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The drug discovery landscape has undergone a significant transformation over the past decade, owing to research endeavors in a wide range of areas leading to strategies for pursuing new drug targets and the emergence of novel drug modalities. NMR spectroscopy has been a technology of fundamental importance to these research pursuits and has seen its use expanded both within and outside of traditional medicinal chemistry applications. In this perspective, we will present advancement of NMR-derived methods that have facilitated the characterization of small molecules and novel drug modalities including macrocyclic peptides, cyclic dinucleotides, and ligands for protein degradation. We will discuss innovations in NMR spectroscopy at the chemistry and biology interface that have broadened NMR's utility from hit identification through lead optimization activities. We will also discuss the promise of emerging NMR approaches in bridging our understanding and addressing challenges in the pursuit of the therapeutic agents of the future.

Determining the purity of deuterium labelled compounds is important due to the increasing use of these compounds in mass spectrometry (MS) based quantitative analyses for targeting metabolic flux, reducing toxicity, confirming reaction mechanisms during synthesis, predicting enzyme mechanisms, and enhancing the efficacy of drugs, in quantitative proteomics, and also as internal standards. In the present study, a strategy using liquid chromatography electrospray ionization high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-HR-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was proposed to determine the isotopic enrichment and structural integrity of deuterium labelled compounds. The proposed strategy involves recording full scan MS, extracting and integrating isotopic ions, and calculating the isotopic enrichment of the desired labelled compounds. NMR analysis confirms structural integrity or positions of labelled atoms and can provide insights into the relative percent isotopic purity. This strategy was used to evaluate the isotopic enrichment and structural integrity of in-house synthesized compounds as well as a series of commercially available deuterium labelled compounds. The % isotopic purity for labelled compounds of a benzofuranone derivative (BEN- d 2 ), tamsulosin- d 4 (TAM- d 4 ), oxybutynin- d 5 (OXY- d 5 ), eplerenone- d 3 (EPL- d 3 ), and propafenone- d 7 (PRO- d 7 ) was calculated and found to be 94.7, 99.5, 98.8, 99.9, and 96.5, respectively. All the samples were run in triplicate and the results were observed to be reproducible.

Conjugation with polyethylene glycol (PEG), PEGylation, has been considered a useful tool to improve drug-like properties of novel small molecules and biologics in drug discovery. PEG40 or 40 kDa PEG is a double-branched PEG, routinely employed to improve the pharmacokinetics (PK) of therapeutics, including successful marketed products such as Pegasys® and Omontys®. However, less is known about the extent of contribution of PEG40 to the overall PK of the PEGylated product. Considering the half-life of PEG40 conjugated PEGylated products ranges from 1 to 14 days in human, this information is immensely valuable. After successfully developing a high sensitivity NMR based analytical method to quantitate PEG40 in mice serum after intravenous (IV) administration (Khandelwal et al., 2019), here, we extend its application to measure PEG40 in serum after IV administration and subcutaneous (SC) absorption in routinely employed non-clinical species in drug discovery, namely, mice, rats and cynomolgus monkeys. We utilized non-compartmental analysis and compartmental modeling to characterize the PK of PEG40 in these non-clinical species. Finally, we employed allometric scaling and Wajima (MRT-Css) method to predict the PK of PEG40 in human after IV administration and SC absorption. In general, our data shows that intrinsic PK parameters of PEG40 in mice, rats and cynomolgus monkeys are in the range of published literature values for PEG40-conjugated products, unless saturable clearance mechanisms are involved. We observed a bioavailability (F) of ~68% in CD-1 mice after SC administration of PEG40. In rats, the clearance (CL) and volume of distribution at steady state (V ss ) after IV infusion of PEG40 were 0.079 mL/min/kg and 0.19 L/kg, respectively; and SC bioavailability was ~20%. In cynomolgus monkeys, after IV infusion, CL and V ss of PEG40 were 0.037 mL/min/kg and 0.20 L/kg, respectively; and SC bioavailability was ~69%. In addition, our findings indicate flip-flop kinetics of PEG40 in rodents, but not in cynomolgus monkeys. Finally, in human, intrinsic CL and V ss of PEG40 were projected to be 0.02 mL/min/kg (0.084 L/h) and 0.22 L/kg, respectively. This comprehensive report of PK of PEG40 in non-clinical species and its subsequent prediction in humans is expected to be useful to drug discovery and development scientists for efficient decision-making and optimal resource utilization., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

