vitamin-k-semiquinone-radical and 2-(2-hydroxyethylsulfanyl)-3-methyl-1-4-naphthoquinone

Formyl peptide receptor 1 (FPR1) and FPR2/ALX are known to control neutrophil chemotaxis in response to various ligands. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory mechanism of compound 43 (Cpd43), an FPR1 and FPR2/ALX dual agonist, on human neutrophil chemotaxis. Precedent stimulation of human peripheral blood neutrophils with Cpd43 rendered the cells unresponsive in calcium mobilization induced by interleukin-8, C5a, or leukotriene B₄. In addition, neutrophils pretreated with Cpd43 lost their chemotactic responses against these chemoattractants, wherein the expressions of chemoattractant receptors CXCR1, CXCR2, C5a receptor, and leukotriene B₄ receptor 1 on the surface of neutrophils were all diminished significantly by treatment with Cpd43. By evaluating its pharmacological effect on 341 molecules, including receptors and enzymes, we also confirmed that Cpd43 has a highly specific affinity to FPR1 and FPR2/ALX and does not show binding affinity to the other chemoattractant receptors. These results indicate a previously unrecognized inhibitory mechanism of Cpd43 on neutrophil chemotaxis: the induction of cross-desensitization of multiple chemoattractant receptors in human neutrophils through its FPR1 and FPR2/ALX dual agonism.

Topics: Cells, Cultured; Chemotaxis, Leukocyte; Complement C5a; Depression, Chemical; Dipeptides; Humans; Interleukin-8; Leukotriene B4; Neutrophils; Pyrazolones; Receptors, Formyl Peptide; Receptors, Lipoxin; Vitamin K

Compound 5 (Cpd 5), a K vitamin analog, has been shown to inhibit Hep3B human hepatoma cell growth in cultures and rat hepatoma growth in vivo through prolonged epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-extracellular response kinase (ERK) phosphorylation, and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) synergizes with Cpd 5 to enhance the inhibition of Hep3B cell and rat hepatoma growth. To explore the mechanisms mediating the HGF/Cpd 5 synergy, we examined the possible involvement of the Grb2-associated binder-1 (Gab1) docking protein because it interacts with both EGFR and HGF receptor c-Met pathways. We found that HGF enhanced Cpd 5-induced c-Met phosphorylation at Tyr-1349, a binding site for Gab1, resulting in increased c-Met binding to Gab1, and induced strong and prolonged Gab1 tyrosine phosphorylation. Prolonged Gab1 phosphorylation by HGF/Cpd 5 in turn enhanced the ability of Gab1 to bind to protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP2 and enhanced the activation of its downstream mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. In contrast, this same HGF/Cpd 5 treatment inhibited Gab1 binding to phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), leading to the inactivation of the PI3K-Akt pathway. The inhibition of Akt phosphorylation by HGF/Cpd 5 further activated the Raf-MEK-ERK signaling cascade via an Akt-Raf1 interaction, leading to strong and prolonged ERK phosphorylation. The transfection of Hep3B cells with mutated Gab1 (Gab1 Y627F), which had lost its ability to bind SHP2, antagonized HGF/Cpd 5-induced ERK phosphorylation, whereas the transfection of Hep3B cells with mutated Gab1 3YF, which lost its ability to bind PI3K, further enhanced HGF/Cpd 5-induced ERK phosphorylation and cell growth inhibition.. Gab1 plays a central role in regulating HGF/Cpd 5 synergy in their actions on Hep3B cell growth inhibition.

Topics: Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; Animals; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Cell Line, Tumor; Disease Models, Animal; Drug Synergism; Hepatocyte Growth Factor; Humans; Male; Phosphoproteins; Rats; Rats, Inbred F344; Signal Transduction; Vitamin K

