J. Nat. Prod. 2009, 72, 626–631
626
Bioactive Metabolites from the Endophytic Fungus Stemphylium globuliferum Isolated from
Mentha pulegium
Abdessamad Debbab,†,‡ Amal H. Aly,†,§ RuAngelie Edrada-Ebel,⊥ Victor Wray,| Werner E. G. Müller,3 Frank Totzke,O
Ute Zirrgiebel,O Christoph Schächtele,O Michael H. G. Kubbutat,O Wen Han Lin,0 Mahjouba Mosaddak,4 Abdelhak Hakiki,4
Peter Proksch,*,† and Rainer Ebel*,"
Institut für Pharmazeutische Biologie and Biotechnologie, Heinrich-Heine-UniVersität, UniVersitätsstrasse 1, Geb. 26.23, D-40225 Düsseldorf,
Germany, Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, UniVersity of Strathclyde, The John Arbuthnott Building, 27 Taylor
Street, Glasgow G4 0NR, Scotland, U.K., Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstrasse 7, D-38124 Braunschweig, Germany,
Institut für Physiologische Chemie and Pathobiochemie, Johannes-Gutenberg-UniVersität, Duesbergweg 6, D-55128 Mainz, Germany,
ProQinase GmbH, Breisacher Strasse 117, 79106 Freiburg, Germany, National Research Laboratories of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs,
Peking UniVersity-Health Science Center, 100083 Beijing, People’s Republic of China, Département de Chimie, Faculté des Sciences,
UniVersité Mohammed V Agdal, AVenue Ibn Battouta BP 1014, Rabat, Morocco, and Marine BiodiscoVery Centre, Department of Chemistry,
UniVersity of Aberdeen, Meston Building, Meston Walk, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, Scotland, U.K.
ReceiVed August 12, 2008
The endophytic fungus Stemphylium globuliferum was isolated from stem tissues of the Moroccan medicinal plant Mentha
pulegium. Extracts of the fungus, which was grown on solid rice medium, exhibited considerable cytotoxicity when tested in
vitro against L5178Y cells. Chemical investigation yielded five new secondary metabolites, alterporriol G (4) and its atropisomer
alterporriol H (5), altersolanol K (11), altersolanol L (12), stemphypyrone (13), and the known compounds 6-O-methylalaternin
(1), macrosporin (2), altersolanol A (3), alterporriol E (6), alterporriol D (7), alterporriol A (8), alterporriol B (9), and altersolanol
J (10). The structures were determined on the basis of one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry.
Among the alterporriol-type anthranoid dimers, the mixture of alterporriols G and H (4/5) exhibited considerable cytotoxicity
against L5178Y cells with an EC50 value of 2.7 µg/mL, whereas the other congeners showed only modest activity. The
compounds were also tested for kinase inhibitory activity in an assay involving 24 different kinases. Compounds 1, 2, 3, and
the mixture of 4 and 5 were the most potent inhibitors, displaying EC50 values between 0.64 and 1.4 µg/mL toward individual
kinases.
An endophyte is a fungal or bacterial microorganism that spends
the whole or part of its life cycle colonizing healthy tissues of its
host plant, typically causing no apparent symptoms of disease.1
The relationship between the endophyte and its host plant may range
from symbiotic to near-pathogenic.2 The nature of interaction
between host plants and endophytes in natural populations and
communities is, however, poorly understood. Endophyte-host plant
symbioses represent a broad continuum of interactions, from
pathogenic to mutualistic, even within the lifespan of an individual
microorganism and its host plant.2–4 Moreover, endophytic fungi
are thought to interact mutualistically with their host plants, for
example by increasing resistance to herbivores, and thus have been
termed “acquired plant defenses”.5–7 Accordingly, there are numerous examples of endophytes producing secondary metabolites with
agricultural or pharmaceutical potential.1,8 In some cases, endophytic fungi have also been found to produce commercially
important natural products that were previously only known from
plants. Some renowned examples include paclitaxel,9 camptoth* To whom correspondence should be addressed. (P.P.) Tel: ++49-21181-14163. Fax: ++49-211-81-11923. E-mail: proksch@uni-duesseldorf.de.
(R.E.) Tel: ++44-1224-272930. Fax: ++44-1224-272921. E-mail:
r.ebel@abdn.ac.uk.
