Benzylacyclouridine enhances 5-fluorouracil cytotoxicity against human prostate cancer cell lines

Pharmacology. 1998 Feb;56(2):80-91. doi: 10.1159/000028185.

Abstract

At a nontoxic growth inhibitory concentration benzyloxyacyclouridine (BAU), a potent and specific inhibitor of uridine phosphorylase (UrdPase), enhanced 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) cytotoxic activity against human prostate cancer PC-3 and DU-145 cell lines. The BAU/5-FU combination exhibited greater antitumor activity in vivo using PC-3 human xenografts compared to 5-FU alone, with no associated increase in animal host toxicity. The mechanism(s) responsible for the enhanced in vitro and in vivo activity of this combination may involve enhanced formation of the 5-FU nucleotide metabolites FdUMP, FdUTP, and FUTP resulting in enhanced inhibition of thymidylate synthase (TS) and increased incorporation of fluoropyrimidine metabolites into tumoral RNA and DNA.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / therapeutic use*
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • Drug Interactions
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Fluorouracil / administration & dosage
  • Fluorouracil / metabolism
  • Fluorouracil / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Thymidylate Synthase / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Uracil / administration & dosage
  • Uracil / analogs & derivatives*
  • Uracil / pharmacology
  • Uridine Phosphorylase / antagonists & inhibitors

Substances

  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • 5-benzylacyclouridine
  • Uracil
  • Thymidylate Synthase
  • Uridine Phosphorylase
  • Fluorouracil