Isolation of swinholide A and related glycosylated derivatives from two field collections of marine cyanobacteria.

[structure: see text] Chemical investigation of two field collections of marine cyanobacteria has led to the discovery of two new cytotoxic natural products, ankaraholides A (2) and B (3), along with the known compound swinholide A (1). Since swinholide-type compounds were previously localized to the heterotrophic bacteria of sponges, these findings raise intriguing questions about their true metabolic source.

Microtubule-stabilizing agents based on designed laulimalide analogues.

Laulimalide is a potent, structurally unique microtubule-stabilizing agent originally isolated from the marine sponge Cacospongia mycofijiensis. Laulimalide exhibits an activity profile different from other microtubule-binding agents, notably including effectiveness against paclitaxel-resistant cells, but it is intrinsically unstable. Five analogues of laulimalide were designed to exhibit enhanced chemical stability yet retain its exceptional biological activities.

Synthesis and evaluation of substituted 4-aryloxy- and 4-arylsulfanyl-phenyl-2-aminothiazoles as inhibitors of human breast cancer cell proliferation.

Several substituted 4-aryloxy- and 4-arylsulfanyl-phenyl-2-aminothiazoles were synthesized and evaluated for cytotoxic activity against estrogen-positive, estrogen-negative, and adriamycin-resistant human breast cancer cell lines. 4-[4'-(3,4-Dichlorophenoxy)-phenyl]-thiazol-2-yl ammonium iodide demonstrated potent activity against both estrogen-positive and negative breast cancer cell lines with low micromolar (microM) GI(50) values. In addition, we have identified several 2-aminothiazoles that demonstrated selective potency for the adriamycin-resistant and estrogen-negative breast cancer cell lines.

Taccalonolides E and A: Plant-derived steroids with microtubule-stabilizing activity.

During the course of a mechanism-based screening program designed to identify new microtubule-disrupting agents from natural products, we identified a crude extract from Tacca chantrieri that initiated Taxol-like microtubule bundling. Bioassay-directed purification of the extract yielded the highly oxygenated steroids taccalonolides E and A. The taccalonolides caused an increased density of cellular microtubules in interphase cells and the formation of thick bundles of microtubules similar to the effects of Taxol.

Novel 2-methoxyestradiol analogues with antitumor activity.

2-Methoxyestradiol (2-ME2) is a natural estrogen metabolite that, while devoid of estrogenic effects, has both antiangiogenic and antitumor effects. 2-ME2 is currently being evaluated in Phase I and Phase II clinical trials for the treatment of multiple types of cancer. Novel analogues of 2-ME2 were tested for activities that predict antiangiogenic and antitumor effects.

The molecular pharmacology of symplostatin 1: a new antimitotic dolastatin 10 analog.

Symplostatin 1, an analog of dolastatin 10, was recently isolated from cyanobacteria of the genus Symploca. Symplostatin 1 is a potent inhibitor of cell proliferation with IC(50) values in the low nanomolar range and it exhibits efficacy against a variety of cancer cell types. Symplostatin 1 caused the formation of abnormal mitotic spindles and accumulation of cells in metaphase at concentrations that had only minor effects on interphase microtubules.