Jian-Miao Liu

Isocombretastatins A versus Combretastatins A: The Forgotten isoCA-4 Isomer as a Highly Promising Cytotoxic and Antitubulin Agent

Herein is reported a convergent synthesis of isocombretastatins A, a novel class of potent antitubulin agents. These compounds having a 1,1-diarylethylene scaffold constitute the simplest isomers of natural Z-combretastatins A that are easy to synthesize without need to control the Z-olefin geometry. The discovery of isoCA-4 with biological activities comparable to that of CA-4 represents a major progress in this field.

Discovery of isoerianin analogues as promising anticancer agents.

The cytotoxic activity of a series of 23 new isoerianin derivatives with modifications on both the A and B rings was studied. Several compounds exhibited excellent antiproliferative activity at nanomolar concentrations against a panel of human cancer cell lines. The most cytotoxic compound, isoerianin (3), strongly inhibits tubulin polymerization in the micromolar range. Moreover, isoerianin leads to G2/M phase cell‐cycle arrest in H1299 and K562 cancer cells, and strongly induces apoptosis. Isoerianin also disrupts the vessel‐like structures formed by human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro, suggesting that this compound may act as a vascular disrupting agent. It clearly appears that in this compound series, the 1,1‐ethane bridge encountered in isoerianin derivatives can replace the 1,2‐ethane bridge of natural erianin with no loss of activity. This reinforces the bioisosteric replacement approach in the combretastatin series previously reported by our research group.

Reduction-Responsive Cholesterol-Based Block Copolymer Vesicles for Drug Delivery

We developed a new robust reduction-responsive polymersome based on the amphiphilic block copolymer PEG-SS-PAChol. The stability and robustness were achieved by the smectic physical cross-linking of cholesterol-containing liquid crystal polymer PAChol in the hydrophobic layer. The reduction-sensitivity was introduced by the disulfide bridge (-S-S-) that links the hydrophilic PEG block and the hydrophobic PAChol block. We used a versatile synthetic strategy based on atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) to synthesize the reduction-responsive amphiphilic block copolymers. The reductive cleavage of the disulfide bridge in the block copolymers was first evidenced in organic solution. The partial destruction of PEG-SS-PAChol polymersomes in the presence of a reducing agent was then demonstrated by cryo-electron microscopy. Finally, the calcein release from PEG-SS-PAChol polymersomes triggered by glutathione (GSH) was observed both in PBS suspension and in vitro inside the macrophage cells. High GSH concentrations (≥35 mM in PBS or artificially enhanced in macrophage cells by GSH-OEt pretreatment) and long incubation time (in the order of hours) were, however, necessary to get significant calcein release. These polymersomes could be used as drug carriers with very long circulation profiles and slow release kinetics.

Synthesis, Biological Evaluation of 1,1‐Diarylethylenes as a Novel Class of Antimitotic Agents

The cytotoxic activities of 23 new isocombretastatin A derivatives with modifications on the B‐ring were investigated. Several compounds exhibited excellent antiproliferative activity at nanomolar concentrations against a panel of human cancer cell lines. Compounds isoFCA‐4 (2 e), isoCA‐4 (2 k) and isoNH2CA‐4 (2 s) were the most cytotoxic, and strongly inhibited tubulin polymerization with IC50 values of 4, 2 and 1.5 μM, respectively. These derivatives were found to be 10‐fold more active than phenstatin and colchicine with respect to growth inhibition but displayed similar activities as tubulin polymerization inhibitors. In addition, cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase and subsequent apoptosis was observed in three cancer cell lines when treated with these compounds. The disruptive effect of 2 e, 2 k and 2 s on the vessel‐like structures formed by human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) suggest that these compounds may act as vascular disrupting agents. Both compounds 2 k and 2 s have the potential for further prodrug modification and development as vascular disrupting agents for treatment of solid tumors.

Synthesis and antitumor activity of benzils related to combretastatin A-4.

A series of benzil derivatives related to combretastatin A-4 (CA-4) have been synthesized by oxidation of diarylalkynes promoted by PdI(2) in DMSO. Using this new protocol, 14 benzils were prepared in good to excellent yields and their biological activity has been delineated. Several benzils exhibited excellent antiproliferative activity: for example, 4j and 4k bearing the greatest resemblance to CA-4 and AVE-8062, respectively, were found to inhibit cell growth at the nanomolar level (20-50nM) on four human tumor cell lines. Flow cytometric analysis indicates that these compounds act as antimitotics and arrest the cell cycle in G(2)/M phase. A cell-based assay indicated that compounds 4j and 4k displayed a similar inhibition of tubulin assembly with an IC(50) value similar to CA-4. These results clearly demonstrated that the Z-double bond of CA-4 can be replaced by a 1,2-diketone unit without significant loss of cytotoxicity and inhibition of tubulin assembly potency.

New c5-alkylated indolobenzazepinones acting as inhibitors of tubulin polymerization: cytotoxic and antitumor activities.

A series of 5-alkylindolobenzazepin-7-ones was synthesized by Suzuki coupling between 3-iodoindole-2-carboxylates and the appropriate alpha-alkylbenzylamino o-boronic acids followed by cyclization to the lactam. Derivatives having a linear alkyl chain at C5 were found to be highly cytotoxic to KB cells with IC50 values in the 30-80 nM range. These compounds also inhibited the polymerization of tubulin with IC50s of 1-2 microM. Compound 4f (( S)-5-ethyl) showed comparable antiproliferative activities (IC50s of 30-70 nM) in a variety of cancer cell lines, cell growth being arrested at the G2/M phase. Compound 4f induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner in three different cancer cell lines and was shown to affect cell morphology in a manner consistent with its inhibitory action on tubulin polymerization. Using the experimental model of glioma grafted on the chick chorio-allantoic membrane, local treatment with compound 4f markedly reduced tumor progression.

