Journal of Medicinal Chemistry
Brief Article
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90%); mp 242−243 °C. H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d6) δ13.74 (s,
H2O2 is removed rapidly by a large excess of catalase.5,20,21 It is
expected that this low transient exposure to H2O2 will have no
significant effect on the reduction of 5c during these 1 h incubations.
At various time intervals, samples were withdrawn and the cellular and
medium components were precipitated by mixing with an equal
volume of acetonitrile for 20 min at room temperature followed by
centrifugation at 10000g for 15 min. The supernatant was then
analyzed by HPLC for 5c and O6-BG.
1H), 8.55 (s, 1H), 8.05−7.98 (m, 2H), 7.74−7.56 (m, 5H), 7.41 (dt, J
= 21.6, 7.1 Hz, 3H), 5.71 (s, 2H). HRMS: calcd for C18H14N6O, m/z,
331.1302 [(M + H)+]; found, 331.1303. HPLC: tr = 35.26 min
(97.1%).
5b−5e were synthesized using procedures analogous to the one
described above.
6-(Benzyloxy)-2-((4-methoxyphenyl)diazenyl)-9H-purine (5b). 5b
was obtained in an 88% yield; mp 223−224 °C. 1H NMR (400 MHz,
DMSO-d6) δ 13.61 (s, 1H), 8.51 (s, 1H), 8.07−7.93 (m, 2H), 7.69−
7.55 (m, 2H), 7.48−7.32 (m, 3H), 7.26−7.14 (m, 2H), 5.70 (s, 2H),
3.91 (s, 3H). HRMS: calcd for C19H16N6O2, m/z, 361.1408 [(M +
H)+]; found, 361.1407.
4-((6-(Benzyloxy)-9H-purin-2-yl)diazenyl)-N,N -dimethylaniline
(5c). 5c was obtained in an 80% yield; mp 245−246 °C. H NMR
(400 MHz, DMSO-d6) δ 13.52 (s, 1H), 8.44 (s, 1H), 7.88 (d, J = 9.1
Hz, 2H), 7.61 (d, J = 7.0 Hz, 2H), 7.40 (dt, J = 21.5, 7.1 Hz, 3H), 6.88
(d, J = 9.2 Hz, 2H), 5.68 (s, 2H), 3.11 (s, 6H). HRMS: calcd for
C20H19N7O, m/z, 374.1724 [(M + H)+]; found, 374.1716.
Ethyl 4-((6-(benzyloxy)-9H-purin-2-yl)diazenyl)benzoate (5d). 5d
was obtained in a 90% yield. mp 228−230 °C. H NMR (400 MHz,
DMSO-d6) δ 13.80 (s, 1H), 8.58 (s, 1H), 8.28−8.18 (m, 2H), 8.15−
8.06 (m, 2H), 7.66−7.56 (m, 2H), 7.50−7.35 (m, 3H), 5.71 (s, 2H),
4.38 (q, J = 7.1 Hz, 2H), 1.37 (t, J = 7.1 Hz, 3H). HRMS: calcd for
C21H18N6O3, m/z, 403.1513 [(M + H)+]; found, 403.1513.
6-(Benzyloxy)-2-((4-(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)phenyl)diazenyl)-9H-
purine (5e). 5e was obtained in a 74% yield; mp 219−221 °C. H
NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d6) δ 13.57 (s, 1H), 8.46 (s, 1H), 7.88 (d, J
= 9.2 Hz, 2H), 7.61 (d, J = 6.9 Hz, 2H), 7.47−7.33 (m, 3H), 7.13 (d, J
= 9.2 Hz, 2H), 5.68 (s, 2H), 3.47−3.39 (m, 4H), 2.49−2.41 (m, 4H),
2.24 (s, 3H). HRMS: calcd for C23H24N8O, m/z, 429.2146 [(M +
H)+]; found, 429.2133. HPLC: tr = 17.55 min (99.9%).
Cell Culture. DU145 human prostate carcinoma cells were
cultured in α-MEM medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine
serum. EMT6 mouse mammary carcinoma cells were cultured in
DMEM supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum. Both cell lines
were maintained at 37 °C in a 5% CO2 atmosphere.
Cytotoxicity Assays. Cells survival (clonogenic) assays were
performed as previously described.5,20,21 DU145 cells were plated in
25 cm2 plastic flasks at a density of 2 × 105 cells and used when near
confluent.5 Cells were pretreated for 4 h with graded concentrations of
5c or 5e under oxic or hypoxic conditions prior to the addition of 100
μM of laromustine for a total incubation time of 24 h at 37 °C.
Hypoxia was generated by the direct depletion of oxygen in sealed
flasks using the glucose oxidase (2 units/mL, Sigma G6641) and
catalase (120 units/mL, Sigma C1345) dual enzyme system as
previously described.5,20,21
Determination of Half-Wave Reduction Potentials (E1/2). The
E1/2 values were determined by differential pulse polarography (DPP).
The supporting electrolyte was 80% by volume 100 mM potassium
chloride and 50 mM potassium phosphate (pH 7.0) and 20% by
volume of CH3CN in all cases. Agents were added as 1% by volume
solutions in DMSO. The E1/2 values of six reference compounds were
also measured. Dissolved oxygen was removed by purging with
nitrogen. DPP voltammograms were generated using a Princeton
Applied Research electrochemical trace analyzer model 394, with a
model 303A static mercury drop electrode (Princeton Applied
Research, Oak Ridge, TN, USA) utilizing a platinum counter electrode
and an Ag/AgCl reference electrode. Voltammograms were taken from
0 to −900 mV at a scan rate of 2 mV/s using a pulse amplitude of 50
mV. The E1/2 value was determined from the peak current potential
(EP) using the following equation: E1/2 = EP − pulse amplitude/2.22
Cell Dependent O6-BG Generation. Cell suspensions (107 cells/
mL) were treated with 5c (50 μM) under oxic or hypoxic conditions
in DMEM (EMT6), or α-MEM (DU145) media containing 10% FBS.
Plastic flasks (25 cm2) with shallow 4 mL layers were employed for
oxic studies and were shaken to maintain aeration. The glucose
oxidase/catalase/glucose system was used to generate hypoxic
conditions before the addition of 5c; the mixtures were stirred gently
in sealed tubes. Using this system, oxygen is depleted in ∼3 min and
AUTHOR INFORMATION
Corresponding Author
*Phone: 203-785-4524. Fax: 203-737-2045. E-mail:
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Notes
The authors declare no competing financial interest.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
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This work was supported in part by U.S. Public Health Service
grants CA090671, CA122112, and CA129186 from the
National Cancer Institute and a grant from the National
Foundation for Cancer Research.
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ABBREVIATIONS USED
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AGT, O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase; BCNU, bis(2-
chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea; O6-BG, O6-benzylguanine; BG-M2,
2-(4-nitrophenyl)propan-2-yl (6-(benzyloxy)-9H-purin-2-yl)-
carbamate; DMEM, Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Medium;
MEM, minimal essential media; 2-NBP, 2-nitro-6-benzylox-
ypurine
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