Substitution on the A-ring confers to bryopyran analogues the unique biological activity characteristic of bryostatins and distinct from that of the phorbol esters

The quest for supernatural products: the impact of total synthesis in complex natural products medicinal chemistry

Covering: 2000 up to 2020This review presents select recent advances in the medicinal chemistry of complex natural products that are prepared by total synthesis. The underlying studies highlight enabling divergent synthetic strategies and methods that permit the systematic medicinal chemistry studies of key analogues bearing deep-seated structural changes not readily accessible by semisynthetic or biosynthetic means. Select and recent examples are detailed where the key structural changes are designed to improve defined properties or to overcome an intrinsic limitation of the natural product itself. In the examples presented, the synthetic efforts provided supernatural products, a term first introduced by our colleague Ryan Shenvi (Synlett, 2016, 27, 1145-1164), with properties superseding the parent natural product. The design principles and approaches for creating the supernatural products are highlighted with an emphasis on the properties addressed that include those that improve activity or potency, increase selectivity, enhance durability, broaden the spectrum of activity, improve chemical or metabolic stability, overcome limiting physical properties, add mechanisms of action, enhance PK properties, overcome drug resistance, and/or improve in vivo efficacy. Some such improvements may be regarded by some as iterative enhancements whereas others, we believe, truly live up to their characterization as supernatural products. Most such efforts are also accompanied by advances in synthetic organic chemistry, inspiring the development of new synthetic methodology and providing supernatural products with improved synthetic accessibility.

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Fluorescent Bryostatin Analogues

To investigate the cellular distribution of tumor-promoting vs. non-tumor-promoting bryostatin analogues, we synthesized fluorescently labeled variants of two bryostatin derivatives that have previously shown either phorbol ester-like or bryostatin-like biological activity in U937 leukemia cells. These new fluorescent analogues both displayed high affinity for protein kinase C (PKC) binding and retained the basic properties of the parent unlabeled compounds in U937 assays. The fluorescent compounds showed similar patterns of intracellular distribution in cells, however; this argues against an existing hypothesis that various patterns of intracellular distribution are responsible for differences in biological activity. Upon further characterization, the fluorescent compounds revealed a slow rate of cellular uptake; correspondingly, they showed reduced activity for cellular responses that were only transient upon treatment with phorbol ester or bryostatin 1.

Molecular dynamics simulations reveal ligand-controlled positioning of a peripheral protein complex in membranes

Bryostatin is in clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and HIV/AIDS eradication. It binds to protein kinase C competitively with diacylglycerol, the endogenous protein kinase C regulator, and plant-derived phorbol esters, but each ligand induces different activities. Determination of the structural origin for these differing activities by X-ray analysis has not succeeded due to difficulties in co-crystallizing protein kinase C with relevant ligands. More importantly, static, crystal-lattice bound complexes do not address the influence of the membrane on the structure and dynamics of membrane-associated proteins. To address this general problem, we performed long-timescale (400–500 µs aggregate) all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of protein kinase C–ligand–membrane complexes and observed that different protein kinase C activators differentially position the complex in the membrane due in part to their differing interactions with waters at the membrane inner leaf. These new findings enable new strategies for the design of simpler, more effective protein kinase C analogs and could also prove relevant to other peripheral protein complexes.

Natural supplies of bryostatin, a compound in clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and HIV, are scarce. Here, the authors perform molecular dynamics simulations to understand how bryostatin interacts with membrane-bound protein kinase C, offering insights for the design of bryostatin analogs.

Evaluation of Chromane-Based Bryostatin Analogues Prepared via Hydrogen-Mediated C-C Bond Formation: Potency Does Not Confer Bryostatin-like Biology