†
Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Düsseldorf.
‡
Permanent address: Laboratoire des Substances Naturelles et Thermolyse Eclair, Département de Chimie, Université Mohammed V Agdal,
Avenue Ibn Battouta BP 1014, Rabat, Morocco. This publication contains
parts of the doctoral thesis by A.D.
§
Permanent address: Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Khartoum Sq. Azarita, Alexandria, Egypt.
⊥
University of Strathclyde.
|
Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig.
3
Johannes-Gutenberg-Universität, Mainz.
O
ProQinase GmbH, Freiburg.
0
Peking University.
4
Université Mohammed V Agdal, Rabat.
"
University of Aberdeen.
10.1021/np8004997 CCC: $40.75
ecin,10 podophyllotoxin,11 and hypericin,12 although it is far from
clear to what extent endophytes actually contribute to the biosynthesis of these compounds within their host plants.
The purpose of this study was to investigate natural products
produced by the endophytic fungus Stemphylium globuliferum,
isolated from stem tissues of the traditional medicinal plant Mentha
pulegium (Lamiaceae) growing in Morocco. Teas brewed from the
leaves of M. pulegium are used traditionally to treat common colds
and disorders of the liver and gall-bladder, as a carminative, as a
diuretic, and to stimulate digestive action.13 The essential oil has
been reported to have antifungal,14 larvicidal,15 acaricidal,16 and
cytotoxic activities.17 The stimulus that prompted our investigation
of the endophyte S. globuliferum was the strong cytotoxic activity
of its crude EtOAc extract against murine L5178Y cells. Stemphylium species have a widespread distribution, with many species
occurring as plant pathogens. A number of metabolites of polyketide
origin, including altersolanol A18 (initially described as stemphylin19), stemphyltoxins I-IV,20 stemphyperylenol,20 and stemphyloxins I and II,21,22 have been isolated previously from Stemphylium
spp., and most of them were described as phytotoxins. The present
study provides the first comprehensive analysis of natural products
produced by S. globuliferum.
Results and Discussion
A crude EtOAc extract of S. globuliferum grown on solid rice
cultures was partitioned between n-hexane and 90% MeOH. From
the 90% MeOH fraction, the known compounds 6-O-methylalaternin (1),23–26 macrosporin (2),24,25 and altersolanol A (3)24,25,27
were obtained. Compounds 1-3 were also identified as building
blocks for a series of dimeric anthranoids, including two new
congeners, obtained as an inseparable mixture of alterporriol G (4)
and its atropisomer alterporriol H (5), together with the known
derivatives alterporriol E (6),28–30 alterporriol D (7),28–30 alterporriol
2009 American Chemical Society and American Society of Pharmacognosy
Published on Web 03/09/2009
Journal of Natural Products, 2009, Vol. 72, No. 4 627
BioactiVe Metabolites from Stemphylium globuliferum
Table 1. NMR Data of Alterporriol G (4), Alterporriol H (5), Altersolanol K (11), and Altersolanol L (12)
4/5
position
a,b
C
δ
1
2
3
4
112.2
163.4
133.4
131.7
4a
5
6
7
8
8a
9
9a
10
10a
1′
2′
3′
4′
4a′
5′
6′ (in 4)
6′ (in 5)
7′
8′
8a′
9′
9a′
10′
10a′
CH3-2
CH3-3
OCH3-6
OCH3-7
OH-1
OH-2
OH-3
OH-5
OH-9
OH-10
CH3-3′
OCH3-6′
126.9
103.6
166.2
112.5
4
δH mult. (J Hz)
5
a
δH mult. (J Hz)
7.55 s
7.53 s
8.00 s f
8.00 s f
7.45 s
7.48 s
11
a
12
δH mult. (J Hz)
c
d
4.08 br s
3.46 br d (12.2)
ax 1.48 q (12.0)
eq 2.07 dt (12.0, 4.9)
2.30 m
6.58 d (2.5)
6.89 d (2.5)
120.3
188.9
135.0
183.1
70.4
75.4
74.8
70.1
143.8
118.3
164.5
165.1
104.9
166.3
111.1
2.65 dd (13.1, 2.1)
4.80 d (10.2)
4.740 d (7.6)
3.82e,f
