Natural products show outstanding potential as starting point in drug discovery, especially in the quest for anticancer drugs. The research proposed here will explore structure-activity relationships of largazole, a marine natural product that shows nanomolar and selective antiproliferative activity against cancer cell lines in vitro. We will characterize the antitumor mode of action and assess the therapeutic potential of most promising largazole analogs. We recently discovered largazole during our ongoing program to find novel antitumor drugs from marine cyanobacteria. Our preliminary data indicate that largazole is a potent histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor. HDACs have emerged as attractive targets for anticancer drug discovery since epigenetic gene silencing due to aberrant HDAC activity has been associated with several types of cancers;first-in-class HDAC inhibitor on the market Zolinza (Merck) was approved for the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma in late 2006. The working hypothesis tested is that largazole exerts its antitumor activity by class I HDAC inhibition, thereby selectively inhibiting cancer cell growth, and could be an effective drug against a variety of tumors in vivo. First, we will systematically explore two areas within the structure of largazole to complete our structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies, improve potency of HDAC inhibitory activity, and provide insights on the class I HDAC specificity of largazole. Second, we will examine the direct effects of synthesized largazole analogs on various HDAC isoforms and assess stability and metabolism. Third, we will determine transcriptional consequences of cancer cell treatment with various synthetic, bioactive largazoles and determine drug exposures necessary to achieve antitumor activity. Fourth, we will execute pharmacological and therapeutic efficacy studies with prioritized largazoles and address plasma stability, in vivo pharmacokinetics in tumor-bearing mice and ultimately carry out efficacy studies.

Public Health Relevance

Selective inhibitors of the enzyme histone deacetylase could be promising anticancer agents. We have identified a lead compound from a marine cyanobacterium and we propose to synthesize a series of related compounds with improved selectivity and potency and test the efficacy of the most promising compounds in cancer cells and in mice tumor models.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01CA138544-04
Application #
8292170
Study Section
Synthetic and Biological Chemistry B Study Section (SBCB)
Program Officer
Fu, Yali
Project Start
2009-07-01
Project End
2014-08-31
Budget Start
2012-09-01
Budget End
2014-08-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2012
Total Cost
$299,580
Indirect Cost
$55,611
Name
University of Florida
Department
Pharmacology
Type
Schools of Pharmacy
DUNS #
969663814
City
Gainesville
State
FL
Country
United States
Zip Code
32611
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Kim, Bumki; Hong, Jiyong (2015) An overview of naturally occurring histone deacetylase inhibitors. Curr Top Med Chem 14:2759-82
Hong, Jiyong (2014) Natural product synthesis at the interface of chemistry and biology. Chemistry 20:10204-12
Yu, Mingming; Salvador, Lilibeth A; Sy, Sherwin K B et al. (2014) Largazole pharmacokinetics in rats by LC-MS/MS. Mar Drugs 12:1623-40
Kim, Bumki; Park, Heekwang; Salvador, Lilibeth A et al. (2014) Evaluation of class I HDAC isoform selectivity of largazole analogues. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 24:3728-31
Law, M E; Corsino, P E; Jahn, S C et al. (2013) Glucocorticoids and histone deacetylase inhibitors cooperate to block the invasiveness of basal-like breast cancer cells through novel mechanisms. Oncogene 32:1316-29
Hong, Jiyong; Luesch, Hendrik (2012) Largazole: from discovery to broad-spectrum therapy. Nat Prod Rep 29:449-56
Salvador, Lilibeth A; Luesch, Hendrik (2012) Discovery and mechanism of natural products as modulators of histone acetylation. Curr Drug Targets 13:1029-47

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