Total synthesis of TMC-95A and -B via a new reaction leading to Z-enamides. Some preliminary findings as to SAR

A full account of the total syntheses of proteasome inhibitors TMC-95A and -B is provided. A key feature of the syntheses involved installation of a cis-propenylamide moiety by a thermal rearrangement of an alpha-silylallyl amide. The scope and mechanism of the enamide-forming reaction are discussed. Also provided are some preliminary results from SAR studies. It was found that simplified analogues can retain the full potency of proteasome inhibition.

Simplified synthetic TMC-95A/B analogues retain the potency of proteasome inhibitory activity

The proteasome regulates diverse intracellular processes, including cell-cycle progression, antigen presentation, and inflammatory response. Selective inhibitors of the proteasome have great therapeutic potential for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory disorders. Natural cyclic peptides TMC-95A and B represent a new class of noncovalent, selective proteasome inhibitors. To explore the structure-activity relationship of this class of proteasome inhibitors, a series of TMC-95A/B analogues were prepared and analyzed. We found that the unique enamide functionality at the C8 position of TMC-95s can be replaced with a simple allylamide. The asymmetric center at C36 that distinguishes TMC-95A from TMC-95B but which necessitates a complicated separation of the two compounds can be eliminated. Therefore, these findings could lead to the development of more accessible simple analogues as potential therapeutic agents.

Characterization of a novel mammalian phosphatase having sequence similarity to Schizosaccharomyces pombe PHO2 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae PHO13

p34, a specific p-nitrophenyl phosphatase (pNPPase) was identified and purified from the murine cell line EL4 in a screen for the intracellular molecular targets of the antiinflammatory natural product parthenolide. A BLAST search analysis revealed that it has a high degree of sequence similarity to two yeast alkaline phosphatases. We have cloned, sequenced, and expressed p34 as a GST-tagged fusion protein in Escherichia coli and an EE-epitope-tagged fusion protein in mammalian cells. Using p-nitrophenyl phosphate (pNPP) as a substrate, p34 is optimally active at pH 7.6 with a K(m) of 1.36 mM and K(cat) of 0.052 min(-1). Addition of 1 mM Mg(2+) to the reaction mixture increases its activity by 14-fold. Other divalent metal ions such as Co(2+) and Mn(2+) also stimulated the activity of the enzyme, while Zn(2+), Fe(2+), and Cu(2+) had no effect. Furthermore, both NaCl and KCl enhanced the activity of the enzyme, having maximal effect at 50 and 75 mM, respectively. The enzyme is inhibited by sodium orthovanadate but not by sodium fluoride or okadaic acid. Mutational analysis data suggest that p34 belongs to the group of phosphatases characterized by the sequence motif DXDX(T/V).