4.738 d (7.3)
3.82e,f
4.34 s
4.33 s
6.89 s f
6.89 s f
2.34 s f
3.81 s
2.34 s f
3.80 s
c
C
δ
72.1
72.2
69.5
29.5
41.5
164.3
98.8
165.7
104.2
151.9
66.1
45.7
204.4
108.8
δH mult. (J Hz)c
3.81e
3.54 m
ax 1.42 q (12.1)
eq 2.10 dt (12.6, 4.5)
2.65 m
6.33 d (2.4)
6.74 dd (2.4, 1.0)
4.63 m
2.19 td (10.9, 2.9)
143.8
185.7
16.4
57.4
1.20 s
23.6
1.22 s
3.74 s
4.88 d (5.4)
4.12 s
4.18 br s
n.d.g
55.6
3.81 s
4.94 d (5.3)
3.96 s
4.22 br s
12.96 s
5.42 d (7.8)
4.08d
22.2
56.8
1.363 s
3.83 s
1.357 s
3.85 s
a
Measured in MeOH-d4 at 500 (1H), 125 (13C) MHz. b Derived from HMBC spectrum (missing signals, no correlations observed). Signals for both
atropisomers are overlapping if not indicated otherwise. c Measured in DMSO-d6 at 600 (1H) and 150 (13C) MHz. d Overlapped. e Overlapped by
methoxyl signal. f Overlapping signal of both 4 and 5. g n.d., not detected.
A (8),31,32 and alterporriol B (9).33 Additionally, the known
hexahydroanthronol altersolanol J (10)34 two new congeners,
altersolanol K (11) and altersolanol L (12), and a new R-pyrone,
stemphypyrone (13), were isolated. The known compounds were
identified on the basis of their spectroscopic data and [R]D values
as well as by comparison with published data.35
Compounds 4 and 5 were obtained as an inseparable mixture
forming a red, amorphous powder. Upon LC-MS analysis, the
mixture exhibited two partially overlapped peaks (area ratio ca.
4:3), which displayed virtually identical UV spectra and ESI mass
spectra. From the 1H NMR spectrum and ESIMS (m/z 619.0 [M +
H]+), they were assumed to be dimeric anthraquinones each
comprising a macrosporin (2) and an altersolanol A (3) subunit.
This was confirmed by a pseudomolecular ion peak at m/z 641.128
[M + Na]+, consistent with the molecular formula C32H26O13
(HRESIMS). Even though the 1H NMR spectrum (Table 1) showed
a considerable degree of overlapping, it was possible to distinguish
most signals for compounds 4 and 5 and to assign them to either
atropisomer on the basis of the integrals. The COSY spectrum
showed long-range correlations between CH3-3 and H-4 as well as
a cross-peak between H-1′ and H-2′, the latter obscured by the
OCH3 groups. Furthermore, interpretation of the HMBC spectrum
showed that both H-4 and H-5 correlated to C-10 (δ 183.1), whereas
H-1 correlated to C-9 (δ 188.9). A strong correlation was observed
for H-7′ to both C-6′ (δ 165.1 in 5, 164.5 in 4) and C-8′ (δ 166.3),
thus establishing the link between the two monomers to reside
between C-7 and C-5′.
In order to determine the relative configuration of compounds
4/5 in the aliphatic ring, a ROESY experiment was performed. The
CH3-3′ signals showed correlations to H-2′ and H-4′ as well as
OH-4′, while H-2′ correlated to OH-1′, and in turn, H-1′ to OH-2′.
Furthermore, correlations were observed from H-2′ to OH-4′,
indicating the relative configuration of the aliphatic ring to be
identical to the one present in altersolanol A (3). Thus, compounds
4 and 5 were identified as new natural products, alterporriol G and
alterporriol H, and representing a pair of atropisomers as observed
previously for other alterporriols.28–33
The HRESIMS of compound 11 exhibited a peak at m/z 325.129
[M + H]+ indicating a molecular formula of C16H20O7. Comparison
of the 1H NMR spectrum of 11 (Table 1) with that of altersolanol
J (10) showed a close structural relationship between both
compounds except for the absence of one aliphatic proton and the
presence of an additional OH group in compound 11. This was
confirmed by the corresponding signals observed for OH-1 (δ 4.88),
thus placing the additional OH group at C-1.