An efficient and "endotoxin-free" purification of a cyclic dinucleotide (CDN) STING agonist was achieved to produce multigram quantities of pure BMT-390025, an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), for toxicological studies. A two-step sub/supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) procedure was developed for the achiral purification and desalting of the polar ionic CDN. A robust SFC process employing methanol-acetonitrile-water with ammonium acetate as co-solvent in CO 2 on BEH 2-ethylpyridine was established and scaled up as the first step to achieve a successful purification. The desalting/salt-switching (i.e. removing acetate and acetamide) was conducted using methanol-water with ammonium hydroxide as co-solvent on the same column in the second step to convert the final API to the ammonium salt. Water with additive was essential to eliminating salt precipitation and improving the peak shape and resolution. Due to the extreme hydrophilicity of BMT-390025, 65% of co-solvent was needed to adequately elute the target in both steps. More than 40 g of crude API was purified and desalted producing >20 g of pure BMT-390025 as the ammonium salt which was obtained with a chemical purity of >98.5% and met the endotoxin requirement of <0.1 EU/mg. In addition, >80 g of its penultimate prior to the deprotection of the silyl group was purified at a high throughput of 6.3 g/h (0.42 g/day/g SP)., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

We describe a stereodefined synthesis of the newly identified non-natural phosphorothioate cyclic dinucleotide (CDN) STING agonist, BMT-390025. The new route avoids the low-yielding racemic approach using P(III)-based reagents, and the stereospecific assembly of the phosphorothioate linkages are forged via the recently invented P(V)-based platform of the so-called PSI (Ψ) reagent system. This P(V) approach allows for the complete control of chirality of the P-based linkages and enabled conclusive evidence of the absolute configuration. The new approach offers robust procedures for preparing the stereodefined CDN in eight steps starting from advanced nucelosides, with late-stage direct drop isolations and telescoped steps enabling an efficient scale-up that proceeded in an overall 15% yield to produce multigram amounts of the CDN.

Chemoselective methionine bioconjugation with alkyne-bearing oxaziridine and alkyne-bearing iodonium salts was investigated as a new platform for site-selective radiolabeling of proteins and peptides with fluorine-18. Alkyne-bearing sulfimide conjugates, resulting from oxaziridine modification, underwent copper-assisted alkyne-azide cycloaddition (CuAAC) with an 18 F-labeled PEGylated azide to afford 18 F-labeled triazoles in excellent radiochemical yields. Diazoester sulfonium salt bioconjugates, formed from alkyne-bearing 2-diazoiodonium salts, gave low yields of 18 F-labeled triazoles and were shown to be unstable to CuAAC conditions. Photolytic removal of the diazo group, however, afforded the trialkylsulfonium salt which smoothly underwent CuAAC with the 18 F-labeled PEGylated azide to afford high radiochemical yields of the desired 18 F-labeled click product. Overall, the results establish the viability of chemoselective methionine bioconjugation as a method for preparing site-selective 18 F-labeled PET radioligands.

