Polyglutamation of a novel antifolate, MX-68, is not necessary for its anti-arthritic effect

N-[[4-[(2,4-diaminopteridin-6-yl)methyl]-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzothiazin-7-yl]-carbonyl]-L-homoglutamic acid (MX-68), a derivative of methotrexate, was chemically designed to resist polyglutamation and to have a high affinity for dihydrofolate reductase, in an attempt to reduce the side effects of methotrexate. We confirmed that MX-68 did not undergo polyglutamation and investigated the pharmacological activities of MX-68 compared with methotrexate. (1) In vitro: MX-68 inhibited the activity of dihydrofolate reductase to the same degree as methotrexate-tetraglutamate. MX-68 treatment produced a similar anti-proliferative effect to that of methotrexate. However, the intracellular concentration of MX-68 was much lower than the sum of the levels of methotrexate and its polyglutamate, and the effects of MX-68 disappeared when it was removed from the culture medium. (2) In vivo: Oral administration of MX-68 suppressed the development of collagen-induced arthritis in mice and adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats, in a similar fashion to that of methotrexate. These results indicate that polyglutamation is not essential for the anti-arthritic effect of antifolates.