Chemotherapy L5 Flashcards
4 characteristics of cancer cells?
- have an abnormally high mitotic rate.
- show signs of de-differentiation and assume features of immature cells.
- can grow in the absence of mitogens.
- are immortal.
Two classes of anticancer drugs are used clinically:
what are they?
cytotoxic (antineoplastic) drugs – Part 1
molecular targeted drugs – Part 2
Cytotoxic anticancer drugs target DNA replication by:
(5)
- alkylation and/or cross-linking (covalent)
- intercalation (non-covalent)
- acting as antimetabolite
- inhibiting topoisomerase enzymes
- inhibiting mitotic spindle dynamics
give some Anticancer agents that bind covalently to DNA
nitrogen mustards: melphalan, cyclophosphamide,
nitrosoureas: lomustine
aziridines: mitomycin C
and platinum compounds: cisplatin
are nitrogen mustards very reactive?
yes
what about nitrogen mustards makes them so reactive
2 chloroethyl groups - unstable
wihch forms the imonium io at alkaline / neutral pH
forms the carbonium ion (electrophile)
binds to electrons on O6 / N7 in guanine DNA
each chloroethyl group binds a guanine - linking them
the use of nitrogen mustards leads to ______ are formed beween or within DNA strands
Crosslinks are formed beween or within DNA strands
as well as cross links forming, nitrogen mustards can cause what?
If second reaction occurs with water instead of guanine, monoalkylated guanine can result
in GC to AT transition
describe the selectivity of nitrogen mustards?
not very selective.
Reactioncan also occur with other nucleophilic groups in RNA and protein (cause of general toxicity)
____________ is the most-commonly-used nitrogen mustard
Cyclophosphamide is the most-commonly-used nitrogen mustard
Cyclophosphamide is used against?
(against lymphoid tumours and carcinomas in breast, lung, ovary)
is Cyclophosphamide a pro drug?
Cyclophosphamide needs to be metabolised in the liver by cytochrome P450 system to become activated to a phosphoramide mustard
Nitrogen mustards usually (do/do not) accumulate in a particular tissue?
usually do not
there is an exception though:
Melphalan is an exception. As phenylalanine is a precursor of melanin, melphalan accumulates in melanomas (pigmented skin tumours of melanocytes)
Cyclophosphamide and melphalan are usually administered ?
Cyclophosphamide and melphalan are usually administered orally
nitrosureas have both….. actions?
both alkylating and carbamoylating agents
they react with a variety of groups to attach an alkyl (R-CH2-) or a carbamoyl (R-N-CO-) moiety
can all nitrosureas produce interstrand cross-links in duplex DNA in which N7 and O6 positions in guanine are preferred sites of attack?
yes.
do you know what base splitting is for nitrosureas?
the nitrosureas splits to form:
and isocyanate and a carbionium ion
give 2 examples of nitrosureas?
Carmustine and Lomustine
advantages of carmustine and lomustine over nitrogen mustards?
why is this important in their clinical use/
More lipophilic than nitrogen mustards
enables excellent brain penetration, and they therefore remain important in treatment of brain tumours
what limits the usefulness of carmustine and lomustine (nitrosureas)?
Reduction in white blood cells and platelets, as well as damage to various organs limits the usefulness of nitrosoureas
lomustine is administerd?
orally
60% bioavailability
how is carmustine administered?
IV
give the main anticancer drug containing platinum
cisplatin
only active in Cis form
how does cis platin act?
cross-linking agent in DNA
describe the mechanism of action for cis platin
principal sites of reaction at physiological pH are the N7 atoms of guanine and adenine
forms an intrastrand cross link between 2 adjacent Guanine nucleotides
bends the DNA strand - causes changes in the major groove
cis platins cross links:65% of adducts represented intrastrand cross-links on pGpG, 22% on pApG (but not pGpA) sequences, and 13% a mixture of other adducts (including interstrand cross-links at less than ___%).
65% of adducts represented intrastrand cross-links on pGpG, 22% on pApG (but not pGpA) sequences, and 13% a mixture of other adducts (including interstrand cross-links at less than 5%.
Cisplatin greatly improved the treatment of ____ _______and moved cure rates from 5-15% to 70-90% for metastatic stages of the disease.
Cisplatin greatly improved the treatment of testicular cancer and moved cure rates from 5-15% to 70-90% for metastatic stages of the disease.
how is cisplatin administerd?
Cannot be used orally (no bioavailability); administered I.V.
what reactrions in the cell inactivate cisplatin?
Is inactivated by reaction with SH groups in glutathione and (cysteine-rich) metallothioneins.
(it reacts with thiol groups)
adverse effects of cisplatin?
Major adverse effect is renal toxicity as observed with heavy metals.
Also, bone marrow suppression is dose-limiting.
carboplatn vs cisplatin?
Carboplatin (and oxaliplatin) more favorable toxicity profile
how are Aziridines used as anticancer drugs?
key exmaple?
antibacterial drug - causes DNA alkylation and DNA cross linking
key exmaple: mitomycin C - produced by bacteria.
is Mitomycin C used as an antibacterial?
no - anticancer
. Interestingly, mitomycin C has ___ effect on purified DNA in vitro?
. Interestingly, mitomycin C has no effect on purified DNA in vitro unless a cell extract is added
how does P53 play into DNA damage?
If DNA damage caused by alkylation and crosslinking is beyond repair, p53 protein will trigger apoptosis
p53 protein is a ….
p53 protein is a tumour suppressor
Drugs that bind noncovalently with DNA to prevent effective DNA replication and gene expression include
Drugs that bind noncovalently with DNA to prevent effective DNA replication and gene expression include anthracyclines (doxorubicin, daunorubicin), and actinomycins (actinomycin D).
as well as planar integration into unwound DNA, Anthracyclines also damage DNa how?
Anthracyclins also induce oxidative damage to DNA, which results in DNA fragmentation (like bleomycin)
free radicals attack DNA
which anthrocyclins lack the capacity to generate free radicals?
Anthracycline analogues with a modified structure, such as mitoxantrone , lack this property of quinone-type free radical generation.
anthracyclins have bad side effects in which organs
lung and cardiac tissue