V. A. Ol'shevskaya

Carboranylporphyrins for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy of Cancer

A major challenge for cancer treatment is the preferential and irreversible killing of tumor cells and minimal damage of normal tissues, both in the site of the malignancy and in the body. The agents used in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) are supposed to have the following advantages over many conventional chemotherapeutics: 1) when irradiated with thermal neutrons, an unstable isotope (11)B is formed whose rapid decay yields local and a thermal effect; 2) because the free path of the released particles is close to the cell diameter, the tissues outside the tumor should gain less damage; 3) local radioactivity and heat should be harmful for cells that, in the course of their natural history, acquired the determinants of altered response to many toxic stimuli. However, a higher specificity of damage would be achieved if the drugs accumulate mostly in cancer cells rather than in non-malignant counterparts. Therefore, optimization of agents for BNCT presumes the design of chemicals with improved accumulation/ retention in cancer cells. In particular, carboranyl-substituted porphyrins, the stable conjugates of macrocyclic porphyrins with complex boron-containing polyhedra, are considered good candidates for BNCT due to their uptake by cancer cells and high boron content. Importantly, the proposed mechanisms of pharmacological effects of carboranylporphyrins make these compounds potentially appropriate for elimination of pleiotropically resistant tumor cells.

Synthesis of σ-(o-carboran-9-yl)- and σ-(m-carboran-9-yl)-π-cyclopentadienyldicarbonyliron and their rearrangement in reactions with bromine to π-(o-carboran-9-yl)cyclopentadienyl- and π-(m-carboran-9-yl)cyclopentadienyl-dicarbonylironbromides, respectively☆

Abstract 9-o- and 9-m-carboranylcarboxylic acids were used to synthesize σ-(o-carboran-9-yl)- and σ-(m-carboran-9-yl)-π-cyclopentadienyldicarbonyliron. The latter complexes, in reactions with bromine, undergo rearrangement with the cleavage of the BFe σ-bond, involving migration of the 9-o- and 9-m-carboranyl groups into the cyclopentadienyl ring, to give π-(o-carboran-9-yl)cyclopentadienyl- and π-(m-carboran-9-yl)cyclopentadienyl-dicarbonyliron bromides, respectively. A simple method to obtain these acids by the oxidation of 9-alkyl-o- and 9-alkyl-m-carboranes with CrO3 in CH3COOH has been found.

Novel Photosensitizers Trigger Rapid Death of Malignant Human Cells and Rodent Tumor Transplants via Lipid Photodamage and Membrane Permeabilization

Background Apoptotic cascades may frequently be impaired in tumor cells; therefore, the approaches to circumvent these obstacles emerge as important therapeutic modalities. Methodology/Principal Findings Our novel derivatives of chlorin e6, that is, its amide (compound 2) and boronated amide (compound 5) evoked no dark toxicity and demonstrated a significantly higher photosensitizing efficacy than chlorin e6 against transplanted aggressive tumors such as B16 melanoma and M-1 sarcoma. Compound 5 showed superior therapeutic potency. Illumination with red light of mammalian tumor cells loaded with 0.1 µM of 5 caused rapid (within the initial minutes) necrosis as determined by propidium iodide staining. The laser confocal microscopy-assisted analysis of cell death revealed the following order of events: prior to illumination, 5 accumulated in Golgi cysternae, endoplasmic reticulum and in some (but not all) lysosomes. In response to light, the reactive oxygen species burst was concomitant with the drop of mitochondrial transmembrane electric potential, the dramatic changes of mitochondrial shape and the loss of integrity of mitochondria and lysosomes. Within 3–4 min post illumination, the plasma membrane became permeable for propidium iodide. Compounds 2 and 5 were one order of magnitude more potent than chlorin e6 in photodamage of artificial liposomes monitored in a dye release assay. The latter effect depended on the content of non-saturated lipids; in liposomes consisting of saturated lipids no photodamage was detectable. The increased therapeutic efficacy of 5 compared with 2 was attributed to a striking difference in the ability of these photosensitizers to permeate through hydrophobic membrane interior as evidenced by measurements of voltage jump-induced relaxation of transmembrane current on planar lipid bilayers. Conclusions/Significance The multimembrane photodestruction and cell necrosis induced by photoactivation of 2 and 5 are directly associated with membrane permeabilization caused by lipid photodamage.

