Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts: Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound   Target Concepts: Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound

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Query: EC:1.5.1.3 (dihydrofolate reductase)
5,819 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Methotrexate (MTX), one of the earliest cancer chemotherapy agents, continues to be used extensively in the treatment of leukemia and a variety of other tumors. The efficacy of this drug results from its facile uptake by cells, rapid polyglutamylation and virtually stoichiometric inhibition of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), a key enzyme in cell replication. From the work of a multitude of biochemists, molecular biologists, organic chemists and pharmacologists, much is known about the mode of action of MTX and the mechanisms by which tumors exhibit inherent or acquired resistance to this drug. MTX enters cells primarily by a carrier-mediated active transport system whose principal substrate is 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, and additional glutamates are added to the gamma-position of the parent glutamate moiety. The tight binding of MTX to DHFR is defined from NMR and X-ray crystallographic studies of the enzyme and its drug or substrate complexes, supplemented by site-directed mutagenesis to confirm specific interactions. Resistance to the drug, encountered in cell culture model systems or in cancer patients, can result from an increased level of DHFR (due to gene amplification), mutant DHFR with reduced affinity for MTX, or decreased uptake or polyglutamylation of the drug. Although DHFR is an extremely well-studied enzyme, there is still some uncertainty about its kinetics, mechanism for reduction of folate, multiple forms, and activation by a diverse group of agents. Prodrug forms of MTX, e.g., MTX alpha-phenylalanine, which can be activated by carboxypeptidase A-monoclonal antibody conjugates, offer promise for improved efficacy of the drug by selective targeting to tumors. The large body of information summarized above has aided in the development of other folate antagonists, provides a paradigm for assessing the status of other cancer chemotherapeutic agents in current use, and offers a platform from which to speculate about the future of the field.
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PMID:The methotrexate story: a paradigm for development of cancer chemotherapeutic agents. 794 84

Classical antifolate analogues containing a novel furo[2,3-d]pyrimidine ring system which include N-[4-[N-[(2,4-diaminofuro[2,3-d]pyrimidin-5- yl)methyl]amino]benzoyl]-L-glutamic acid (1) and its N-9 methyl analogue 2 were synthesized as potential dual inhibitors of thymidylate synthase (TS) and dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and as antitumor agents. Four nonclassical antifolates, 2,4-diamino-5-(anilinomethyl)furo[2,3-d]pyrimidines 3-6 with 3,4,5-trimethoxy, 3,4,5-trichloro, 3,4-dichloro, and 2,5-dimethoxy substituents, respectively, in the phenyl ring, were also synthesized as potential inhibitors of DHFRs including those from Pneumocystis carinii and Toxoplasma gondii, which are organisms responsible for opportunistic infections in AIDS patients. The classical and nonclassical analogues were obtained via nucleophilic displacements of the key intermediate 2,4-diamino-5-(chloromethyl)furo[2,3-d]pyrimidine with the appropriate (p-aminobenzoyl)-L-glutamate or substituted aniline. The key intermediate was in turn synthesized from 2,4-diamino-6-hydroxypyrimidine and 1,3-dichloroacetone. The final compounds were tested in vitro against rat liver, (recombinant) human, P. carinii, T. gondii, and Lactobacillus casei DHFRs. The classical analogues showed moderate to good DHFR inhibitory activity (IC50 10(-6)-10(-8) M) with the N-CH3 analogue 2 about twice as potent as 1. The nonclassical analogues were inactive with IC50S > 3 x 10(-5) M. The classical analogues were also evaluated as inhibitors of TS (L. casei, (recombinant) human and human CCRF-CEM), glycinamide ribonucleotide formyltransferase, and 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide formyltransferase and were found to be inactive against these enzymes. The classical analogues (particularly 2) were significantly cytotoxic toward a variety of tumor cell lines in culture. The nonclassical analogues were marginally active. Both classical compounds were good substrates for human folylpolyglutamate synthetase. Further evaluation of the cytotoxicity of 1 and 2 in CCRF-CEM cells and its sublines, having defined mechanisms of methotrexate (MTX) resistance, demonstrated that the analogues utilize the reduced folate/MTX-transport system and primarily inhibit DHFR and that poly-gamma-glutamylation was crucial to their mechanism of action. Protection studies in the FaDu squamous cell carcinoma cell line indicated that inhibition was completely reversed by leucovorin or the combination of thymidine plus hypoxanthine. Furthermore, for compounds 1 and 2, in contrast to MTX, the FaDu cells were better protected by thymidine alone than hypoxanthine alone, suggesting a predominantly antithymidylate effect.
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PMID:Classical and nonclassical furo[2,3-d]pyrimidines as novel antifolates: synthesis and biological activities. 816 59

