Synthesis of (−)-neplanocin A with the highest overall yield via an efficient Mitsunobu coupling

Synthesis and Biological Profiling of Quinolino-Fused 7-Deazapurine Nucleosides

A series of quinolino-fused 7-deazapurine (pyrimido[5',4':4,5]pyrrolo[3,2-f]quinoline) ribonucleosides were designed and synthesized. The synthesis of the key 11-chloro-pyrimido[5',4':4,5]pyrrolo[3,2-f]quinoline was based on the Negishi cross-coupling of iodoquinoline with zincated 4,6-dichloropyrimidine followed by azidation and thermal or photochemical cyclization. Vorbrüggen glycosylation of the tetracyclic heterocycle followed by cross-coupling or substitution reactions at position 11 gave the desired set of final nucleosides that showed moderate to weak cytostatic activity and fluorescent properties. The corresponding fused adenosine derivative was converted to the triphosphate and successfully incorporated to RNA using in vitro transcription with T7 RNA polymerase.

A novel route to a chiral building block for the preparation of cyclopentenyl carbocyclic nucleosides. Synthesis and anticancer activity of enantiomeric neplanocins A

The synthesis of both enantiomers of 3-[(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)oxy]methyl-4,5-O-isopropylidenecyclopent-2-en-1-ol was accomplished in six steps based on optically inactive dimethyl meso-tartrate. This key intermediate in the synthesis of cyclopentenyl carbocyclic nucleosides was subsequently applied in the preparation of enantiomeric neplanocins A. The toxic effect of these compounds was investigated for a series of suspension and adherent cancer cell lines and normal human fibroblasts. (-)-Neplanocin A ((-)-NPA) was more toxic against all tested cancer cell lines than its dextrorotary counterpart. The highest toxicity with IC50 values of 7 and 10 μM was observed for the MOLT-4 and A431 cells, respectively. Moreover, (-)-NPA also induced apoptosis in A431 cell while this effect was not observed for (+)-NPA.

Efficient diastereoselective synthesis of a new class of azanucleosides: 2'-homoazanucleosides

Azanucleosides, sugar-modified nucleoside analogues containing a 4' nitrogen atom, have shown a lot of therapeutic potential, e.g. as anti-cancer and antiviral agents. We report the synthesis of a series of 2'-homoazanucleosides, in which the nucleobase is attached to the 2'-position of the pyrrolidine ring via a methylene linker. A suitable orthogonally protected iminosugar was synthesized by ring closing metathesis and dihydroxylation as key steps and further converted to a series of 8 nucleoside analogues through Mitsunobu reaction with suitably protected nucleobases. The 5' position of the adenine analogue was then further derivatized with thiols to afford 2 additional compounds. The final compounds were evaluated for biological activity.

Revaluation of biomass-derived furfuryl alcohol derivatives for the synthesis of carbocyclic nucleoside phosphonate analogues

The racemic synthesis of new carbocyclic nucleoside methylphosphonate analogues bearing purine bases (adenine and guanine) was accomplished using bio-sourced furfuryl alcohol derivatives. All compounds were prepared using a Mitsunobu coupling between the heterocyclic base and an appropriate carbocyclic precursor. After deprotection, the compounds were evaluated for their activity against a large number of viruses. However, none of them showed significant antiviral activity or cytotoxicity.

Recent progress for the synthesis of selected carbocyclic nucleosides

Nucleoside analogs are extremely useful for the development of therapeutic agents to control viral diseases and cancer. Among the numerous modifications on the nucleoside skeleton, replacement of the oxygen of the furanose ring by a CH2 group resulted in increased flexibility and higher resistance to phosphorylases and led to carbocyclic nucleoside analogs (or carbanucleosides). The broad spectrum of biological activities of carbocyclic nucleosides led to tremendous research interest in their syntheses. The article documents recent strategies for the synthesis of active carbocyclic nucleosides by presenting individual case studies, such as the neplanocins, entecavir and selected fluorinated carbocyclic nucleosides. Furthermore, it provides new insights into new directions for more potent and active carbocyclic nucleoside analogs.

Inhibition of histone H3K79 methylation selectively inhibits proliferation, self-renewal and metastatic potential of breast cancer

Histone lysine methylation regulates gene expression and cancer initiation. Bioinformatics analysis suggested that DOT1L, a histone H3-lysine79 (H3K79) methyltransferase, plays a potentially important role in breast cancer. DOT1L inhibition selectively inhibited proliferation, self-renewal, metastatic potential of breast cancer cells and induced cell differentiation. In addition, inhibitors of S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase (SAHH), such as neplanocin and 3-deazaneplanocin, also inhibited both H3K79 methylation and proliferation of breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. The activity of SAHH inhibitors was previously attributed to inhibition of H3K27 methyltransferase EZH2. However, inhibition of EZH2 by a specific inhibitor did not contribute to cell death. SAHH inhibitors had only weak activity against H3K27 methylation and their activity is therefore mainly due to DOT1L/H3K79 methylation inhibition. Overall, we showed that DOT1L is a potential drug target for breast cancer.

