Protein phosphatase inhibitors isolated from Spongia irregularis collected in Papua New Guinea

Irregularasulfate (1), a new nitrogen-containing sesterterpenoid, and the known sesterterpenoids hipposulfate C (2), halisulfate-7 (3), and igernellin (4), have been isolated from the marine sponge Spongia irregularis collected in Papua New Guinea. The structure of 1 was elucidated via analysis of its spectroscopic data. Sesterterpenoids 1, 2, and 3 are moderate inhibitors of the catalytic subunits of the mammalian Ser/Thr protein phosphatases calcineurin, PP-1, and PP-2A. The phosphate analogue of 3 and the thiophosphate analogue of 2 have been prepared from the corresponding natural products and evaluated for their ability to inhibit the phosphatase activity of calcineurin.