Triterpene glycosides are characteristic secondary metabolites of sea cucumbers (Holothurioidea, Echinodermata). They have hemolytic, cytotoxic, antifungal, and other biological activities caused by ...membranotropic action. These natural products suppress the proliferation of various human tumor cell lines in vitro and, more importantly, intraperitoneal administration in rodents of solutions of some sea cucumber triterpene glycosides significantly reduces both tumor burden and metastasis. The anticancer molecular mechanisms include the induction of tumor cell apoptosis through the activation of intracellular caspase cell death pathways, arrest of the cell cycle at S or G2/M phases, influence on nuclear factors, NF-κB, and up-down regulation of certain cellular receptors and enzymes participating in cancerogenesis, such as EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor), Akt (protein kinase B), ERK (extracellular signal-regulated kinases), FAK (focal adhesion kinase), MMP-9 (matrix metalloproteinase-9) and others. Administration of some glycosides leads to a reduction of cancer cell adhesion, suppression of cell migration and tube formation in those cells, suppression of angiogenesis, inhibition of cell proliferation, colony formation and tumor invasion. As a result, marked growth inhibition of tumors occurs in vitro and in vivo. Some holothurian triterpene glycosides have the potential to be used as P-gp mediated MDR reversal agents in combined therapy with standard cytostatics.
The results of an investigation of the protective effects of five lanostane triterpenoids: 3
-acetoxy-7
,8
-epoxy-5
-lanost-24-en-30,9
-olide (
), 3
-hydroxy-7
,8
-epoxy-5
-lanost-24-en- 30,9
-olide ...(
), 29-
-penasterone (
), penasterone (
), and acetylpenasterol (
), from a marine sponge,
sp., against paraquat-induced neuroblastoma Neuro-2a cell damage, are described. The influence of all compounds on viability of the Neuro-2a cells treated with paraquat (PQ) was studied with MTT and fluorescein diacetate assays as well as propidium iodide straining. 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity of the compounds as well as their influence on reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and mitochondrial membrane potential in PQ-treated neuronal cells were analyzed. Finally, the effect of the compounds on intracellular level of heat shock protein 70 kDa (Hsp70) and neurite outgrowth in PQ-treated Neuro-2a cells were studied. Studied triterpenoids demonstrated protective effects against PQ-induced neurotoxicity associated with the ability to reduce ROS intracellular level and diminish mitochondrial dysfunction. Acetylpenasterol (
), as a more promising neuroprotective compound, significantly increased the viability of Neuro-2a cells incubated with PQ as well as decreased intracellular ROS level in these cells. Moreover, acetylpenasterol induced Hsp70 expression in PQ-treated cells. It was also shown to inhibit PQ-induced neurite loss and recovered the number of neurite-bearing cells. The relationship between neuroprotective activity of the investigated compounds
-
and their chemical structure was also discussed.
The influence of p-terphenyl polyketides 1–3 from Aspergillus candidus KMM 4676 and cerebroside flavuside B (4) from Penicillium islandicum (=Talaromyces islandicus) against the effect of ...neurotoxins, rotenone and paraquat, on Neuro-2a cell viability by MTT and LDH release assays and intracellular ROS level, as well as DPPH radical scavenging activity, was investigated. Pre-incubation with compounds significantly diminished the ROS level in rotenone- and paraquat-treated cells. It was shown that the investigated polyketides 1–3 significantly increased the viability of rotenone- and paraquat-treated cells in two of the used assays but they affected only the viability of paraquat-treated cells in the LDH release assay. Flavuside B statistically increased the viability of paraquat-treated cells in both MTT and LDH release assays, however, it increased the viability of rotenone-treated cells in the LDH release assay. Structure–activity relationships for p-terphenyl derivatives, as well as possible mechanisms of cytoprotective action of all studied compounds, were discussed.
The anti-inflammatory effects of the CRG/Ech complex in LPS-induced endotoxemia were investigated in vivo in mice and in vitro in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells and peritoneal macrophages. The ...results indicated that the CRG/Ech complex suppressed the LPS-induced inflammatory response by reducing the production of ROS and NO in the macrophages. Furthermore, the in vivo experiment indicated that the CRG/Ech complex minimized disorders of the physiological and metabolic processes in mice subjected to LPS intoxication and reduced the levels of proinflammatory cytokines in the mouse serum. The preventive administration of the CRG/Ech complex to mice prevented endotoxin-induced damage in the mouse model of endotoxemia, increased the mice’s resistance to LPS, and prevented increases in the levels of proinflammatory cytokines (TNFα). In this work, we showed by the molecular docking that Ech interacted with carrageenan, and that H-donor and H-acceptor bonds are involved in the formation of the complex.
Low molecular weight secondary metabolites of marine fungi
,
and
sp. from Van Phong and Nha Trang Bays (Vietnam) were studied and a number of polyketides, bis-indole quinones and terpenoids were ...isolated. The structures of the isolated compounds were determined by 1D and 2D NMR and HR-ESI-MS techniques. Stereochemistry of some compounds was established based on ECD data. A chemical structure of asterriquinone F (
) was thoroughly described for the first time. Anthraquinone (
) was firstly obtained from a natural source. Neuroprotective influences of the isolated compounds against 6-OHDA, paraquat and rotenone toxicity were investigated. 4-Hydroxyscytalone (
), 4-hydroxy-6-dehydroxyscytalone (
) and demethylcitreoviranol (
) have shown significant increasing of paraquat- and rotenone-treated Neuro-2a cell viability and anti-ROS activity.
