Lagunamide C, a cytotoxic cyclodepsipeptide from the marine cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula

Abstract Lagunamide C ( 1 ) is a cytotoxic cyclodepsipeptide isolated from the marine cyanobacterium, Lyngbya majuscula , from the western lagoon of Pulau Hantu Besar, Singapore. The complete structural characterization of the molecule was achieved by extensive NMR spectroscopic analysis as well as chemical manipulations. Several methods, including the advanced Marfey’s method, a modified method based on derivatization with Mosher’s reagents and analysis using LC–MS, and the use of 3 J H–H coupling constant values, were utilized for the determination of its absolute configuration. Compound 1 is related to the aurilide-class of molecules and it differs mainly in the macrocyclic structure by having a 27 membered ring system due to additional methylene carbon in the polyketide moiety. Lagunamide C displayed potent cytotoxic activity against a panel of cancer cell lines, such as P388, A549, PC3, HCT8, and SK-OV3 cell lines, with IC 50 values ranging from 2.1 nM to 24.4 nM. Compound 1 also displayed significant antimalarial activity with IC 50 value of 0.29 μM when tested against Plasmodium falciparum . In addition, lagunamide C exhibited weak anti-swarming activity when tested at 100 ppm against the Gram-negative bacterial strain, Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA01.