Novel retinoic acid metabolism blocking agents endowed with multiple biological activities are efficient growth inhibitors of human breast and prostate cancer cells in vitro and a human breast tumor xenograft in nude mice.

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Patel JB, Huynh CK, Handratta VD, Gediya LK, Brodie AM, Goloubeva OG, Clement OO, Nanne IP, Soprano DR, Njar VC

Novel retinoic acid metabolism blocking agents endowed with multiple biological activities are efficient growth inhibitors of human breast and prostate cancer cells in vitro and a human breast tumor xenograft in nude mice.

J Med Chem. 2004 Dec 30;47(27):6716-29.

PubMed ID

15615521 [ View in PubMed

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Abstract

Novel retinoic acid metabolism blocking agents (RAMBAs) have been synthesized and characterized. The synthetic features include introduction of nucleophilic ligands at C-4 of all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) and 13-cis-retinoic acid, and modification of terminal carboxylic acid group. Most of our compounds are powerful inhibitors of hamster liver microsomal ATRA metabolism enzyme(s). The most potent compound is methyl (2E,4E,6E,8E)-9-(3-imidazolyl-2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-1-enyl)-3,7-dimethylnona-2, 4,6,8-tetraenoate (5) with an IC(50) value of 0.009 nM, which is 666,667 times more potent than the well-known RAMBA, liarozole (Liazal, IC(50) = 6000 nM). Quite unexpectedly, there was essentially no difference between the enzyme inhibitory activities of the two enantiomers of compound 5. In MCF-7 cell proliferation assays, the RAMBAs also enhance the ATRA-mediated antiproliferative activity in a concentration dependent manner. The novel atypical RAMBAs, in addition to being highly potent inhibitors of ATRA metabolism in microsomal preparations and in intact human cancer cells (MCF-7, T47D, and LNCaP), also exhibit multiple biological activities, including induction of apoptosis and differentiation, retinoic acid receptor binding, and potent antiproliferative activity on a number of human cancer cells. Following subcutaneous administration to mice bearing human breast MCF-7 tumor xenografts, 6 (VN/14-1, the free carboxylic acid of 5) was well-tolerated and caused significant tumor growth suppression ( approximately 85.2% vs control, p = 0.022). Our RAMBAs represent novel anticancer agents with unique multiple mechanisms of action. The most potent compounds are strong candidates for development as therapeutic agents for the treatment of a variety of cancers.

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Binding Properties

Drug	Target	Property	Measurement	pH	Temperature (°C)
Tretinoin	Retinoic acid receptor alpha	IC 50 (nM)	9000	N/A	N/A	Details
Tretinoin	Retinoic acid receptor beta	IC 50 (nM)	3000	N/A	N/A	Details