Synthesis and anticancer activities of amphiphilic 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridylic acid prodrugs.

Amphiphilic anticancer prodrugs of 5'-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine-5'-monophosphate (5-FdUMP) were synthesized according to the hydrogen phosphonate method by coupling lipophilic cytosine derivatives or a phospholipid with 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine (5-FdU). Studies within the in vitro Anticancer Screen Program of the National Cancer Institute have demonstrated high anticancer activities of the heterodinucleoside phosphates: N4-palmitoyl-2'-deoxycytidylyl-(3' --> 5')-3'-O-acetyl-5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine (dC(pam)-5-FdU(Ac), N4-palmitoyl-2',3'-dideoxycytidylyl-(5' --> 5')-3'-O-acetyl-5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine (ddC(pam)-(5' --> 5')-5-FdU(Ac), 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridylyl-(3' --> 5')-5-fluoro-N4-hexadecyl-2'-deoxycytidine (5-FdU-5-FdC(hex)), and of the new liponucleotide 1-O-octadecyl-rac-glycerylyl-(3 --> 5')-5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine (Oct1Gro-(3 --> 5')-5-FdU). The anticancer activities of these prodrugs are comparable to those of 5-FdU and the tumor specificities are modulated by their structures. The highest cytotoxic activity being even superior to 5-FdU was expressed by the dimer 5-FdU-5-FdC(hex).