The relative configuration of 11 was deduced from the ROESY
spectrum as well as from the coupling constants extracted from
the 1H NMR spectrum (Table 1). The large values of J3,4ax (12.2
628 Journal of Natural Products, 2009, Vol. 72, No. 4
Debbab et al.
Table 2. NMR Data of Stemphypyrone (13) at 500 (1H) and
125 (13C) MHz (MeOD-d4)
a
Hz), J4ax,4a (12.0 Hz), J4a,9a (13.1 Hz), and J4a,10 (10.2 Hz) indicated
that all of these protons exhibited mutual diaxial relationships. The
equatorial position of H-1 was evident from the small coupling
constant of 2.1 Hz to H-9a. Furthermore, H-3 was found to correlate
to H-4eq and H-4a in the ROESY spectrum, as well as CH3-2 to
OH-1, while on the other hand, H-4ax displayed correlations to both
H-9a and H-10. On this basis, 11 was identified as altersolanol K,
representing a new natural product.
Compound 12 was obtained as a brown powder. Its HRESIMS
exhibited a prominent peak at m/z 325.127 [M + H]+ indicating a
molecular formula of C16H20O7, identical to that of 11. The 1H NMR
spectrum of compound 12 (Table 1) was similar to that of 10 and
11, with the most obvious difference consisting in the presence of
an additional singlet appearing at δ 12.96, attributed to the chelated
phenolic group OH-5. Importantly, in the COSY spectrum, the less
shielded aryl proton H-8 exhibited a long-range correlation to a
peri-proton (H-9) (d, J ) 1.2 Hz), reminiscent of tetrahydroaltersolanol B.36 In turn, H-9 coupled to both the OH signal at δ 5.42
(9-OH) and the ring junction proton at δ 2.19 (H-9a). This indicated
that the OH group at C-10 present in 10 and 11 was oxidized to a
carbonyl group in 12, while in turn, the keto function at C-9 was
reduced to an OH. Confirmation of this assumption was provided
by the observed HMBC correlations.
The relative configuration of 12 was deduced from analysis of
the coupling constants, similar to those described above for 11,
indicating a series of mutual diaxial relationships for H-3, H-4ax,
H-4a, H-9a, and H-9, as well as an equatorial orientation for H-1.
Confirmation was obtained from a complete set of mutual NOEs
in the ROESY spectrum, which also allowed assignment of the
relative stereochemistry of CH3-2. The compound was thus identified as a new natural product, for which the name altersolanol L is
proposed.
The HRESIMS of compound 13 displayed a molecular ion peak
at m/z 225.112 [M + H]+, indicating the molecular formula
C12H16O4 and thus implying five degrees of unsaturation. The 1H
NMR spectrum (Table 2) indicated the presence of three methyl
groups, one methoxy group, and three methine protons. The
structure of 13 was deduced from analysis of the COSY and HMBC
spectra. In the former, a spin system including H3-10, H-9, H-8,
and H3-12 was evident, while the latter allowed for the R-pyrone
core structure as well as placing the side chain identified previously
position
δCa
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
OCH3-4
167.4
102.7
168.7
94.9
161.2
127.7
138.7
65.2
23.1
8.5
12.5
57.2
δH mult. (J Hz)
6.53 s
6.47 dd (8.3, 1.2)
4.69 dq (8.3, 6.4)
1.28 d (6.4)
1.88 s
1.98 d (1.2)
3.98 s
Obtained from the HMBC spectrum.
at C-6 through a full set of all possible 2J and 3J correlations for
H-5, H3-11, and H3-12. The trans-geometry of the double bond
was indicated by the upfield shift observed for CH3-12 as well as
the distinct allylic coupling between H-8 and H3-12 (J ) 1.2 Hz),
similar to the known pestalopyrone and hydroxypestalopyrone.37
Attempts to determine the absolute configuration of 13 by a
modified Mosher procedure38 proved inconclusive.39 The compound
was thus identified as a new natural product, for which the name
stemphypyrone is proposed.
