@article {292, title = {13,13-Dimethyl-des-C,D analogues of (20S)-1α,25-dihydroxy-2-methylene-19-norvitamin D$_{3}$ (2MD): total synthesis, docking to the VDR, and biological evaluation}, journal = {Bioorganic \& Medicinal Chemistry}, volume = {19}, year = {2011}, month = {2011 Dec 1}, pages = {7205-20}, abstract = {As a continuation of our studies focused on the vitamin D compounds lacking the C,D-hydrindane system, 13,13-dimethyl-des-C,D analogues of (20S)-1α,25-dihydroxy-2-methylene-19-norvitamin D(3) (2, 2MD) were prepared by total synthesis. The known cyclohexanone 30, a precursor of the desired A-ring phosphine oxide 11, was synthesized starting with the keto acetal 13, whereas the aldehyde 12, constituting an acyclic {\textquoteright}upper{\textquoteright} building block, was obtained from the isomeric esters 34, prepared previously in our laboratory. The commercial 1,4-cyclohexanedione monoethylene ketal (13) was enantioselectively α-hydroxylated utilizing the α-aminoxylation process catalyzed by l-proline, and the introduced hydroxy group was protected as a TBS, TPDPS, and SEM ether. Then the keto group in the obtained compounds 15-17 was methylenated and the allylic hydroxylation was performed with selenium dioxide and pyridine N-oxide. After separation of the isomers, the newly introduced hydroxy group was protected and the ketal group hydrolyzed to yield the corresponding protected (3R,5R)-3,5-dihydroxycyclohexanones 30-32. The esters 34, starting compounds for the C,D-fragment 12, were first α-methylated, then reduced and the resulted primary alcohols 36 were deoxygenated using the Barton-McCombie protocol. Primary hydroxy group in the obtained diether 38 was deprotected and oxidized to furnish the aldehyde 12. The Wittig-Horner coupling of the latter with the anion of the phosphine oxide 11, followed by hydroxyl deprotection furnished two isomeric 13,13-dimethyl-des-C,D analogues of 2MD (compounds 10 and 42) differing in configuration of their 7,8-double bond. Pure vitamin D analogues were isolated by HPLC and their biological activity was examined. The in vitro tests indicated that, compared to the analogue 7, unsubstituted at C-13, the synthesized vitamin D analogue 10 showed markedly improved VDR binding ability, significantly enhanced HL-60 differentiation activity as well as increased transcriptional potency. Docking simulations provided a rational explanation for the observed binding affinity of these ligands to the VDR. Biological in vivo tests proved that des-C,D compound 10 retained some intestinal activity. Its geometrical isomer 42 was devoid of any biological activity.}, keywords = {Animals, Calcitriol, Cell Differentiation, Crystallography, X-Ray, HL-60 Cells, Humans, Male, Models, Molecular, Molecular Conformation, Rats, Receptors, Calcitriol, Structure-Activity Relationship}, issn = {1464-3391}, doi = {10.1016/j.bmc.2011.09.048}, author = {Katarzyna Plonska-Ocypa and Izabela Sibilska and Rafal R. Sicinski and Wanda Sicinska and Lori A. Plum and Hector F. DeLuca} } @article {299, title = {2-Methylene analogs of 1alpha-hydroxy-19-norvitamin D3: synthesis, biological activities and docking to the ligand binding domain of the rat vitamin D receptor}, journal = {The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology}, volume = {89-90}, year = {2004}, month = {2004 May}, pages = {13-7}, abstract = {In continuing efforts towards the synthesis of biologically active vitamin D compounds of potential therapeutic value, new 2-methylene-1alpha-hydroxy-19-norvitamin D(3) analogs 3 and 4 with modified alkyl side chains have been synthesized. The key synthetic step involved Lythgoe-type Wittig-Horner coupling of Windaus-Grundmann type ketones 9, possessing different 17beta-alkyl substituents, with the phosphine oxide 10 prepared from (-)-quinic acid. The prepared vitamins 3 and 4 were ca. eight times less potent than 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) (1alpha,25-(OH)(2)D(3)) (1) in binding to the rat intestinal vitamin D receptor (VDR). In comparison with the hormone 1 they exhibited slightly lower cellular HL-60 differentiation activity. When tested in vivo; the analog 3 was characterized by very high bone calcium mobilizing potency and intestinal calcium transport activity. Unexpectedly, the 25-methyl compound 4 showed marked calcemic activity in both assays. Computational docking of the vitamin 3 into the binding pocket of the rat vitamin D receptor is also reported.}, keywords = {Animals, Binding Sites, Calcitriol, Female, HL-60 Cells, Humans, Hydrocarbons, Ligands, Methane, Mice, Models, Molecular, Rats, Receptors, Calcitriol}, issn = {0960-0760}, doi = {10.1016/j.jsbmb.2004.03.103}, author = {Pawel Grzywacz and Lori A. Plum and Wanda Sicinska and Rafal R. Sicinski and Jean M. Prahl and Hector F. DeLuca} } @article {290, title = {2-Ethyl and 2-ethylidene analogues of 1alpha,25-dihydroxy-19-norvitamin D(3): synthesis, conformational analysis, biological activities, and docking to the modeled rVDR ligand binding domain.}, journal = {Journal of Medicinal Chemistry}, volume = {45}, year = {2002}, month = {2002 Aug 1}, pages = {3366-80}, abstract = {Novel 19-nor analogues of 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) were prepared and substituted at C-2 with an ethylidene group. The synthetic pathway was via Wittig-Horner coupling of the corresponding A-ring phosphine oxides with the protected 25-hydroxy Grundmann{\textquoteright}s ketones. Selective catalytic hydrogenation of 2-ethylidene analogues provided the 2alpha- and 2beta-ethyl compounds. The 2-ethylidene-19-nor compounds with a methyl group from the ethylidene moiety in a trans relationship to the C(6)-C(7) bond (E-isomers) were more potent than the corresponding Z-isomers and the natural hormone in binding to the vitamin D receptor. Both geometrical isomers (E and Z) of (20S)-2-ethylidene-19-norvitamin D(3) and both 2alpha-ethyl-19-norvitamins (in the 20R- and 20S-series) have much higher HL-60 differentiation activity than does 1alpha,25-(OH)(2)D(3). Both E-isomers (20R and 20S) of 2-ethylidene vitamins are characterized by very high calcemic activity in rats. The three-dimensional structure model of the rat vitamin D receptor and the computational docking of four synthesized (20R)-19-norvitamin D(3) analogues into its binding pocket are also reported.}, keywords = {Animals, Binding Sites, Biological Transport, Calcitriol, Calcium, Cell Differentiation, Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid, HL-60 Cells, Humans, Intestinal Mucosa, Ligands, Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Male, Models, Molecular, Molecular Conformation, Rats, Receptors, Calcitriol, Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet, Structure-Activity Relationship, Swine}, issn = {0022-2623}, author = {Rafal R. Sicinski and Piotr Rotkiewicz and Andrzej Koli{\'n}ski and Wanda Sicinska and Jean M. Prahl and Connie M. Smith and Hector F. DeLuca} }