Latest Publications

@article{samadder_synthesis_2017,

title = {Synthesis and Profiling of a Novel Potent Selective Inhibitor of CHK1 Kinase Possessing Unusual N-trifluoromethylpyrazole Pharmacophore Resistant to Metabolic N-dealkylation.},

author = {Pounami Samadder and Tereza Suchánková and Ondřej Hylse and Prashant Khirsariya and Fedor Nikulenkov and Stanislav Drápela and Nicol Straková and Petr Vaňhara and Kateřina Vašíčková and Hana Kolářová and Lucia Binó and Miroslava Bittová and Petra Ovesná and Peter Kollár and Radek Fedr and Milan Ešner and Josef Jaroš and Aleš Hampl and Lumír Krejčí and Kamil Paruch and Karel Souček},

doi = {10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-17-0018},

issn = {1538-8514 1535-7163},

year  = {2017},

date = {2017-09-01},

journal = {Molecular cancer therapeutics},

volume = {16},

number = {9},

pages = {1831–1842},

abstract = {Checkpoint-mediated dependency of tumor cells can be deployed to selectively kill them without substantial toxicity to normal cells. Specifically, loss of CHK1, a serine threonine kinase involved in the surveillance of the G(2)-M checkpoint in the presence of replication stress inflicted by DNA-damaging drugs, has been reported to dramatically influence the viability of tumor cells. CHK1's pivotal role in maintaining genomic stability offers attractive opportunity for increasing the selectivity, effectivity, and reduced toxicity of chemotherapy. Some recently identified CHK1 inhibitors entered clinical trials in combination with DNA antimetabolites. Herein, we report synthesis and profiling of MU380, a nontrivial analogue of clinically profiled compound SCH900776 possessing the highly unusual N-trifluoromethylpyrazole motif, which was envisioned not to undergo metabolic oxidative dealkylation and thereby provide greater robustness to the compound. MU380 is a selective and potent inhibitor of CHK1 which sensitizes a variety of tumor cell lines to hydroxyurea or gemcitabine up to 10 times. MU380 shows extended inhibitory effects in cells, and unlike SCH900776, does not undergo in vivo N-dealkylation to the significantly less selective metabolite. Compared with SCH900776, MU380 in combination with GEM causes higher accumulation of DNA damage in tumor cells and subsequent enhanced cell death, and is more efficacious in the A2780 xenograft mouse model. Overall, MU380 represents a novel state-of-the-art CHK1 inhibitor with high potency, selectivity, and improved metabolic robustness to oxidative N-dealkylation. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(9); 1831-42. ©2017 AACR.},

note = {Place: United States},

keywords = {Animal, Animals, Antineoplastic Agents/*chemical synthesis/*pharmacology, Apoptosis/drug effects, Biomarkers, Cell Cycle Checkpoints/drug effects, Cell Cycle/drug effects, Cell Line, Checkpoint Kinase 1/*antagonists & inhibitors, Dealkylation/drug effects, Disease Models, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Drug resistance, Humans, Methylation, Mice, Molecular Structure, Neoplasm/*drug effects, Protein Kinase Inhibitors/*chemical synthesis/*pharmacology, Pyrazoles/pharmacology, Pyrimidines/pharmacology, Tumor, Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{trilecova_toxic_2011,

title = {Toxic effects of methylated benzo[a]pyrenes in rat liver stem-like cells.},

author = {Lenka Trilecová and Simona Krčková and Soňa Marvanová and Kateřina Pĕnčíková and Pavel Krčmář and Jiří Neča and Petra Hulinková and Lenka Pálková and Miroslav Ciganek and Alena Milcová and Jan Topinka and Jan Vondráček and Miroslav Machala},

