Induction of choline acetyltransferase activity in cholinergic neurons by stolonidiol: Structure-activity relationship

The effect of stolonidiol (1), a bioactive marine diterpenoid from the Japa nese soft coral Clavularia sp., on choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activit y was examined using cultured cholinergic neurons. Stolonidiol (1) showed p otent ChAT inducible activity in primary cultured basal forebrain cells and clonal septal SN49 cells, suggesting that it may act as a potent neurotrop hic factor-like agent on the cholinergic nervous system. Further expansion of the structure-activity relationship to include stolonidiol (1) and its d erivatives demonstrated that the exo-methylene group and the epoxide group are essential for ChAT-inducing activity. Stolonidiol (1) showed the highes t activity among the test samples.