Ting Shiab,
Xue-Mei Houab,
Zhi-Yong Lic,
Fei Caod,
Ya-Hui Zhangab,
Jia-Yin Yuab,
Dong-Lin Zhaoab,
Chang-Lun Shao*ab and
Chang-Yun Wang*abe
aKey Laboratory of Marine Drugs, The Ministry of Education of China, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, People's Republic of China. E-mail: changyun@ouc.edu.cn; Tel: +86-532-8203-1536
bLaboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266071, People's Republic of China
cMarine Biotechnology Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China
dKey Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Quality Control of Hebei Province, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, People's Republic of China
eInstitute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, People's Republic of China
First published on 2nd August 2018
Two new hydroxyanthraquinones, harzianumnones A (1) and B (2), together with seven known analogs (3–9), were isolated from the soft coral-derived fungus Trichoderma harzianum (XS-20090075). Their chemical structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic investigation. The absolute configurations of 1 and 2 were determined by ECD calculation and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compounds 1 and 2 were identified as a pair of epimers, which are the first example of hydroanthraquinones from T. harzianum. Compounds 7 and 8 exhibited cytotoxicity against hepatoma cell line HepG2 with IC50 values of 2.10 and 9.39 μM, respectively. Compound 7 was still found to show cytotoxicity against cervical cancer cell line HeLa with an IC50 value of 8.59 μM.
During our ongoing investigation of new bioactive marine natural products, we have also obtained more than ten active anthraquinone derivatives from marine-derived fungi, such as antibacterial 4a-epi-9α-methoxydihydrodeoxybostrycin and 10-deoxybostrycin,9 and antiviral tetrahydroaltersolanol C.10 Recently, a fungal strain Trichoderma harzianum (XS-20090075), isolated from an unidentified soft coral collected from the South China Sea, has attracted our attention. The HPLC analysis of the EtOAc extract of its fermentation broth showed a series of characteristic UV absorptions of anthraquinones, including the benzenoid bands of strong absorption at 240–260 nm and medium absorption at 320–330 nm, and the quinonoid band at 260–290 nm.3 Further chemical investigation of the organic extracts led to the isolation of nine hydroxyanthraquinones including two new hydroxyanthraquinones. The bioactivities, including cytotoxic and DNA topoisomerase I (Topo I) inhibitory activities, were evaluated for the isolated compounds. Herein we report the isolation, structure elucidation and bioactivities of these anthraquinones.
Harzianumnone A (1) was obtained as yellow crystals. The molecular formula of C15H16O5 was determined by HRESIMS showing the [M + H]+ peak at m/z 277.1071 (calcd for C15H17O5, 277.1071) and indicating eight degrees of unsaturation. The IR absorption band at 3422 and 1634 cm−1 suggested the presence of hydroxyl and conjugated carbonyl groups respectively. The 1H NMR spectrum (Table 1) displayed two aromatic protons (H-2 and H-4), two olefinic protons (H-5 and H-6), three oxymethines (H-7, H-8 and H-10), two methines (H-8a and H-10a), one methyl group (H-11), and four active hydrogen signals (1-OH, 7-OH, 8-OH and 10-OH). The 13C NMR spectroscopic data (Table 1) showed one carbonyl group, six aromatic carbon atoms, two olefinic carbons, three oxymethines, two methines and one methyl. These spectroscopic features suggested that 1 belongs to the family of hydroxyanthraquinone. Further investigation the literature indicated that the NMR data of 1 was very similar with that of coniothyrinone A (Fig. 2), which was first isolated from the culture of Coniothyrium sp., an endophytic fungus isolated from the plant Salsola oppositifolia growing on Gomera, in the Canary Islands.21,22 Carefully analysis the NMR spectra indicated that 1 showed the same planar structure with coniothyrinone A. The most obvious differences were the small coupling constant (J = 1.5 Hz) between H-8 and H-8a in 1, instead of the large coupling constant (J = 10.3 Hz) in coniothyrinone A, and the shifted upfield C-7, C-8 and C-8a in 1 (δC 68.1, 67.1 and 42.0 ppm in 1 vs. 73.6, 74.5 and 45.6 ppm in coniothyrinone A), indicating different configurations of these two compounds. Detailed analysis of the HMQC, COSY, and HMBC spectra (Fig. 3) confirmed the assignment for all carbon and proton resonances of 1. The relative configuration of 1 was determined by 1H–1H coupling constants and NOESY correlations (Fig. 4). The NOESY correlations between 7-OH and H-8 indicated the trans-relationship of H-7/H-8, confirmed by the large coupling constant of H-7/H-8 (J = 8.9 Hz). The small coupling constant between H-8 and H-8a (J = 1.5 Hz) indicated the same orientation of H-8 and H-8a. The cross peak of 8-OH/H-10a in NOESY suggested that H-8/H-10a are in the different orientation. The trans-annulation of rings B and C was determined by large coupling constant of H-8a/H-10a (J = 12.0 Hz). The small coupling constant between H-10 and H-10a (J = 2.6 Hz) indicated β equatorial orientation of H-10. Thus, the relative configuration of 1 was determined as 7R*,8R*,8aR*,10S*,10aS*.
