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While enzalutamide and abiraterone are approved for treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), approximately 20-40% of patients have no response to these agents. It has been stipulated that the lack of response and the development of secondary resistance to these drugs may be due to the presence of AR splice variants. HDAC6 has a role in regulating the androgen receptor (AR) by modulating heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) acetylation, which controls the nuclear localization and activation of the AR in androgen-dependent and independent scenarios. With dual-acting AR-HDAC6 inhibitors it should be possible to target patients who don't respond to enzalutamide. Herein, we describe the design, synthesis and biological evaluation of dual-acting compounds which target AR and are also specific towards HDAC6. Our efforts led to compound 10 which was found to have potent dual activity (HDAC6 IC50=0.0356μM and AR binding IC50=

Temozolomide is a chemotherapeutic agent that is used in the treatment of glioblastoma and other malignant gliomas. It acts through DNA alkylation, but treatment is limited by its systemic toxicity and neutralization of DNA alkylation by upregulation of the O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase gene. Both of these limiting factors can be addressed by achieving higher concentrations of TMZ in the brain. Our research has led to the discovery of new analogs of temozolomide with improved brain:plasma ratios when dosed in vivo in rats. These compounds are imidazotetrazine analogs, expected to act through the same mechanism as temozolomide. With reduced systemic exposure, these new agents have the potential to improve efficacy and therapeutic index in the treatment of glioblastoma.

Neuroinflammation involves the activation of glial cells, which is associated to the progression of neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease. Recently, we and other researchers demonstrated that dopamine receptor D3 (D3R)-deficient mice are completely refractory to neuroinflammation and consequent neurodegeneration associated to the acute intoxication with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). In this study we examined the therapeutic potential and underlying mechanism of a D3R-selective antagonist, PG01037, in mice intoxicated with a chronic regime of administration of MPTP and probenecid (MPTPp). Biodistribution analysis indicated that intraperitoneally administered PG01037 crosses the blood-brain barrier and reaches the highest concentration in the brain 40 min after the injection. Furthermore, the drug was preferentially distributed to the brain in comparison to the plasma. Treatment of MPTPp-intoxicated mice with PG01037 (30 mg/kg, administrated twice a week for five weeks) attenuated the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta, as evaluated by stereological analysis, and the loss of striatal dopaminergic terminals, as determined by densitometric analyses of tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine transporter immunoreactivities. Accordingly, the treatment resulted in significant improvement of motor performance of injured animals. Interestingly, the therapeutic dose of PG01037 exacerbated astrogliosis and resulted in increased ramification density of microglial cells in the striatum of MPTPp-intoxicated mice. Further analyses suggested that D3R expressed in astrocytes favours a beneficial astrogliosis with anti-inflammatory consequences on microglia. Our findings indicate that D3R-antagonism exerts a therapeutic effect in parkinsonian animals by reducing the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the nigrostriatal pathway, alleviating motor impairments and modifying the pro-inflammatory phenotype of glial cells.

Purpose: To investigate the effects of talazoparib alone and in combination with temozolomide (TMZ) on prostate cancer cells Introduction: Talazoparib is a potent, orally bioavailable, small molecule inhibitor of PARP (poly-ADP ribose polymerase) enzyme activity that also traps PARP protein onto DNA at sites of DNA damage; both activities result in cancer cell death (Murai et al. Mol Cancer Ther. 2014;13:433-43). Talazoparib is currently under investigation for clinical activity in patients who have locally advanced and/or metastatic breast cancer with germline BRCA mutations (EMBRACA; Clinical Trials.gov; NCT01945775). In the current nonclinical study, talazoparib demonstrated potent antitumor effects on androgen receptor (AR)-positive prostate cancer cells expressing both full length AR (LNCaP cells) as well as the androgen-independent splice variant, AR-V7 (22RV1 cells), when used either as a single agent or in combination with low, noncytotoxic concentrations of TMZ, a DNA alkylating therapeutic. Methods: Viability of prostate cancer cells (LNCaP and 22RV1 cells) after 7 days of treatment was measured by Cell Titer Glo (Promega) after treatment with vehicle, talazoparib, TMZ or a combination of the two. DNA damage was determined by immunofluorescence against gH2AX (EMD Millipore), and the amount of PARP trapped on DNA, determined by Western Blot analysis of chromatin probed with antibodies specific for PARP. Cellular homeostasis was determined by flow cytometry analysis for cell cycle stage, and apoptosis indicated by Annexin V staining (BD Pharmingen) or caspase activation with Caspase Glo (Promega) assays. Nucleotide adducts, N7 methyl-2'-deoxyguanosine (N7-MedG) and O6-Methyl-2'-deoxyguanosine (O6-MedG), from 1-, 2- and 4-hour TMZ-treated calf thymus DNA and genomic DNA from LNCaP cells treated with TMZ were detected after DNA hydrolysis and quantitated by LC-mass spectrometry in multiple reaction monitoring mode. Results: Talazoparib treatment resulted in a concentration-dependent inhibition of cell viability in LNCaP (AR wildtype) and 22RV1 (AR-V7) cells. Talazoparib's antitumor effects were greatly enhanced when combined with noncytotoxic TMZ concentrations. In a cell-free study using calf thymus DNA, TMZ generated both N7-MedG and O6-MedG DNA adducts, with the N7-MedG being more abundant than the O6-MedG. Analysis of DNA from LNCaP cells treated with TMZ generated detectable N7-MedG DNA adducts. Low, noncytotoxic concentrations of TMZ potentiated the effects of talazoparib on prostate cancer cell viability independent of AR variant status. Treatment with talazoparib alone and in combination with TMZ was associated with increased gH2AX staining (DNA damage) and enhanced PARP-DNA trapping complexes. The combination treatment also induced an increase in apoptotic cells at early time points. Conclusion: Talazoparib is cytotoxic to prostate cancer cells as a single agent in nonclinical cell based models. Herein, we demonstrate that combining noncytotoxic doses of TMZ with talazoparib improves efficacy in killing of LNCaP and 22RV1 cells. The increased efficacy corresponds with increased DNA-damage and increased trapped PARP-DNA complexes. Low, noncytotoxic doses of TMZ are shown to generate DNA damage sites in vitro and in treated LNCaP cells, providing a mechanistic basis for the combination effect of talazoparib and TMZ. Together, these nonclinical data provide scientific rationale for a clinical trial strategy of combining talazoparib with low, noncytotoxic doses of TMZ to enhance efficacy in prostate cancer. Citation Format: Jeffrey N. Lindquist, Vernon T. Phan, Eduardo Riquelme, Kakoli Mukherjee, Olivia Farías, Ashu Gupta, Mohd Raja, Roopa Rai, Hirdesh Uppal, Andrew A. Protter. Talazoparib efficacy is enhanced by noncytotoxic doses of temozolomide-mediated DNA damage in prostate cancer cell lines [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on DNA Repair: Tumor Development and Therapeutic Response; 2016 Nov 2-5; Montreal, QC, Canada. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2017;15(4_Suppl):Abstract nr B30.