Sultriecin

Full details of the total synthesis of phostriecin (2), the assignment of its relative and absolute stereochemistry, and the resultant structural reassignment of the natural product previously represented as sultriecin (1), a phosphate versus sulfate monoester, are detailed. Studies with authentic material confirmed that phostriecin, but not sultriecin, is an effective and selective inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) defining a mechanism of action responsible for its antitumor activity. The extension of the studies to the synthesis and evaluation of a series of key synthetic analogues is disclosed that highlights the importance of the natural product phosphate monoester (vs sulfate or free alcohol, both inactive and >250-fold), the α,β-unsaturated lactone (12-fold), and the hydrophobic Z,Z,E-triene tail (C12-C22, ca. 200-fold) including the unique importance of its unsaturation (50-fold, and no longer PP2A selective).

New delta-alkyllactones (DALs) with diverse side-chain lengths (184-254 Da), which are structurally different from the widespread, naturally occurring delta-lactones of higher molecular weight (348-439 Da), such as camptothecin and sultriecin, were chemically synthesized and analyzed for their carcinostatic activity. Of the DALs with 11, 12, 13, 14, or 16 carbon atoms, delta-hexadecalactone (DH16:0) was the most carcinostatic when administered to Ehrlich ascites tumor (EAT) cells at 37 degrees C for 20 h, and measured by the mitochondrial dehydrogenase-based WST-1 assay. Prolongation of the administration period to 72 h enhanced the carcinostatic activity more markedly for DH16:0 than for other DALs. The carcinostatic activity of DALs was unexpectedly augmented by increasing the number of carbon atoms, in contrast to the conventional view that carcinostatic activity is attenuated by the addition of carbon atoms to fatty acids. Intracellular accumulation of DH16:0, as analyzed by gas chromatography, was detected (1.5 Pg/cell), whereas other DALs studied were rarely found. The results indicate a close relationship between carcinostatic activity and intracellular accumulation. Invasion of human fibrosarcoma HT-1080 cells through the reconstituted basement membrane was inhibited by several DALs, even at doses as low as 5-10% of those necessary for carcinostatic activity, suggesting an invasive mechanism different from carcinostasis. The invasion-inhibitory activity was intensified by increasing the number of carbon atoms, in a manner similar to that for the carcinostatic activity. The lifespan of EAT-cell-transplanted mice was markedly prolonged with DH16:0, presumably due to excellent distribution throughout the body and tumor cells. Thus DH16:0 may be a potent anticancer agent, in term of its carcinostatic, anti-invasive, and lifespan-prolonging activities.

A total synthesis of phostriecin (2), previously known as sultriecin (1), its structural reassignment as a phosphate versus sulfate monoester, and the assignment of its relative and absolute stereochemistry are disclosed herein. Key elements of the work, which provided first the originally assigned sulfate monoester 1 and then the reassigned and renamed phosphate monoester 2, relied on diagnostic (1)H NMR spectroscopic properties of the natural product for the assignment of relative and absolute stereochemistry as well as the subsequent structural reassignment, and a convergent asymmetric total synthesis to provide the unequivocal authentic materials. Key steps of the synthetic approach include a Brown allylation for diastereoselective introduction of the C9 stereochemistry, an asymmetric CBS reduction to establish the lactone C5-stereochemistry, diastereoselective oxidative ring expansion of an alpha-hydroxyfuran to access the pyran lactone precursor, and single-step installation of the sensitive Z,Z,E-triene unit through a chelation-controlled cuprate addition with installation of the C11 stereochemistry. The approach allows ready access to analogues that can now be used to probe important structural features required for protein phosphatase 2A inhibition, the mechanism of action defined herein.