α-Synuclein Aggregation Inhibitory Procerolides and Diphenylalkanes from the Ascidian Polycarpa procera

J Nat Prod. 2023 Mar 24;86(3):533-540. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.2c01140. Epub 2023 Feb 14.

Abstract

The aggregation of the neuronal protein α-synuclein (α-syn) is intrinsically linked to the development and progression of Parkinson's disease (PD). Recently we screened the MeOH extracts from 283 marine invertebrates for α-syn binding activity using an affinity mass spectrometry (MS) binding assay and found that the extract of the ascidian Polycarpa procera displayed activity. A subsequent bioassay-guided purification led to the isolation of one new α-syn aggregation inhibitory butenolide procerolide E (3) and one new α-syn aggregation inhibitory diphenylbutyrate methyl procerolate A (5). Herein we report the structure elucidation of procerolide E (3) and methylprocerolate A (5) and α-syn aggregation inhibitory activity of procerolides C-E (1-3), methyl procerolate A (5) and procerone A (4). We also report the α-syn binding activity of 3-bromo-4-methoxyphenylacetamide (6) and a synthetic butenolide library, which has allowed us to determine α-syn aggregation inhibitory structure-activity relationships for this class of compounds.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Humans
  • Parkinson Disease* / metabolism
  • Urochordata* / metabolism
  • alpha-Synuclein / metabolism

Substances

  • alpha-Synuclein
  • Procera
  • butenolide