Chiral phosphites derived from carboranes: Electronic effect in catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation

A series of new fine-tunable monodentate phosphite and phosphoramidite ligands based on carboranes have been synthesized and used for asymmetric Rh-catalyzed hydrogenation of prochiral olefins with the result of up to 99.8% ee. Dependence of the enantioselectivity on the electron-withdrawing or electron-donating properties of the carboranyl substituent has been studied.

Enantiomers of 3-amino-1-methyl-1,2-dicarba-closo-dodecaborane

The enantiomers of 3-amino-1-methyl-1,2-dicarba-closo-dodecaborane were prepared by means of resolution of the racemic mixture via acylation by (S)-naproxen chloride followed by separation and subsequent acid hydrolysis of each of the diastereoisomeric amides. Partial racemization of enantiomeric 3-aminocarboranes was observed during acid hydrolysis.

Synthesis of 5,10,15,20-tetra[3-(o- andm-carboranyl)butyl]porphyrins containing the C−B σ-bond

Abstract5,10,15,20-Tetra[3-(o- andm-carboranyl)butyl]porphyrins containing carborane groups bonded to alkyl substituents of the porphyrin cycle by the C−B σ-bond were obtained by condensation of 4-(o- andm-carboran-9-yl)pentanals with pyrrole.

Photodynamic activity of the boronated chlorin e6 amide in artificial and cellular membranes.

Photodynamic tumor-destroying activity of the boronated chlorin e6 derivative BACE (chlorin e6 13(1)-N-{2-[N-(1-carba-closo-dodecaboran-1-yl)methyl]aminoethyl}amide-15(2), 17(3)-dimethyl ester), previously described in Moisenovich et al. (2010) PLoS ONE 5(9) e12717, was shown here to be enormously higher than that of unsubstituted chlorin e6, being supported by the data on much higher photocytotoxicity of BACE in M-1 sarcoma cell culture. To validate membrane damaging effect as the basis of the enhanced tumoricidal activity, BACE was compared with unsubstituted chlorin e6 in the potency to photosensitize dye leakage from liposomes, transbilayer lipid flip-flop, inactivation of gramicidin A ionic channels in planar lipid membranes and erythrocyte hemolysis. In all the models comprising artificial and cellular membranes, the photodynamic effect of BACE exceeded that of chlorin e6. BACE substantially differed from chlorin e6 in the affinity to liposomes and erythrocytes, as monitored by fluorescence spectroscopy, flow cytometry and centrifugation. The results support the key role of membrane binding in the photodynamic effect of the boronated chlorin e6 amide.

Alkylation of nido-7,8-Dicarbollide Anion with Propargyl Bromide in Liquid Ammonia with Formation of 8-Propargyl-nido-7,9-dicarbaundecaborate and 9-Propargyl-nido-7,8-dicarbaundecaborate Anions

Alkylation of nido-7,8-dicarbollide anion with propargyl bromide in liquid ammonia is accom panied by skeleton rearrangements and yields, depending on the reaction conditions, 8-propargyl-nido-7,9-dicarbaundecaborate or 9-propargyl-nido-7,8-dicarbaundecaborate anion.

Synthesis of carboranyl derivatives of deuteroporphyrin IX

Carboranylporphyrins, which can be used in boron neutron-choture therapy of cancer, were prepared from natural deuteroporphyrin IX, 3-amino-o-carborate, and 9-hydroxymethyl-m-carborane.

Synthesis of (m-carboran-9-yl)ferrocene and (m-carboran-9-yl)cymantrene

Cross-coupling reactions of 9-iodo-m-carborane with ferrocenylzinc chloride or cymantrenylzinc chloride catalyzed by (Ph3P)2PdCl2 result in the formation of (m-carbo ran-9-yl)ferrocene and (m-carboran-9-yl)cymantrene, respectively.