Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0699790 (colon cancer)
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New drug development requires simple in vitro models that resemble the in vivo situation more in order to select active drugs against solid tumours and to decrease the use of experimental animals. In this paper, we review the characteristics and scope of a relatively simple cell-culture system with a three-dimensional organisation pattern - the multilayered postconfluent cell culture model. Solid tumour cell lines from diverse origins when grown in V-bottomed microtiter plates reach confluence in 3-5 days and then start to form multilayers. The initial exponential growth of the culture is followed by a plateau phase when cells reach confluence. This produces changes in the morphology of the cells. For some cell lines, it is possible to observe cell differentiation. A substantial advantage of the system is the use of the sulforodamine B (SRB) assay to determine relative cell growth or viability, which allows semiautomation of the experiments. Several experiments were performed to assess the differences and similarities between cells cultured as monolayers and multilayers, and eventually, compared with the results for solid tumours and some other models such as spheroids. Cell-cycle analysis for multilayers showed a lower S-phase arrest, which is accompanied by a decrease in the expression of cell-cycle-related proteins and a decrease in cellular nucleotide pools. Gene and protein expression of topoisomerase I, topoisomerase II and thymidylate synthase expression were lower for multilayers, but no substantial changes were observed for the expression of DT-diaphorase. P53 expression increased. Multilayer cultures present distinctive properties for drug transport across the membrane, drug accumulation and retention. In fact, the transport of antifolates across the membrane, accumulation of topotecan and gemcitabine-triphosphate are reduced in multilayers when compared with monolayers, which may be related to a decrease in drug penetration to the inner regions of the multilayers. Alteration of these pharmacodynamic parameters is directly related to a decrease in drug activity. The most powerful application of multilayers is in the assessment of cytotoxicity. Solid tumour cell lines from different origins have been treated with several conventional and investigational anticancer drugs. The data show that multilayers are more resistant to the drugs than the corresponding monolayers, but there are substantial differences between the drugs depending on culture conditions, e.g. the difference was rather small for a drug such as cisplatin, miltefosine and EO9, a drug, which is activated under hypoxic conditions. Gemcitabine was active against ovarian cancer but not against colon cancer, resembling the in vivo situation. This observation was not evident with monolayer experiments. Another interesting application is the possibility to perform drug combination studies. The combination of gemcitabine and cisplatin proved to produce selective cell kill in H322 cells (non-small cell lung cancer cell line). Neither of the drugs was independently able to produce similar effects. In summary, multilayer cultures are relatively simple three-dimensional systems to study the effect of microenvironmental conditions on anticancer drug activity. The model might serve as a base for a more rigorous secondary in vitro screening.
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PMID:The multilayered postconfluent cell culture as a model for drug screening. 1103 3

Vinorelbine (VNR) is a new vinca alkaloid derivative semi-synthesized by Potier et al. The antitumor activity of VNR was superior to other vinca alkaloid antitumor agents, and the neuro-toxicity of VNR was weaker than those of other vinca alkaloids. In nude mice xenografted human tumor models, VNR showed antitumor activity against eight of eleven tumor models (non-small cell lung cancer: 4/4, breast cancer: 2/3, colon cancer: 0/2, stomach cancer: 2/2). Especially, VNR showed tumor-regressive activity against LC-6 non-small cell lung cancer and MX-1 breast cancer. The antitumor activity of VNR against non-small cell lung cancer was superior to that of vindesine (VDS), which had been one of the key drugs of non-small cell lung cancer in the clinic. In combination chemotherapy, VNR plus cisplatin (CDDP) was better than VDS plus CDDP, which had been one of the standard regimens of non-small cell lung cancer chemotherapy. The potent antitumor effect of VNR with minor neurotoxicity was explained by VNR having stronger activity on mitotic microtubules than axonal microtubules. It was supposed that less activity of VNR against mitotic microtubules would be related to different composition of microtubule-associated TAU isoforms in the two types of microtubules. In non-small cell lung cancer, VNR resulted in a significantly higher response rate than VDS. In combination with CDDP, VNR resulted in longer survival than VDS with a significant log-rank test. In advanced breast cancer, VNR resulted in a high response rate in 1st line and 2nd line treatment. VNR is effective in combination with chemotherapeutic agents such as anthracycline, fluorouracil and Taxol. In Japan, the clinical trial in breast cancer is now ongoing.
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PMID:[Properties of antitumor activity of vinorelbine tartrate, a new vinca alkaloid antitumor agent]. 1108 18