Novel antifolates with a 6-5 fused ring system, 6,7-dihydrocyclopenta [d]pyrimidine, (3a,b and 4a,b) were synthesized on the basis of combined modification of the heterocycle and bridge regions of the folate molecule. The synthetic method involves (1) synthesis of key intermediates of tert-butyl 4-[omega-(2-substituted-3-oxocyclopentanyl) alkyl]benzoates (8a,b and 9a,b) by a carbon-carbon radical coupling of tert-butyl 4-(omega-iodoalkyl)benzoates (7a,b) with 2-substituted-2-cyclopenten-1-ones (5 and 6) utilizing tributyltin hydride, (2) cyclization of either the methyl enol-ethers derived from the 2-cyanocyclopentanones (8a,b) or the 2-(methoxycarbonyl)cyclopentanones (9a,b) themselves by treatment with guanidine which leads to 6,7-dihydrocyclopenta [d]pyrimidines with a 4-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)phenylalkyl group (11a,b and 14a,b), (3) deprotection to the corresponding carboxylic acids (12a,b and 15a,b), and (4) amidation with diethyl glutamate and deesterification. Potent dihydrofolate reductase inhibition and highly potent cell growth inhibition were found with 2,4-diaminopyrimidine-fused cyclopentene compounds containing the trimethylene (3a) or ethylene bridge (3b) but not with the corresponding 2-amino-4-hydroxy analogs (4a,b). Compounds 3a and 3b were more growth inhibitory to several tumor cell lines (P388, colon 26, colon 38, and KB) than was methotrexate, with 3a being the most potent. Both 3a and 3b gave increases in the lifespan of P388 leukemic mice comparable to that observed with MTX. Both compounds were therapeutic against colon 26 colorectal carcinoma in mice. Compound 3a was highly effective against LC-6 non-small cell lung carcinoma in nude mice.
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PMID:Synthesis and antitumor activities of novel 6-5 fused ring heterocycle antifolates: N-[4-[omega-(2-amino-4-substituted-6,7-dihydrocyclopenta [d]pyrimidin-5-yl)alkyl]benzoyl]-L-glutamic acids. 820 95

Successive alkylation of dimethyl homoterephthalate with propargyl bromide and 2,4-diamino-6-(bromomethyl)pteridine followed by ester saponification at room temperature afforded 2,4-diamino-4-deoxy-10-carboxy-10-propargyl-10-deazapteroic acid. The 10-COOH was readily decarboxylated by heating in DMSO at a temperature of only 120 degrees C to yield the diamino-10-propargyl-10-deazapteroic acid intermediate. Coupling with diethyl L-glutamate and ester hydrolysis gave the title compound. The 10-propargyl analogue was about 5 times more potent than MTX as an inhibitor of growth in L1210 cells, but was only one-third as potent as an inhibitor of DHFR from L1210. The analogue was transported inward very effectively in L1210 cells showing a 10-fold advantage over MTX. At a dose of 36 mg/kg the 10-propargyl compound caused shrinkage of the E0771 solid murine mammary tumor to only 1% of untreated controls.
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PMID:Synthesis and antitumor activity of 10-propargyl-10-deazaaminopterin. 834 Sep 23

gamma-Glutamyl hydrolase has been partially purified and characterized from conditioned culture medium of H35 hepatoma cells. Evidence for heterogeneity of the enzyme is derived from its elution as three distinct peaks of enzymatic activity when the enzyme is purified by TSK-butyl-Sepharose column chromatography. These three enzyme fractions appear to have identical catalytic properties but, as yet, the basis for their resolution is not understood. A rapid, sensitive and simple assay based on reverse-phase HPLC fluorescent detection with pre-column derivatization using o-phthalaldehyde (OPA) was developed to separate OPA-derivatives of poly-gamma-glutamates and glutamic acid. Using this assay and the standard HPLC assay for pteroylpolyglutamates, the enzyme appears to be an endopeptidase with respect to pteroylpenta-gamma-glutamate (PteGlu5), methotrexate penta-gamma-glutamate (4-NH2-10-CH3PteGlu5) and p-aminobenzoyl-penta-gamma-glutamate (pABAGlu5). The initial products are PteGlu1 (or 4-NH2-10-CH3PteGlu1 or pABAGlu1) and intact tetra-gamma-glutamate, which is subsequently degraded to glutamic acid. When penta-gamma-glutamate is the substrate, the cleavage of the gamma-bonds by the enzyme is less ordered, with the early appearance of mono-, di-, tri- and tetraglutamate. Poly-alpha-glutamate is not a substrate nor are pABA-gamma-Glu5 or penta-gamma-glutamate covalently linked to albumin. 4-NH2-10-CH3PteGlu2 or Glu5 bound to dihydrofolate reductase is not a substrate for the enzyme, offering further evidence that protein-associated poly-gamma-glutamates are poor substrates for gamma-glutamyl hydrolase from H35 hepatoma cells.
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PMID:The properties of the secreted gamma-glutamyl hydrolases from H35 hepatoma cells. 834 22

