A novel in vitro assay for the discovery of anticancer agents was used to examine aqueous and organic extracts from 1847 plants collected mainly in the U.S. Southwest and West. The assay results were separated into 5 categories: inactive (62%), equally active (36%), equally active and potent (0.5%), solid tumor selective (1.4%), and human selective (0.8%). Extracts from the latter three categories were fractionated using the in vitro assay to biodirect each step. Psorothamnus emoryi extracts were solid tumor selective and yielded two active compounds upon fractionation: dalrubone and 5-methoxydalrubone. Calocedrus decurrens was equally active and potent and yielded deoxypodophyllotoxin as the active compound. Linanthus floribundus was human selective and yielded strophanthidin as the active compound. The potential of this assay to discover novel anticancer agents from the active extracts is discussed.

A collection of Lyngbya bouillonii from Palmyra Atoll in the Central Pacific, a site several thousand kilometers distant from all previous collections of this chemically prolific species of cyanobacterium, was found to contain two new cancer cell cytotoxins of the apratoxin family. The structures of the new compounds, apratoxins F and G, were determined by 1-D and 2-D NMR techniques in combination with mass spectrometric methods. Stereochemistry was explored using chromatographic analyses of the hydrolytically released fragments in combination with NMR and optical rotation comparisons with known members of the apratoxin family. Apratoxins F and G add fresh insights into the SAR of this family because they incorporate an N-methyl alanine residue at a position where all prior apratoxins have possessed a proline unit, yet they retain high potency as cytotoxins to H-460 cancer cells with IC50 values of 2 and 14 nM, respectively. Additional assays using zone inhibition of cancer cells and clonogenic cells give a comparison of the activities of apratoxin F to apratoxin A. Additionally, the clonogenic studies in combination with MTD studies provided insights as to dosing schedules that should be used for in vivo studies, and preliminary in vivo evaluation validated the predicted in vivo efficacy for apratoxin A. These new apratoxins are illustrative of a mechanism, the modification of an NRPS adenylation domain specificity pocket, for evolving a biosynthetic pathway so as to diversify the suite of expressed secondary metabolites.

The sponge-derived polyketide macrolides fijianolides A (1) and B (2), isolaulimalide and laulimalide, have taxol-like microtubule-stabilizing activity, and the latter exhibits potent cytotoxicity. Insight on the biogeographical and phenotypic variations of Cacospongia mycofijiensis is presented that will enable a future study of the biosynthetic pathway that produces the fijianolides. In addition to fijianolides A and B, six new fijianolides, D-I (7-12), were isolated, each with modifications to the C-20 side chain of the macrolide ring. Compounds 7-12 exhibited a range of in vitro activities against HCT-116 and MDA-MB-435 cell lines. Fijianolides 8 and 10 were shown to disrupt interphase and mitotic division, but were less potent than 2. An in vivo evaluation of 2 using tumor-bearing severe combined immuno-deficiency mice demonstrated significant inhibition of growth in HCT-116 tumors over 28 days.

This study involved a campaign to isolate and study additional latrunculin analogs from two taxonomically unrelated sponges, Cacospongia mycofijiensis and Negombata magnifica. A total of 13 latrunculin analogs were obtained by four different ways, reisolation (1-4), our repository (5-6), new derivatives (7-12), and a synthetic analog (7a). The structures of the new metabolites were elucidated based on a combination of comprehensive 1D and 2D NMR analysis, application of DFT calculations, and the preparation of acetonide derivative 7a. The cytotoxicities against both murine and human cancer cell lines observed for 1, 2, 7, 7a, 8, 9, and 12 were significant and the IC 50 value range was 0.5-10 μM. Among the cytotoxic derivatives, compound 9 did not exhibit microfilamentdisrupting activity at 5 μM. The implications of this observation and the value of further therapeutic study on key latrunculin derivatives are discussed.

Prenylated indole alkaloids are a diverse group of fungal secondary metabolites and represent an important biosynthetic class. In this study we have identified new halogenated prenyl-indole alkaloids from an invertebrate-derived Malbranchea graminicola strain. Using Direct Analysis in Real Time (DART) Mass Spectrometry, these compounds were initially detected from spores of the fungus grown on agar plates, without the need for any organic extraction. Subsequently, the metabolites were isolated from liquid culture in artificial seawater. The structures of two novel chlorinated metabolites, named (−)-spiromalbramide and (+)-isomalbrancheamide B, provide additional insights into the assembly of the malbrancheamide compound family. Remarkably, two new brominated analogs, (+)-malbrancheamide C and (+)-isomalbrancheamide C, were produced by enriching the growth medium with bromine salts.