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a potent inducer of apoptosis of transformed and cancer cells but not of most normal cells. Recent studies have revealed an unforeseen toxicity of TRAIL toward normal human hepatocytes, thereby bringing into question the safety of systemic administration of TRAIL in humans with cancer. We found that SW480 colon adenocarcinoma, or H460 non-small cell lung cancer cell lines, which are sensitive to TRAIL, were not protected by the caspase 9 inhibitor Z-LEHD-FMK from TRAIL-induced apoptosis. However, a human colon cancer cell line HCT116 and a human embryonic kidney cell line 293, which are sensitive to TRAIL, were protected by Z-LEHD-FMK from TRAIL-mediated death. Both HCT116 and SW480 cells were protected from TRAIL by the caspase 8 inhibitor Z-IETD-FMK, dominant-negative FADD and cellular FLIP-s and interestingly both cell lines displayed caspase 9 cleavage to a similar extent after TRAIL exposure. We confirmed that normal human liver cells are sensitive to TRAIL. Moreover, we found that normal human liver cells could be protected from TRAIL-induced apoptosis by simultaneous exposure to Z-LEHD-FMK. A similar brief exposure to TRAIL plus Z-LEHD-FMK inhibited colony growth of SW480 but not HCT116 cells. Because some cancer cell lines are not protected from TRAIL-mediated killing by Z-LEHD-FMK, we believe that a brief period of caspase 9 inhibition during TRAIL administration may widen the therapeutic window and allow cancer cell killing while protecting normal liver cells. This strategy could be further developed in the effort to advance TRAIL into clinical trials.
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PMID:The caspase 9 inhibitor Z-LEHD-FMK protects human liver cells while permitting death of cancer cells exposed to tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand. 1110 80

Preclinical studies at Roswell Park Cancer Institute by Minderman, Cao, and Rustum (unpublished results) showed that a combination of SN-38 and 5-FU against HCT-8 human colon carcinoma cells in vitro was synergistic, with the best interaction occurring when the drugs were added sequentially, SN-38 first. Their in vivo studies using HCT-8 tumor xenografts implanted s.c. in nude athymic mice demonstrated superior efficacy for a sequential i.v. administration of CPT-11, 24 hr before 5-FU. On the basis of these studies, our group has begun to evaluate effects of RFS2000 (9-nitro-20(S)-camptothecin) (9-NC) in combination with a series of other antitumor agents. Using a panel of human tumor cell lines including A121 ovarian cancer, HCT-8 colon cancer, H-460 NSCLC, HT-1080 fibrosarcoma, and MCF7 mammary cancer, we found that a 2-hr exposure to 9-NC resulted in ID50 values of < 1.0 microM, whereas continuous exposure to drug resulted in ID50 values of < 1.0 nM. Tumor growth inhibitory activities of 5-FU, gemcitabine, and paclitaxel were determined for comparison. Combinations of these agents were evaluated with 9-NC using the human HCT-8 colon tumor cell line. Concurrent and sequential combinations of 9-NC with 5-FU had some regions of the concentration-effect surface with local synergy and some with local antagonism. However, sequential combination of 9NC or SN-38 followed by 5-FU, 24 hr later appeared to be highly synergistic at high dose-effect levels (i.e., ID90), suggesting that sequential drug administration may be more efficacious at high effect level and that the order of drug addition is very important. Overall, our results were similar to that found earlier by Rustum's group with CPT11 (or SN-38) and 5-FU, suggesting that sequential combination of 9-NC (or other camptothecin analogues) followed by 5-FU has potential for the treatment of cancer in man.
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PMID:In vitro antitumor activity of 9-nitro-camptothecin as a single agent and in combination with other antitumor drugs. 1119 4

