Identification of new drug sensitivity genes using genetic suppressor elements: protein arginine N-methyltransferase mediates cell sensitivity to DNA-damaging agents.

Genetic suppressor elements (GSEs) are cDNA fragments encoding either truncated proteins, acting as dominant-negative mutants, or inhibitory antisense RNA segments counteracting with the gene from which they are derived. To identify genes controlling the cell response to cytotoxic agents, a normalized retroviral library of randomly fragmented cDNAs from Chinese hamster cell line DC-3F was screened for GSEs conferring resistance to the topoisomerase II inhibitor 9-OH-ellipticine. From 218 cDNA fragments isolated, 11 functional GSEs, corresponding to at least 8 independent genes, were selected.

Unusual potency of BN 80915, a novel fluorinated E-ring modified camptothecin, toward human colon carcinoma cells.

BN 80915 is the lead compound from a novel class of E-ring modified camptothecin analogues, the homocamptothecins, which show potent antitumor activities in animal models. Here, we report that BN 80915 induces up to 2-fold more cleavable complexes between plasmid DNA and purified human topoisomerase I than SN-38 and camptothecin. BN 80915 also induces DNA-topoisomerase I complexes in living HT-29 colon carcinoma cells, as shown by the in vivo link assay.

Cellular resistance to the antitumor DNA topoisomerase II inhibitor S16020-2: importance of the N-[2(Dimethylamino)ethyl]carbamoyl side chain.

The new olivacine derivative S16020-2 (NSC-659687) is a DNA topoisomerase II inhibitor endowed with a remarkable antitumor activity against various experimental tumors. In vitro physicochemical properties of this compound, in particular its interaction with DNA and DNA topoisomerase II, were very similar to those of ellipticine derivatives, except for a strictly ATP-dependent mechanism of cleavable complex induction. From the Chinese hamster lung fibroblast cell line DC-3F, a subline resistant to S16020-2, named DC-3F/S16, was selected by adding stepwise increasing concentrations of the drug to the cell growth medium.