A Modified ToxT Inhibitor Reduces Vibrio cholerae Virulence in Vivo.

We have previously designed and synthesized small-molecule inhibitors that reduce Vibrio cholerae virulence in vitro by targeting the transcription factor ToxT. Here we report the synthesis and biological activity of derivatives of our previous bicyclic, fatty acid-like inhibitors. All of the synthesized derivatives show antivirulence activity in vitro. For the most potent compounds, a concentration of 5 µM completely inhibited ToxT-mediated tcpA expression as measured in the ß-galactosidase assay. One indole compound, 3-(1-butyl-1 H-indol-7-yl)propanoic acid (8), was also effective at inhibiting intestinal colonization in the infant mouse. These modified compounds may serve as good candidates for further anti-cholera drug development.

Design, synthesis, and biological activity of second-generation synthetic oleanane triterpenoids.

We report the synthesis and biological activity of C-24 demethyl CDDO-Me 2 and the C-28 amide derivatives 3 and 4, which are analogues of the anti-inflammatory synthetic triterpenoid bardoxolone methyl (CDDO-Me) 1. Demethylation of the C-24 methyl group was accomplished via "abnormal Beckmann" rearrangement and subsequent ring A reformation. Amides 3 and 4 were found to be potent inhibitors of the production of the inflammatory mediator NO in vitro.

Synthesis of a Masked 2,3-Diaminoindole.

A three-step synthesis of masked 2,3-diaminoindole 1 from 2-iodo-3-nitro-1-(phenylsulfonyl)indole (2) has been developed. Treatment of 1 with trifluoroacetic acid generates the unstable 2,3-diamino-1-(phenylsulfonyl)indole (3), which can be trapped with α-dicarbonyl compounds to afford 5H-pyrazino[2,3-b]indoles 7-10.

Novel synthetic pyridyl analogues of CDDO-Imidazolide are useful new tools in cancer prevention.

Two new analogues of CDDO-Imidazolide (CDDO-Im), namely 1-[2-Cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9(11)-dien-28-oyl]-4(-pyridin-2-yl)-1H-imidazole ("CDDO-2P-Im") and 1-[2-Cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9(11)-dien-28-oyl]-4(-pyridin-3-yl)-1H-imidazole ("CDDO-3P-Im") have been synthesized and tested for their potential use as chemopreventive drugs. At nanomolar concentrations, they were equipotent to CDDO-Im for inducing differentiation and apoptosis in U937 leukemia cells. As inflammation and oxidative stress contribute to carcinogenesis, we also assessed their cytoprotective potential. The new compounds suppressed inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in RAW264.7 macrophage-like cells and significantly elevated heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and quinone reductase (NQO1) mRNA and protein levels in various mouse tissues in vivo. Most importantly, pharmacokinetic studies performed in vitro in human plasma and in vivo showed that each new analogue was more stable than CDDO-Im. Much higher concentrations of the new derivatives were found in mouse liver, lung, pancreas and kidney after gavage in contrast to CDDO-Im. Because of their better bioavailability and their excellent anti-inflammatory profile in vitro, CDDO-2P-Im and CDDO-3P-Im were tested for prevention in a highly relevant mouse lung cancer model, in which A/J mice develop lung carcinomas after injection of vinyl carbamate, a potent carcinogen. CDDO-2P-Im and CDDO-3P-Im were as effective as CDDO-Im for reducing the size and the severity of the lung tumors.

Triple Benzannulation of Naphthalene via a 1,3,6-Naphthotriyne Synthetic Equivalent. Synthesis of Dibenz[a,c]anthracene.

A new synthesis of dibenzo[a,c]anthracene (4) is described that features the generation, from tetrabromo-bis-triflate 1 and phenyllithium, of a 1,3,6-naphthotriyne (2) synthetic equivalent that is trapped with 3 equiv of furan to form Diels-Alder tris-adduct 3. A subsequent two-step deoxygenation of 3 represents the first synthesis of dibenz[a,c]anthracene (4) that involves a tandem aryne Diels-Alder cycloaddition-deoxygenation strategy.

