Vincristine synthesis

Table 4.33 Summary of reaction metrics and synthesis tree parameters for vincristine synthesis plans ranked according to overall kernel (maximum) RME. ...

The influences of herbicides on cell division fall into two classes, ie, dismption of the mitotic sequence and inhibition of mitotic entry from interphase (G, S, G2). If ceU-cycle analyses indicate increases in abnormal mitotic figures, combined with decreases in one or more of the normal mitotic stages, the effect is upon mitosis. Mitotic effects usually involve the microtubules of the spindle apparatus in the form of spindle depolymerization, blocked tubulin synthesis, or inhibited microtubule polymerization (163). Alkaloids such as colchicine [64-86-8J,viahla.stiae [865-21-4] and vincristine [57-22-7] dismpt microtubule function (164). Colchicine prevents microtubule formation and promotes disassembly of those already present. Vinblastine and vincristine also bind to free tubulin molecules, precipitating crystalline tubulin in the cytoplasm. The capacities of these dmgs to interfere with mitotic spindles, blocking cell division, makes them useful in cancer treatment. 

The two alkaloids vinblastine and vincristine found in Catharanthus roseus have been recent targets of total synthesis because of their potency in cancer chemotherapy. The reduced tree diagram for the Fukuyama plan to vincristine is shown in Figure 4.66. There are three points of convergence, four branches leading to the target product and four tiers of reaction yields. 

Figure 4.66 Reduced synthesis tree for synthesis of vincristine by Fukuyama method. Step counts are shown in parantheses.

Kuboyama, T., Yokoshima, S., Tokoyama, H., Fukuyama, T. (2004) StereocontroUed Total Synthesis of (-F)-Vincristine. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 101, 11966-11970. 

The absolute configuration of the stereo centers of vinblastine (1) was determined from the X-ray crystal structure of vincristine (2) methiodide (79,80) in view of the known relationship between 1 and 2. The absolute stereochemistry at C-I8 in vinblastine (1) and related derivatives can also be deduced by means of ORD and CD spectroscopy (81,82). The determination was made possible by the synthesis and structure elucidation of several compounds possessing the unnatural configuration at C-18 (82,84). Because this stereo center controls the relative geometry of the... 

The structural modification of natural products is useful in several ways. The known pharmacology of bisindole alkaloids is enriched by the diversity of chemical structures that are made available by structure modification and total synthesis. These molecules have served as biochemical probes in several areas of biology, especially in those of microtubule assembly and drug resistance. The most elusive prize, however, has remained the discovery of new compounds with clinical activity. In recent years several compounds have been evaluated in clinical trials, but vinblastine and vincristine remain the only bisindole alkaloids approved for the treatment of cancer in the United States. These compounds are joined by vindesine in Europe, and at least two new derivatives are the subject of ongoing clinical trials. Considering the breadth of chemical research in this area, the overall yield as measured by new compounds with clinical activity has been relatively low, but this observation is not unique in history of analog development in cancer research. Nevertheless, the search continues, and this chapter details the chemical endeavors to discover a new bisindole alkaloid with clinical activity. 

With the exception of the effect on microtubules described in the foregoing paragraph, the bisindole alkaloids have little or no effect on macro-molecular synthesis at subtoxic concentrations (21,22). In experiments utilizing radiolabeled precursors ([ H]leucine, -uridine, or -thymidine) cells cultured in the presence of vinblastine showed no differential incorporation of radioactivity. Furthermore, there is no indication that treatment of cells with vinblastine or vincristine produces alterations in cellular DNA (23,24). 

Treatment of cells with concentrations of vincristine or vindesine that produce relatively little effect on cell viability results in an accumulation of cells in the M and Gj (gap after DNA synthesis) phases of the cell cycle. The cellular effects, as measured by techniques such as flow... 

Vinblastine and vincristine are alkaloids isolated from plants of the periwinkle family (Vinca rosea). These compounds cause cells to stop at metaphase and inhibit assembly of microtubules, and likewise, failure of mitotic spindle formations. They inhibit synthesis of nucleic acids and proteins. 

