Tumor localization and antitumor efficacy of novel sapphyrin compounds.

Abstract

Sapphyrins are pentapyrrolic metal-free expanded porphyrins with potential medical use as anticancer agents. The novel sapphyrin derivative, PCI-2050, functionalized with 2-[2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy]ethoxy groups to enhance solubility and a modified bipyrrole moiety was found to be more potent in inducing apoptosis than the previously described sapphyrin PCI-2000. Because some sapphyrins may localize to tumors, we took advantage of the intrinsic fluorescence of these compounds to develop a flow cytometry-based assay to track sapphyrin biodistribution in tumor-bearing mice. Ex vivo analysis of sapphyrin-injected animals revealed that PCI-2050 preferentially localized to tumor, whereas PCI-2000 distributed into normal tissues rather than tumor. PCI-2050 uptake in xenograft tumor cells and resultant tumor cell cytotoxicity was dose dependent. To investigate structure-activity relationships, we focused on PCI-2050 and three derivatives that differ by their alkyl substituents on the bipyrrole moiety: PCI-2051, PCI-2052, and PCI-2053. Treatment of Ramos cells in culture or treatment of Ramos xenograft-bearing animals with each of the sapphyrins followed by ex vivo growth of tumor cells revealed the same pattern of cytotoxicity: PCI-2050 > PCI-2052 > PCI-2051 > PCI-2053. Thus, subtle changes in the alkyl substituents on the bipyrrole moiety result in significant changes in antitumor activity. PCI-2050 displayed significant antitumor efficacy in both Ramos and RKO xenograft models without hematologic, hepatic, or renal abnormalities as assessed by complete blood counts and serum chemistries. On the basis of these findings, it is concluded that the sapphyrin PCI-2050 warrants further evaluation as a potential anticancer agent due to its intrinsic proapoptotic activity and tumor localization ability.

• Authors: Louie Naumovski, Mint Sirisawad, Philip Lecane, Jun Chen, Jason Ramos, Zhong Wang, Cecilia Cortez, Darren Magda, Patti Thiemann, Garry Boswell, Dale Miles, Dong Gyu Cho, Jonathan L Sessler, Richard Miller
• Journal: Molecular cancer therapeutics (Mol Cancer Ther) Vol. 5 Issue 11 Pg. 2798-805 (Nov 2006) ISSN: 1535-7163 [Print] United States
• PMID: 17121926 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents
• PCI 2000
• PCI 2050
• Porphyrins
• sapphyrin

Topics

• Animals
• Antineoplastic Agents (chemistry, pharmacokinetics, pharmacology)
• Apoptosis (drug effects)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Female
• Flow Cytometry
• Mice
• Neoplasms (metabolism)
• Porphyrins (chemical synthesis, chemistry, pharmacokinetics, pharmacology)
• Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays