Cheilanthane sesterterpenes, protein kinase inhibitors, from a marine sponge of the genus Ircinia.

Four cheilanthane sesterterpenoids, 25-hydroxy-13(24),15,17-cheilanthatrien-19,25-olide (1), 13,16-epoxy-25-hydroxy-17-cheilanthen-19,25-olide (2), 25-hydroxy-13(24),17-cheilanthadien-16,19-olide (3), and 16,25-dihydroxy-13(24),17-cheilanthadien-19,25-olide (4), were isolated from the marine sponge Irciniasp. Compounds 1, 3, and 4 are new natural products. The four compounds inhibit MSK1 (mitogen and stress activated kinase) and MAPKAPK-2 (mitogen activated protein kinase activated protein kinase), two protein kinases involved in mitogen and stress signal transduction.