Embellicines A and B: Absolute configuration and NF-κB transcriptional inhibitory activity

Weaam Ebrahim, Amal H. Aly, Victor Wray, Attila Mándi, Marie Hélène Teiten, François Gaascht, Barbora Orlikova, Matthias U. Kassack, Wenhan Lin, Marc Diederich, Tibor Kurtán, Abdessamad Debbab*, Peter Proksch

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

38 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Two new metabolites, embellicines A and B (1 and 2), were isolated from the EtOAc extract of the fungus Embellisia eureka, an endophyte of the Moroccan plant Cladanthus arabicus (Asteraceae). The structures of these new compounds were determined on the basis of extensive one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy as well as by high-resolution mass spectrometry. The absolute configuration of embellicine A (1) was determined by TDDFT ECD calculations of solution conformers, whereas that of embellicine B (2) was deduced based on ROESY correlations and on biogenetic considerations in comparison to 1. Both embellicines (1 and 2) are cytostatic, cytotoxic, and inhibit NF-κB transcriptional activity, indicating that inhibition of NF-κB may be a possible mechanism of action of these compounds. Embellicine B (2) was the most active compound encountered in this study and acts at nanomolar concentrations without affecting tumor microenvironment.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2991-2999
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of Medicinal Chemistry
Volume56
Issue number7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 11 Apr 2013
Externally publishedYes

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