Hironori Komatsu

Bio: Hironori Komatsu is an academic researcher from Mitsui Chemicals. The author has contributed to research in topics: Sigmatropic reaction & Derivative (chemistry). The author has an hindex of 9, co-authored 40 publications receiving 497 citations.

Potent Antitumor Activity of MS-247, a Novel DNA Minor Groove Binder, Evaluated by an in Vitro and in Vivo Human Cancer Cell Line Panel

Abstract: We synthesized a novel anticancer agent MS-247 (2-[[N-[1-methyl-2-[5-[N-[4-[N,N-bis(2-chloroethyl) amino] phenyl]] carbamoyl]-1H-benzimidazol-2-yl] pyrrol-4-yl] carbamoyl] ethyldimethylsulfonium di-p-toluenesulfonate) that has a netropsin-like moiety and an alkylating residue in the structure. We evaluated antitumor activity of MS-247 using a human cancer cell line panel coupled with a drug sensitivity database and subsequently using human cancer xenografts. The average MS-247 concentration required for 50% growth inhibition against a panel of 39 cell lines was 0.71 microM. The COMPARE analysis revealed that the differential growth inhibition pattern of MS-247 significantly correlated with those of camptothecin analogues and anthracyclins, indicating that MS-247 and the two drug groups might have similar modes of action. MS-247 exhibited remarkable antitumor activity against various xenografts. A single i.v. injection of MS-247 significantly inhibited the growth of all 17 xenografts tested, which included lung, colon, stomach, breast, and ovarian cancers. In many cases, MS-247 was more efficacious than cisplatin, Adriamycin, 5-fluorouracil, cyclophosphamide, VP-16, and vincristine and was almost comparable with paclitaxel and CPT-11; these are the most clinically promising drugs at present. MS-247 was noticeably more effective than paclitaxel (in HCT-15) and CPT-11 (in A549, HBC-4, and SK-OV-3). The toxicity of MS-247, indicated by body weight loss, was reversible within 10 days after administration. The MS-247 mode of action showed DNA binding activity at the site where Hoechst 33342 bound, inhibited topoisomerases I and II (as expected by the COMPARE analysis) blocked the cell cycle at the G2-M phase, and induced apoptosis. These results indicate that MS-247 is a promising new anticancer drug candidate to be developed further toward clinical trials.

First Stereoselective Synthesis of 2-Deoxy-α-d-ribosyl-1-phosphate: Novel Application of Crystallization-Induced Asymmetric Transformation

Abstract: A first stereoselective synthesis of bis(cyclohexylamine) 2-deoxy-α-d-ribosyl-1-phosphate has been achieved. The synthesis features a key crystallization-induced asymmetric transformation (AT) to g...

Efficient chemo-enzymatic syntheses of pharmaceutically useful unnatural 2'-deoxynucleosides.

Abstract: Our chemo-enzymatic method was successfully applied to the synthesis of 2-chloro-2′-deoxyadenosine (CdA, cladribine) in two ways: 1) direct conversion of chemically synthesized 2-deoxy-α-D-ribose 1-phosphate (dRP) to CdA; 2) a two-step route via 9-(2-deoxy-β-D-ribos-1-yl)-2,6-dichloropurine (Cl2Pu-dR, 5).

Domino Reactions in Organic Synthesis

Abstract: Introduction Cationic domino reactions Anionic domino reactions Radical domino reactions Pericyclic domino reactions Photochemically induced domino processes Transition metal catalysis Domino reactions initiated by oxidation or reduction Enzymes in domino reactions Multicomponent reactions Special techniques in domino reactions

Cell line-based platforms to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of candidate anticancer agents

Abstract: Efforts to discover new cancer drugs and predict their clinical activity are limited by the fact that laboratory models to test drug efficacy do not faithfully recapitulate this complex disease. One important model system for evaluating candidate anticancer agents is human tumour-derived cell lines. Although cultured cancer cells can exhibit distinct properties compared with their naturally growing counterparts, recent technologies that facilitate the parallel analysis of large panels of such lines, together with genomic technologies that define their genetic constitution, have revitalized efforts to use cancer cell lines to assess the clinical utility of new investigational cancer drugs and to discover predictive biomarkers.

The Clinical Relevance of Cancer Cell Lines

Abstract: Although advances in genomics during the last decade have opened new avenues for translational research and allowed the direct evaluation of clinical samples, there is still a need for reliable preclinical models to test therapeutic strategies. Human cancer-derived cell lines are the most widely used models to study the biology of cancer and to test hypotheses to improve the efficacy of cancer treatment. Since the development of the first cancer cell line, the clinical relevance of these models has been continuously questioned. Based upon recent studies that have fueled the debate, we review the major events in the development of the in vitro models and the emergence of new technologies that have revealed important issues and limitations concerning human cancer cell lines as models. All cancer cell lines do not have equal value as tumor models. Some have been successful, whereas others have failed. However, the success stories should not obscure the growing body of data that motivates us to develop new in vitro preclinical models that would substantially increase the success rate of new in vitro–assessed cancer treatments.