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Pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) dimers are well-known highly potent antibody drug conjugate (ADC) payloads. The corresponding PBD monomers, in contrast, have received much less attention from the ADC community. We prepared several novel polyamide-linked PBD monomers and evaluated their utility as ADC payloads. The unconjugated polyamide-PBD hybrids exhibited potent antiproliferative activity (IC50 range: 10

As part of our ongoing research effort to develop new therapeutics for treatment of tuberculosis (TB), we synthesized a combinatorial library of 10,358 compounds on solid support using a pool-and-split technique and tested the resulting compounds for activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Structure–activity relationship (SAR) evaluation identified new compounds with antitubercular activity, including a novel hit series that is structurally unrelated to any existing antitubercular drugs, dipiperidines. Dipiperidine representatives exhibited MIC values as low as 7.8 μM, the ability to induce promoter Rv0341 activated in response to cell wall biosynthesis inhibition, relatively low nonspecific cellular toxicity in the range of 30–162 μM, and log P values less than 4.

SummaryHistiocytic sarcoma (HS) is a rare malignant proliferation of histiocytes of uncertain molecular pathogenesis. Here, genetic analysis of coincident loss of Pten and Ink4a/Arf tumor suppressors in the mouse revealed a neoplastic phenotype dominated by a premalignant expansion of biphenotypic myelolymphoid cells followed by the development of HS. Pten protein loss occurred only in the histiocytic portion of tumors, suggesting a stepwise genetic inactivation in the generation of HS. Similarly, human HS showed genetic or epigenetic inactivation of PTEN, p16INK4A, and p14ARF, supporting the relevance of this genetically engineered mouse model of HS. These genetic and translational observations establish a cooperative role of Pten and Ink4a/Arf in the development of HS and provide mechanistic insights into the pathogenesis of human HS.

SummaryTo identify genetic events underlying the genesis and progression of multiple myeloma (MM), we conducted a high-resolution analysis of recurrent copy number alterations (CNAs) and expression profiles in a collection of MM cell lines and outcome-annotated clinical specimens. Attesting to the molecular heterogeneity of MM, unsupervised classification using nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF) designed for array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) analysis uncovered distinct genomic subtypes. Additionally, we defined 87 discrete minimal common regions (MCRs) within recurrent and highly focal CNAs. Further integration with expression data generated a refined list of MM gene candidates residing within these MCRs, thereby providing a genomic framework for dissection of disease pathogenesis, improved clinical management, and initiation of targeted drug discovery for specific MM patients.

Integrating combinatorial lead optimization of [1,2]-diamine core structure based on ethambutol with high-throughput screening has led us to focus on three promising analogs (SQ37, SQ59 and SQ109) as potential anti-tubercular drug candidates from thousands of synthesized diamine analogs for further characterization of their biopharmaceutical and pharmacokinetic properties by using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) and cassette dosing for pharmacokinetic screening. Simultaneous separation of the three analogs was achieved on reversed phase HPLC using a gradient mobile phase composed of MeOH/CH(3)COONH(4) (5mM)/trifluoroacetic acid: 80/20/0.1 (v/v/v). After extraction with acetonitrile from biomatrices, samples were analyzed on the LC/MS/MS system in the positive mode using an electrospray ion source. The retention time for the analogs ranged from 3.70 to 4.48 min. Incubation of SQ37 with plasma at 37 degrees C for 6h resulted in its degradation in human and rat plasma (20-35%), but no significant degradation was observed in mouse and dog plasma. SQ59 was relatively stable in the plasma of the four species. SQ109 was degraded in human and dog plasma (30-40%), but stable in mouse and rat plasma during the 6h incubation. A rapid multiple pharmacokinetic screening was taken by cassette dosing of the three analogs to mice and simultaneous analysis of their plasma concentrations. The analogs showed large Vd(ss) ranging from 11,300 (SQ37), 12,800 (SQ109) to 63,900 ml/kg (SQ59). The clearance ranged from 3240 (SQ109), 3530 (SQ37) and 8043 ml/kg/h (SQ59). The elimination t(1/2) ranged from 4.4 to 21.1h dependent on the routes. The oral bioavailability was 5.1 (SQ59), 20.1 (SQ37) and 7.8% (SQ109), respectively. Both SQ37 and SQ109 possess good pharmacokinetic properties.