Telomerase has been shown to be a marker of epithelial cancer cells. We developed a method that allows the detection of circulating carcinoma cells in the blood of cancer patients. Circulating epithelial cells are harvested from peripheral blood mononuclear cells by immunomagnetic separation using BerEP4-coated beads. A telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP)-ELISA is then used to measure telomerase in harvested epithelial cells. This method is specific and sensitive as demonstrated by experiments using BerEP4-positive and negative cell lines. Whereas we never found telomerase activity in harvested epithelial cells (HEC) samples from 30/30 healthy donors, we have detected telomerase activity in HEC from 11/15 (73%) patients with stage IIIB or IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and from 8/11 (72%) stage C or D (Dukes classification) colon cancer patients. This non-invasive method could be of great value as a diagnostic or prognostic marker, or for monitoring cancer progression.
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PMID:Detection of circulating carcinoma cells by telomerase activity. 1123 83

Artesunate (ART) is a semi-synthetic derivative of artemisinin, the active principle of the Chinese herb Artemisia annua. ART reveals remarkable activity against otherwise multidrug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax malaria. ART has now been analyzed for its anti-cancer activity against 55 cell lines of the Developmental Therapeutics Program of the National Cancer Institute, USA. ART was most active against leukemia and colon cancer cell lines (mean GI50 values: 1.11+/-0.56 microM and 2.13+/-0.74 microM , respectively). Non-small cell lung cancer cell lines showed the highest mean GI50 value (25.62+/-14.95 microM) indicating the lowest sensitivity towards ART in this test panel. Intermediate GI50 values were obtained for melanomas, breast, ovarian, prostate, CNS, and renal cancer cell lines. Importantly, a comparison of ART's cytotoxicity with those of other standard cytostatic drugs showed that ART was active in molar ranges comparable to those of established anti-tumor drugs. Furthermore, we tested CEM leukemia sub-lines resistant to either doxorubicin, vincristine, methotrexate, or hydroxyurea which do not belong to the N.C.I. screening panel. None of these drug-resistant cell lines showed cross resistance to ART. To gain insight into the molecular mechanisms of ART's cytotoxicity, we used a panel of isogenic Saccaromyces cerevisiae strains with defined genetic mutations in DNA repair, DNA checkpoint and cell proliferation genes. A yeast strain with a defective mitosis regulating BUB3 gene showed increased ART sensitivity and another strain with a defective proliferation-regulating CLN2 gene showed increased ART resistance over the wild-type strain, wt644. None of the other DNA repair or DNA check-point deficient isogenic strains were different from the wild-type. These results and the known low toxicity of ART are clues that ART may be a promising novel candidate for cancer chemotherapy.
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PMID:The anti-malarial artesunate is also active against cancer. 1125 Nov 72

