Biochemical modulation of tumor cell energy: regression of advanced spontaneous murine breast tumors with a 5-fluorouracil-containing drug combination

Cancer Res. 1992 Aug 1;52(15):4074-81.

Abstract

This report describes a highly active chemotherapeutic drug combination, consisting of N-(phosphonacetyl)-L-aspartate plus 6-methylmercaptopurine riboside plus 6-aminonicotinamide plus 5-fluorouracil, in CD8F1 mice bearing spontaneous, autochthonous, breast tumors or first-passage advanced transplants of these spontaneous tumors. The combination and sequence of administration of these drugs were selected on the basis of known potentiating biochemical interactions. High performance liquid chromatography and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy measurements of biochemical changes resulting from treatment with N-(phosphonacetyl)-L-aspartate plus 6-methylmercaptopurine riboside plus 6-aminonicotinamide indicated a severe depletion of cellular energy levels in the treated tumors. 6-Aminonicotinamide produced a severe block of the pentose shunt, and 5-fluorouracil severely inhibited both thymidylate synthase and thymidine kinase in the treated tumors. This quadruple drug combination, administered on a 10-11-day schedule, produced an impressive partial tumor regression rate of 67% of large, spontaneous, autochthonous, murine breast tumors and a tumor regression rate of 74% of first-passage transplants of the spontaneous breast tumors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • 6-Aminonicotinamide / administration & dosage
  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Aspartic Acid / administration & dosage
  • Aspartic Acid / analogs & derivatives
  • Female
  • Fluorouracil / administration & dosage
  • Fluorouracil / therapeutic use*
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / drug therapy*
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / metabolism
  • Methylthioinosine / administration & dosage
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred Strains
  • Neoplasm Transplantation
  • Orotic Acid / metabolism
  • Phosphonoacetic Acid / administration & dosage
  • Phosphonoacetic Acid / analogs & derivatives
  • Phosphoribosyl Pyrophosphate / metabolism

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Aspartic Acid
  • 6-Aminonicotinamide
  • Methylthioinosine
  • Orotic Acid
  • Phosphoribosyl Pyrophosphate
  • sparfosic acid
  • Phosphonoacetic Acid
  • Fluorouracil