Diazepinomicin is a dibenzodiazepine alkaloid with an unusual structure among the known microbial metabolites discovered so far. Diazepinomicin was isolated from the marine sponge-associated strain Micromonospora sp. RV115 and was identified by spectroscopic analysis and by comparison to literature data. In addition to its interesting preclinical broad-spectrum antitumor potential, we report here new antioxidant and anti-protease activities for this compound. Using the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, a strong antioxidant potential of diazepinomicin was demonstrated. Moreover, diazepinomicin showed a significant antioxidant and protective capacity from genomic damage induced by the reactive oxygen species hydrogen peroxide in human kidney (HK-2) and human promyelocytic (HL-60) cell lines. Additionally, diazepinomicin inhibited the proteases rhodesain and cathepsin L at an IC₅₀ of 70-90 µM. It also showed antiparasitic activity against trypomastigote forms of Trypanosoma brucei with an IC₅₀ of 13.5 µM. These results showed unprecedented antioxidant and anti-protease activities of diazepinomicin, thus further highlighting its potential as a future drug candidate.
Keywords: Micromonospora; actinomycetes; anti-protease; antioxidant; diazepinomicin.