|
1
|
Cai M, Bai XL, Zang HJ, Tang XH, Yan Y, Wan JJ, Peng MY, Liang H, Liu L, Guo F, Zhao PJ, Liao X, Di YT, Hao XJ. Quassinoids from Twigs of Harrisonia perforata (Blanco) Merr and Their Anti-Parkinson's Disease Effect. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16196. [PMID: 38003386 PMCID: PMC10671724 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Six new C-20 and one new C-19 quassinoids, named perforalactones F-L (1-7), were isolated from twigs of Harrisonia perforata. Spectroscopic and X-ray crystallographic experiments were conducted to identify their structures. Through oxidative degradation of perforalactone B to perforaqussin A, the biogenetic process from C-25 quassinoid to C-20 via Baeyer-Villiger oxidation was proposed. Furthermore, the study evaluated the anti-Parkinson's disease potential of these C-20 quassinoids for the first time on 6-OHDA-induced PC12 cells and a Drosophila Parkinson's disease model of PINK1B9. Perforalactones G and I (2 and 4) showed a 10-15% increase in cell viability of the model cells at 50 μM, while compounds 2 and 4 (100 μM) significantly improved the climbing ability of PINK1B9 flies and increased the dopamine level in the brains and ATP content in the thoraces of the flies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Min Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China; (M.C.); (H.-J.Z.); (X.-H.T.); (Y.Y.); (J.-J.W.); (M.-Y.P.); (H.L.); (L.L.); (F.G.); (X.-J.H.)
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China;
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;
| | - Xiao-Lin Bai
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Hao-Jing Zang
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China; (M.C.); (H.-J.Z.); (X.-H.T.); (Y.Y.); (J.-J.W.); (M.-Y.P.); (H.L.); (L.L.); (F.G.); (X.-J.H.)
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China;
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;
| | - Xiao-Han Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China; (M.C.); (H.-J.Z.); (X.-H.T.); (Y.Y.); (J.-J.W.); (M.-Y.P.); (H.L.); (L.L.); (F.G.); (X.-J.H.)
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China;
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;
| | - Ying Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China; (M.C.); (H.-J.Z.); (X.-H.T.); (Y.Y.); (J.-J.W.); (M.-Y.P.); (H.L.); (L.L.); (F.G.); (X.-J.H.)
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants & College of Pharmacy, Guizhou Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Chemical Drug R&D, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550014, China
| | - Jia-Jia Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China; (M.C.); (H.-J.Z.); (X.-H.T.); (Y.Y.); (J.-J.W.); (M.-Y.P.); (H.L.); (L.L.); (F.G.); (X.-J.H.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;
| | - Min-You Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China; (M.C.); (H.-J.Z.); (X.-H.T.); (Y.Y.); (J.-J.W.); (M.-Y.P.); (H.L.); (L.L.); (F.G.); (X.-J.H.)
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants & College of Pharmacy, Guizhou Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Chemical Drug R&D, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550014, China
| | - Hong Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China; (M.C.); (H.-J.Z.); (X.-H.T.); (Y.Y.); (J.-J.W.); (M.-Y.P.); (H.L.); (L.L.); (F.G.); (X.-J.H.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;
| | - Lin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China; (M.C.); (H.-J.Z.); (X.-H.T.); (Y.Y.); (J.-J.W.); (M.-Y.P.); (H.L.); (L.L.); (F.G.); (X.-J.H.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;
| | - Feng Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China; (M.C.); (H.-J.Z.); (X.-H.T.); (Y.Y.); (J.-J.W.); (M.-Y.P.); (H.L.); (L.L.); (F.G.); (X.-J.H.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;
| | - Pei-Ji Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China;
| | - Xun Liao
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Ying-Tong Di
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China; (M.C.); (H.-J.Z.); (X.-H.T.); (Y.Y.); (J.-J.W.); (M.-Y.P.); (H.L.); (L.L.); (F.G.); (X.-J.H.)
| | - Xiao-Jiang Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China; (M.C.); (H.-J.Z.); (X.-H.T.); (Y.Y.); (J.-J.W.); (M.-Y.P.); (H.L.); (L.L.); (F.G.); (X.-J.H.)