The stereospecific syntheses of L-threo-gamma-fluoromethotrexate (1t) and L-threo-gamma-fluorofolic acid (3t) are reported. Compounds 1t and 3t have no substrate activity with folylpoly-gamma-glutamate synthetase isolated from CCRF-CEM human leukemia cells, and compound 1t inhibits human dihydrofolate reductase at similar levels as methotrexate. The synthesis of DL-3,3-difluoroglutamic acid (6) and its incorporation into DL-beta,beta-difluorofolic acid (4) are also reported. Compound 4 acts as a better substrate for human CCRF-CEM folylpoly-gamma-glutamate synthetase than folic acid (V/K = ca. 7-fold greater). Thus, replacement of the glutamate moiety of methotrexate and folic acid with 4-fluoroglutamic acid and 3,3-difluoroglutamic acid results in folates and antifolates with altered polyglutamylation activity.
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PMID:Synthesis and biological activity of folic acid and methotrexate analogues containing L-threo-(2S,4S)-4-fluoroglutamic acid and DL-3,3-difluoroglutamic acid. 856 27

We have analysed the cellular metabolism of a novel thymidylate synthase (TS) inhibitor, ZD1694, in MOLT-3 and K562 human leukaemia cell lines sensitive to or made resistant to ZD1694 by continuous exposure of the cells to ZD1694 with stepwise escalation of the drug concentration. The initial cellular uptake of [3H]ZD1694 was greater in K562 cells than in MOLT-3 cells and the drug accumulated approximately 3-fold more in the former cells following incubation with 0.1 microM ZD1694 at 37 degrees C for 24 h. TS and dihydrofolate reductase activities were not significantly different between the two cell lines. After a 30-min incubation with the drug at 37 degrees C, 85% of the total drug (2.3 pmol/mg protein) in K562 cells was found as tri- to pentaglutamates, whereas MOLT-3 cells accumulated less drug in this time (0.83 pmol/mg protein) and polyglutamates of chain length greater than triglutamate were not found to a significant extent. When the incubation time was extended to 24 h, the polyglutamate profile in K562 cells was progressively shifted towards those of long glutamate chain length and 59% of the total cellular drug (204 pmol/mg protein) was identified as the penta form. In contrast, even distribution between tri- and pentaglutamate was observed in MOLT-3 cells. Total cellular polyglutamates were approximately 3-fold higher in K562 cells than in MOLT-3 cells, and this may explain the 2.5-fold difference in the sensitivity to ZD1694 between the two cell lines. Continuous exposure of MOLT-3 and K562 cells to ZD1694 up to 1 microM or 0.1 microM resulted in 1600- and 4200-fold resistant sublines, respectively (MOLT-3/ZD1694.C and K562/ZD1694.C). The resistant MOLT-3 cells showed a markedly lower cellular accumulation and poor retention of [3H]ZD1694 with no significant change of initial drug uptake by 10 min and with a little increase of TS activity. HPLC analysis demonstrated that more than 90% of the 3H co-eluted with the monoglutamate (parent drug) in the resistant MOLT-3 cells, indicating extremely diminished polyglutamation in the cells. On the other hand, cellular uptake of [3H]ZD1694 was extensively impaired in K562/ZD1694.C cells and cellular accumulation of the drug was only 2.5% of that in the parent cells following 24 h incubation with the drug. Neither an increase of TS or dihydrofolate reductase activity nor a change in the polyglutamate formation profile was observed in the resistant K562 cells. These results indicate that the cellular ability to produce the polyglutamate metabolites of ZD1694 must influence the sensitivity of the tumour cells to this drug, and development of mechanisms involved in the ZD1694 resistance may relate to the intrinsic biochemical properties of the cells.
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PMID:Cellular pharmacokinetics of ZD1694 in cultured human leukaemia cells sensitive, or made resistant, to this drug. 857 77