The synthesis and biological evaluation of chromane-containing bryostatin analogues WN-2-WN-7 and the previously reported salicylate-based analogue WN-8 are described. Analogues WN-2-WN-7 are prepared through convergent assembly of the chromane-containing fragment B-I with the "binding domain" fragment A-I or its C26-des-methyl congener, fragment A-II. The synthesis of fragment B-I features enantioselective double C-H allylation of 1,3-propanediol to form the C2-symmetric diol 3 and Heck cyclization of bromo-diene 5 to form the chromane core. The synthesis of salicylate WN-8 is accomplished through the union of fragments A-III and B-II. The highest binding affinities for PKCα are observed for the C26-des-methyl analogues WN-3 (Ki = 63.9 nM) and WN-7 (Ki = 63.1 nM). All analogues, WN-2-WN-8, inhibited growth of Toledo cells, with the most potent analogue being WN-7. This response, however, does not distinguish between phorbol ester-like and bryostatin-like behavior. In contrast, while many of the analogues contain a conserved C-ring in the binding domain and other features common to analogues with bryostatin-like properties, all analogues evaluated in the U937 proliferation and cell attachment assays displayed phorbol ester-like and/or toxic behavior, including WN-8, for which "bryostatin-like PKC modulatory activities" previously was suggested solely on the basis of PKC binding. These results underscore the importance of considering downstream biological effects, as tumor suppression cannot be inferred from potent PKC binding.

Replacement of the Bryostatin A- and B-Pyran Rings With Phenyl Rings Leads to Loss of High Affinity Binding With PKC

We describe a convergent synthesis of a bryostatin analogue in which the natural A- and B-ring pyrans have been replaced by phenyl rings. The new analogue exhibited PMA like behavior in cell assays, but failed to maintain high affinity binding for PKC, despite retaining an unaltered C-ring 'binding domain'.

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Several Bryostatin Analogues Bearing a Diacylglycerol Lactone C-Ring

As an initial step in designing a simplified bryostatin hybrid molecule, three bryostatin analogues bearing a diacylglycerol lactone-based C-ring, which possessed the requisite pharmacophores for binding to protein kinase C (PKC) together with a modified bryostatin-like A- and B-ring region, were synthesized and evaluated. Merle 46 and Merle 47 exhibited binding affinity to PKC alpha with Ki values of 7000 ± 990 and 4940 ± 470 nM, respectively. Reinstallation of the trans-olefin and gem-dimethyl group present in bryostatin 1 in Merle 48 resulted in improved binding affinity, 363 ± 42 nM. While Merle 46 and 47 were only marginally active biologically, Merle 48 showed sufficient activity on the U937 cells to confirm that it was PMA-like for growth and attachment, as predicted by the substitution pattern of its A- and B-rings.

Biological activity of the bryostatin analog Merle 23 on mouse epidermal cells and mouse skin

Bryostatin 1, a complex macrocyclic lactone, is the subject of multiple clinical trials for cancer chemotherapy. Although bryostatin 1 biochemically functions like the classic mouse skin tumor promoter phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) to bind to and activate protein kinase C, paradoxically, it fails to induce many of the typical phorbol ester responses, including tumor promotion. Intense synthetic efforts are currently underway to develop simplified bryostatin analogs that preserve the critical functional features of bryostatin 1, including its lack of tumor promoting activity. The degree to which bryostatin analogs maintain the unique pattern of biological behavior of bryostatin 1 depends on the specific cellular system and the specific response. Merle 23 is a significantly simplified bryostatin analog that retains bryostatin like activity only to a limited extent. Here, we show that in mouse epidermal cells the activity of Merle 23 was either similar to bryostatin 1 or intermediate between bryostatin 1 and PMA, depending on the specific parameter examined. We then examined the hyperplastic and tumor promoting activity of Merle 23 on mouse skin. Merle 23 showed substantially reduced hyperplasia and was not tumor promoting at a dose comparable to that for PMA. These results suggest that there may be substantial flexibility in the design of bryostatin analogs that retain its lack of tumor promoting activity. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Capturing Biological Activity in Natural Product Fragments by Chemical Synthesis

Natural products have had an immense influence on science and have directly led to the introduction of many drugs. Organic chemistry, and its unique ability to tailor natural products through synthesis, provides an extraordinary approach to unlock the full potential of natural products. In this Review, an approach based on natural product derived fragments is presented that can successfully address some of the current challenges in drug discovery. These fragments often display significantly reduced molecular weights, reduced structural complexity, a reduced number of synthetic steps, while retaining or even improving key biological parameters such as potency or selectivity. Examples from various stages of the drug development process up to the clinic are presented. In addition, this process can be leveraged by recent developments such as genome mining, antibody–drug conjugates, and computational approaches. All these concepts have the potential to identify the next generation of drug candidates inspired by natural products.

