Cancer-related diseases are mostly associated with reduced or inappropriate cell death. This thesis focuses on secondary cyanobacterial metabolites which induce apoptosis in human cancer cells in vitro and thus may serve as potential drug hits. Screening and selection of active natural extracts clearly precede activity-guided isolation of a bioactive compound itself. Summarizing the results of phenotypic screening of cyanobacterial extracts for inducers of apoptosis, I show that adjustment of measurement the activity of key apoptotic enzymes, caspases, per cell significantly enlarges the pool of detected hits. This could be of particular importance, since this correction is relevant for complex natural extracts as well as chemical libraries of pure compounds, and moreover applicable all the way from small-sized screens to high-throughput ones. Further, I investigated the apoptosis inducing activity of nocuolin A (NoA) a new cyanobacterial compound isolated and described by our group. NoA shows remarkable characteristics regarding its structure (1,2,3-oxadiazine heterocycle), biosynthetic origin and also its biological activity. It induces caspase-dependent apoptosis and shows potency against a panel of nine human cancer cell lines, which makes NoA a pharmaceutically interesting compound. I also bring the first insights into elucidation of its mode of action in cancer cells in vitro.

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / The discovery of novel secondary metabolites has declined significantly in recent years whereas there is a rise in the number of multi-drug resistant pathogens and other types of diseases. The decline in natural product discovery was due to high rediscovery of already known compounds and the costs in developing natural products. As a result pharmaceutical companies lost interest in investing in natural product discovery. However, there is a renewed interest in marine sponge associated microorganisms as a rich and untapped source of secondary metabolites. The objective of this study was to design a matrix to investigate the extent to which the One Strain-Many Compounds (OSMAC) approach applies to a collection of marine sponge isolates harvested from two South African marine sponge samples. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphisms (T-RFLP) analysis was used to investigate and ascertain the two marine sponges which hosted the highest microbial diversities to be used for further culture-dependent studies. The culture-dependent studies, using 33 media which included liquid enrichment, heat treatments and antibiotic treatments, resulted in 400 sponge isolates from the two marine sponges Isodictya compressa and Higginsia bidentifera. Using antibacterial overlay assays, 31 dereplicated isolates showed antibacterial activity. Bioactivities were also exhibited against E. coli 1699 which is genetically engineered for resistance against 52 antibiotics which implies that some of the bioactive compounds could be novel. The 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the microbial phyla isolated from the marine sponges belonged to Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria (Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria).Thirty isolates were selected for an OSMAC-based matrix study, 17 of which showed noantibacterial activities in preliminary screening. The application of the OSMAC approach using co-culture and 36 culture conditions resulted in 6 isolates showing antibacterial activities, three of which did not show activities in preliminary screening. One of these, a Bacillus pumilus isolated from I. compressa displayed antibacterial activity against 5 indicator strains whereas in preliminary screening it had not shown activity. The results show that marine sponges can host novel microbial species which may produce novel bioactive compounds. The results also confirm that traditional methods employing a single culture condition restricts the expression of some biosynthetic pathways of microorganisms and as a result many metabolites have yet to be identified.

No description available.

Photorhabdus are motile Gram-negative bacteria that have a mutualistic association with entomopathogenic Heterorhabditis nematodes. Nematodes vector the bacteria from one insect host to another, while the bacterial symbiont produces toxins and secondary metabolites that kill that the insect host. In this study, we characterize the bacterial symbiont of Heterorhabditis sonorensis, recently discovered in the Sonoran desert. Biochemical and molecular methods including sequence data from five genes: 16s rDNA, gyrB, recA, gltX, dnaN were considered. Evolutionary relationships of this new Photorhabdus subsp. were inferred considering maximum parsimony and Bayesian analyses. We also surveyed for secondary metabolites (SM) produced by this microorganism, considering HPLC and mass spectrometry analyses. SM crude extracts showed activity against the corn ear worm Helicoverpa zea, the root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita), the bacterium Pseudomonas syringae, and the fungus Fusarium oxysporum; and were more toxic that those produced by related species. Results from these studies showed that Photorhabdus l. sonorensis' secondary metabolites have potent antagonistic activity against these plant pathogens.

Active compounds have been always originated from plants. Plants though, were able to produce only very low amounts of them and that was the reason for trying many alternative ways of production, one of them being plant tissue culture cultivation. This method is any fragment of living tissue or organ taken from an intact plant or an already existing explant culture, with the intention of growing an artificial growth medium. Even this method though, is not able to produce large amounts compared to extraction from field plants. Elicitation is considered a possible way to increase the production of secondary metabolites. This method used the plant's own defense system, in order to increase the production of secondary metabolites in vitro. The compound which is used to produce the effect is called elicitor. During our experimental work I used as an elicitor the compound Ethephon (2-Chloroethylphosphonic acid) upon callus and suspension cultures of Hypericum perforatum, with intention to observe its effect on flavonoid production. This experiment was based on three different concentrations and six different withdrawal times, being 6, 12, 24, 72, 168 hours. The maximum effect of elicitor was reached with concentration c1 (1mg/100ml) after 12 hours and with concentration c3 (100mg/100ml) after 72 hours.