Fungi are well-known producers of both anthraquinones such
as macrosporin (2) and hydrogenated anthranoid congeners such
as altersolanol A (3). Biogenetically, monomeric anthranoids have
been identified as octaketides produced through condensation of
acetate (or malonate) units,25 and the incorporation of altersolanol
A (3) into macrosporin (2) has been demonstrated,40 indicating that
these metabolites are part of a common biogenetic grid. Altersolanol
K (11) represents the second example of a fungal-derived hexahydroanthronol with an oxidized C-9 and a reduced C-10, as found
in altersolanol J (10).34 The opposite pattern, i.e., oxidized C-10
and reduced C-9, was first described for tetrahydroaltersolanol B,36
and later for ampelanol,41 with altersolanol L (12) representing the
third hexahydroanthronol congener with this structural feature.
Remarkably, the relative configuration in all these derivatives has
been found identical for the corresponding positions, so if present,
OH-9 and OH-10 are equatorial, while OH-1 is axial.
Dimeric alterporriols have so far only been described from
Alternaria porri29,31,33,42 and A. solani;28,43,44 thus the present
communication represents the first report of alterporriols outside
this genus. In terms of the underlying monomers, alterporriols are
either homodimers made of two altersolanol A units, i.e., alterporriols D (7) and E (6), or more commonly, heterodimers incorporating one macrosporin and one altersolanol A unit, i.e., alterporriols
A (8), B (9), C,42,44 G (4), and H (5). With regard to the coupling
positions of the monomers, alterporriols A (8), B (9), D (7), and E
(6) feature a C-5-C-5′ linkage, while alterporriol C shows a
C-1-C-7′ connection. Thus, alterporriols G (4) and H (5) represent
the first dimers with a C-7-C-5′ linkage.
The biosynthesis of alterporriol A and the atropisomer pair D
and E has been studied in A. porri through feeding studies using
single- and double-labeled acetate.30,32 Although no experimental
proof of enzymatic coupling of monomers was obtained, in both
cases the correspoding preanthranoids could not be detected in the
culture media by HPLC analysis, and it was presumed that
alterporriols might be formed by oxidative coupling.30,32 Thus, it
is noteworthy that in this study 2 and 3 were detected together
with the corresponding dimers 4-9.
R-Pyrones are a common motif in fungal polyketides, and various
congeners with a 4-methoxy-3-methyl substitution as well as a
branched unsaturated side chain at C-6 have been described.
Examples include infectopyrone from Alternaria infectoria,45
dihydroinfectopyrone and further congeners from Petriella sp.,46
Journal of Natural Products, 2009, Vol. 72, No. 4 629
BioactiVe Metabolites from Stemphylium globuliferum
Table 3. Cytotoxicity Assay for Isolated Compounds
compound tested
L5178Y growth in %
(at 10 µg/mL)
EC50
(µg/mL)
4.9
54.5
1.5
0.1
92.1
64.8
31.1
20.1a
41.4
51.4
n.t.b
77.0
4.2
1a
2a
3a
4/5
6a
7a
8/9
10a
11
12
13
emodin
kahalalide F (positive control)
a
previously, but which, however, were not detected in the culture
of the fungus under investigation.
Testing of all compounds at a dose of 1 µg/mL in the biochemical
protein kinase activity assays revealed a pattern of activity similar
to that found in the MTT assay for L5178Y cells (Tables 3 and 4).
Compounds that were most active in the MTT assay including 1,
3, and the mixture of 4 and 5 proved also to be active as kinase
inhibitors. Compounds that lacked significant activity in the MTT
assay were inactive in the protein kinase assays (data not shown).
Whereas both 1 and the mixture of 4 and 5 inhibited a broad panel
of kinases with similar IC50 values, 3 proved to be more specific.
Among the 24 different enzymes tested, Aurora-B and CDK4/
CycD1 were the most susceptible to this natural product (IC50 values
0.76 and 0.64 µg/mL), whereas inhibition of other kinases was only
observed at higher concentrations (Table 4). The similar pattern of
activity in the cellular assay and in the biochemical protein kinase
assays observed for compounds 1, 3, and 4/5 suggests that inhibition
of protein kinases may be one of the major mechanisms contributing
to the cytotoxic activity of these compounds.
For 2 no such parallelism of activity in both assay systems was
observed. The compound was only moderately active in the MTT
assay (Table 3), but was a strong kinase inhibitor similar to 3. IC50
values of 2 against Aurora-B and FLT3 kinases amounted to 0.65
and 0.85 µg/mL (Table 4). Other kinases were inhibited only at
clearly higher concentrations. This discrepancy of pronounced
inhibitory activity in the biochemical protein kinase assay and only
moderate activity in the cellular assay may perhaps be explained
by the low solubility of 2, which would lead to reduced uptake
into the tested cell line.