We previously showed that prolonged and strong ERK phosphorylation induced by Compound 5 (Cpd 5), a Cdc25A protein phosphatase inhibitor, was involved in its mechanism of cell growth inhibition. To study the relationship between ERK phosphorylation and cell growth inhibition, we used Cpd 5 as a tool to investigate ERK-regulated c-Myc expression in Hep3B hepatoma cells. We found that ERK phosphorylation caused by Cpd 5 induced c-Myc phosphorylation, but suppressed c-Myc expression at the mRNA and protein levels. Furthermore, Cpd 5 inhibited c-Myc transcriptional activity and DNA binding ability, and this inhibition was antagonized by ERK kinase (MEK) inhibitor U-0126, implying that the ERK pathway was involved in regulating c-Myc expression. Since the participation of c-Myc protein in transcription requires its dimerization with Max protein, we examined the Myc-Max association in Cpd 5-treated cells and found that Cpd 5 suppressed Myc-Max dimerization. Transfection of Hep3B cells with mutated ERK (T188A/Y190F), which has lost its dual-phosphorylation sites, attenuated the actions of Cpd 5 on Myc-Max association. To further demonstrate whether Myc phosphorylation by Cpd 5-induced ERK activation was able to directly regulate c-myc gene expression, a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay was used to examine the binding of phospho-Myc to the c-myc promoter region. We found that phospho-Myc induced by Cpd 5 had lost its ability to bind to the c-myc promoter, whereas MEK inhibitor U-0126 antagonized this inhibitory effect. These data suggest that an increase in c-Myc phosphorylation in response to prolonged ERK phosphorylation negatively auto-regulates c-Myc gene expression, leading to the suppression of its target gene expression and cell cycle block.

Topics: Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; Blotting, Western; Butadienes; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; cdc25 Phosphatases; Cell Cycle; Cell Cycle Proteins; Cell Line, Tumor; Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay; Enzyme Activation; Enzyme Inhibitors; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Humans; Immunoprecipitation; Liver Neoplasms; Nitriles; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; Phosphorylation; Promoter Regions, Genetic; Protein Binding; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; RNA, Messenger; Signal Transduction; Transcription, Genetic; Transfection; Vitamin K

We have previously shown that Compound 5 (Cpd 5), an inhibitor of protein phosphatase Cdc25A, inhibits Hep3B human hepatoma cell growth. We now show that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), a hepatocyte growth stimulant, can strongly enhance Cpd 5-induced growth inhibition in Hep3B cells, and this enhancement in cell growth inhibition is correlated with a much stronger ERK phosphorylation when compared to cells treated with Cpd 5 or HGF separately. We found that HGF/Cpd 5-induced ERK phosphorylation and cell growth inhibition were mediated by Akt (protein kinase B) pathway, since combination HGF/Cpd 5 treatment of Hep3B cells inhibited Akt phosphorylation at Ser-473 and its kinase activity, which led to the suppression of Raf-1 phosphorylation at Ser-259. The suppression of Raf-1 Ser-259 phosphorylation caused the induction of Raf-1 kinase activity, as well as hyper-ERK phosphorylation. Transient transfection of Hep3B cells with dominant negative Akt c-DNA further enhanced both Cpd 5- and HGF/Cpd 5-induced ERK phosphorylation, while over-expression of wild-type Akt c-DNA diminished their effects. In contrast, HGF antagonized the growth inhibitory actions of Cpd 5 on normal rat hepatocytes, thus showing a selective effect on tumor cells compared to normal cells. Our data suggest that Akt kinase negatively regulates MAPK activity at the Akt-Raf level. Suppression of Akt activity by either combination HGF/Cpd 5 treatment or by dominant negative Akt c-DNA transfection antagonizes the Akt inhibitory effect on Raf-1, resulting in an enhancement of Cpd 5-induced MAPK activation and cell growth inhibition.

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; cdc25 Phosphatases; Cell Proliferation; Cells, Cultured; DNA, Complementary; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; Drug Synergism; Enzyme Inhibitors; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; Growth Inhibitors; Hepatocyte Growth Factor; Hepatocytes; Humans; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental; MAP Kinase Signaling System; Mutation; Phosphorylation; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; Proto-Oncogene Proteins; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf; Rats; Rats, Inbred F344; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Vitamin K