A new melatonin analogue 6-hydroxy-
-acetyl-β-oxotryptamine (
) was isolated from the marine-derived fungus
sp. KMM 4672. It is the second case of melatonin-related compounds isolation from ...microfilamentous fungi. The neuroprotective activities of this metabolite, as well as 3-methylorsellinic acid (
and 8-methoxy-3,5-dimethylisochroman-6-ol (
) from
sp. KMM 4672, candidusin A (
) and 4″-dehydroxycandidusin A (
) from
sp. KMM 4676, and diketopiperazine mactanamide (
) from
, were investigated in the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)- and paraquat (PQ)-induced Parkinson's disease (PD) cell models. All of them protected Neuro2a cells against the damaging influence of 6-OHDA to varying degrees. This effect may be realized via a reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging pathway. The new melatonin analogue more effectively protected Neuro2A cells against the 6-OHDA-induced neuronal death, in comparison with melatonin, as well as against the PQ-induced neurotoxicity. Dehydroxylation at C-3″ and C-4″ significantly increased free radical scavenging and neuroprotective activity of candidusin-related
-terphenyl polyketides in both the 6-OHDA- and PQ-induced PD models.
The metabolic profile of the
sp. 1901NT-1.2.2 sponge-associated fungal strain was investigated using the HPLC MS technique, and more than 23 peaks in the HPLC MS chromatogram were detected. Only two ...minor peaks were identified as endocrocin and terpene derivative MS data from the GNPS database. The main compound was isolated and identified as known anthraquinone derivative vismione E. The absolute stereochemistry of vismione E was established for the first time using ECD and quantum chemical methods. Vismione E showed high cytotoxic activity against human breast cancer MCF-7 cells, with an IC
of 9.0 µM, in comparison with low toxicity for normal human breast MCF-10A cells, with an IC
of 65.3 µM. It was found that vismione E inhibits MCF-7 cell proliferation and arrests the cell cycle in the G1 phase. Moreover, the negative influence of vismione E on MCF-7 cell migration was detected. Molecular docking of vismione E suggested the IMPDH2 enzyme as one of the molecular targets for this anthraquinone derivative.
Comparative structural analysis of gelling polysaccharides from
and
belonging to Phyllophoraceae and the effect of their structural features and molecular weight on human colon cancer cell lines ...(HT-29, DLD-1, HCT-116) was carried out. According to chemical analysis, IR and NMR spectroscopies,
produces kappa/iota-carrageenan with a predominance of kappa units and minor amounts of mu and/or nu units, while the polysaccharide from
is iota/kappa-carrageenan (predominance of iota units) and contains negligible amounts of beta- and nu-carrageenans. Iota/kappa- (Afg-OS) and kappa/iota-oligosaccharides (Mp-OS) were obtained from the original polysaccharides through mild acid hydrolysis. The content of more sulfated iota units in Afg-OS (iota/kappa 7:1) was higher than in Mp-OS (1.0:1.8). The poly- and oligosaccharides up to 1 mg/mL did not show a cytotoxic effect on all tested cell lines. Polysaccharides showed an antiproliferative effect only at 1 mg/mL. Oligosaccharides had a more pronounced effect on HT-29 and HCT-116 cells than the original polymers, while HCT-116 cells were slightly more sensitive to their action. Kappa/iota-oligosaccharides exhibit a greater antiproliferative effect and more strongly decrease the number of colonies forming in HCT-116 cells. At the same time, iota/kappa-oligosaccharides inhibit cell migration more strongly. Kappa/iota-oligosaccharides induce apoptosis in the SubG0 and G2/M phases, while iota/kappa-oligosaccharides in the SubG0 phase.
Chemical investigation of a coculture of the marine-derived fungi Beauveria felina KMM 4639 and Aspergillus carneus KMM 4638 led to the identification of three new drimane-type sesquiterpenes, ...asperflavinoids B, D and E (2, 4, 5), and nine previously reported related compounds. The structures of these compounds were established using spectroscopic methods and by comparison with known analogues. We also investigated the cytotoxic activity of the isolated compounds against several cancer and normal cell lines. Asperflavinoid C (3) and ustusolate E (9) exerted a significant effect on human breast cancer MCF-7 cell viability, with IC50 values of 10 µM, and induced in caspase-dependent apoptosis and arrest of the MCF-7 cell cycle in the G2/M phase in these cells.
P2X7 receptors are ligand-gated ion channels activated by ATP and play a significant role in cellular immunity. These receptors are considered as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of ...multiple inflammatory diseases. In the present work, using spectrofluorimetry, spectrophotometry, Western blotting and ELISA approaches, the ability of 1,4-naphthoquinone thioglucoside derivatives, compounds
and
, to inhibit inflammation induced by ATP/LPS in RAW 264.7 cells via P2X7 receptors was demonstrated. It has been established that the selected compounds were able to inhibit ATP-induced calcium influx and the production of reactive oxygen species, and they also exhibited pronounced antioxidant activity in mouse brain homogenate. In addition, compounds
and
decreased the LPS-induced activity of the COX-2 enzyme, the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β in RAW 264.7 cells, and significantly protected macrophage cells against the toxic effects of ATP and LPS. This study highlights the use of 1,4-naphthoquinones as promising purinergic P2X7 receptor antagonists with anti-inflammatory activity. Based on the data obtained, studied synthetic 1,4-NQs can be considered as potential scaffolds for the development of new anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs.