Marine life as a source for breast cancer treatment: A comprehensive review.

Breast cancer, one of the most significant tumors among all cancer cells, still has deficiencies for effective treatment. Moreover, substitute treatments employing natural products as bioactive metabolites has been seriously considered. The source of bioactive metabolites are not only the most numerous but also represent the richest source. A unique source is from the oceans or marine species which demonstrated intriguing chemical and biological diversity which represents an astonishing reserve for discovering novel anticancer drugs. Notably, marine sponges produce the largest amount of diverse bioactive peptides, alkaloids, terpenoids, polyketides along with many secondary metabolites whose potential is mostly therapeutic. In this review, our main focus is on the marine derived secondary metabolites which demonstrated cytotoxic effects towards numerous breast cancer cells and have been isolated from the marine sources such as marine sponges, cyanobacteria, fungi, algae, tunicates, actinomycetes, ascidians, and other sources of marine organisms.

Computational Metabolomics Tools Reveal Subarmigerides, Unprecedented Linear Peptides from the Marine Sponge Holobiont Callyspongia subarmigera.

A detailed examination of a unique molecular family, restricted to the Callyspongia genus, in a molecular network obtained from an in-house Haplosclerida marine sponge collection (including Haliclona, Callyspongia, Xestospongia, and Petrosia species) led to the discovery of subarmigerides, a series of rare linear peptides from Callyspongia subarmigera, a genus mainly known for polyacetylenes and lipids. The structure of the sole isolated peptide, subarmigeride A (1) was elucidated through extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy, HRMS/MS, and Marfey's method to assign its absolute configuration. The putative structures of seven additional linear peptides were proposed by an analysis of their respective MS/MS spectra and a comparison of their fragmentation patterns with the heptapeptide 1. Surprisingly, several structurally related analogues of subarmigeride A (1) occurred in one distinct cluster from the molecular network of the cyanobacteria strains of the Guadeloupe mangroves, suggesting that the true producer of this peptide family might be the microbial sponge-associated community, i.e., the sponge-associated cyanobacteria.

The potential role of dietary plant ingredients against mammary cancer: a comprehensive review.

Breast cancer is known as the most devastating cancer in the global female community and is considered as one of the severe health care burdens in both developed and developing countries. In many cases, breast cancer has shown resistance to chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormonal therapy. Keeping in view these limitations, there is an urgent need to develop safe, readily available and effective breast anticancer treatments. Therefore, the scientists are keen in the extraction of plant-based phytochemicals (organosulfur compounds, betalains, capsaicinoids, terpenes, terpenoids, polyphenols, and flavonoids) and using them as breast anticancer agents. Results of numerous epidemiological investigations have revealed the promising role of phytochemicals in the prevention and treatment of breast cancer. The diverse classes of plant bioactive metabolites regulate different metabolic and molecular processes, which can delay the proliferation of cancers. These phytochemicals possess chemo-preventive properties as they down-regulate the expression of estrogen receptor-α, inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells, and cause cell cycle arrest by inducing apoptotic conditions in tumor cells. This review article discusses the potent role of various plant-based phytochemicals as potential therapeutic agents in the treatment or prevention of breast cancer along with the proposed mechanisms of action.

New 9α-Hydroxy-5α,6α-epoxyhydroxysterols from the Vietnamese Marine Sponge Ircinia echinata.

Chemical investigation of the methanol extract of the Vietnamese marine sponge Ircinia echinata led to the isolation of six new 9α-hydroxy-5α,6α-epoxysterols: 5α,6α-epoxycholesta-7,22(E)-dien-3ß,9α-diol (1), 5α,6α-epoxycholesta-7,24(28)-dien-3ß,9α-diol (2), (24R)-5α,6α-epoxy-24-ethyl-cholesta-7-en-3ß,9α-diol (3), 5α,6α-epoxycholesta-7-en-3ß,9α-diol (4), (24S)-5α,6α-epoxyergosta-7,22-dien-3ß,9α-diol (5), and (24R)-5α,6α-epoxy-24-methyl-cholesta-7-en-3ß,9α-diol (6) along with the known 5α-6α-epoxysterols: 5α,6α-epoxystigmasta-7-en-3ß-ol (7), 5α,6α-epoxystigmasta-7,22-dien-3ß-ol (8), and 5α,6α-epoxyergosta-7-en-3ß-ol (9). Their structures and their configurations were established on the basis of high resolution mass spectra and extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data and by comparison with the literature. Their cytotoxic activity, evaluated against three human cancer cell lines, MCF-7, Hep-G2 and LU-1, revealed that only compounds 3 and 4 exhibited significant antiproliferative activity and compound 3 showed a selective inhibition towards the MCF-7 human breast cancer cells.

Discovery and preliminary structure-activity relationship studies on tecomaquinone I and tectol as novel farnesyltransferase and plasmodial inhibitors.

