Mariana Reis

Enhancing macrocyclic diterpenes as multidrug-resistance reversers: structure-activity studies on jolkinol D derivatives.

The phytochemical study of Euphorbia piscatoria yielded jolkinol D (1) in a large amount, whose derivatization gave rise to 12 ester derivatives (2-13) and hydrolysis to compound 14. The in vitro modulation of P-gp of compounds 1-14 was evaluated through a combination of transport and chemosensitivity assays, using the L5178 mouse T lymphoma cell line transfected with the human MDR1 gene. Apart from jolkinol D, all derivatives (2-14) showed potential as MDR reversal agents. In this small library of novel bioactive macrocyclic lathyrane diterpene derivatives, designed to evaluate structure-activity relationships essential in overcoming multidrug resistance (MDR), some correlations between MDR reversal and molecular weight, accessible solvent areas, and octanol/water partition coefficient were identified that can contribute to the development of new selective P-gp reversal agents.

Jatrophane Diterpenes from Euphorbia mellifera and Their Activity as P-Glycoprotein Modulators on Multidrug-Resistant Mouse Lymphoma and Human Colon Adenocarcinoma Cells

Three new macrocyclic jatrophane diterpenes, named euphomelliferine (1) and euphomelliferenes A (2) and B (3), and one new tetracyclic triterpene, 19(10→9)-abeo-8α,9β,10α-tirucalla-5,25-diene-3β,24-diol (6, C-24 epimers), were isolated from the methanolic extract of Euphorbia mellifera. A known ingenane (7) and two jatrophane diterpenes (4 and 5) were also isolated. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods, including 1D and 2D homo- and heteronuclear NMR experiments. Jatrophane diterpenes 1-3 and 5 were evaluated for their effects on the reversion of multidrug resistance (MDR) mediated by P-glycoprotein, by using the rhodamine-123 exclusion test, on human MDR1 gene-transfected mouse lymphoma cells (L5178Y MDR) and on human colon adenocarcinoma cells (COLO 320). The apoptosis-inducing activity of these compounds was also tested on COLO 320 cells, using the annexin-V/propidium iodide assay. Diterpenes 1 and 2 displayed significant MDR reversing activity, in a dose-dependent manner, on both cancer cell models. The tested compounds did not induce apoptosis in the COLO 320 cells.

Improving the MDR reversal activity of 6,17-epoxylathyrane diterpenes

Aiming to optimize macrocyclic lathyrane-type diterpenes as effective Pgp modulators, the phytochemical study of the methanolic extract of Euphorbia boetica aerial parts was carried out. Two new macrocyclic 6,17-epoxylathyrane-type diterpenes, named epoxyboetiranes A (1) and B (2), along with three known analogues (3-5) were isolated. Epoxyboetirane A (1), a triacetate isolated in large amounts, was hydrolyzed to give epoxylathyrol (6). In order to study the effect of the substitution pattern of the macrocyclic scaffold on MDR reversal, 6 was acylated with aroyl, phenylacetyl, cinnamoyl and alkanoyl chlorides/anhydrides, yielding eight new esters, epoxyboetiranes C-J (7-14). The ability of compounds 1-14 as P-glycoprotein (Pgp, ABCB1) modulators was evaluated through combination of transport and chemosensitivity assays, using L5178Y mouse T lymphoma cell line transfected with the human MDR1 gene. In the transport assay, excepting 1, 3 and 6, the compounds, at non-cytotoxic concentrations, displayed strong MDR reversing activity in a dose-dependent mode, exhibiting all the new acyl derivatives (7-14) a many fold increase in the activity when compared with 1. Apart from 11 and 12, all compounds exhibited remarkable synergistic effects in combination with doxorubicin. An ATPase assay, using membrane vesicles from mammalian cells overexpressing Pgp, was also performed with two representatives of the modulators (4 and 5). The results suggest that both compounds compete with substrates for the Pgp drug-binding sites.

Diterpenes from Euphorbia piscatoria: synergistic interaction of Lathyranes with doxorubicin on resistant cancer cells.

