David S. Duch

Synthesis and antitumor activity of 2,4-diamino-6-(2,5-dimethoxybenzyl)-5-methylpyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine

The synthesis of 2,4-diamino-6-(2,5-dimethoxybenzyl)-5-methylpyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine (BW301U, 7) by a route that has general applicability to the preparation of many 6-(substituted benzyl)-5-methylpyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidines is described. The key intermediate, 2,4-diamino-7,8-dihydro-6-(2,5-dimethoxybenzyl)-5-methyl-7-oxopyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine (4), is converted to the 7-chloro compound 5 by treatment with a 1:1 complex of N,N-dimethylformamide--thionyl chloride, and 5 is hydrogenolyzed with palladium on charcoal in the presence of potassium hydroxide to yield 7. BW301U is a potent lipid-soluble inhibitor of mammalian dihydrofolate reductase and has significant activity against the Walker 256 carcinosarcoma in rats.

Biopterin cofactor biosynthesis: GTP cyclohydrolase, neopterin and biopterin in tissues and body fluids of mammalian species

Levels of GTP cyclohydrolase, neopterin and biopterin were determined in tissues and body fluids of humans, monkey, dog and mouse. Highest levels of GTP cyclohydrolase and biopterin were found in pineal, liver, spleen, bone marrow, whole adrenal gland and small intestine. High levels of biopterin were found in the urine of all species examined. High levels of neopterin were found only in the urine of humans and monkeys, very low levels could be detected in dog, while none could be detected in mouse, rat, guinea pig or hamster urine.

Urinary excretion of bioterin and neopterin in psychiatric disorders

Levels of urinary neopterin and biopterin were determined in patients having a diagnosis of schizophrenia, unipolar depression, or bipolar depression. Both neopterin and biopterin levels were significantly higher in the urine of patients with unipolar depression than in the urine of the control group. Subclassification of patients into primary and secondary depression demonstrated a significant elevation of urinary biopterin in both groups, whereas urinary neopterin was elevated only in those patients with primary depression. In patients with bipolar depression, neopterin excretion was elevated, but biopterin excretion did not differ from controls. No significant differences were found in schizophrenic patients.

Biosynthesis and function of tetrahydrobiopterin

Abstract Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH 4 ) belongs to the class of pteridines (fused pyrimidopyrazines) possessing a 2-amino-4-oxo substitution of the pyrimidine moiety. BH 4 is the coenzyme for tyrosine, tryptophan, and phenylalanine hydroxylases; for the glycerol ether monooxygenase; and probably for the arginine utilizing nitric oxide synthase in rodent macrophages. The function of BH 4 in these reactions derives from the ability of the cofactor to react directly with molecular oxygen to form an active oxygen intermediate that can hydroxylate substrate. In the hydroxylation process, the coenzyme loses two electrons and is regenerated in vivo in an NADH-dependent reduction catalyzed by DHPR. This review of BH 4 describes studies on biosynthesis, analysis, and the role of pterins in the immune response and in some diseases reported since our previous review. 1 For further general and more detailed information on BH 4 and other pterins, the reader is referred to the monograph series Chemistry and Biology of Pteridines and the three-volume set Folates and Pterins .

Analysis of folate cofactor levels in tissues using high-performance liquid chromatography

A method for the isolation and concentration of the monoglutamate forms of folate cofactors from tissues and for their subsequent separation and quantitation using HPLC coupled with uv detection at 284 nm is described. A chromatographic procedure utilizing Dowex 50 has been developed for the separation of the folate monoglutamates from a large portion of the nonfolate-related material following digestion of the polyglutamated forms with a highly purified preparation of rat liver conjugase. This chromatographic procedure combined with concentration of the Dowex eluate by lyophilization eliminates uv-absorbing material, which interferes with the detection and quantitation of the folate cofactors and makes possible uv measurement of the individual folates. Reverse-phase paired-ion chromatography on mu Bondapak C18 coupled with uv detection allows direct quantitation of the folates in the nanogram range.