Structural insights into the interactions of phorbol ester and bryostatin complexed with protein kinase C: a comparative molecular dynamics simulation study

Protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes are important regulatory enzymes that have been implicated in many diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and in the eradication of HIV/AIDS. Given their potential clinical ramifications, PKC modulators, e.g. phorbol esters and bryostatin, are also of great interest in the drug development. However, structural details on the binding between PKC and its modulators, especially bryostatin - the highly potent and non-tumor promoting activator for PKCs, are still lacking. Here, we report the first comparative molecular dynamics study aimed at gaining structural insight into the mechanisms by which the PKC delta cys2 activator domain is used in its binding to phorbol ester and bryostatin-1. As anticipated in the phorbol ester binding, hydrogen bonds are formed through the backbone atoms of Thr242, Leu251, and Gly253 of PKC. However, the opposition of H-bond formation between Thr242 and Gly253 may cause the phorbol ester complex to become less stable when compared with the bryostatin binding. For the PKC delta-bryostatin complex, hydrogen bonds are formed between the Gly253 backbone carbonyl and the C30 carbomethoxy substituent of the ligand. Additionally, the indole Nε1 of the highly homologous Trp252 also forms an H-bond to the C20 ester group on bryostatin. Backbone fluctuations also suggest that this latter H-bond formation may abrogate the transient interaction between Trp252 and His269, thus dampening the fluctuations observed on the nearby Zn(2+)-coordinating residues. This new dynamic fluctuation dampening model can potentially benefit future design of new PKC modulators.

Synthesis of a des-B-ring bryostatin analogue leads to an unexpected ring expansion of the bryolactone core

A convergent synthesis of a des-B-ring bryostatin analogue is described. This analogue was found to undergo an unexpected ring expansion of the bryolactone core to generate the corresponding 21-membered macrocycle. The parent analogue and the ring-expanded product both displayed nanomolar binding affinity for PKC. Despite containing A-ring substitution identical to that of bryostatin 1 and displaying bryostatin-like biological function, the des-B-ring analogues displayed a phorbol-like biological function in cells. These studies shed new light on the role of the bryostatin B-ring in conferring bryo-like biological function to bryostatin analogues.

Synthesis of seco-B-ring bryostatin analogue WN-1 via C-C bond-forming hydrogenation: critical contribution of the B-ring in determining bryostatin-like and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-like properties

The seco-B-ring bryostatin analogue, macrodiolide WN-1, was prepared in 17 steps (longest linear sequence) and 30 total steps with three bonds formed via hydrogen-mediated C-C coupling. This synthetic route features a palladium-catalyzed alkoxycarbonylation of a C2-symmetric diol to form the C9-deoxygenated bryostatin A-ring. WN-1 binds to PKCα (Ki = 16.1 nM) and inhibits the growth of multiple leukemia cell lines. Although structural features of the WN-1 A-ring and C-ring are shared by analogues that display bryostatin-like behavior, WN-1 displays PMA-like behavior in U937 cell attachment and proliferation assays, as well as in K562 and MV-4-11 proliferation assays. Molecular modeling studies suggest the pattern of internal hydrogen bonds evident in bryostatin 1 is preserved in WN-1, and that upon docking WN-1 into the crystal structure of the C1b domain of PKCδ, the binding mode of bryostatin 1 is reproduced. The collective data emphasize the critical contribution of the B-ring to the function of the upper portion of the molecule in conferring a bryostatin-like pattern of biological activity.

Protein kinase C pharmacology: refining the toolbox

PKC (protein kinase C) has been in the limelight since the discovery three decades ago that it acts as a major receptor for the tumour-promoting phorbol esters. Phorbol esters, with their potent ability to activate two of the three classes of PKC isoenzymes, have remained the best pharmacological tool for directly modulating PKC activity. However, with the discovery of other phorbol ester-responsive proteins, the advent of various small-molecule and peptide modulators, and the need to distinguish isoenzyme-specific activity, the pharmacology of PKC has become increasingly complex. Not surprisingly, many of the compounds originally touted as direct modulators of PKC have subsequently been shown to hit many other cellular targets and, in some cases, not even directly modulate PKC. The complexities and reversals in PKC pharmacology have led to widespread confusion about the current status of the pharmacological tools available to control PKC activity. In the present review, we aim to clarify the cacophony in the literature regarding the current state of bona fide and discredited cellular PKC modulators, including activators, small-molecule inhibitors and peptides, and also address the use of genetically encoded reporters and of PKC mutants to measure the effects of these drugs on the spatiotemporal dynamics of signalling by specific isoenzymes.