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants & College of Pharmacy, Guizhou Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Chemical Drug R&D, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550014, China
| |
Collapse
|
|
2
|
Moyo P, Invernizzi L, Mianda SM, Rudolph W, Andayi AW, Wang M, Crouch NR, Maharaj VJ. Prioritised identification of structural classes of natural products from higher plants in the expedition of antimalarial drug discovery. NATURAL PRODUCTS AND BIOPROSPECTING 2023; 13:37. [PMID: 37821775 PMCID: PMC10567616 DOI: 10.1007/s13659-023-00402-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
The emergence and spread of drug-recalcitrant Plasmodium falciparum parasites threaten to reverse the gains made in the fight against malaria. Urgent measures need to be taken to curb this impending challenge. The higher plant-derived sesquiterpene, quinoline alkaloids, and naphthoquinone natural product classes of compounds have previously served as phenomenal chemical scaffolds from which integral antimalarial drugs were developed. Historical successes serve as an inspiration for the continued investigation of plant-derived natural products compounds in search of novel molecular templates from which new antimalarial drugs could be developed. The aim of this study was to identify potential chemical scaffolds for malaria drug discovery following analysis of historical data on phytochemicals screened in vitro against P. falciparum. To identify these novel scaffolds, we queried an in-house manually curated database of plant-derived natural product compounds and their in vitro biological data. Natural products were assigned to different structural classes using NPClassifier. To identify the most promising chemical scaffolds, we then correlated natural compound class with bioactivity and other data, namely (i) potency, (ii) resistance index, (iii) selectivity index and (iv) physicochemical properties. We used an unbiased scoring system to rank the different natural product classes based on the assessment of their bioactivity data. From this analysis we identified the top-ranked natural product pathway as the alkaloids. The top three ranked super classes identified were (i) pseudoalkaloids, (ii) naphthalenes and (iii) tyrosine alkaloids and the top five ranked classes (i) quassinoids (of super class triterpenoids), (ii) steroidal alkaloids (of super class pseudoalkaloids) (iii) cycloeudesmane sesquiterpenoids (of super class triterpenoids) (iv) isoquinoline alkaloids (of super class tyrosine alkaloids) and (v) naphthoquinones (of super class naphthalenes). Launched chemical space of these identified classes of compounds was, by and large, distinct from that of 'legacy' antimalarial drugs. Our study was able to identify chemical scaffolds with acceptable biological properties that are structurally different from current and previously used antimalarial drugs. These molecules have the potential to be developed into new antimalarial drugs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Phanankosi Moyo
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Biodiscovery Center, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X 20, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Luke Invernizzi
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Biodiscovery Center, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X 20, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Sephora M Mianda
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Biodiscovery Center, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X 20, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Wiehan Rudolph
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Biodiscovery Center, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X 20, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Andrew W Andayi
- Department of Physical and Biological Sciences, Murang'a University of Technology Murang'a, Murang'a, Kenya
| | - Mingxun Wang
- Computer Science and Engineering, University of California Riverside, 900 University Ave, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Neil R Crouch
- Biodiversity Research and Monitoring Directorate, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Berea Road, P.O. Box 52099, Durban, 4007, South Africa
- School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 4041, South Africa
| | - Vinesh J Maharaj
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Biodiscovery Center, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X 20, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa.
| |
Collapse
|
|
3
|
Chuang L, Liu S, Franke J. Post-Cyclization Skeletal Rearrangements in Plant Triterpenoid Biosynthesis by a Pair of Branchpoint Isomerases. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:5083-5091. [PMID: 36821810 PMCID: PMC9999417 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c10838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Triterpenoids possess potent biological activities, but their polycyclic skeletons are challenging to synthesize. The skeletal diversity of triterpenoids in plants is generated by oxidosqualene cyclases based on epoxide-triggered cationic rearrangement cascades. Normally, triterpenoid skeletons then remain unaltered during subsequent tailoring steps. In contrast, the highly modified triterpenoids found in Sapindales plants imply the existence of post-cyclization skeletal rearrangement enzymes that have not yet been found. We report here a biosynthetic pathway in Sapindales plants for the modification of already cyclized tirucallane triterpenoids, controlling the pathway bifurcation between different plant triterpenoid classes. Using a combination of bioinformatics, heterologous expression in plants and chemical analyses, we identified a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase and two isomerases which harness the epoxidation-rearrangement biosynthetic logic of triterpene cyclizations for modifying the tirucallane scaffold. The two isomerases share the same epoxide substrate made by the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase CYP88A154, but generate two different rearrangement products, one containing a cyclopropane ring. Our findings reveal a process for skeletal rearrangements of triterpenoids in nature that expands their scaffold diversity after the initial cyclization. In addition, the enzymes described here are crucial for the biotechnological production of limonoid, quassinoid, apoprotolimonoid, and glabretane triterpenoids.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ling Chuang
- Centre of Biomolecular Drug Research, Leibniz University Hannover, Schneiderberg 38, 30167 Hannover, Germany
| | - Shenyu Liu
- Centre of Biomolecular Drug Research, Leibniz University Hannover, Schneiderberg 38, 30167 Hannover, Germany
| | - Jakob Franke
- Centre of Biomolecular Drug Research, Leibniz University Hannover, Schneiderberg 38, 30167 Hannover, Germany.,Institute of Botany, Leibniz University Hannover, Herrenhäuser Str. 2, 30419 Hannover, Germany
| |
Collapse
|