Genetic Engineering in Combination with Semi-Synthesis Leads to a New Route for Gram-Scale Production of the Immunosuppressive Natural Product Brasilicardin†A.

Brasilicardin A (1) consists of an unusual anti/syn/anti-perhydrophenanthrene skeleton with a carbohydrate side chain and an amino acid moiety. It exhibits potent immunosuppressive activity, yet its mode of action differs from standard drugs that are currently in use. Further pre-clinical evaluation of this promising, biologically active natural product is hampered by restricted access to the ready material, as its synthesis requires both a low-yielding fermentation process using a pathogenic organism and an elaborate, multi-step total synthesis. Our semi-synthetic approach included a) the heterologous expression of the brasilicardin A gene cluster in different non-pathogenic bacterial strains producing brasilicardin A aglycone (5) in excellent yield and b) the chemical transformation of the aglycone 5 into the trifluoroacetic acid salt of brasilicardin A (1 a) via a short and straightforward five-steps synthetic route. Additionally, we report the first preclinical data for brasilicardin A.

Asymmetric Total Synthesis of Brasilicardins.

Brasilicardins, bacterial diterpenoid natural products that display highly potent immunosuppressive activity, are promising immunosuppressant drug candidates. Structurally, they can be described as hybrids of terpenoids, amino acids, and saccharides, and share a characteristic highly strained anti-syn-anti-fused perhydrophenanthrene terpenoid scaffold (ABC-ring system) with two quaternary asymmetric carbon atoms. A unified and stereoselective total synthesis of all four brasilicardins has been designed based on the strategic use of an intramolecular conjugate addition. The ABC-ring system was initially constructed with high stereocontrol by novel intramolecular conjugate additions of Weinreb amides and in situ generated (Z)-vinyl copper species. The late-stage common intermediate was subjected to stereoselective installation of the amino acid component, followed by introduction of the saccharide unit via glycosylation to accomplish the total synthesis of brasilicardins A-D. Our synthesis offers opportunities to synthesize various brasilicardin analogues for biological and pharmacological investigations.

Total Synthesis of Brasilicardins A and C.

The first total synthesis of brasilicardins A and C, novel diterpenoid-saccharide-amino acid hybrid metabolites with unique immunosuppressive activity, is described. The key step is a Diels-Alder/reductive angular methylation sequence capitalizing on a trans-fused bicyclic α-cyano-α,ß-enone as its precursor to construct the 8,10-dimethyl-trans/syn/trans-perhydrophenanthrene skeleton. Other notable features include an anti-selective aldol reaction, a stereocontrolled glycosylation of a C2 alcohol, and a one-pot, two-step global deprotection sequence that did not damage these sensitive molecules.

The prevalence of aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme and virulence genes among enterococci with high-level aminoglycoside resistance in Inner Mongolia, China

This study highlights the prevalence of aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme genes and virulence determinants among clinical enterococci with high-level aminoglycoside resistance in Inner Mongolia, China. Screening for high-level aminoglycoside resistance against 117 enterococcal clinical isolates was performed using the agar-screening method. Out of the 117 enterococcal isolates, 46 were selected for further detection and determination of the distribution of aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme-encoding genes and virulence determinants using polymerase chain reaction -based methods. Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis were identified as the species of greatest clinical importance. The aac(6')-Ie-aph(2")-Ia and ant(6')-Ia genes were found to be the most common aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme genes among high-level gentamicin resistance and high-level streptomycin resistance isolates, respectively. Moreover, gelE was the most common virulence gene among high-level aminoglycoside resistance isolates. Compared to Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus faecalis harbored multiple virulence determinants. The results further indicated no correlation between aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme gene profiles and the distribution of virulence genes among the enterococcal isolates with high-level gentamicin resistance or high-level streptomycin resistance evaluated in our study.(AU)

Synthesis and Bioactivity of a Brasilicardin A Analogue Featuring a Simplified Core.

An analogue 2 of Brasilicardin A, 1 (BraA), a potent immunosuppressive and cytotoxic agent, was synthesized in which the natural tricyclic skeleton was replaced with a synthetically more accessible substituted tetrahydronaphthalene core. BraA, this analogue (BraL), and cyclosporine A were tested for their ability to inhibit the proliferation of human T cells upon CD3/CD28 activation. Although BraL did not impact T cell activation over the dose range tested, this study shows the inhibitory activity of BraA on human T cells for the first time.

An efficient synthesis of the protected carbohydrate moiety of Brasilicardin A.

A synthesis of the protected carbohydrate moiety 2 of Brasilicardin A starting from l-rhamnose and d-glucosamine is described. The disaccharide was synthesized using a TMSOTf-mediated glycosylation of the 2-phthalimido-2-deoxyglucose donor 5 and the 3-hydroxyl group of the protected L-rhamnose derivative 4, which already bears the 3-hydroxybenzoate unit. The imidate 2 was coupled via TMSOTf-mediated glycosidation with cholesterol as a model aglycone followed by the selective cleavage of all the acetate groups to give the Brasilicardin A analogue 16.

Aminoglycoside antibiotic derivatives: preparation and evaluation of toxicity on cochlea and vestibular tissues and antimicrobial activity.

Aminoglycoside antibiotic derivatives such as neamine, methyl neobiosaminide B, 2-deoxystreptamine, tetra-azidoneamine, tetra-N-acetylneamine, tetra-N-carboxy-benzylneamine, tetra-N-carboxy-methylneamine and tetra-p-methoxy-benzyliminoneamine were prepared and evaluated as to their cochlear and vestibular toxicity. Methyl neobiosaminide B, the most promising derivative in the series showed selective, cochlea-dissociated vestibulotoxic activity and was considered to be a potential lead compound for the treatment of Ménière's disease. Antimicrobial properties of the compounds, qualitatively evaluated against a group of pathogenic bacteria, indicated that neomycin B sulfate, neamine as a free base and methyl-neobiosaminide B dihydrochloride show a broader range of activity when compared to the other derivatives.