n(7)-hydroxyethylguanine and Glioblastoma

The alkylation products formed by in vitro treatment of DNA with tritium-labeled 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea ((3)H-BCNU) were identified and quantified. Twelve adducts were resolved by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The principal DNA adducts formed by BCNU treatment corresponded to N-7-(2-hydroxyethyl)guanine (N7-HOEtG) (26%), N-7-(2-chloroethyl)guanine (15%), and phosphotriesters (19%). In addition, several minor products were identified as 1,2-(diguan-7-yl)ethane, N-1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-deoxyguanosine, 1-(N-1-2-deoxyguanosinyl), 2-(N-3-2-deoxycytidyl)ethane cross-link, and O-6-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-deoxyguanosine, and individually they represented 1% to 5% of the total alkylation. An HPLC-electrochemical method was applied to quantify the levels of N7-HOEtG in samples treated with BCNU. Treatment of either purified DNA or U87MG cells with various amounts of BCNU produced a linear increase in the amount of N7-HOEtG. These results demonstrated that the levels of N7-HOEtG formed by BCNU treatment could be used as a molecular dosimeter of BCNU treatment dose. We measured the levels of N7-HOEtG in DNA isolated from tumor samples taken from four patients with GBM tumors following stereotactic intratumoral injection with DTI-015 (BCNU-ethanol). The level of N7-HOEtG in these samples ranged from 14.7 to 121.9 micromol N7-HOETG/mol DNA within 1 cm of the site of injection. As the distance from the site of injection increased, the levels of N7-HOEtG in tumor DNA decreased. In two of the samples, the levels of N7-HOEtG were 0.2 to 0.3 micromol N7-HOETG/mol DNA at 3.5 to 3.9 cm from the site of injection, demonstrating significant distribution of BCNU in the tumor. The levels of N7-HOEtG in these tumor samples corresponded to BCNU treatment concentrations of 0.02 to 43.0 mM. These studies demonstrate that stereotactic intratumoral injection of DTI-015 into human GBM tumors produces high concentrations of BCNU up to 2.5 cm from the site of injection in some of the tumors. These observations suggest that intratumoral injection of DTI-015 may be of benefit in the treatment of primary and recurrent GBM tumors.

Topics: Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; Brain Neoplasms; Carmustine; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Cross-Linking Reagents; DNA, Neoplasm; Ethanol; Glioblastoma; Guanine; Humans; Injections, Intralesional; Tumor Cells, Cultured

The level of N7-(2-hydroxyethyl)guanine (N7-HOEtG), one of the DNA alkylation products formed by 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) treatment, was measured in human brain tumor samples by high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. The tumors from 6 recurrent chemotherapy-naive patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme were analyzed as controls. The mean level of N7-HOEtG in DNA of these specimens was 0.42 pmol/mg DNA. Samples were also obtained from a patient with a recurrent glioblastoma multiforme after direct intratumoral therapy with BCNU in ethanol (DTI-015). The levels of N7-HOEtG in the samples distal, medial, and adjacent to the site of injection were 0.8, 2.6, and 369.5 pmol/mg DNA, respectively. Comparison of the level of N7-HOEtG detected in the distal sample after injection with BCNU in ethanol with the mean level of the untreated samples indicated that it was not sufficiently different to be ruled out as a chance occurrence. Comparison of the levels of N7-HOEtG in the medial and adjacent brain tumor samples with the mean level of the control samples showed values that were approximately 6- and 879-fold higher. These results demonstrate that intratumoral administration of BCNU in ethanol produces significant levels of DNA alkylation and suggest that DNA adduct measurements provide a unique molecular dosimeter to evaluate delivery of alkylating agents to brain tumors.

Topics: Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; Biomarkers; Brain Chemistry; Brain Neoplasms; Carmustine; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Combined Modality Therapy; DNA Adducts; DNA Damage; DNA, Neoplasm; Glioblastoma; Guanine; Humans; Injections, Intralesional