Regio- and Stereospecific Synthesis of Oridonin D-Ring Aziridinated Analogues for the Treatment of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer via Mediated Irreversible Covalent Warheads

J Med Chem. 2018 Apr 12;61(7):2737-2752. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.7b01514. Epub 2018 Mar 20.

Abstract

Covalent drug discovery has undergone a resurgence in recent years due to comprehensive optimization of the structure-activity relationship (SAR) and the structure-reactivity relationship (SRR) for covalent drug candidates. The natural product oridonin maintains an impressive pharmacological profile through its covalent enone warhead on the D-ring and has attracted substantial SAR studies to characterize its potential in the development of new molecular entities for the treatment of various human cancers and inflammation. Herein, for the first time, we report the excessive reactivity of this covalent warhead and mediation of the covalent binding capability through a Rh2(esp)2-catalyzed mild and concise regio- and stereospecific aziridination approach. Importantly, aziridonin 44 (YD0514), with a more-druglike irreversible covalent warhead, has been identified to significantly induce apoptosis and inhibit colony formation against triple-negative breast cancer with enhanced antitumor effects in vitro and in vivo while displaying lower toxicity to normal human mammary epithelial cells in comparison to oridonin.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / chemical synthesis*
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Breast / cytology
  • Breast / drug effects
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Catalysis
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Diterpenes, Kaurane / chemical synthesis*
  • Diterpenes, Kaurane / pharmacology*
  • Drug Discovery
  • Epithelial Cells / drug effects
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Tumor Stem Cell Assay
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • Diterpenes, Kaurane
  • oridonin