Conjugation of macromolecular drugs to polyethylene glycol (PEG) improves their therapeutic potential by reducing their rate of degradation, thereby extending the drugs half life. As a substantial component of the drug, it is necessary to measure the pharmacokinetic (PK) characteristics of PEG in vivo. A quantitative NMR-based method was developed and successfully applied to measuring double-branched polyethylene glycol 40 kDa (PEG40) in serum samples, enabling determination of PK parameters of PEG40 in preclinical species. NMR is ideal for measuring such polymers because a single, sharp peak is obtained for all the equivalent methylene protons; this amplifies the signal and makes the method insensitive to polymeric heterogeneity. High field NMR (600 MHz) with proton-observe cryoprobe technology allowed for analysis of samples in 300 nM range. Mice received 50 mg/kg of PEG40 intravenously (IV) and serum samples were collected at regular intervals for up to 72 h after dosing. The serum samples were analyzed for PEG40 using the NMR method and PK parameters were calculated using non-compartmental analysis. The volume of distribution was determined to be 0.17 L/kg for IV dosing, indicating limited distribution to interstitial space. A low clearance and observed half life of 18 h is consistent with previous reports on the PK properties of a variety of different PEG molecules ranging from 3 kDa to 190 kDa using 125 I-labeled PEG in mice. The current NMR technique is easy to implement and does not require labeling of the PEG. Additionally, this is the first report, to our knowledge, of NMR spectroscopy application to PK profiling in serum., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Two regioisomeric glucuronide metabolites of dapagliflozin (BMS-512148) were synthesized and used to elucidate the structures of dapagliflozin metabolites observed in human urine samples. The structures of the synthetic metabolites were assigned by heteronuclear multiple-bond correlation, ROESY, and total correlation spectroscopy experiments. Analogues of these metabolites containing carbon-13 as a stable label were also prepared for use as internal standards for the analysis of urine samples obtained from patients participating in clinical studies., (Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

UV spectrophotometry is widely used to determine the molar extinction coefficients (MECs) of cytotoxic drugs as well as the drug antibody ratios (DARs) of antibody drug conjugates (ADCs). However, the unknown purity of a drug due to interfering impurities can lead to erroneous MECs and DARs. Hence, reliable methods to accurately determine purity and the MECs of drugs with limited quantity is urgently needed in Drug Discovery. Such a method has been developed. It achieves absolute purity and accurate MEC determination by a single automated HPLC analysis that uses less than 5μg of material. Specifically, analytical HPLC separation with online UV detection was used to resolve impurities and measure absorbance from only the compound of interest. Simultaneously, an online chemiluminescence nitrogen detector (CLND) was used to determine the concentration of the analyte. The MECs were then calculated from the absorbance and concentration results. The accuracy of the method was demonstrated using caffeine and a commercial cytotoxic drug, DM1. This approach is particularly suited to analyzing mixtures or samples with low purities. Excellent reproducibility was demonstrated by analyzing a proprietary drug with linker synthesized from different batches with very different levels of purity. In addition, the MECs of drug with linker, along with ADC peak areas measured from size exclusion chromatography (SEC), were used to calculate DARs for 21 in-house ADCs. The DAR results were consistent with those obtained by MS analysis., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Daclatasvir is a first-in-class, potent, and selective inhibitor of the hepatitis C virus nonstructural protein 5A replication complex. In support of nonclinical studies during discovery and exploratory development, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance were used in connection with synthetic and radiosynthetic approaches to investigate the biotransformation of daclatasvir in vitro and in cynomolgus monkeys, dogs, mice, and rats. The results of these studies indicated that disposition of daclatasvir was accomplished mainly by the release of unchanged daclatasvir into bile and feces and, secondarily, by oxidative metabolism. Cytochrome P450s were the main enzymes involved in the metabolism of daclatasvir. Oxidative pathways included δ-oxidation of the pyrrolidine moiety, resulting in ring opening to an aminoaldehyde intermediate followed by an intramolecular reaction between the aldehyde and the proximal imidazole nitrogen atom. Despite robust formation of the resulting metabolite in multiple systems, rates of covalent binding to protein associated with metabolism of daclatasvir were modest (55.2-67.8 pmol/mg/h) in nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (reduced form)-supplemented liver microsomes (human, monkey, rat), suggesting that intramolecular rearrangement was favored over intermolecular binding in the formation of this metabolite. This biotransformation profile supported the continued development of daclatasvir, which is now marketed for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection., (Copyright © 2016 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.)

