Total Synthesis of (±)-Hirsutine: Application of Phosphine-Catalyzed Imine–Allene [4 + 2] Annulation

The total synthesis of the indole alkaloid hirsutine has been achieved, with a key step being the application of our phosphine-catalyzed [4 + 2] annulation of an imine with ethyl α-methylallenoate. From commercially available indole-2-carboxaldehyde, the target was synthesized in 14 steps and 6.7% overall yield

Total Synthesis of (±)-Hirsutine: Application of Phosphine-Catalyzed Imine–Allene [4 + 2] Annulation

The total synthesis of the indole alkaloid hirsutine has been achieved, with a key step being the application of our phosphine-catalyzed [4 + 2] annulation of an imine with ethyl α-methylallenoate. From commercially available indole-2-carboxaldehyde, the target was synthesized in 14 steps and 6.7% overall yield

Total Synthesis of (±)-Hirsutine: Application of Phosphine-Catalyzed Imine–Allene [4 + 2] Annulation

The total synthesis of the indole alkaloid hirsutine has been achieved, with a key step being the application of our phosphine-catalyzed [4 + 2] annulation of an imine with ethyl α-methylallenoate. From commercially available indole-2-carboxaldehyde, the target was synthesized in 14 steps and 6.7% overall yield

RNA Splicing Modulation Selectively Impairs Leukemia Stem Cell Maintenance in Secondary Human AML.

Age-related human hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) exhaustion and myeloid-lineage skewing promote oncogenic transformation of hematopoietic progenitor cells into therapy-resistant leukemia stem cells (LSCs) in secondary acute myeloid leukemia (AML). While acquisition of clonal DNA mutations has been linked to increased rates of secondary AML for individuals older than 60 years, the contribution of RNA processing alterations to human hematopoietic stem and progenitor aging and LSC generation remains unclear. Comprehensive RNA sequencing and splice-isoform-specific PCR uncovered characteristic RNA splice isoform expression patterns that distinguished normal young and aged human stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) from malignant myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and AML progenitors. In splicing reporter assays and pre-clinical patient-derived AML models, treatment with a pharmacologic splicing modulator, 17S-FD-895, reversed pro-survival splice isoform switching and significantly impaired LSC maintenance. Therapeutic splicing modulation, together with monitoring splice isoform biomarkers of healthy HSPC aging versus LSC generation, may be employed safely and effectively to prevent relapse, the leading cause of leukemia-related mortality

Stabilized Cyclopropane Analogs of the Splicing Inhibitor FD-895

Targeting the spliceosome with small molecule inhibitors provides a new avenue to target cancer by intercepting alternate splicing pathways. Although our understanding of alternate mRNA splicing remains poorly understood, it provides an escape pathway for many cancers resistant to current therapeutics. These findings have encouraged recent academic and industrial efforts to develop natural product spliceosome inhibitors, including FD-895 (1a), pladienolide B (1b) and pladienolide D (1c), into next-generation anticancer drugs. The present study describes the application of semi-synthesis and total synthesis to reveal key structure activity relationships (SARs) for the spliceosome inhibition by 1a. This information is applied to deliver new analogs with improved stability and potent activity at inhibiting splicing in patient derived cell lines