Synergistic Interaction between 5-FU and an Analog of Sulforaphane—2-Oxohexyl Isothiocyanate—In an In Vitro Colon Cancer Model

Combination therapy is based on the beneficial effects of pharmacodynamic interaction (synergistic or additive) between combined drugs or substances. A considerable group of candidates for combined treatments are natural compounds (e.g., isothiocyanates) and their analogs, which are tested in combination with anticancer drugs. We tested the anticancer effect of the combined treatment of isothiocyanate 2-oxohexyl isothiocyanate and 5-fluorouracil in colon and prostate cancer cell lines. The type of interaction was described using the Chou-Talalay method. The cytostatic and cytotoxic activities of the most promising combined treatments were investigated. In conclusion, we showed that combined treatment with 5-fluorouracil and 2-oxohexyl isothiocyanate acted synergistically in colon cancer. This activity is dependent on the cytostatic properties of the tested compounds and leads to the intensification of their individual cytotoxic activity. The apoptotic process is considered to be the main mechanism of cytotoxicity in this combined treatment.     

Zeolitic Imidazolate framework-8 as efficient pH-sensitive drug delivery vehicle

Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 (ZIF-8), for the first time for ZIFs, exhibits a remarkable capacity for the anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), around 660 mg of 5-FU/g of ZIF-8, and presents a pH-triggered controlled drug release property. These prove ZIF-8 to be a valuable candidate for delivery of anticancer agents and reveal its potential applications in the treatment of cancer.     

Simultaneous HPLC determination of 5-fluorouracil and its metabolites in plasma of cancer patients

5-Fluorouracil (5-Fu) is a commonly used anticancer agent for treatment of solid tumours. Certain studies have reported conflicting results between individual plasma concentration levels and toxicity or therapeutic effects. For this reasons some authors proposed to evaluate the plasma levels of 5-Fu metabolites 5-fluorouridine, 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine and 5-fluoro-5,6-dihydro-uracil. The aim of the present work is to develop and validate a new HPLC method simultaneously determining 5-fluorouracil and its three metabolites, to be used to study the plasma levels, therapeutic effects and toxicity in cancer patients. The analytes were separated on a 4.6 x 250 mm ODS1 (5 micro m) not end-capped column, operating at room temperature. Elution was performed under isocratic conditions, employing a 1.5 mM K(3)PO(4) mobile phase (pH 5). 5-Bromo-5,6-dihydro-uracil was used as internal standard. The limits of quantitation were 0.5 micro g/mL for 5-fluorouracil, 1 micro g/mL for 5-fluoro-5,6-dihydro-uracil, 3 micro g/mL for 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine and 5-fluorouridine; the stability, recovery, linearity, accuracy and specificity of the compounds were evaluated according to the criteria widely accepted. Using this method we measured plasma samples of 18 cancer patients treated with folinic acid (100 mg/m(2)) by intravenous administration, followed by an i.v. bolus of 5-Fu (400 mg/m(2)). The concentration levels of 5-fluorouracil and for 5-fluoro-5,6-dihydro-uracil were detectable in all the subjects while 5-fluorouridine and 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine were present only in eight patients.     

Emerging Implications of Nonmammalian Cytosine Deaminases on Cancer Therapeutics

Nonmammalian cytosine deaminases (CDs) have been investigated for last 30?years in the context of cancer therapy. The therapeutic effect of CD is based on its ability to catalyze the conversion of nontoxic prodrug 5-fluorocytosine (5FC) into the anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5FU) by deamination of the number 4 carbon of 5FC. This deamination property of CD has been explored to develop innovative therapeutic approach for treatment of cancer. A general overview is needed for the identification of efficient cytosine deaminases for potential use in cancer therapy. In this review, we have discussed about nonmammalian CDs for a variety of prodrug gene/enzyme therapy applications with several recent examples. Finally, we have provided a prospective on the future aspects of CDs and their applications in cancer therapy.     

Synthesis of Novel Derivatives of 4'-Demethyl-epipodophyllotoxin

Etoposide and Teniposide are used clinically in the treatment of various cancers, but their low solubility in water and high toxicity have being stimulated people to synthesize new active analoges. 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) has been shown to be active in the treatment of rectal cancer, colonic cancer and matadenoma for fourty years. Because of obvious first-pass metabolism and low lipophilicities, its activity of antitumor have been decreased. A number of experiments showed that the drug must permeate the member of cell and bring into effect of drug. Considering the synergy effect of drugs, we had synthesized four novel etoposide analoges.     

