DESCRIPTION
TITLE
NITROSOUREA DERIVATIVES HAVING ANTITUMOR ACTIVITY
RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part: of U.S.
Serial No. 117,940 filed 14 August 1980.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to novel nitrosourea derivatives and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof useful for their antitumor and anticoagulant activity. The invention also includes pharmaceutical compositions containing these compounds and methods of using them.
BACKGROUND ART
In the past decade, nitrosoureas have gained acceptance as potent antitumor agents (T.P. Johnston, et al, J . Med.
Chem., 14 , 600 (1971)). The accepted mode of action appears to involve the release of isocyanate in vivo. The compounds most frequently used clinically are 1-cyclohexyl-3-(Z-chloroethyl)-3-nitrosourea (CCNU) , 1,3-bis-(2-chloroethyl)-3-nitrosourea (BCNU) and MeCCNU (1- (4--trans-methylcyclohexyl) - 3- (2-chloroethyl)-3-nitrosourea which release in vivo an isocyanate derived from the unnitrosated side of the molecule, and an alkylating agent from the other side thereof. MeCCNU
has been found to possess the highest degree of activity against most tumor systems, especially solid tumor systems. Numerous studies have been directed toward the metabolic products produced in vivo and in vitro in aqueous media, which consist mainly of 2-chloroethanol, vinyl chloride, acetaldehyde, and dichloroethane from the nitrσsated side of the molecule. (T. P . Johnston et al, J. Med. Chem., 18: 634 (1975)). It is also known that the N-nitrαso-N-alkyl ureido portion of the molecule alkylates DNA (deσxyribonucleic acid) in vivo and in vitro (Frei et al, Biochem. J., 174: 1031
(1978)). In fact, is has been shown that the carcinogenic effectiveness of agents such as N-methy1-N-nitrosourea correlates with the extent of alkylation αf the guanine moiety in DNA of target tissues at the oxygen-6 atom. Alkylation of DNA occurs within an hour of. administration of the nitrosourea, and the half-life of the alleylated products is about 24 to 48 hours (D.J. Reed et al, Cancer Res., 35: 568 (1975)). The study indicated that low doses of nitrosoureas pose only a small threat as mutagens, and hence, are not significantly carcinogenic.
It has recently been shown that a number of isocyanates are potent inhibitors of transglutaminase (Gross et al, J. Biol. Chem., 250: 7693 (1975)), a calcium-dependent enryme which may catalyse lysine-glutamine erasslinking of certain proteins present on neoplastic cell surfaces. This enryme (Yancey et al, Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., 202: 544 (1972)), and other similar enzymes such as gamma- glutamyl transpeptidase (Novogrodsky et al, Proc. Natl, Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 75: 2414 (1976); Fiala et al, J. Natl Cancer Inst. , 57: 591 (1976); Cameron et al, Cancer Res., 538 823 (1978)), have been implicated in the uncontrolled proliferation of cancer cells and fibrin crosslinking. It is generally accepted that these crosslinked proteins form an extracellular coating causing the cell to be unrecognised by the cellular immune system, thus preventing normal destruction of the foreign neoplastic
tissue. These enzymes are fairly specific toward glutamine and glutamic acid residues as substrates, and isocyanates resembling these residues have been found to be the most effective inhibitors (Gross et al, J. Biol. Chem., 250: 7693 (1975)). Other enzymes with similar functions and specificities may also be involved, such as other glutamyl cycle enzymes. From this it may be postulated that the more the isocyanate resulting from the decomposition of the nitrosourea shows specificity toward such enzymes, the lower the required dose, resulting in a reduced risk of carcinogenesis from the antitumor agent.
The structure of the active site of transglutaminase has been found to contain the pentapeptide sequence --Tyr-Gly- Gln-Cys-Trp - and has the shape of a pocket 5 x 5 Angstroms in dimension (Folk et al, J. Biol. Chem. , 241: 5253 (1960)).
Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase may be expected to have a somewhat similar active site structure.
