Aspercitrininone A, novel antibacterial polyketide featuring unusual spiral skeleton from Aspergillus cristatus.

Aspercitrininone A (1), a novel polyketide featuring an unprecedented tetracyclic 6/6/6/5 spiral skeleton, was obtained from the rice fermentation cultures of the fungus Aspergillus cristatus together with five known compounds (2-6). Their structures were determined by HRESIMS data, 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic analysis, and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. Aspercitrininone A was revealed as a new type of C/D cycle spiral structure and an unusual addition product of o-quinoid form citrinin with 2-methylterrefuranone. Compounds 1, 4, and 5 exhibited potent antibacterial activities with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values from 13.2 to 67.3 µg/mL against four strains of human pathogenic bacteria in vitro.

Novel kojic acid derivatives with anti-inflammatory effects from Aspergillus versicolor.

Two novel kojic acid derivatives, kojicones A and B (1 and 2), along with the precursors kojic acid (3) and (2R,4R)-4-hydroxy-5-methoxy-2,4-dimethyl-2- [(2R)-2-methylbutyryloxy]-5-cyclohexen-1,3-dione (4), were isolated from a fungal strain Aspergillus versicolor. Their structures and absolute configurations were accurately confirmed by HRESIMS data, NMR analysis, and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. Kojicones A and B were the first examples of kojic acid adducts with cyclohexen-1,3-dione possessing unprecedented tricycle skeletons. Compounds 1-3 were found to have inhibition on the NO production of murine RAW 264.7 cells. They can also reduce the mRNA expression of four cytokines (IL-6, IL-1ß, TNF-α, and iNOS) and promote the expression of IL-4 at 20 µM. Moreover, kojic acid (3) could treat the DSS (dextran sulfate sodium)-induced colitis on mice with the effectiveness similar to that of the positive control. The results suggested that kojic acid and its derivatives could be a promising anti-inflammatory source for the medicinal and cosmetic industry.

New phenalenone derivatives from Pinellia ternata tubers derived Aspergillus sp.

Nine new phenalenone derivatives (1-9), along with two known analogues (10-11) have been isolated from the solid cultures of an endophytic fungus Aspergillus sp. which was obtained from Pinellia ternate. Their structures were established through interpretations of spectroscopic evidence, and some of their absolute configurations were determined by electronic circular dichroism (ECD) and Mo2(OCOCH3)4 induced ECD. All of the phenalenones are unusual acyclic diterpenoid adducts, which are diversely oxidized and partly epoxidized to form different heterocycles. In addition, compound 10 exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis with MIC50 values of 1.87, 2.77, and 4.80µg/mL, respectively.

In Vitro Antibiofilm Activity of Eucarobustol E against Candida albicans.

Formyl-phloroglucinol meroterpenoids (FPMs) are important types of natural products with various bioactivities. Our antifungal susceptibility assay showed that one of the Eucalyptus robusta-derived FPMs, eucarobustol E (EE), exerted a strong inhibitory effect against Candida albicans biofilms at a concentration of 16 µg/ml. EE was found to block the yeast-to-hypha transition and reduce the cellular surface hydrophobicity of the biofilm cells. RNA sequencing and real-time reverse transcription-PCR analysis showed that exposure to 16 µg/ml of EE resulted in marked reductions in the levels of expressions of genes involved in hyphal growth (EFG1, CPH1, TEC1, EED1, UME6, and HGC1) and cell surface protein genes (ALS3, HWP1, and SAP5). Interestingly, in response to EE, genes involved in ergosterol biosynthesis were downregulated, while the farnesol-encoding gene (DPP3) was upregulated, and these findings were in agreement with those from the quantification of ergosterol and farnesol. Combined with the obvious elevation of negative regulator genes (TUP1, NRG1), we speculated that EE's inhibition of carbon flow to ergosterol triggered the mechanisms of the negative regulation of hyphal growth and eventually led to biofilm inhibition.

Antimicrobial metabolites from the plant endophytic fungus Penicillium sp.

Five rare dichloro aromatic polyketides (1-5) were obtained from an endophytic fungus Penicillium sp., along with five known metabolites (6-10). Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis, Mosher methods, as well as [Rh2(OCOCF3)4]-induced electronic circular dichroism (ECD) experiments. Compounds 2-4 and 6 structurally involved acyclic 1.3-diols, the uneasy configuration determinations of which were well carried out by double-derivation NMR methods. Compounds 1-10 were evaluated for their antibacterial and antifungal activities against five strains of human pathogenic microorganisms. Helvolic acid (7) showed potent inhibitory effects against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) values of 5.8 and 4.6µg/mL, respectively.

Caryophyllene sesquiterpenoids from the endophytic fungus, Pestalotiopsis sp.

Eight new caryophyllene sesquiterpenoids named pestaloporinates A-G (1-7) and 14-acetylhumulane (8) have been isolated from the solid cultures of an endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis sp., which was obtained from the fresh stem bark of Melia azedarach Linn. Their structures as well as absolute configurations were determined by spectroscopic data, ECD experimentation, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Among all the isolates, compound 2 displayed potent inhibitory activity with IC50 value of 19.0 µM during the evaluation of nitric oxide (NO) inhibition in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 macrophage cells.

Bioactive metabolites from the endophytic fungus Alternaria alternata.

Two altenuene derivatives (1-2) and one isocoumarin (3), together with six known compounds (4-9) were isolated from solid cultures of an endophytic fungus Alternaria alternata, obtained from the fresh branches of Camellia sinensis. Chiral analysis revealed the racemic nature of 1 and 2, which were subsequently resolved into two pairs of enantiomers [(+)-1 and (-)-1, (+)-2 and (-)-2]. Structures of all the isolates were identified through spectroscopic data. Absolute configurations of the two pairs of enantiomers were determined by electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculation and the chiral center of C-10 in 3 was deduced via [Rh2(OCOCF3)4]-induced CD experiment. All the isolates were evaluated for their antimicrobial abilities against the pathogenic bacteria and fungi as well as cytotoxic activities against two human tumor cell lines. Compound 5 was the most active against Bacillus subtilis with MIC80 of 8.6 µg/ml, and compounds 1-3, 6-7 and 9 exhibited moderate to weak inhibition towards the test pathogenic microorganism. Compound 4 showed mild cytotoxic activity against human osteosarcoma cells U2OS with IC50 of 28.3 µM.

[Pulsatilla decoction treat inflammatory bowel disease by activating NLRP3].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by Pulsatilla decoction. METHODS: 84 BALB/c mice were randomly divided into ethanol control group, model group, SASP group, Pulsatilla decoction group (further divided into low, middle and high dose group) and zVAD group (n = 12). Intragastric and celiac drug administration were used in each group respectively. The expression of NLRP3, ASC, Caspase-1, IL-18 and IL-1beta in the colons were detected by fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR, Elisa and immunohistochemistry after treatment respectively. RESULTS: Compared with the model group, SASP group, middle and high dose group could treat IBD effectively (P < 0.01), while this effect was restrained in zVAD group (P < 0.05). In the meantime, middle and high dose group could effectively raise the expression of NLRP3, ASC, Caspase-1, IL-18 and IL-1beta in the colons (P < 0.05), while this effect was also inhibited in zVAD group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Pulsatilla decoction is likely to exert their therapeutic effect by activating NLRP3 inflammasome which further promote the formation of the corresponding inflammation factors such as 1L-18 and IL-1beta.