A novel pH-sensitive (±)-α-tocopherol-5-fluorouracil adduct with antioxidant and anticancer properties

A novel pH-sensitive (±)-α-tocopherol-5-fluorouracil (VE-5-FU) adduct with antioxidant and anticancer properties for antioxidant-based cancer chemoprevention was synthesized and utilized for selective drug release in the stomach.     

Transport and toxicity of 5-fluorouracil,doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide in in vitro placental barrier model based on BeWo b30 cells

An in vitro placental barrier model based on human choriocarcinoma BeWo b30 cell line was considered as a method of preclinical study of the transport and toxicity of antitumor agents and other organic compounds. Low permeabilities were found for 5-fluorouracil as an example of hydrophilic compound and for doxorubicin as an example of a lipophilic compound with a high degree of binding to proteins and DNA and a high permeability was found for cyclophosphamide as an example of lipophilic compound with a low degree of binding to proteins. Using impedance spectrometry and cell viability assessment via reduction of resazurin to resorufin, a pronounced cytotoxic effect of doxorubicin and good tolerance of 5-fluorouracil and cyclophosphamide by the cells were shown for drug concentrations equal to the maximum concentrations in the patients’ blood during the treatment of breast cancer.

     

5-氟尿嘧啶-1-烷氧苯基三间氯苯基卟啉的合成及其体外抗癌活性

为提高5-氟尿嘧啶抗癌的靶向性,降低其不良反应,合成了5种新型卟啉-5-氟尿嘧啶衍生物及其Mn3+配合物,优化了合成反应条件,探索了目标化合物的分离方法。 通过IR、UV-Vis、1H NMR和ESI-MS对化合物结构和组成进行了确认。 采用四甲基偶氮唑蓝(MTT)比色法,以5-氟尿嘧啶为阳性对照药,测试了卟啉化合物对5种肿瘤细胞的体外抑制活性。 初筛结果显示,化合物D3对人卵巢癌细胞Sk-ov-3有较强的抑制作用。     

In Vitro Electrochemical Study on Combined Cytotoxicity of 5-Fluorouracil and Three Types of Nanoparticles Against MG-63 Cells

The individual and combined cytotoxicity of 5-fluorouracil and the three nanoparticles, silica, selenium, and gold nanoparticles against human osteosarcoma MG-63 cells were investigated by using cyclic voltammetry and microscopic observation, respectively. It is found that both the drug and the nanoparticles were able to inhibit cell proliferation in a dose-dependent way and the inhibition efficiency of Au NPs was most prominent. The combination of 5-FU with high-concentration SiO₂ NPs and Se NPs presented a simple-addition and synergistic effect, respectively. The present work may be conducive for the exploration of the applications of nanoparticles in biomedicine and cancer treatment.     

Coptidis Rhizoma Extract Reverses 5-Fluorouracil Resistance in HCT116 Human Colorectal Cancer Cells via Modulation of Thymidylate Synthase

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a malignancy of the colon or rectum. It is ranked as the third most common cancer in both men and women worldwide. Early resection permitted by early detection is the best treatment, and chemotherapy is another main treatment, particularly for patients with advanced CRC. A well-known thymidylate synthase (TS) inhibitor, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), is frequently prescribed to CRC patients; however, drug resistance is a critical limitation of its clinical application. Based on the hypothesis that Coptidis Rhizoma extract (CRE) can abolish this 5-FU resistance, we explored the efficacy and underlying mechanisms of CRE in 5-FU-resistant (HCT116/R) and parental HCT116 (HCT116/WT) cells. Compared to treatment with 5-FU alone, combination treatment with CRE and 5-FU drastically reduced the viability of HCT116/R cells. The cell cycle distribution assay showed significant induction of the G0/G1 phase arrest by co-treatment with CRE and 5-FU. In addition, the combination of CRE and 5-FU notably suppressed the activity of TS, which was overexpressed in HCT116/R cells, as compared to HCT116/WT cells. Our findings support the potential of CRE as an adjuvant agent against 5-FU-resistant colorectal cancers and indicate that the underlying mechanisms might involve inhibition of TS expression.     

