Evidence that phospholipase C is involved in the antitumour action of NSC768313, a new thieno[2,3-b]pyridine derivative

Culture conditions have been described in detail previously [15]; human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7, T47D, MDA-MB-468, MDA-MB-231, human epithelial carcinoma cell line A431 and human colon cancer cell line HCT116 were purchased from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC). Cells were grown in α-MEM containing 5 % fetal calf serum, insulin/transferrin/selenium supplement, added according to the manufacturer’s instructions (Roche), as well as penicillin/streptomycin (100 U/ml and 100 μg/ml, respectively).

As described in detail previously [16], cell proliferation was measured using a thymidine incorporation assay by seeding 3000 cells in each well using 96 well plates with varying concentrations of inhibitors for 3 days. Experiments were performed in triplicate with a minimum of two experimental repeats. Briefly, ³H-thymidine (0.04 µCi) was added to each well and incubated for 5 h, after which the cells were gathered onto glass fibre filters using an automated TomTec harvester. Filters were incubated with Betaplate Scint and thymidine incorporation determined with Trilux/Betaplate counter showing the percentage of cells incorporated with ³H-thymidine into the DNA helix.

A431 cells were plated onto 96 wells until confluent. Cells were loaded with 5 µM Fluo-4 acetoxymethyl ester with 0.003 % pluronic acid and 2.5 mM Probenecid (Molecular Probes) for 30 min at 37 °C, then washed with buffer and incubated for another 30 min. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) (400 ng/ml) was used as an activator. EGF alone or with derivative 3 were added to A431 cells to determine the inhibitory activity on calcium flux of derivative 3, and compared with buffer (negative control) and 1 µg/ml ionomycin (positive control). Fluorescence signal was recorded from the bottom of the plate at 1 s intervals (3 wells per/s) using an EnSpire 2300 Multimode Plate Reader (Perkin-Elmer) at excitation wavelength of 494 nm and emission wavelength of 506 nm (25 °C, 3 mm measurement height, 50 flashes). Baseline fluorescence was recorded for 10 s, after which buffer alone, EGF alone or with drug, was added and fluorescence was captured for a further 45 s. Next, ionomycin was added and fluorescence was recorded for another 45 s. Three independent experiments were performed.

Cells were grown on a glass slide with and without inhibitors, fixed by 4 % paraformaldehyde, permeabilised by 0.5 % Triton X-PBS and incubated with 5 % BSA/PBS containing FITC-labelled anti-tubulin antibody. Microtubule arrangement was monitored by fluorescence staining of microtubules using anti-tubulin and analysed by fluorescent microscopy using Floid imaging station (460× magnification). Nucleus was stained with 2 μg/ml Hoechst stain (Life Technology) for 10 min at room temperature. Hoechst stain emits blue fluorescence when bound to double strand DNA.

As described in detail previously [17], cells (10⁶ cells per well) were grown in 6 well plates and incubated with inhibitors for the indicated time. Cells were harvested, washed and resuspended in 1 ml of blocking buffer (1 % FCS/PBS), and incubated with antibody to γ-H2AX (phosphorylated Ser139) (Millipore, USA) in blocking buffer (1:500 dilution) at room temperature for 2 h. Cells were washed, incubated with goat anti-mouse Alex 488 Fab fragment secondary antibody (Invitrogen, New Zealand) (1:400 in blocking buffer for 1 h, at room temperature; dark), washed and resuspended in 1 ml of blocking buffer containing RNase (1 μg/ml) and propidium iodide (PI) (10 μg/ml) for 30 min at room temperature. Cells were analysed in a Becton–Dickinson LSRII and profiles were analysed with ModFit LT 3 software.

As described in detail previously [15] cells were grown to log-phase, washed twice with ice-cold PBS, and lysed in SDS lysis buffer according to the manufacturer’s protocol (Cell Signalling Technology, Danvers, MA, USA). Protein concentration was quantified using the BCA protein assay reagent bicinchoninic acid (Sigma, New Zealand). Cell lysates containing 25 μg of protein were separated by SDS-PAGE and transferred to PVDF membranes (Millipore). Membranes were immunoblotted with antibodies against to γ-H2AX (phosphorylated Ser139) (Millipore, USA), and actin (Millipore), using SuperSignalWest Pico (Thermo Scientific, Waltham,MA, USA) chemiluminescence reagents. Antibody reactivity was visualized using the chemiluminescence detection system by Fujifilm Las-3000.

