Long chain hydroxy acid oxidase (LCHAO) is responsible for the formation of methylguanidine, a toxic compound with elevated serum levels in patients with chronic renal failure. Its isozyme glycolate oxidase (GOX), has a role in the formation of oxalate, which can lead to pathological deposits of calcium oxalate, in particular in the disease primary hyperoxaluria. Inhibitors of these two enzymes may have therapeutic value. These enzymes are the only human members of the family of FMN-dependent l-2-hydroxy acid-oxidizing enzymes, with yeast flavocytochrome b(2) (Fcb2) among its well studied members. We screened a chemical library for inhibitors, using in parallel rat LCHAO, human GOX and the Fcb2 flavodehydrogenase domain (FDH). Among the hits was an inhibitor, CCPST, with an IC(50) in the micromolar range for all three enzymes. We report here the crystal structure of a complex between this compound and LCHAO at 1.3 Å resolution. In comparison with a lower resolution structure of this enzyme, binding of the inhibitor induces a conformational change in part of the TIM barrel loop 4, as well as protonation of the active site histidine. The CCPST interactions are compared with those it forms with human GOX and those formed by two other inhibitors with human GOX and spinach GOX. These compounds differ from CCPST in having the sulfur replaced with a nitrogen in the five-membered ring as well as different hydrophobic substituents. The possible reason for the ∼100-fold difference in affinity between these two series of inhibitors is discussed. The present results indicate that specificity is an issue in the quest for therapeutic inhibitors of either LCHAO or GOX, but they may give leads for this quest.

Glycolate oxidase, a peroxisomal flavoenzyme, generates glyoxylate at the expense of oxygen. When the normal metabolism of glyoxylate is impaired by the mutations that are responsible for the genetic diseases hyperoxaluria types 1 and 2, glyoxylate yields oxalate, which forms insoluble calcium deposits, particularly in the kidneys. Glycolate oxidase could thus be an interesting therapeutic target. The crystal structure of human glycolate oxidase (hGOX) in complex with 4-carboxy-5-[(4-chlorophenyl)sulfanyl]-1,2,3-thiadiazole (CCPST) has been determined at 2.8 A resolution. The inhibitor heteroatoms interact with five active-site residues that have been implicated in catalysis in homologous flavodehydrogenases of L-2-hydroxy acids. In addition, the chlorophenyl substituent is surrounded by nonconserved hydrophobic residues. The present study highlights the role of mobility in ligand binding by glycolate oxidase. In addition, it pinpoints several structural differences between members of the highly conserved family of flavodehydrogenases of L-2-hydroxy acids.

Ten hybrids of vinca alkaloids and phomopsin A have been synthesized by linking the octahydrophomopsin lateral chain to the tertiary amine of the cleavamine moiety of anhydrovinblastine (AVLB) and vinorelbine. These compounds have been elaborated in order to obtain original products that may interfere with both binding sites of vinblastine (VLB) and phomopsin in tubulin. Although NMR and molecular modeling studies have shown that the orientation of the added peptide chains of these hybrids is not the same as those of phomopsin A, most of them are very potent inhibitors of microtubules assembly and they present good cytotoxicity against KB cell line. These interesting biological activities may eventually be explained by the fact that their lateral chain resides in a pocket distinct from that of the phomopsin A peptide, at the interface of tubulins beta and alpha.

A new highly selective inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was discovered by high-throughput screening. Compound 1 was synthesized from a natural product, the N-3-isobutyrylcycloxobuxidine-F 2. A new extraction protocol of this compound is described. The hemisynthesis and optimization of 1 are reported. The analogs of 1 were tested in vitro for the inhibition of both cholinesterases (AChE and BuChE). These compounds selectively inhibited AChE. Extensive molecular docking studies were performed with 2 and AChE employing Discover Biosym software to rationalize the binding interaction. The results suggested that ligand 2 binds simultaneously to both catalytic and peripheral sites of AChE.

[reaction: see text] A 4-methyl-5-oxo docetaxel analogue has been prepared starting from 10-deacetylbaccatin III. This new D-seco docetaxel analogue is slightly less potent than docetaxel at microtubule stabilization in vitro and has about 1/1000th the cytotoxicity of docetaxel. The lack of improved activity for this compound compared to other D-modified taxoids confirms that a C-5 oxygen atom is not required for biological activity.