C242-DM1 is a tumor-activated immunotoxin under development by GlaxoSmithKline plc (formerly SmithKline Beecham plc), under licence from ImmunoGen Inc, as a potential treatment for colon tumor. It consists of a colon cancer-specific humanized antibody, C242, conjugated to the maytansine derivative DM1. In preclinical studies, C242-DM1 caused complete tumor regression in animal models of both human pancreatic and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at non-toxic doses. C242-DM1 has also been evaluated in an immunoconjugate combination with J-591 (Cornell University). The J591-DM1 immunoconjugate demonstrated effective, antigen-specific delivery of a highly cytotoxic drug to PSMA-positive Pca cells in vitro and in vivo with low systemic toxicity. Results from studies in monkeys showed that C242-DM1 had no significant toxicity or side effects, when administered at doses higher than those that were previously shown to completely eradicate human colon tumors in mice [271420]. ImmunoGen acquired the right to evaluate, and an option to license, technology related to maytansines from Takeda. In February 1999, ImmunoGen and SmithKline Beecham signed a US $45 million development and commercialization agreement for C242-DM1 [313493]. In August 1997, Immunogen received an SBIR grant to advance development of huC242-DM1 [258356]. EP-00425235, held by ImmunoGen, covers conjugated forms of ansamitocin (maytansine) derivatives. Takeda holds several patents for the production of ansamitocin and its analogs, the first one being JP-53124692.
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PMID:Technology evaluation: C242-DM1, ImmunoGen Inc. 1133 34

We describe in this paper a therapeutic modality which is based on a self-rescuing concept (SRC) featuring dual activity, i.e., effect-enhancing activity and adverse reaction-reducing activity. We present the theory and practice of S-1, a novel oral fluoropyrimidine anticancer agent designed to enhance anticancer activity and reduce gastrointestinal toxicity through the deliberate combination of the following components: an oral fluoropyrimidine agent, tegafur (FT); a DPD inhibitor (CDHP: 5-chloro-2, 4-dihydroxypyridine) which is about 200-fold more potent than uracil used in UFT; and an ORTC inhibitor (Oxo: potassium oxonate) which is localized in the gastrointestinal tract. We devised a novel oral anticancer agent, S-1, as a combination drug with a molar ratio of 1:0.4:1 for FT, CDHP, and Oxo, respectively. To compare S-1, FT, and UFT in terms of their anticancer activity and adverse reactions, a colon cancer implantation model in rats was used for 4-week consecutive oral administration from the time when the postimplantation tumor weight become about 2 g. The tumor disappeared on day 16 at a given dose of S-1 (as 22.5 mg/kg FT), and the tumor did not reappear for at least three months. Antitumor activity was more marked with S-1 than FT and UFT. Adverse reaction, i.e., stomatitis, depilation, and weight loss, were less frequent in the S-1 group than in the other groups. A clinical pharmacology study examined blood concentrations of 5-FU after twice-a-day administration after meals of S-1 at a dose of 40 mg/m2. Blood concentrations of 5-FU were 60 to 200 ng/ml in all twelve patients examined. Late phase II clinical trials of S-1 were conducted in patients with advanced and recurrent stomach cancers, in the same regimen as for the clinical pharmacology study. It basically consisted in four cycles, each of which comprised 4-week, twice-a-day, consecutive oral administration with a 2-week withdrawal. The overall response rate was 44.6% (45/101). Median survival time (MST) was 224 days. S-1 was given manufacturing approval by the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Japan after a priority review, with indications for advanced and recurrent stomach cancers. A late phase II clinical study of S-1 in patients with advanced/recurrent head and neck cancer was conducted in 59 eligible patients. Objective responses were 4 complete response (CR) and 13 partial response (PR), for a response rate of 28.8% (17/59). MST was 344 days. Grade 4 hemoglobin decrease was observed in one case; however, this returned to normal after the termination of drug administration and blood transfusion. Therefore, this event was confirmed to be reversible. A late phase II clinical trial of S-1 was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and toxicities in patients with metastatic colorectal carcinoma. Sixty-three patients with measurable metastatic colorectal carcinoma were enrolled in this clinical trial. The overall response rate was 35.5% (22/62), and the MST was 378 days. The main adverse reactions were myelosuppression and GI toxicities. The incidence of neutropenia (Grade 3 or 4) was 13%, while the incidence of other adverse reactions was 10% or below. None of 53 outpatients required to be hospitalization due to adverse reactions. Late phase II clinical trials of S-1 are in progress for colorectal cancer, breast cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. To establish the standard therapeutic modality for cancers, including gastrointestinal cancers, in Japan, the conduction of clinical trials combining S-1 and other anticancer drugs holds promise for the future.
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PMID:[New oral anticancer drug, TS-1 (S-1)--from bench to clinic]. 1143 58

