Epoxyquinophomopsins A and B from endophytic fungus Phomopsis sp. and their activity against tyrosine kinase

Natural epoxyquinoids: isolation, biological activity and synthesis. An update

Epoxyquinoids are of continuing interest due to their wide natural distribution and diverse biological activities, including, but not limited to, antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer, enzyme inhibitory, and others. The last review on their total synthesis was published in 2017. Since then, almost 100 articles have been published on their isolation from nature and their biological profile. In addition, the review specifically considers synthesis, including total and enantioselective, as well as the development of shorter approaches for the construction of epoxyquinoids with complex chemical architecture. Thus, this review focuses on progress in this area in order to stimulate further research.

Chemical and Biological Review of Endophytic Fungi Associated with Morus sp. (Moraceae) and In Silico Study of Their Antidiabetic Potential

The chronic nature of diabetes mellitus motivates the quest for novel agents to improve its management. The scarcity and prior uncontrolled utilization of medicinal plants have encouraged researchers to seek new sources of promising compounds. Recently, endophytes have presented as eco-friendly leading sources for bioactive metabolites. This article reviewed the endophytic fungi associated with Morus species and their isolated compounds, in addition to the biological activities tested on their extracts and chemical constituents. The relevant literature was collected from the years 2008-2022 from PubMed and Web of Science databases. Notably, no antidiabetic activity was reported for any of the Morus-associated endophytic fungal extracts or their twenty-one previously isolated compounds. This encouraged us to perform an in silico study on the previously isolated compounds to explore their possible antidiabetic potential. Furthermore, pharmacokinetic and dynamic stability studies were performed on these compounds. Upon molecular docking, Colletotrichalactone A (14) showed a promising antidiabetic activity due to the inhibition of the α-amylase local target and the human sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (hSGT2) systemic target with safe pharmacokinetic features. These results provide an in silico interpretation of the possible anti-diabetic potential of Morus endophytic metabolites, yet further study is required.

Diacerein alleviates Ang II-induced cardiac inflammation and remodeling by inhibiting the MAPKs/c-Myc pathway

BACKGROUND

Heart failure is a common event in the course of hypertension. Recent studies have highlighted the key role of the non-hemodynamic activity of angiotensin II (Ang II) in hypertension-related cardiac inflammation and remodeling. A naturally occurring compound, diacerein, exhibits anti-inflammatory activities in various systems.

HYPOTHESIS/PURPOSE

In this study, we have examined the potential effects of diacerein on Ang II-induced heart failure.

METHODS

C57BL/6 mice were administered Ang II by micro-osmotic pump infusion for 4 weeks to develop hypertensive heart failure. Mice were treated with diacerein by gavage for final 2 weeks. RNA-sequencing analysis was performed to explore the potential mechanism of diacerein.

RESULTS

We found that diacerein could inhibit inflammation, myocardial fibrosis, and hypertrophy to prevent heart dysfunction, without the alteration of blood pressure. To explore the potential mechanism of diacerein, RNA-sequencing analysis was performed, indicating that MAPKs/c-Myc pathway is involved in that cardioprotective effects of Diacerein. We further confirmed that diacerein inhibits Ang II-activated MAPKs/c-Myc pathway to reduce inflammatory response in mouse hearts and cultured cardiomyocytes. Deficiency of MAPKs or c-Myc in cardiomyocytes abolished the anti-inflammatory effects of diacerein.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that diacerein protects hearts in Ang II-induced mice through inhibiting MAPKs/c-Myc-mediated inflammatory responses, rendering diacerein a potential therapeutic candidate agent for hypertensive heart failure.

Pentacyclic triterpenes from the leaves extract of Sandoricum koetjape

Three new pentacyclic triterpenes, trivially named sandkoetjapic acids A-C (1-3), have been isolated from the leaves extract of Sandoricum koetjape, along with the known triterpenes 3-oxo-olean-12-en-29-oic (4), bryonolic (5), and bryononic (6) acids. The structures of the new triterpenes were determined mainly by NMR spectroscopic and mass spectroscopic data. The isolation of these pentacyclic triterpenes in the plant's leaves is for the first time. Preliminary biological evaluation of 1-6 was done against eight receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), including EGFR, HER2, HER4 (epidermal growth factor receptor), IGF1R, InsR (insulin receptor), KDR (kinase insert domain receptor), and PDGFRα/-β (platelet-derived growth factor receptor), and their inhibitory properties against β-lactamase. The results showed that none of them were active both as the inhibitors of these RTKs and β-lactamase.

Target Specific Inhibition of Protein Tyrosine Kinase in Conjunction With Cancer and SARS-COV-2 by Olive Nutraceuticals

The fact that viruses cause human cancer dates back to the early 1980s. By reprogramming cellular signaling pathways, viruses encoded protein that can regulate altered control of cell cycle events. Viruses can interact with a superfamily of membrane bound protein, receptor tyrosine kinase to modulate their activity in order to increase virus entrance into cells and promotion of viral replication within the host. Therefore, our study aimed at screening of inhibitors of tyrosine kinase using natural compounds from olive. Protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) is an important factor for cancer progression and can be linked to coronavirus. It is evident that over expression of Protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) enhance viral endocytosis and proliferation and the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors reduced the period of infection period. Functional network studies were carried out using two major PTKs viz. Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) and B-lymphocytic kinase (BTK). They are associated with coronavirus in regulation of cell signaling proteins for cellular processes. We virtually screened for 161 library of natural compounds from olive found overexpressed in ALK and BTK in metastatic as well as virus host cells. We have employed both ligand and target-based approach for drug designing by high throughput screening using Multilinear regression model based QSAR and docking. The QSAR based virtual screening of 161 olive nutraceutical compounds has successfully identified certain new hit; Wedelosin, in which, the descriptor rsa (ratio of molecular surface area to the solvent accessible surface area) plays crucial role in deciding Wedelosin’s inhibitory potency. The best-docked olive nutraceuticals further investigated for the stability and effectivity of the BTK and ALK during in 150 ns molecular dynamics and simulation. Post simulation analysis and binding energy estimation in MMGBSA further revealed the intensive potential of the olive nutraceuticals in PTK inhibition. This study is therefore expected to widen the use of nutraceuticals from olive in cancer as well as SARS-CoV2 alternative therapy.