Enzymatic Methylation and Structure–Activity‐Relationship Studies on Polycarcin V, a Gilvocarcin‐Type Antitumor Agent

Polycarcin V, a polyketide natural product of Streptomyces polyformus, was chosen to study structure-activity-relationships of the gilvocarcin group of antitumor antibiotics, because of a similar chemical structure and comparable bioactivity with gilvocarcin V, the principle compound of this group, and the feasibility of enzymatic modifications of its sugar moiety by auxiliary O-methyltransferases. Such enzymes were used to modify the interaction of the drug with histone H3, the biological target that interacts with the sugar moiety. Cytotoxicity assays revealed that a free 2’-OH group of the sugar moiety is essential to maintain the bioactivity of polycarcin V, apparently an important H-bond donor for the interaction with histone H3, while converting 3'-OH into an OCH3 group improved the bioactivity. Bis-methylated polycarcin derivatives revealed weaker activity than the parent compound, indicating that at least two H-bond donors in the sugar are necessary for optimal binding.