Combretastatin A-4 (CSA-4), a stilbene derivative, is a potent vascular disrupting agent (VDA) with the structural requirement of a cis-configuration to maintain a molecular geometry and a correct orientation of both phenyl groups. A series of indolic analogues of CSA-4 was synthesized by means of an efficient strategy. Six compounds (20b, 25b–27b, 32b, and 35b) were identified as potent inhibitors of tubulin polymerization and also displayed cytotoxic activities on B16 melanoma cells at a nanomolar level. Both activities were well correlated with the ability to induce morphological changes of EA·hy 926 endothelial cells. In conclusion, the cis-stilbene skeleton of CSA-4 could conveniently be replaced by the 3-aroylindolic moiety, thus avoiding any isomerization leading to inactive trans compounds.

The synthesis of a series of novel docetaxel analogues possessing a peptide side chain at the C2 position as well as peptide macrocyclic taxoids is described. These compounds were designed to mimic a region of the alpha-tubulin loop equivalent to the paclitaxel binding pocket of beta-tubulin. Fifteen new peptide taxoids were obtained and evaluated as inhibitors of microtubule disassembly as well as cell proliferation. The relationships between these new taxoids and the tau protein motif interacting with microtubules are discussed.

Bifunctional derivatives of the alkaloid galanthamine, designed to interact with both the active site of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and its peripheral cation binding site, have been assayed with Torpedo californica AChE (TcAChE), and the three-dimensional structures of their complexes with the enzyme have been solved by X-ray crystallography. Differences were noted between the IC(50) values obtained for TcAChE and those for Electrophorus electricus AChE. These differences are ascribed to sequence differences in one or two residues lining the active-site gorge of the enzyme. The binding of one of the inhibitors disrupts the native conformation of one wall of the gorge, formed by the loop Trp279-Phe290. It is proposed that flexibility of this loop may permit the binding of inhibitors such as galanthamine, which are too bulky to penetrate the narrow neck of the gorge formed by Tyr121 and Phe330 as seen in the crystal structure.

Novel C2-C3'N-linked macrocyclic taxoids 4 bearing an aromatic ring at position C2 were synthesized. These compounds, tethered between N3' and the C2-aromatic ring at the ortho, meta, or para position, were constructed by ring-closing metathesis. The para-substituted derivatives were unable to stabilize microtubules, whereas the ortho- and meta-substituted compounds show significant activity in cold-induced microtubule disassembly assay. The meta derivative 4c is the first C2-C3'-linked cyclic analogue to be equipotent to paclitaxel in this assay and to show significant cytotoxicity. Computational studies of the conformational behavior of these compounds indicate that they can adopt several conformations including mainly the "T-shaped" forms. Docking experiments have shown that the "T-shaped" form is preferred for a good interaction of these compounds with the beta-tubulin binding pocket.

This work describes the synthesis of a series of novel macrocyclic taxoids 3 and 3(H) designed to mimic the docetaxel solid-state ("nonpolar") conformation. These compounds, bearing 18-, 20-, 21-, and 22-membered rings connecting the C-2 OH and C-3' NH moieties, were constructed by ring-closing olefin metathesis of the taxoid-omega,omega'-dienes 4. Biological evaluation of these new taxoids showed that activity is dependent on the ring size, and only the 22-membered ring taxoid 3d exhibits significant tubulin binding. Synthesis of the open-chain analogues 7 and 7(H) and comparison of their biological activities with macrocyclic taxoids show that the carbon tether between C-2 OH and C-3' NH does not hamper tubulin binding. Computational studies of the conformational behavior of the macrocyclic taxoids 3 indicate that the 18-, 20-, and 21-membered-ring 3a-c adopt mainly conformations that are not recognized by tubulin. The most active taxoid 3d appears to adopt a conformation that is between the "nonpolar" and T-shaped forms.

Several B-ring variations of O-methyl androbiphenyline (8), newly accessible from (-)-(M,7S)-colchicine via photooxygenation and subsequent endoperoxide-transformation, were synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory effects on tubulin assembly in vitro. The amino-allocolchicinoid (9), a key compound in this study, was transformed to the highly potent ketone 10 and by oxidation with H2O2/Na2WO4 to a mixture of syn/anti-oximes, like 11 and 12. These could easily be transformed to hitherto unknown allocolchicinoids 13 and 14 with an eight membered B-ring lactam obtained via a Beckmann rearrangement. Surprisingly both do not notably affect tubulin assembly, despite obvious structural similarities with active analogues of the thiocolchicine- and azasteganacin-series.

