Synthesis of 6ß-hydroxy androgens from a 3,5-diene steroid precursor to test for cytochrome P450 3A4-catalyzed hydroxylation of androstenedione.

6ß-Hydroxytestosterone is a biomarker for the activity of human cytochrome P450 3A4 (P450 3A4), the major drug metabolizing cytochrome P450 enzyme. Despite its significance, efficient routes for the chemical synthesis of 6ß-hydroxytestosterone are rare. In this study, 6ß-hydroxytestosterone was synthesized through the oxidation of a 3,5-diene precursor under the Uemura-Doyle reaction conditions using a dirhodium catalyst in the presence of tert-butylhydroperoxide. Mechanistic studies showed that some oxygen is incorporated from molecular oxygen and CH abstraction is partially rate-limiting. This reaction was used to synthesize 6ß-hydroxyandrostenedione, which was used as a standard to test the hypothesis of whether P450 3A4 catalyzes the hydroxylation of androstenedione. Upon incubation of P450 3A4 with androstenedione, a hydroxylated product was formed, which matched the retention time of synthetic 6ß-hydroxyandrostenedione. This reaction can be exploited to study other biochemical processes involving compounds with a 6 ß -hydroxy-3-keto-Δ4 steroid backbone.

Inhibition of Cysteine Proteases via Thiol-Michael Addition Explains the Anti-SARS-CoV-2 and Bioactive Properties of Arteannuin B.

Artemisia annua is the plant that produces artemisinin, an endoperoxide-containing sesquiterpenoid used for the treatment of malaria. A. annua extracts, which contain other bioactive compounds, have been used to treat other diseases, including cancer and COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2. In this study, a methyl ester derivative of arteannuin B was isolated when A. annua leaves were extracted with a 1:1 mixture of methanol and dichloromethane. This methyl ester was thought to be formed from the reaction between arteannuin B and the extracting solvent, which was supported by the fact that arteannuin B underwent 1,2-addition when it was dissolved in deuteromethanol. In contrast, in the presence of N-acetylcysteine methyl ester, a 1,4-addition (thiol-Michael reaction) occurred. Arteannuin B hindered the activity of the SARS CoV-2 main protease (nonstructural protein 5, NSP5), a cysteine protease, through time-dependent inhibition. The active site cysteine residue of NSP5 (cysteine-145) formed a covalent bond with arteannuin B as determined by mass spectrometry. In order to determine whether cysteine adduction by arteannuin B can inhibit the development of cancer cells, similar experiments were performed with caspase-8, the cysteine protease enzyme overexpressed in glioblastoma. Time-dependent inhibition and cysteine adduction assays suggested arteannuin B inhibits caspase-8 and adducts to the active site cysteine residue (cysteine-360), respectively. Overall, these results enhance our understanding of how A. annua possesses antiviral and cytotoxic activities.

Synthesis of hyocholic acid and its derivatization with sodium periodate to distinguish it from cholic acid by mass spectrometry.

Low concentrations of hyocholic acid in human serum has been linked to diabetes. Due to its important role in human health, we were interested in synthesizing hyocholic acid to explore potential biochemical properties of this bile acid. Here, a synthesis of hyocholic acid is reported from chenodeoxycholic acid. The key step was a Rubottom oxidation of a silyl enol ether intermediate to directly incorporate the oxygen at C6. Furthermore, the synthesized hyocholic acid product was treated with NaIO4 to cleave the C6-C7 bond to yield a hemiacetal at C6. This CC bond cleavage reaction using NaIO4 was used to develop an ultra-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry method to distinguish between a 1 to 1 mixture of hyocholic acid and cholic acid (a 12α-hydroxylated bile acid), two bile acid regioisomers with identical masses. Upon treatment of the mixture with NaIO4, hyocholic acid was selectively cleaved in the B ring (C6-C7 bond) to yield the hemiacetal that formed between the C3-hydroxy and the C6-aldehyde moiety with an m/z 405 while cholic acid remained intact with an m/z 407 in the negative electrospray ionization mode. Subsequently, a commercially available ox bile extract was treated with NaIO4 to detect bile acid derivatives by mass spectrometry. Two possible hyocholic acid derivatives conjugated to serine and gamma-glutamic semialdehyde were detected in electrospray ionization positive mode, which oxidatively cleaved with NaIO4 (m/z 496 and 522 to m/z 494 and 520, respectively).

Synthesis of menarandroside A from dehydroepiandrosterone.

