tomaymycin and sibiromycin

The naturally occurring pyrrolo[2,1- c][1,4]benzodiazepine (PBD) monomers such as sibiromycin, anthramycin, and tomaymycin form stable covalent adducts with duplex DNA at purine-guanine-purine sites. A correlative relationship between DNA-binding affinity, as measured by enhanced thermal denaturation temperature of calf thymus DNA ( T m), and cytotoxicity is well documented for these naturally occurring compounds and a range of synthetic analogues with sibiromycin having the highest Delta T m value (16.3 degrees C), reflecting favorable hydrogen-bonding interactions between the molecule and DNA bases. We report here that, surprisingly, the structurally simple synthetic C2-(2-naphthyl)-substituted pyrrolo[2,1- c][1,4]benzodiazepine monomer ( 5) has a Delta T m value (15.8 degrees C) similar to that of sibiromycin and significantly higher than the values for either anthramycin (13.0 degrees C) or tomaymycin (2.6 degrees C). 5 also has similar cytotoxic potency to sibiromycin which is widely regarded as the most potent naturally occurring PBD monomer. To investigate this, we have used NMR in conjunction with molecular dynamics to study the 2:1 adduct formed between 5 and the DNA duplex d(AATCTTTAAAGATT) 2. In contrast to the hydrogen-bonding interactions which predominate in the case of sibiromycin and anthramycin adducts, we have shown that the high binding affinity of 5 is due predominantly to hydrophobic (van der Waals) interactions. The high-resolution 2D NOESY, TOCSY, and COSY data obtained have also allowed unequivocal determination of the orientation of the PBD molecule (A-ring toward 3'-end of covalently bound strand), the stereochemistry at the C11 position of the PBD (C11 S), and the conformation of the C2-naphthyl ring which extends along the floor of the minor groove thus optimizing hydrophobic interactions with DNA. These results provide opportunities for future drug design in terms of extending planar hydrophobic groups at the C2 position of PBDs to maximize binding affinity.

Topics: Aminoglycosides; Anthramycin; Benzodiazepinones; Computer Simulation; DNA; DNA Adducts; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Models, Molecular; Molecular Structure; Oligonucleotides; Transition Temperature

Anthramycin, tomaymycin, and sibiromycin are members of the pyrrolo[1,4]benzodiazepine [P(1,4)B] antitumor antibiotic group. These drugs bind covalently through N2 of guanine and lie within the minor groove of DNA [Petrusek, R. L., Anderson, G. L., Garner, T. F., Fannin, Q. L., Kaplan, D. J., Zimmer, S. G., & Hurley, L. H. (1981) Biochemistry 20, 1111-1119]. The DNA sequence specificity of the P(1,4)B antibiotics has been determined by a footprinting method using methidiumpropyl-EDTA-iron(II) [MPE.Fe(II)], and the results show that each of the drugs has a two to three base pair sequence specificity that includes the covalently modified guanine residue. While 5'PuGPu is the most preferred binding sequence for the P(1,4)Bs, 5'PyGPy is the least preferred sequence. Footprinting analysis by MPE.Fe(II) reveals a minimum of a three to four base pair footprint size for each of the drugs on DNA with a larger than expected offset (two to three base pairs) on opposite strands to that observed in previous analyses of noncovalently bound small molecules. There is an extremely large enhancement of MPE.Fe(II) cleavage between drug binding sites in AT rich regions, probably indicating a drug-induced change in the conformational features of DNA which encourages interaction with MPE.Fe(II). In the presence of sibiromycin or tomaymycin the normally guanine-specific methylene blue reaction used in Maxam and Gilbert sequencing cleaves at other bases in defined positions relative to the drug binding sites. Finally, modeling studies are used to rationalize the differences and similarities in sequence specificities between the various drugs in the P(1,4)B group and their reactions with DNA.