2.27
6.3
Data from ref 41. b n.t., not tested.
nectriapyrone from Gyrostroma missouriense,47 and phomapyrone
A48 as well as phomapyrones D and E49 from Leptosphaeria
maculans (asexual stage: Phoma lingam). Stemphypyrone (13)
differs from phomapyrone D by the reduction of the keto function
at C-9 to the hydroxyl group present in 13.
All compounds isolated from the endophytic fungus S. globuliferum were tested for cytotoxicity toward L5178Y mouse lymphoma cells (Table 3).50 For comparison, macrosporin-2-O-sulfate,
6-O-methylalaternin-2-O-sulfate, and ampelanol, which had previously been obtained from the fungal endophyte Ampelomyces sp.,41
as well as the known anthraquinone emodin were included in the
bioassay. Among the monomeric anthranoids, the tetrahydroanthraquinone 3 was the most active compound, while the hexahydroanthronol derivatives 10, 11, 12, and ampelanol (data in ref 41)
showed only moderate to weak activities, suggesting that the paraquinone moiety is important for cytotoxic activity. Furthermore,
6-O-methylalaternin (1) was the most active derivative among the
anthraquinone derivatives tested, while emodin and 2 showed only
moderate activity, indicating that the ortho dihydroxy substitution
pattern of 1 greatly increases cytotoxic activity. Moreover, sulfate
substitution as present in macrosporin-2-O-sulfate and 6-O-methylalaternin-2-O-sulfate resulted in significantly reduced activity,
probably due to the increased polarity, which could affect cellular
uptake.
Among the alterporriol-type dimers, the mixture of alterporriols
G and H (4/5) was found to possess considerable cytotoxic activity
(EC50 3.7 µM), while the other alterporriols isolated from S.
globuliferum displayed only moderate to weak activity. This could
possibly be explained by the different shape adopted by 4 and 5
(as well as the previously reported alterporriol C), since a 3D model
of these compounds clearly shows that they adopt an angular, “L”like shape, with both tricyclic aromatic systems arranged more or
less perpendicular to each other, as opposed to the remaining
alterporriols, in which the dimers are arranged more or less parallel
to each other. Thus it seems rewarding to also test alterporriol C
and its atropisomer, for which no such activity had been reported
Experimental Section
General Experimental Procedures. Optical rotations were measured
on a Perkin-Elmer-241 MC polarimeter. 1D and 2D NMR spectra were
recorded on Bruker ARX 500 or AVANCE DMX 600 NMR spectrometers. ESIMS was conducted on a Finnigan LCQ Deca mass
spectrometer, and HRESIMS spectra were obtained on a Micromass
Qtof 2 mass spectrometer. Solvents were distilled prior to use, and
spectral grade solvents were used for spectroscopic measurements.
HPLC analysis was carried out on a Dionex P580 HPLC system coupled
to a photodiode array detector (UVD340S). Routine detection was at
235, 254, 280, and 340 nm. The separation column (125 × 4 mm, L
× i.d.) was prefilled with Eurospher-10 C18 (Knauer, Germany), and
the following gradient was used (MeOH/0.02% H3PO4 in H2O): 0 min,
10% MeOH; 5 min, 10% MeOH; 35 min, 100% MeOH; 45 min, 100%
MeOH.
Fungal Material. Fresh, healthy stems of Mentha pulegium L.
(Lamiaceae) were collected in January 2006 from the mountain of BeniMellal, Morocco. The plant was identified by Prof. A. Boulli, Faculty
of Sciences and Techniques, Beni-Mellal, Morocco. Voucher specimens
have been deposited in the Laboratoire des Substances Naturelles et
Thermolyse Éclair, University Mohammed V Agdal, Rabat, Morocco
(accession number M.P.01/2006). Stems were rinsed twice in sterilized
distilled water. Surface sterilization was done by immersing the stems
in 70% ethanol for 2 min (two times) followed by rinsing two times in
sterilized distilled water. Then, the stem was cleaved aseptically into
Table 4. IC50 Values of Selected Compounds against 24 Different Protein Kinasesa
cpd
AKT1
ARK5
Aurora-A
Aurora-B
B-RAF-VE
CDK2/CycA
CDK4/CycD1
COT
EGF-R
EPHB4
ERBB2
FAK
1
2
3
4/5
n.a.
n.a.