Menarandroside A, which bears a 12α-hydroxypregnenolone steroid backbone, was isolated from the plant, Cynanchum menarandrense. Treatment of extracts from this plant containing menarandroside A against secretin tumor cell line (STC-1) intestinal cells, resulted in an increased secretion of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), a peptide that plays a role in the regulation of blood sugar levels. Increase in GLP-1 is beneficial for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. We disclose the synthesis of menarandroside A from dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Key features of this synthesis include: (i) Wittig reaction of the C17-ketone of a 12-oxygenated DHEA derivative to introduce the C17-acetyl moiety, and (ii) the stereoselective reduction of a C12-keto intermediate bearing an sp2-center at C17 to yield the C12α-hydroxy group. In addition, an oxidation of a methyl enol ether derivative to an α-hydroxy methyl ester using tetrapropylammonium perruthenate (TPAP) and N-methyl-morpholine-N-oxide (NMO) was discovered.

Pyridine-containing substrate analogs are restricted from accessing the human cytochrome P450 8B1 active site by tryptophan 281.

The human oxysterol 12α-hydroxylase cytochrome P450 8B1 (CYP8B1) is a validated drug target for both type 2 diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, but effective selective inhibitors are not yet available. Herein, steroidal substrate-mimicking compounds with a pyridine ring appended to the C12 site of metabolism were designed as inhibitors, synthesized, and evaluated in terms of their functional and structural interactions with CYP8B1. While the pyridine nitrogen was intended to coordinate the CYP8B1 active site heme iron, none of these compounds elicited shifts in the CYP8B1 Soret absorbance consistent with this type of interaction. However, when CYP8B1 was cocrystallized with the pyridine-containing compound with the 3-keto-Δ4 steroid backbone most similar to the endogenous substrate, it was apparent that this ligand was bound in a channel leading to the active site, instead of near the heme iron. Inspection of this structure suggested that tryptophan 281 directly above the heme might restrict active site binding of potential inhibitors with this design. This hypothesis was supported when a CYP8B1 W281F mutation did allow all three compounds to coordinate the heme iron as designed. These results indicated that the design of next-generation CYP8B1 inhibitors should be compatible with the low-ceiling tryptophan immediately above the heme iron.

Copper oxidation chemistry using a 19-iminopyridine-bearing steroidal ligand: (i) C5-C6 olefin difunctionalization and (ii) C1ß-hydroxylation/C19-peroxidation.

The Schönecker oxidation involves the 12beta-hydroxylation of 17-imino pyridine DHEA derivatives using copper and either molecular oxygen or hydrogen peroxide as the oxidant. In this study, a 19-imino pyridine DHEA derivative was synthesized and was treated with copper nitrate and hydrogen peroxide. Our results showed the difunctionalization of an olefin for delta-5 steroid substrates to yield a 5beta-hydroxylated 6alpha-nitrate ester product. In contrast, for 19-imino pyridine precursors with a 5alpha-androstane steroid backbone: a 1beta-hydroxylation and 19-peroxidation occurred to yield a 1beta-hydroxylated 19-imidoperoxoic acid product. In conclusion, new Schönecker oxidation chemistry was discovered (C5-C6 olefin difunctionalization and C1beta-hydroxylation/C19-peroxidation) when a 19-imino pyridine DHEA derivative was used as the substrate.

Autoxidation of a C2-Olefinated Dihydroartemisinic Acid Analogue to Form an Aromatic Ring: Application to Serrulatene Biosynthesis.

Dihydroartemisinic acid (DHAA) is a plant natural product that undergoes a spontaneous endoperoxide-forming cascade reaction to yield artemisinin in the presence of air. The endoperoxide functional group gives artemisinin its biological activity that kills Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite that causes malaria. To enhance our understanding of the mechanism of this cascade reaction, 2,3-didehydrodihydroartemisinic acid (2,3-didehydro-DHAA), a DHAA derivative with a double bond at the C2-position, was synthesized. When 2,3-didehydro-DHAA was exposed to air over time, instead of forming an endoperoxide, this compound predominantly underwent aromatization. This olefinated DHAA analogue reveals the requirement of a monoalkene functional group to initiate the endoperoxide-forming cascade reaction to yield artemisinin from DHAA. In addition, this aromatization process was exploited to illustrate the autoxidation process of a different plant natural product, dihydroserrulatene, to form the aromatic ring in serrulatene. This spontaneous aromatization process has applications in other natural products such as leubethanol and erogorgiaene. Due to their similarity in structure to antimicrobial natural products, the synthesized compounds in this study were tested for biological activity. A group of the tested compounds had minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 12.5 to 25 µg/mL against the bacterial pathogen Staphylococcus aureus and the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans.