doi = {10.1021/tx200049x},

issn = {1520-5010 0893-228X},

year  = {2011},

date = {2011-06-01},

journal = {Chemical research in toxicology},

volume = {24},

number = {6},

pages = {866–876},

abstract = {The methylated benzo[a]pyrenes (MeBaPs) are present at significant levels in the environment, especially in the sediments contaminated by petrogenic PAHs. However, the existing data on their toxic effects in vitro and/or in vivo are still largely incomplete. Transcription factor AhR plays a key role in the metabolic activation of PAHs to genotoxic metabolites, but the AhR activation may also contribute to the tumor promoting effects of PAHs. In this study, the AhR-mediated activity of five selected MeBaP isomers was estimated in the DR-CALUX reporter gene assay performed in rat hepatoma cells. Detection of other effects, including induction of CYP1A1, CYP1B1, and AKR1C9 mRNAs, DNA adduct formation, production of reactive oxygen species, oxidation of deoxyguanosine, and cell cycle modulation and apoptosis, was performed in the rat liver epithelial WB-F344 cell line, a model of liver progenitor cells. We identified 1-MeBaP as the most potent inducer of AhR activation, stable DNA adduct formation, checkpoint kinase 1 and p53 phosphorylation, and apoptosis. These effects suggest that 1-MeBaP is a potent genotoxin eliciting a typical sequence of events ascribed to carcinogenic PAHs: induction of CYP1 enzymes, formation of high levels of DNA adducts, activation of DNA damage responses (including p53 phosphorylation), and cell death. In contrast, 10-MeBaP, representing BaP isomers substituted with the methyl group in the angular ring, elicited only low levels DNA adduct formation and apoptosis. Other MeBaPs under study also elicited strong apoptotic responses associated with DNA adduct formation as the prevalent mode of toxic action of these compounds in liver cells. MeBaPs induced a weak production of ROS, which did not lead to significant oxidative DNA damage. Importantly, 1-MeBaP and 3-MeBaP were found to be potent AhR agonists, one order of magnitude more potent than BaP, thus suggesting that the AhR-dependent modulations of gene expression, deregulation of cell survival mechanisms, and further nongenotoxic effects associated with AhR activation may further contribute to their tumor promotion and carcinogenicity.},

note = {Place: United States},

keywords = {Animals, Apoptosis/drug effects, Aryl Hydrocarbon/*metabolism, Benzo(a)pyrene/*chemistry/*toxicity, Cell Cycle/drug effects, Cell Line, Checkpoint Kinase 1, DNA Adducts/metabolism, Epithelial Cells/drug effects/metabolism, Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects, Liver/*cytology, Methylation, Mutagens/*chemistry/*toxicity, Oxidative Stress/drug effects, Protein Kinases/metabolism, Rats, Receptors, Stem Cells/drug effects/metabolism, Tumor, Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/metabolism},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{marvanova_toxic_2008,

title = {Toxic effects of methylated benz[a]anthracenes in liver cells.},

author = {Sona Marvanová and Jan Vondrácek and Katerrina Penccíková and Lenka Trilecová and Pavel Krcmárr and Jan Topinka and Zuzana Nováková and Alena Milcová and Miroslav Machala},

