Calyculin A, an inhibitor of protein phosphatases, a potent tumor promoter on CD-1 mouse skin.

Calyculin A, isolated from a marine sponge, has a novel spiro ketal skeleton. Structurally unrelated to okadaic acid, calyculin A bound to the okadaic acid receptors in particulate and soluble fractions of mouse skin. The biochemical and tumor-promoting activities of calyculin A were studied with those of okadaic acid. Calyculin A inhibited the activity of protein phosphatases, which serve as the okadaic acid receptors. The effective dose of calyculin A for 50% inhibition was 0.3 nM, similar to that of okadaic acid. Like okadaic acid, calyculin A induced ornithine decarboxylase in mouse skin and hyperphosphorylation of a Mr 60,000 protein in human papilloma virus type 16-transformed human keratinocytes. A two-stage carcinogenesis experiment on mouse skin, initiated by 100 micrograms (390 nmol) of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene and followed by 1 microgram (1.0 nmol) of calyculin A, revealed that calyculin A is an additional member of the okadaic acid class of tumor promoters. The percentages of tumor-bearing mice in the groups treated with DMBA plus calyculin A, and with DMBA followed by 1 microgram (1.2 nmol) of okadaic acid were 86.7 and 80.0%, respectively, in week 30. The mechanisms of action of calyculin A and okadaic acid, in addition to dinophysistoxin-1 (35-methylokadaic acid), are discussed. Calyculin A is the first tumor promoter to be screened by the okadaic acid receptor binding test.