Four new diterpenes were isolated from the methanolic extract of Euphorbia piscatoria, two ent-abietanes (1, 2) and two lathyrane-type macrocyclic diterpenes (3, 4), along with three known diterpenes (5-7). Their structures were characterized by spectroscopic methods, mainly 1D and 2D NMR ((1)H, (13)C, DEPT, COSY, HMBC, HMQC, and NOESY) experiments. Compound 2, with an unusual structure, might be considered intermediate in the biosynthesis of ent-abietane α,β-unsaturated lactones, commonly found in Euphorbia species. Therefore, a possible biogenetic pathway is proposed. The MDR reversal potential of macrocyclic diterpenes 3-5 was evaluated through a drug combination assay, using the L5178Y mouse T lymphoma cell line transfected with the human MDR1 gene. Compounds 3-5 were able to enhance, synergistically, the antiproliferative activity of doxorubicin (combination indexes < 0.5). Moreover, compounds 1-6 were also assessed for their antiproliferative activity on human MDR cancer cell models, namely gastric, pancreatic, and colon. Weak antiproliferative activity was observed for compounds 1 (IC50 = 66.02 ± 7.10 µM) and 4 (IC50 = 39.51 ± 3.82 µM) on the MDR gastric cell line.

Euphorbia and Momordica metabolites for overcoming multidrug resistance

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is the major obstacle for cancer chemotherapy. MDR is a multifactorial phenomenon that can result from several mechanisms, including an increased drug efflux, due to overexpression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) that transports anticancer drugs out of the cells. Thus, the role of this transporter has made it a therapeutic target and the development of P-gp modulators considered among the most realistic approaches for overcoming P-gp-mediated MDR. Many other strategies have been proposed. One of them is the identification of compounds that selectively kill multidrug resistant cells. In our search for MDR modulators from plants, the P-gp inhibition ability of a large number of compounds on resistant cancer cells was evaluated. These compounds, presented in this review, comprise mainly diterpenes, triterpenes and phenolic derivatives. The most relevant results were obtained from two sets of compounds: macrocyclic diterpenes with the jatrophane and lathyrane scaffold, and triterpenes of the cucurbitane-type isolated from Euphorbia species and Momordica balsamina L., respectively. Additionally, some of those macrocyclic diterpenes, and ent-abietane diterpenic lactones, also isolated from Euphorbia species, were found to be selectively toxic to drug-resistant phenotypes.

Jatrophane diterpenes and cancer multidrug resistance - ABCB1 efflux modulation and selective cell death induction.

BACKGROUND Modulation of P-glycoprotein (ABCB1) and evaluation of the collateral sensitivity effect are among the most promising approaches to overcome multidrug resistance (MDR) in cancer. In a previous study, two rare 12,17-cyclojatrophanes (1-2) and other novel jatrophanes (3-4), isolated from Euphorbia welwitschii, were screened for collateral sensitivity effect. Herein, the isolation of another jatrophane (5) is presented, being the broader goal of this work to investigate the role of euphowelwitschines A (1) and B (2), welwitschene (3), epoxywelwitschene (4) and esulatin M (5) as ABCB1 modulators and/or collateral sensitivity agents. METHODS Compounds 1-5 were evaluated for ABCB1 modulation ability through combination of transport and chemosensitivity assays, using a mouse T-lymphoma MDR1-transfected cell model. Moreover, the nature of interaction of compound 4 with ABCB1 was studied, using an ATPase assay. The MDR-selective antiproliferative activity of compound 5 was evaluated against gastric (EPG85-257) and pancreatic (EPP85-181) human cancer cells and their drug-selected counterparts (EPG85-257RDB, EPG85-257RNOV, EPP85-181RDB, EPP85-181RNOV). The drug induced cell death was investigated for compounds 4 and 5, using the annexin V/PI staining and the active caspase-3 assay. RESULTS The jatrophanes 1-5 were able to modulate the efflux activity of ABCB1, and at 2µM, 3-5 maintained the strong modulator profile. Structure activity results indicated that high conformational flexibility of the twelve-membered ring of compounds 3-5 favored ABCB1 modulation, in contrast to the tetracyclic scaffold of compounds 1 and 2. The effects of epoxywelwitschene (4) on the ATPase activity of ABCB1 showed it to interact with the transporter and to be able to reduce the transport of a second subtrate. Drug combination experiments also corroborated the anti-MDR potential of these diterpenes due to their synergistic interaction with doxorubicin (combination index <0.7). Esulatin M (5) showed a strong MDR-selective antiproliferative activity against EPG85-257RDB and EPP85-181RDB cells, with IC50 of 1.8 and 4.8 µM, respectively. Compounds 4 and 5 induced apoptosis via caspase-3 activation. A significant discrimination was observed between the resistant cell lines and parental cells. CONCLUSIONS This study strengthens the role of jatrophane diterpenes as lead candidates for the development of MDR reversal agents, higlighting the action of compounds 4 and 5.

