Paspalines C–D and Paxillines B–D: New Indole Diterpenoids from Penicillium brefeldianum WZW-F-69

Five new indole diterpenoids named paspaline C–D (1–2) and paxilline B–D (3–5), as well as eleven known analogues (6–16), were identified from fungus Penicillium brefeldianum strain WZW-F-69, which was isolated from an abalone aquaculture base in Fujian province, China. Their structures were elucidated mainly through 1D- and 2D-NMR spectra analysis and ECD comparison. Compound 1 has a 6/5/5/6/6/8 hexacyclic ring system bearing 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxocane, which is rare in natural products. Compound 2 has an unusual open F-ring structure. The cytotoxic activities against 10 cancer cell lines and antimicrobial activities against model bacteria and fungi of all compounds were assayed. No compound showed antimicrobial activity, but at a concentration of 1 μM, compounds 1 and 6 exhibited the highest inhibition rates of 71.2% and 83.4% against JeKo-1 cells and U2OS cells, respectively.     

一种新颖的阳离子非病毒基因载体 Chitosan-g-PEI-g-PEG-OH 的性能研究

研究了新型阳离子聚合物Chitosan-g-PEI-g-PEG-OH的性能，重点考察其粒度，基因转染效率与细胞毒性，探讨了其作为基因载体的可能性.通过动态光散射仪（DSL）、透射电镜（TEM）观察了Chitosan-g-PEI-g-PEG-OH与DNA自组装形成的颗粒形态及粒径，Chitosan-g-PEI-g-PEG-OH可复合DNA形成粒径160～210 nm的纳米复合物，适合进入细胞.使用MTT比色法分析Chitosan-g-PEI-g-PEG-OH的毒性并与PEI，PEI-g-PEG-OH比较.选用增强型绿色荧光蛋白(EGFP) 转染Hela细胞，应用流式细胞术检测转染效率.新型阳离子多聚物Chitosan-g-PEI-g-PEG-OH在提高基因转染效率的同时降低了其细胞毒性，有望成为基因转移的有效载体.     

Theonellamides J and K and 5-cis-Apoa-theopalauamide,Bicyclic Glycopeptides of the Red Sea Sponge Theonella swinhoei

Theonella swinhoei is a fairly common inhabitant of reefs throughout the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Metabolomic analyses of samples of T. swinhoei collected in different depths in the Gulf of Aqaba revealed two chemotypes differing in the profiles of the theonellamides they produce, some of which seem to be unknown. Driven by this finding, we examined a sample of T. swinhoei collected more than 40 years ago in the southern part of the Gulf of Aqaba. Large-scale extract of this sample yielded four theonellamides, the known theopalauamide (4), as the major component, and three new metabolites, theonellamide J (1), 5-cis-Apoa-theopalauamide (2), and theonellamide K (3), as the minor components. The planar structure of these complex cyclic glycopeptides was elucidated by combination of 1D and 2D NMR techniques and HRESIMS. The absolute configuration of the amino acids was established by Marfey’s and advanced Marfey’s methods, and the absolute configuration of its galactose unit using “Tanaka’s method” for monosaccharides. The biological activity of the pure compounds was tested for antibacterial activity and for cytotoxicity to HTC-116 cell line. The compounds presented significant cytotoxicity against the HTC-116 cell line, illuminating the importance of the Apoa subunit for the activity.     