B-ring-modified isocombretastatin A-4 analogues endowed with interesting anticancer activities.

A novel class of isocombretastatin A‐4 (isoCA‐4) analogues with modifications at the 3′‐position of the B‐ring by replacement with C‐linked substituents was studied. Exploration of the structure–activity relationships of theses analogues led to the identification of several compounds that exhibit excellent antiproliferative activities in the nanomolar concentration range against H1299, MDA‐MB231, HCT116, and K562 cancer cell lines; they also inhibit tubulin polymerization with potency similar to that of isoCA‐4. 1,1‐Diarylethylenes 8 and 17, respectively with (E)‐propen‐3‐ol and propyn‐3‐ol substituents at the 3′‐position of the B‐ring, proved to be the most active in this series. Both compounds led to the arrest of various cancer cell lines at the G2/M phase of the cell cycle and strongly induced apoptosis. Docking of compounds 8 and 17 in the colchicine binding site indicated that their C3′ substituents guide the positioning of the B‐ring in a manner different from that observed for isoCA‐4.

Tetrapeptide AcSDKP Induces Postischemic Neovascularization Through Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 Signaling

Background—We investigated the putative proangiogenic activity and molecular pathway(s) of the tetrapeptide acetyl-N-Ser-Asp-Lys-Pro (AcSDKP) in a model of surgically induced hindlimb ischemia. Methods and Results—Hindlimb ischemia was induced by femoral artery ligature and an osmotic minipump was implanted subcutaneously to deliver low (0.12 mg/kg per day) or high (1.2 mg/kg per day) doses of AcSDKP, for 7 or 21 days. Angiography scores, arteriole density, capillary number, and foot perfusion were increased at day 21 in the high-dose AcSDKP-treated mice (by 1.9-, 1.8-, 1.3-, and 1.6-fold, respectively) compared with control animals (P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.01, respectively). AcSDKP treatment for 24 hours upregulated the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) mRNA and protein levels by 1.5-fold in cultured endothelial cells (P<0.01). In the ischemic hindlimb model, administration of AcSDKP also enhanced MCP-1 mRNA levels by 90-fold in ischemic leg (P<0.001) and MCP-1 plasma levels by 3-fold (P<0.001 versus untreated ischemic control mice). MCP-1 levels upregulation were associated with a 2.3-fold increase in the number of Mac3-positive cells in ischemic area of AcSDKP-treated mice (P<0.001 versus untreated animals). Interestingly, AcSDKP-induced monocyte/macrophage infiltration and postischemic neovascularization was fully blunted in MCP-1-deficient animals. Conclusion—AcSDKP stimulates postischemic neovascularization through activation of a proinflammatory MCP-1-related pathway.

Overexpression of the natural tetrapeptide acetyl‐N‐ser‐asp‐lys‐pro derived from thymosin β4 in neoplastic diseases

The natural tetrapeptide acetyl‐ser‐asp‐lys‐pro (AcSDKP) is formed in vivo by enzymatic cleavage of the N terminus of thymosin β4 by prolyl oligopeptidase (POP). Recently, AcSDKP was shown to promote angiogenesis. Because of the critical role of neovascularization in cancer development, the levels of AcSDKP and POP activity in a number of different malignant tissues were investigated. Our studies revealed that AcSDKP levels were markedly elevated in neoplastic diseases including hematologic malignancies and solid neoplasms. Consistent with this finding, the enhanced activity of POP was also detected in all analyzed specimens of cancer tissues. Both these novel findings are in concert with the previously reported overexpression of thymosin β4 in a large variety of malignant tumors and with its potential role in cancerogenesis. The physiological relevance of these findings awaits further studies; however, our first results strongly suggest a key role for AcSDKP in the pathogenesis of cancer.

Polymersomes with PEG corona: structural changes and controlled release induced by temperature variation.

Thermoresponsive behavior of different kinds of polymersomes was studied using small angle neutron scattering (SANS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and proton nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H NMR). The polymersomes were made of block copolymers containing a 2000 Da polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a hydrophilic block and either a liquidlike polymer (e.g., PBA: polybutylacrylate), a solidlike polymer (PS: polystyrene), or a liquid crystalline (LC) polymer as a hydrophobic block. Structural changes in polymersomes are driven in all cases by the critical dehydration temperature of PEG corona, which is closely related to the chemical structure and chain mobility of the hydrophobic block. No structural changes occur upon heating from 25 to 75 °C in the liquidlike polymersomes where the critical dehydration temperature of PEG should be higher than 75 °C. In contrast, glassy PEG-b-PS polymersomes and LC polymersomes show structural changes around 55 °C, which corresponds to the critical dehydration temperature of PEG in those block copolymers. Furthermore, the structural changes depend on the properties of the hydrophobic layer. Glassy PEG-b-PS polymersomes aggregate together above 55 °C, but the bilayer membrane is robust enough to remain intact. This aggregation is reversible, and rather separate polymersomes are recovered upon cooling. However, LC polymersomes display drastic and irreversible structural changes when heated above ∼55 °C. These changes are dependent on the LC structures of the hydrophobic layer. Nematic LC polymersomes turn into thick-walled capsules, whereas smectic LC polymersomes collapse into dense aggregates. As these drastic and irreversible changes decrease or remove the inner compartment volume of the vesicle, LC polymersomes can be used for thermal-responsive controlled release, as shown by a study of calcein release. Finally, toxicity studies proved that LC polymersomes were noncytotoxic and had no effect on cell morphology.