A synthesis of a rationally designed inhibitor of cytochrome P450 8B1, a therapeutic target to treat obesity.

Mice that lack the gene for expression of cytochrome P450 8B1 (P450 8B1) resist weight gain and improve glucose tolerance when fed a high-fat diet. Thus, the inhibition of P450 8B1 is a target to treat obesity-associated metabolic disorders. P450 8B1 is the enzyme that hydroxylates its substrate, 7α-hydroxy-cholest-4-en-3-one to 7α-,12α-dihydroxycholest-4-en-3-one, which ultimately results in the formation of cholic acid. Cholic acid is the 12α-hydroxylated bile acid implicated in enhanced absorption of cholesterol. The synthesis of a rationally designed inhibitor for P450 8B1 was achieved through the incorporation of a C12-pyridine in the C-ring of a steroid molecule. Seven days of new inhibitor treatment showed attenuation of glucose intolerance in mice that were fed a high fat and a high sucrose diet (HFHS) without affecting body weight. Taken together, these promising results will lead to a P450 8B1 inhibitor as a potential therapeutic strategy to treat obesity-associated insulin resistance.

Synthesis of [15,15,15-2H3]-Dihydroartemisinic Acid and Isotope Studies Support a Mixed Mechanism in the Endoperoxide Formation to Artemisinin.

Artemisinin is the plant natural product used to treat malaria. The endoperoxide bridge of artemisinin confers its antiparasitic properties. Dihydroartemisinic acid is the biosynthetic precursor of artemisinin that was previously shown to nonenzymatically undergo endoperoxide formation to yield artemisinin. This report discloses the synthesis of [15,15,15-2H3]-dihydroartemisinic acid and its use to determine the mechanism of endoperoxide formation. Several new observations were made: (i) Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) radiation initially accelerates artemisinin formation and subsequently promotes homolytic cleavage of the O-O bond and rearrangement of artemisinin to a different product, and (ii) dideuterated and trideuterated dihydroartemisinic acid isotopologues at C3 and C15 converted to artemisinin at a slower rate compared to nondeuterated dihydroartemisinic acid, revealing a kinetic isotope effect in the initial ene reaction toward endoperoxide formation (kH/kD ∼ 2-3). (iii) The rate of conversion from dihydroartemisinic acid to artemisinin increased with the amount of dihydroartemisinic acid, suggesting an intermolecular interaction to promote endoperoxide formation, and (iv) 18O2-labeling showed incorporation of three and four oxygen atoms from molecular oxygen into the endoperoxide bridge of artemisinin. These results reveal new insights toward understanding the mechanism of endoperoxide formation in artemisinin biosynthesis.

Update and Supplementary Articles Proteins of SARS CoV-2, Which Causes COVID-19, and the Interacting Proteins.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is the pandemic caused by the virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS CoV-2), first appearing in December 2019, continues to confound the world. In this update we provide insights into how some of the new mutant variant strains of SARS CoV-2 have evolved to be more infective. We also introduce our supplement of the special issue on the topic of the proteins of SARS CoV-2 in the Protein Journal, which follows this introduction.

A Biochemical Perspective of the Nonstructural Proteins (NSPs) and the Spike Protein of SARS CoV-2.

The global pandemic that shut down the world in 2020 was caused by the virus, SARS CoV-2. The chemistry of the various nonstructural proteins (NSP3, NSP5, NSP12, NSP13, NSP14, NSP15, NSP16) of SARS CoV-2 is discussed. Secondly, a recent major focus of this pandemic is the variant strains of SARS CoV-2 that are increasingly occurring and more transmissible. One strain, called "D614G", possesses a glycine (G) instead of an aspartate (D) at position 614 of the spike protein. Additionally, other emerging strains called "501Y.V1" and "501Y.V2" have several differences in the receptor binding domain of the spike protein (N501Y) as well as other locations. These structural changes may enhance the interaction between the spike protein and the ACE2 receptor of the host, increasing infectivity. The global pandemic caused by SARS CoV-2 is a rapidly evolving situation, emphasizing the importance of continuing the efforts to interrogate and understand this virus.

The Proteins of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS CoV-2 or n-COV19), the Cause of COVID-19.

The devastating effects of the recent global pandemic (termed COVID-19 for "coronavirus disease 2019") caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS CoV-2) are paramount with new cases and deaths growing at an exponential rate. In order to provide a better understanding of SARS CoV-2, this article will review the proteins found in the SARS CoV-2 that caused this global pandemic.

Synthesis of [3,3-2H2]-Dihydroartemisinic Acid to Measure the Rate of Nonenzymatic Conversion of Dihydroartemisinic Acid to Artemisinin.

Dihydroartemisinic acid is the biosynthetic precursor to artemisinin, the endoperoxide-containing natural product used to treat malaria. The conversion of dihydroartemisinic acid to artemisinin is a cascade reaction that involves C-C bond cleavage, hydroperoxide incorporation, and polycyclization to form the endoperoxide. Whether or not this reaction is enzymatically controlled has been controversial. A method was developed to quantify the nonenzymatic conversion of dihydroartemisinic acid to artemisinin using LC-MS. A seven-step synthesis of 3,3-dideuterodihydroartemisinic acid (23) was accomplished beginning with dihydroartemisinic acid (1). The nonenzymatic rates of formation of 3,3-dideuteroartemisinin (24) from 3,3-dideuterodihydroartemisinic acid (23) were 1400 ng/day with light and 32 ng/day without light. Moreover, an unexpected formation of nondeuterated artemisinin (3) from 3,3-dideuterodihydroartemisinic acid (23) was detected in both the presence and absence of light. This formation of nondeuterated artemisinin (3) from its dideuterated precursor (23) suggests an alternative mechanistic pathway that operates independent of light to form artemisinin, involving the loss of the two C-3 deuterium atoms.

Chemical synthesis of 7α-hydroxycholest-4-en-3-one, a biomarker for irritable bowel syndrome and bile acid malabsorption.

7α-Hydroxy-cholest-4-en-3-one is a biomarker for bile acid loss, irritable bowel syndrome, and other diseases associated with defective bile acid biosynthesis. Furthermore, 7α-hydroxy-cholest-4-en-3-one is the physiological substrate for cytochrome P450 8B1 (P450 8B1 or CYP8B1), the oxysterol 12α-hydroxylase enzyme implicated in obesity and cardiovascular health. We report the chemical synthesis of this physiologically important oxysterol beginning with cholesterol. The key feature of this synthesis involves a regioselective C3-allylic oxidation of a 3-desoxy-Δ4-7α-formate steroid precursor to form 7α-formyloxy-cholest-4-en-3-one, which was saponified to yield 7α-hydroxy-cholest-4-en-3-one.

Chemical synthesis of 7-oxygenated 12α-hydroxy steroid derivatives to enable the biochemical characterization of cytochrome P450 8B1, the oxysterol 12α-hydroxylase enzyme implicated in cardiovascular health and obesity.

Cholic acid is the endogenous 12α-hydroxylated bile acid, which possesses enhanced cholesterol absorption properties compared to its 12-desoxy counterpart, chenodeoxycholic acid. The oxysterol 12α-hydroxylase enzyme is cytochrome P450 8B1 (P450 8B1), which regioselectively and stereoselectively incorporates the 12α-hydroxy group in 7α-hydroxycholest-4-en-3-one, the biosynthetic precursor of cholic acid. Despite the vital role of P450 8B1 activity in cardiovascular health, research studies of other 12α-hydroxy steroid derivatives are rare. A synthetic route to incorporate a C12α-hydroxy group into the C12-methylene (-CH2-) in dehydroepiandrosterone derivatives is disclosed. The incorporation of the C12-oxygen was accomplished through a copper mediated Schönecker oxidation of an imino-pyridine intermediate, introducing the 12ß-hydroxy group. The resulting 12ß-hydroxy steroid derivative was oxidized to the C12-ketone, which was stereoselectively reduced with lithium tri-sec-butylborohydride to afford the 12α-hydroxy stereochemistry. The C7-position was oxidized to yield the various 7-keto, 7ß-hydroxy, and 7α-hydroxy derivatives. Furthermore, 7-ketodehydroepiandrosterone and 12 α-hydroxy-7-ketodehydroepiandrosterone both displayed NMDA receptor antagonistic activities at 10 µM concentrations. These C12α-hydroxy steroids will be used as tools to identify new biochemical properties of the enzymatic products of P450 8B1, the oxysterol 12α-hydroxylase.

Formation and Cleavage of C-C Bonds by Enzymatic Oxidation-Reduction Reactions.