High-affinity, functionally potent, urea-based antagonists of CCR1 have been discovered. Modulation of PXR transactivation has revealed the selective and orally bioavailable CCR1 antagonist BMS-817399 (29), which entered clinical trials for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

A drug candidate, BMS-A ((N-(4-((1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridin-4-yl)oxy)-3-fluorophenyl)-1-(4-fluorophenyl) 2-oxo-1,2-dihydropyridine- 3-carboxamide)), was associated with dose- and time-dependent vacuolar degeneration and necrosis of the adrenal cortex following oral administration to rats. Pretreatment with 1-aminobenzotriazole (ABT), a nonspecific P450 inhibitor, ameliorated the toxicity. In vivo and in vitro systems, including adrenal cortex-derived cell lines, were used to study the mechanism responsible for the observed toxicity. Following an oral dose of the C-14 labeled compound, two hydroxylated metabolites of the parent (M2 and M3) were identified as prominent species found only in adrenal glands and testes, two steroidogenic organs. In addition, a high level of radioactivity was covalently bound to adrenal tissue proteins, 40% of which was localized in the mitochondrial fraction. ABT pretreatment reduced localization of radioactivity in the adrenal gland. Low levels of radioactivity bound to proteins were also observed in testes. Both M3 and covalent binding to proteins were found in incubations with mitochondrial fraction isolated from adrenal tissue in the presence of NADPH. In vitro formation of M3 and covalent binding to proteins were not affected by addition of GSH or a CYP11B1/2 inhibitor, metyrapone (MTY), but were inhibited by ketoconazole (KTZ) and a CYP11A1 inhibitor, R-(+)-aminoglutethimide (R-AGT). BMS-A induced apoptosis in a mouse adrenocortical cell line (Y-1) but not in a human cell line (H295R). Metabolite M3 and covalent binding to proteins were also produced in Y-1 and to a lesser extent in H295R cells. The cell toxicity, formation of M3, and covalent binding to proteins were all diminished by R-AGT but not by MTY. These results are consistent with a CYP11A1-mediated bioactivation to generate a reactive species, covalent binding to proteins, and subsequently rat adrenal toxicity. The thorough understanding of the metabolism-dependent adrenal toxicity was useful to evaluate cross-species adrenal toxicity potential of this compound and related analogues., (© 2012 American Chemical Society)

The thiophene moiety has been recognized as a toxicophore because of the potential of oxidative bioactivation leading to electrophilic species. The introduction of bulky or electron-withdrawing groups at the α-carbon to the sulfur atom has the potential to reduce or eliminate bioactivation. In this article, we describe the bioactivation of a variety of substituted thiophenes. These compounds were incubated in NADPH-fortified human liver microsomes with or without the addition of reduced glutathione (GSH) as a trapping agent. The resulting GSH adducts were characterized by high performance liquid chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometry with the aid of a background subtraction methodology. Four of the five α-chlorothiophenes tested formed NADPH-dependent GSH adducts. Most adducts had masses consistent with the nominal substitution of chlorine by GSH. LC/MS/MS and proton NMR of the major GSH adduct of 1-(5-chlorothiophen-2-yl)ethanone (1a) confirmed that GSH displaced chlorine. To further explore the effect of different substitutions on the bioactivation potential, a series of 2-acetylthiophenes substituted at the C4 or C5 positions were tested in a quantitative thiol-trapping assay using dansyl glutathione. Substitutions at the C4 or C5 positions gave adduct levels that decreased in the following order: 4-H, 5-H (no substitution) > 4-Br ∼ 4-Cl > 5-Cl > 5-CN > 4-CH(3) > 5-Br > 5-CH(3) (no adduct detected). In conclusion, bioactivation was detected in a series of substituted thiophenes. Although substitutions on the thiophene ring can reduce the formation of reactive metabolites, the degree of reduction is dependent on the substitution position and substituent.

