We describe several new aromatic nitrogen mustards with various aromatic substituents and boronic esters that can be activated with H2O2 to efficiently cross-link DNA. In vitro studies demonstrated the anticancer potential of these compounds at lower concentrations than those of other clinically used chemotherapeutics, such as melphalan and chlorambucil. In particular, compound 10, bearing an amino acid ester chain, is selectively cytotoxic toward breast cancer and leukemia cells that have inherently high levels of reactive oxygen species. Importantly, 10 was 10–14-fold more efficacious than melphalan and chlorambucil for triple-negative breast-cancer (TNBC) cells. Similarly, 10 is more toxic toward primary chronic-lymphocytic-leukemia cells than either chlorambucil or the lead compound, 9. The introduction of an amino acid side chain improved the solubility and permeability of 10. Furthermore, 10 inhibited the growth of TNBC tumors in xenografted mice without obvious signs of general toxicity, making this compound an ideal drug candidate for clinical development.
Photoactivated DNA interstrand cross-linking agents have a wide range of biological applications. Recently, several aryl boronates have been reported to induce DNA interstrand cross-link (ICL) formation via carbocations upon photoirradiation. Herein, we synthesized a series of new bifunctional phenyl compounds to test the generality of such a mechanism, and to understand how the chemical structure influences carbocation formation and the DNA cross-linking process. These compounds efficiently form DNA ICLs via generated benzyl cations upon 350 nm irradiation. The DNA cross-linking efficiency and the pathway for carbocation generation depend on both the aromatic substituents and the leaving groups. Bromine as a leaving group facilitates the DNA cross-linking process in comparison with trimethyl ammonium salt. Both electron-donating and -withdrawing substituents induce bathochromic shifts, which favor photoinduced DNA ICL formation. For the bromides, the benzyl cation intermediates were generated through oxidation of the corresponding benzyl radicals. However, for the ammonia salts, the benzyl cations were formed through two pathways: either through oxidation of the benzyl radicals or by direct heterolysis of the C-N bond. Photoinduced C-N homolysis to form benzyl radicals occurred with compounds having donating substituents, whereas direct heterolysis of the C-N bond occurred with those bearing withdrawing substituents. The adducts formed between 1 a and four natural nucleosides were characterized, indicating that the alkylation sites for the photogenerated benzyl cations are dG, dA, and dC.
Quinone methide (QM) formation induced by endogenously generated H2O2 is attractive for biological and biomedical applications. To overcome current limitations due to low biological activity of H2O2-activated QM precursors, we are introducing herein several new arylboronates with electron donating substituents at different positions of benzene ring and/or different neutral leaving groups. The reaction rate of the arylboronate esters with H2O2 and subsequent bisquinone methides formation and DNA cross-linking was accelerated with the application of Br as a leaving group instead of acetoxy groups. Additionally, a donating group placed meta to the nascent exo-methylene group of the quinone methide greatly improves H2O2-induced DNA interstrand cross-link formation as well as enhances the cellular activity. Multiple donating groups decrease the stability and DNA cross-linking capability, which lead to low cellular activity. A cell-based screen demonstrated that compounds 2a and 5a with a OMe or OH group dramatically inhibited the growth of various tissue-derived cancer cells while normal cells were less affected. Induction of H2AX phosphorylation by these compounds in CLL lymphocytes provide evidence for a correlation between cell death and DNA damage. The compounds presented herein showed potent anticancer activities and selectivity, which represent a novel scaffold for anticancer drug development.
Most photoinduced DNA cross-link formation by a bifunctional aryl derivative is through a bisquinone methide. DNA cross-linking via a bisarylcarbocation remains a less explored area. We designed and synthesized a series of naphthalene boronates that produce DNA interstrand cross-links via a carbocation upon UV irradiation. A free radical was generated from the naphthalene boronates with 350 nm irradiation and further converted to a carbocation by electron transfer. The activation mechanism was determined using the orthogonal traps, 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-oxyl (TEMPO) and methoxyamine that react with either the free radical or the carbocation but not both. This represents a novel example of photoinduced DNA cross-link formation via carbocations generated from a bisaryl derivative. This work provides information useful for the design of novel photoactivated DNA cross-linking agents.
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