Folypolyglutamate synthetase (FPGS) is responsible for the conversion of naturally occurring folates and antifolates to their poly-gama-glutamyl derivatives, which are the forms required for intracellular retention of folates and are also the preferred substrates (cofactors) for most folate-dependent enzymes. Folate and methotrexate analogues 6 and 4, with L-histidine in place of L-glutamate, were designed and synthesized as potential FPGS inhibitors. Target compound 5, the N tau-(carboxymethyl)-L-histidine derivative of 4, was also prepared. Compounds 4 and 5 inhibited the growth of L1210 cells (IC50 values: 0.091 and 0.15 microM, respectively) and were potent inhibitors of L1210 dihydrofolate reductase. No significant inhibition of FPGS by 4, 5, or 6 was observed at the high pH of the standard enzyme assay. This could be the consequence of a lack of protonation of the basic side chains, which is likely to be required for FPGS inhibitory activity. The observed cytotoxicity indicates that partial protonation of the imidazole ring permits cellular uptake of the analogues.
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PMID:Design and synthesis of histidine analogues of folic acid and methotrexate as potential folylpolyglutamate synthetase inhibitors. 886 12

The reaction catalyzed by Escherichia coli dihydrofolate reductase (ecDHFR) cycles through five detectable kinetic intermediates: holoenzyme, Michaelis complex, ternary product complex, tetrahydrofolate (THF) binary complex, and THF.NADPH complex. Isomorphous crystal structures analogous to these five intermediates and to the transition state (as represented by the methotrexate-NADPH complex) have been used to assemble a 2.1 A resolution movie depicting loop and subdomain movements during the catalytic cycle (see Supporting Information). The structures suggest that the M20 loop is predominantly closed over the reactants in the holoenzyme, Michaelis, and transition state complexes. But, during the remainder of the cycle, when nicotinamide is not bound, the loop occludes (protrudes into) the nicotinamide-ribose binding pocket. Upon changing from the closed to the occluded conformation, the central portion of the loop rearranges from beta-sheet to 3(10) helix. The change may occur by way of an irregularly structured open loop conformation, which could transiently admit a water molecule into position to protonate N5 of dihydrofolate. From the Michaelis to the transition state analogue complex, rotation between two halves of ecDHFR, the adenosine binding subdomain and loop subdomain, closes the (p-aminobenzoyl)glutamate (pABG) binding crevice by approximately 0.5 A. Resulting enhancement of contacts with the pABG moiety may stabilize puckering at C6 of the pteridine ring in the transition state. The subdomain rotation is further adjusted by cofactor-induced movements (approximately 0.5 A) of helices B and C, producing a larger pABG cleft in the THF.NADPH analogue complex than in the THF analogue complex. Such movements may explain how THF release is assisted by NADPH binding. Subdomain rotation is not observed in vertebrate DHFR structures, but an analogous loop movement (residues 59-70) appears to similarly adjust the pABG cleft width, suggesting that these movements are important for catalysis. Loop movement, also unobserved in vertebrate DHFR structures, may preferentially weaken NADP+ vs NADPH binding in ecDHFR, an evolutionary adaptation to reduce product inhibition in the NADP+ rich environment of prokaryotes.
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PMID:Loop and subdomain movements in the mechanism of Escherichia coli dihydrofolate reductase: crystallographic evidence. 901 74

The 1H/15N HSQC NMR spectra of complexes of Lactobacillus casei dihydrofolate reductase containing methotrexate recorded at 1 degree C show four resolved signals for the four NH(eta) protons of the Arg57 residue. This is consistent with hindered rotation in the guanidino group resulting from interactions with the alpha-carboxylate of methotrexate. Increasing the temperature causes exchange line-broadening and coalescence of signals. Rotation rates for the N(epsilon)C(zeta) and C(zeta)N(eta) bonds have been calculated from lineshape analysis and from zz-HSQC exchange experiments. The interactions between the methotrexate alpha-carboxylate group and the Arg57 guanidino group decrease the rotation rates for the N(epsilon)C(zeta) bond by about a factor of 10 and those for the C(zeta)N(eta) bonds by more than a factor of 100 with respect to their values in free arginine. Furthermore, the relative rates of rotation about these two bonds are reversed in the protein complexes compared with their values in free arginine indicating that there are concerted rotations about the N(epsilon)C(zeta) bond of the Arg57 guanidino group and the C'C(alpha) bond of the glutamate alpha-carboxylate group of methotrexate.
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PMID:Correlated bond rotations in interactions of arginine residues with ligand carboxylate groups in protein ligand complexes. 909 16


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