No. | 1 | 2 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
δC, type | δH, multiplicity (J in Hz) | δC, type | δH, multiplicity (J in Hz) | |
1 | 161.6, C | 161.6, C | ||
2 | 116.9, CH | 6.74, s | 115.6, CH | 6.68, s |
3 | 148.0, C | 147.6, C | ||
4 | 121.3, CH | 6.75, s | 117.8, CH | 7.06, s |
4a | 145.7, C | 149.2, C | ||
5 | 131.5, CH | 5.82, dd (10.0, 1.4) | 129.1, CH | 6.18, d (10.1) |
6 | 128.4, CH | 5.71, m | 128.3, CH | 5.79, m |
7 | 68.1, CH | 3.79, dd (8.9, 4.7) | 67.8, CH | 3.77, m |
8 | 67.1, CH | 4.41, m | 66.6, CH | 4.37, m |
8a | 42.0, CH | 3.06, dd (12.0, 1.5) | 46.8, CH | 2.65, d (12.5) |
9 | 205.2, C | 203.9, C | ||
9a | 113.3, C | 113.5, C | ||
10 | 68.4, CH | 4.74, dd (5.5, 2.6) | 69.5, CH | 4.40, d (10.0) |
10a | 37.3, CH | 2.84, br d (12.0) | 40.1, CH | 2.64, dd (12.5, 10.0) |
11 | 21.6, CH3 | 2.32, s | 21.9, CH3 | 2.33, s |
1-OH | 12.53, s | 12.54, s | ||
7-OH | 5.03, d (4.7) | 5.02, br s | ||
8-OH | 4.86, d (3.9) | 4.88, br s | ||
10-OH | 5.32, d (5.5) | 5.87, br s |
Fig. 2 Chemical structures of coniothyrinone A and rubrumol.18,19 |
The theoretical calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) method was used to elucidate the absolute configuration of 1. The conformational searches of (7R,8R,8aR,10S,10aS)-1 were carried out by the MMFF94S method. The result showed 10 lowest energy conformers with relative energies from 0 to 10 kcal mol−1. The first optimization was at the set of gas-phase B3LYP/6-31G(d) level using the Gaussian 09 package, resulting in 5 conformers whose relative energies were within 2.5 kcal mol−1. Then the conformers were reoptimized at the set of gas-phase B3LYP/6-311+G(d). The total 60 electronic excited states were calculated at the set of gas-phase B3LYP/6-311++G(2d,p). ECD simulations were used by Boltzmann statistics with a standard deviation of σ 0.16 eV. The theoretical ECD spectrum for (7S,8S,8aS,10R,10aR)-1 was obtained by directly reversing the spectrum of (7R,8R,8aR,10S,10aS)-1. The experimental ECD spectrum of 1 showed the first positive (213 nm), second negative (262 nm), and third negative (322 nm) Cotton effects, matching well with the theoretical ECD spectrum for (7R,8R,8aR,10S,10aS)-1 between 200 and 400 nm (Fig. 5), which confirmed the absolute structure of 1. Fortunately, by slowly crystallization from the mixture of MeOH and H2O, single crystals of 1 suitable for X-ray diffraction analysis using Cu Kα radiation were obtained. Thus, the absolute configuration of 1 was established unambiguously as (7R,8R,8aR,10S,10aS) with the Flack's parameter of 0.0(3) (Fig. 6).
Harzianumnone B (2) was obtained as yellow powder with the molecular formula of C15H16O5 determined by HRESIMS indicating eight degrees of unsaturation and had the same molecular formula as 1. The 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectra data (Table 1) of 2 showed strong similarities to those of 1. Careful analysis of the NMR data indicated the same planar structure of 2 as 1. The very difference was the coupling constants of H-10/H-10a (J = 10.0 Hz in 2 vs. J = 2.6 Hz in 1), indicating different orientation of H-10a/H-10. Combining with the NOESY analysis (Fig. 4), the relative configuration of 2 was deduced as 7R*,8R*,8aR*,10R*,10aS*.
