injections, leukemias relapsed immediately. When it was extended to 50 daily injections, permanent cure was attained in 1 of 15 mice but relapses occurred under DSG treatment in the others. DSG is available for combined treatment of the leukemia. The current and previous results suggest that DL812 leukemias may serve as a model in study on immunochemotherapy of the disease.

Topics: Animals; Guanidines; Leukemia, T-Cell; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Nimustine; Recurrence; Spleen

Spergualin (SG) and 15-deoxyspergualin (DSG) were more slowly incorporated into L5178Y cells than spermidine. SG and DSG inhibited carrier-mediated transport of [3H]spermidine competitively with inhibition constants of 0.67 mM and 0.45 mM, respectively. Addition of calf serum stimulated uptake of [3H]spermidine into the cells in a serum concentration-dependent manner. The effect was not observed when horse serum was used in place of calf serum. Preincubation of spermidine in calf serum for 1 hour before addition to cells remarkably decreased cellular incorporation of tritium. Three amine oxidase inhibitors, aminoguanidine, 3-hydroxybenzyloxyamine, and semicarbazide, inhibited stimulation of uptake of [3H]spermidine by calf serum and the decrease of it by preincubation in calf serum. So we propose that cellular incorporation or binding of products generated by oxidation of spermidine by amine oxidase in calf serum was much faster than that of spermidine itself and they were unstable and transformed quickly to unincorporable or non-binding substances if cellular targets were not present. Effect of amine oxidase inhibitors on cytotoxic activity of SG and DSG were determined in low and high concentrations of calf serum. In the presence of 10% calf serum in the basal medium, cytotoxicity to L5178Y cells by SG and DSG was suppressed at high drug concentrations (above 10 micrograms/ml) and enhanced at low drug concentrations (below 2.5 micrograms/ml) by amine oxidase inhibitors. In the presence of 0.5% calf serum suppression of cytotoxicity at high drug concentrations by amine oxidase inhibitors was also observed, but enhancement at low drug concentrations was obscure. These data may suggest the existence of two kinds of cytotoxic mechanism of SG and DSG, one dependent on and one independent of amine oxidase in serum.

Topics: Amine Oxidase (Copper-Containing); Animals; Cell Survival; Guanidines; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin; Mice; Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-NH Group Donors; Spermidine; Tumor Cells, Cultured

The effect of (-)15-deoxyspergualin (15-dsp), a new immunosuppressant which was originally separated from the culture filtrate of a strain of Bacillus laterosporus, was evaluated in this study. Various doses of 15-dsp were subcutaneously administered to New Zealand black/white F1 hybrid mice (B/WF1) four times a week starting at 14 weeks of age, just prior to the onset of nephropathy. The life span of the treated animals, studied at 0.6 to 6.0 mg/kg body weights, compared with the control mice was significantly prolonged by 15-dsp treatment (percent survival of the treated mice at 50 to 70 weeks of age was significantly higher than that of the control mice, except that of the 0.6 mg group at 60 wks of age, P less than 0.05 by Fisher's exact test). In the 6.0 mg group of mice, complete suppression of spontaneously progressive splenomegaly with decreased total spleen cells was observed at 24 through 36 weeks of age compared with the same-aged control group of mice (P less than 0.01). Absolute numbers of L3T4+ splenocytes determined by flow cytometry, as well as L3T4+/Lyt2+ ratio, were decreased, while in vitro interleukin 2 production by splenocytes induced with staphylococcal enterotoxin A was significantly enhanced. Serum IgG anti-ds DNA antibody levels, measured by radioimmunoassay in the treated mice, were significantly lower at 24 through 36 weeks of age than those in the control mice (P less than 0.01), and the incidence of significant proteinuria (greater than or equal to 100 mg/dl) in the 15-dsp group was lower at both 32 and 36 weeks of age (P less than 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Age Factors; Animals; Antibody Formation; Body Weight; Female; Guanidines; Immunosuppressive Agents; Kidney Glomerulus; Lupus Nephritis; Mice; Mice, Inbred NZB; Spleen

