Transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of iNOS expression in human chondrocytes

Chondrocytes are important for the development and maintenance of articular cartilage. However, both in osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) chondrocytes are involved in the process of cartilage degradation and synthesize important immunomodulatory mediators, including nitric oxide (NO) generated by the inducible NO synthase (iNOS). To uncover the role of iNOS in the pathomechanisms of OA and RA, we analyzed the regulation of iNOS expression using immortalized human chondrocytes as a reproducible model. In C-28/I2 chondrocytes, iNOS expression was associated with the expression of the chondrocyte phenotype. Peak induction by a cytokine cocktail occurred between 6 and 8h and dec…

4-Dechloro-14-deoxy-oxacyclododecindione and 14-deoxy-oxacylododecindione, two inhibitors of inducible connective tissue growth factor expression from the imperfect fungus Exserohilum rostratum

Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF/CCN2), a member of the CCN superfamily of secreted cysteine-rich glycoproteins, is a central mediator of tissue remodeling and fibrosis. CTGF is suggested to be an important down-stream effector of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling and has therefore reached considerable pathophysiological relevance because of its involvement in the pathogenesis of fibrotic diseases, atherosclerosis, skin scarring, and other conditions with excess production of connective tissue. In a search for inhibitors of inducible CTGF expression from fungi, two new macrocyclic lactones, namely 4-dechloro-14-deoxy-oxacyclododecindione (1) and 14-deoxy-oxacylododecind…

Anti-inflammatory dihydroxanthones from a Diaporthe species

Abstract In a search for anti-inflammatory compounds from fungi inhibiting the promoter activity of the small chemokine CXCL10 (Interferon-inducible protein 10, IP-10) as a pro-inflammatory marker gene, the new dihydroxanthone methyl (1R, 2R)-1,2,8-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-9-oxo-2,9-dihydro-1H-xanthene-1-carboxylate (2) and the previously described dihydroxanthone AGI-B4 (1) were isolated from fermentations of a Diaporthe species. The structures of the compounds were elucidated by a combination of one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and calculations using density functional theory (DFT). Compounds 1 and 2 inhibited the LPS/IFNγ induced CXCL10 promoter activity …

ChemInform Abstract: Synthetic Approaches to Antiinflammatory Macrolactones of the Oxacyclododecindione Type.

A variety of attempts to synthesize oxacyclododecindione macrolactones through carbonylative ring-closure, intramolecular alkyne hydroacyalation, and Ru-catalyzed double bond isomerization fails.

Total synthesis of two potent anti-inflammatory macrolactones of the oxacyclododecindione type

An esterification/Friedel-Crafts-cyclization approach permitted the first successful synthetic entry into the oxacyclododecindione subclass of the dihydroxyphenylacetic acid lactone-type natural products. This route allowed the preparation of two highly active anti-inflammatory fungal secondary metabolites 14-deoxyoxacyclododecindione and 14-deoxy-4-dechlorooxacyclododecindione as well as their 14-desmethyl analogues.

Induction of tolerogenic lung CD4+ T cells by local treatment with a pSTAT-3 and pSTAT-5 inhibitor ameliorated experimental allergic asthma.

Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)-3 inhibitors play an important role in regulating immune responses. Galiellalactone (GL) is a fungal secondary metabolite known to interfere with the binding of phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription (pSTAT)-3 as well of pSTAT-6 dimers to their target DNA in vitro. Intra nasal delivery of 50 μg GL into the lung of naive Balb/c mice induced FoxP3 expression locally and IL-10 production and IL-12p40 in RNA expression in the airways in vivo. In a murine model of allergic asthma, GL significantly suppressed the cardinal features of asthma, such as airway hyperresponsiveness, eosinophilia and mucus production, after…

Anti-inflammatory drimane sesquiterpene lactones from an Aspergillus species

Abstract IFN-γ inducible protein 10 (IP-10, CXCL10) is a 10 kDa chemokine, which is secreted from various cell types after exposure to pro-inflammatory stimuli. This chemokine is a ligand for the CXCR3 receptor and regulates immune responses by activating and recruiting leukocytes such as T cells, eosinophils, monocytes, and NK cells to sites of inflammation. Altered expression of CXCL10 has been associated with chronic inflammatory and infectious diseases and therefore CXCL10 represents a promising target for the development of new anti-inflammatory drugs. In a search for inhibitors of CXCL10 promoter activity, three structurally related drimane sesquiterpene lactones (compounds 1–3) were …

The fungal lactone oxacyclododecindione is a potential new therapeutic substance in the treatment of lupus-associated kidney disease.

Recently oxacyclododecindione (Oxa), a macrocyclic lactone isolated from the imperfect fungus Exserohilum rostratum, has been described as a potent transcription inhibitor of inducible proinflammatory and profibrotic genes in cell culture models. As kidney disease in systemic lupus erythematosus is characterized by aberrant expression of inflammatory mediators and infiltration of immune cells, we investigated the effect of Oxa in MRL-Fas(lpr) mice, a model of systemic lupus erythematosus. These mice develop a spontaneous T-cell and macrophage-dependent autoimmune disease including severe glomerulonephritis that shares features with human lupus. Comparable to the results of in vitro models, …

A surprising switch in absolute configuration of anti-inflammatory macrolactones.