Brivanib [(R)-1-(4-(4-fluoro-2-methyl-1H-indol-5-yloxy)-5-methylpyrrolo[1,2,4]triazin-6-yloxy)propan-2-ol, BMS-540215] is a potent and selective dual inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling pathways. Its alanine prodrug, brivanib alaninate [(1R,2S)-2-aminopropionic acid 2-[4-(4-fluoro-2-methyl-1H-indol-5-yloxy)-5-methylpyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazin-6-yloxy]-1-methylethyl ester, BMS-582664], is currently under development as an oral agent for the treatment of cancer. This study describes the in vivo biotransformation of brivanib after a single oral dose of [(14)C]brivanib alaninate to intact rats, bile duct-cannulated (BDC) rats, intact monkeys, BDC monkeys, and humans. Fecal excretion was the primary route of elimination of drug-derived radioactivity in animals and humans. In BDC rats and monkeys, the majority of radioactivity was excreted in bile. Brivanib alaninate was rapidly and completely converted via hydrolysis to brivanib in vivo. The area under the curve from zero to infinity of brivanib accounted for 14.2 to 54.3% of circulating radioactivity in plasma in animals and humans, suggesting that metabolites contributed significantly to the total drug-related radioactivity. In plasma from animals and humans, brivanib was a prominent circulating component. All the metabolites that humans were exposed to were also present in toxicological species. On the basis of metabolite exposure and activity against VEGF and FGF receptors of the prominent human circulating metabolites, only brivanib is expected to contribute to the pharmacological effects in humans. Unchanged brivanib was not detected in urine or bile samples, suggesting that metabolic clearance was the primary route of elimination. The primary metabolic pathways were oxidative and conjugative metabolism of brivanib.

BMS-690514 ((3R,4R)-4-amino-1-((4-((3-methoxyphenyl)amino)pyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4] triazin-5-yl)methyl)-3-piperidinol) is an oral oncologic agent being developed for the treatment of patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer and breast cancer. The compound is metabolized via multiple metabolic pathways, including P450-mediated oxidation at one of the carbons of its pyrrolotriazine group. Oxidation at this site results in the formation of two metabolites, M1 and M37. Mass spectrometric and NMR analysis revealed that M1 underwent an unusual structural change, where the pyrrolotriazine moiety rearranged to yield a hydroxypyridotriazine group. In contrast, the structure of the pyrrolotriazine moiety remained intact in M37. In vitro experiments with liver microsomes and deuterated or tritiated BMS-690514 containing the isotopic label on the carbon that underwent oxidation indicated that during the formation of M1, the isotope label was retained at the site of hydroxylation, while the label was lost during the formation of M37. On the basis of these results, a mechanism for the formation of M1 was proposed as follows: BMS-690514 was first oxidized by P450 enzymes either via epoxidation or an iron-oxo addition pathway to form a zwitterionic intermediate. This was followed by opening of the pyrrolotriazine ring to form an aldehyde intermediate, which could be partially trapped with methoxyamine. The aldehyde intermediate then reacted with the secondary amine of the methoxyaniline group in the molecule to form the pyridotriazine moiety of M1. This mechanism is consistent with the observed retention of the isotope label in M1. Metabolite M37 may be formed either via a common zwitterionic intermediate, shared with M1, or through a direct insertion pathway. In in vitro human liver microsome incubations, the abundance of M1 was higher than M37, suggesting that breaking of the carbon-nitrogen bond to generate the aldehyde intermediate, a process similar to N-dealkylation, was a preferred pathway.

Withdrawals from the market due to unforeseen adverse events have triggered changes in the way therapeutics are discovered and developed. This has resulted in an emphasis on truly understanding the efficacy and toxicity profile of new chemical entities (NCE) and the contributions of their metabolites to on-target pharmacology and off-target receptor-mediated toxicology. Members of the pharmaceutical industry, scientific community and regulatory agencies have held dialogues with respect to metabolites in safety testing (MIST); and both the US FDA and International Conference on Harmonisation have issued guidances with respect to when and how to characterize metabolites for human safety testing. This review provides a brief overview of NMR spectroscopy as applied to the structure elucidation and quantification of drug metabolites within the drug discovery and development process. It covers advances in this technique, including cryogenic cooling of detection circuitry for enhanced sensitivity, hyphenated LC-NMR techniques, improved dynamic range through new solvent-suppression pulse sequences and quantitation. These applications add to the already diverse NMR toolkit and further anchor NMR as a technique that is directly applicable to meeting the requirements of MIST guidelines.

