In vitro and in vivo evaluation of select kahalalide F analogs with antitumor and antifungal activities.

Kahalalide F (KF) and the regioisomer isoKF are novel anticancer drugs of marine origin and currently under clinical investigation. Here we report the synthesis of two new KF analogs with significant in vitro and in vivo antifungal and antitumor activities. The primary amine hydrogen of ornithine in KF has been replaced with 4-fluoro-3-methylbenzyl and morpholin-4-yl-benzyl via reductive N-alkylation. The TGI of these analogs using the NCI-60 cell line screening revealed promising results when compared to paclitaxel. The result of in vivo hollow fiber and animal toxicity assays are presented.

5-OHKF and NorKA, depsipeptides from a Hawaiian collection of Bryopsis pennata: binding properties for NorKA to the human neuropeptide Y Y1 receptor.

Two new cyclic depsipeptides, 5-OHKF (1) and norKA (2), together with the known congeners kahalalide F (3) and isokahalalide F ((4S)- methylhexanoic kahalalide F) (4) were isolated from the green alga Bryopsis pennata. The structures of the new compounds were established on the basis of extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic analysis and mass spectrometric (ESIMS) data. The absolute configuration of each amino acid of 5-OHKF (1) and norKA (2) was determined by chemical degradation and Marfey's analysis. The biological activities of these two compounds are also reported.

Kinetic studies and bioactivity of potential manzamine prodrugs.

The manzamines represent a class of marine natural products that show considerable promise in the control of malaria but generate GI distress in rodents when administered orally in high doses. In an effort to generate manzamine prodrugs with improved antimalarial activity and reduced GI toxicity, we prepared acetylated 8-hydroxymanzamine A analogues including 8-acetoxymanzamine A (3) and 8,12-diacetoxymanzamine A (4), and 8-methoxymanzamine A (5) beginning with 8-hydroxymanzamine A (2). The semisynthetic analogues were assayed for antimalarial and antimicrobial activities, cytotoxicity, and biological and chemical stability. Due to gradual hydrolysis of the ester group, application of monoacetate 3 as an antimalarial prodrug was investigated. The in vitro and in vivo bioassays show that acetylated analogues exhibit significant antimalarial activity (IC50( 3) 9.6-30 ng/mL), which are comparable to the parent molecule; however the monoaceate 3 was shown to actually produce higher toxicity at 30 mg/kg when administered orally.

Lysosome and HER3 (ErbB3) selective anticancer agent kahalalide F: semisynthetic modifications and antifungal lead-exploration studies.

Kahalalide F (1) shows remarkable antitumor activity against different carcinomas and has recently completed phase I clinical trials and is being evaluated in phase II clinical studies. The antifungal activity of this molecule has not been thoroughly investigated. In this report, we focused on acetylation and oxidation of the secondary alcohol of threonine, as well as reductive alkylation of the primary amine of ornithine, and each product was evaluated for improvements in antifungal activity. 1 and analogues do not exhibit antimalarial, antileishmania, or antibacterial activity; however, the antifungal activity against different strains of fungi was particularly significant. This series of compounds was highly active against Fusarium spp., which represents an opportunistic infection in humans and plants. The in vitro cytotoxicity for the new analogues of 1 was evaluated in the NCI 60 cell panel. Analogue 5 exhibited enhanced potency in several human cancer cell lines relative to 1.

On benzo[b][1,4]diazepinium-olates, -thiolates and -carboxylates as anti-Hückel mesomeric betaines.

2,3-Diaminophenol 4, 3,4-diaminophenol 5, 4-methoxy-1,2-diaminobenzene 6, 3,4-diaminobenzenethiol 7, 2,3-diaminobenzoic acid 8, and 3,4-diaminobenzoic acid 9 were reacted with 2,4-pentanedione to yield the corresponding benzo[b][1,4]diazepinium salts, respectively. The hydroxy-benzo[b][1,4]diazepinium salts 17 and 18 do not form mesomeric betaines (MB) on deprotonation. Instead, they are converted into the diimines 24 and 25. By contrast, the 7-mercaptobenzo[b][1,4]diazepinium salt 20 yields the corresponding thiolate on increasing the pH of the solution. This MB, which possesses 4n pi-electrons, does not fit into the classification system of heterocyclic mesomeric betaines accepted today. Deprotonation of the betaine results in the formation of an instable anionic thiolate 31 which oxidizes immediately to the disulfide 32. The carboxy derivatives 21 and 22 readily form cross-conjugated mesomeric betaines. Whereas the diimine 34 proved to be instable, the sodium salt of the diimine 36 was unambiguously characterized. An X-ray single crystal analysis of 22 as its picrate is presented in order to gain additional insights into these 4n pi-electron systems.