Oxacyclododecindione-type macrolactones exhibit highly potent anti-inflammatory activities even at nanomolar concentration. After the determination of the relative configuration of the stereocenters at C14 and C15 by total synthesis of 4-dechloro-14-deoxyoxacyclododecindione and 14-deoxyoxacyclododecindione, the absolute configuration has now been assigned by X-ray crystallography. Surprisingly, the absolute configuration is (14S,15R) which differs for C15 from that of the well-known derivatives of (S)-curvularin. The biological activities of both enantiomers of 14-deoxyoxacyclododecindione, obtained by racemic synthesis and optical resolution, were investigated and the ring conformation of…

Synthetic Approaches to Anti-Inflammatory Macrolactones of the Oxacyclododecindione Type

Various synthetic approaches to the oxacyclododecindione-type macrolactones, known for their potent anti-inflammatory activity, are presented. These include an attempted carbonylative ring closure, a hydroacylation route, and an approach by ring-closing metathesis and double bond isomerization, as well as a strategy including ring-closing metathesis/unsaturation. The last route allowed the preparation of a bioactive analogue of the recently described 14-deoxyoxacyclododecindione.

SF002-96-1, a new drimane sesquiterpene lactone from an Aspergillus species, inhibits survivin expression

Survivin, a member of the IAP (inhibitor of apoptosis) gene family, is overexpressed in virtually all human cancers and is functionally involved in the inhibition of apoptosis, regulation of cell proliferation, metastasis and resistance to therapy. Because of its upregulation in malignancy, survivin has currently attracting considerable interest as a new target for anticancer therapy. In a screening of approximately 200 strains of imperfect fungi for the production of inhibitors of survivin promoter activity, a new drimane sesquiterpene lactone, SF002-96-1, was isolated from fermentations of an Aspergillus species. The compound inhibited survivin promoter activity in transiently transfected…

Ganodermycin, a novel inhibitor of CXCL10 expression from Ganoderma applanatum

CXCL10 (inducible protein-10) is a highly inducible chemoattractant, which contributes to the recruitment of inflammatory cells, such as macrophages and T-lymphocytes, and thereby has important roles in chronic inflammatory conditions. In a search for new inhibitors of CXCL10 expression in MonoMac6 cells, a novel compound, designated as Ganodermycin, was isolated from fermentations of the basidiomycete Ganoderma applanatum. The structure was determined by a combination of spectroscopic techniques. Ganodermycin inhibited the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/interferon (IFN)-γ-induced CXCL10 promoter activity in transiently transfected MonoMac6 cells in a dose-dependent manner with IC(50) values of 1…

The anti-inflammatory fungal compound (S)-curvularin reduces proinflammatory gene expression in an in vivo model of rheumatoid arthritis.

In previous studies, we identified the fungal macrocyclic lactone (S)-curvularin (SC) as an anti-inflammatory agent using a screening system detecting inhibitors of the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription pathway. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether SC is able to decrease proinflammatory gene expression in an in vivo model of a chronic inflammatory disease. Therefore, the effects of SC and dexamethasone were compared in the model of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in mice. Total genomic microarray analyses were performed to identify SC target genes. In addition, in human C28/I2 chondrocytes and MonoMac6 monocytes, the effect of SC on proi…

Total synthesis and biological evaluation of the natural product (−)-cyclonerodiol, a new inhibitor of IL-4 signaling

In a screening program of natural compounds from fungi, the known cyclopentanoid sesquiterpene (-)-cyclonerodiol was identified as a specific inhibitor of the IL-4 induced STAT6 signaling pathway (IC50 = 9.7 μM) which is required for the differentiation of naive CD4 T cells to T helper type 2 (Th2) lymphocytes. As many allergic conditions, including allergic asthma and atopic diseases, are driven by an excessive Th2 response, STAT6 is a promising target for the development of new therapeutics. The compound was synthesized in six steps from (-)-linalool using an epoxide radical cyclization as the key step.

Sporogen, S14-95, and S-curvularin, three inhibitors of human inducible nitric-oxide synthase expression isolated from fungi.

The induction of human inducible nitric-oxide synthase (iNOS) expression depends (among other factors) on activation of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) pathway. Therefore, the STAT1 pathway may be an appropriate target for the development of inhibitors of iNOS expression. HeLa S3 cells transiently transfected with a gamma-activated site (GAS)/interferon-stimulated response element-driven reporter gene construct were used as the primary screening system. Using this system, three novel inhibitors of interferon-gamma-dependent gene expression, namely, sporogen, S14-95, and S-curvularin, were isolated from different Penicillium species. These three compounds also …

Correction: Total synthesis of two potent anti-inflammatory macrolactones of the oxacyclododecindione type

Correction for ‘Total synthesis of two potent anti-inflammatory macrolactones of the oxacyclododecindione type’ by Johannes Tauber et al., Org. Biomol. Chem., 2015, 13, 7813–7821.

