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Biomedical subjects

Z M Gu

Publications and source records attributed to Z M Gu.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Chemical defense in the zebra swallowtail butterfly, Eurytides marcellus, involving annonaceous acetogenins.

Few herbivores feed on the foliage of the North American paw paw tree, Asimina triloba; notable exceptions are the larvae of the zebra swallowtail butterfly, Eurytides marcellus. Toxic annonaceous acetogenins, produced by A. triloba, are responsible for the relative unpalatability of the leaves. Acetogenins found in A. triloba extracts are potent pesticidal and antineoplastic agents and have emetic activity in vertebrates. In this study, partitioned aqueous MeOH fractions of the bioactive CH2Cl2 extracts, of freeze-dried and pulverized larvae, and of mature butterflies revealed acetogenin content through the use of HPLC coupled to tandem MS (LC-MS/MS). This sensitive technique provides an uncomplicated method for the detection of trace compounds and, in this instance, has confirmed tissue presence of acetogenins that serve a probable role as chemical defense agents against bird predation in zebra swallowtail larvae and adults.

Animals↗

Mono-THF ring annonaceous acetogenins from Annona squamosa.

Continuing work on the bark of Annona squamosa Rich. (Annonaceae), directed by the brine shrimp lethality test (BST), has resulted in the isolation of three new Annonaceous acetogenins, 4-deoxyannoreticuin, cis-4-deoxyannoreticuin, and (2,4-cis and trans)-squamoxinone. The first two are additional examples of acetogenins isolated from this plant species which contain the unusual feature of an oxygen functionality at the C-9 position. They have a hydroxylated mono-THF ring with respective threo/trans/threo and threo/cis/threo relative stereochemistries. The latter compound is a ketolactone mixture which has the same relative stereochemistry around the THF ring and the same spatial relationship between the THF ring and the hydroxyl group along the aliphatic chain as 4-deoxyannoreticuin, but is two methylene units longer. Additionally, the isolated hydroxyl group is at C-11, while the THF ring starts at C-17, instead of at C-9 and C-15, respectively, as for the first two compounds. All three compounds showed moderate, but significant, cytotoxicities against a panel of six human tumor cell lines with (2,4 cis and trans)-squamoxinone showing promising selectivity against the pancreatic cell line (PACA-2).

4-Butyrolactone↗

Three new bioactive bis-adjacent THF-ring acetogenins from the bark of Annona squamosa.

Continuing work on the bioactivity-directed fractionation of the bark of Annona squamosa has resulted in the discovery of three new Annonaceous acetogenins, (2,4-cis and trans)-squamolinone (1), (2,4-cis and trans)-9-oxoasimicinone (2), and bullacin B (3). Compounds 1-3 are all adjacent bis-THF ring acetogenins with 2 representing the first bis-ring acetogenin to contain a carbonyl along its aliphatic chain. Compound 3 was selectively cytotoxic in a panel of six human tumor cell lines with a potency of nearly a million times that of adriamycin against the MCF-7 (human breast adenocarcinoma) cell line.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic↗

Isolation of new bioactive annonaceous acetogenins from Rollinia mucosa guided by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry.

Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) fractionation, monitored by liquid chromatography/electrospray mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS), led to the isolation of two new bioactive annonaceous acetogenins, rollidecin C (1) and rollidecin D (2), from the bioactive aqueous methanol fraction of the leaves of Rollinia mucosa (Annonaceae). The structures were confirmed by analyses of the 1H and 13C NMR data. In addition, a known adjacent bis-tetrahydrofuran (THF) acetogenin, desacetyluvaricin (3), was isolated from this plant for the first time utilizing the LC/ESI-MS monitoring approach. Compound 1 exhibited selective cytotoxicity toward the colon tumor cell line (HT-29), while 2 showed only borderline cytotoxicity in a panel of six human tumor cell lines.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic↗

Screening for Annonaceous acetogenins in bioactive plant extracts by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry.

