Epoxytiglianes induce keratinocyte wound healing responses via classical protein kinase C activation to promote skin re-epithelialization.

Epoxytiglianes are a novel class of diterpene esters. The prototype epoxytigliane, EBC-46 (tigilanol tiglate), is a potent anti-cancer agent in clinical development for local treatment of a range of human and animal tumors. EBC-46 also consistently promotes wound re-epithelialization at the treatment sites, mediated via activation of classical protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms.

Tigilanol tiglate is an oncolytic small molecule that induces immunogenic cell death and enhances the response of both target and non-injected tumors to immune checkpoint blockade.

Background: Tigilanol tiglate (TT) is a protein kinase C (PKC)/C1 domain activator currently being developed as an intralesional agent for the treatment of various (sub)cutaneous malignancies. Previous work has shown that intratumoral (I.T.

Topical, immunomodulatory epoxy-tiglianes induce biofilm disruption and healing in acute and chronic skin wounds.

The management of antibiotic-resistant, bacterial biofilm infections in chronic skin wounds is an increasing clinical challenge. Despite advances in diagnosis, many patients do not derive benefit from current anti-infective/antibiotic therapies. Here, we report a novel class of naturally occurring and semisynthetic epoxy-tiglianes, derived from the Queensland blushwood tree (, and demonstrate their antimicrobial activity (modifying bacterial growth and inducing biofilm disruption), with structure/activity relationships established against important human pathogens.

Cryptic Epoxytiglianes from the Kernels of the Blushwood Tree ().

The kernels of the Australian blushwood tree () are the source of the veterinary anticancer drug tigilanol tiglate (, Stelfonta) and contain a concentration of phorboids significantly higher than croton oil, the only abundant source of these compounds previously known. The oily matrix of the blushwood kernels is composed of free fatty acids and not by glycerides as found in croton oil. By active partitioning, it was therefore possible to recover and characterize for the first time a cryptic tigliane fraction, that is, the diterpenoid fraction that, because of its lipophilicity, could not be obtained by solvent partition of crude extracts.

Activation of PKC supports the anticancer activity of tigilanol tiglate and related epoxytiglianes.

The long-standing perception of Protein Kinase C (PKC) as a family of oncoproteins has increasingly been challenged by evidence that some PKC isoforms may act as tumor suppressors. To explore the hypothesis that activation, rather than inhibition, of these isoforms is critical for anticancer activity, we isolated and characterized a family of 16 novel phorboids closely-related to tigilanol tiglate (EBC-46), a PKC-activating epoxytigliane showing promising clinical safety and efficacy for intratumoral treatment of cancers. While alkyl branching features of the C12-ester influenced potency, the 6,7-epoxide structural motif and position was critical to PKC activation in vitro.

Novel epoxy-tiglianes stimulate skin keratinocyte wound healing responses and re-epithelialization via protein kinase C activation.

Epoxy-tiglianes are a novel class of diterpene esters. The prototype epoxy-tigliane, EBC-46 (tigilanol tiglate), possesses potent anti-cancer properties and is currently in clinical development as a local treatment for human and veterinary cutaneous tumors. EBC-46 rapidly destroys treated tumors and consistently promotes wound re-epithelialization at sites of tumor destruction.

Intra-lesional injection of the novel PKC activator EBC-46 rapidly ablates tumors in mouse models.

Intra-lesional chemotherapy for treatment of cutaneous malignancies has been used for many decades, allowing higher local drug concentrations and less toxicity than systemic agents. Here we describe a novel diterpene ester, EBC-46, and provide preclinical data supporting its use as an intra-lesional treatment. A single injection of EBC-46 caused rapid inflammation and influx of blood, followed by eschar formation and rapid tumor ablation in a range of syngeneic and xenograft models.

[4+2] cycloaddition reactions between 1,8-disubstituted cyclooctatetraenes and diazo dienophiles: stereoelectronic effects, anticancer properties and application to the synthesis of 7,8-substituted bicyclo[4.2.0]octa-2,4-dienes.

A detailed examination of [4+2] cycloaddition reactions between 1,8-disubstituted cyclooctatetraenes and diazo compounds revealed that 4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazole-3,5-dione (PTAD) reacts to form either 2,3- or 3,4-disubstituted adducts. The product distribution can be controlled by modulating the electron density of the cyclooctatetraene. Unprecedented [4+2] cycloadditions between diisopropyl azodicarboxylate (DIAD) and 1,8-disubstituted cyclooctatetraenes are also described and further manipulation of a resulting cycloadduct uncovered a new pathway to the synthetically challenging bicyclo[4.

Anticancer agents from the Australian tropical rainforest: Spiroacetals EBC-23, 24, 25, 72, 73, 75 and 76.

EBC-23, 24, 25, 72, 73, 75 and 76 were isolated from the fruit of Cinnamomum laubatii (family Lauraceae) in the Australian tropical rainforests. EBC-23 (1) was synthesized stereoselectively, in nine linear steps in 8 % overall yield, to confirm the reported relative stereochemistry and determine the absolute stereochemistry. Key to the total synthesis was a series of Tietze-Smith linchpin reactions.

Structure and absolute stereochemistry of the anticancer agent EBC-23 from the Australian rainforest.

EBC-23 (2), a prostate anticancer agent, was isolated from the fruit of Cinnamomum laubatii (family Lauraceae) in the Australian tropical rainforest. Extensive NOE experiments enabled the relative stereochemistry of the proposed EBC-23 (2) structure to be determined. Total synthesis of both enantiopodes over nine linear steps, involving challenging RCM and spiroacetal cyclizations, confirmed the gross structure and relative and absolute stereochemistry.

Antitumor activity of 3-ingenyl angelate: plasma membrane and mitochondrial disruption and necrotic cell death.

Options for skin cancer treatment currently include surgery, radiotherapy, topical chemotherapy, cryosurgery, curettage, and electrodessication. Although effective, surgery is costly and unsuitable for certain patients. Radiotherapy can leave a poor cosmetic effect, and current chemotherapy is limited by low cure rates and extended treatment schedules.