Evaluation of in Vitro Cytotoxicity of Carboranyl Amino Acids, Their Chemical Precursors and Nido Carboranyl Amino Acids for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy

The purpose of the present study was to define the in vitro cellular toxicity of three carborane-containing amino acids: p-(o-carboran-yl)-phenylalanine (CBPA), O-(o-carboran-1-ylmethyl)-tyrosine (CBT), and o-carboranylalanine (CBA), which are analogues of phenylalanine, tyrosine, and alanine respectively. In addition, two of their chemical precursors: CBACN (B10H11C2-CH2CHNH2CN) and CBTCN (B10H11C2-CH2OC6H4CH2CHNH2CN) and nido CBA were evaluated for their toxicity on human MRA 27 melanoma cells. Hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) initially was used to solubilize all the compounds except nido CBA in the toxicity assays Cells were incubated with the test compounds at varying concentrations for 24 hrs, following which the proliferative activity of surviving cells was determined by pulsing with tritiated thymidine ([3H]-TdR) for an additional 18 hrs. CBT at a concentration of 280 micrograms/ml was non-toxic when solubilized with beta-CD. CBA at a concentration of 350 micrograms/ml was non-toxic when solubilized with beta-CD, but when solubilized with DMSO produced a 50% reduction in uptake of [3H]-TdR at a concentration of 75 micrograms/ml. CBPA, solubilized with beta-CD, was nontoxic at a concentration of 400 micrograms/ml, while CBTCN and CBACN at concentrations of 50 micrograms/ml and 40 micrograms/ml, respectively, were both toxic, even when solubilized with beta-CD. Nido CBA at a concentration of 400 micrograms/ml in medium was non-toxic. Although the toxicity of these boron compounds precludes their use as capture agents for Neutron Capture Therapy, they may have some potential for cytoreductive chemotherapy of cancer, and further evaluation may be warranted.