Synchronization of cells in the S phase of the cell cycle by 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine: implications for cell cytotoxicity

The mechanism of synergy between 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine (AZT) and anticancer agents was inverstigated with emphasis on cell-cycle events. Exposure of exponentially growing WiDr human colon carcinoma cells to AZT resulted in synchronization of cells in the S phase of the cell cycle. Forllowing treatment with AZT at 50 or 200 μM, 62%±3% or 82%±4% of the cells were in the S phase as compared with 36%±2% in the control. Bromodeoxyuridine uptake studies revealed that the synchronized cells actively synthesized DNA. At concentrations of up to 200 μM, AZT produced a cytostatic rather than cytotoxic effect as indicated by viability and cell growth measurements. at 200 μM, AZT-induced synchronization was significant (P=<0.001) after 12 h of drug exposure, reached a maximum at 24 h, and reversed to baseline levels by 72 h even in the continued presence of the drug. This indicates that AZT-induced cytostasis is a transient and reversible effect. The cell-cycle events seen with AZT in WiDr cells were also observed in eight of nine human tumor cell lines tested. Isobologram analysis of WiDr cells preexposed to AZT for 24 h and then exposed to either AZT-5-fluorouracil or AZT-methotrexate for a further 72 h revealed synergy between AZT and the anticancer agents, indicating that AZT-induced synchronization may have therapeutic benefits.

A sensitive method for the determination of RNA in DNA and vice versa

Abstract A mixture of 4 major deoxyribonucleosides and 4 major ribonucleosides was chromatographed on the Varian Aerograph LCS-1000. The run was slowed down to 50–60 min, and other parameters—pressure, temperature, pH, etc.—were optimized for each column and led to similar elution patterns. Except for an incomplete separation of rU from dT, all other nucleosides were clearly separated. The method is applicable to the detection of RNA in DNA vice versa on the level of 0.2–0.4%, with a sample in the range 5–10 A 260 units. The complete degradation to nucleosides is accomplished in two steps: nucleic acids are first digested with a mixture of pancreatic RNase and DNase I at pH 7.5, followed by digestion at pH 9 with a mixture of crude venom and alkaline phosphatase.

Activity of an NAD-dependent 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase in normal tissue, neoplastic cells, and oncogene-transformed cells.

As an extension of the previously reported observation concerning the existence of NAD-dependent 5,10-methylenetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase in transformed cells a variety of tissues and cell lines have been assayed for this activity. This activity was found in all assayed transformed cells. Results with rat liver derived epithelial (RLE) cells transformed with a series of oncogenes (v-raf, v-raf/v-myc (J2), v-myc (J5), and v-Ha-ras (pRNR16)) indicated that expression of activity correlates with the extent of transformation and was independent of the oncogene used for transformation. Compared to previously reported values for normal tissue, surprisingly high levels of the NAD-dependent 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase were found in the rat adrenal cortex. This activity was not seen in mouse or bovine adrenal. Enzymatic activity was also detected in mouse bone marrow and was strain dependent. The levels of activity in mouse bone marrow were lower than previously reported. The NAD-dependent 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase activity in rat adrenal and RLE cells may represent tools for studying the regulation of expression of this activity.

Urinary biopterin and neopterin excretion and pituitary-adrenal activity in psychiatric patients

The urinary excretion of biopterin and neopterin, pterin compounds related to tetrahydrobiopterin, the cofactor for the initial steps in monoamine synthesis, was serially measured in a heterogeneous group of psychiatric patients and compared to excretion in control subjects, to state of illness, and to the results of the dexamethasone suppression test. Patients with major depression had increased excretion of biopterin compared to normal subjects. There was no relationship between biopterin or neopterin excretion and postdexamethasone cortisol levels. Pterin excretion did not significantly change with improvement in mood or with conversion from nonsuppressor to suppressor status. The meaning of increased urinary biopterin is presently unclear, although its relation to hormonal state and sympathoadrenal tone deserves further study.

Distribution and Metabolism of Calcium Leucovorin in Normal and Tumor Tissue

Thymidylate synthase catalyzes the formation of thymidylate from deoxyuridine monophosphate in a reaction which employs the folate cofactor CH2-H4PteGlu both as methyl donor and reductant. The TS inhibitor FUra has been widely used clinically for the treatment of solid tumors, particularly colorectal carcinomas. Inhibition of TS by FUra occurs following its metabolism to FdUMP and formation of a ternary complex involving TS, FdUMP and CH2-H4PteGlu (1–3). An increased interest in the use of FUra stems from the observations in tissue culture (4, 5) and in extracts of human colon adenocarcinoma xenographs (6) that the antitumor effects of FUra can be potentiated by the administration of exogenous folates in the form of calcium leucovorin. The results of these studies indicated that the response of many tumors to FUra is limited by the intracellular concentration of CH2-H4PteGlu and that the metabolism of 5-CHO-H4PteGlu to CH2-H4PteGlu following cellular uptake expands this cofactor pool. With increased intracellular levels of CH2-H4PteGlu, the half-life of the ternary complex is increased, resulting in increased cytoxicity. In support of this model, enlargement of the CH2-H4PteGlu pool following administration of 5-CHO-H4PteGlu has been demonstrated in tissue culture (7).