As described previously for everolimus and other inhibitors [15], we employed the Bliss additivism model [18] to classify the drug combinations as additive, synergistic or antagonistic. A theoretical curve was calculated for combined inhibition using the equation E _bliss = (EA + EB) − (EA × EB), where EA and EB are the fractional inhibitions obtained by drug A alone and drug B alone at specific concentrations. E _bliss is the fractional inhibition that would be expected if the effects of the two drugs were additive. The difference (Bliss) in the experimentally measured fractional inhibition (E _xpt) and E _bliss are defined as synergism (E _xpt < E _bliss), additive (E _xpt = E _bliss), and antagonism (E _xpt > E _bliss). Bliss = 0 would indicate the combination is additive; Bliss > 0 would indicate the percentage increase in maximal inhibition above additivity (synergy); and Bliss < 0 would indicate the percentage decrease in maximal inhibition below additivity (antagonism). The data were analysed using a one-way ANOVA coupled with multiple comparisons versus treatment control applying the Holm-Sidak method correction, where p < 0.05 denotes a statistically significant difference.

Male CD-1 mice were obtained from Vernon Jansen Unit (University of Auckland) and housed in cages with a 12-hour light/dark cycle and received sterilized food and water ad libitum. Studies and procedures were conducted with prior approval of the Ethics Committee of the University of Auckland (AEC approval number 1190). Derivative 3 was prepared in 20 % HP-β CD as a fine yellow suspension, and administered (at 10 mg/Kg) as intraperitoneal bolus injection. Blood samples were collected via a terminal cardiac bleeding (n = 3 mice/time) at 0.167, 0.5, 1, 2 and 6 h post dose. Blood was collected in ice cold K₂-EDTA tubes and kept on ice. All samples were centrifuged at 6500 rpm for 5 min at room temperature, obtained plasma were stored at −80 °C until analysed by LC–MS/MS.

Briefly, plasma samples were assayed for derivative 3 using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method. Briefly, derivative 3 was spiked in the drug mouse plasma to obtain a concentration 0.003, 0.03, 0.3, 3, 10 and 30 µM to construct a calibration curve. Derivative 1 (a structural analogue of 3) was used as an internal standard in LC–MS/MS assay at a concentration of 0.5 μM added to acetonitrile. Drug was extracted from plasma using direct protein precipitation with ice cold acetonitrile (1:4 v/v) and quantified by peak area ratio of 3 versus 1 using a calibration curve prepared with derivative 3 as outlined above. LC–MS/MS used was Agilent 6410b with multimode ion source operated in atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) positive mode attached to an Agilent 1200 series HPLC system. LC–MS/MS used an Agilent Zorbax SB-C18 column (2.1 × 50 mm, 5 µM, USA) operated at 35 °C, at a flow rate 0.5 mL/min with a gradient consisting of 0.01 % formic acid in MilliQ water (Millipore, USA) and 0.01 % formic acid in 80 % acetonitrile-20 % MilliQ water. The MS1 and MS2 were operated at unit resolution in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode, monitoring the transition of the protonated molecular ions at m/z 368 to the product ions at m/z 245 for derivative 3 and monitoring the transition of the protonated molecular ions at m/z 372 to the product ions at m/z 245 for derivative 1 (internal standard). No interference of derivative 1 fragment (372 > 245) to derivative 3 fragment (368 > 245) was observed in MRM channel. The lower limit of quantification for derivative 3 in plasma was 0.003 μM.

Mean mouse plasma-time data for derivative 3 was analysed with non-compartmental method using Phoenix WinNonlin 6.2 (Pharsight Corporation, Mountain View, CA) as shown in Table 1.

