The drug resistance of CENUs induced by
O(6)-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (AGT), which repairs the O(6)-alkylated
guanine and subsequently inhibits the formation of dG-dC cross-links, hinders the application of
CENU chemotherapies. Therefore, the discovery of
CENU analogs with AGT inhibiting activity is a promising approach leading to novel
CENU chemotherapies with high therapeutic index. In this study, a new combi-nitrosourea
prodrug 3-(3-(((2-amino-9H-purin-6-yl)oxy)methyl)benzyl)-1-(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (6), designed to release
a DNA cross-linking agent and an inhibitor of AGT, was synthesized and evaluated for its antitumor activity and ability to induce
DNA interstrand cross-links (ICLs). The results indicated that 6 exhibited higher cytotoxicity against mer(+)
glioma cells compared with
ACNU,
BCNU, and their respective combinations with
O(6)-benzylguanine (O(6)-BG). Quantifications of dG-dC cross-links induced by 6 were performed using HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. Higher levels of dG-dC cross-link were observed in 6-treated human
glioma SF763 cells (mer(+)), whereas lower levels of dG-dC cross-link were observed in 6-treated
calf thymus DNA, when compared with the groups treated with
BCNU and
ACNU. The results suggested that the superiority of 6 might result from the AGT inhibitory moiety, which specifically functions in cells with AGT activity. Molecular docking studies indicated that five hydrogen bonds were formed between the O(6)-BG analogs released from 6 and the five residues in the active pocket of AGT, which provided a reasonable explanation for the higher AGT-inhibitory activity of 6 than O(6)-BG.