(3R,4R)-4-Amino-1-((4-((3-methoxyphenyl)amino)pyrrolo[2,1-f] [1,2,4]triazin-5-yl)methyl)-3-piperidinol (BMS-690514) is a potent inhibitor of human epidermal growth factor receptors 1, 2, and 4 and vascular endothelial growth factor receptors 1 through 3. BMS-690514 is an oral oncologic agent currently being developed for the treatment of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer and breast cancer. In this investigation, a series of studies was conducted to determine the biotransformation of [(14)C]BMS-690514 after oral administration to rats, rabbits, and dogs. After administration of a single oral dose of [(14)C]BMS-690514 to rats and dogs, the majority of the radioactive dose (61-71%) was recovered in the feces, whereas 18 to 20% was eliminated in urine. In bile duct-cannulated rats, 83 and 17% of the administered radioactivity was recovered in the bile and urine, respectively, suggesting that biliary secretion was a major route for the elimination of BMS-690514-derived radioactivity in rats. The parent compound underwent extensive metabolism in both species, with <12% of the administered radioactivity recovered as BMS-690514 in the excreta samples. Metabolite profiles in plasma were qualitatively similar in rats, rabbits, and dogs. Unchanged BMS-690514 was a prominent drug-related component in the plasma profiles from all the species. However, multiple metabolites contributed significantly to the circulating radioactivity, particularly for rabbit and dog, in which metabolites comprised 73 to 93% of the area under the time curve (0-8 h). Circulating metabolites included M6, a direct O-glucuronide conjugate; M1, a hydroxylated metabolite; and glucuronide conjugates of hydroxylated and O-demethylated metabolites. Overall, the results from these studies suggested that BMS-690514 was well absorbed and highly metabolized through multiple pathways in these preclinical species.

3'-tert-Butyl-3'-N-tert-butyloxycarbonyl-4-deacetyl-3'-dephenyl-3'-N-debenzoyl-4-O-methoxy-paclitaxel (BMS-275183) is a taxane analog that has the potential for oral use in the treatment of various types of cancer. In this study, the metabolism and excretion of [(14)C]BMS-275183 were evaluated after a single oral administration of [(14)C]BMS-275183 to rats and dogs (15 and 1 mg/kg, respectively). To aid metabolite identification by mass spectrometry (MS), a stable labeled (phenyl-(13)C(6)) BMS-275183 was included in 1:1 ratio of (13)C(6)/(12)C in the dose administration. Fecal excretion was the major route of elimination for [(14)C]BMS-275183 in both species (85-86 and <9% of the dose in feces and urine, respectively). The highest radioactivity in plasma was observed at 1 h postdose, suggesting rapid absorption of the drug in both species. The total radioactivity in plasma was measurable up to 24 h postdose. Metabolites were identified by liquid chromatography-MS and/or NMR spectroscopy. [(14)C]BMS-275183 was the prominent component in rat and dog plasma and was detected up to 24 h along with various oxidative and hydrolytic metabolites. [(14)C]BMS-275183 was extensively metabolized in both species, forming mainly oxidative metabolites, and unchanged parent drug accounted for <3.5% of the administered dose in urine and feces. The prominent metabolites resulted from oxidation of the tert-butyl groups on the side chain and further oxidation and cyclization of the tert-butylhydroxylated metabolites. A total of 30 oxidative metabolites including M13, a prominent ester cleavage metabolite, were identified in rat and dog samples.