The Annonaceous acetogenins are amenable to analysis by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) using the electrospray positive-ion mode. Under conditions of atmospheric pressure in-source collision-induced dissociation (APICID), the acetogenins reproducibly provided characteristic ion patterns and fragment ions. Accordingly, the presence of these biologically interesting acetogenins and other derivatives in plant extracts and chromatographic fractions can be readily detected by analyzing selected ion chromatograms. LC/MS screening of a bioactive crude methanol-soluble fraction of Rollinia mucosa detected the presence of some 40 known acetogenins in this plant extract, in addition to four new acetogenins of diverse structure. This rapid and relatively uncomplicated selected ionization procedure should also prove suitable for the screening of many other structural families of natural products.

4-Butyrolactone↗

Novel mono-tetrahydrofuran ring acetogenins, from the bark of Annona squamosa, showing cytotoxic selectivities for the human pancreatic carcinoma cell line, PACA-2.

The bark of Annona squamosa yielded three new mono-tetrahydrofuran (THF) ring acetogenins, each bearing two flanking hydroxyls and a carbonyl group at the C-9 position. These compounds were isolated using the brine shrimp lethality assay as a guide for the bioactivity-directed fractionation. (2,4-cis and trans)-Mosinone A (1) is a mixture of ketolactone compounds bearing a threo/trans/threo ring relationship and s double bond two methylene units away from the flanking hydroxyl. The other two new acetogenins differ in their stereochemistries around the THF ring; mosin B (2) has a threo/trans/erythro configuration across the ring, and mosin C (3) possesses a threo/cis/threo relative stereochemistry. Also found was annoreticuin-9-one (4), a known acetogenin that bears a threo/trans/threo ring configuration and a C-9 carbonyl and is new to this species. The structures were elucidated based on spectroscopic and chemical methods. Compounds 1-4 all showed selective cytotoxic activity against the human pancreatic tumor cell line, PACA-2, with potency 10-100 times that of Adriamycin.

Animals↗

Applying Mosher's method to acetogenins bearing vicinal diols. The absolute configurations of muricatetrocin C and rollidecins A and B, new bioactive acetogenins from Rollinia mucosa.

Muricatetrocin C (1), rollidecin A (2), and rollidecin B (3), three new bioactive annonaceous acetogenins bearing vicinal diols, were isolated from the leaves of Rollinia mucosa (Annonaceae) using activity-directed fractionation. The total structural elucidations of 1-3, including the absolute stereochemistries of the vicinal diols, were achieved by analyzing their per-Mosher ester derivatives. All three compounds showed potent and selective inhibitory effects against several human cancer cell lines.

4-Butyrolactone↗

Five novel mono-tetrahydrofuran ring acetogenins from the seeds of Annona muricata.

Bioactivity-directed fractionation of the seeds of Annona muricata L. (Annonaceae) resulted in the isolation of five new compounds: cis-annonacin (1), cis-annonacin-10-one (2), cis-goniothalamicin (3), arianacin (4), and javoricin (5). Three of these (1-3) are among the first cis mono-tetrahydrofuran ring acetogenins to be reported. NMR analyses of published model synthetic compounds, prepared cyclized formal acetals, and prepared Mosher ester derivatives permitted the determinations of absolute stereochemistries. Bioassays of the pure compounds, in the brine shrimp test, for the inhibition of crown gall tumors, and in a panel of human solid tumor cell lines for cytotoxicity, evaluated relative potencies. Compound 1 was selectively cytotoxic to colon adenocarcinoma cells (HT-29) in which it was 10,000 times the potency of adriamycin.

4-Butyrolactone↗

New bioactive adjacent bis-THF annonaceous acetogenins from Annona bullata.

Five new adjacent bis-THF annonaceous acetogenins, 32-hydroxybullatacin, 31-hydroxybullatacin, 30-hydroxybullatacin, and (2,4-cis and trans)-28-hydroxybullatacinones, were isolated from the ethanolic extract of the bark of Annona bullata Rich. (Annonaceae). The absolute configurations of the above five compounds, as well as those of (2,4-cis and trans)-32-, 31-, and 30-hydroxybullatacinones and (2,4-cis and trans)-bulladecinones, previously isolated from the same extract, were defined by the application of the advanced Mosher ester [methoxy(trifluoromethyl)phenyl acetate or MTPA] methodology. The determination of the absolute configuration of C-20 of (2,4-cis and trans)-bulladecinones to be S supports our hypothesis that the cyclization of the THF rings of (2,4-cis and trans)-bulladecinones starts from C-12 (the right side). The first five compounds listed above showed potent bioactivities in the brine shrimp lethality test (BST) and among six human solid tumour cell lines.

