By addressing the relative stereochemistry of the four acyclic portions via organic synthesis, the complete relative stereochemistry of maitotoxin (MTX) has been established as 1B. The relative stereochemistry of the C.1−C.15 portion was elucidated via a two-phase approach:  (1) the synthesis of the eight diastereomers possible for model C, representing the C.1−C.11 portion, and the eight diastereomers possible for model D, representing the C.11−C.15 portion, and the comparison of their proton and carbon NMR characteristics with those of MTX, concluding that 9 and 35 represent the relative stereochemistry of the corresponding portions of MTX; (2) the synthesis of the two remote diastereomers 51 and 52, and comparison of their proton and carbon NMR characteristics with those of MTX, concluding that 51 represents the relative stereochemistry of the C.1−C.15 portion of MTX. The relative stereochemistry of the C.35−C.39, C.63−C.68, and C.134−C.142 acyclic portions was established via (1) the synthesis of the 8, 8, and 16 diastereomers possible for models E, F, and G, respectively, and (2) the comparison of their proton and carbon NMR characteristics with those of MTX, concluding that 81, 117, and 187, respectively, represent the relative stereochemistry of the corresponding portions of MTX. Some biogenetic considerations have been given to speculate on the absolute configuration of MTX. The vicinal proton coupling constants observed for models 51, 81, 117, and 187 were used to elucidate their preferred solution conformation. Assembling the preferred solution conformations found for the four acyclic portions allows one to suggest that the approximate global conformation of MTX is represented by the shape of a hook, with the C.35−C.39 portion being its curvature. MTX appears to be conformationally relatively rigid, except for conformational flexibility around the C.7−C.9 and C.12−C.14 portions. On the basis of the experimental results gained in the current work, coupled with those in the AAL-toxin/fumonisin area, it has been pointed out that the structural properties of 51, 81, 117, 187 and their diastereomers are inherent to the specific stereochemical arrangement of the small substituents on the carbon backbone and are independent from the rest of the molecule. Thus, it has been suggested that each of these diastereomers has the capacity to install a unique structural characteristic through a specific stereochemical arrangement of substituents on the carbon backbone, and that fatty acids and related classes of compounds may be able to carry specific information and serve as functional materials in addition to structural materials.

No abstract

To search for TNF-alpha (tumor necrosis factor alpha) converting enzyme (TACE) inhibitors, we designed a new class of macrocyclic hydroxamic acids by linking the P1 and P2' residues of acyclic anti-succinate-based hydroxamic acids. A variety of residues including amide, carbamate, alkyl, sulfonamido, Boc-amino, and amino were found to be suitable P1-P2' linkers. With an N-methylamide at P3', the 13-16-membered macrocycles prepared exhibited low micromolar activities in the inhibition of TNF-alpha release from LPS-stimulated human whole blood. Further elaboration in the P3'-P4' area using the cyclophane and cyclic carbamate templates led to the identification of a number of potent analogues with IC(50) values of

Tumor necrosis factor ␣ (TNF␣) is an immunomodulatory and proinflammatory cytokine implicated in neuroinflammation and neuronal damage in response to cerebral ischemia. Tumor necrosis factor-␣ converting enzyme (TACE or ADAM17) is a key sheddase that releases TNF␣ from its inactive cell-bound precursor. Using a selective small molecule inhibitor of TACE, DPH-067517, we tested the hypothesis that inhibition of TNF␣ formation might have a salutary effect in ischemic stroke induced by embolic occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCAO). DPH-067517 selectively inhibited TACE enzyme activity in vitro (K i ϭ 2.8 nM), and effectively suppressed ischemia-induced increase in soluble TNF␣ in brain tissue after systemic administration. DPH-067517 (3 and 30 mg/kg, i.p. administered 15 min before MCAO) produced 43% (n ϭ 8, p ϭ 0.16) and 58% (n ϭ 8, p Ͻ 0.05) reduction in infarct size and 36% (p Ͻ 0.05) and 23% (p Ͻ 0.05) reduction in neurological deficits, respectively. The salutary effect of DPH-067517 in ischemic brain injury was also observed when the first dose was administrated 60 min after the onset of ischemia. Inhibition of TACE had no effect on apoptosis measured by levels of active caspase-3 expression and DNA fragmentation. Our data suggest that inhibition of TACE might be a potential therapeutic strategy for neuroprotection after focal ischemic stroke.

RORγt is an important nuclear receptor that regulates the production of several pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-17 and IL-22. As a result, RORγt has been identified as a potential target for the treatment of various immunological disorders such as psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and inflammatory bowel diseases. Structure and computer-assisted drug design led to the identification of a novel series of tricyclic RORγt inverse agonists with significantly improved in vitro activity in the reporter (Gal4) and human whole blood assays compared to our previous chemotype. Through careful structure activity relationship, several potent and selective RORγt inverse agonists have been identified. Pharmacokinetic studies allowed the identification of the lead molecule 32 with a low peak-to-trough ratio. This molecule showed excellent activity in an IL-2/IL-23-induced mouse pharmacodynamic study and demonstrated biologic-like efficacy in an IL-23-induced preclinical model of psoriasis.

DPC 333 ((2R)-2-((3R)-3-amino-3{4-[2-methyl-4-quinolinyl) methoxy] phenyl}-2-oxopyrrolidinyl)-N-hydroxy-4-methylpentanamide)) is a potent and selective inhibitor of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-

No abstract

An asymmetric synthesis of the stereochemically fully endowed C(9−25) spiroketal fragment (+)-BC of the calyculins (1−8) is described. Highlights of the synthesis include:  a highly diastereoselective IBr-induced iodocarbonate cyclization to introduce the C(21) stereocenter in epoxide (+)-18, fragment unions exploiting the reaction of acyl anion equivalents with epoxides to construct masked advanced aldols (−)-35 and (+)-71 as single diastereomers, chelation-controlled addition of the C(14−15) vinyl group to aldehyde (+)-38 to set the stereogenicity at C(16), selective reduction of the C(13) ketone via 1,3-induction, and development of an orthogonal protection scheme permitting both convenient installation of the C(17) phosphate group and flexibility in subsequent fragment couplings.