Viridicatol Isolated from Deep-Sea Penicillium Griseofulvum Alleviates Anaphylaxis and Repairs the Intestinal Barrier in Mice by Suppressing Mast Cell Activation.

Viridicatol is a quinoline alkaloid isolated from the deep-sea-derived fungus Penicillium griseofulvum. The structure of viridicatol was unambiguously established by X-ray diffraction analysis. In this study, a mouse model of ovalbumin-induced food allergy and the rat basophil leukemia (RBL)-2H3 cell model were established to explore the anti-allergic properties of viridicatol. On the basis of the mouse model, we found viridicatol to alleviate the allergy symptoms; decrease the levels of specific immunoglobulin E, mast cell protease-1, histamine, and tumor necrosis factor-α; and promote the production of interleukin-10 in the serum. The treatment of viridicatol also downregulated the population of B cells and mast cells (MCs), as well as upregulated the population of regulatory T cells in the spleen. Moreover, viridicatol alleviated intestinal villi injury and inhibited the degranulation of intestinal MCs to promote intestinal barrier repair in mice. Furthermore, the accumulation of Ca2+ in RBL-2H3 cells was significantly suppressed by viridicatol, which could block the activation of MCs. Taken together, these data indicated that deep-sea viridicatol may represent a novel therapeutic for allergic diseases.

2-Alkyl-4-hydroxyquinolines from a Marine-Derived Streptomyces sp. Inhibit Hyphal Growth Induction in Candida albicans.

Four 2-alkyl-4-hydroxyquinoline derivatives (1⁻4) were isolated from a semisolid rice culture of the marine-derived actinomycete Streptomyces sp. MBTG13. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by a combination of spectroscopic methods, and their data were in good agreement with previous reports. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited weak to moderate antibacterial activity against pathogenic bacteria. Unexpectedly, we found that compound 1 acted as a potent inhibitor of hyphal growth induction in the dimorphic fungus Candida albicans, with an IC50 value of 11.4 µg/mL. Growth experiments showed that this compound did not inhibit yeast cell growth, but inhibited hyphal growth induction. Semi-quantitative reverse transcription (RT)-PCR analysis of hyphal-inducing signaling pathway components indicated that compound 1 inhibited the expression of mRNAs related to the cAMP-Efg1 pathway. The expression of HWP1 and ALS3 mRNAs (hypha-specific genes positively regulated by Efg1, an important regulator of cell wall dynamics) was significantly inhibited by the addition of compound 1. These results indicate that compound 1 acts on the Efg1-mediated cAMP pathway and regulates hyphal growth in Candida albicans.

A new isoquinolone alkaloid from an endophytic fungus R22 of Nerium indicum.

A new isoquinolone alkaloid named 5-hydroxy-8-methoxy-4-phenylisoquinolin-1(2H)-one (3), together with two known quinolinone alkaloids 3-O-methylviridicatin (1) and viridicatol (2) were isolated from the fermentation of an endophytic fungus Penicillium sp. R22 in Nerium indicum. Their structures were elucidated by NMR, IR and MS data, and were also confirmed by comparing with the reported data in the literature. Meanwhile, the antibacterial and antifungal activities of all compounds were tested, and the results showed that three compounds had strong antifungal activity. Among them, compound 2 revealed potent antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus with MIC value of 15.6 µg/mL.

Actinoquinolines A and B, anti-inflammatory quinoline alkaloids from a marine-derived Streptomyces sp., strain CNP975.

Actinomycete bacteria of the common genus Streptomyces can be routinely isolated from shallow and deep ocean sediments. Although commonly considered a terrestrial genus, and most abundantly found in soil, Streptomyces strains are found that have distinct requirements for seawater and routinely do not show significant similarity, with terrestrial strains by 16S ribosomal DNA phylogenetic sequence comparisons. Our examination of the culture broth of a Streptomyces sp., strain CNP975, isolated from a local La Jolla, California sediment sample, resulted in the isolation of actinoquinolines A and B (1, 2), which show significant inhibition of the arachidonic acid pathway enzymes cyclooxygenases-1 and -2. The new compounds contain the 3-hydroxyquinaldic acid (3HQA) motif found in numerous peptide antibiotics. In the actinoquinolines, 3HQA forms an amide linkage with a linear six-carbon fragment, formally a 2, 6-diamino-1, 5-dihydroxyhexane unit, a component of likely amino acid reductive off-loading origin. Actinoquinoline A illustrated amide rotational isomerism leading to complex NMR spectral data. Actinoquinoline B was assigned as the C-13 aldehyde analog isolated as an intramolecular hemiacetal. Reduction of 2 with NaBH4 yielded actinoquinoline A thus confirming the relative configurations of all centers in the actinoquinolines.

A new quinoline alkaloid from the roots of Dictamnus angustifolius.