Syntheses of 1-Bromo-8-methylnaphthalene and 1-Bromo-5-methylnaphthalene.

The Diels-Alder reaction between 2-methylfuran and 3-bromobenzyne (3), which was generated under mild conditions from 1,3-dibromobenzene and lithium diisopropylamide (LDA), gives a mixture of regioisomeric 1,4-dihydro-1,4-epoxynaphthalenes 4 and 5. A subsequent two-step deoxygenation affords the corresponding 1-bromo-8-methylnaphthalene (1) and 1-bromo-5-methylnaphthalene (2) in high yields.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of amino acid methyl ester conjugates of 2-cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9(11)-dien-28-oic acid against the production of nitric oxide (NO).

2-Cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9(11)-dien-28-oic acid (CDDO, 2) was condensed with various amino acid methyl esters at the C-28 carboxylic acid. The new amide conjugates were evaluated for their inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW264.7 cells stimulated with interferon-γ (IFNγ). Of these new compounds, CDDO conjugates with alanine, valine, and serine are nearly equipotent to CDDO-ethyl amide (4), a triterpenoid with promising biological activity in numerous disease models. Some of these conjugates also induce the in vitro expression of heme oxygenase-1, and inhibit the proliferation of Panc-1343 pancreatic cells.

Synthetic studies on furanosteroids: construction of the viridin core structure via Diels-Alder/retro-Diels-Alder and vinylogous Mukaiyama aldol-type reaction.

The synthesis of the viridin class of furanosteroids core skeleton from the readily available 2,3-dihydro-4-hydroxyinden-1-one (6) is described. Our strategy was broken down into three parts: (1) Synthesis of functionalized alkyne oxazoles of type 5; (2) intramolecular Diels-Alder/retro-Diels-Alder reaction of 5 followed by tautomerization and elaboration of R to give silylated furanonaphthols 4 bearing an aldehyde side chain; and (3) annulation of ring A by intramolecular vinylogous Mukaiyama aldol-type cyclization. Two major challenges were faced in the last step: (i) furanonaphthol derivatives bearing a ß-hydroxyaldehyde functionality (R(1) = OH) suffered from dehydration to the E-enal, which is geometrically incapable of cyclization, and (ii) the functionality at C17 had a strong influence on the conversion of 4 to 3, as exemplified by the failure of the free ketone (X = O) or its derivatives (X = H, OH; X = H, OAc) to cyclize. In the end, success was realized with the analogous C17-norketone (X = H, H).

A new class of inhibitors of the AraC family virulence regulator Vibrio cholerae ToxT.

Vibrio cholerae is responsible for the diarrheal disease cholera that infects millions of people worldwide. While vaccines protecting against cholera exist, and oral rehydration therapy is an effective treatment method, the disease will remain a global health threat until long-term solutions such as improved sanitation and access to clean water become widely available. Because of this, there is a pressing need for potent therapeutics that can either mitigate cholera symptoms, or act prophylactically to prevent the virulent effects of a cholera infection. Here we report the design, synthesis, and characterization of a set of compounds that bind and inhibit ToxT, the transcription factor that directly regulates the two primary V. cholerae virulence factors. Using the folded structure of the monounsaturated fatty acid observed in the X-ray structure of ToxT as a template, we designed ten novel compounds that inhibit the virulence cascade to a greater degree than any known inhibitor. Our findings provide a structural and functional basis for the development of viable antivirulence therapeutics that combat cholera and, potentially, other forms of bacterial pathogenic disease.

Synthesis of a dicyano abietane, a key intermediate for the anti-inflammatory agent TBE-31.

The synthesis of dicyano abietane 11, a potential precursor to the biologically active tricyclic bis-cyano enone 6 (TBE-31), was accomplished in eight steps from epoxide 13. The synthesis features a Lewis acid promoted stereoselective cyclization of epoxide 13 to generate the tricyclic ring system 12 in one step.