dihydromotuporamine C

Dihydromotuporamine C is a polyamine-macrocyclic natural product derivative originally isolated from the marine sponge *Xestospongia exigua*. Structurally, it consists of a saturated 15-membered macrocyclic ring linked to a norspermidine polyamine chain. The compound is recognized for its potent anti-migratory, anti-angiogenic, and antimetastatic properties, particularly in the context of metastatic pancreatic cancer. Its biological activity is mediated through the modulation of sphingolipid metabolism; it is thought to act as either a sphingomyelin synthase agonist or a sphingomyelinase inhibitor, leading to increased levels of low molecular weight sphingomyelins. These metabolic alterations are hypothesized to inhibit metastatic pathways associated with CXCR4 signaling. While effective in reducing liver metastases in preclinical models, dihydromotuporamine C exhibits significant toxicity linked to alterations in specific ceramide ratios (N16:0/N22:1), which has prompted the development of less toxic synthetic analogs.