Emestrin B: Epipolythiodioxypiperazine from Marine Derived Fungus Emericella Nidulans

Abstract

Marine fungi have become an important research subject of natural products with significant value due to its diversity in chemical structures and biological activities. Epipolythiodioxopiperazines (ETPs) which are characterized by the disulfide bridge or polysulfide dioxopiperazine six membered ring have been reported to have wide ranges of bioactivities. This research was aimed to isolate, identify and investigate anticancer properties of emestrin B produced by Emericella nidulans marine fungus. Emestrin B was isolated from mycelium of the E.nidulans fungus that cultivated on malt extract broth medium for 4 weeks by using repeated column chromatography. Elucidation of molecular structure using spectra data analysis of UPLC-ESI-ToF-MS, 1H-NMR, and 13C-NMR techniques concluded that the compound was emestrin B. The molecular formula of emestrin B was established as C27H22N2O10S3 (m/z) 631.0525 [M+H]+. Emestrin B was cytotoxic against T47D, HeLa, and WiDr cells with IC50 values of 0.16; 1.56; and 1.02 μg/ml, respectively. Based on flowcytometric analysis, emestrin B could induce apoptosis in T47D cells.