Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0023418 (leukemia)
 93,477 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

A topological substructural approach to molecular design (TOSS-MODE) has been introduced for the selection and design of anticancer compounds. A quantitative model that discriminates anticancer compounds from the inactive ones in a training series was obtained. This model permits the correct classification of 91.43% of compounds in an external prediction set with only 1.43% of false actives and 7. 14% of false inactives. The model developed is then used in a simulation of a virtual search for Ras FTase inhibitors; 87% of the Ras FTase inhibitors used in this simulated search were correctly classified, thus indicating the ability of the TOSS-MODE model of finding lead compounds with novel structures and mechanism of action. Finally, a series of carbonucleosides was designed, and the compounds were classified as active/inactive anticancer compounds by using the model developed here. From the compounds so-designed, 20 were synthesized and evaluated experimentally for their antitumor effects on the proliferation of murine leukemia cells (L1210/0) and human T-lymphocyte cells (Molt4/C8 and CEM/0); 80% of these compounds were well-classified, as active or inactive, and only two pairs of isomeric compounds were false actives. The chloropurine derivatives were the most active compounds, especially compounds 6c, d.
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PMID:A novel approach for the virtual screening and rational design of anticancer compounds. 1082 10

The knowledge that Ras was readily prenylated by protein FTase and that the inhibition of this reaction has the ability to revert the transformed phenotype, provided the rationale for the development of FTIs as anticancer drugs. Studies have shown that farnesylation of Ras is the first, obligatory first step in a series of post-translational modifications leading to membrane association, which, in turn, determines the switch from an inactive to an active Ras-GTP bound form. Based on the theorical assumption that preventing Ras farnesylation might result in the inhibition of Ras functions, a range of FTIs have been synthesized. Their biology is fascinating since after substantial investigation and their use in several phase II studies and at least two phase III trials, the exact mechanism of action remains unclear. FTIs can block the farnesylation of several additional proteins, such as RhoB, prelamins A and B, centromere proteins (CENP-E, CENP-F), etc. While the FTIs clearly do not or only partly target Ras, these agents appear to have clinical activity in leukemia and in some solid tumors regardless of their Ras mutational status. Although inhibition of FTase by these compounds has been well documented also in normal tissues, their toxic effects seem to be manageable. However, preliminary results of early Phase II-III studies suggest that the activity of FTIs, as a single-agent, is modest and generally lower than that obtained by standard cytotoxic drugs. Ongoing clinical studies are assessing the role of FTIs for early stage disease or in combination with cytotoxic agents or with other molecular targeted therapies for advanced stage tumors. Further insights in the molecular mechanism of action of FTIs might help in better define their optimal use in combination with standard therapies in the treatment of cancer patients.
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PMID:Farnesylated proteins as anticancer drug targets: from laboratory to the clinic. 1503 18

New fluorescent analogues of farnesol and geranylgeraniol have been prepared and then converted to the corresponding pyrophosphates. These analogues incorporate anthranylate or dansyl-like groups anchored to the terpenoid skeleton through amine bonds that would be expected to be relatively stable to metabolism. After addition of the alcohols or the pyrophosphates to the culture medium, their fluorescence is readily observed inside a human-derived leukemia cell line. Enzyme assays have revealed that the farnesyl pyrophosphate analogue is an inhibitor of FTase, while the corresponding alcohol is not. These results, together with Western blot analyses of cell lysates, indicate that the farnesyl pyrophosphate analogue penetrates the cells as an intact pyrophosphate and that it does so at a biologically relevant concentration.
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PMID:Synthesis and activity of fluorescent isoprenoid pyrophosphate analogues. 1554 86