Further Probing the Properties of a Unique Sponge-derived Alkaloid Through the Isolation of a New (-)-(5E)-(8R)-(14Z)-Mycothiazole Analogue

Scale-up isolation of (+)-(5Z)-(8S)-(14Z)-mycothiazole (1) from Vanuatu specimens of C. mycofijiensis to semisynthesize (+)-(5Z)-(8S)-8-O-acetyl-(14Z)-mycothiazole (2) revealed a new diastereomer, (−)-(5E)-(8R)-(14Z)-mycothiazole (4). The structure of 4 was determined using HRMS, NMR, and comparing optical rotation to (−)-(5Z)-(8R)-(14Z)-mycothiazole (3) and 2. The maximum tolerated dose of 2 in mice was 0.1 mg/kg. The IC50 of 4 in PANC-1 and HepG2 cancer cell lines was 111.6 and 115.0 nM. Evaluation of 4 in C. elegans showed similar oxygen consumption compared to 1–2, and all compounds significantly increased the lifespan. The Z orientation at Δ5,6 is crucial for picomolar cytotoxicity but not for mitochondrial inhibition.