Pharmacodynamics of Antineoplastic Drugs – PST05104 Pharmacology and Therapeutics
NTA Level 5 • Semester 1 • PST05104 Pharmacodynamics of Antineoplastic Drugs Pharmacology and Therapeutics • Source Session/Topic 13 Full source-text version: all educational wording from the extracted learning source is retained; only presenter/tutor metadata and web-layout noise are removed, while formatting is improved for readability. Session 13: Pharmacodynamics of Antineoplastic Drugs Total Session Time: 120 minutes Prerequisites None Learning Tasks By the end of this session students are expected to be able to: Describe mechanism of action of Antineoplastic Drugs Describe drug interactions associated with Antineoplastic Drugs Describe side effects of Antineoplastic Drugs Describe contraindications of Antineoplastic Drugs Resources Needed: Flip charts, marker pens, and masking tape Black/white board and chalk/whiteboard markers Computer and LCD projector SESSION OVERVIEW Step Time Activity/ Content Step Time Activity/ Content Step Time Method Content Method Method 1 1 05 minutes 05 minutes Presentation Introduction, Learning Tasks Introduction, Learning Tasks 2 2 45 minutes 45 minutes Presentation/ Mechanism of Action of Antineoplastic Drugs Mechanism of Action of Antineoplastic Drugs 2 2 45 minutes 45 minutes Buzzing Mechanism of Action of Antineoplastic Drugs Mechanism of Action of Antineoplastic Drugs Buzzing 3 3 20 minutes 20 minutes Presentation/ Drug Interactions Associated With Drug Interactions Associated With 3 3 20 minutes 20 minutes brainstorming Antineoplastic Drugs Antineoplastic Drugs brainstorming Antineoplastic Drugs Antineoplastic Drugs 4 4 20 minutes 20 minutes Presentation Side Effects of Antineoplastic Drugs Side Effects of Antineoplastic Drugs 5 5 20 minutes 20 minutes Presentation/ Contraindications of Antineoplastic Drugs Contraindications of Antineoplastic Drugs 5 5 20 minutes 20 minutes Brainstorming Contraindications of Antineoplastic Drugs Contraindications of Antineoplastic Drugs Brainstorming 6 6 05 minutes 05 minutes Presentation Key Points Key Points 7 7 05 minutes 05 minutes Presentation Evaluation Evaluation PST 05104 Pharmacology & Therapeutics 105 NTA Level 5 Semester 1 Facilitator Guide SESSION CONTENTS STEP 1: Presentation of Session Title and Learning Tasks (5 minutes) READ or ASK students to read the learning objectives and clarify ASK students if they have any questions before continuing. STEP 2: Mechanism of Action of Antineoplastic Drugs (45 minutes) Activity: Buzzing (5 minutes) ASK students to pair up and buzz on the following question for 2 minutes How do Antineoplastic Drugs produce their pharmacological effects? ALLOW few pairs to respond and let other pairs add on points not mentioned WRITE their response on the flip chart/board CLARIFY and SUMMARIZE by using the content below Alkylating Agents In general, Alkylating agents are particularly effective when cells are dividing rapidly, but are not phase-specific. They combine with DNA and thus damage malignant and dividing normal cells. If a tumour is sensitive to one alkylating agent, it is usually sensitive to another, but cross-resistance does not necessarily occur. The alkylating agents transfer alkyl (chemical) groups to DNA. DNA alkylation in the nucleus leads to the death of the cell. Once in the cell, the alkylating agents undergo a structural rearrangement that results in the formation of an unstable intermediate, an ethylene immonium ion. This ion either directly, or via another intermediate, a carbonium ion, transfers alkyl groups to nucleic acids such as guanine or to other cellular constituents. Alkylation of guanine or other bases results in abnormal base pairing as well as the excision of these bases, which in turn leads to strand breakage. The connection between DNA alkylation and death of the cancer cell has not been established; however, one of the likely mechanisms is damage to DNA that is sufficient to activate proapoptotic proteins such as p53, leading to cell death. Mustine (Mechlorethamine) Mustine forms highly reactive ethyleneimine ions that alkylate and cross-link guanine bases in DNA and alkylate other macromolecules, including proteins. PST 05104 Pharmacology & Therapeutics 106 NTA Level 5 Semester 1 Facilitator Guide Cyclophosphamide It is an inactive prodrug given orally or intravenously. Nitrosoureas: Carmustine, lomustine, semustine, bendamustine Nitrosoureas have an additional mechanism of action. Nitrosoureas undergo another reaction, referred to as carbamoylation, with lysine residues of proteins. The product of this reaction is referred to as a carbamoylated protein, and this process appears to limit the ability of the cancer cell to repair DNA. This unique mechanism of action limits cross-resistance between nitrosoureas and other members of this class. Procarbazine It is an inactive prodrug given orally or intravenously Platinum compounds Cisplatin, Carboplatin etc o Platinum compound cytotoxicity results from selective inhibition of tumour DNA synthesis by the formation of intra- and inter-strand cross-links at guanine residues in the nucleic acid backbone. o This unwinds and shortens the DNA helix. Antifolate analogues antimetabolites Methotrexate o Folic acid is required in the synthesis of thymidylate (a pyrimidine) and of purine nucleotides and thus for DNA synthesis. o Methotrexate is a very slowly reversible competitive inhibitor of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR). o The affinity of DHFR for methotrexate is 100 000 times greater than that for dihydrofolate. o Thus, methotrexate prevents nucleic acid synthesis and causes cell death. Folinic acid circumvents this biosynthetic block and thus non-competitively antagonizes the effect of methotrexate. Pyrimidine antimetabolites 5-Fluorouracil o 5-Fluorouracil is a prodrug that is activated by anabolic phosphorylation to form: 5-fluorouridine monophosphate, which is incorporated into RNA, inhibiting its function and its polyadenylation. o The anabolic phosphorylation also forms 5-fluorodeoxyuridylate, which binds strongly to thymidylate synthetase and inhibits DNA synthesis. PST 05104 Pharmacology & Therapeutics 107 NTA Level 5 Semester 1 Facilitator Guide Incorporation of 5-fluorouracil itself into DNA causes mismatching and faulty mRNA transcripts. Purine antimetabolites 6-Mercaptopurine (6-MP) o 6-MP requires transformation by intracellular enzymes to 6-thioguanine which inhibits purine synthesis. Cytotoxic Antibiotics (Anthracyclines ) Doxorubicin o Cytotoxic actions of anthracyclines lead to apoptosis through intercalation between adjacent base pairs in DNA, leading, to fragmentation of DNA and inhibition of DNA repair, enhanced by DNA topoisomerase II inhibition. Camptothecins (Topoisomerase I inhibitors) o Camptothecins act during the S-phase of the cell cycle. DNA topoisomerase I is necessary for unwinding DNA for replication and RNA transcription. o Camptothecins stabilize the DNA topoisomerase I–DNA complex. Cell killing is most likely via induction of apoptosis (programmed cell death). Etoposide and Teniposide (Topoisomerase