Deletion of the C26 Methyl Substituent from the Bryostatin Analogue Merle 23 Has Negligible Impact on Its Biological Profile and Potency.

Important strides are being made in understanding the effects of structural features of bryostatin 1, a candidate therapeutic agent for cancer and dementia, in conferring its potency toward protein kinase C and the unique spectrum of biological responses that it induces. A critical pharmacophoric element in bryostatin 1 is the secondary hydroxy group at the C26 position, with a corresponding primary hydroxy group playing an analogous role in binding of phorbol esters to protein kinase C. Herein, we describe the synthesis of a bryostatin homologue in which the C26 hydroxy group is primary, as it is in the phorbol esters, and show that its biological activity is almost indistinguishable from that of the corresponding compound with a secondary hydroxy group.

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Fluorescent Bryostatin Analogues.

To investigate the cellular distribution of tumor-promoting vs. non-tumor-promoting bryostatin analogues, we synthesized fluorescently labeled variants of two bryostatin derivatives that have previously shown either phorbol ester-like or bryostatin-like biological activity in U937 leukemia cells. These new fluorescent analogues both displayed high affinity for protein kinase C (PKC) binding and retained the basic properties of the parent unlabeled compounds in U937 assays.

Replacement of the Bryostatin A- and B-Pyran Rings With Phenyl Rings Leads to Loss of High Affinity Binding With PKC.

We describe a convergent synthesis of a bryostatin analogue in which the natural A- and B-ring pyrans have been replaced by phenyl rings. The new analogue exhibited PMA like behavior in cell assays, but failed to maintain high affinity binding for PKC, despite retaining an unaltered C-ring 'binding domain'.

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Several Bryostatin Analogues Bearing a Diacylglycerol Lactone C-Ring.

As an initial step in designing a simplified bryostatin hybrid molecule, three bryostatin analogues bearing a diacylglycerol lactone-based C-ring, which possessed the requisite pharmacophores for binding to protein kinase C (PKC) together with a modified bryostatin-like A- and B-ring region, were synthesized and evaluated. Merle 46 and Merle 47 exhibited binding affinity to PKC alpha with Ki values of 7000 ± 990 and 4940 ± 470 nM, respectively. Reinstallation of the trans-olefin and gem-dimethyl group present in bryostatin 1 in Merle 48 resulted in improved binding affinity, 363 ± 42 nM.

Biological activity of the bryostatin analog Merle 23 on mouse epidermal cells and mouse skin.

Bryostatin 1, a complex macrocyclic lactone, is the subject of multiple clinical trials for cancer chemotherapy. Although bryostatin 1 biochemically functions like the classic mouse skin tumor promoter phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) to bind to and activate protein kinase C, paradoxically, it fails to induce many of the typical phorbol ester responses, including tumor promotion. Intense synthetic efforts are currently underway to develop simplified bryostatin analogs that preserve the critical functional features of bryostatin 1, including its lack of tumor promoting activity.

Neristatin 1 provides critical insight into bryostatin 1 structure-function relationships.

Bryostatin 1, a complex macrocyclic lactone isolated from Bugula neritina, has been the subject of multiple clinical trials for cancer. Although it functions as an activator of protein kinase C (PKC) in vitro, bryostatin 1 paradoxically antagonizes most responses to the prototypical PKC activator, the phorbol esters. The bottom half of the bryostatin 1 structure has been shown to be sufficient to confer binding to PKC.

Synthesis of a des-B-ring bryostatin analogue leads to an unexpected ring expansion of the bryolactone core.

A convergent synthesis of a des-B-ring bryostatin analogue is described. This analogue was found to undergo an unexpected ring expansion of the bryolactone core to generate the corresponding 21-membered macrocycle. The parent analogue and the ring-expanded product both displayed nanomolar binding affinity for PKC.

Molecular systems pharmacology: isoelectric focusing signature of protein kinase Cδ provides an integrated measure of its modulation in response to ligands.

Protein kinase C (PKC), a validated therapeutic target for cancer chemotherapy, provides a paradigm for assessing structure-activity relations, where ligand binding has multiple consequences for a target. For PKC, ligand binding controls not only PKC activation and multiple phosphorylations but also subcellular localization, affecting subsequent signaling. Using a capillary isoelectric focusing immunoassay system, we could visualize a high resolution isoelectric focusing signature of PKCδ upon stimulation by ligands of the phorbol ester and bryostatin classes.

Biological profile of the less lipophilic and synthetically more accessible bryostatin 7 closely resembles that of bryostatin 1.

The bryostatins are a group of 20 macrolides isolated by Pettit and co-workers from the marine organism Bugula neritina. Bryostatin 1, the flagship member of the family, has been the subject of intense chemical and biological investigations due to its remarkably diverse biological activities, including promising indications as therapy for cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and HIV. Other bryostatins, however, have attracted far less attention, most probably due to their relatively low natural abundance and associated scarcity of supply.

Role of the C8 gem-dimethyl group of bryostatin 1 on its unique pattern of biological activity.

The role of the C(8) gem-dimethyl group in the A-ring of bryostatin 1 has been examined through chemical synthesis and biological evaluation of a new analogue. Assays for biological function using U937, K562, and MV4-11 cells as well as the profiles for downregulation of PKC isozymes revealed that the presence of this group is not a critical determinant for the unique pattern of biological activity of bryostatin.

Some phorbol esters might partially resemble bryostatin 1 in their actions on LNCaP prostate cancer cells and U937 leukemia cells.

Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and bryostatin 1 are both potent protein kinase C (PKC) activators. In LNCaP human prostate cancer cells, PMA induces tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) secretion and inhibits proliferation; bryostatin 1 does not, and indeed blocks the response to PMA. This difference has been attributed to bryostatin 1 not localizing PKCδ to the plasma membrane.

The synthetic bryostatin analog Merle 23 dissects distinct mechanisms of bryostatin activity in the LNCaP human prostate cancer cell line.

Bryostatin 1 has attracted considerable attention both as a cancer chemotherapeutic agent and for its unique activity. Although it functions, like phorbol esters, as a potent protein kinase C (PKC) activator, it paradoxically antagonizes many phorbol ester responses in cells. Because of its complex structure, little is known of its structure-function relations.

Total synthesis of bryostatin 1.

Bryostatin 1 is a marine natural product that is a very promising lead compound because of the potent biological activity it displays against a variety of human disease states. We describe herein the first total synthesis of this agent. The synthetic route adopted is a highly convergent one in which the preformed, heavily functionalized pyran rings A and C are united by "pyran annulation", the TMSOTf-promoted reaction between a hydroxyallylsilane appended to the A-ring fragment and an aldehyde contained in the C-ring fragment, with concomitant formation of the B ring.

The bryostatin 1 A-ring acetate is not the critical determinant for antagonism of phorbol ester-induced biological responses.

The contribution of the A-ring C(7) acetate to the function of bryostatin 1 has been investigated through synthesis and biological evaluation of an analogue incorporating this feature into the bryopyran core structure. No enhanced binding affinity for protein kinase C (PKC) was observed, relative to previously characterized analogues lacking the C(7) acetate. Functional assays showed biological responses characteristic of those induced by the phorbol ester PMA and distinctly different from those observed with bryostatin 1.

Substitution on the A-ring confers to bryopyran analogues the unique biological activity characteristic of bryostatins and distinct from that of the phorbol esters.

A close structural analogue of bryostatin 1, which differs from bryostatin 1 only by the absence of the C(30) carbomethoxy group (on the C(13) enoate of the B-ring), has been prepared by total synthesis. Biological assays reveal a crucial role for substitution in the bryostatin 1 A-ring in conferring those responses which are characteristic of bryostatin 1 and distinct from those observed with PMA.

Total synthesis of epothilones B and D: stannane equivalents for beta-keto ester dianions.

Studies leading to a total synthesis of epothilones B and D are described. The overall synthetic plan was based on late-stage fragment assembly of two segments representing C(1)-C(9) and C(10)-C(21) of the structure. The C(1)-C(9) fragment was prepared by elaboration of commercially available (2R)-3-hydroxy-2-methylpropanoate at both ends of the three-carbon unit.

Diastereoselective synthesis of cyclopentapyridazinones via radical cyclization: synthetic studies toward halichlorine.

The pyridazinone ring system serves as an excellent scaffold for the diastereoselective preparation of novel cis-fused cyclopentapyridazinones utilizing the directed 5-exo radical cyclization approach. This overall approach was successfully employed in the preparation of a functionalized aza-spirocycle.

A new method for the synthesis of H(4)-BINOL.

A method amenable to the gram scale synthesis of (R)-H 4-BINOL, a derivative of (R)-BINOL and ligand of interest in asymmetric catalysis, is described. The key step is the net partial hydrogenation of (R)-BINOL made possible by prior bis-etherification of the parent BINOL.

Convergent assembly of highly potent analogues of bryostatin 1 via pyran annulation: bryostatin look-alikes that mimic phorbol ester function.

Highly potent bryostatin analogues which contain the complete bryostatin core structure have been synthesized using a pyran annulation approach as a key strategic element. The A ring pyran was assembled using a pyran annulation reaction between a C1-C8 hydroxy allylsilane and an aldehyde comprising C9-C13. This pyran was transformed to a new hydroxy allylsilane and then coupled with a preformed C ring aldehyde subunit in a second pyran annulation, with concomitant formation of the B ring.

A catalytic asymmetric vinylogous Mukaiyama aldol reaction.

A vinylogous Mukaiyama aldol reaction, conducted using 10 mol % of a BITIP catalyst and B(OMe)3 as an additive, effects an enantioselective four-carbon chain extension to give versatile E-alpha,beta-unsaturated thiol esters.

A new construction of 2-alkoxypyrans by an acylation-reductive cyclization sequence.

A new convergent synthetic approach to a pyran motif common to many naturally occurring structures is described. In this approach, two fragments are joined by esterification, and a subsequent intramolecular reductive cyclization affords the 2-hydroxypyran.

Synthetic Studies Toward Bryostatin 1: Preparation of a C(1)-C(16) Fragment by Pyran Annulation.

An expeditious assembly of a C(1)-C(16) subunit of bryostatin 1 is described. A pyran annulation reaction was utilized to form the B-ring by reaction of a hydroxy-allylsilane with a fully elaborated A-ring subunit. This annulation process proceeded with complete diastereoselectivity and in excellent isolated yield despite the presence of potentially sensitive functionality in the A-ring segment.

Stereoselective synthesis of the C(1)-C(13) segment of dolabelide B.

The efficient construction of the C(1)-C(13) segment of dolabelide B is described. A key element of the synthesis entails BITIP catalyzed asymmetric methallylation to establish the C(7) stereocenter, which was then used to direct the stereoselective installation of the C(9) and C(11) centers through Evans reduction and 1,5-anti aldol condensation, respectively.

Synthetic studies toward the bryostatins: a substrate-controlled approach to the A-ring.

[reaction: see text] The synthesis of a C1-C13 A-ring subunit of bryostatin 1 is detailed. The key features of the approach include the convergent fragment assembly with a highly stereoselective construction of the C7-C8 bond indicated above.