The absolute configuration of 2 was also confirmed by ECD calculation. The Cotton effects of the experimental ECD spectrum of 2 were different with that of 1 between 200 and 400 nm. It was found that the features of ECD spectra were characterized as the first negative (217 nm) and second positive (269 nm) Cotton effects in 2 vs. the first positive (213 nm) and second negative (262 nm) Cotton effects in 1 (Fig. 5 and 7). And the experimental ECD spectrum of 2 matched well with the calculated ECD spectrum of (7R,8R,8aR,10R,10aS)-2. Therefore, the absolute configuration of 2 was determined as 7R,8R,8aR,10R,10aS, only the configuration at C-10 differing from that of 1, indicating that 2 was an epimer of 1.
Compounds 1–9 were evaluated for their DNA topoisomerase I (Topo I) inhibitory activity. Compounds 5, 7, and 8 displayed moderate activity with the MIC values of 100, 100, and 50.0 μM, respectively (Fig. S21†). Interestingly, compounds 1 and 2 showed no activity, while rubrumol (Fig. 2), a hydroanthraquinone with the same planar structure as 1 and 2 obtained from a halo-tolerant endophytic fungus Eurotium rubrum isolated from a salt-tolerance wild plant S. salsa L. collected from ‘BoHai’ seaside, was reported to exhibit Topo I inhibitory activity (IC50 = 23 μM).19 It was indicated that the stereochemistry especially the absolute configurations of 7-OH and 8-OH of these hydroxyanthraquinones should be important for their activities.
It should be noted that topoisomerases are essential enzymes involved in all processes of DNA metabolism, and their inhibitors have been identified as potential anticancer agents.23,24 In the present study, compounds 5, 7 and 8 with Topo I inhibition activities were further assessed for their cytotoxic activities against human tumor cell lines, including HCT-116, SW480, A549, HepG2, HeLa, and PANC-1. Compounds 7 and 8 exhibited cytotoxic activity against HepG2 cell line with the IC50 values of 2.10 and 9.39 μM, respectively. Compound 7 showed cytotoxicity against HeLa cell line with an IC50 value of 8.59 μM (Table S1†). In a previous report, compound 7 was found to have cytotoxic activity against Hep G2 cell line.25 Compound 7 was also found cytotoxicity towards K562 cell line.26 In the present study, it was the first time to report the cytotoxicities of compounds 7 and 8 against HeLa and Hep G2 cell lines, respectively.
All the isolated compounds (1–9) were also evaluated for their and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activities. Compounds 3, 4, 6, 7 and 9 exhibited weak AChE inhibitory activity at the concentration of 100 μM. Additionally, compounds 1–9 were evaluated for their antibacterial activity against pathogenic bacteria S. aureus, E. coli and P. aeruginosa. Compounds 5, 7 and 8 showed moderate antibacterial activity against S. aureus with the MIC values of 6.25, 25.0, 25.0 μM, respectively.
Harzianumnone A (1): yellow crystals; [α]25D −117.9 (c 0.50 mg mL−1, MeOH); UV (MeOH) λmax (logε): 216 (3.87), 224 (3.90), 264 (3.91), 332 (3.56) nm; CD (1.20 mM, MeOH) λmax (Δε) 213 (+4.20), 262 (−1.95), 322 (−0.80) nm; IR (KBr) νmax 3422, 2925, 1634, 1384, 1287, 1203, 1025, 758 cm−1; 1H and 13C NMR data, see Table 1; ESIMS m/z 277.2 [M + H]+, 299.1 [M + Na]+; HRESIMS m/z 277.1071 [M + H]+ (calcd for C15H17O5, 277.1071).
Harzianumnone B (2): yellow powder; [α]25D −45.5 (c 1.00 mg mL−1, MeOH); UV (MeOH) λmax (logε): 219 (3.99), 269 (3.83), 331 (3.33) nm; CD (1.81 mM, MeOH) λmax (Δε) 217 (−2.24), 269 (+0.77), 321 (−0.41) nm; IR (KBr) νmax 2926, 1633, 1384, 1289, 1202, 1022, 853, 757 cm−1; 1H and 13C NMR data, see Table 1; ESIMS m/z 277.2 [M + H]+, 299.1 [M + Na]+; HRESIMS m/z 277.1076 [M + H]+ (calcd for C15H17O5, 277.1071).
Footnote |
† Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: ESIMS, HRESIMS, 1D, 2D NMR data of compounds 1 and 2 and activities results of bioactive compounds. CCDC 1818895. For ESI and crystallographic data in CIF or other electronic format see DOI: 10.1039/c8ra04865g |
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