6.7
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
3.8
3.0
1.9
1.3
2.8
1.8
0.65
0.76
2.4
n.a.
6.4
n.a.
6.5
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
3.6
n.a.
0.64
4.7
7.3
7.7
n.a.
4.2
4.0
2.7
6.0
2.7
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
4.2
n.a.
7.3
n.a.
4.2
n.a.
n.a.
1.5
5.5
cpd
IGF1-R
SRC
VEGF-R2
VEGF-R3
FLT3
INS-R
MET
PDGFR-beta
PLK1
CK2-alpha1
SAK
TIE2
1
2
3
4/5
2.8
n.a.
3.5
1.9
1.8
n.a.
2.4
1.7
1.2
2.4
7.3
3.4
2.7
n.a.
9.9
4.0
2.5
0.85
4.8
2.8
3.9
3.5
n.a.
3.7
4.3
4.3
n.a.
6.4
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
6.4
n.a.
n.a.
4.8
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
4.4
4.3
2.5
1.4
4.5
1.9
8.9
3.3
a
Inhibitory potentials of compounds at various concentrations were determined in biochemical protein kinase activity assays. Listed are IC50 values in
µg/mL. n.a.: not active, i.e., IC50 > 10 µg/mL.
630 Journal of Natural Products, 2009, Vol. 72, No. 4
small segments (≈ 1 cm in length). The material was placed on a Petri
dish (malt agar medium) containing an antibiotic to suppress bacterial
growth (medium composition: 15 g/L malt extract, 15 g/L agar, and
0.2 g/L chloramphenicol in distilled water, pH 7.4-7.8) and incubated
at room temperature (25 °C). After several days hyphae growing from
the plant material were transferred to fresh plates with the same medium,
incubated again for 10 days, and periodically checked for culture purity.
Identification of Fungal Cultures. Fungal cultures were identified
according to a molecular biological protocol by DNA amplification
and sequencing of the ITS region as described previously.51 The
sequence data have been submitted to GenBank, accession number
EU859960. The fungal strain was identified as Stemphylium globuliferum. A voucher strain (strain designation DA8) is kept at one of
the authors’ laboratory (P.P.).
Cultivation. Two Erlenmeyer flasks (1 L each) containing 100 g of
rice and 100 mL of distilled water were autoclaved. A small part of
the medium from a Petri dish containing the purified fungus was
transferred under sterile conditions to the rice medium. The fungal strain
was grown on solid rice medium at room temperature (22 °C) for 40
days.
Extraction and Fractionation. The culture was extracted with 300
mL of EtOAc (two times). The EtOAc extract was taken to dryness
and partitioned between n-hexane and 90% MeOH. Evaporation of the
90% MeOH fraction gave 460 mg of extract, which was chromatographed over a Sephadex LH-20 column with 100% MeOH as solvent.
Based on detection by TLC (silica gel F254, Merck, Darmstadt,
Germany) using EtOAc-MeOH-H2O (77:13:10) as solvent system,
collected fractions were combined and subjected to semipreparative
HPLC (Merck, Hitachi L-7100) using a Eurosphere 100-10 C18 column
(300 × 8 mm, L × i.d.) with the following gradient (MeOH-H2O): 0
min, 10% MeOH; 5 min, 10% MeOH; 35 min 100% MeOH; 45 min,
100% MeOH. Yields of compounds were as follows: 1 5.2 mg, 2 6.9
mg, 3 4.2 mg, 4/5 9.4 mg, 6 5.2 mg, 7 3.2 mg, 8/9 6.2 mg, 10 3.3 mg,
11 2.0 mg, 12 1.5 mg, and 13 2.0 mg.