Protein phosphatases have been classified into two basic types, namely protein serine/threonine phosphatase (PP), and protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP). Cpd 5 is a selective inhibitor of cdc25 phosphatases, which belong to members of PTPs and regulate cell proliferation by controlling cyclin-dependent kinases (cdks). The present study was undertaken to investigate the potential utility of Cpd 5 as an anti-neoplastic agent for renal cell carcinomas (RCCs). Three renal cancer cell lines, 769P, Sw839, and A498 were used. The effects of Cpd 5 on the viability of renal cancer cell lines was analyzed using an Alamar Blue assay. Apoptosis was determined by flow cytometric TUNEL analysis. Changes in the expression of cdc25 phosphatases, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), and bcl-2 family proteins were detected using Western blot analysis. The apoptosis-inducing effect of Cpd 5 on human RCC tissue was analyzed through TUNEL staining of organ cultures from RCCs. Cpd 5 showed a strong cytotoxicity against all renal cancer cell lines with an apoptosis-inducing effect. All cell lines treated with Cpd 5 resulted in a down-regulation of cdc25A, cdc25B, and cdc25C, however, the MAPK pathways were not affected. In addition, the up-regulation of bax, and the down-regulation of bcl-2 and bcl-xL, was observed. In organ cultures from RCCs, TUNEL-positive apoptotic nuclei were observed when treated with Cpd 5. Cpd 5 was thus found to effectively inhibit the proliferation of human renal cancer cells while also inducing apoptosis by inhibiting cdc25 phosphatases and modulating bcl-2 family proteins. The administration of Cpd 5 may thus be an effective therapeutic approach for RCCs.

Topics: Apoptosis; bcl-2-Associated X Protein; bcl-X Protein; Blotting, Western; cdc25 Phosphatases; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Survival; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Enzyme Activation; Flow Cytometry; Humans; In Situ Nick-End Labeling; Kidney Neoplasms; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; Vitamin K

A systemic vitamin K analog, compound 5 (Cpd 5), possesses the ability to inhibit cell growth of tumor cells. Therefore, we investigated the effect of Cpd 5 in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines and evaluated its role in apoptosis. Human HCC cell lines were cultured and treated with Cpd 5. Apoptosis was assessed using DAPI staining and Annexin-V membrane staining. The expression of caspases, XIAP and Bcl-xL was also investigated. Cpd 5 decreased cell viability in a dose-dependent manner in two HCC cells (HLE and SK-Hep1) containing mutant p53, but not in the HepG2 cell line, which contained wild-type p53. Cpd 5-treated HLE and SK-Hep1 cells showed typical apoptotic features, nuclear condensation and nuclear fragmentation upon DAPI staining. Positive membranous staining for Annexin-V was also seen in these cells. Both caspase-8 and caspase-3 activities were up-regulated slightly. Pro-caspase-8 protein levels decreased slightly in both cells. Although the expression of Bcl-xL was not influenced by Cpd 5, that of XIAP decreased in HLE cells. However, the pan-caspase inhibitor, zVAD, could not significantly prevent Cpd 5-induced apoptosis and Cpd 5 could not augment TRAIL-induced apoptosis. These results demonstrate that Cpd 5 induced apoptosis in human HCC cell lines, mainly independently of caspase activities. This may contribute to its highly potent cytotoxicity toward HCC cells.

Topics: Apoptosis; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; bcl-X Protein; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Caspase Inhibitors; Caspases; Enzyme Inhibitors; Humans; Liver Neoplasms; Membrane Glycoproteins; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; Signal Transduction; TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; Vitamin K; X-Linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein

Thioalkyl K vitamin derivatives, like 2-(2-mercaptoethanol)-3-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone (Cpd 5), have been shown to inhibit both hepatoma cell growth and DNA synthesis in rat hepatocytes in vitro. We have here examined the tissue distribution, in vivo tolerance and growth inhibitory effects of a single injected dose of Cpd 5 in rats. Cpd 5 administered i.p. was sufficient to cause a 90% inhibition of the peak in DNA synthesis in rat liver 24 h after two-thirds partial hepatectomy (PH). However, DNA synthesis in post-PH, Cpd 5-treated rat livers did occur, but with a delay of 36 h. Dual phosphorylation of ERK2 was induced in rat liver dose-dependently as early as 0.5 h, but gradually returned to almost basal levels by 6 h after Cpd 5 treatment. The MEK1/2 inhibitor PD098059, administered in vivo 1 h prior to Cpd 5 treatment, antagonized both induction of ERK2 phosphorylation and inhibition of DNA synthesis in rat liver. Liver protein lysates post-PH exhibited protein phosphatase activity for phospho-ERK2, which was inhibited by Cpd 5. These results show that induction of ERK2 phosphorylation is likely involved in the mechanism by which Cpd 5 inhibits PH-induced DNA synthesis, probably as a result of its ability to inhibit the activity of ERK phosphatase(s).

