Discovery of <em>p</em>-Terphenyl Metabolites as Potential Phosphodiesterase PDE4D Inhibitors from the Coral-Associated Fungus <em>Aspergillus</em> sp. ITBBc1

Mar Drugs. 2022 Oct 28;20(11):679. doi: 10.3390/md20110679.

ABSTRACT

Chemical investigation of the fermentation extract of the coral-associated fungus Aspergillus sp. ITBBc1 led to the discovery of five unreported p-terphenyl derivatives, sanshamycins A-E (1–5), together with five previously described analogues, terphenyllin (6), 3-hydroxyterphenyllin (7), candidusin A (8), 4,5-dimethoxycandidusin A (9), and candidusin C (10). Their structures were elucidated by HRESIMS data and NMR spectroscopic analysis. Compound 1 represents the first example of p-terphenyls with an aldehyde substitution on the benzene ring. Compounds 2–4 feature varying methoxyl and isopentenyl substitutions, while compound 5 features a five-membered lactone linked to a biphenyl. These findings expand the chemical diversity of the family of p-terphenyl natural products. Compounds 1–6 and 9 were evaluated for their inhibitory activity against type 4 phosphodiesterase (PDE4), which is a fascinating drug target for treatment of inflammatory, respiratory, and neurological diseases. Compound 3 was the most potent and exhibited PDE4D inhibitory activity with an IC₅₀ value of 5.543 µM.

PMID:36355001 | DOI:10.3390/md20110679