Vincamine, vinblastine and vincristine are very important clinic alkaloids. They are produced naturally by plants vincamine by Vinca minor, and vinblascine and vincristine by Madagascar periwinkle Catharanthus roseus). The vindoline synthesis pathway starts with strictosidine and, via dehydrogeissoschizine, preakuammicine, stemmadenine and tabersonine, is converted to vindoline and vincristine (Figure 42). Conversion from vindoline to vinblastine is based on the NADH enzyme activity. Vinblastine and vincristine are very similar alkaloids. The difference is that vincristine has CHO connected to N, whereas vinblastine in the same situation has only CO3. This synthetic structural differences influence their activity. Vinblastine is used to treat Hodgkin s disease (a form of lymphoid cancer), while vincristine is used clinically in the treatment of children s leukaemia. Vincristine is more neurotoxic than vinblastine. 

Alkaloids such as vinblastine and vincristine are known to bind to the microtubules of the spindle apparatus. They are active agents that influence DNA synthesis and amino acid metabolism. They are also known to reduce mitosis at metaphase. Vinblastine and vincristine also have some immunosuppressive activity. There are many applications of these alkaloids. They have been used in the treatment of Hodgkin s disease, cancers and blood disorders. Vincristine is a basis for the development of clinic agents used to treat cerebral and pulmonary disorders. Vinblastine and vincristine are well-known anficancer agents. 

Procarbazine (Matulane) inhibits DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis through an unknown mechanism. It is effective in patients with Hodgkin s disease when given in combination with mechlore-thamine, vincristine, and prednisone (MOPP). Procarbazine causes neurotoxicity, bone marrow... 

The Aspidosperma family of indole alkaloids has inspired many synthetic strategies for the construction of their pentacyclic framework of the parent compound aspidospermidine (366), since the initial clinical success of two derivatives, vinblastine (10) and vincristine, as anticancer agents. The alkaloids such as (-)-rhazinal (369) and (-)-rhazinilam (6) have been identified as novel leads for the development of new generation anticancer agents [10,11]. Bis-lactams (-)-leucunolam (370) and (-t-)-epi-leucunolam (371) have bio-genetic and structural relationships with these compounds [236]. Recently, enantioselective or racemic total syntheses of some of the these natural product were achieved. One successful synthesis was the preparation of the tricyclic ketone 365, an advanced intermediate in the synthesis of aspidospermidine (366), from pyrrole (1) (Scheme 76) [14]. The key step is the construction of the indolizidine 360, which represents the first example of the equivalent intramolecular Michael addition process [14,237,238]. The DIBAL-H mediated reduction product was subject to mesylation under the Crossland-... 

The Polonovski reaction (see Volume 6, Chapter 4.7) — the action of an acid anhydride on an V-oxide — can give rise both to elimination or fragmentation reactions. Potier has modified the fragmentation by use of TFAA rather than AC2O and has applied this version to a useful synthesis of compounds related to antitumor alkaloids of Catharanthus roseus, e.g. vinblastine and vincristine. 

As embryogenesis involves extensive cellular proliferation, any interference with this process is potentially teratogenic. Interference with spindle formation, inhibition or arrest of DNA synthesis or the incorrect separation of chromatids all fall into this category. Inhibition of DNA synthesis, such as that caused by cytosine arabinoside, slows or arrests mitosis, which cannot progress beyond the S-phase. Thus those areas of the embryo which show extensive cellular proliferation are the most susceptible to both necrosis and subsequent malformation from cytotoxic compounds such as cytosine arabinoside. Inhibition of spindle formation such as that caused by vincristine or colchicine stops separation of chromosomes at anaphase (see page 240). Proper separation of chromatids may not occur because of stickiness or bridging between the chromatids. Clearly interference with mitosis, and hence cell proliferation, is an important cause of teratogenic effects. 

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