Animals↗

Meliavolkenin, a new bioactive triterpenoid from Melia volkensii (Meliaceae).

Meliavolkenin, a new triterpene with an apotirucallane skeleton, has been isolated from the root bark of Melia volkensii (Meliaceae) by bioactivity-directed fractionation using the brine shrimp lethality test. The structure has been elucidated using spectral and chemical data. The relative stereochemistries were determined by reduction and acetonide derivations, and the ring conformations were analyzed using the results of NOESY experiments. Meliavolkenin was bioactive in the brine shrimp lethality test and gave moderate cytotoxicities against three human solid tumor lines.

Acetone↗

Venezenin: a new bioactive Annonaceous acetogenin from the bark of Xylopia aromatica.

Asimicin and a new cytotoxic Annonaceous acetogenin, venezenin [1], were isolated from the bark of Xylopia aromatica by bioactivity-directed fractionation using lethality to brine shrimp. Compound 1 represents an unusual type of C37 Annonaceous acetogenin, lacking either tetrahydrofuran (THF) or epoxide rings and possessing a double bond located two methylenes away from a vicinal diol in the hydrocarbon chain. The structure of 1 was elucidated by 1H- and 13C-nmr, COSY, single-relayed COSY, and by HMBC techniques, and derivatization. Annomontacin 10-one [6] and 18/21-cis-annomontacin-10-one [7], two semi-synthetic mono-THF acetogenins were prepared from 1. These acetogenins showed cytotoxicity, comparable or superior to adriamycin, against three human solid tumor cell lines. Reduction of the 10-keto of 1 to the racemic OH-10 derivative enhanced the bioactivity, as did the conversion of 1 to 6 and 7. Venezenin [1], like other Annonaceous acetogenins, showed inhibition of oxygen uptake by rat liver mitochondria and demonstrated that the THF ring may not be essential to this mode of action.

Animals↗

Two new cytotoxic monotetrahydrofuran Annonaceous acetogenins, annomuricins A and B, from the leaves of Annona muricata.

The leaves of Annona muricata have yielded eight monotetrahydrofuran Annonaceous acetogenins. Two of them, annomuricins A [1] and B [2], whose chemical structures were deduced by ms, nmr, ir, and uv spectral and chemical methods, are novel and unusual. Compounds 1 and 2 each possess five hydroxyl groups; two hydroxyl groups are vicinal, with the vicinal group of 1 threo and that of 2 erythro. The absolute configurations of 1 and 2 were determined by Mosher ester methodology. Six monotetrahydrofuran acetogenins, previously described in the seeds, were found in the leaves; these are gigantetrocin A, annonacin-10-one, muricatetrocins A and B, annonacin, and goniothalamicin.

4-Butyrolactone↗

Muricatocins A and B, two new bioactive monotetrahydrofuran Annonaceous acetogenins from the leaves of Annona muricata.

The leaves of Annona muricata have yielded the novel monotetrahydrofuran Annonaceous acetogenins, muricatocins A [1] and B [2]. Each compound possesses five hydroxyl groups, with two hydroxyl groups at the C-10 and C-12 positions. The absolute configurations of 1 and 2 (except for positions C-10 and C-12) were determined by Mosher ester methodology. The C-10, C-12 acetonides (1c, 2c) suggested relative stereochemistry and significantly enhanced cytotoxicity against the A-549 human lung tumor cell line. Three known monotetrahydrofuran acetogenins, annonacin A, (2,4-trans)-isoannonacin, and (2,4-cis)-isoannonacin, were also found.

