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Forskolin (1), a highly oxygenated labdane diterpenoid and an activator of adenylate cyclase, has been synthesized in 12 steps and 12% overall yield from ptychantin A (4), which has been isolated from liverwort Ptychanthus striatus in good yield. The 1alpha-hydroxy group was furnished by stereoselective reduction of the corresponding carbonyl group by sodium in t-BuOH. The 9alpha-hydroxy group was introduced stereoselectively by epoxidation of delta(9.11)-enolether. 1,9-Dideoxyforskolin (2), an inhibitor of glucose transporter, has been synthesized in 8 steps and 37% overall yield. The hydroxy group at C-1 was removed by solid-state thicarbonylimidazolation and subsequent radical cleavage.

Two photolabels, N-(3-(4-azido-3-125I-phenyl)-propionamide)-6- aminoethylcarbamylforskolin(125I-6-AIPP-Fsk) and N-(3-(4-azido-3-125I-phenyl)propionamide)-7-aminoethylcarbamyl-7- desacetylforskolin (125I-7-AIPP-Fsk) were synthesized with specific activities of 2200 Ci/mmol and used to label adenylyl cyclase and the glucose transporter. The affinities of the photolabels for adenylyl cyclase were determined by their inhibition of [3H]forskolin binding to bovine brain membranes. 6-AIPP-Fsk and 7-AIPP-Fsk inhibited [3H]forskolin binding with IC50 values of 15 nM and 200 nM, respectively. 125I-6-AIPP-Fsk labeled a 115-kDa protein in control and GTP gamma S-preactivated bovine brain membranes. This labeling was inhibited by forskolin but not by 1,9-dideoxyforskolin or cytochalasin B. 125I-6-AIPP-Fsk labeling of partially purified adenylyl cyclase was inhibited by forskolin but not by 1,9-dideoxyforskolin. 125I-7-AIPP-Fsk specifically labeled a 45-kDa protein and not a 115-kDa protein in control and GTP gamma S-preactivated brain membranes. This labeling was inhibited by forskolin, 1,9-dideoxyforskolin, cytochalasin B, and D-glucose but not cytochalasin E or L-glucose. Human erythrocyte membranes were photolyzed with 125I-6-AIPP-Fsk and 125I-7-AIPP-Fsk. 125I-7-AIPP-Fsk, but not 125I-6-AIPP-Fsk, strongly labeled a broad 45-70-kDa band. Forskolin, 7-bromoacetyl-7-desacetylforskolin, 1,9-dideoxyforskolin, cytochalasin B, and D-glucose, but not cytochalasin E or L-glucose, inhibited 125I-7-AIPP-Fsk labeling of the 45-70-kDa band. 125I-6-AIPP-Fsk and 125I-7-AIPP-Fsk are high affinity photolabels with specificity for adenylyl cyclase and the glucose transporter, respectively.

Chemical and proteolytic digestion of intact erythrocyte glucose transporter as well as purified transporter protein has been used to localize the derivatization site for the photoaffinity agent 3-[125I]iodo-4-azido-phenethylamino-7-O-succinyldeacetylforskol in [( 125I]IAPS-forskolin). Comparison of the partial amino acid sequence of the labelled 18 kDa tryptic fragment with the known amino acid sequence for the HepG2 glucose transporter confirmed that the binding site for IAPS-forskolin is between the amino acid residues Glu254 and Tyr456. Digestion of intact glucose transporter with Pronase suggests that this site is within the membrane bilayer. Digestion of labelled transporter with CNBr generated a major radiolabelled fragment of Mr approximately 5800 putatively identified as residues 365-420. Isoelectric focusing of Staphylococcus aureus V8 proteinase-treated purified labelled tryptic fragment identified two peptides which likely correspond to amino acid residues 360-380 and 381-393. The common region for these radiolabelled peptides is the tenth putative transmembrane helix of the erythrocyte glucose transporter, comprising amino acid residues 369-389. Additional support for this conclusion comes from studies in which [125I]APS-forskolin was photoincorporated into the L-arabinose/H(+)-transport protein of Escherichia coli. Labelling of this transport protein was protected by both cytochalasin B and D-glucose. The region of the erythrocyte glucose transporter thought to be derivatized with IAPS-forskolin contains a tryptophan residue (Trp388) that is conserved in the sequence of the E. coli arabinose-transport protein.

An [125I]iodoazidosalicylic acid derivative of forskolin was synthesized for identification of the diterpene's binding sites on the catalytic subunit of adenylate cyclase and on glucose transport proteins. The affinity label was selectively incorporated into proteins of Mr 40,000-60,000 in membranes from human erythrocytes and from various other tissues. The iodoazidosalicylic acid derivative also specifically labeled the catalytic moiety of adenylate cyclase from rabbit myocardial membranes. However, the structural requirements of the two forskolin-binding sites must be different, since the affinity of the photolabel for the glucose carriers is much higher than that for the cyclase catalyst. Furthermore, the label is readily competed with by D-glucose and cytochalasin B for its binding site on the glucose carrier but not on adenylate cyclase.