The effect of derivatives 1–6 on the proliferation of four breast cancer cell lines (MCF7, T47D, MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468) was measured using a thymidine uptake assay [19], as shown in Fig. 2. The IC₅₀ values were comparable (Spearman Rank Order Correlation with r = 0.708, p < 0.0001) with those previously reported results from the NCI60 human tumour cell line panel on the same cell lines using the sulforhodamine B assay for cell density determination [10‐12, 13]. Derivative 3 (NSC768313), with a methoxy substitution at the meta position, was the most active; IC₅₀ < 100 nM for all the cell lines tested except for T47D and the triple-negative MDA-MB-231, and was chosen for the further studies.

A COMPARE [20] analysis (based on the NCI60 data) of the growth inhibition patterns of different tumour cell lines by the thieno[2,3-b]pyridine derivative 3 showed Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) of 0.512 with a mitotic kinesin Eg5 inhibitor S-trityl-l-cysteine [21], the G2-phase arresting agent cytembena [22] (PCC = 0.456), the microtubule poison vinblastine [23] (PCC = 0.456), and the microtubule poison paclitaxel [24] (PCC = 0.3).

The effect of the derivative 3 on the cell cycle distribution of MBA-MB-231 tumour cells was investigated by flow cytometry. DNA damage was measured by the increase of phosphorylated protein γH2AX, which is a well-established biomarker for DNA double strand breakage [25]. The effects were compared with those of camptothecin as a typical DNA damaging agent. Derivative 3 did not initiate DNA damage comparable to camptothecin (increased in the phosphorylated protein γH2AX from basal level of 1 % to camptothecin treated 69 %) but did induce G2/M phase cell cycle arrest (Fig. 3a, b, c).

Earlier flow cytometry showed that the thieno[2,3-b]pyridine derivative 1 caused G2/M arrest [13], which is also observed with tubulin poisons [26]. We next examined the effects of derivative 3 on microtubule formation in MDA-MB-231. Organised cytoplasmic microtubules complexes radiate from the centromere of the cells is shown in the control MDA-MB-231 cells. Derivative 3 treated cells exhibited abnormal nuclear phenotype and possessed multinuclear cells (Fig. 4). As expected, paclitaxel induced the shortened and bundling of microtubules. No microtubule bundles were observed, suggesting derivative 3 had a different mechanism from that of paclitaxel. Derivative 3 initiated the cells to round up as previously seen [13] but they also induced the formation of membrane protrusions on the cell surface (membrane blebbing).

It is established that PLC-γ isoforms are involved in regulating calcium ion flux while PLC-δ1 isoform is a calcium response element operating downstream of other PLC’s [8, 27]. To examine whether derivative 3 could reduce the Ca²⁺ mobilization in the cell cytosol, we examined the response of squamous carcinoma A431 cells by adding epidermal growth factor (EGF) following pre-treatment with derivative 3 at 25 and 50 μM (Fig. 5). The A431 cell line was chosen because it has been previously used to monitor calcium concentration for the thieno[2,3-b]pyridines [2]. Derivative 3 had no effect on the increase in intracellular calcium levels induced by EGF.

The ability of the thieno[2,3-b]pyridine derivative 3 to modulate the effects of the cytotoxic drugs doxorubicin, camptothecin or paclitaxel was explored in MDA-MB-231 cells. The Bliss independence model [28] was used to assess drug interactions. The topoisomerase I poison camptothecin and the topoisomerase II poison doxorubicin, which target topoisomerase I and II, respectively, showed only additive effects with derivative 3 but for paclitaxel a synergistic effect is seen. Synergism with paclitaxel and derivative 3 was also observed in colon cancer cell line HCT116 (Fig. 6).

Derivative 3 was chosen for a small pharmacokinetic study. It showed poor aqueous solubility and was therefore formulated in 20 % hydroxypropyl β cyclodextrin (HP-β CD), resulting in a fine yellow suspension. This was administered at a dose of 10 mg/Kg by intraperitoneal injection and was well tolerated with no acute reaction observed. The plasma concentration is shown as a function of time in Fig. 7 and pharmacokinetic data are shown in Table 1. The maximal plasma concentration achieved in mice (30 min post injection) was 0.087 μmol/L and the half-life was over 4 h.