AIM: To investigate the quinoline alkaloids from the roots of Dictamnus angustifolius G.Don ex Sweet (Rutaceae). METHOD: The quinoline alkaloids were isolated by various column chromatographic methods and their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis. RESULTS: A new quinoline alkaloid, 5-methoxylrobustine (1), along with five known quinoline alkaloids were obtained, and their structures were identified as dictamnine (2), robustine (3), isopteleine (4), γ-fagarine (5), and skimmianine (6). Cytotoxicity testing of these alkaloids showed that all of them had weak cytotoxic activities against human breast cancer cells (MCF7). CONCLUSION: Compound 1 is a new quinoline alkaloid. Alkaloid 3 showed stronger anti-proliferation effect than the other alkaloids.

HHQ and PQS, two Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum-sensing molecules, down-regulate the innate immune responses through the nuclear factor-kappaB pathway.

To explore whether bacterial secreted 4-hydroxy-2-alkylquinolines (HAQs) can regulate host innate immune responses, we used the extracts of bacterial culture supernatants from a wild-type (PA14) and two mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa that have defects in making HAQs. Surprisingly, the extract of supernatants from the P. aeruginosa pqsA mutant that does not make HAQs showed strong stimulating activity for the production of innate cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 in the J774A.1 mouse monocyte/macrophage cell line, whereas the extract from the wild-type did not. The addition of 4-hydroxy-2-heptylquinoline (HHQ) or 2-heptyl-3,4-dihydroxyquinoline (PQS, Pseudomonas quinolone signal) to mammalian cell culture media abolished this stimulating activity of the extracts of supernatants from the pqsA mutant on the expression of innate cytokines in J774A.1 cells and in the primary bronchoalveolar lavage cells from C57BL/6 mice, suggesting that HHQ and PQS can suppress the host innate immune responses. The pqsA mutant showed reduced dissemination in the lung tissue compared with the wild-type strain in a mouse in vivo intranasal infection model, suggesting that HHQ and PQS may play a role in the pathogenicity of P. aeruginosa. HHQ and PQS reduced the nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) binding to its binding sites and the expression of NF-kappaB target genes, and PQS delayed inhibitor of kappaB degradation, indicating that the effect of HHQ and PQS was mediated through the NF-kappaB pathway. Our results suggest that HHQ and PQS produced by P. aeruginosa actively suppress host innate immune responses.

Isolation and identification of a novel aromatic amine mutagen produced by the Maillard reaction.

To clarify the formation of mutagens in the Maillard reaction of glucose and amino acids, 20 amino acids were separately incubated with glucose in the presence or absence of hydroxyl radicals produced by the Fenton reaction. After 1 week at 37 degrees C and pH 7.4, the reaction mixtures of glucose and tryptophan with and without the Fenton reagent showed mutagenicity toward Salmonella typhimurium YG1024 in the presence of a mammalian metabolic system (S9 mix). To identify mutagens in the reaction mixture, blue rayon-adsorbed material from a mixture of glucose, tryptophan, and the Fenton reagent was separated by column chromatography using various solid and mobile phases, and one mutagen, which accounted for 18% of the total mutagenicity of the reaction mixture, was isolated. The chemical structure of the mutagen was determined to be 5-amino-6-hydroxy-8H-benzo[6,7]azepino[5,4,3-de]quinolin-7-one (ABAQ) on the basis of ESI mass, high-resolution APCI mass, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, and IR spectral analyses and chemical synthesis of the mutagen. The novel aromatic amine showed high mutagenicity toward S. typhimurium TA98 and YG1024 with S9 mix, inducing 857 revertants of TA98 and 6007 revertants of YG1024/microg, respectively. The mutagenicity of ABAQ was comparable to that of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine, which is a mutagenic and carcinogenic hetrocyclic amine in cooked meat and fish formed through the Maillard reaction at high temperature.

[Chemical constituents from the mycelia of Alternaria sp. YD-01].

To study the chemical constituents of the mycelia of the Endophytes YD-01, 2, 3-dihydroxy-quinoline-4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1), 3-methyl-pyrrol opiperazine-2, 5-dione (2) and naringenin (3) were isolated from its acetone extracts by using silica gel column chromatography and Sephadex LH-20. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. Compound 1 is a new compound.

Effective on-line purification for cationic compounds in rat bile using a column-switching LC technique.

An on-line purification method for cationic compounds and their metabolites in rat bile was investigated using a column-switching technique. 8-Hydroxyquinoline and its glucuronide were used as test compounds. Bile samples were injected directly into the system and successful on-line extraction with high purification efficiency for analytes was achieved using two-dimensional extraction LC; that is, reversed-phase chromatography followed by cation-exchange chromatography. After removal of the endogenous component by extraction LC, chromatographic separation of the target analyte was performed on an analytical ODS column, followed by identification using UV detection. The quantitative ability of the method was evaluated on the basis of injection repeatability, linearity and accuracy. This novel method was also applied to LC/MS analysis in order to characterise the pharmacokinetics of propranolol in rats, and the metabolites were successfully identified.

Isolation and structure of ruprechstyril from Ruprechtia tangarana.