Parallel G-quadruplex Structures Increase Cellular Uptake and Cytotoxicity of 5-Fluoro-2′-deoxyuridine Oligomers in 5-Fluorouracil Resistant Cells

Fluoropyrimidines, such as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and related prodrugs have been considered first-line chemotherapy agents for the treatment of colorectal cancer. However, poor specificity and tumor cell resistance remain major limiting bottlenecks. G-quadruplexes, have been suggested as preferred nanostructures for enhancing cellular uptake mediated by G-quadruplex binding proteins which are abundant at the membranes of some tumor cells. In the current study, we propose a new strategy to deliver 5-fluoro-2′-deoxyuridine (5-FdU) monophosphate, the main active drug from 5-FU derivatives that may circumvent the cellular mechanisms of FU-resistant cancer cells. Two G-quadruplexes delivery systems containing four and six G-tetrads ((TG₄T) and (TG₆T)) linked to a FdU oligonucleotide were synthesized. Biophysical studies show that the G-quadruplex parallel structures are not affected by the incorporation of the 5 units of FdU at the 5’-end. Internalization studies confirmed the ability of such G-quadruplex nanostructures to facilitate the transport of the FdU pentamer and increase its cytotoxic effect relative to conventional FU drug in FU-resistant colorectal cancer cells. These results suggest that FdU oligomers linked to G-quadruplex parallel sequences may be a promising strategy to deliver fluoropyrimidines to cancer cells.     

MP2 study on the hydrogen-bonding interaction between 5-fluorouracil and DNA bases: A,C,G,T

The 5-fluorouracil is a pyrimidine analog effective in the treatment of cancer. In this work, we present the hydrogen-bonding base pairs involving 5-FU bound to the four bases in DNA: adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine. Full geometry optimizations have been performed for the studied complexes by MP2 method. The interaction energies were corrected for the basis-set superposition error, using the full Boys-Bernardi counterpoise correction scheme. Hydrogen-bonding patterns of these base pairs were characterized using NBO analysis and AIM analysis. According to the calculated binding energies and structural parameters, the stability of the base pairs decrease in the following order: 5-FU:A > 5-FU:G > 5-FU:T > 5-FU:C.     

Highly sensitive method for the determination of 5-fluorouracil in biological samples in the presence of 2'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A highly sensitive and convenient gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric (GC-MS) method is described for the determination of 5-fluorouracil in the presence of 2'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine (which breaks down into 5-fluorouracil during ordinary GC derivatization) in biological samples such as plasma and urine. After extraction with ethyl acetate, 5-fluorouracil and 5-chlorouracil, the latter being used as an internal standard, were converted into their tert.-butyldimethylsilyl derivatives by allowing the mixture to stand for 30 min at room temperature and were assayed by electron-impact ionization GC-MS. Under these conditions, 2'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine did not decompose or interfere with the determination of 5-fluorouracil. The assay method, including the extraction and tert.-butyldimethylsilyl derivatization of 5-fluorouracil, showed good linearity in the range 0-100 ng/ml for 5-fluorouracil in plasma (detection limit 0.5 ng/ml) and urine (detection limit 1 ng/ml). The usefulness of this method was demonstrated by determining plasma concentrations of 5-fluorouracil in rats treated intravenously with 5-fluorouracil and 2'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine.     

Poly(alkylcyanoacrylate) colloidal particles as vehicles for antitumour drug delivery: a comparative study

Because of the fundamental importance of new therapeutic routes for cancer treatment, a number of systems based on colloidal particles as vehicles for the delivery of chemotherapeutic agents have been devised. The target is always to provide the proper dose of the antitumour agent only at the desired locus of action, thus reducing the unwanted side effects. The systems studied in this work are nanospheres of the biodegradable polymers poly(ethyl-2-cyanoacrylate), poly(butylcyanoacrylate), poly(hexylcyanoacrylate) and poly(octylcyanoacrylate), all suitable for parenteral administration, as vehicles for 5-fluorouracil, a well studied drug used for the treatment of solid tumours. Two loading methods have been analyzed: the first one is based on drug addition during the process of generation of the particles, by an anionic emulsion/polymerization procedure, and the subsequent drug trapping in the polymeric network. The second method is based on surface adsorption in already formed nanoparticles, after incubation in the drug solution. A detailed investigation of the capabilities of the polymer particles to load this drug is described. The main factors determining the drug incorporation to the polymer network were the type of monomer, the pH and the drug concentration. The release kinetics of 5-fluorouracil is found to be controlled by the pH of the release medium, the type of drug incorporation and the type of polymer.     