doi = {10.1021/tx700305x},

issn = {0893-228X},

year  = {2008},

date = {2008-02-01},

journal = {Chemical research in toxicology},

volume = {21},

number = {2},

pages = {503–512},

abstract = {Monomethylated benz[ a]anthracenes (MeBaAs) are an important group of methylated derivatives of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Although the methyl substitution reportedly affects their mutagenicity and tumor-initiating activity, little is known about the impact of methylation on the effects associated with activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-dependent gene expression and/or toxic events associated with tumor promotion. In the present study, we studied the effects of a series of MeBaAs on the above-mentioned end points in rat liver cell lines and compared them with the effects of benz[ a]anthracene (BaA) and the potent carcinogen 7,12-dimethylbenz[ a]anthracene (DMBA). Methyl substitution enhanced the AhR-mediated activity of BaA derivatives determined in a reporter gene assay, as the induction equivalency factors (IEFs) of all MeBaAs were higher than that of BaA. IEFs of 6-MeBaA and 9-MeBaA, two of the most potent MeBaAs, were more than two orders of magnitude higher than the IEF of BaA. Correspondingly, all MeBaAs induced higher levels of cytochrome P450 1A1 mRNA. Both BaA and MeBaAs had similar effects on the expression of cytochrome P450 1B1 or aldo-keto reductase 1C9 in rat liver epithelial WB-F344 cells. In contrast to genotoxic DMBA, MeBaAs induced low DNA adduct formation. Only 10-MeBaA induced apoptosis and accumulation of phosphorylated p53, which could be associated with the induction of oxidative stress, similar to DMBA. With the exception of 10-MeBaA, all MeBaAs induced cell proliferation in contact-inhibited WB-F344 cells, which corresponded with their ability to activate AhR. 1-, 2-, 8-, 10-, 11-, and 12-MeBaA inhibited gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) in WB-F344 cells. This mode of action, like disruption of cell proliferation control, might contribute to tumor promotion. Taken together, these data showed that the methyl substitution significantly influences those effects of MeBaAs associated with AhR activation or GJIC inhibition.},

note = {Place: United States},

keywords = {10-Dimethyl-1, 2-benzanthracene/chemistry/metabolism/toxicity, 9, Animals, Apoptosis/drug effects, Benz(a)Anthracenes/chemistry/metabolism/*toxicity, Carcinoma, Cell Line, Cell Proliferation/drug effects, Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System/genetics/metabolism, DNA Adducts/analysis/metabolism, DNA/drug effects/metabolism, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Enzyme Induction, Enzymologic/drug effects, Gap Junctions/drug effects, Gene Expression Regulation, Genes, Hepatocellular, Hepatocytes/*drug effects/metabolism/pathology, Inbred F344, Liver Neoplasms, Messenger/metabolism, Methylation, Rats, Reporter/drug effects, RNA, Stem Cells/*drug effects/metabolism/pathology, Tumor},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{vondracek_concentrations_2007,

title = {Concentrations of methylated naphthalenes, anthracenes, and phenanthrenes occurring in Czech river sediments and their effects on toxic events associated with carcinogenesis in rat liver cell lines.},

author = {Jan Vondrácek and Lenka Svihálková-Sindlerová and Katerina Pencíková and Sona Marvanová and Pavel Krcmár and Miroslav Ciganek and Jirí Neca and James E. Trosko and Brad Upham and Alois Kozubík and Miroslav Machala},

doi = {10.1897/07-161R.1},

issn = {0730-7268},

year  = {2007},

date = {2007-11-01},

journal = {Environmental toxicology and chemistry},

volume = {26},

number = {11},

pages = {2308–2316},

abstract = {Alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are important environmental pollutants. In the present study, we determined levels of monomethylated naphthalenes (MeNap), phenanthrenes (MePhe), and anthracenes (MeAnt) in Czech river sediments. The levels of MePhe generally were lower than the concentrations of phenanthrene. In contrast, both MeNap and MeAnt were found at levels higher than their respective parent compounds in the majority of sampling sites. We then investigated their aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-mediated activity, accumulation of phosphorylated p53 protein, induction of expression of cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1), inhibition of gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC), and effects on cell proliferation in rat liver cell models to evaluate the relative importance of these toxicity mechanisms of low-molecular-weight methylated PAHs. Methylated phenanthrene and anthracene compounds were weak inducers of AhR-mediated activity as determined both in a reporter gene assay system and by detection of the endogenous gene (Cyp1a1) induction. 2-Methylphenanthrene was the most potent AhR ligand. Contribution of MeAnt and MePhe to overall AhR-inducing potencies should be taken into account in PAH-contaminated environments. Nevertheless, their effects on AhR were not sufficient to modulate cell proliferation in a normal rat liver progenitor cell model system. These PAHs only had a marginal effect on p53 phosphorylation at high doses of 1-, 3-, and 9-MePhe as well as 1 MeAnt. On the other hand, both 2- and 9-MeAnt as well as all the MePhe under study were efficient inhibitors of GJIC, suggesting that these compounds might act as tumor promoters. In summary, inhibition of GJIC and partial activation of AhR seem to be the most prominent toxic effects of the methylated PAHs in the present study.},