Cell-cell interaction is important in the expansion of leukemic cells and of solid tumors. Steel factor (SF) or Kit ligand is produced as a membrane-bound form (mSF) and a soluble form. Because both primary gynecological tumors and primary leukemic cells from patients with acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) have been shown to coexpress c-Kit and SF, we addressed the question of whether mSF could contribute to cell interaction in these cancers. Investigations on primary cervical carcinomas have been hindered by the fact that the cells do not grow in culture. We report herein the establishment of two cervical carcinoma cell lines, CALO and INBL, that reproduce the pattern of SF/c-Kit expression observed in primary tumor samples. In addition, these cells exhibit marked density-dependent growth much in the same way as AML blasts. Using an antisense strategy with phosphorothioate-modified oligonucleotides that specifically target SF without affecting other surface markers, we provide direct evidence for a role of mSF and c-Kit in cell interaction and cell survival in these gynecological tumor cell lines as well as in primary AML blasts. Finally, our study defines the importance of juxtacrine stimulation, which may be as important, if not more, than autocrine stimulation in cancers.

CD34+ cells express the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor SCL, which is essential for blood cell formation in vivo. In addition, their survival is critically dependent on hemopoietic growth factors. We therefore compared the effects of Steel factor (SF) and GM-CSF on the survival, proliferation, and differentiation of primary human CD34+ cells, as well as the role of SCL during these processes. GM-CSF suppresses apoptosis in CD34+ cells, which proliferate and differentiate into mature granulocytic and monocytic cells (CD34-CD13+) and loose SCL expression. In contrast, SF suppresses apoptosis without a significant increase in cell numbers, and the cells remain CD34+ and SCL+ with a blast-like morphology. Examination of apoptosis by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) reaction and of the cell cycle status indicated that SF is both a survival factor and a mitogenic factor for CD34+ cells. There was, however, constant cell death in a fraction of the population, which could be rescued by GM-CSF. Co-addition of SF and GM-CSF prevents the downregulation of SCL observed in the presence of GM-CSF by itself, allows for prolonged survival and expansion of CD34+ cells in culture, inhibits monocytic differentiation and impairs granulocytic differentiation. Finally, exposure to an antisense SCL but not a control oligonucleotide decreases SCL protein levels and prevents the suppression of apoptosis by SF without affecting GM-CSF-dependent cell survival. These observations suggest that the hemopoietic transcription factor SCL regulates the survival of CD34+ cells in response to SF.

Pepleomycin (PEP)1 is a metalloglycopeptide antitumor antibiotic that has improved pharmacological properties than does bleomycin (BLM). Both PEP and BLM bind to and degrade DNA in a sequence-selective manner. The binding interactions of HO2--Co(III)-CodPEP (CodPEP) with CGTACG have been studied by 2D NMR and molecular modeling. Inspection of the 2D-NMR data revealed 60 notable intermolecular NOEs between CodPEP and CGTACG which place the drug's metal binding domain and peptide linker in the minor groove of the DNA close to G8 and T9. On the basis of the NOEs, the drug's DNA binding domain is located close to the T9.A4 and A10.T3 base pairs. Intercalation of the bithiazole tail between these base pairs is indicated by the loss of DNA symmetry upon complexation with CodPEP, by a break in the sequential connectivity at the TpA steps, and by the upfield shift of the bithiazole H-H5 and H-H5' proton resonances. Intercalation of the bithiazole moiety unfolds the CodPEP molecule and exposes its hydroperoxide group to the DNA. The hydroperoxide group in the refined model of CodPEP-CGTACG is close to the C4' proton of T9, consistent with cleavage at this position. The NOE pattern between the pyrimidine ring of CodPEP and G8 of DNA suggests a specific pairing recognition via hydrogen bonds between these groups, thus establishing a 5'-GT-3' sequence preference. The structural elucidation of the free CodPEP and CoPEP [Caceres-Cortes et al. (1997) Eur. J. Biochem. 244, 818-828], and of the complex of CodPEP-CGTACG afford a plausible mechanism for the recognition and its subsequent cleaving of DNA by the drug. The process involves the unfolding of the compact CodPEP, recognition of a guanine base using the metal binding domain, threading of the bithiazole tail between base pairs, and finally positioning of the HO2- group close to the T or C found 3' to the specific G site.