Biological screening of a library of synthesized benzo[c]chromene-7,10-dione natural products against human farnesyltransferase (FTase) has identified tecomaquinone I (IC50 of 0.065±0.004µM) as being one of the more potent natural product inhibitors identified to date. Anti-plasmodial screening of the same library against a drug-resistant strain of Plasmodium falciparum identified the structurally-related dichromenol tectol as a moderately active growth inhibitor with an IC50 3.44±0.20µM. Two novel series of analogues, based on the benzo[c]chromene-7,10-dione scaffold, were subsequently synthesized, with one analogue exhibiting farnesyltransferase inhibitory activity in the low micromolar range. A preliminary structure-activity relationship (SAR) study has identified different structural requirements for anti-malarial activity in comparison to FTase activities for these classes of natural products. Our results identify tecomaquinone I as a novel scaffold from which more potent inhibitors of human and parasitic FTase could be developed.

Structure-Activity Relationships of the Bioactive Thiazinoquinone Marine Natural Products Thiaplidiaquinones A and B.

In an effort to more accurately define the mechanism of cell death and to establish structure-activity relationship requirements for the marine meroterpenoid alkaloids thiaplidiaquinones A and B, we have evaluated not only the natural products but also dioxothiazine regioisomers and two precursor quinones in a range of bioassays. While the natural products were found to be weak inducers of ROS in Jurkat cells, the dioxothiazine regioisomer of thiaplidiaquinone A and a synthetic precursor to thiaplidiaquinone B were found to be moderately potent inducers. Intriguingly, and in contrast to previous reports, the mechanism of Jurkat cell death (necrosis vs. apoptosis) was found to be dependent upon the positioning of one of the geranyl sidechains in the compounds with thiaplidiaquinone A and its dioxothiazine regioisomer causing death dominantly by necrosis, while thiaplidiaquinone B and its dioxothiazine isomer caused cell death via apoptosis. The dioxothiazine regioisomer of thiaplidiaquinone A exhibited more potent in vitro antiproliferative activity against human tumor cells, with NCI sub-panel selectivity towards melanoma cell lines. The non-natural dioxothiazine regioisomers were also more active in antiplasmodial and anti-farnesyltransferase assays than their natural product counterparts. The results highlight the important role that natural product total synthesis can play in not only helping understand the structural basis of biological activity of natural products, but also the discovery of new bioactive scaffolds.

Porifera Lectins: Diversity, Physiological Roles and Biotechnological Potential.

An overview on the diversity of 39 lectins from the phylum Porifera is presented, including 38 lectins, which were identified from the class of demosponges, and one lectin from the class of hexactinellida. Their purification from crude extracts was mainly performed by using affinity chromatography and gel filtration techniques. Other protocols were also developed in order to collect and study sponge lectins, including screening of sponge genomes and expression in heterologous bacterial systems. The characterization of the lectins was performed by Edman degradation or mass spectrometry. Regarding their physiological roles, sponge lectins showed to be involved in morphogenesis and cell interaction, biomineralization and spiculogenesis, as well as host defense mechanisms and potentially in the association between the sponge and its microorganisms. In addition, these lectins exhibited a broad range of bioactivities, including modulation of inflammatory response, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities, as well as anticancer and neuromodulatory activity. In view of their potential pharmacological applications, sponge lectins constitute promising molecules of biotechnological interest.

Novel Adociaquinone Derivatives from the Indonesian Sponge Xestospongia sp.

Seven new adociaquinone derivatives, xestoadociaquinones A (1a), B (1b), 14-carboxy-xestoquinol sulfate (2) and xestoadociaminals A-D (3a, 3c, 4a, 4c), together with seven known compounds (5-11) were isolated from an Indonesian marine sponge Xestospongia sp. Their structures were elucidated by extensive 1D and 2D NMR and mass spectrometric data. All the compounds were evaluated for their potential inhibitory activity against eight different protein kinases involved in cell proliferation, cancer, diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders as well as for their antioxidant and antibacterial activities.

Dispacamide E and other bioactive bromopyrrole alkaloids from two Indonesian marine sponges of the genus Stylissa.

Chemical investigation of methanolic extracts of the two Indonesian marine sponges Stylissa massa and Stylissa flabelliformis yielded 25 bromopyrrole alkaloids including 2 new metabolites. The structures of all isolated compounds were unambiguously elucidated based on extensive 1D and 2D NMR, LR-MS and HR-MS analyses. All isolated compounds were assayed for their antiproliferative and protein kinase inhibitory activities. Several of the tested compounds revealed selective activity(ies) which suggested preliminary SARs of the isolated bromopyrrole alkaloids.

Chemical and biological explorations of the electrophilic reactivity of the bioactive marine natural product halenaquinone with biomimetic nucleophiles.