Comparison of transcriptional response to phorbol ester, bryostatin 1, and bryostatin analogs in LNCaP and U937 cancer cell lines provides insight into their differential mechanism of action

Bryostatin 1, like the phorbol esters, binds to and activates protein kinase C (PKC) but paradoxically antagonizes many but not all phorbol ester responses. Previously, we have compared patterns of biological response to bryostatin 1, phorbol ester, and the bryostatin 1 derivative Merle 23 in two human cancer cell lines, LNCaP and U937. Bryostatin 1 fails to induce a typical phorbol ester biological response in either cell line, whereas Merle 23 resembles phorbol ester in the U937 cells and bryostatin 1 in the LNCaP cells. Here, we have compared the pattern of their transcriptional response in both cell lines. We examined by qPCR the transcriptional response as a function of dose and time for a series of genes regulated by PKCs. In both cell lines bryostatin 1 differed primarily from phorbol ester in having a shorter duration of transcriptional modulation. This was not due to bryostatin 1 instability, since bryostatin 1 suppressed the phorbol ester response. In both cell lines Merle 23 induced a pattern of transcription largely like that of phorbol ester although with a modest reduction at later times in the LNCaP cells, suggesting that the difference in biological response of the two cell lines to Merle 23 lies downstream of this transcriptional regulation. For a series of bryostatins and analogs which ranged from bryostatin 1-like to phorbol ester-like in activity on the U937 cells, the duration of transcriptional response correlated with the pattern of biological activity, suggesting that this may provide a robust platform for structure activity analysis.

Role of the C8 gem-dimethyl group of bryostatin 1 on its unique pattern of biological activity

The role of the C(8) gem-dimethyl group in the A-ring of bryostatin 1 has been examined through chemical synthesis and biological evaluation of a new analogue. Assays for biological function using U937, K562, and MV4-11 cells as well as the profiles for downregulation of PKC isozymes revealed that the presence of this group is not a critical determinant for the unique pattern of biological activity of bryostatin.

Total synthesis of bryostatin 7 via C-C bond-forming hydrogenation

The marine macrolide bryostatin 7 is prepared in 20 steps (longest linear sequence) and 36 total steps with five C-C bonds formed using hydrogenative methods. This approach represents the most concise synthesis of any bryostatin reported, to date.

Total synthesis of bryostatin 9

The total synthesis of bryostatin 9 was accomplished using a uniquely step-economical and convergent Prins-driven macrocyclization strategy. At 25 linear and 42 total steps, this is currently the most concise and convergent synthesis of a potent bryostatin.

Some phorbol esters might partially resemble bryostatin 1 in their actions on LNCaP prostate cancer cells and U937 leukemia cells

Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and bryostatin 1 are both potent protein kinase C (PKC) activators. In LNCaP human prostate cancer cells, PMA induces tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) secretion and inhibits proliferation; bryostatin 1 does not, and indeed blocks the response to PMA. This difference has been attributed to bryostatin 1 not localizing PKCδ to the plasma membrane. Since phorbol ester lipophilicity influences PKCδ localization, we have examined in LNCaP cells a series of phorbol esters and related derivatives spanning some eight logs in lipophilicity (logP) to see if any behave like bryostatin 1. The compounds showed marked differences in their effects on proliferation and TNFα secretion. For example, maximal responses for TNFα secretion relative to PMA ranged from 97 % for octyl-indolactam V to 24 % for phorbol 12,13-dibenzoate. Dose-response curves ranged from monophasic for indolactam V to markedly biphasic for sapintoxin D. The divergent patterns of response, however, correlated neither to lipophilicity, to plasma membrane translocation of PKCδ, nor to the ability to interact with model membranes. In U937 human leukemia cells, a second system in which PMA and bryostatin 1 have divergent effects, viz. PMA but not bryostatin 1 inhibits proliferation and induces attachment, all the compounds acted like PMA for proliferation, but several induced a reduced level or a biphasic dose-response curve for attachment. We conclude that active phorbol esters are not all equivalent. Depending on the system, some might partially resemble bryostatin 1 in their behavior; this encourages the concept that bryostatin-like behavior may be obtained from other structural templates.