4-Butyrolactone↗

New bioactive monotetrahydrofuran Annonaceous acetogenins, annomuricin C and muricatocin C, from the leaves of Annona muricata.

The leaves of Annona muricata have yielded two additional monotetrahydrofuran Annonaceous acetogenins, annomuricin C [1] and muricatocin C [2]. Compounds 1 and 2 each possess five hydroxyl groups; two hydroxyl groups are at the C-10/C-11 and C-10/C-12 positions in 1 and 2, respectively. The absolute configurations of 1 and 2, except for positions C-10 and C-11 or C-12, were determined by Mosher ester methodology. The C-10/C-11 and C-10/C-12 acetonides (1c, 2c) suggested relative stereochemistry and significantly enhanced the cytotoxicities against the A-549 human lung and the MCF-7 human beast solid tumor cell lines. One known monotetrahydrofuran acetogenin, gigantetronenin, not described previously from this plant, was also found.

4-Butyrolactone↗

Asimilobin and cis- and trans-murisolinones, novel bioactive Annonaceous acetogenins from the seeds of Asimina triloba.

Three new bioactive Annonaceous acetogenins, asimilobin [1], cis-murisolinone [2], and trans-murisolinone [3], have been isolated from an ethanolic extract of the seeds of Asimina triloba by directing the fractionation with brine shrimp lethality. The structure were elucidated based on spectroscopic and chemical methods, In addition, cis- and trans-bullatacinone, which are known compounds, were obtained. Asimilobin [1] has adjacent bis-THF rings, located at C-10 to C-17 and having only one flanking hydroxyl group at C-18. Compounds 1-3 showed cytotoxicity values comparable with adriamycin against six human solid tumor cell lines.

Animals↗

The human papillomavirus type 16 E5 gene cooperates with the E7 gene to stimulate proliferation of primary cells and increases viral gene expression.

The E5 gene from HPV-16 has recently been shown to stimulate anchorage-independent growth of murine 3T3 cells and this phenotype was enhanced in the presence of epidermal growth factor (EGF). Since EGF is capable of stimulating cellular signal transduction, we have compared levels of EGF-induced c-fos and c-jun mRNA in E5-expressing 3T3 cells. We present data showing that the expression of c-fos and c-jun was higher in E5-expressing 3T3 cells than in control cells. Complexes of c-fos/c-jun constitute the AP1 transcription factor and the HPV-16 promoter/enhancer contains AP1 enhancer elements. HPV-16 promoter activity was therefore examined in cells transfected with the E5 gene and data are presented which reveal that the viral enhancer is more active in E5-expressing cells. Since the viral E7 gene product has been shown to cooperate with v-fos and certain growth factors for transformation and stimulation of DNA synthesis, we investigated the possible cooperation between E5 and E7 to induce cell proliferation. Transfection of E5 and E7 genes into primary rodent epithelial cells produced a potent mitogenic response which was enhanced in the presence of EGF. These results suggest that E5 may cooperate with the E7 gene to stimulate cell proliferation in vivo.

3T3 Cells↗

10-, 12-, and 29-hydroxybullatacinones: new cytotoxic Annonaceous acetogenins from Annona bullata Rich (Annonaceae).

In our continuing activity-directed search for new antitumor compounds, using brine shrimp lethality (BST), mixtures of three additional pairs (1-6) of bis-THF ketolactone acetogenins were isolated from the ethanol extract of the bark of Annona bullata Rich. (Annonaceae). Compared with (2,4-cis and trans)-bullatacinone (7 and 8), these new compounds each have one more aliphatic OH group at a different position on the hydrocarbon chain, and, thus, were named (2,4-cis and trans)-10-hydroxybullatacinone (1 and 2), (2,4-cis and trans)-12-hydroxybullatacinone (3 and 4), and (2,4-cis and trans)-29-hydroxybullatacinone (5 and 6). These mixtures all showed potent activities in the brine shrimp lethality test (BST) and exhibited cytotoxicities comparable to those of adriamycin against human solid tumor cells in culture with selectivities exhibited especially toward the breast cancer cell line (MCF-7).

Acetylation↗