The electrophilic reactivity of the bioactive marine sponge natural product halenaquinone has been investigated by reaction with the biomimetic nucleophiles N-acetyl-L-cysteine and N(α)-acetyl-L-lysine. While cysteine reacted at the vacant quinone positions C-14 and C-15, lysine was found to react preferentially at the keto-furan position C-1. A small library of analogues was prepared by reaction of halenaquinone with primary amines, and evaluated against a range of biological targets including phospholipase A(2), farnesyltransferases (FTases) and Plasmodium falciparum. Geranylamine analogue 11 exhibited the most potent activity towards FTases (IC(50) 0.017-0.031 µM) and malaria (IC(50) 0.53-0.62 µM).

Marine metabolites overcoming or circumventing multidrug resistance mediated by ATP-dependent transporters: a new hope for patient with tumors resistant to conventional chemotherapy.

The treatment of chemoresistant tumors represents an important challenge in the field of oncology. Primary or acquired overexpression of ATP-dependent transporters, in particular P-glycoprotein (Pgp, MDR1 protein), is a major cause of multidrug resistance and reduced patient survival. Sustained efforts have thereby been undertaken to find agents overcoming this resistance. This review provides a chemical and biological overview on bioactive metabolites from the marine field (natural molecules and analogues) that can overcome or circumvent resistance to ATP-dependent efflux pumps, their mechanisms of action and their structure-activity relationships. Their clinical relevance and status are presented. Active compounds (often microtubule-interacting agents) have been isolated from sponges and ascidians and, in lesser extent from cnidarians, and molluscs. The toxicity and the reversal activity can be uncoupled but, marine metabolites usually maintain high toxicity in multiresistant cancer cells. Certain display synergistic effects with clinically important anticancer drugs. The marine drug recently approved for cancer therapy [Trabectedin (Yondelis)] and those entered into clinical trials act on multiple targets and, circumvent or overcome chemoresistance through very unusual mechanisms of action. Pharmacological and clinical data suggest that metabolites from the marine field could provide new therapeutic options for patients with tumors resistant to conventional therapy.

Covalent modification of a melanoma-derived antigenic peptide with a natural quinone methide. Preliminary chemical, molecular modelling and immunological evaluation studies.

A LigandFit shape-directed docking methodology was used to identify the best position at which the melanoma-derived MHC class-I HLA-A2-binding antigenic peptide ELAGIGILTV could be modified by attaching a small molecule capable of fitting at the interface of complementary determining regional (CDR) loops of a T-cell receptor (TCR) while triggering T-cell responses. The small molecule selected here for determining the feasibility of this alternative track to chemical alteration of antigenic peptides was the electrophilic quinone methide (+)-puupehenone (), a natural product that belongs to a family of marine metabolites capable of expressing immunomodulatory activities. A preliminary chemical reactivity model study revealed the efficacy of the thiol group of a cysteine (C) side-chain in its nucleophilic addition reaction with in a regio- and diastereoselective manner. The best TCR/HLA-A2 ligand [i.e., ELAGCGILTV-S-puupehenol ()] then identified by the LigandFit docking procedure was synthesized and used to pulse HLA-A2(+) T2 cells for T-cell stimulation. Among the ELAGIGILTV-specific T-cell clones we tested, five of them recognized the conjugate in spite of its low binding affinity for the HLA-A2 molecules. The resulting T-cell stimulation was determined through the intracytoplasmic secretion of IFN-gamma and the percentage of T-cells thus activated. These highly encouraging results indicate that small non-peptidic natural product-derived molecules attached onto the central part of an antigenic peptide can fit at the TCR/HLA-A2 interface with induction of T-cell responses.

STAT5B-mediated growth hormone signaling is organized by highly dynamic microtubules in hepatic cells.

In the last decade, the notion that microtubules are critical to the spatial organization of signal transduction and contribute to the transmission of signals to downstream targets has been proposed. Because the STAT5B transduction and transcription factor is the major STAT protein activated by growth hormone stimulation in hepatocytes and is a crossroads between many signaling pathways, we studied the involvement of microtubules in STAT5B-mediated growth hormone signaling pathway in the highly differentiated and polarized WIF-B hepatic cell line. We showed that depolymerization of the microtubule network impaired STAT5B translocation to the nucleus upon growth hormone treatment. A significant amount of STAT5B binds to microtubules, while STAT5A and STAT3 are exclusively compartmentalized in the cytosol. Moreover, taxol-induced stabilization of microtubules released STAT5B from its binding, and we show that STAT5B binds specifically to the highly dynamic microtubules and is absent of the stable microtubule subpopulation. The specific involvement of dynamic microtubule subpopulation in growth hormone signaling pathway was confirmed by the inhibition of growth hormone-induced STAT5B nuclear translocation after stabilization of microtubules or specific disruption of highly dynamic microtubules. Upon growth hormone treatment, MT-bound STAT5B was rapidly released from microtubules by a dynein-dependent transport to the nucleus. Altogether, our findings indicate that the labile microtubule subpopulation specifically and dynamically organizes STAT5B-mediated growth hormone signaling in hepatic cells.