Colon Adenocarcinoma Multidrug Resistance Reverted by Euphorbia Diterpenes: Structure-Activity Relationships and Pharmacophore Modeling

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a limiting step on the success of cancer chemotherapy. The drug efflux mediated by P-gp (Pglycoprotein) is one of the best studied mechanisms of MDR. This paper focuses on the inhibitory P-gp efflux activity, pharmacophore modeling and structure-activity relationships studies of sixteen macrocyclic diterpenes and polycyclic derivatives obtained from Euphorbia species. The MDR human colon adenocarcinoma cells (COLO 320 MDR) overexpressing P-gp were used as the biological model to screen for P-gp dependent efflux inhibitors. Most of the compounds showed potential as MDR reversal agents. Combined analysis of two different statistic algorithms, K-means clustering and Principal Component Analysis discriminated two clusters and showed a strong correlation between log P and MDR reversal activity for compounds 1-5. The most effective compounds (1-4 and 11-12) were tested in combination with doxorubicin and all potentiated its activity lowering the ID50. Pharmacophore modeling allowed the definition of an aromatic moiety as an additional feature to a previous published P-gp pharmacophore, creating a new five-point pharmacophore with enhanced selectivity for the most active compounds of the present study. Docking results also show the importance of an aromatic moiety, positively identifying the most relevant residues that can be linked to an inhibitory activity increase.

Epoxylathyrol Derivatives: Modulation of ABCB1-Mediated Multidrug Resistance in Human Colon Adenocarcinoma and Mouse T-Lymphoma Cells

Epoxyboetirane A (1), a macrocyclic diterpene that was found to be inactive as an ABCB1 modulator, was submitted to several chemical transformations, aimed at generating a series of compounds with improved multidrug resistance (MDR)-modifying activity. Overall, 23 new derivatives were prepared, in addition to the already reported epoxylathyrol (2) and methoxyboetirol (3). Their anti-MDR potential was assessed through both functional and chemosensitivity assays on resistant human colon adenocarcinoma and human ABCB1-gene transfected L5178Y mouse lymphoma cells. Structure-activity relationship analysis showed that different substitution patterns led to distinct ABCB1 inhibitory activities, although intrinsic cellular characteristics seemed to influence the modulatory behavior. A considerable enhancement in MDR-modifying activity was observed for aromatic compounds in both cell lines, particularly in 3,17-disubstituted esters derived from 3, a Payne-rearranged Michael adduct of 2. All compounds tested were revealed to interact synergistically with doxorubicin, and ATPase inhibition by three representative MDR-modifying compounds was also investigated. On account of its outstanding ABCB1 inhibitory activity at 0.2 μM and overall remarkable bioactive profile, methoxyboetirane B (22) was found to be a new promising lead for MDR-reversing anticancer drug development.

Macrocyclic diterpenes resensitizing multidrug resistant phenotypes.

Herein, collateral sensitivity effect was exploited as a strategy to select effective compounds to overcome multidrug resistance in cancer. Thus, eleven macrocyclic diterpenes, namely jolkinol D (1), isolated from Euphorbia piscatoria, and its derivatives (2-11) were evaluated for their activity on three different Human cancer entities: gastric (EPG85-257), pancreatic (EPP85-181) and colon (HT-29) each with a variant selected for resistance to mitoxantrone (EPG85-257RN; EPP85-181RN; HT-29RN) and one to daunorubicin (EPG85-257RD; EPP85-181RD; HT-29RD). Jolkinol D (1) and most of its derivatives (2-11) exhibited significant collateral sensitivity effect towards the cell lines EPG85-257RN (associated with P-glycoprotein overexpression) and HT-29RD (altered topoisomerase II expression). The benzoyl derivative, jolkinoate L (8) demonstrated ability to target different cellular contexts with concomitant high antiproliferative activity. These compounds were previously assessed as P-glycoprotein modulators, at non-cytotoxic doses, on MDR1-mouse lymphoma cells. A regression analysis between the antiproliferative activity presented herein and the previously assessed P-glycoprotein modulatory effect showed a strong relation between the compounds that presented both high P-glycoprotein modulation and cytotoxicity.

12,17-Cyclojatrophane and Jatrophane Constituents of Euphorbia welwitschii.

Euphowelwitschines A (1) and B (2), isolated from a methanolic extract of Euphorbia welwitschii, exhibit a rare combination of structural features in having a 5/8/8 fused-ring system and a 12,15-ether bridge. Moreover, the isolation of the additional new compounds welwitschene (3) and epoxywelwitschene (4) has provided insights into the biogenetic pathway of 12,17-cyclojatrophanes. The structures of 1-4 were determined by spectroscopic methods inclusive of 1D and 2D NMR experiments and X-ray crystallography for compounds 1 and 2. Preliminary information on the selective antiproliferative activity of compounds 1-4 is also described.