杀菌剂丙环唑对斜纹夜蛾的生物活性

为从现有农药中寻找杀虫剂先导化合物，研究了11种农药对斜纹夜蛾细胞的毒杀活性。结果表明，杀菌剂丙环唑的活性最高，处理后24h和48h，丙环唑对斜纹夜蛾细胞的LC50值分别为23．89μg／mL和13．62μg／mL。在活体试验中，以0．5μg／头剂量的丙环唑注射斜纹夜蛾4龄幼虫，处理后24h和48h，试虫血淋巴中血细胞数分别下降了19．67％、21．38％，血淋巴含量分别下降了20．42％、23．87％。以0．5μg／头和1．0μg／头剂量的丙环唑注射处理后，斜纹夜蛾幼虫体重显著降低。在注射处理后48h和72h，丙环唑对斜纹夜蛾4龄幼虫的LD50值分别为0．91μg/头和0．63μg/头。丙环唑对斜纹夜蛾细胞和斜纹夜蛾幼虫均具有较好的毒杀活性，显示出杀菌剂丙环唑衍生物控制害虫的可能性。     

抗菌肽CRAMP的安全性、稳定性及其在清除铜绿假单胞菌生物被膜中的作用

旨在考察鼠源抗菌肽CRAMP的安全性、稳定性及其在清除铜绿假单胞菌生物被膜中的作用。采用兔血红细胞悬液的溶血性和小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞(RAW264.7)的细胞毒性考察CRAMP的安全性;采用不同温度、蛋白酶、金属离子和酸碱梯度对CRAMP抗菌活性的影响,考察其稳定性;通过在6孔细胞培养板中构建铜绿假单胞菌(PAO1株)成熟生物被膜,以人源抗菌肽LL-37和3种抗菌药为对照,采用结晶紫染色法检测生物被膜量,平板菌落计数法对生物被膜活菌数进行计数,苯酚-硫酸法结合Folin-酚试剂法检测生物被膜胞外基质含量,激光扫描共聚焦显微镜(CLSM)观察CRAMP干预PAO1生物被膜形态学的变化。结果显示,CRAMP在所测试浓度下对兔血红细胞溶血率均<2%;在62.5~125 mg·L^-1时对 RAW264.7没有细胞毒性。温度(25~100 ℃)、两种盐离子(Na⁺、K⁺)以及pH为5~10时对CRAMP的抗菌活性没有影响;胃蛋白酶、木瓜蛋白酶、胰蛋白酶均不同程度影响了CRAMP的抗菌活性。6孔细胞培养板中,4倍MIC 的CRAMP极显著降低了PAO1生物被膜量(减少率为76.74%,P<0.01),极显著减少了生物被膜中的活菌数量(减少了1.2个CFU·mL^-1,P<0.01),效果优于LL-37和3种抗菌药。CRAMP组的胞外基质显著低于空白对照组和LL-37组(P<0.05)。CLSM结果显示：与对照组相比较,4MIC浓度下,CRAMP组的细菌总荧光强度(PI+SYTO)显著低于空白对照组和LL-37组(P<0.05);与空白对照组相比,CRAMP组和LL-37组的死菌荧光强度/活菌荧光强度比值 (PI/SYTO)均极显著增大(P<0.01)。综上表明,CRAMP具有低溶血性、低细胞毒性,除蛋白酶作用不稳定外,具有较好的稳定性,对PAO1成熟生物被膜具有明显的清除作用,且效果优于LL-37,具有良好的药物开发前景。     

Cytotoxicity of surfactants to the FHM-sp cell line

Cytotoxicity of eight surfactants was determined by the neutral red assay with the fathead minnow (FHM)-sp cell line, a cell line in suspension culture from fish. The toxicity ranking of the surfactants was benzalkonium chloride > benzethonium chloride > sodium linear - dodecylbenzene–sulfonate (LAS) > potassium laurate > sodium dodecylsulfate > polyoxyethylene(20)sorbitan monolaurate > polyoxyethylene(20)sorbitan monooleate > betaine. The toxicity ranking of the surfactants classified into four groups based on the ion of the hydrophilic group was cationic surfactants > anionic surfactants > non-ionic surfactants > amphipathic surfactants. The FHM-sp cells, as well as the chinook salmon embryo (CHSE)-sp cells, could be inoculated directly to the microplate wells without dispersion by trypsin treatment of cell sheets at room temperature. Therefore, the cytotoxicity assay of the surfactants could be carried out quickly by using the FHM-sp cell line. The FHM-sp cell line had similar or higher sensitivity to sodium dodecylsulfate compared with several cell lines from mammals. The cytotoxicity assay could be shortened by the procedure exposing the surfactants to the FHM-sp cells before the cell monolayer formation in the microplate wells. To use the FHM-sp cell line as a screening tool prior to in vivo testing, studies on the correlation between in vivo data and in vitro data on the toxicity of surfactants are necessary.     