Pepleomycin (PEP) is a metalloglycopeptide that has stronger anticancer activity and less pulmonary toxicity than bleomycin (BLM). PEP, like BLM, exerts its action by binding to and degrading DNA in the presence of oxygen and certain metals. Obtaining detailed structural information of PEP and PEP-DNA complexes is crucial to understanding its anticancer activity. The structures of two green forms of cobalt-PEP species, HO2-Co(III)-PEP (denoted CoPEP) and deglycosylated HO2-Co(III)-PEP (denoted CodPEP) have been obtained by NOE restrained refinements. Earlier studies of the related HO2-Co(III)-BLM A2 proposed that two chiral conformers (form A or B) could exist with either the beta-aminoalanine primary amine (A,NH2) or the mannose carbamoyl nitrogen (M,NH2) as the axial ligand. Analysis of our NOESY data shows convincingly that form A is the most probable conformer with the mannose carbamoyl M,NH2 and the beta-aminoalanine primary amine A,NH2 as the axial ligands in CoPEP and CodPEP, respectively. The NOE cross-peaks resulting from the interactions between the N-terminus (i.e., the metal-binding domain) and the C-terminus of CoPEP and CodPEP have similar patterns, suggesting that they both adopt compact structures with the bithiazole group folded back over the N-terminus.

Defects in DNA, e.g., unpaired/bulged nucleotides, are repaired by specific repair enzymes. Understanding the dynamics and structure of DNA defects is important. Two DNA heptamers, CTb-GTACG and CGTACTbG, each containing a bulged T nucleotide embedded in the CpG step, have been studied by NMR. Both duplexes are significantly destabilized, and the bulged T remains intrahelical. Binding of the anthracycline antitumor antibiotic nogalamycin (Ng) to these two heptamers stabilizes the duplex structure. The solution structures of the 2:1 complexes of Ng-d(CTbGTACG) and Ng-d(CGTACTbG) have been determined by the NOE-restrained refinement procedure. In both structures the elongated aglycon of Ng is intercalated between base pairs, and the nogalose and aminoglucose lie in the minor and major grooves, respectively. The bulged T behaves differently upon the binding of Ng. In Ng-CTbGTACG wobble G6:Tb base pairs are formed, leaving two dangling 5'-C1 nucleotides; whereas in Ng-CGTACTbG weak C1:Tb base pairs are formed, leaving two dangling 3'-G6 nucleotides. Thus Ng induces the bulged T and the opposing base in the duplex to stack on the aglycon and causes the base next to Tb to unpair, mimicking a "frame-shift". Such structural rearrangement of a bulged DNA site due to the binding of an intercalator drug may perturb the recognition of DNA defects by repair enzymes or may cause mutation during replication.

Most human acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) cells have limited proliferative capacity, suggesting that the leukaemic clone may be maintained by a rare population of stem cells. This putative leukaemic stem cell has not been characterized because the available in vitro assays can only detect progenitors with limited proliferative and replating potential. We have now identified an AML-initiating cell by transplantation into severe combined immune-deficient (SCID) mice. These cells homed to the bone marrow and proliferated extensively in response to in vivo cytokine treatment, resulting in a pattern of dissemination and leukaemic cell morphology similar to that seen in the original patients. Limiting dilution analysis showed that the frequency of these leukaemia-initiating cells in the peripheral blood of AML patients was one engraftment unit in 250,000 cells. We fractionated AML cells on the basis of cell-surface-marker expression and found that the leukaemia-initiating cells that could engraft SCID mice to produce large numbers of colony-forming progenitors were CD34+ CD38-; however, the CD34+ CD38+ and CD34- fractions contained no cells with these properties. This in vivo model replicates many aspects of human AML and defines a new leukaemia-initiating cell which is less mature than colony-forming cells.