OF4949 II

OF4949-I and II inhibited aminopeptidase B from Ehrlich ascites carcinoma in a competitive way and the Ki value for both against L-arginine-beta-naphthylamide was 8 X 10(-9) M. Inhibition by I and II of various exopeptidases and endopeptidases was examined. OF4949-I and II both strongly inhibited leucine aminopeptidase and enkephalin-degrading aminopeptidase; I also inhibited enkephalinase B. The inhibitory effects of various derivatives of I and II on aminopeptidase B activity, showed that the terminal amino and carboxamide groups are essential for activity.

OF4949-I inhibited the growth of the solid form of IMC carcinoma and protected against pulmonary metastases of Lewis lung carcinoma. It also augmented the cytostatic activity of mouse peritoneal macrophages, the natural killer activity, and the antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity of mouse spleen cells. This substance was not cytotoxic to cultured tumor or normal cells even at high concentrations. These results suggest that a cell-mediated immune response stimulated by this compound might account for its antitumor activity.

To elevate production of OF4949 by Penicillium rugulosum OF4949 and to elucidate the pathway of its biosynthesis, mutants were selected on the basis of their resistance to growth inhibition by phenylalanine analogs. A mutant resistant to m-fluorophenylalanine, strain No. M414, had 3-fold the production of the parent. In a study of the biosynthesis of OF4949-I and II, several 14C-labeled compounds were examined as possible precursors of OF4949. L-[14C]Tyrosine and L-[14C]asparagine were incorporated efficiently. Most of the radioactivity of L-[14C]tyrosine was found in the 4-methylisodityrosine (B2) or isodityrosine (B1) moieties, and that of L-[14C]asparagine was in the beta-hydroxyasparagine moiety.