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; DNA; Enzyme Inhibitors; Hepatectomy; Liver Regeneration; Male; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; Phosphorylation; Rats; Rats, Inbred F344; Tissue Distribution; Vitamin K

A synthetic vitamin K analog, compound 5 (Cpd 5), is a potent inhibitor of cell growth. The aim was to investigate whether c-Myc was involved in Cpd 5-induced cell growth inhibition.. Human hepotoma cells (Hep 3B) were cultured and treated with Cpd 5, and c-Myc protein expression and phosphorylation were investigated using Western blot analysis.. Cpd 5 was found to inhibit c-Myc protein expression and induce c-Myc phosphorylation in Hep 3B cells. The phosphorylation of c-Myc was induced by both Cpd 5-mediated persistent extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation and Cpd 5 increased glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) activity. When using GSK-3 inhibitor, SB216763, c-Myc phosphorylation was significantly decreased and c-Myc levels were restored in Cpd 5 treated cells, suggesting that Cpd 5-mediated increase of GSK-3 activity enhanced c-Myc degradation and resulted in reduction of c-Myc levels. The lower c-Myc levels were found to cause altered expression of two c-Myc target genes, growth arrest gene gadd45 and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC).. The results suggest that Cpd 5-mediated c-Myc phosphorylation resulted in enhanced c-Myc protein degradation and reduced c-Myc protein levels, which may contribute to cell growth inhibition by Cpd 5.

Topics: Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Cell Cycle Proteins; Cell Line, Tumor; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3; Growth Inhibitors; Humans; Liver Neoplasms; Nuclear Proteins; Ornithine Decarboxylase; Phosphorylation; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; Vitamin K

Three new N(1)-alkylcarbonyl-5-fluorouracil derivatives that are prodrugs of 5-fluorouracil (FU), one of them being a co-drug FU-retinoic acid (RA), were studied as potentially effective drugs against postsurgical proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). The stability of N(1)-octenoylFU (3), N(1)-lauroylFU (2), and N(1)-retinoylFU (4) in aqueous medium, their solubility in silicone oil (SiO), the kinetics of FU release in an in vitro system were determined. Compound 3 is very rapidly soluble in SiO. Its saturation concentration, reached after 6h, is 233 +/- 13 microg g(-1) SiO. Compound 2 is not very soluble in SiO but its kinetic of solubilization is fast. Its saturation concentration, reached after 2 days, is 27 +/- 2 microg g(-1) SiO. Compound 4 is poorly soluble in SiO. A concentration plateau, with a mean value of 4 microg g(-1) SiO, is reached after 4 days. The addition in SiO of 5% of a perfluorinated perhydrogenated alkene greatly improves the solubilization of compound 4. Two different types of FU release are observed. For compound 3, the release is fast and is achieved after 1 day. For compounds 2 and 4, the release is slower and is ended at 10 and 27 days, respectively. The solubility of the prodrugs in SiO is not correlated with their lipophilicity, whereas the release rate of FU decreased with increased lipophilicity of the prodrug. The most promising prodrug is compound 4 that slowly releases two active drugs (FU and RA) with a t (1/2 release) of 5.8 days. It might be interesting for the treatment of PVR. However, an in vivo study on an animal model of PVR is necessary to prove the efficacy of this formulation and to study its toxicity.