note = {Place: United States},

keywords = {Animals, Anthracenes/toxicity, Aryl Hydrocarbon/metabolism, Carcinogens/*toxicity, Cell Line, Cell Proliferation/*drug effects, Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1/genetics/metabolism, Czech Republic, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Environmental Pollutants/*toxicity, Gap Junctions/*drug effects/metabolism, Gene Expression Regulation/*drug effects/physiology, Geologic Sediments/*chemistry, Liver/cytology/pathology, Methylation, Naphthalenes/toxicity, Phenanthrenes/toxicity, Rats, Receptors, Rivers/*chemistry, Tumor, Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/metabolism},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{vondracek_7h-dibenzocgcarbazole_2006,

title = {7H-Dibenzo[c,g]carbazole and 5,9-dimethyldibenzo[c,g]carbazole exert multiple toxic events contributing to tumor promotion in rat liver epithelial 'stem-like' cells.},

author = {Jan Vondrácek and Lenka Svihálková-Sindlerová and Katerina Pencíková and Pavel Krcmár and Zdenek Andrysík and Katerina Chramostová and Sona Marvanová and Zuzana Valovicová and Alois Kozubík and Alena Gábelová and Miroslav Machala},

doi = {10.1016/j.mrfmmm.2005.11.005},

issn = {0027-5107},

year  = {2006},

date = {2006-04-01},

journal = {Mutation research},

volume = {596},

number = {1-2},

pages = {43–56},

abstract = {Immature liver progenitor cells have been suggested to be an important target of hepatotoxins and hepatocarcinogens. The goal of the present study was to assess the impact of 7H-dibenzo[c,g]carbazole (DBC) and its tissue-specific carcinogenic N-methyl (N-MeDBC) and 5,9-dimethyl (DiMeDBC) derivatives on rat liver epithelial WB-F344 cells, in vitro model of liver progenitor cells. We investigated the cellular events associated with both tumor initiation and promotion, such as activation of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), changes in expression of enzymes involved in metabolic activation of DBC and its derivatives, effects on cell cycle, cell proliferation/apoptosis and inhibition of gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC). N-MeDBC, a tissue-specific sarcomagen, was only a weak inhibitor of GJIC or inducer of AhR-mediated activity, and it did not affect either cell proliferation or apoptosis. DBC was efficient GJIC inhibitor, while DiMeDBC manifested the strongest AhR inducing activity. Accordingly, DiMeDBC was also the most potent inducer of cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) and CYP1A2 expression among the three compounds tested. Both DBC and DiMeDBC induced expression of CYP1B1 and aldo-keto reductase 1C9 (AKR1C9). N-MeDBC failed to significantly upregulate CYP1A1/2 and it only moderately increased CYP1B1 or AKR1C9. Only the potent liver carcinogens, DBC and DiMeDBC, caused a significant increase of p53 phosphorylation at Ser15, an increased accumulation of cells in S-phase and apoptosis at micromolar concentrations. In addition, DiMeDBC was found to stimulate cell proliferation of contact-inhibited WB-F344 cells at 1 microM concentration, which is a mode of action that might further contribute to its hepatocarcinogenicity. The present data seem to suggest that the AhR activation, induction of enzymes involved in metabolic activation, inhibition of GJIC or stimulation of cell proliferation might all contribute to the hepatocarcinogenic effects of DBC and DiMeDBC.},

note = {Place: Netherlands},

keywords = {Animals, Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases/genetics, Base Sequence, Carbazoles/*toxicity, Carcinogens/*toxicity, Cell Death/drug effects, Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1/genetics, Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A2/genetics, Cytochrome P-450 CYP1B1, DNA Primers, Epithelial Cells/drug effects/*pathology, Inbred F344, Liver/*cytology/drug effects, Methylation, Molecular Structure, Mutagens, Rats, Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}