We used palindromic PCR-driven cDNA differential display technique to identify and isolate a gene, human homologue of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe checkpoint gene rad17, from colon cancer tissues. The loss of checkpoint control in mammalian cells results in genomic instability, leading to the amplification, rearrangement, or loss of chromosomes, events associated with tumor progression. We hypothesized that the Hrad17 may be expressed in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We attempted to determine the influence of Hrad17 expression on clinicopathological features for patients with NSCLC who had undergone surgery. Expression of Hrad17 messenger RNA was evaluated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 102 non-small cell lung carcinomas and adjacent histologically normal lung samples from patients for whom follow up data were available. Hrad17 transcripts were detected in 26 (25.5%) of the tumor samples, although some of the paired normal lung samples showed weak expression. There was no relationship between Hrad17 gene expression and age, gender or T-status. About 13 of 31 (41.9%) NSCLC patients with Hrad17 overexpressions were node positive, on the other hand, 13 of 76 (18.3%) cases without Hrad17 overexpressions were node positive. Thus the expression of Hrad17 mRNA correlated with lymph node metastasis (P=0.0231) from NSCLC. Hrad17 protein was highly expressed at the advancing margin of the tumor of lung cancer tissue but not within the normal lung tissue by immunohistochemistry. Thus the expression of Hrad17 might correlate with more advanced NSCLC.
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PMID:Overexpression of Hrad17 gene in non-small cell lung cancers correlated with lymph node metastasis. 1155 12

Genasense (formerly known as G-3139), an antisense oligonucleotide specific for Bcl-2, is under development by Genta as an iv drip infusion for the potential treatment of various cancers including melanoma, prostate, breast and colon cancer [3083751. It is in phase III trials for malignant melanoma, for which it has been awarded Fast Track status 1359044]. Genasense received Orphan Drug status in August 2000 [3782331. In September 2000, the company announced that pivotal phase III trials in multiple melanoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and acute myelocytic leukemia (AML) would be underway by 2001 [382783]. By January 2001, trials in AML and CLL had been initiated 1396512]. As of February 2001, Genta was planning the initiation of two additional, registration quality trials. Pending positive results from these trials, launch of Genasense is anticipated in 2002 13984111. A phase III trial in patients with advanced multiple myeloma at 65 centers in the US, Canada and Great Britain began in February 2001. The trial will examine whether the addition of Genasense can improve response rates, response duration and quality of life compared with dexamethasone therapy alone 13989081. Genta Inc has been issued a patent (US-05831066) for Genasense 1283005]. The patent provides protection to Genta for the composition of Genasense and its analogs. Furthermore, Genta Inc has also been issued two new patents that cover a series of compounds containing new backbone constructions that enhance the antisense affinity of the drug to the target pre-RNA, while the other patent covers the methods for preparation of antisense oligonucleotides containing the new backbone structures 12896851. Genta has already licensed the rights for the use of Bd-2 as a target for antisense- and gene therapy-based treatments from The University of Pennsylvania. The licensing agreements with Chugai Pharmaceutical Co for worldwide marketing and profit sharing places Genta in a favorable position. In January 2001, Needham & Co expected Genasense to have a potential market of 47,700 malignant melanoma patients in the US. The analysts also expected potential patient market sizes of 50,000 (CLL), 21,000 (AML), 136,000 (non-small cell lung cancer; NSLCC) and 180,000 (prostate cancer) in the US. In addition, the analysts predicted that Genasense would be approved for melanoma in the second quarter of 2002, with approvals to follow for CLL (third quarter of 2002), AML (third quarter of 2002) and myeloma (fourth quarter of 2002) 1399251].
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PMID:Genasense (Genta Inc). 1156 20


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