The activities of wortmannilactones against helminth electron transport chain enzymes, structure-activity relationships, and the effect on Trichinella spiralis infected mice

Absolute Configuration of Oxabornyl Polyenes Prugosenes A1-A3 and Structural Revision of Prugosene A2

Oxabornyl polyenes represent a unique group of polyketides characterized by a central polyene core flanked by a conserved oxabornyl moiety and a structurally diverse oxygen heterocyclic ring. They are widely distributed in fungi and possess a variety of biological activities. Due to the significant spatial separation between the two stereogenic ring systems, it is difficult to establish their overall relative configurations. Here, we isolated three oxabornyl polyenes, prugosenes A1-A3 (1-3), from Talaromyces sp. JNU18266-01. Although these compounds were first reported from Penicillium rugulosum, their overall relative and absolute configurations remained unassigned. By employing ozonolysis in combination with ECD calculations, we were able to establish their absolute configurations, and additionally obtained seven new chemical derivatives (4-10). Notably, through NMR data analysis and quantum chemical calculations, we achieved the structural revision of prugosene A2. Furthermore, prugosenes A1-A3 exhibited potent antiviral activity against the respiratory syncytial virus, with compound 1 displaying an IC50 value of 6.3 μM. Our study thus provides a valuable reference for absolute configuration assignment of oxabornyl polyene compounds.

Marine-derived fungi as biocatalysts

Marine microorganisms account for over 90% of ocean biomass and their diversity is believed to be the result of their ability to adapt to extreme conditions of the marine environment. Biotransformations are used to produce a wide range of high-added value materials, and marine-derived fungi have proven to be a source of new enzymes, even for activities not previously discovered. This review focuses on biotransformations by fungi from marine environments, including bioremediation, from the standpoint of the chemical structure of the substrate, and covers up to September 2022.

Impact of Wortmannilactone F and G31P on Clonorchis Sinensis-infected mice

Clonorchis sinensis could induce inflammation, epithelial hyperplasia and fibrosis in the intrahepatic bile duct as a food-borne parasite, which was associated with the development of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Praziquantel was the most effective drug on treatment of this kind of parasite. However, new drugs with minimal toxicity to the host were urgently needed due to the side effects of Praziquantel and its CCA risk. In this study, helminth mitochondria respiratory chain blocker Wortmannilatone F (WF) and IL-8 analogue CXCL8 (3-72) K11R/G31P were used to treat BALB/C mice infected by Clonorchis sinensis. We investigated the gross and histopathological morphology of the liver, inflammation-associated cytokine IL-6, lipid peroxidation-related proteins cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX), collagen fiber accumulation and fibroblast-specific protein 1 (FSP1), malignant markers proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and cytokeratin 19 (CK19), as well as the disinfection effect on these parasites in vitro. WF inhibited and killed the worms dramatically, and the combination of WF with G31P improved the condition of the hepatobiliary duct tissue greatly. These outcomes indicated that the combination of WF and G31P was a potential therapeutic method to treat the Clonorchis sinensis infection.