Bioassay (P388 lymphocytic leukemia cell line and human cancer cell lines)-guided separation of an extract prepared from the stem bark and twigs of the previously uninvestigated Ruprechtia tangarana led to the isolation of a new isocarbostyril designated ruprechstyril (1), secalonic acid A (2), 2'-O-methylevernic acid (3), 3,3',4-tri-O-methylflavellagic acid (4), lichexanthone (5), methyl asterrate (6), and 3beta,22E,24S-stigmasta-5,22-dien-3-ol (7). Only secalonic acid A exhibited cancer cell and microbial growth inhibition. The structure of ruprechstyril (1) was determined by HRMS and 1D and 2D NMR spectra and confirmed by single-crystal X-ray analysis. The structures and absolute stereochemistry of five of the other compounds were also established by X-ray crystal structure determination.

Isolation and characterization of the fungal metabolite 3-O-methylviridicatin as an inhibitor of tumour necrosis factor alpha-induced human immunodeficiency virus replication.

The cytokine tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) has been shown to play a role in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication by activating transcription of the provirus in both T cells and macrophages. Therefore, agents that block TNF-alpha-induced HIV expression could have therapeutic value in the treatment of AIDS. We have sought to identify antiviral agents that block TNF-alpha induction of HIV LTR-directed transcription, using a cell-based, virus-free assay system in automated high-throughput screening. HeLa cells were transfected with an HIV LTR-luciferase reporter plasmid and a stable line was isolated in which TNF-alpha increased luciferase production by two- to threefold. This cell line was used to screen approximately 15,000 fungal extracts. An inhibitory activity specific for TNF-alpha-induced HIV LTR transcription was observed in culture OS-F67406. The active component was isolated and identified as a known metabolite, 3-O-methylviridicatin, by NMR and mass spectrometry. No biological activity has been associated with this compound previously. This compound blocks TNF-alpha activation of the HIV LTR in the HeLa-based system, with an IC50 of 5 microM, and inhibited virus production in the OM-10.1 cell line, a model of chronic infection responsive to induction by TNF-alpha, with an IC50 of 2.5 microM.

Separation of hydroxyquinolines by high-performance liquid chromatography.

1. Hydroxyquinolines are important chemicals for pharmaceutical and cosmetic use. This report describes an improved method for separating these chemicals, by utilizing a high-performance liquid chromatography technique. 2. 8-Hydroxyquinoline is an excellent chelating agent. Previous separation procedures failed because of this property. An important requirement for the success of the method described is to provide a metal-free environment for the separation of hydroxyquinolines by replacing metal tubing with Polyplex and polyether-ether ketone (PEEK) tubing and utilizing a metal-free Hamilton PRP-1 column.

Efficient method for the isolation by HPLC, of a major metabolite of the carcinogen 2-amino-3-methylimidazo [4,5-f]quinoline (IQ), the 5-hydroxy derivative.

Previous difficulties in the standard HPLC separation of the 5-hydroxy derivative, a major metabolite of the food mutagen and carcinogen 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ), with the properties of a chelating agent, were resolved by utilizing a nonmetallic tubing and column and a BRP-1 stationary phase. This system separates the already known metabolites by reverse phase mode, but presents the unique advantage of resolving chelating compounds like 5-hydroxy-IQ as a single, clean peak. The procedure may be generally applicable to this class of chemicals.

Conversion of 111In-oxine to 111In trichloride by acid hydrolysis.

The lipophilic complex 111In-oxine was converted back to 111InCl3 by acid hydrolysis with 0.1 N HCl. Greater than 99% of the starting material was converted to 111InCl3 with a purity of 99.6%. Unlabeled oxine was completely removed by chloroform extraction. Current experimental data suggest that 111In-oxine is unstable in weak acidic medium.

Studies on lipoxygenase inhibitors. II. KF8940 (2-n-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline-N-oxide), a potent and selective inhibitor of 5-lipoxygenase, produced by Pseudomonas methanica.

Pseudomonas methanica KY4634 was found to produce 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor designated KF8940, MY12-62a and MY12-62c. The inhibitors were purified by solvent extraction, silica gel column chromatography, reversed-phase low pressure liquid chromatography and crystallization. The chemical structures of KF8940, MY12-62a and MY12-62c were determined to be 2-n-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline-N-oxide, 2-n-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline and 3-n-heptyl-3-hydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline-2,4-dione, respectively, on the basis of their physico-chemical properties. Among them, KF8940 was the most potent inhibitor. The compound inhibited 5-lipoxygenase of rat basophilic leukemia cells in a dose-dependent manner and the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) was 1.5 X 10(-7) M. At this concentration, KF8940 did not inhibit bovine platelet 12-lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase, and the IC50 values for these enzyme were 3.5 X 10(-5) M and 1.7 X 10(-4) M, respectively. The results indicated that KF8940 is a potent and selective inhibitor of 5-lipoxygenase. The IC50 value of MY12-62c for 5-lipoxygenase was 1.9 X 10(-5) M and that of MY12-62a was 1.9 X 10(-5) M.

Isolation of flindersiamine, isoflindersiamine, and a new alkaloid, heliparvifoline, from Helietta parvifolia (Rutaceae).

A phytochemical investigation of the leaves and twigs of Helietta parvifolia (Rutaceae) resulted in the isolation of heliparvifoline, a new furoquinoline alkaloid, in addition to the known bases flindersiamine and isoflindersiamine.