Total Synthesis and Structure-Activity Relationship Study of Vineomycin A₁

The first total synthesis of vineomycin A₁ (1) has been accomplished. Structure-activity relationship studies for cytotoxicity against human breast cancer MCF-7 cells using several synthetic vineomycin A₁ analogues differing in the number and position of glycon moieties revealed that the cytotoxicity increased as the number of glycon moieties increased. The position of the glycon moiety was one of the key factors for the cytotoxicity of 1. Moreover, in vitro analysis of the cytotoxicity of 1 against MCF-7 cells indicated for the first time that 1 effectively induced cancer cell death by apoptosis, not by acting as a DNA intercalating agent.