Chemical Derivatives of the Anti-Leukemia Stem Cell Compound 4-Benzyl-2-Methyl-1,2,4-Thiadiazolidine-3,5-Dione (TDZD-8) with Improved Activity.

Abstract 3764

Poster Board III-700

We have recently described the novel and unique anti-leukemic properties of 4-benzyl-2-methyl-1,2,4-thiadiazolidine-3,5-dione (TDZD-8). Indeed, TDZD-8 was shown to eradicate leukemia at the bulk, stem, and progenitor level with rapid kinetics (typically < 2 h) with minimal toxicity to normal hematopoietic cells. Moreover, the cytotoxic activity of this drug is observed only in hematologic malignancies. The precise mechanism of TDZD-8 is not fully appreciated, but the compound has been shown to inhibit NFkappaB, GSK3beta, protein kinase C, FMS-like tyrosine kinase (Flt3), AKT and KDR. In addition, TDZD-8 rapidly depletes free thiols and appears to disrupt membrane integrity. Interestingly, TDZD-8 results in rapid mitochondrial swelling, followed by vacuole formation and accumulation. Despite possessing potent and specific anti-leukemia activity, the clinical utility of TDZD-8 is limited by the need for high concentrations (20 microM) and poor solubility. Therefore, to improve the pharmacological properties of TDZD-8, we initiated efforts to generate derivatives with greater anti-leukemia activity at lower concentrations and with greater water-solubility. To this end, an extensive structure-activity relationship study was carried out to examine the effects on anti-leukemic activity resulting from introduction of substituents at the C-2 and C-4- positions of the thiadiazolidine ring of TDZD-8, and of replacement of the TDZD ring with isosteric scaffolds. In total, we have screened more than 60 new analogs. Preliminary screens were performed using two different AML cell lines, evaluating the LD₅₀ for each of the analogs relative to the parental compound. We found that introducing substitutuents into the main TDZD ring resulted in loss of anti-leukemic activity of the compounds. Moreover, substitution in the benzyl/phenyl ring does not affect anti-leukemia activity of the TDZD analogs. Importantly, we found that N-2 halogenoethyl analogs, exhibit exceptional activity against leukemic cells. Of the halogenoethyl analogs evaluated, the iodoethyl analog TD-361 was the most active compound with an LD50 of 0.49 microM in MV-411 cells. Compounds exhibiting increased anti-leukemia activity were subjected to further testing in phenotypically-defined AML stem/progenitor cells. All analogs demonstrated efficacy in primary AML cells at lower concentrations than TDZD-8. Moreover, these analogs still maintained the rapid kinetics observed with TDZD-8. Finally, we performed colony assays to determine the effect of new analogs on progenitor cells from normal and leukemic cells. These studies demonstrated that the more active TDZD analogs retained the selective ability of TDZD-8 to abate AML progenitor cells without harming normal hematopoietic cells. In summary, we have identified the critical chemical moieties for the observed activity of TDZD-8, and have also discovered analogs with improved anti-leukemia activity. Going forward, the most active derivatives are being optimized for water-solubility and will then be evaluated using primary human AML specimens engrafted into immune deficient mice. Based on evidence to date, we propose that the TDZD family of compounds may represent a new class of drugs for the treatment of leukemia and related hematologic malignancies.