3-(1-deoxyribofuranosyl)benzamide and Carcinoma--Non-Small-Cell-Lung

Benzamide riboside (BR) is a novel anticancer agent exhibiting pronounced activity against several human tumor cell lines via the inhibition of inosine 5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH), thereby restricting the biosynthesis of guanylates. Although it has been demonstrated that BR inhibits IMPDH and induces apoptosis, however, not much attention has been directed to the mechanism of apoptosis induction by this compound. The purpose of the present investigation was to investigate the mechanism of cytotoxicity induced by BR in human lung cancer cells. Non-small cell lung cancer [NSCLC] is the most prevalent type of lung cancer especially in India, and displays resistance to anticancer treatment. The results reveal that BR at a dose of 50 microM induces apoptosis in NSCLC H520 cells. This was ascertained by alteration in cellular morphology, TUNEL assay and flow cytometry. While Bax protein level was unaffected there was down regulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein and up regulation of p53 as observed by Western blotting. Induction of apoptosis was accompanied by significant increase in caspase-3 activity. BR is a potent growth inhibitory pro-drug rationally synthesized to mimic NAD and inhibits PARP at high concentrations when assayed in permeabilized leukemic cells. Our observations showed that increased caspase-3 activity was accompanied by PARP cleavage. We also observed release of cytochrome c from mitochondria to the cytosol whereas no change was seen in the levels of apoptosis inducing factor (AIF). These findings indicate that BR induces apoptosis in H520 cells via the intrinsic mitochondrial pathway.

Topics: Antineoplastic Agents; Apoptosis; Blotting, Western; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung; Caspase 3; Caspases; Flow Cytometry; Humans; IMP Dehydrogenase; In Situ Nick-End Labeling; Lung Neoplasms; Mitochondria; Nucleosides; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53

Benzamide riboside exhibits significant cytotoxicity against a variety of human tumor cells in culture. On the basis of metabolic studies, the primary target of this drug's action appears to be IMP dehydrogenase (IMPDH). Incubation of human myelogenous leukemia K562 cells with an IC50 concentration of benzamide riboside resulted in an expansion of IMP pools (5.9-fold), with a parallel reduction in the concentration of GMP (90%), GDP (63%), GTP (55%) and dGTP (40%). On kinetic grounds, it was deduced that benzamide riboside (whose Ki versus IMPDH is 6.4 mM, while that of its 5'-monophosphate is 3.9 mM) or its 5'-monophosphate were unlikely to be responsible for inhibition of this target enzyme, IMPDH, since only micromolar concentrations of benzamide riboside were needed to exert potent inhibition of tumor-cell growth. Studies on the metabolism of this C-nucleoside have revealed the presence of a new peak eluting in the nucleoside diphosphate area on HPLC. Treatment of this peak with venom phosphodiesterase degraded it and concurrently nullified its inhibitory activity versus IMPDH; alkaline phosphatase, on the other hand, totally failed to digest the anabolite. These results suggest that the metabolite in question is the phosphodiester, benzamide adenine dinucleotide (BAD). Evidence that the inhibitor was an analog of NAD, wherein the nicotinamide moiety has been replaced by benzamide, was provided by both NMR and mass spectrometric analysis and confirmed by enzymatic synthesis. Further insight into the nature of the active principle was obtained from kinetic studies, which established that BAD competitively inhibited NAD utilization by partially purified IMPDH from K562 cells with a Ki of 0.118 microM. In concert, these studies establish that benzamide riboside exhibits potent antiproliferative activity by inhibiting IMPDH through BAD.

Topics: Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung; Colonic Neoplasms; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; Guanosine; Humans; IMP Dehydrogenase; Leukemia, Myeloid; Lung Neoplasms; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Mass Spectrometry; Nucleosides; Nucleotides; Ribonucleotides; Tumor Cells, Cultured