Translating Nature's Library: The Bryostatins and Function-Oriented Synthesis

We review in part our computational, design, synthesis, and biological studies on a remarkable class of compounds and their designed analogs that have led to preclinical candidates for the treatment of cancer, a first-in-class approach to Alzheimer's disease, and a promising strategy to eradicate HIV/AIDS. Because these leads target, in part, protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes, they have therapeutic potential even beyond this striking set of therapeutic indications. This program has given rise to new synthetic methodology and represents an increasingly important direction of synthesis focused on achieving function through synthesis-informed design (function-oriented synthesis).

The synthetic bryostatin analog Merle 23 dissects distinct mechanisms of bryostatin activity in the LNCaP human prostate cancer cell line

Bryostatin 1 has attracted considerable attention both as a cancer chemotherapeutic agent and for its unique activity. Although it functions, like phorbol esters, as a potent protein kinase C (PKC) activator, it paradoxically antagonizes many phorbol ester responses in cells. Because of its complex structure, little is known of its structure-function relations. Merle 23 is a synthetic derivative, differing from bryostatin 1 at only four positions. However, in U-937 human leukemia cells, Merle 23 behaves like a phorbol ester and not like bryostatin 1. Here, we characterize the behavior of Merle 23 in the human prostate cancer cell line LNCaP. In this system, bryostatin 1 and phorbol ester have contrasting activities, with the phorbol ester but not bryostatin 1 blocking cell proliferation or tumor necrosis factor alpha secretion, among other responses. We show that Merle 23 displays a highly complex pattern of activity in this system. Depending on the specific biological response or mechanistic change, it was bryostatin-like, phorbol ester-like, intermediate in its behavior, or more effective than either. The pattern of response, moreover, varied depending on the conditions. We conclude that the newly emerging bryostatin derivatives such as Merle 23 provide powerful tools to dissect subsets of bryostatin mechanism and response.

Design, synthesis, and evaluation of potent bryostatin analogs that modulate PKC translocation selectivity

Modern methods for the identification of therapeutic leads include chemical or virtual screening of compound libraries. Nature's library represents a vast and diverse source of leads, often exhibiting exquisite biological activities. However, the advancement of natural product leads into the clinic is often impeded by their scarcity, complexity, and nonoptimal properties or efficacy as well as the challenges associated with their synthesis or modification. Function-oriented synthesis represents a strategy to address these issues through the design of simpler and therefore synthetically more accessible analogs that incorporate the activity-determining features of the natural product leads. This study illustrates the application of this strategy to the design and synthesis of functional analogs of the bryostatin marine natural products. It is specifically directed at exploring the activity-determining role of bryostatin A-ring functionality on PKC affinity and selectivity. The resultant functional analogs, which were prepared by a flexible, modular synthetic strategy, exhibit excellent affinity to PKC and differential isoform selectivity. These and related studies provide the basic information needed for the design of simplified and thus synthetically more accessible functional analogs that target PKC isoforms, major targets of therapeutic interest.

Bryostatins: biological context and biotechnological prospects

Bryostatins are a family of protein kinase C modulators that have potential applications in biomedicine. Found in miniscule quantities in a small marine invertebrate, lack of supply has hampered their development. In recent years, bryostatins have been shown to have potent bioactivity in the central nervous system, an uncultivated marine bacterial symbiont has been shown to be the likely natural source of the bryostatins, the bryostatin biosynthetic genes have been identified and characterized, and bryostatin analogues with promising biological activity have been developed and tested. Challenges in the development of bryostatins for biomedical and biotechnological application include the cultivation of the bacterial symbiont and heterologous expression of bryostatin biosynthesis genes. Continued exploration of the biology as well as the symbiotic origin of the bryostatins presents promising opportunities for discovery of additional bryostatins, and new functions for bryostatins.

The medicinal potential of promising marine macrolides with anticancer activity

Marine natural products have become a major source of new chemical entities in the discovery of potential anticancer agents that potently suppress various molecular targets. In particular, the marine macrolides, which include an array of novel biomolecules endowed with outstanding cytotoxic and/or antiproliferative activities, are a prominent class of marine natural products that offer continued promise for breakthroughs in anticancer research. Herein we highlight some recent studies of promising marine macrolides, paying particular attention to their discovery, anticancer activities, mechanisms of action, chemical synthesis, and representative analogues.

