Synthesis, biological, and antitumor activity of a highly potent 6-substituted pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine thienoyl antifolate inhibitor with proton-coupled folate transporter and folate receptor selectivity over the reduced folate carrier that inhibits beta-glycinamide ribonucleotide formyltransferase.

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Citation

Wang L, Desmoulin SK, Cherian C, Polin L, White K, Kushner J, Fulterer A, Chang MH, Mitchell-Ryan S, Stout M, Romero MF, Hou Z, Matherly LH, Gangjee A

Synthesis, biological, and antitumor activity of a highly potent 6-substituted pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine thienoyl antifolate inhibitor with proton-coupled folate transporter and folate receptor selectivity over the reduced folate carrier that inhibits beta-glycinamide ribonucleotide formyltransferase.

J Med Chem. 2011 Oct 27;54(20):7150-64. doi: 10.1021/jm200739e. Epub 2011 Sep 22.

PubMed ID
21879757 [ View in PubMed
]
Abstract

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-alpha-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 the proliferation of cells expressing folate receptors (FRs) alpha or beta, or the proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT), including KB and IGROV1 human tumor cells, much more potently than 4. Compound 3 was more inhibitory than 4 toward beta-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.

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Drug Targets
DrugTargetKindOrganismPharmacological ActionActions
Folic acidFolate receptor alphaProteinHumans
Unknown
Not AvailableDetails