Donald H. Picker

Induction of non-specific suppressor cells in normal Lewis rats by a novel azaspirane SK&F 105685.

SK&F 105685 (N,N-Dimethyl-8,8-dipropyl-2-azaspiro[4,5]decane-2- propanamine dihydrochloride) is a novel azaspirane which has therapeutic activity in rat models of autoimmune disease. In this study, we have demonstrated that SK&F 105685 is a potent inducer of non-specific suppressor cells (SC). Oral administration of 15-30 mg/kg/day results in the generation of SC in the spleen, lymph nodes and bone marrow, but not the thymus of Lewis rats. Splenic SC suppress Con-A-induced proliferation in co-culture assays at effector-responder ratios of 1:1 to 1:64. SC are radiation resistant (2000 R), non-T, non-B cells, partially adherent to plastic surfaces and are enriched in a 1.07 g/ml fraction of a Percoll density gradient. Their activity is increased, rather than ablated, by indomethacin. No definitive changes in Ig+, OX-19+, OX-8+, W3/25+ or asialo GM1+ cells could be detected in the spleens of treated rats compared to control untreated animals. Elevated levels of both radiation-sensitive and radiation-resistant suppressor cells were found in the bone marrow of treated rats in addition to the radiosensitive SC normally present in this tissue.

Some complexes of cobalt(III) and iron(III) are radiosensitizers of hypoxic EMT6 cells

The radiosensitizing potential in hypoxic EMT6 cells of several complexes of Co(III) and Fe(III) has been examined. The cytotoxicity of each of the agents toward oxygenated and hypoxic EMT6 cells was tested over the concentration range of 1 to 500 micron for 1-h drug exposure. There was no statistically significant difference between the cytotoxicity of these complexes toward oxygenated and hypoxic cells. Based on these findings, 100 micron was selected as the drug concentration for the initial assessment of radiosensitizing potential. The radiation survival of EMT6 cells in the presence of 100 microM drug for a series of Co(III) complexes in which the number of nitro ligands was varied showed that the hexanitro and the triamine-trinitro complexes are very effective radiosensitizers. The trans-tetrammine dinitro complex was a more effective radiosensitizer than the corresponding cis-dinitro complex. The diethylenetriamine and 1,10-phenanthroline complexes were very effective radiosensitizers, producing dose-modifying factors of 2.4. The trans-tetrammine dichloro complex was moderately effective, giving a dose-modifying factor of 1.9. On the other hand, the hexammine and triammine tricyano complexes and the trans-dinitro complex with negatively charged acetylacetonate ligands were ineffective as radiosensitizers in this system. Finally, three complexes with cyclopentadienyl ligands were examined. The ferricenium salt itself was a moderately effective radiosensitizer, giving a dose-modifying factor of 2.0. However, both the dimethylferricenium salt and the analogous cobalt complex were ineffective. The FSaIIC fibrosarcoma was used to study radiosensitizing potential in vivo. The trans-tetramminedinitro complex was administered at doses of 100, 200, or 300 mg/kg as a single ip injection 1 h prior to irradiation or as three daily ip injections. There was increasing dose modification with increasing drug dosage. With a fractionated radiation protocol in which five daily fractions of 2, 3, or 4 Gy were administered to the tumor-bearing limb with ip drug injections of 100 or 200 mg/kg given 1 h prior to irradiation, a dose-modifying effect of 1.6 was observed with 5 X 200 mg/kg of the drug.

Synthesis and 31P NMR spectroscopy of a series of gold(I) amine phosphine cations

Abstract Several amine gold complexes of 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe) and triphenylphosphine (PPh 3 ), having the general formulae [(AuNH 2 R) 2 (dppe)](NO 3 ) 2 and [Au(NH 2 R)(PPh 3 )]NO 3 (R=alkyl, hydrogen), have been prepared by the addition of an amine to (AuNO 3 ) 2 (dppe) or Au(NO 3 )(PPh 3 ). These gold(I) amine arylphosphine complexes represent a new class of coordination compounds. The complexes are dicationic in a chloroform/methanol solution used for 31 P NMR spectroscopy. The dppe series displays a small downfield chemical shift as more hindered amines are coordinated. A similar range of chemical shifts was observed for two analogous triphenylphosphine complexes.