2. Academic Validation
  3. Enhanced Production and Anticancer Properties of Photoactivated Perylenequinones

Enhanced Production and Anticancer Properties of Photoactivated Perylenequinones

  • J Nat Prod. 2020 Aug 28;83(8):2490-2500. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.0c00492.
Zeinab Y Al Subeh 1,  Huzefa A Raja 1,  Susan Monro 2,  Laura Flores-Bocanegra 1,  Tamam El-Elimat 3,  Cedric J Pearce 4,  Sherri A McFarland 2 5,  Nicholas H Oberlies 1
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina 27402, United States.
  • 2 Department of Chemistry, Acadia University, 6 University Avenue, Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6, Canada.
  • 3 Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan.
  • 4 Mycosynthetix, Inc., Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278, United States.
  • 5 Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas 76019, United States.
PMID: 32786877 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.0c00492
Abstract

Hypocrellins and hypomycins are naturally occurring Fungal perylenequinones with potential photodynamic activity against Cancer and microbial diseases. This project pursued three lines of research. First, the production of perylenequinones was enhanced by investigating the effect of culture medium and light exposure on their biosynthesis. Solid-fermentation cultures on rice medium allowed for enhanced production of hypocrellins as compared to Cheerios or oatmeal medium. Alternatively, increased production of hypomycins, which are structurally related to the hypocrellins, was observed on oatmeal medium. In both cases, light exposure was an essential factor for the enhanced biosynthesis. In addition, this led to the discovery of two new perylenequinones, ent-shiraiachrome A (5) and hypomycin E (8), which were elucidated based on spectroscopic data. Finally, the photocytotoxic effects of both classes of compounds were evaluated against human skin melanoma, with EC50 values at nanomolar levels for hypocrellins and micromolar levels for hypomycins. In contrast, both classes of compounds showed reduced dark toxicity (EC50 values >100 μM), demonstrating promising phototherapeutic indices.

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