Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Functionalized Spirocyclic Heterocycle Synthesis and Cytotoxicity Assay
05:17

Functionalized Spirocyclic Heterocycle Synthesis and Cytotoxicity Assay

Published on: February 9, 2021

Cytotoxicity and antineoplastic activities of alkylamines and their borane derivatives

I H Hall1, E Y Tse, R A Muhammad

  • 1Division of Medicinal Chemistry and Natural Products School of Pharmacy University of North Carolina Chapel Hill NC 27599-7360 USA.

Metal-Based Drugs
|January 1, 1996
PubMed

Insights

Alkylamine compounds show potent anti-cancer effects by inhibiting DNA and protein synthesis in tumor cells. These agents disrupt purine synthesis and reduce nucleotide pools, leading to cell death.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Alkylamines and boron derivatives exhibit significant cytotoxicity.
  • Cytotoxic action is not solely dependent on the boron atom for certain tumor types.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the cytotoxic mechanisms of alkylamines and related boron derivatives.
  • To understand how these agents inhibit tumor cell growth.

Main Methods:

  • Assessing cytotoxicity in murine and human tissue cultured cells.
  • Measuring inhibition of DNA and protein synthesis.
  • Analyzing effects on IMP dehydrogenase, ribonucleotide reductase, and nucleoside kinase activities.

Main Results:

  • Alkylamines inhibit DNA and protein synthesis.
  • Purine synthesis is blocked at IMP dehydrogenase.
  • Reduced ribonucleotide reductase and nucleoside kinase activities lead to decreased d[NTP] pools.
  • Some agents cause DNA fragmentation and reduced DNA viscosity.

Conclusions:

  • Alkylamines suppress tumor cell growth through multifaceted inhibition of DNA and protein synthesis.
  • Potential mechanisms include blocking purine synthesis, depleting nucleotide pools, and direct DNA interaction.
  • These molecular effects contribute to the observed cell death.

More Related Videos

Amide Coupling Reaction for the Synthesis of Bispyridine-based Ligands and Their Complexation to Platinum as Dinuclear Anticancer Agents07:20

Amide Coupling Reaction for the Synthesis of Bispyridine-based Ligands and Their Complexation to Platinum as Dinuclear Anticancer Agents

Published on: May 28, 2014

Related Concept Videos

Physical Properties of Amines01:26

Physical Properties of Amines

Amines with low molecular weight are usually gaseous at room temperature, while those with high molecular weight are liquid or solids in nature. Usually, low molecular weight amines have a rotten fish-like smell. Diamines typically have a pungent smell. For instance, cadaverine and putrescine, depicted in Figure 1, are two molecules responsible for decaying tissue.
Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: Dopamine Receptor Antagonists01:29

Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: Dopamine Receptor Antagonists

Dopamine receptor antagonists, also known as antipsychotic agents, are critical in managing chemotherapy-induced vomiting. These antiemetic agents block dopamine receptors in the chemoreceptor trigger zone (CTZ), inhibiting signal transmission to the vomiting center. Antipsychotic agents encompass phenothiazines (PTZ), butyrophenones, benzamides, and thienobenzodiazepines (Zyprexa), which are utilized for their antiemetic and sedative properties.
Phenothiazines, such as prochlorperazine...
Drugs that Destabilize Microtubules01:10

Drugs that Destabilize Microtubules

Microtubules are dynamic structures and can be regulated by microtubule targeting agents (MTAs). Microtubule destabilizing drugs are a class of MTAs that destabilize and prevent microtubules' polymerization. Both natural and synthetic chemicals can be found under this class of drugs. Vincristine and vinblastine, two vinca alkaloids, and colchicine were among the first to be discovered. These drugs can affect cells in various ways, either by inducing a change in cell morphology, preventing...
Preparation of 1° Amines: Azide Synthesis01:22

Preparation of 1° Amines: Azide Synthesis

Direct alkylation of ammonia produces polyalkylated amines, along with a quaternary ammonium salt. To exclusively prepare primary amines, the azide synthesis method can be used.
Azide ions act as good nucleophiles and react with unhindered alkyl halides to form alkyl azides. Alkyl azides do not participate in further nucleophilic substitution reactions, thereby eliminating the chances of polyalkylated products. Alkyl azides are reduced by hydride-based reducing agents, like lithium aluminum...
Basicity of Aliphatic Amines01:21

Basicity of Aliphatic Amines

Amines can behave as Brønsted–Lowry bases by accepting a proton from the acid to form corresponding conjugate acids. Due to a lone pair of nonbonding electrons, aliphatic amines can also act as Lewis bases by forming a covalent bond with an electrophile.
To measure the basicity of amines, two conventions are generally used. The first defines Kb as the basicity constant for the deprotonation reaction of water by the amine, as presented in Figure 1. Conventionally, lower Kb indicates higher...
Basicity of Aromatic Amines01:18

Basicity of Aromatic Amines

The basicity of aromatic amines is much weaker than that of aliphatic amines due to the involvement of the lone pair of electrons over the N atom in resonance with the aryl rings. Generally, the electron-donating ability of any substituents on the aryl ring of aromatic amines increases the basicity of the amine by increasing electron density, and hence the availability of lone pair on the nitrogen. On the other hand, electron-withdrawing functional groups on the aryl ring of amines decrease the...