discodermolide and Ovarian-Neoplasms

The natural product (+)-discodermolide (DDM) is a microtubule stabilizing agent and potent inducer of senescence. We refined the structure of DDM and evaluated the activity of novel congeners in triple negative breast and ovarian cancers, malignancies that typically succumb to taxane resistance. Previous structure-activity analyses identified the lactone and diene as moieties conferring anticancer activity, thus identifying priorities for the structural refinement studies described herein. Congeners possessing the monodiene with a simplified lactone had superior anticancer efficacy relative to taxol, particularly in resistant models. Specifically, one of these congeners, B2, demonstrated 1) improved pharmacologic properties, specifically increased maximum response achievable and area under the curve, and decreased EC

Topics: A549 Cells; Alkanes; Area Under Curve; Carbamates; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Survival; Crystallography, X-Ray; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; Female; Humans; Lactones; Molecular Structure; Ovarian Neoplasms; Pyrones; Taxoids; Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms; Tubulin Modulators

Epothilone B (EpoB), like Taxol, stabilizes microtubules resulting in an inhibition of microtubule dynamic instability. The drug is being evaluated in phase III clinical trials. An EpoB analog, Ixabepilone, was approved by the FDA for the treatment of taxane-resistant metastatic breast cancer. Epithelial cell adhesion antigen (EpCAM) expression is significantly higher in epithelial ovarian cancer cells compared to normal cells. The effects of EpoB and other microtubule-interacting agents on surface EpCAM expression were studied.. Biochemical methods, immunofluorescence and flow cytometry were used to identify EpCAM expression on the surface of the ovarian cancer cell line, Hey, after exposure to EpoB. The relationship between EpoB-mediated surface EpCAM expression and EpoB-induced α-tubulin acetylation, a surrogate marker for stable microtubules, in Hey cells also was investigated.. Nanomolar concentrations of EpoB, Taxol, discodermolide or vinblastine caused a marked increase in surface EpCAM expression in Hey cells. Alpha-tubulin acetylation was increased following treatment with Taxol, EpoB and discodermolide, but not with vinblastine, indicating that drug-enhanced surface EpCAM expression does not correlate with tubulin acetylation or stabilization. Unexpectedly, EpoB did not have a significant effect on EpCAM mRNA expression, nor did it alter the level of total cellular EpCAM in Hey cells.. The results indicate that disruption of the microtubule cytoskeleton is associated with the redistribution of cell surface antigens in ovarian cancer cells. The increase in cell surface EpCAM antigen density may facilitate the antibody targeting of EpCAM-positive ovarian cancer cells.

Topics: Acetylation; Alkanes; Antigens, Neoplasm; Carbamates; Cell Adhesion Molecules; Cell Line, Tumor; Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule; Epothilones; Female; Humans; Hydroxamic Acids; Lactones; Ovarian Neoplasms; Paclitaxel; Pyrones; Tubulin; Tubulin Modulators; Vinblastine

Compounds that bind to microtubules (MTs) and alter their dynamics are highly sought as a result of the clinical success of paclitaxel and docetaxel. The naturally occurring compound (-)-dictyostatin binds to MTs, causes cell cycle arrest in G(2)/M at nanomolar concentrations, and retains antiproliferative activity in paclitaxel-resistant cell lines, making dictyostatin an attractive candidate for development as an antineoplastic agent. In this study, we examined a series of dictyostatin analogs to probe biological and biochemical structure-activity relationships. We used a high-content multiparameter fluorescence-based cellular assay for MT morphology, chromatin condensation, mitotic arrest, and cellular toxicity to identify regions of dictyostatin that were essential for biological activity. Four analogs (6-epi-dictyostatin, 7-epi-dictyostatin, 16-normethyldictyostatin, and 15Z,16-normethyldictyostatin) retained low nanomolar activity in the cell-based assay and were chosen for analyses with isolated tubulin. All four compounds were potent inducers of MT assembly. Equilibrium binding constant (K(i)) determinations using [(14)C]epothilone B, which has a 3-fold higher affinity for the taxoid binding site than paclitaxel, indicated that 6-epi-dictyostatin and 7-epi-dictyostatin displaced [(14)C]epothilone B with K(i) values of 480 and 930 nM, respectively. 16-Normethyldictyostatin and 15Z,16-normethyldictyostatin had reduced affinity (K(i) values of 4.55 and 4.47 muM, respectively), consistent with previous reports showing that C16-normethyldictyostatin loses potency in paclitaxel-resistant cell lines that have a Phe270-to-Val mutation in the taxoid binding site of beta-tubulin. Finally, we developed a set of quantitative structure-activity relationship equations correlating structures with antiproliferative activity. The equations accurately predicted biological activity and will help in the design of future analogs.