Toxic side effects such as myelosuppression are of major concern in chemotherapy when nitrosoureas are employed. Apparently, this effect is not directly related to the alkylating agent released in vivo from the nitrosated side αf the nitrosourea molecule.. This is. supported by the fact that large doses of the nitrσsoureas Stre.ptσzαtocin and Chlorozotαcin relative to other nitrosoureasr produce a comparatively minute level of myelosuppression (Schein et al, Cancer, 54: 935
(1974)). Compounds such as CCNH and BCNU exhibit myelosuppression as their most toxic side effects. All four agents release similar alkylating agents in vivo. It has further been demonstrated that Streptozotocin. and Ghlαrozotocin release the same isocyanate which then undergoes intramolecular carba moylation, forming a cyclic carbamate (Montgomery et al, Cancer Treat. Rep., 60: 651 (1976)). This intramolecular reaction may therefore be eliminated by use of a cyclic carbamate, or other carbamate directly.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
According to the hypothesis upon which the invention is
based, a superior inhibitor αf transglutaminase and related enzymes would have, in view of the shape and size indicated above, hydrophobic moieties directed away from, but in proximity to, the pocket at the active site. The substrate may have groups which aid hydrogen bonding to the active site tyrosine hydroxyl group. Other compounds designed previously by the inventor of the present application (U.S. Patent Application S.N. 68,470) using this approach have been shown to be successful antitumor agents and anticoagulants. In accordance with the present invention, some 1-cyclαalkyl methyl-3-(2-chlαroethyl)-3-nitrosoureas bearing hydroxyl, halogen, or other hydrogen bonding groups at the tertiary position on the cycloalkyl ring were synthesized for evaluation as antitumor agents and anticoagulants. The hypothesis αf the invention is supported by the fact that hydrophobic groups attached to the beta or gamma-carbon atom of glutamine produce superior substrates for transglutaminase (Gross et al, J. Bioi. Chem., 248: 130 (1373)) and similar enzymes, and nitrosoureas which release isσcyanates analogous to these substrates are potent antitumor agents (U.S. Patent Application S.N. 68,470). The hydroxyl group attached to tyrosine in the active site provides a location where hydrogen bonding may occur, and the hydroxy- and halogenated isσcyanates released from the nitrosoureas of the present invention should therefore have a much higher affinity far the active site of transglutaminase and possibly other similar enzymes than alkyl isocyanates which are not substituted. This may tend to explain the efficacy of compounds such as BCTU and CCNU, since BCNU contains a chloro group which may hydrogen bond to the active-site tyrosine hydroxyl group, and CCNU and MeCCNU are known to be hydroxylated in the liver to derivatives which may contribute to its binding to the active site in a similar manner. This hydroxylation, however, lowers lipid solubility and hinders crossing αf the blood brain barrier. The mechanism of inhibition of the isocynate is via the alkyl thiocarbamate ester formation at the single sulfhydryl
group at the active site of the enzyme (Gross et al, J . Biol. Chem., 250: 7693 (1975) ) :
wherein R represents an alkyl group.
In accordance with the present invention, nitrosourea derivatives release the following cycloalkyl isocyanates:
wherein R is a group capable αf hydrogen bonding to the active site tyrosyl group of the enzyme, preferably a halogen, carboxyl, or hydroxyl group, or a derivative thereof, and more preferably a chloro or hydroxyl group . The cycloalkyl ring may be further substituted with 1 or more preferably 1 or 2 alkyl groups, preferably methyl groups, or 1 or more preferably 1 or 2 hydroxyl groups. Recent studies have shown that the activity of nitrosoureas is markedly enhanced by the 2-chloroethyl or the 2-fluorethyl groups present on the nitrosated side of the compound (Montgomery, Cancer Treat, Rep., 60: 651 (1976); Johnston et al, J. Med. Chem., 9: 892 (1966); Farmer et al, J. Med. Chem 21: 514 (1978)). Since the 2-chiorpethyl and 2-fluoroethyl groups also enchance solubility, they are the preferred groups in the present invention.
In accordance with the present invention, novel compounds which possess the structural criteria necessary to selectively inhibit transglutaminase and similar glutamyl cycle enzymes and therefore be of potential significance as antitumor as well as anticoagulant agents are defined by the
wherein n is 4 to 7, hai is chlorine or flourine and R is a group capable of hydrogen bonding to the active site tyrosyl group of the enzyme, preferably a halogen, carboxyl, or hydroxyl group, or a derivative thereof, and more preferably a chloro or hydroxyl group. The resulting 5 to 8 carbon ring may be substituted with one or more, preferably 1 or 2 lower alkyl groups, preferably methyl groups to enhance selectivity, or certain hydrophilic groups, such as hydroxyl groups, to enhance solubility, or other groups, which are widely described in the art.
While only one carbon atom is placed between the ring and the NH group, the addition of one extra carbon is not to be considered beyond the scope of the present invention, since the isocyanates released from these compounds would also be in accordance with the enzyme inhibition criteria, since "branching", in effect, would occur at the gamma-carbon attached to the isocyanate group.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide novel compounds having antitumor activity in humans and other mammals.
It is another object of the invention to provide novel compounds which inhibit the activity of transglutaminase and enzymes with similar functions having similar specifications. Still another object αf the invention is to provide novel compounds which are effective antitumor agents at low doses, i.e., that have a lower toxicity than MeCCNU, so as to minimize adverse mutagenic and/or carcinogenic effects, and to provide compounds with minimal or nonexistent myelosuppressive effects. An additional object αf the invention is to provide compositions containing the novel compounds and methods αf using them.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide novel nitrosourea derivatives which have anticoagulant activity.
BEST MODE OF THE INVENTION
Melting points were determined using a Thomas -Hoover capillary melting point apparatus and are uncorrected. Infrared (IR) spectra were obtained using a Perkin Elmer 397 spectrophotometer, and NMR spectra were taken on a Nicolet 200 MHz instrument using CDCl3 as the solvent and TMS as an internal standard.