3′-Demethyldihydromaldoxin and dihydromaldoxin, two anti-inflammtory diaryl ethers from a Steganospora species

CXCL10 (IP-10) is a highly inducible chemoattractant, which contributes to the recruitment of inflammatory cells such as macrophages and T-lymphocytes and thereby has important roles in chronic inflammatory conditions. In a search for new inhibitors of CXCL10 expression in MonoMac6 (MM6) cells, the new diaryl ether 3'-demethyldihydromaldoxin (1) along with the known compound dihydromaldoxin (2), were isolated from fermentations of a Steganospora species. The structures of the compounds were elucidated by a combination of one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Compounds (1) and (2) inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-induced CXCL10 promoter activ…

ChemInform Abstract: Ganodermycin, a Novel Inhibitor of CXCL10 Expression from Ganoderma applanatum.

Ganodermycin (I), a novel inhibitor of CXCL10 expression, is isolated from Ganoderma applanatum.

Anti-inflammatory tetraquinane diterpenoids from a Crinipellis species.

The small pro-inflammatory 10kDa chemokine CXCL10 (Interferon-inducible protein 10, IP-10) plays an important role in mediating immune responses through the activation and recruitment of leukocytes such as T cells, eosinophils, monocytes and NK cells to the sites of inflammation. Elevated levels of CXCL10 have been associated with chronic inflammatory and infectious diseases and therefore CXCL10 represents an attractive target for the development of new anti-inflammatory drugs. In a search for anti-inflammatory compounds from fungi inhibiting the inducible CXCL10 promoter activity, four new tetraquinane diterpenoids, crinipellin E (1), crinipellin F (2), crinipellin G (3) and crinipellin H …

Oxacyclododecindione, a Novel Inhibitor of IL-4 Signaling from Exserohilum rostratum

In a screening program for new metabolites from fungi inhibiting the IL-4 mediated signal transduction, a novel chlorinated macrocyclic lactone, designated as oxacyclododecindione, was isolated from fermentations of the imperfect fungus Exserohilum rostratum. The structure was determined by a combination of spectroscopic techniques. Oxacyclododecindione inhibits the IL-4 induced expression of the reporter gene secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) in transiently transfected HepG2 cells with IC50 values of 20-25 ng/ml (54-67.5 nM). Studies on the mode of action of the compound revealed that the inhibition of the IL-4 dependent signaling pathway is caused by blocking the binding of the activat…

Inhibitors of inducible NO synthase expression: total synthesis of (S)-curvularin and its ring homologues.

(S)-Curvularin and its 13-, 14-, and 16-membered lactone homologues were synthesized through a uniform strategy in which a Kochi oxidative decarboxylation and ring-closing metathesis reactions constitute the key processes. In the evaluation of the anti-inflammatory effects of the synthesized compounds in assays using cells stably transfected with a human iNOS promoter-luciferase reporter gene construct, the 14- and 16-membered homologues showed a slightly higher inhibitory effect towards iNOS promoter activity than curvularin itself. However, the larger ring homologues also exhibited higher cytotoxicity, manifest in downregulated eNOS promoter activity. In contrast, the di-O-acetyl and 4-ch…

Total synthesis and biological evaluation of seven new anti-inflammatory oxacyclododecindione-type macrolactones

Through variation of our previously published total synthesis of two highly active anti-inflammatory macrolactones from the oxacyclododecindione family (J. Tauber, M. Rohr, T. Walter, G. Erkel and T. Opatz, Org. Biomol. Chem., 2015, 13, 7813-7821), seven new representatives of this compound class were prepared. Substitution of the 14-hydroxy group in oxacyclododecindione with a methyl substituent provided a readily accessible non-natural analogue which has similar pharmacological properties to the scarcely available natural product. Since the producible amount of substance is therefore no longer restricted by low fermentation yields, extensive in vivo studies become possible for the first t…

ChemInform Abstract: Inhibitors of Inducible NO Synthase Expression: Total Synthesis of (S)-Curvularin (Ia) and Its Ring Homologues.

CCDC 1998325: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination

Related Article: Carina Weber, Nina Vierengel, Thorsten Walter, Torsten Behrendt, Tobias Lucas, Gerhard Erkel, Till Opatz|2020|Org.Biomol.Chem.|18|5906|doi:10.1039/D0OB00958J

CCDC 1998326: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination

Related Article: Carina Weber, Nina Vierengel, Thorsten Walter, Torsten Behrendt, Tobias Lucas, Gerhard Erkel, Till Opatz|2020|Org.Biomol.Chem.|18|5906|doi:10.1039/D0OB00958J

CCDC 1998324: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination

Related Article: Carina Weber, Nina Vierengel, Thorsten Walter, Torsten Behrendt, Tobias Lucas, Gerhard Erkel, Till Opatz|2020|Org.Biomol.Chem.|18|5906|doi:10.1039/D0OB00958J

CCDC 1454207: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination

Related Article: Johannes Tauber, Markus Rohr, Thorsten Walter, Dieter Schollmeyer, Karin Rahn-Hotze, Gerhard Erkel, Till Opatz|2016|Org.Biomol.Chem.|14|3695|doi:10.1039/C6OB00430J