Topics: Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; Drug Stability; Fluorouracil; Kinetics; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Molecular Structure; Prodrugs; Silicone Oils; Solubility; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; Vitamin K; Vitreoretinopathy, Proliferative

Growth stimulation and inhibition are both associated with tyrosine phosphorylation. We examined the effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF), a growth stimulant, and compound 5 (Cpd 5), a protein-tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) inhibitor, which inhibits the growth of the same Hep3B hepatoma cells. We found that both EGF and Cpd 5 induced tyrosine phosphorylation of EGF receptor (EGFR) and ERK. However, the phosphorylation caused by EGF was transient and that caused by Cpd 5 was prolonged. Furthermore, Cpd 5 action caused a strong nuclear phospho-ERK signal and induced phospho-Elk-1, a nuclear target of ERK activation, in contrast to the weak effects of EGF. An ERK kinase assay demonstrated that ERK activated by Cpd 5 could phosphorylate its physiological substrate, Elk-1. The MEK inhibitors PD098056 and U0126 abrogated both the induction by Cpd 5 of phospho-ERK, its nuclear translocation and phospho-Elk-1 and also antagonized its growth inhibitory effects. Furthermore, phospho-ERK phosphatase and phospho-Elk-1 activities were lost from nuclear extracts from Cpd 5 treated, but not EGF treated cells. In conclusion, the data show that Cpd 5 causes growth inhibition as a consequence of prolonged ERK and Elk-1 phosphorylation, likely a result of inhibition of multiple PTPases, including those acting on phospho-EGFR, on phospho-ERK, and on phospho-Elk-1, in contrast to the kinase driven transient activation resulting from EGF.

Topics: Active Transport, Cell Nucleus; Cell Division; Cell Nucleus; DNA-Binding Proteins; Drug Interactions; Enzyme Inhibitors; Epidermal Growth Factor; ErbB Receptors; ets-Domain Protein Elk-1; Growth Inhibitors; Humans; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases; Phosphorylation; Protein Transport; Proto-Oncogene Proteins; Transcription Factors; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Vitamin K

Compound 5 (Cpd 5), a vitamin K analog, inhibits rat hepatocyte DNA synthesis and hepatoma cell growth. The aim of this study was to determine if the inhibitory effect of Cpd 5 on cell growth was related to apoptosis.. Isolated rat hepatocytes were cultured with Cpd 5, and mitogen-activated signaling pathway and apoptosis pathway were investigated using Western blot analysis.. When rat hepatocytes were cultured with Cpd 5 for 48 h, apoptosis was evident, which included characteristic morphological changes, DNA fragmentation, and the activation of caspase 3 (CPP 32)-like protease. Examination of upstream events of apoptosis pathway showed that the expression of Bax was induced and bcl-2 was inhibited by Cpd 5 treatment. Concomitant with the induction of apoptosis, Cpd 5 activated the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway. PD 98059, a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase inhibitor, and glutathione, an anti-thiol-oxidant, not only blocked Cpd 5-induced ERK phosphorylation, but also antagonized the activation of CPP-32, the altered Bcl-2/Bax expression, and DNA fragmentation.. The data suggest that the ERK signaling pathway may be involved in the regulation of rat hepatocyte apoptosis induced by Cpd 5.

Topics: Animals; Apoptosis; bcl-2-Associated X Protein; Caspase 3; Caspases; Enzyme Inhibitors; Flavonoids; Glutathione; Growth Inhibitors; Hepatocytes; Male; MAP Kinase Signaling System; Proto-Oncogene Proteins; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; Rats; Rats, Inbred F344; Vitamin K

