Reaction Using Topoisomerase

The ATP-dependent topoisomerization reactions, used to follow DNA topoisomerase n activities, are relaxation of supercoiled DNA, catenation, decatenation, and unknotting of double-strand circular DNA. The ATP relaxation activity cannot be used to follow the DNA topoisomerase VI activity because of the presence of the contaminating reverse gyrase activity throughout the purification. 

Etoposide causes multiple DNA double-strand breaks by inhibiting topoisomerase II. The pharmacokinetics of etoposide are described by a two-compartment model, with an a half-life of 0.5 to 1 hour and a (5 half-life of 3.4 to 8.3 hours. Approximately 30% of the dose is excreted unchanged by the kidney.16 Etoposide has shown activity in the treatment of several types of lymphoma, testicular and lung cancer, retinoblastoma, and carcinoma of unknown primary. The intravenous preparation has limited stability, so final concentrations should be 0.4 mg/mL. Intravenous administration needs to be slow to prevent hypotension. Oral bioavailability is approximately 50%, so oral dosages are approximate two times those of intravenous doses however, relatively low oral daily dosages are used for 1 to 2 weeks. Side effects include mucositis, myelosuppression, alopecia, phlebitis, hypersensitivity reactions, and secondary leukemias. 

The anthracycline antibiotics, which include doxorubicin, daunorubicin, bleomycin, and mitomycin C, inhibit DNA and RNA synthesis. Doxorubicin also interfers with topoisomerase II (a DNA gyrase), the activity of which is markedly increased in proliferating cells. Structurally related to doxorubicin are epirubicin and mitozantrone. The cytotoxic antibiotics are used to treat leukaemias and lymphomas and also for solid tumours in the breast, lung, thyroid and ovary. Cardiotoxicity is the major dose-limiting factor, with arrhythmias and myocardial depression (Bacon and Nuzzo 1993). The chronic phase of cardiotoxicity is a dose-dependent cardiomyopathy that leads to congestive heart failure in 2-10% of patients. Myocardial injury is the result of oxygen free radical formation. Children are particularly sensitive to these cardiotoxic reactions and may require a heart transplant in their later years. Epirubicin is less cardiotoxic than doxorubicin. 

Isatinates, obtained from the alkaline hydrolysis of isatin derivatives, are the precursors of the quinoline-4-carboxylic acids. These compounds are prepared by the Pfitzinger reaction from isatins in the presence of enolizable keto compounds in strongly alkaline medium, such as 8N KOH. In these solutions, isatinates condense with the keto compound and subsequently cyclize to the quinoline products. Recently, a modified procedure has been described, using acidic conditions. This methodology was subsequently applied to a concise manner for the preparation of derivatives of camptothecin, a topoisomerase I inhibitor23 (Scheme 115). 

A Wadsworth-Emmons reaction of the phosphonate (250) with the aldehyde (251) has been used as a key step in a total synthesis of analogues (252) and (253) of topostin B-1, an inhibitor of mammalian DNA topoisomerase The enzyme-catalysed aldol condensation between the phosphonate aldehyde (254) and dihydroxyacetone phosphate is followed by spontaneous intramolecular olefination of the product to give the cyclitol (256) in spite of the reaction being below pH 7 at all times.Attempts at a similar reaction of the homologue (255) were unsuccessful probably because (255) is a poor substrate for the aldolase. 

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