A synthetic manassantin a derivative inhibits hypoxia-inducible factor 1 and tumor growth

The dineolignan manassantin A from Saururaceae was recently identified as a hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) inhibitor, but its in-vivo anti-tumor effect has not been explored. We synthesized a series of manassantin A derivatives, and found that replacing the central tetrahydrofuran moiety with a cyclopentane ring yielded a compound (LXY6006) with increased HIF-1-inhibitory activity yet decreased stereochemically complexity amenable to a simplified synthesis scheme. LXY6006 inhibited HIF-1α nuclear accumulation induced by hypoxia, and inhibited cancer cell growth as a consequence of G2/M arrest. Oral administration of LXY6006 significantly inhibited growth of breast, lung, and pancreatic tumors implanted in nude mice. These results indicate that LXY6006 represents a novel class of agents targeting a broad range of human cancers.