Several B-ring variations of O-methyl androbiphenyline (8), newly accessible from (-)-(M,7S)-colchicine via photooxygenation and subsequent endoperoxide-transformation, were synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory effects on tubulin assembly in vitro. The amino-allocolchicinoid (9), a key compound in this study, was transformed to the highly potent ketone 10 and by oxidation with H2O2/Na2WO4 to a mixture of syn/anti-oximes, like 11 and 12. These could easily be transformed to hitherto unknown allocolchicinoids 13 and 14 with an eight membered B-ring lactam obtained via a Beckmann rearrangement. Surprisingly both do not notably affect tubulin assembly, despite obvious structural similarities with active analogues of the thiocolchicine- and azasteganacin-series. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Semi-synthetic approaches to paclitaxel, docetaxel and their derivatives were discussed. Their structure-activity relationship was also explained.

Seasonal variations of taxoid constituents were determined in shoots of European Yew collected from two locations. The first samples originated from a male Taxus baccata tree growing in Gif, France. The second samples were obtained from genetically identical female Irish Yew trees (T. baccata var. fastigiata), of the same age and growing at one site in Dublin, Ireland. Shoots were collected monthly for one year and separated into needles and stems. Neutral taxoids (paclitaxel and 10-deacetylbaccatin III (10-DAB III)) and basic taxoids (including taxines B) were extracted and quantified. Needles yielded significantly higher levels of taxoids than stems. 10-DAB III contents in needles of French samples showed considerable monthly fluctuations, while in needles of the Irish samples maximum yields of 10-DAB III were found in June. Highest levels of paclitaxel were present between February and April. Basic taxoids occurred in highest concentrations (total alkaloids 9.49 g/kg) in the August collection of French samples, but in needles of the Irish Yew in November and December (total alkaloids 16.9 g/kg; taxines B 10.9 g/kg). No conclusion could be drawn as to the optimum time of year for harvesting, since this varies from tree to tree, depending on T. baccata variety, location and taxoid type.

Cycloaddition reactions of the facially dissymmetric diene moiety of (-)-(M,7S)-colchicine (5) and (-)-(M,7S)-10-ethyl-thiocolchicide (9) to various alkynes have been studied. With 5 and the dienophilic benzyne (3), dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (DMAD) (4) and cyclooctyne (6) as starting materials all cycloadditions could be realized with high regioselectivity at the 8,12-positions of the alkaloid, The approach of the dienophiles preferentially occurred toward the syn pi-face of the diene. In contrast to the cycloaddition mode of 5 the ethylthiocolchicide 9 surprisingly reacted in a different manner, With benzyne as starting material a novel [3+2] cycloaddition of the thioenol ether moiety of 9 towards the dipolarophilic benzyne is supposed, affording the unexpected colchicide 10 after [1,5]H shift of the primarily formed cycloadduct followed by cleavage of the C-S linkage. With DMAD (4) and cyclooctyne (6) the reaction course is more complex. In a consecutive [4+2]/[3+2] cycloaddition (or vice versa) followed by a thermally induced cycloreversion of a not identified intermediate DMAD (4) gives rise to the polycyclic thiophene derivative 13 and the novel allocolchicinoid 14. In a similar way cyclooctyne (6) yielded three products, the thiophene-annulated homobarrelenones 18 and 19 and the tetracyclic allocolchicinoid 21. The structures of the novel colchicine derivatives were assigned on the basis of spectral data, those of the cycloadducts 1 and 19 were verified by X-ray crystallography. For the unprecedented formation of the various allocolchicinoids by consecutive [4+2]/[3+2] cycloadditions plausible reaction pathways are suggested. as far as possible. In addition the inhibitory effects on the tubulin polymerization reaction in vitro of 10, 14, and 21 are reported.

Two 5(20)-aza analogs of docetaxel, N-20-benzyl-5(20)-azadocetaxel (5) and 5(20)-azadocetaxel (6), have been synthesized from 10-deacetylbaccatin III. The key steps of this synthesis involved the direct introduction of a C-5 leaving group while ring opening and the intramolecular nucleophilic attack of the C-20 amino group at C-5. Both compounds were inactive on the in vitro cytotoxic assay, and only the azadocetaxel 6 retains an antitubulin activity, but 16 times less than docetaxel.

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