Effects of the methoxy group in the side chain of debromoaplysiatoxin on its tumor-promoting and anti-proliferative activities.

Debromoaplysiatoxin (DAT) is a tumor promoter isolated from sea hare and exhibits anti-proliferative activity against several cancer cell lines. To clarify key residues that are responsible for its tumor-promoting activity, we focused on the chiral methoxy group in the side chain, whose role had not yet been discussed or examined before. Demethoxy-DAT (8) was derived from DAT and we evaluated its tumor-promoting activity, anti-proliferative activity, and ability to bind to protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes. Compound 8 showed somewhat weaker tumor-promoting activity than that of DAT both in vitro and in vivo, but showed higher anti-proliferative activity against several cancer cell lines. Although the affinity to novel PKC isozymes of 8 was comparable to that of DAT, the affinity to conventional PKC isozymes decreased slightly. These results suggest that the methoxy group of DAT is one of the key residues critical for tumor-promoting activity but not for anti-proliferative activity. Since the methoxy group has little influence on the molecular hydrophobicity, this is the first report showing that structural factors other than hydrophobicity in the side chain of DAT affected its biological activities.

Structure-activity studies on the side chain of a simplified analog of aplysiatoxin (aplog-1) with anti-proliferative activity.

We have recently developed a simplified analog of aplysiatoxin (aplog-1) as an activator of protein kinase C (PKC) with anti-proliferative activity like bryostain 1. To identify sites in aplog-1 that could be readily modified to optimize therapeutic performance and to develop a molecular probe for examining the analog's mode of action, substituent effects on the phenol ring were systematically examined. Whereas hydrophilic acetamido derivatives were less active than aplog-1 in inhibiting cancer cell growth and binding to PKCδ, introduction of hydrophobic bromine and iodine atoms enhanced both biological activities. The anti-proliferative activity was found to correlate closely with molecular hydrophobicity, and maximal activity was observed at a logP value of 4.0-4.5. On the other hand, an induction test with Epstein-Barr virus early antigen demonstrated that these derivatives have less tumor-promoting activity in vitro than aplog-1 regardless of the hydrophobicity of their substituents. These results would facilitate rapid preparation of molecular probes to examine the mechanism of the unique biological activities of aplog-1.

Role of the phenolic hydroxyl group in the biological activities of simplified analogue of aplysiatoxin with antiproliferative activity.

The 18-deoxy derivative (3) of a simplified analogue (1) of aplysiatoxin with antiproliferative activity was synthesized to examine the role of the phenolic hydroxyl group at position 18 in the biological activities of 1. Compound 3 as well as 1 showed significant affinity for protein kinase Cδ (PKCδ), and the antiproliferative activity of 3 was slightly higher than that of 1. However, the anti-tumor-promoting activity of 3 was less than that of 1 in vitro, suggesting that the phenolic hydroxyl group of 1 is necessary for the anti-tumor-promoting activity but not for the binding of PKCδ and antiproliferative activity. Moreover, PKC isozyme selectivity of 3 was similar to that of 1, suggesting non-PKC receptors for these compounds to play some roles in the anti-tumor-promoting activity of 1.