Synthesis, structure and anticancer activity of new geldanamycin amine analogs containing C(17)- or C(20)- flexible and rigid arms as well as closed or open ansa-bridges

The nucleophilic attack of amines at C(17) or C(17)/C(20) positions of geldanamycin's (GDM) benzoquinone, via initial 1,4-Michael conjugate addition mechanism, yield new analogs with closed or open ansa-bridges (1-31), respectively. X-ray structures of analogs 22 and 24 reveals an unexpected arrangement of the ansa-bridge in solid (conformer B), that is located between those of conformers A, prevailing in solution (trans-lactam), and C, crucial at binding to HSP90 (cis-lactam). The structure of a new-type conformer B allows to better understand the molecular recognition mechanism between the GDM analogs and the target HSP90. Combined analysis of: Anticancer test results (SKBR-3, SKOV-3, PC-3, U-87, A-549) and those performed in normal cells (HDF), K_D values and docking modes at HSP90 as well as clogP parameters, reveals that the rigid C(17)-arm (piperidyl, cyclohexyl) with a H-bond acceptor as carbonyl group together with a lipophilicity clogP∼3 favor high potency of analogs, even up to IC₅₀ ∼0.08 μM, at improved selectivity (SI_HDF > 30), when compared to GDM. The most active 25 show higher Anticancer potency than 17-AAG (in SKOV-3 and A-549) as well as reblastatin (in SKBR-3 and SKOV-3). Opening of the ansa-bridge within GDM analogs, at the best case, decreases activity (IC₅₀∼2 μM) and toxicity in HDF cells (SI_HDF∼2-3), relative to GDM.

Ansa-macrolides; Anticancer; Benzoquinones; Chaperones Hsp90; Drug-target model; Michael addition/aromatization/oxidation cascade.