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The proliferation rate of HT29 colon carcinoma cells was decreased by the multitargeted antifolate (MTA), LY231514. This effect correlated with a buildup of cells near the G1-S interface after 24 h of incubation, and a synchronized progression of the population through S phase during the next 24 h. MTA treatment (0.03-3 microM) was minimally cytotoxic (20-30%) to HT29 cells after a 24-h exposure, and no dose response was observed. In contrast, the nucleoside analogue gemcitabine (GEM) was cytotoxic (IC50, 0.071 +/- 0.011 microM; IC90, 0.648 +/- 0.229 microM) after a 24-h exposure. We hypothesized that pretreatment of these cells with MTA would increase the potency of GEM by synchronizing the population for DNA synthesis. The cytotoxicity of GEM increased 2-7-fold when MTA was administered 24 h before GEM (IC50, 0.032 +/- 0.009 microM; IC90, 0.094 +/- 0.019 microM). In addition, an increase in cell kill for the combination compared with GEM alone (IC99, 12 microM for GEM alone; IC99, 0.331 microM for combination) was observed. No increase in potency or cell kill was observed when the two compounds were added simultaneously. MTA pretreatment also potentiated the cytotoxicity of a 1-h exposure to GEM. These cell-based observations were extended to evaluate the schedule-dependent interaction of these two agents in vivo using a nude mouse HT29 xenograft tumor model. At the doses tested, MTA alone (100 mg/kg) had a marginal effect on tumor growth delay, whereas GEM (80 mg/kg) produced a statistically significant tumor growth delay. In combination, the increase in tumor growth delay was greatest when MTA was administered before GEM, compared with simultaneous drug administration or the reverse sequence, e.g., GEM followed by MTA. The effect of sequential administration of MTA followed by GEM was greater than additive, indicating synergistic interaction of these agents. Thus, in vitro, MTA induced cell cycle effects on HT29 cells that resulted in potentiation of the cytotoxicity of GEM. In vivo, combination of these two drugs also demonstrated a schedule-dependent synergy that was optimal when MTA treatment preceded GEM.

N-[4-[2-(2-amino-3,4-dihydro-4-oxo-7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-5-yl)ethyl ]-benzoyl]-L-glutamic acid (LY231514) is a novel pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine-based antifolate currently undergoing extensive Phase II clinical trials. Previous studies have established that LY231514 and its synthetic gamma-polyglutamates (glu3 and glu5) exert potent inhibition against thymidylate synthase (TS). We now report that LY231514 and its polyglutamates also markedly inhibit other key folate-requiring enzymes, including dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and glycinamide ribonucleotide formyltransferase (GARFT). For example, the Ki values of the pentaglutamate of LY231514 are 1.3, 7.2, and 65 nM for inhibition against TS, DHFR, and GARFT, respectively. In contrast, although a similar high level of inhibitory potency was observed for the parent monoglutamate against DHFR (7.0 nM), the inhibition constants (Ki) for the parent monoglutamate are significantly weaker for TS (109 nM) and GARFT (9,300 nM). The effects of LY231514 and its polyglutamates on aminoimidazole carboxamide ribonucleotide formyltransferase, 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase, and 10-formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase were also evaluated. The end product reversal studies conducted in human cell lines further support the concept that multiple enzyme-inhibitory mechanisms are involved in cytotoxicity. The reversal pattern of LY231514 suggests that although TS may be a major site of action for LY231514 at concentrations near the IC50, higher concentrations can lead to inhibition of DHFR and/or other enzymes along the purine de novo pathway. Studies with mutant cell lines demonstrated that LY231514 requires polyglutamation and transport via the reduced folate carrier for cytotoxic potency. Therefore, our data suggest that LY231514 is a novel classical antifolate, the antitumor activity of which may result from simultaneous and multiple inhibition of several key folate-requiring enzymes via its polyglutamated metabolites.

Tight-binding inhibition of recombinant human monofunctional glycinamide ribonucleotide formyltransferase by Lometrexol (6R-5,10-dideazatetrahydrofolate) requires polyglutamation. LY254155 and LY222306 differ from 5,10-dideazatetrahydrofolate in the replacement of the 1',4'- phenylene moiety by a 2',5'-thiophene and a 2',5'-furan, respectively. Compared to Lometrexol, the thiophene and furan analogues had 25- and 75-fold greater inhibitory potencies against human monofunctional glycinamides ribonucleotide formyltransferase (Ki = 2.1 and 0.77 nM, respectively). The binding affinities of the thiophene and furan analogues for membrane folate-binding protein from human KB cells were 6- and 350-fold weaker than Lometrexol, respectively. Both the thiophene analogue and 5,10-dideazatetrahydrofolate inhibited the in vivo growth of murine 6C3HED lymphosarcoma, murine C3H mammary carcinoma, and human xenograft HXGC3, HC1, and VRC5 colon carcinomas by 95-100%. The thiophene analogue was efficacious against human xenograft PANC-1, a pancreatic carcinoma which was completely resistant to 5,10- dideazatetrahydrofolate. These novel antifolates represent the first monoglutamated tight-binding inhibitors of glycinamide ribonucleotide formyltransferase. By eliminating the need for polyglutamation, this class of antifolates may have clinical activity in the treatment of solid tumors expressing low levels of folylpolyglutamate synthetase or tumors resistant to antifolate therapy due to increased gamma-glutamyl hydrolase activity.