The amine oxidase activities contained in calf serum and human serum were detected at levels of 90.8 and less than 0.1 nmol O2/minute/ml serum, respectively, by measuring oxygen consumption coupled with spermidine oxidation. Deoxyspergualin (NKT-01) and spergualin (SGL) containing spermidine in their structure were also oxidized in calf serum at the rate of 3.6 and 11.6 nmol O2/minute/ml serum, respectively. To investigate whether amine oxidase is essential for NKT-01 and SGL to exhibit their antiproliferative activities or not, the in vitro activities of NKT-01, SGL and polyamines against L1210 cells were examined in the presence of calf or human serum. Polyamines exhibited antiproliferative activity only in the presence of calf serum, while NKT-01 and SGL inhibited cell growth in the presence of both calf and human serum. In the presence of calf serum the activity of NKT-01 was inhibited by aminoguanidine, an amine oxidase inhibitor. Aminoguanidine did not inhibit the activity of NKT-01 in the presence of human serum. The activity of NKT-01 was shown at much lower concentrations in the presence of human serum than that in the presence of calf serum, and was strongly dependent on incubation time. The in vivo activities of NKT-01, SGL and SGL derivatives correlated with their in vitro activities in the presence of human serum. These results suggest that the in vivo antitumor activities of NKT-01, SGL and SGL derivatives may be attributed to a mechanism different from those of amine oxidase-oxidized product and represent a novel growth inhibitory action.

Topics: Amine Oxidase (Copper-Containing); Animals; Cell Line; Cell Survival; Guanidines; Leukemia L1210; Mice; Mice, Inbred DBA; Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-NH Group Donors; Oxygen Consumption; Species Specificity

Topics: Animals; Female; Graft vs Host Disease; Guanidines; Immunosuppressive Agents; Mice

Topics: Animals; Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental; Guanidines; Guinea Pigs; Immunosuppression Therapy

Optically active 15-deoxyspergualin (II) and 15-deoxy-11-O-methylspergualin (IIa) were synthesized, and their antitumor activities were examined. The (-)-enantiomers of both II and IIa were active against mouse leukemia L1210, while the (+)-enantiomers were almost inactive. The optical resolution of the key intermediate, (+/-)-N-(7-guanidinoheptanoyl)-alpha-alkoxyglycine (VI) was achieved by use of an exopeptidase, serine (acid) carboxypeptidase [EC 3.4.16.1] and (+/-)-N-(7-guanidinoheptanoyl)-alpha-alkoxyglycyl-L-amino acid (VIII) as the substrate. Considering the enzymatic susceptibility of the substrate (VIII), we deduced that the absolute configuration of the carbon at 11 (C-11) of the bioactive (-)-enantiomer, and so that of natural spergualin (I), is S. This is, to our knowledge, the first report of the use of carboxypeptidase for the resolution of N-acyl amino acid.

Topics: Animals; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; Guanidines; Leukemia L1210; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Mice

The immunosuppressive activity of spergualin analogues, 15-deoxyspergualin and N-30, is presented. These compounds suppressed antibody formation and establishment of delayed-type hypersensitivity to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) in mice. Among spergualin, 15-deoxyspergualin, and N-30, 15-deoxyspergualin was most effective in suppressing immune responses. It suppressed antibody formation against SRBC by spleen cell cultures in a dose-dependent fashion without reducing cell viability. The spergualins also suppressed the mixed lymphocyte culture reaction. Peritoneal exudate cells taken from mice given immunosuppressive doses of 15-deoxyspergualin were not reduced in their functions measured: Release of lysosomal enzymes and production of superoxide anions. 15-Deoxyspergualin and N-30 were markedly effective in prolonging skin graft in rats.

Topics: Animals; Antibody Formation; Female; Graft Survival; Guanidines; Hypersensitivity, Delayed; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Rats; Skin; Spleen

Spergualin and its analog, 15-deoxyspergualin showed a marked antitumor effect against L1210 by intraperitoneal and oral administrations. After treatment with these substances 40- or 60-day survivors (cured mice of L1210) were resistant to reinoculation of L1210 cells. They were resistant only to L1210. The antitumor effector cells in these mice were determined to be T cells. NK activity of spleen cells was also enhanced by spergualins. The antitumor activity of 15-deoxyspergualin was markedly reduced in immuno-deficient mice. IL (interleukin)-2 production, but not IL-1, was enhanced in supernatant of mixed lymphocyte cultures by treatment with 15-deoxyspergualin. The mechanism of action of 15-deoxyspergualin on the immune system was discussed.

Topics: Animals; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; Biological Products; Cytokines; Guanidines; Immunosuppressive Agents; Killer Cells, Natural; Leukemia L1210; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic

The method for chemical modification of spergualin with retention of the configuration at the C-11 has been achieved by the use of tetrahydropyranyl group for protection of the 11-hydroxyl group. (-)-15-Deoxyspergualin (2), which shows about eight times stronger inhibition against mouse leukemia L-1210 than the natural (-)-spergualin(1), and (-)-spergualin-15-phosphate(3) possessing a good antitumor activity have been synthesized starting from 1.

Topics: Animals; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; Chemical Phenomena; Chemistry; Guanidines; Leukemia L1210; Mice