Biotransformation of Cortisone with <i>Rhodococcus rhodnii</i>: Synthesis of New Steroids
Federico Zappaterra,
Stefania Costa,
Daniela Summa,
Valerio Bertolasi,
Bruno Semeraro,
Paola Pedrini,
Raissa Buzzi,
Silvia Vertuani
Affiliations
Federico Zappaterra
Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Via L. Borsari 46, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Stefania Costa
Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Via L. Borsari 46, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Daniela Summa
Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Via L. Borsari 46, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Valerio Bertolasi
Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via L. Borsari 46, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Bruno Semeraro
GATE SRL, Via L. Borsari 46, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Paola Pedrini
Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Via L. Borsari 46, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Raissa Buzzi
Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Via L. Borsari 46, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Silvia Vertuani
Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Master Course in Cosmetic Science and Technology (COSMAST), University of Ferrara, Via L. Borsari 46, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Cortisone is a steroid widely used as an anti-inflammatory drug able to suppress the immune system, thus reducing inflammation and attendant pain and swelling at the site of an injury. Due to its numerous side effects, especially in prolonged and high-dose therapies, the development of the pharmaceutical industry is currently aimed at finding new compounds with similar activities but with minor or no side effects. Biotransformations are an important methodology towards more sustainable industrial processes, according to the principles of “green chemistry”. In this work, the biotransformation of cortisone with Rhodococcus rhodnii DSM 43960 to give two new steroids, i.e., 1,9β,17,21-tetrahydoxy-4-methyl-19-nor-9β-pregna-1,3,5(10)-trien-11,20-dione and 1,9β,17,20β,21-pentahydoxy-4-methyl-19-nor-9β-pregna-1,3,5(10)-trien-11-one, is reported. These new steroids have been fully characterized.