EXAMPLE 1
Neostatin
1-tert-Hydroxycyclohexylmethyl-3-(2-Chloroethyl)-3-Nitrosourea.
1-Aminomethyl-1-cyclohexanol hydrochloride (16.6 g, 0.1 mol) was stirred with 13.9 ml (0.1 mol) of triethylamine in 75 ml of anhydrous diethyl ether and cooled to less than 5º. 2-Chloroethyl isocyanate (10.5 g, 0.1 mol) was dissolved in 25 ml of ether and added in small portions with stirring while maintaining a temperature of less than 5º. After 2 hr. additional stirring, the reaction mixture was filtered and the residue was washed with two 20 ml portions of ether and suspended in 20 ml of water, filtered, resuspended in 20 ml of water, refiltered, and dried in vacua over CaCl2/KOH. The yield of the urea was 19.5 g (83%) as a white powder, MP 109-110°.
An 11.7 g (0.05 mol) quantity of the above compound was dissolved in 50 ml αf 98% formic acid and cooled to 0º.
Sodium nitrite (6.9 g, 0.1 mol) was added in portions with vigorous stirring while maintaining a temperature less than 5º. After stirring an additional hour, 100 ml of water was added. The mixture was extracted with 50 ml αf ether, may
be washed with 5% NaHCG3 and was evaporated to dryness in vacuo giving 13.2 g (82%) of the nitrosourea as an oily solid. IR analysis showed bands at 1710 cm-1 (C=O) and 1530 cm-1 (C-N-H). NMR showed a triplet at 4.2 ppm (2H, J=6.5 Hz), a triplet at 3.5 ppm (2H, J=ό.5 Hz), and a multiplet at 1.6 ppm (12H) . The 1-nitroso isomer was present also to the extent αf about 30%.
EXAMPLE 2
(1-Chloro-1-cyclohexyl)methyl-3-(2-Chloroethyl)-3-Nitrosourea
The above compound was made using, the procedure in Example 1 replacing the hydroxy-starting material with the corresponding chloro-compound. Yields were similar with approximately 35% of the isomer present. Other compounds according to the present invention, such as methyl or hydroxyl substituted cycloalkyl derivatives may be synthesized according to the procedure described in Example 1 by using an appropriately substituted 1-aminomethyl-1-cycloalkanol hydrochloride which may be synthesized by known procedures.
Antitumor Screening
Antitumor screening data were obtained through the National Cancer Institute, Drug Evaluation Branch, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD. Screening data for MeCCNU was generated simultaneously for comparison purposes. L-1210 lymphoid leukemia tumors, (105 cells) were implanted in CDF1 mice in accordance with NIH Protocols. The results reported in Table I are single dose responses with survival being evaluated 5 8ays after i.p. injection of
Neostatin (six days after implantation) . The compound was inj ected as a suspension in 10% EtOH, 10% emulphor, and 80% saline. Log kill data indicates the number of tumor cells killed, and 30-day survivors are termed "cured" . The degree of antitumor activity is expressed as a ratio of treated animals over control animals using NCI test evaluation numbers , as specif iced on individual protocols . Table II contains comparison data for MeCCNU, the most potent agent against this tumor system in use at the present time.
Table III compares the results obtained using a different tumor system (P-1534 leukemia). I.p. injections were made daily for 5 days. Survival was measured on day 5, and "cures" were determined 45 days after implantations.
Neostatin was found to have activity paralleling that of MeCCNU in the L-1210 system with lower toxicity at high doses as measured in terms of weight loss. Since L-1210 leukemia responds well to a number of nitrosoureas, the additional, less responsive tumor system (P-1534) was employed for further testing. Using this system, Neostatin is seen to be far superior to MeCCNU at similar dose levels.
Similar clinical results can be obtained with the use of the other compounds of the invention. The nitrosoureas of the invention can be formulated into a form suitable for administration by methods well known in the art. For example, they can be admixed with pharmaceutical acceptable carriers or diluents such as ethanol, lactose, starch, magnesium stearate, tragacanth, gelatin and sodium carboxymethylcellulose, and the resulting mixture or solution may be processed by conventional procedures to pharmaceutical dosage unit forms such as capsules, tablets, powders, pills, ampoules, suppositories and the like.
The compounds of the invention, such as Neostatin may be administered orally or parenterally. For example, the drug may be given intravenously by first dissolving the compound to be administered in 0.5-10 ml of ethanol and adding 50-90% water thereto. Further dilution may be made with physiological saline solution or 5% dextrose (USP) , resulting in a solution slightly acidic in pH. Intravenous administration may be continued for a period of up to about two hours. The nitrosoureas may be administered parenterally or orally at dosages of about 0.5-3 mg/kg.
Other parenteral routes of administration may be accomplished using any formulation known in the art that allows for the emulsification, dissolution and suspension of relatively water-insoluble drugs or other compounds prior to parenteral administration.
When given in unit dosage forms orally, compounds such as Neostatin are active when provided in a gelatin capsule or
tablet combined with pharmaceutically acceptable binders, fillers or other additives as known in the art.
The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope αf the invention, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.