Topics: Aminoglycosides; Anthramycin; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; Base Sequence; Benzodiazepinones; DNA; DNA, Viral; Edetic Acid; Iron Chelating Agents; Plasmids; Simian virus 40; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; Structure-Activity Relationship

The genetic activity of the structurally similar antitumor antibiotics anthramycin, tomaymycin and sibiromycin was evaluated in the standard Ames Salmonella/microsome mutagenicity assay, a Salmonella typhimurium forward-mutation assay and the micronucleus test. None of the test drugs showed any significant genetic activity in forward or reverse Salmonella mutation assays. The ability of mouse-liver enzymes to produce mutagens from the drugs was examined in the Salmonella reverse-mutation assay and was generally negative. As the concentrations of sibiromycin increased, some activity was detected in the presence of liver S-9 fractions from Aroclor-induced mice. This observation could not be verified at higher concentrations in the reverse-mutation assay due to cytotoxicity, and in the forward-mutation assay due to interference with the selection process by S-9. Cytogenetic evaluation of anthramycin and tomaymycin in the micronucleus test also gave negative results. However, significant increases in the frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes were observed in the bone marrow of sibiromycin-treated mice. The results suggest that, except for some possible activity of sibiromycin, these drugs are generally devoid of any marked genetic activity in the test systems employed.

Topics: Aminoglycosides; Animals; Anthramycin; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; Benzodiazepinones; Bone Marrow; Cell Nucleolus; Mice; Mutagenicity Tests; Mutagens; Salmonella typhimurium

The pyrrolo(1,4)benzodiazepine antitumor antibiotic, anthramycin, shares a number of toxicities with the widely used anticancer agent adriamycin. We investigated whether acute doses of anthramycin and the structurally related compounds, sibiromycin and tomaymycin, would depress P-450-dependent drug biotransformations as has been reported for adriamycin. Alterations in drug metabolism rates were determined in rats using 50 and 75% of the approximate 7-day LD50 determined in mice. 4 days post dosing ethylmorphine demethylase and aniline hydroxylase activities in liver 9000 g supernatant were depressed from 26 to 76%. Tomaymycin lowered drug metabolism in a dose-related manner, while sibiromycin produced the greatest amount of depression. Like adriamycin, the pyrrolo(1,4)benzodiazepines possess the ability to depress hepatic drug metabolism and therefore may affect the disposition of compounds with which they are co-administered.

Topics: Aminoglycosides; Aniline Hydroxylase; Animals; Anthramycin; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; Benzodiazepinones; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Ethylmorphine-N-Demethylase; Lethal Dose 50; Liver; Male; Rats

The pyrrol[1,4]benzodiazepine antibiotics anthramycin, tomaymycin, sibiromycin, and neothramycins A and B are potent antitumor agents that bind to DNA in a unique manner, resulting in some unusual biological consequences. This paper describes results on which the points of covalent linkage between the drugs (carbinolamine carbon atom) and DNA (N-2 of guanine) are deduced, as well as Corey-Pauling-Koltun (CPK) models for the various drug-DNA adducts. Predictions based upon these CPK models have been tested, and the results are reported in this paper. These tested experimental predictions include (1) instability of the drug-DNA adducts to denaturation of DNA, (2) saturation binding limits, (3) effect of drug binding on the structure of DNA, (4) lack of unwinding and in vitro strand breakage of closed-circular supercoiled simian virus 40 (SV-40) DNA, (5) sensitivity of the secondary structure of DNA to drug binding, (6) hydrodynamic properties of the drug-DNA adducts, (7) hydrogen bonding of the 9-phenolic proton in anthramycin to DNA, (8) structure-activity relationships, and (9) biological consequences of DNA damage, including cumulative damage and slow excision repair, double-strain breaks in DNA in repair-proficient cells, and the selective inhibition of H-strand DNA synthesis in mitochondria. The results are completely in accord with our postulated space-filling models.

Topics: Aminoglycosides; Anthramycin; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; Benzodiazepinones; DNA, Viral; Models, Molecular; Molecular Conformation; Nucleic Acid Conformation; Polydeoxyribonucleotides; Simian virus 40; Tritium

Streptomyces refuineus, the microorganism which produces the DNA reactive antibiotic anthramycin, has shown to possess a quite specific mechanism to survive and grow in the presence of this antibiotic. Stationary phase cells are insensitive to anthramycin since the antibiotic is prevented form entering these cells. However, cells in early log phase are inhibited by concentrations of anthramycin that are later produced by these same cells. Significantly, sibiromycin, a closely related antibiotic, is taken up by cells of S. refuineus independent of the age of the culture. Anthramycin reacts in vitro equally as well as DNA isolated from S. refuineus and other procaryotic and eucaryotic cells. When S. refuineus has reached the production phase the anthramycin is probably biosynthesized outside the cell membrane which also becomes specifically impermeable to anthramycin.

Topics: Aminoglycosides; Anthramycin; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; Benzodiazepinones; Cell Membrane Permeability; Streptomyces