2-Amino-4-oxo-6-substituted pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine antifolates with a thienoyl side chain (compounds 1–3, respectively) were synthesized for comparison with compound 4, the previous lead compound of this series. Conversion of hydroxyl acetylen-thiophene carboxylic esters to thiophenyl-α-bromomethylketones and condensation with 2,4-diamino-6-hydroxypyrimidine afforded the 6-substituted pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine compounds of type 18 and 19. Coupling with L-glutamate diethyl ester, followed by saponification, afforded 1–3. Compound 3 selectively inhibited proliferation of cells expressing folate receptors (FRs) α or β, or the proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT), including human tumor cells KB and IGROV1 much more potently than 4. Compound 3 was more inhibitory than 4 toward β-glycinamide ribonucleotide formyltransferase (GARFTase). Both 3 and 4 depleted cellular ATP pools. In SCID mice with IGROV1 tumors, 3 was more efficacious than 4. Collectively, our results show potent antitumor activity for 3 in vitro and in vivo, associated with its selective membrane transport by FRs and PCFT over RFC and inhibition of GARFTase, clearly establishing the 3-atom bridge as superior to the 1, 2 and 4-atom bridge lengths for the activity of this series.

A series of seven 2-amino-4-oxo-6-substituted thieno [2,3-d]pyrimidines, with bridge length variations (from 2-8 carbon atoms) were synthesized as selective folate receptor (FR) α and β substrates and as antitumor agents. The syntheses were accomplished from appropriate allylalcohols and 4-iodobenzoate to afford the aldehydes which were converted to the appropriate 2-amino-4-carbethoxy-5-substituted thiophenes 23-29. Cyclization with chlorformamidine afforded the thieno [2,3-d]pyrimidines 30-36 which were hydrolyzed and coupled with diethyl-L-glutamate, followed by saponification to give the target compounds 2-8. Compounds 3-6 were potent growth inhibitors (IC 50 4.7 to 334 nM) of human tumor cells (KB and IGROV1) that express FRs. In addition, compounds 3-6 inhibited the growth of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells that expressed FRs but not the reduced folate carrier (RFC) or proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT). However, the compounds were inactive toward CHO cells that lacked FRs but contained either the RFC or PCFT. By nucleoside and 5-amino-4-imidazole carboxamide (AICA) protection studies, along with in vitro and in situ enzyme activity assays, the mechanism of antitumor activity was identified as the dual inhibition of glycinamide ribonucleotide formyltransferase and, likely, AICA ribonucleotide formyltransferase. The dual inhibitory activity of the active thieno [2,3-d]pyrimidine antifolates and the FR specificity represent unique mechanistic features for these compounds distinct from all other known antifolates. The potent inhibitory effects of compounds 3-6 toward cells expressing FRs but not PCFT provide direct evidence that cellular uptake of this series of compounds by FRs does not depend on the presence of PCFT and argues that direct coupling between these transporters is not obligatory.

Abstract2-Amino-4-oxo-6-substituted pyrrolo [2,3-d]pyrimidines with a thienoyl side chain and 4-6 carbon bridge lengths (compounds 1-3) were synthesized as substrates for folate receptors (FRs) and the proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT). Conversion of acetylene carboxylic acids to α-bromomethylketones and condensation with 2,4-diamino-6-hydroxypyrimidine afforded the 6-substituted pyrrolo [2,3-d]pyrimidines. Sonogashira coupling with (S)-2-[(5-bromo-thiophene-2-carbonyl)-amino]-pentanedioic acid diethyl ester, followed by hydrogenation and saponification, afforded 1-3. Compounds 1 and 2 potently inhibited KB and IGROV1 human tumor cells that express FRα, reduced folate carrier (RFC), and PCFT. The analogs were selective for FR-and PCFT over RFC. Glycinamide ribonucleotide formyltransferase was the principal cellular target. In SCID mice with KB tumors, 1 was highly active against both early (3.5 log kill, 1/5 cures) and advanced (3.7 log kill, 4/5 complete remissions) stage tumors. Our results demonstrate potent in vitro and in vivo antitumor activity for 1 due to selective transport by FRs and PCFT over RFC.

The proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT) is a folate-proton symporter with an acidic pH optimum, approximating the microenvironments of solid tumors. We tested 6-substituted pyrrolo [2,3-d]pyrimidine antifolates with one to six carbons in the bridge region for inhibition of proliferation in isogenic Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) and HeLa cells expressing PCFT or reduced folate carrier (RFC). Only analogs with three and four bridge carbons (N-͕4-[3-2-amino-4-oxo-4,7-, respectively) were inhibitory, with 2 Ͼ Ͼ 3. Activity toward RFC-expressing cells was negligible. Compound 2 and pemetrexed (Pmx) competed with [ 3 H]methotrexate for PCFT transport in PCFT-expressing CHO (R2/hPCFT4) cells from pH 5.5 to 7.2; inhibition increased with decreasing pH. In Xenopus laevis oocytes microinjected with PCFT cRNA, uptake of 2, like that of Pmx, was electrogenic. Cytotoxicity of 2 toward R2/ hPCFT4 cells was abolished in the presence of adenosine or 5-amino-4-imidazolecarboxamide, suggesting that glycinamide ribonucleotide formyltransferase (GARFTase) in de novo purine biosynthesis was the primary target. Compound 2 decreased GTP and ATP pools by ϳ50 and 75%, respectively. By an in situ GARFTase assay, 2 was ϳ20-fold more inhibitory toward intracellular GARFTase than toward cell growth or colony formation. Compound 2 irreversibly inhibited clonogenicity, although this required at least 4 h of exposure. Our results document the potent antiproliferative activity of compound 2, attributable to its efficient cellular uptake by PCFT, resulting in inhibition of GARFTase and de novo purine biosynthesis. Furthermore, they establish the feasibility of selective chemotherapy drug delivery via PCFT over RFC, a process that takes advantage of a unique biological feature of solid tumors.

The proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT) is a proton-folate symporter with an acidic pH optimum. By real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, PCFT was expressed in the majority of 53 human tumor cell lines, with the highest levels in Caco-2 (colorectal adenocarcinoma), SKOV3 (ovarian), and HepG2 (hepatoma) cells. A novel 6-substituted pyrrolo [2,3-d]pyrimidine thienoyl antifolate (compound 1) was used to establish whether PCFT can deliver cytotoxic drug under pH conditions that mimic the tumor microenvironment. Both 1 and pemetrexed (Pmx) inhibited proliferation of R1-11-PCFT4 HeLa cells engineered to express PCFT without the reduced folate carrier (RFC) and of HepG2 cells expressing both PCFT and RFC. Unlike Pmx, 1 did not inhibit proliferation of R1-11-RFC6 HeLa cells, which express RFC without PCFT. Treatment of R1-11-PCFT4 cells at pH 6.8 with 1 or Pmx inhibited colony formation with dose and time dependence. Transport of [ 3 H]compound 1 into R1-11-PCFT4 and HepG2 cells was optimal at pH 5.5 but appreciable at pH 6.8. At pH 6.8, [3 H]compound 1 was metabolized to 3 H-labeled polyglutamates. Glycinamide ribonucleotide formyltransferase (GARFTase) in R1-11-PCFT4 cells was inhibited by 1 at pH 6.8, as measured by an in situ GARFTase assay, and was accompanied by substantially reduced ATP levels. Compound 1 caused S-phase accumulation and a modest level of apoptosis. An in vivo efficacy trial with severe combined immunodeficient mice implanted with subcutaneous HepG2 tumors showed that compound 1 was active. Our findings suggest exciting new therapeutic possibilities to selectively deliver novel antifolate drugs via transport by PCFT over RFC by exploiting the acidic tumor microenvironment.

This review summarizes the biology of the proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT). PCFT was identified in 2006 as the primary transporter for intestinal absorption of dietary folates, as mutations in PCFT are causal in hereditary folate malabsorption (HFM) syndrome. Since 2006, there have been major advances in understanding the mechanistic roles of critical amino acids and/or domains in the PCFT protein, many of which were identified as mutated in HFM patients, and in characterizing transcriptional control of the human PCFT gene. With the recognition that PCFT is abundantly expressed in human tumors and is active at pHs characterizing the tumor microenvironment, attention turned to exploiting PCFT for delivering novel cytotoxic antifolates for solid tumors. The finding that pemetrexed is an excellent PCFT substrate explains its demonstrated clinical efficacy for mesothelioma and non-small cell lung cancer, and prompted development of more PCFT-selective tumor-targeted 6-substituted pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine antifolates that derive their cytotoxic effects by targeting de novo purine nucleotide biosynthesis.

We reported the selective transport of classical 2-amino-4-oxo-6-substituted pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines with a thienoyl-for-benzoyl-substituted side chain and a 3- (3a) and 4-carbon (3b) bridge. Compound 3a was more potent than 3b against tumor cells; While 3b was completely selective for transport by folate receptors (FRs) and the proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT) over reduced folate carrier (RFC), 3a was not. To determine if decreasing the distance between the bicyclic scaffold and L-glutamate in 3b would preserve transport selectivity and potency against human tumor cells, 3b regioisomers with [1,3] (7 and 8) and [1,2] (4, 5 and 6) substitutions on the thienoyl ring, and with acetylenic insertions in the 4-atom bridge, were synthesized and evaluated. Compounds 7 and 8 were potent nanomolar inhibitors of KB and IGROV1 human tumor cells with complete selectivity for FRα and PCFT over RFC.

We explored the impact of mutations in the NOTCH1, FBW7 and PTEN genes on prognosis and downstream signaling in a well-defined cohort of 47 pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) patients. In T-ALL lymphoblasts, we identified high frequency mutations in NOTCH1 (n=16), FBW7 (n=5) and PTEN (n=26). NOTCH1 mutations resulted in 1.3-3.3-fold increased transactivation of a HES1 reporter construct over wild-type NOTCH1; mutant FBW7 resulted in further augmentation of reporter gene activity. NOTCH1 and FBW7 mutations were accompanied by increased median transcripts for NOTCH1 target genes (HES1, DELTEX1, cMYC). However, none of these mutations were associated with treatment outcome. Elevated HES1, DELTEX1 and cMYC transcripts were associated with significant increases in transcript levels of several chemotherapy relevant genes, including MDR1, ABCC5, reduced folate carrier, asparagine synthetase, thiopurine methyltranserase, Bcl-2 and dihydrofolate reductase. PTEN transcripts positively correlated with HES1 and cMYC transcript levels. Our results suggest that (1) multiple factors should be considered with attempting to identify molecular-based prognostic factors for pediatric T-ALL, and (2) depending on the NOTCH1 signaling status, modifications in the types or dosing of standard chemotherapy drugs for T-ALL, or combinations of agents capable of targeting NOTCH1, AKT and/or mTOR with standard chemotherapy agents may be warranted.