A general method for N-glycosylation of nucleobases promoted by (p-Tol)2SO/Tf2O with thioglycoside as donor

35 nucleosides were synthesized by coupling thioglycosides with pyrimidines and purines under the preactivation of (p-Tol)₂SO/Tf₂O in high yields and with β-stereoselectivities.

3-Deazaneplanocin A and neplanocin A analogues and their effects on apoptotic cell death

3-Deazaneplanocin A (DzNep) is a potential epigenetic drug for the treatment of various cancers. DzNep has been reported to deplete histone methylations, including oncogenic EZH2 complex, giving rise to epigenetic modifications that reactivate many silenced tumor suppressors in cancer cells. Despite its promise as an anticancer drug, little is known about the structure-activity relationships of DzNep in the context of epigenetic modifications and apoptosis induction. In this study, a number of analogues of DzNep were examined for DzNep-like ability to induce synergistic apoptosis in cancer cells in combination with trichostatin A, a known histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor. The structure-activity relationship data thus obtained provide valuable information on the structural requirements for biological activity. The studies identified three compounds that show similar activities to DzNep. Two of these compounds show good pharmacokinetics and safety profiles. Attempts to correlate the observed synergistic apoptotic activities with measured S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase (SAHH) inhibitory activities suggest that the apoptotic activity of DzNep might not be directly due to its inhibition of SAHH.

Design and synthesis of dually branched 5'-norcarbocyclic adenosine phosphonodiester analogue as a new anti-HIV prodrug

A novel 3',4'-dimethyl-5'-norcarbocyclic adenosine phosphonic acid was prepared using acyclic stereoselective route from 4-hydroxybutan-2-one (4). To improve the cellular permeability and enhance the anti-HIV activity of this phosphonic acid, a (bis)SATE phosphonodiester nucleoside prodrug (20) was prepared and its chemical stability was evaluated. The newly synthesized bis(SATE) analogue (20) and its parent nucleoside phosphonic acid (18) were assayed for anti-HIV activity using an in vitro assay system in a CEM cell line.

Synthesis of the natural enantiomer of neplanocin B

(-)-Neplanocin B, the natural isomer of a component of the neplanocin family was diasteroselectively synthesized from 2,3-O-isopropylidene-D-1,4-ribonolactone. However, when evaluated against several DNA and RNA viruses in cell culture experiments, it did not show any antiviral activity.

Synthesis and in vitro activity of 4' and 5'-modified analogues of apiosyl nucleosides as potent anti-HCV agents

Novel doubly branched apio dideoxynucleosides were synthesized starting from 1,3-dihydroxyacetone using an ozonolysis and Grignard addition as key steps, and evaluated for anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) activity. The adenine derivative 24 showed significant anti-HCV activity, indicating that the branches at the 4',5'-position of the apiosyl ring led to favorable interaction with HCV polymerase.

A greener enantioselective synthesis of the antiviral agent North-methanocarbathymidine (N-MCT) from 2-deoxy-d-ribose

An enantioselective synthesis of suitably protected (1R,2S,4S,5S)-4-amino-1-(hydroxymethyl)bicyclo[3.1.0]hexan-2-ol, a key starting material for the synthesis of conformationally locked carbocyclic nucleosides, including the antiviral active North-methanocarba thymidine, is reported. Starting from 2-deoxyribose the target Boc-protected amine was prepared in 33% overall yield under condition that are ecologically friendlier than previous methods.

Total syntheses of a conformationally locked North-type methanocarba puromycin analogue and a dinucleotide derivative

An original synthetic approach for the first synthesis of an enantiopure methanocarba puromycin (3'-alpha-aminoacylamino-3'-deoxyadenosine) analogue and its cytidine dinucleotide derivative is described. Each compound is conformationally locked in a North-type pucker and exhibits both a pseudoaxial hydroxy group and a pseudoequatorial aminoacyl group. The syntheses were accomplished from D-ribose in 18 and 19 steps, respectively, with key steps being a ring-closing metathesis, a Luche reduction, a Simmons-Smith cyclopropanation, a Mitsunobu coupling, a Mattocks bromoacetylation, a regioselective and a stereoselective nucleophilic substitution, a chemoselective phosphoramidite coupling and a Staudinger-Vilarrasa coupling. Both molecules are being tested for peptidyl transfer efficiency in ribosomes for comparison with the peptidyl transfer kinetics of natural puromycin and other natural and synthetic ribosomal A site substrates.