Topics: Alkanes; Animals; Benzimidazoles; Binding Sites; Brain Chemistry; Carbamates; Carcinoma; Cattle; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Nucleus; Cell Proliferation; Epothilones; Female; Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; Fluorescent Dyes; G2 Phase; HeLa Cells; Histones; Humans; Kinetics; Lactones; Macrolides; Microtubules; Molecular Structure; Ovarian Neoplasms; Paclitaxel; Phosphorylation; Protein Binding; Pyrones; Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship; Radioligand Assay; Tubulin; Tubulin Modulators

To evaluate the drug combination of discodermolide and Taxol in human ovarian cancer cells and in an in vivo model of ovarian carcinoma.. The combination index method was used to evaluate the interaction of Taxol and discodermolide in human ovarian SKOV-3 carcinoma cells. Data were correlated with alterations in cell cycle distribution and caspase activation. In addition, SKOV-3 xenograft-bearing mice were treated with either Taxol, discodermolide, or a combination of both drugs given concurrently to evaluate the antitumor efficacy and toxicity of this combination. The Matrigel plug assay and CD31 immunohistochemistry were done to assess antiangiogenic effects.. Taxol and discodermolide interact synergistically over a range of concentrations and molar ratios that cause drug-induced aneuploidy in ovarian carcinoma cells. In SKOV-3 xenograft-bearing mice, the combination is significantly superior to either single agent, and induces tumor regressions without notable toxicities. Immunohistochemical analysis of CD31 and Matrigel plug analysis show decreased vessel formation in mice treated with the combination relative to either drug alone.. The synergistic activity of Taxol and discodermolide in cells is most potent at drug concentrations that result in drug-induced aneuploidy rather than mitotic arrest. Moreover, in an animal model of ovarian carcinoma, this is a well-tolerated combination that induces tumor regressions and suppresses angiogenesis. These data confirm the potency of this combination and support the use of concurrent low doses of Taxol and discodermolide for potential use in cancer therapeutics.

Topics: Alkanes; Animals; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Carbamates; Caspases; Cell Cycle; Cell Line, Tumor; Drug Synergism; Enzyme Activation; Female; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Lactones; Mice; Neovascularization, Pathologic; Ovarian Neoplasms; Paclitaxel; Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; Pyrones; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Novel, simplified analogues of the microtubule-stabilizing anticancer agent laulimalide, including the first derivatives with unnatural side chains, were designed by molecular modelling, synthesized by a late-stage diversification strategy, and evaluated in vitro for growth inhibition of human ovarian carcinoma cell lines (A2780, A2780/AD10).

Topics: Antineoplastic Agents; Cell Division; Cell Line, Tumor; Drug Design; Female; Humans; Macrolides; Models, Molecular; Molecular Conformation; Molecular Structure; Ovarian Neoplasms; Structure-Activity Relationship; Taxoids

[structure: see text] Two hybrid analogues of discodermolide and dictyostatin (3, 26) have been designed and synthesized. These are the first macrocyclic analogues of discodermolide and biological activities were evaluated and compared with linear discodermolide analogues.

Topics: Alkanes; Antineoplastic Agents; Breast Neoplasms; Carbamates; Female; Humans; Lactones; Macrolides; Ovarian Neoplasms; Pyrones; Tumor Cells, Cultured

The lactone-bearing polyhydroxylated alkatetraene (+)-discodermolide, which was isolated from the sponge Discodermia dissoluta, induces the polymerization of purified tubulin with and without microtubule-associated proteins or GTP, and the polymers formed are stable to cold and calcium. These effects are similar to those of paclitaxel (Taxol), but discodermolide is more potent. We confirmed that these properties represent hypernucleation phenomena; we obtained lower tubulin critical concentrations and shorter polymers with discodermolide than paclitaxel under a variety of reaction conditions. Furthermore, we demonstrated that discodermolide is a competitive inhibitor with [3H]paclitaxel in binding to tubulin polymer, with an apparent Ki value of 0.4 microM. Multidrug-resistant human colon and ovarian carcinoma cells overexpressing P-glycoprotein, which are 900- and 2800-fold resistant to paclitaxel, respectively, relative to the parental lines, retained significant sensitivity to discodermolide (25- and 89-fold more resistant relative to the parental lines). Ovarian carcinoma cells that are 20-30-fold more resistant to paclitaxel than the parental line on the basis of expression of altered beta-tubulin polypeptides retained nearly complete sensitivity to discodermolide. The effects of discodermolide on the reorganization of the microtubules of Potorous tridactylis kidney epithelial cells were examined at different times. Intracellular microtubules were reorganized into bundles in interphase cells much more rapidly after discodermolide treatment compared with paclitaxel treatment. A variety of spindle aberrations were observed after treatment with both drugs. The proportions of the different types of aberration were different for the two drugs and changed with the length of drug treatment.

Topics: Alkanes; Animals; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Binding, Competitive; Carbamates; Colonic Neoplasms; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; Female; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; Humans; Lactones; Microscopy, Electron; Microtubules; Ovarian Neoplasms; Paclitaxel; Pyrones; Rats; Tubulin; Tumor Cells, Cultured