Cytotoxicity-guided fractionation of the organic extract from a Fijian Lyngbya majuscula led to the discovery of desmethoxymajusculamide C (DMMC) as the active metabolite. Spectroscopic analysis including 1D and 2D NMR, MS/MS, and chemical degradation and derivatization protocols were used to assign the planar structure and stereoconfiguration of this new cyclic depsipeptide. DMMC demonstrated potent and selective anti-solid tumor activity with an IC(50) = 20 nM against the HCT-116 human colon carcinoma cell line via disruption of cellular microfilament networks. A linear form of DMMC was generated by base hydrolysis, and the amino acid sequence was confirmed by mass spectrometry. Linearized DMMC was also evaluated in the biological assays and found to maintain potent actin depolymerization characteristics while displaying solid tumor selectivity equivalent to DMMC in the disk diffusion assay. A clonogenic assay assessing cytotoxicity to HCT-116 cells as a function of exposure duration showed that greater than 24 h of constant drug treatment was required to yield significant cell killing. Therapeutic studies with HCT-116 bearing SCID mice demonstrated efficacy at the highest dose used (%T/C = 60% at 0.62 mg/kg daily for 5 days).

The cyclodepsipeptide jasplakinolide (1) (a.k.a. jaspamide), isolated previously from the marine sponge Jaspis splendens, is a unique cytotoxin and molecular probe that operates through stabilization of filamentous actin (F-actin). We have recently disclosed that two analogues of 1, jasplakinolides B (3) and E, were referred to the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Biological Evaluation Committee and the objective of this study was to re-investigate a Fijian collection of J. splendens in an effort to find jasplakinolide congeners with similar biological properties. The current efforts have afforded six known jasplakinolide analogues (4 -7, 9 -10), two structures requiring revision (8 and 14) and four new congeners of 1 (11 -13, 15) including open chain derivatives and structures with modified β-tyrosine residues. Compounds were evaluated for biological activity in the NCI's 60 cell line screen and in a microfilament disruption assay in both HCT-116 and HeLa cells. These two phenotypic screens provide evidence that each cytotoxic analogue, including jasplakinolide B (3), operates by modification of microfilaments. The new structure jasplakinolide V (13) has also been selected for study by the NCI's Biological Evaluation Committee. In addition, the results of a clonogenic dose response study on jasplakinolide are presented.The unique cyclodepsipeptide jasplakinolide (1) (a.k.a. jaspamide) has been a seed for continuous chemical and biological investigations since its discovery in 1986. 1,2 This mixed polyketide-peptide compound (often referred to as a PKS-NRPS hybrid) 3 was first isolated from Jaspis (syn: Doryplores) splendens 4 (order Astrophorida, family Ancorinidae) sponges collected in Fiji and Palau, and subsequent investigations [5][6][7][8][9][10] have shown that 1 can be obtained from Jaspis sponges collected throughout the Indo-Pacific. We recently disclosed seven new analogues of 1 ,10 and included an account of the 15 additional natural derivatives divided into two frameworks along with a bio-geographical outline of the two sponge orders that are the source of these metabolites. Other marine sponge genera are also the source of related cyclodepsipeptides named the geodiamolides (Geodia, and Cymbastela) [11][12][13][14][15][16] and the seragamides (Suberites). 17 Similar to the jasplakinolide family, the members of these two classes occur in taxonomically distant groups of sponges. The discovery of yet another † Dedicated to Dr. Koji Nakanishi of Columbia University for his pioneering work on bioactive natural products.* Corresponding author. Tel: 831-459-2603. Fax: 831-459-2935. phil@chemistry.ucsc.edu. ‡ Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry § UCSC Chemical Screening Center ⊥ Henry Ford Hospital Supporting Information Available: 1 H, 13 C, gHMQC and gHMBC NMR spectra for compounds 6-15, a sponge picture of 00101, NCI 60 cell line results, and microfilament effects of 10. This material is available free of charge via the Internet at http://pubs.acs.org. The push to understand the biological ...

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