The K-vitamin analog Cpd 5 or [2-(2-mercaptoethanol)-3-methyl-1,4-napthoquinone] is a potent cell growth inhibitor in vitro and in vivo, likely due to arylation of enzymes containing a catalytic cysteine. This results in inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) activity with resultant hyperphosphorylation of EGF receptors (EGFR) and ERK1/2 protein kinases, which are downstream to EGFR in the MAPK pathway. We used NR6 fibroblast cells, which lack endogenous EGFR and its variant cells transfected with different EGFR mutants to assess the contribution of the EGFR-mediated signaling pathway to Cpd 5-mediated ERK activation and cell growth inhibition. Cpd 5 treatment resulted in enhanced phosphorylation of EGFR at carboxyl-terminal tyrosines. This phosphorylation and activation of EGFR were found to be necessary neither for growth inhibition nor for the activation of the downstream kinases ERK1/2, since both occurred in EGFR-devoid mutant cells. U0126 and PD 098059, specific inhibitors of MEK1/2, the ERK1/2 kinases, antagonized both cell growth inhibition and ERK1/2 phosphorylation mediated by Cpd5. Cpd 5 was also found to inhibit ERK1/2 phosphatase(s) activity in lysates from all the cells tested, irrespective of their EGFR status. These results show that EGFR-independent ERK1/2 phosphorylation was involved in the mechanism of Cpd5 mediated growth inhibition. This is likely due to the observed antagonism of ERK phosphatase activity. A candidate PTPase was found to be Cdc25A, a recently identified ERK phosphatase.

Topics: cdc25 Phosphatases; Cell Division; Cells, Cultured; Enzyme Activation; Epidermal Growth Factor; ErbB Receptors; Fibroblasts; Growth Inhibitors; MAP Kinase Kinase 1; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; Mutation; Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases; Phosphorylation; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf; Reference Values; Time Factors; Transfection; Tyrosine; Vitamin K

Cdc25A, a dual-specificity protein phosphatase, plays a critical role in cell cycle progression. Although cyclin-dependent kinases are established substrates, Cdc25A may also affect other proteins. We have shown here that Cdc25A interacts with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) both physically and functionally in Hep3B human hepatoma cells. Cdc25A inhibitor Cpd 5, a vitamin K analog, inhibited Cdc25A activity in the Cdc25A-EGFR immunocomplex and consequently caused prolonged EGFR tyrosine phosphorylation. Both purified GST-Cdc25A protein and endogenous Hep3B cellular Cdc25A dephosphorylated tyrosine-phosphorylated EGFR, and Cpd 5 antagonized the phosphatase activity of Cdc25A. A functional Cdc25A-EGFR interaction was seen in NR-6 fibroblasts expressing ectopic EGFR but not with a receptor lacking the C terminus or a mutated kinase domain. These data link the cell cycle control Cdc25A phosphatase to an EGFR-linked mitogenic signaling pathway specifically involving EGFR dephosphorylation.

Topics: 3T3 Cells; Animals; Blotting, Western; cdc25 Phosphatases; Cell Division; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; ErbB Receptors; Fibroblasts; Glutathione Transferase; Growth Inhibitors; Humans; Mice; Mutation; Phosphorylation; Precipitin Tests; Protein Binding; Protein Structure, Tertiary; Signal Transduction; Time Factors; Transfection; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Tyrosine; Vitamin K

2-(2-hydroxy-ethylsulfanyl)-3-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone or CPD-5, a K vitamin analog, was previously indicated to be a potent growth inhibitor for Hep 3B hepatoma cells in vitro. Here, we show that CPD-5 and two newly synthesized analogs, 2-(2-hydroxy-ethylsulfanyl)-3-methyl-5- nitro-1,4-naphthoquinone (PD-37) and 2-(2-hydroxy-ethylsulfanyl)-3- methyl-5-acetylamino-1,4-naphthoquinone (PD-42), are potent growth inhibitors of 13 different human cancer cell lines, with IC50 values in the range of 3-54 microM. Phospho-ERK was induced by each of three K vitamin analogs in every cell line in a dose-dependent manner, at growth inhibitory doses. ERK phosphorylation and growth inhibitory effects were strongly correlated, with p=0.0080 for CPD-5, p=0.0076 for PD-37 and p=0.0251 for PD-42. The induction of phospho-ERK and growth inhibition were antagonized by thiol-containing anti-oxidants, but not by catalase, consistent with a possible arylating mechanism. The data show a novel class of growth inhibitors with a wide spectrum of action that induces ERK hyper-phosphorylation, as a possible new growth inhibitory feature.

Topics: Antioxidants; Blotting, Western; Cell Division; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; ErbB Receptors; Humans; Inhibitory Concentration 50; Liver Neoplasms; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; Neoplasms; Phosphorylation; Precipitin Tests; Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met; Sulfhydryl Compounds; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Vitamin K