Tanjungides A and B: New Antitumoral Bromoindole Derived Compounds from Diazona cf formosa. Isolation and Total Synthesis

Tanjungides A (1) (Z isomer) and B (2) (E isomer), two novel dibrominated indole enamides, have been isolated from the tunicate Diazona cf formosa. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic methods including HRMS, and extensive 1D and 2D NMR. The stereochemistry of the cyclised cystine present in both compounds was determined by Marfey’s analysis after chemical degradation and hydrolysis. We also report the first total synthesis of these compounds using methyl 1H-indole-3-carboxylate as starting material and a linear sequence of 11 chemical steps. Tanjungides A and B exhibit significant cytotoxicity against human tumor cell lines.     

Maritime Halophyte Species from Southern Portugal as Sources of Bioactive Molecules

Extracts of five halophytes from southern Portugal (Arthrocnemum macrostachyum, Mesembryanthemum edule, Juncus acutus, Plantago coronopus and Halimione portulacoides), were studied for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and in vitro antitumor properties. The most active extracts towards the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical were the methanol extracts of M. edule (IC₅₀ = 0.1 mg/mL) and J. acutus (IC₅₀ = 0.4 mg/mL), and the ether extracts of J. acutus (IC₅₀ = 0.2 mg/mL) and A. macrostachyum (IC₅₀ = 0.3 mg/mL). The highest radical scavenging activity (RSA) against the 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radical was obtained in the ether extract of J. acutus (IC₅₀ = 0.4 mg/mL) and H. portulacoides (IC₅₀ = 0.9 mg/mL). The maximum total phenolic content (TPC) was found in the methanol extract of M. edule (147 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g) and in the ether extract of J. acutus (94 mg GAE/g). Significant decreases in nitric oxide (NO) production were observed after incubation of macrophages with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and the chloroform extract of H. portulacoides (IC₅₀ = 109 µg/mL) and the hexane extract of P. coronopus (IC₅₀ = 98.0 µg/mL). High in vitro cytotoxic activity and selectivity was obtained with the ether extract of J. acutus. Juncunol was identified as the active compound and for the first time was shown to display selective in vitro cytotoxicity towards various human cancer cells.     

Synthesis and Evaluation of Some New Aza-B-homocholestane Derivatives as Anticancer Agents

Using analogues of some marine steroidal oximes as precursors, a series of aza-B-homocholestane derivatives possessing different substituted groups at the 3-position of the steroidal nucleus were synthesized. Their biological activity against cancer cell proliferation was determined with multiple cancer cell lines. Aza-B-homocholestane derivatives possessing 3-hydroxyl, 3-hydroximino and 3-thiosemicarbazone groups displayed remarkable cytotoxicity to cancer cells via apoptosis inducing mechanism. Compounds 5, 10, 12, 15 and 18 exhibited better potency to inhibit cancer cell proliferation. In addition, compound 15 was further evaluated with three dimensional (3D) multicellular spheroids assay to determine its potency against spheroid growth. The structure-activity relationship (SAR) generated in the studies is valuable for the design of novel chemotherapeutic agents.     

Two New Cytotoxic Indole Alkaloids from a Deep-Sea Sediment Derived Metagenomic Clone

Two new indole alkaloids, metagenetriindole A (1) and metagenebiindole A (2), were identified from deep-sea sediment metagenomic clone derived Escherichia coli fermentation broth. The structures of new compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. The two new indole alkaloids demonstrated moderately cytotoxic activity against CNE2, Bel7402 and HT1080 cancer cell lines in vitro.