Seven norsesterterpene peroxides: epimuqubilin A (1), muqubilone B (2), unnamed cyclic peroxide ester (3), epimuqubilin B (4), sigmosceptrellin A methyl ester (5), sigmosceptrellin A (6), and sigmosceptrellin B methyl ester (7), isolated from the marine sponge Latrunculia sp., were examined with regard to their effects on nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. The results indicated epimuqubilin A (1) possessed potent NO inhibitory activity against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide release with an IC(50) value of 7.4 microM, a level three times greater than the positive control, L-N(G)-monomethyl arginine citrate, followed by 6 (sigmosceptrellin A, IC(50) = 9.9 microM), whereas other compounds exhibited only modest activity (Table 1). These compounds did not show appreciable cytotoxicity at their IC(50) values for NO-inhibitory activity. The structure-activity upon NO inhibition could be summarized as follows: (1) a monocyclic carbon skeleton framework was essential for activity, (2) free acids gave higher activity, (3) the orientation of H3-22 with an equatorial position increased activity, and (4) a bicyclic structure reduced activity. This is the first report of a norsesterterpene peroxide with NO-inhibitory activity. In addition, compounds 1-7 were also evaluated for their inhibitory activities in the yeast glycogen synthase kinase-3beta assay. In summary, several norsesterterpene peroxides showed novel biological activities of inhibition in NO production, suggesting that these might provide leads for anti-inflammatory or cancer chemopreventive agents.
Keywords: Latrunculia sp.; RAW 264.7 Cells; nitric oxide production; norsesterterpene peroxide.