Many oxidation-reduction (redox) enzymes, particularly oxygenases, have roles in reactions that make and break C-C bonds. The list includes cytochrome P450 and other heme-based monooxygenases, heme-based dioxygenases, nonheme iron mono- and dioxygenases, flavoproteins, radical S-adenosylmethionine enzymes, copper enzymes, and peroxidases. Reactions involve steroids, intermediary metabolism, secondary natural products, drugs, and industrial and agricultural chemicals. Many C-C bonds are formed via either (i) coupling of diradicals or (ii) generation of unstable products that rearrange. C-C cleavage reactions involve several themes: (i) rearrangement of unstable oxidized products produced by the enzymes, (ii) oxidation and collapse of radicals or cations via rearrangement, (iii) oxygenation to yield products that are readily hydrolyzed by other enzymes, and (iv) activation of O2 in systems in which the binding of a substrate facilitates O2 activation. Many of the enzymes involve metals, but of these, iron is clearly predominant.

A biosynthetically inspired synthesis of (-)-berkelic acid and analogs.

We describe a complete account of our total synthesis and biological evaluation of (-)-berkelic acid and analogs. We delineate a synthetic strategy inspired by a potentially biomimetic union between the natural products spicifernin and pulvilloric acid. After defining optimal parameters, we executed a one-pot silver-mediated in situ dehydration of an isochroman lactol to methyl pulvillorate, the cycloisomerization of a spicifernin-like alkynol to the corresponding exocyclic enol ether, and a subsequent cycloaddition to deliver the tetracyclic core of berkelic acid. Our studies confirm that the original assigned berkelic acid structure is not stable and equilibrates into a mixture of 4 diastereomers, fully characterized by X-ray crystallography. In addition to berkelic acid, C22-epi-berkelic acid, and nor-berkelic acids, we synthesized C26-oxoberkelic acid analogs that were evaluated against human cancer cell lines. In contrast to data reported for natural berkelic acid, our synthetic material and analogs were found to be devoid of activity.

Inherent steroid 17α,20-lyase activity in defunct cytochrome P450 17A enzymes.

Cytochrome P450 (P450) 17A1 catalyzes the oxidations of progesterone and pregnenolone and is the major source of androgens. The enzyme catalyzes both 17α-hydroxylation and a subsequent 17α,20-lyase reaction, and several mechanisms have been proposed for the latter step. Zebrafish P450 17A2 catalyzes only the 17α-hydroxylations. We previously reported high similarity of the crystal structures of zebrafish P450 17A1 and 17A2 and human P450 17A1. Five residues near the heme, which differed, were changed. We also crystallized this five-residue zebrafish P450 17A1 mutant, and the active site still resembled the structure in the other proteins, with some important differences. These P450 17A1 and 17A2 mutants had catalytic profiles more similar to each other than did the wildtype proteins. Docking with these structures can explain several minor products, which require multiple enzyme conformations. The 17α-hydroperoxy (OOH) derivatives of the steroids were used as oxygen surrogates. Human P450 17A1 and zebrafish P450s 17A1 and P450 17A2 readily converted these to the lyase products in the absence of other proteins or cofactors (with catalytically competent kinetics) plus hydroxylated 17α-hydroxysteroids. The 17α-OOH results indicate that a "Compound I" (FeO3+) intermediate is capable of formation and can be used to rationalize the products. We conclude that zebrafish P450 17A2 is capable of lyase activity with the 17α-OOH steroids because it can achieve an appropriate conformation for lyase catalysis in this system that is precluded in the conventional reaction.

Chemical synthesis of 7α-hydroxypregnenolone, a neuroactive steroid that stimulates locomotor activity.

7α-Hydroxypregnenolone is an endogenous neuroactive steroid that stimulates locomotor activity. A synthesis of 7α-hydroxypregnenolone from pregnenolone, which takes advantage of an orthogonal protecting group strategy, is described. In detail, the C7-position was oxidized with CrO3 and 3,5-dimethylpyrazole to yield a 7-keto steroid intermediate. The resulting 7-ketone was stereoselectively reduced to the 7α-hydroxy group with lithium tri-sec-butylborohydride. In contrast, reduction of the same 7-ketone intermediate with NaBH4 resulted in primarily the 7ß-hydroxy epimer. Furthermore, in an alternative route to the target compound, the 7α-hydroxy group was successfully incorporated by direct C-H allylic benzoyloxylation of pregnenolone-3-acetate with CuBr and tert-butyl peroxybenzoate followed by saponification. The disclosed syntheses to 7-oxygenated steroids are amenable to potentially obtain other biologically active sterols and steroids.