Robert T. Dorr
Professor of Pharmacology, and Arizona Cancer Center, Ph.D., University of Arizona, 1984
bdorr@azcc.arizona.edu

Toxicology systems and mechanisms of action of cytotoxic anticancer agents; the pharmacology of cancer chemopreventive agents.

Research Activities

Synthesis and molecular mechanisms of action are investigated in tumor cell lines and in animals bearing syngeneic tumors or human tumors in SCID mice. Drug classes include both small molecules and peptidic drugs to treat or prevent cancer. A large Program Project grant is focused on Redox Agents to Induce Apoptosis, involving a novel class of agents, the cyanoaziridines. These agents bind to thiols, induce oxidation and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and apoptosis via the intrinsic (cytochrome c, caspases 3 and 9) pathway. Molecular pathways are explored using DNA microarrays, confocal microscopy and other molecular techniques. Structure-activity studies are pursued among several series of anticancer agents using standard sythetic techniques coupled to in vitro activity and mechanism of action surveys in different human cancer lines. In addition, novel chemopreventive agents are investigated for the prevention of skin cancer, also as part of a large program project grant. The overall goal of the program is to discovery and validate new targets and series of agents to interact with these targets to treat or prevent cancer.

Publications (Query PubMed for this investigator)

Xing, C, Wu, P, Skibo, EB, Dorr, RT:  Design of cancer-specific antitumor agents based on aziridinylcyclopent [b]indoloquinones.  J. Med. Chem. 43(3):457-466, 2000.

Lopez, AM, Wallace, L, Dorr, RT, Koff, M, Hersh, EM, Alberts, DS:  Topical DMSO treatment for pegylated loposomal doxorubicin-induced palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia.  Cancer-Chemother-Pharmacol. 44(4):303-306, 1999.

Dvorakova, K, Dorr, RT, Valcic, S, Timmermann, B, Alberts, DS:  Pharmacokinetics of the green tea derivative, EGCG, by the topical route of administration in mouse and human skin.  Cancer-Chemother-Pharmacol. 43(4):331-335, 1999.

Iyengar, BS, Dorr, RT, Alberts, DS, Hersh, EM, Salmon, SE, Remers, WA:  Novel antitumor 2-cyanoaziridine-1-carboxamides.  J. Med. Chem. 43(3):510-514, 1999.

Mayr CA, Sami SM, Remers WA, Dorr RT:  Intracellular localization of 6- and 7-substituted 2-[2'-(dimethylamino)ethyl]-1,2-dihydro-3H-dibenz[de,h]isoquinoline-1,3-diones (azonafides) is not the limiting factor for their cytotoxicity:  An in vitro confocal microscopy study.  Anti-Cancer Drugs, 10(2):163-170, 1999.

Mayr CA, Sami SM, Remers WA, Dorr RT:  Identification and characterization of in vitro metabolites of 2-[2'-(dimethylamino)ethyl]-1,2-dihydro-3H-dibenz[de,h]isoquinoline-1,3-dione (azonafide).  Drug Metab Dispos 26(2):105-109, 1998.

Miller TP, Chase EM, Dorr R, Dalton WS, Lam KS, Salmon SE:  A phase I/II trial of paclitaxel for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma followed by paclitaxel plus quinine in drug-resistant disease. Anti-Cancer Drugs 9:135-140, 1998.

Dorr RT, Bellamy W, Liddil .ID, Baker A, Bair KW:  Correlation of cytotoxicity and protein associated DNA strand breaks for 2-(arylmethylamino)-1,3-propanediols.  Anti-Cancer Drug Design 13:825-835, 1998.

Sami SM, Dorr RT, Alberts DS, Sólyom AM, Remers WA: 2-[2'-(dimethylamino)ethyl]-  1,2-dihydro-3H-dibenz[de,h]isoquinoline-1,3-diones with substituents at positions 4, 8, 9, 10, and 11.  Synthesis, antitumor activity, and quantitative structure-activity relationships.  J Med Chem 39(25):4978-4987, 1996.

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