Cytotoxic Drimane-Type Sesquiterpenes from Co-Culture of the Marine-Derived Fungi <i>Aspergillus carneus</i> KMM 4638 and <i>Beauveria felina</i> (=<i>Isaria felina</i>) KMM 4639

Abstract

Chemical investigation of a coculture of the marine-derived fungi Beauveria felina KMM 4639 and Aspergillus carneus KMM 4638 led to the identification of three new drimane-type sesquiterpenes, asperflavinoids B, D and E (2, 4, 5), and nine previously reported related compounds. The structures of these compounds were established using spectroscopic methods and by comparison with known analogues. We also investigated the cytotoxic activity of the isolated compounds against several cancer and normal cell lines. Asperflavinoid C (3) and ustusolate E (9) exerted a significant effect on human breast cancer MCF-7 cell viability, with IC50 values of 10 µM, and induced in caspase-dependent apoptosis and arrest of the MCF-7 cell cycle in the G2/M phase in these cells.

Keywords

• marine-derived fungi
• <i>Aspergillus carneus</i>
• <i>Beauveria felina</i> (<i>Isaria felina</i>)
• coculture
• secondary metabolites
• drimane sesquiterpenes