bryostatin-1 and Weight-Loss

Bryostatin 1, a macrocyclic natural lactone isolated from a marine Bryozoan, has undergone phase I testing in humans. Side effects of treatment have included muscle pain and joint aches, a transient decrease in platelets, and the release of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) and IL-6 into the blood stream. In animals, anticancer activity has been demonstrated against murine leukemias, lymphomas, melanomas, and sarcomas. The mechanism of action of this compound depends in part on its ability to activate protein kinase C. To determine the biologic activity and toxicity of other members of the family of bryostatin compounds, we studied the ability of bryostatins 5 and 8 to inhibit the growth of murine melanoma K1735-M2. Bryostatins 1, 5, and 8 induced equivalent inhibition of melanoma growth, but bryostatins 5 and 8 induced less weight loss than bryostatin 1 (P < 0.001). Neither the injection of an antimurine TNF alpha antibody nor an adenovirus, which produces a mutated TNF receptor inhibiting TNF alpha activity, into mice had any effect on either bryostatin-induced weight loss or melanoma tumor growth inhibition. Using a novel competition assay, the levels of bryostatin in the plasma were measured. The approximate half-life (t1/2) of bryostatin was 8.62 min, the clearance (Cl) 3.53 ml/min and the AUC 322.20 nmol/l min. A similar result was obtained with each bryostatin analog. These results suggest that human testing of additional bryostatin analogs may yield compounds with similar antitumor activity but decreased side effects. A novel assay to measure the level of all bryostatins in the plasma of patients undergoing treatment is described.

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Biological Assay; Bryostatins; Lactones; Macrolides; Melanoma, Experimental; Mice; Protein Kinase C; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; Weight Loss

Bryostatin 1, a potent activator of protein kinase C, has antitumor activity against murine lymphoma, leukemia, and melanoma. In vitro, this compound stimulates the release of gamma-interferon, interleukins, and hematopoietic growth factors from accessory cells and activates both T- and B-cells. Bryostatin 1 is also able to stimulate neutrophils to undergo oxidative burst and degranulation. Because of the ability of this compound to stimulate the immune system, cause release of immune mediators, and activate neutrophils, we have examined its effect on bacterial infection by using the gram-negative bacterium Salmonella typhimurium in mice. We find that animals given injections i.v. of S. typhimurium have a shortened life span if they are also given injections i.p. of nonlethal doses of bryostatin 1. There is a dose-response relationship with 100 micrograms/kg bryostatin 1 having a greater effect on survival than 40 micrograms/kg. Below 40 micrograms/kg there are no effects on survival. Analysis of the first 4 h of Salmonella infection demonstrates that bryostatin 1 does not affect the blood clearance of the bacterium. However, by day 2 of infection greater numbers of bacteria are found in the livers and spleens of mice given injections of bryostatin 1. By day 5, 10-fold more S. typhimurium bacteria are found in the livers and spleens of mice receiving 40 micrograms/kg of bryostatin 1. To determine whether bryostatin 1 was affecting growth or causing the death of bacteria, we used a Salmonella carrying a plasmid which has a temperature-sensitive origin of replication and is unable to replicate when the bacteria are in mice. This experiment demonstrates that bryostatin 1 represses bacterial killing but does not affect bacterial growth. Bryostatin 1 given i.p. stimulates a transient syndrome of weight loss and diarrhea from which the mice recover and regain weight, suggesting that bryostatin 1 may release a number of important humoral mediators in vivo. The weight loss is exacerbated by Salmonella infection with mice receiving bryostatin 1 and S. typhimurium, in that they lose approximately 33% of body weight prior to death. Thus, at doses used to treat murine tumors, bryostatin 1 treatment does not affect the clearance of S. typhimurium from the blood but does decrease the killing of bacteria in the liver and spleen, leading to early animal death. Such potential effects of bryostatin 1 on the outcome of bacterial infections should be evaluated in ongoing hum

Topics: Animals; Bryostatins; Chronic Disease; Colony Count, Microbial; Diarrhea; Kanamycin Resistance; Lactones; Liver; Macrolides; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Plasmids; Salmonella Infections, Animal; Salmonella typhimurium; Spleen; Weight Loss