Alterporriol G (4) and Alterporriol H (5) (obtained as an
inseparable 4:3 mixture): red powder; [R]D22 -316 (c 0.05, EtOH);
UV λmax (PDA) 222, 288, 420 nm; 1H and 13C NMR in MeOH-d4, see
Table 1; 1H NMR (DMSO-d6, 400 MHz, signals overlapping if not
indicated otherwise) δ 12.69, 12.64 (each 1H, br s, OH-8, OH-8′), 7.98
(1H, s, H-4), 7.57 (1H, s, H-1 in 4), 7.56 (1H, s, H-1 in 5), 7.42 (1H,
s, H-5 in 5), 7.38 (1H, s, H-5 in 4), 6.99 (1H, s, H-7′), 5.62 (1H, br s,
OH-4′), 5.03 (1H, br s, OH-1′), 4.85 (1H, br s, OH-2′), 4.49 (1H, d, J
) 7.0 Hz, H-1′), 4.41 (1H, br s, OH-3′), 4.12 (1H, s, H-4′), 3.85 (3H,
s, OCH3-6 in 5), 3.81 (3H, s, OCH3-6 in 4), 3.79 (3H, s, OCH3-6′),
3.59 (1H, d, J ) 7.0 Hz, H-2′), 2.30 (3H, s, CH3-3), 1.16 (3H, s, CH33′ in 4), 1.15 (3H, s, CH3-3′ in 5); ESIMS pos m/z 619.1 [M + H]+
(100), ESIMS neg m/z 617.7 [M - H]- (100); HRESIMS m/z 641.128
[M + Na]+ (calcd for C32H26O13Na, 641.1226).
Altersolanol K (11): yellowish white powder; [R]D22 -57 (c 0.4,
MeOH); UV λmax (PDA) 218, 271, 331 nm; 1H and 13C NMR, see
Table 2; ESIMS pos m/z 670.8 [M + Na]+ (100), ESIMS neg m/z 323.3
[M - H]- (100); HRESIMS m/z 325.129 [M + H]+ (calcd for
C16H21O7, 325.1282).
Altersolanol L (12): yellowish-white powder; [R]D22 -73 (c 0.3,
MeOH); UV λmax (PDA) 217, 282 nm; 1H and 13C NMR, see Table 2;
ESIMS pos m/z 325.1 [M + H]+ (100), ESIMS neg m/z 323.5 [M H]- (100); HRESIMS m/z 325.127 [M + H]+ (calcd for C16H21O7,
325.1282).
Stemphypyrone (13): red powder; [R]D22 -82 (c 0.01, MeOH); UV
λmax (PDA) 229, 330 nm; 1H and 13C NMR, see Table 3; ESIMS pos
m/z 225.1 [M + H]+ (100), ESIMS neg m/z 223.3 [M - H]- (100);
HRESIMS m/z 225.112 [M + H]+ (calcd for C12H17O4, 225.1121).
Cell Proliferation Assay. Cytotoxicity was tested against L5178Y
mouse lymphoma cells using a microculture tetrazolium (MTT) assay
and compared to that of untreated controls as described previously.52
All experiments were carried out in triplicate and repeated three times.
As controls, media with 0.1% EGMME-DMSO were included in the
experiments. The depsipeptide kahalalide F isolated from Elysia
grandifolia52 was used as a positive control.
Biochemical Protein Kinase Activity Assay. Protein kinase inhibitory activity was determined in 96-well plates as described previously.53
Chiral Derivatization. The reaction was performed according to a
convenient Mosher ester procedure.54 Compound 13 (1 mg each) dried
under vacuum was dissolved in pyridine-d5 (0.5 mL) and transferred
Debbab et al.
into a NMR tube. Both (R)-(-)-R-(trifluoromethyl)phenylacetyl chloride
(MTPA) and (S)-MTPA chloride were added separately into NMR tubes
immediately under a N2 stream. The reagent was added to the compound
at a ratio of 0.14 mM reagent to 0.10 mM compound. The NMR tubes
were shaken carefully to mix the sample and MTPA chloride evenly.
The reaction NMR tube was permitted to stand at room temperature
and was monitored by 1H NMR spectroscopy. The reaction was
complete after 72 h. The assignment of the signals was confirmed by
COSY.
Acknowledgment. This study was supported by a collaborative grant
(O313430A) by BMBF (Germany) and MOST (People’s Republic of
China). A.D. wishes to thank the DAAD (German Academic Exchange
Service) for a scholarship. We are grateful to an anonymous reviewer
for valuable comments on the manuscript.
Supporting Information Available: Comparison of NMR data of
2, 3, and 4/5 in MeOH-d4. This material is available free of charge via
the Internet at http://pubs.acs.org.
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NP8004997