Insights into the structure-activity relationship of the anticancer compound ZJ-101, a derivative of marine natural product superstolide A: A critical role played by the conjugated trienyl lactone moiety

Synthesis and biological evaluation of biotinylated ZJ-101

ZJ-101 is a structurally simplified analog of marine natural product superstolide A that was previously designed and synthesized in our laboratory. Biological investigation shows that ZJ-101 maintains the potent anticancer activity of the original natural product with an undefined mechanism of action. To facilitate chemical biology study, a biotinylated ZJ-101 was synthesized and biologically evaluated.

Catalysis Driven Six-Step Synthesis of Apratoxin A Key Polyketide Fragment

Apratoxin A is a potent anticancer natural product whose key polyketide fragment constitutes a considerable challenge for organic synthesis, with five prior syntheses requiring 12 to 20 steps for its preparation. By combining different redox-economical catalytic stereoselective transformations, the key polyketide fragment could be rapidly prepared. Followed by a site-selective protection of the diol, this strategy enables the preparation of the apratoxin A fragment in only six steps, representing the shortest route to this polyketide.

Anticancer activities, structure-activity relationship, and mechanism of action of 12-, 14-, and 16-membered macrolactones

Cancer remains one of the major causes of death worldwide despite the encouraging breakthroughs in the discovery of novel chemotherapeutic agents in recent years. The development of new effective anticancer candidates still represents a challenging endeavor due to the severe anticancer demands and the emergence of drug-resistant, especially multidrug-resistant, cancers. Macrolactones could regulate multiple signaling pathways in cancer cells and demonstrated potential anticancer effects, including inhibition of proliferation, metastasis, and angiogenic activity. Accordingly, macrolactones possess excellent efficacy against both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant cancer cells, and the rational design of macrolactones may provide valuable therapeutic interventions for cancers. The purpose of this review is as follows: (1) outline the recent advances made in the development of 12-, 14-, and 16-membered macrolactones with anticancer potential; (2) summarize the structure-activity relationship; and (3) discuss their anticancer mechanisms.

Insights into the structure-activity relationship of the anticancer compound ZJ-101, a derivative of marine natural product superstolide A: A role played by the lactone moiety

Compound ZJ-101, a structurally simplified analog of the marine natural product superstolide A, was previously developed in our laboratory. In the subsequent structure-activity relationship study, a new analog ZJ-109 was designed and synthesized to probe the importance of the lactone moiety of the molecule by replacing the lactone in ZJ-101 with a lactam. The biological evaluation showed that ZJ-109 is about 8-12 times less active against cancer cells in vitro than ZJ-101, suggesting that the lactone moiety of the molecule is important for its anticancer activity.

Insights into the structure-activity relationship of the anticancer compound ZJ-101, a derivative of marine natural product superstolide A: A critical role played by the conjugated trienyl lactone moiety

Compound ZJ-101, a structurally simplified analog of the marine natural product superstolide A, was previously developed in our laboratory. In the subsequent structure-activity relationship study, two new analogs, ZJ-105 and ZJ-106, were designed and synthesized to probe the importance of the conjugated trienyl lactone moiety of the molecule by replacing the C2-C3 double bond in ZJ-101 with a single bond and switching the geometry of the C4-C5 double bond in ZJ-101 from Z to E, respectively. Biological evaluation showed that ZJ-105 completely loses antiproliferative activity whereas ZJ-106 is significantly less active against cancer cells in vitro than ZJ-101, suggesting that the conjugated trienyl lactone moiety of the molecule is critical for its anticancer activity.