Total synthesis of bryostatin 1

Bryostatin 1 is a marine natural product that is a very promising lead compound because of the potent biological activity it displays against a variety of human disease states. We describe herein the first total synthesis of this agent. The synthetic route adopted is a highly convergent one in which the preformed, heavily functionalized pyran rings A and C are united by "pyran annulation", the TMSOTf-promoted reaction between a hydroxyallylsilane appended to the A-ring fragment and an aldehyde contained in the C-ring fragment, with concomitant formation of the B ring. Further elaborations of the resulting very highly functionalized intermediate include macrolactonization and selective cleavage of just one of five ester linkages present.

Total synthesis of bryostatin 16 using a Pd-catalyzed diyne coupling as macrocyclization method and synthesis of C20-epi-bryostatin 7 as a potent anticancer agent

Asymmetric total synthesis of bryostatin 16 was achieved in 26 steps in the longest linear sequence and in 39 total steps from aldehyde 10. A Pd-catalyzed alkyne-alkyne coupling was employed for the first time as a macrocyclization method in a natural product synthesis. A route to convert bryostatin 16 to a new family of bryostatin analogues was developed. Toward this end, 20-epi-bryostatin 7 was synthesized from a bryostatin 16-like intermediate; the key step involves a Re-catalyzed epoxidation/ring-opening reaction. Preliminary biological studies indicated that this new analogue exhibits nanomolar anti-cancer activity against several cancer cell lines.

Marine antitumor drugs: status, shortfalls and strategies

Cancer is considered as one of the deadliest diseases in the medical field. Apart from the preventive therapies, it is important to find a curative measure which holds no loopholes and acts accurately and precisely to curb cancer. Over the past few decades, there have been advances in this field and there are many antitumor compounds available on the market, which are of natural as well as synthetic origin. Marine chemotherapy is well recognized nowadays and profound development has been achieved by researchers to deal with different molecular pathways of tumors. However, the marine environment has been less explored for the production of safe and novel antitumor compounds. The reason is a number of shortfalls in this field. Though ample reviews cover the importance and applications of various anticancerous compounds from marine natural products, in the present review, we have tried to bring the current status of antitumor research based on marine inhibitors of cancer signaling pathways. In addition, focus has been placed on the shortfalls and probable strategies in the arena of marine antitumor drug discovery.

New approaches to the total synthesis of the bryostatin antitumor macrolides

In this Focus Review, we give an overview of various bryostatin total syntheses. We also discuss the synthesis of various bryostatin analogues and their biological activity. Work reviewed includes that of Masamune, Evans, Nishiyama and Yamamura, Hale and Manaviazar, Trost, Wender, Keck, Burke, Thomas, and Krische. Our coverage is primarily for the period 2001-2009, since detailed reviews already exist on bryostatin total synthesis work and biology up to this time.

Concise synthesis of the bryostatin A-ring via consecutive C-C bond forming transfer hydrogenations

Under the conditions of C-C bond forming transfer hydrogenation, 1,3-propanediol 1 engages in double asymmetric carbonyl allylation to furnish the C(2)-symmetric diol 2. Double ozonolysis of 2 followed by TBS protection delivers aldehyde 3, which is subject to catalyst directed carbonyl reverse prenylation via transfer hydrogenation to deliver neopentyl alcohol 4 and, ultimately, the bryostatin A-ring 7. Through use of two consecutive C-C bond forming transfer hydrogenations, the Evans' bryostatin A-ring 7 is prepared in less than half the manipulations previously reported.

The bryostatin 1 A-ring acetate is not the critical determinant for antagonism of phorbol ester-induced biological responses

The contribution of the A-ring C(7) acetate to the function of bryostatin 1 has been investigated through synthesis and biological evaluation of an analogue incorporating this feature into the bryopyran core structure. No enhanced binding affinity for protein kinase C (PKC) was observed, relative to previously characterized analogues lacking the C(7) acetate. Functional assays showed biological responses characteristic of those induced by the phorbol ester PMA and distinctly different from those observed with bryostatin 1.