The vascular targeting agent combretastatin-A4 and a novel cis-Restricted {beta}-Lactam Analogue, CA-432, induce apoptosis in human chronic myeloid leukemia cells and ex vivo patient samples including those displaying multidrug resistance

Lisa M Greene, Seema M Nathwani, Sandra A Bright, Darren Fayne, Aisling Croke, Maria Gagliardi, Anthony M McElligott, Lisa O'Connor, Miriam Carr, Niall O Keely, Niamh M O'Boyle, Peig Carroll, Balazs Sarkadi, Eibhlin Conneally, David G Lloyd, Mark Lawler, Mary J Meegan, Daniela M Zisterer, Mark Lawler

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

29 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Combretastatin-A4 (CA-4) is a natural derivative of the African willow tree Combretum caffrum. CA-4 is one of the most potent antimitotic components of natural origin, but it is, however, intrinsically unstable. A novel series of CA-4 analogs incorporating a 3,4-diaryl-2-azetidinone (β-lactam) ring were designed and synthesized with the objective to prevent cis -trans isomerization and improve the intrinsic stability without altering the biological activity of CA-4. Evaluation of selected β-lactam CA-4 analogs demonstrated potent antitubulin, antiproliferative, and antimitotic effects in human leukemia cells. A lead β-lactam analog, CA-432, displayed comparable antiproliferative activities with CA-4. CA-432 induced rapid apoptosis in HL-60 acute myeloid leukemia cells, which was accompanied by depolymerization of the microtubular network, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage, caspase-3 activation, and Bcl-2 cleavage. A prolonged G(2)M cell cycle arrest accompanied by a sustained phosphorylation of mitotic spindle checkpoint protein, BubR1, and the antiapoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and Bcl-x(L) preceded apoptotic events in K562 chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cells. Molecular docking studies in conjunction with comprehensive cell line data rule out CA-4 and β-lactam derivatives as P-glycoprotein substrates. Furthermore, both CA-4 and CA-432 induced significantly more apoptosis compared with imatinib mesylate in ex vivo samples from patients with CML, including those positive for the T315I mutation displaying resistance to imatinib mesylate and dasatinib. In summary, synthetic intrinsically stable analogs of CA-4 that display significant clinical potential as antileukemic agents have been designed and synthesized.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)302-13
Number of pages12
JournalThe Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics
Volume335
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2010

Keywords

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • Apoptosis
  • Azetidines
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Cycle
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cell Survival
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
  • Guaiacol
  • HL-60 Cells
  • Humans
  • K562 Cells
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Microtubules
  • Molecular Structure
  • Stereoisomerism
  • Stilbenes
  • Tubulin
  • beta-Lactams

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