Synthesis, Molecular Editing, and Biological Assessment of the Potent Cytotoxin Leiodermatolide
作者:Damien Mailhol、Jens Willwacher、Nina Kausch-Busies、Elizabeth E. Rubitski、Zhanna Sobol、Maik Schuler、My-Hanh Lam、Sylvia Musto、Frank Loganzo、Andreas Maderna、Alois Fürstner
DOI:10.1021/ja508846g
日期:2014.11.5
It was by way of total synthesis that the issues concerning the stereostructure of leiodermatolide (1) have recently been solved; with the target now being unambiguously defined, the mission of synthesis changes as to secure a meaningful supply of this exceedingly scarce natural product derived from a deep-sea sponge. To this end, a scalable route of 19 steps (longest linear sequence) has been developed, which features a catalytic asymmetric propargylation of a highly enolizable beta-keto-lactone, a ring closing alkyne metathesis and a modified Stille coupling as the key transformations. Deliberate digression from this robust blueprint brought a first set of analogues into reach, which allowed the lead qualities of 1 to be assessed. The acquired biodata show that 1 is a potent cytotoxin in human tumor cell proliferation assays, distinguished by GI(50) values in the =3 nM range even for cell lines expressing the Pgp efflux transporter. Studies with human U2OS cells revealed that 1 causes mitotic arrest, micronucleus induction, centrosome amplification and tubulin disruption, even though no evidence for direct tubulin binding has been found in cell-free assays; moreover, the compound does not seem to act through kinase inhibition. Indirect evidence points at centrosome declustering as a possible mechanism of action, which provides a potentially rewarding outlook in that centrosome declustering agents hold promise of being inherently selective for malignant over healthy human tissue.