Synthesis and bioevaluation of 5-fluorouracil derivatives

A series of six novel 5-fluorouracil derivatives 1-6 were synthesized and their structures confirmed by (1)H- and (13)C-NMR, MS and elemental analysis. The preliminary in vitro antitumor activities against B16, K562 and CHO cells and the in vivo inhibitions of liver cancer H(22) demonstrated that some of these compounds effectively inhibit the growth of tumor cells, but the in vivo trials in mice revealed that the compounds also exhibited serious liver and lung tissue toxicity. The hydrolysis experiments indicated that this type of compound did not readily liberate 5-fluorouracil, as expected.     

N-哌嗪烷基酰胺类化合物的合成与DNA相互作用及生理活性

为研究多胺类化合物的抗肿瘤活性, 合成了9个哌嗪烷基酰胺衍生物, 其结构经¹H NMR, MS及元素分析确证. 合成的化合物与三个作为酰化剂的消炎药物萘普生、布洛芬和联苯乙酸及抗癌药物五氟尿嘧啶一并对人口腔上皮癌细胞(KB)、人肺癌细胞(A-549)、乳腺癌细胞(MDA)、人肝癌细胞(Bel-7402)四种肿瘤细胞进行了体外抑制率测试. 结果表明, 所合成的化合物对KB细胞和Bel-7402细胞有正抑制作用, 但对A-549和MDA细胞呈负抑制作用, 意外的是四种商品药物也有类似结果. 还测试了对酪氨酸激酶的抑制作用, 未发现明显活性. 联苯乙酸和N-2-哌嗪基-乙基-4-联苯乙酰胺对DNA荧光光谱的影响表明联苯乙酸可嵌入DNA而后者没有表现出多胺衍生物与DNA的嵌入式作用.     

Photoinduced CO release, cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of a tris(pyrazolyl)methane (tpm) manganese tricarbonyl complex

Cell viability studies of HT29 colon cancer cells treated with the CO-releasing compound [Mn(CO)(3)(tpm)]PF(6) revealed a significant photoinduced cytotoxicity comparable to that of established agent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), while controls kept in the dark were unaffected at up to 100 microM.     

5-Fluorouracil derivatives ⅩⅩⅢ. Synthesis and antitumor activities of 1-carbamoyl-5-fluorouracils having aromatic ring

In order to get good antitumor agents especially better than 5-fluorouracil,tegafur and l-hexylcarbamoyl-5-fluorouracil (HCFU),fourty nine 1-carbamoyl-5-fluorouracil having aromatic ring were synthesized from 5-fluorouracil and isocyanates or amines.Antitumor activity was tested in the L-1210 tumor system,and 5 compounds gave better value of therapeutic ratio than 5-fluorouracil,tegafur,HCFU.l-(4-Methoxybenzylcarbamoyl)-5-fluorouracil gave the best result.     

New In Vitro-In Silico Approach for the Prediction of In Vivo Performance of Drug Combinations

Pharmacokinetic (PK) studies improve the design of dosing regimens in preclinical and clinical settings. In complex diseases like cancer, single-agent approaches are often insufficient for an effective treatment, and drug combination therapies can be implemented. In this work, in silico PK models were developed based on in vitro assays results, with the goal of predicting the in vivo performance of drug combinations in the context of cancer therapy. Combinations of reference drugs for cancer treatment, gemcitabine and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and repurposed drugs itraconazole, verapamil or tacrine, were evaluated in vitro. Then, two-compartment PK models were developed based on the previous in vitro studies and on the PK profile reported in the literature for human patients. Considering the quantification parameter area under the dose-response-time curve (AUC_effect) for the combinations effect, itraconazole was the most effective in combination with either reference anticancer drugs. In addition, cell growth inhibition was itraconazole-dose dependent and an increase in effect was predicted if itraconazole administration was continued (24-h dosing interval). This work demonstrates that in silico methods and AUC_effect are powerful tools to study relationships between tissue drug concentration and the percentage of cell growth inhibition over time.     

5-Fluorouracil derivatives XXIII. Synthesis and antitumor activities of 1-carbamoyl-5-fluorouracils having aromatic ring

In order to get good antitumor agents especially better than 5-fluorouracil, tegafur and l-hexylcarbamoyl-5-fluorouracil (HCFU), fourty nine 1-carbamoyl-5-fluorouracil having aromatic ring were synthesized from 5-fluorouracil and isocyanates or mines. Antitumor activity was tested in the L1210 tumor system, and 5 compounds gave better value of therapeutic ratio than 5-fluorouracil, tegafur, HCFU. 1-(4-Methoxybenzylcarbamoyl)-5-fluorouracil gave the best result.