Recentemente foram isolados da esponja marinha Axinella cf. corrugata dois compostos derivados da esculetina: o éster metílico do ácido 4-esculetínico e o éster etílico do ácido 4-esculetínico. Este último apresentou importante atividade contra o vírus da SARS. Este projeto teve como meta isolar e cultivar as linhagens de fungos associadas à esponja Axinella cf. corrugata, bem como analisar seus extratos por HPLC-PDA-MS, objetivando a possível detecção desses compostos (ou derivados) nesses extratos. Avaliações preliminares levaram à obtenção de 11 amostras potencialmente relacionadas a esses compostos. Dentre elas, uma apresentou espectros no UV e de massas muito similares aos obtidos para o aduto de sódio do éster metílico do ácido 4-esculetínico. No entanto análises espectroscópicas mais detalhadas por RMN - 1H, RMN - 13C, HSQC, HMBC e COSY da amostra purificada permitiram identificar o composto isolado, a 1,3,6-trihidroxi-8-metil-9H-xanten-9-ona. Simultaneamente às análises químicas, os extratos obtidos a partir das linhagens fúngicas isoladas da esponja Axinella cf. corrugata tiveram suas atividades biológicas avaliadas frente a microrganismos e células tumorais humanas, resultando em mais de 20% dos extratos com alguma atividade biológica. / Recently two compounds derived from esculetin have been isolated from the marine sponge Axinella cf. corrugata: the methyl ester of esculetin-4-carboxylic acid and the ethyl ester of esculetin-4-carboxylic acid. The latter displayed antiviral activity against the SARS virus. This project aimed the isolation and the growth of fungal strains associated to the sponge Axinella cf. corrugata, and the subsequent analysis of the fungal extracts by HPLC-PDA-MS, aiming the possible detection of the esculetin compounds (or derivatives) in those extracts. Preliminary analysis yielded 11 samples potentially related to these compounds. Among these extracts, one presented UV and MS spectra very similar to the spectra obtained for the sodium adduct of the methyl ester of esculetin-4-carboxylic acid. However, a detailed spectroscopic analysis of a pure compound isolated by RMN - 1H, RMN - 13C, HSQC, HMBC e COSY allowed the identification of the compound, which is 1,3,6-trihydroxy-8-methyl-9H-xanthen-9-one. Simultaneously to the chemical analysis of the fungal crude extracts, the biological activities of the obtained extracts were evaluated against microrganisms and human tumoral cell lines. More than 20% of the extracts displayed some biological activity.

O gênero Croton abriga aproximadamente 1300 espécies, muitas delas reconhecidas pela sua utilização terapêutica, que se deve a presença de grande diversidade de metabólitos secundários. Tais propriedades foram ponto de partida para investigações sobre as propriedades fitoquímicas do gênero. C. vulnerarius e C. echinocarpus são espécies endêmicas do Brasil pertencentes à seção Cyclostigma e até então pouco estudadas. Neste projeto foram extraídos, identificados e isolados componentes químicos destas espécies e analisadas as suas propriedades bioativas (antioxidante, antimicrobiana e anti-HIV). Foi verificado que, diferentemente de outras espécies da mesma seção, C. echinocarpus e C. vulnerarius não apresentam diterpenos em sua composição. No entanto, C. echinocarpus possui entre seus principais componentes um alcaloide, identificado por espectrometria de massas como coridina. Em relação às substâncias fenólicas, observamos que as espécies possuem perfis semelhantes, com alguns flavonoides em comum, sendo que o principal componente de C. echinocarpus é a apigenina vitexina e de C. vulnerarius , o derivado de campferol tilirosídeo. Em relação às atividades biológicas, foi verificado que ambas as espécies possuem potencial antioxidante e antimicrobiano contra espécies de bactérias Gram negativas, especialmente nos extratos mais ricos em compostos fenólicos. Quanto à ação anti-HIV, foi observado que a fração contendo o alcaloide coridina isolado apresentou um grande potencial de atividade anti transcriptase reversa, atingindo valores acima de 90% de atividade, mesmo para a menor concentração testada / Croton comprises approximately 1,300 species, many of them known for their therapeutic uses, which is due to the presence of a large diversity of secondary metabolites. Those properties were the starting point for research on the phytochemical characteristics of the genus. C. vulnerarius e C. echinocarpus are Brazilian endemic species belonging to section Cyclostigma. This project aimed the extraction, identification and isolation of chemical constituents from both species and the analyze of the bioactive properties of such constituents (antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-HIV). It was found that, unlike other species of the same section, C. echinocarpus and C. vulnerarius does not present diterpenes in their composition. However, C. echinocarpus showed alkaloids among its main constituents, one of them identified by mass spectrometry as coridine. Regarding the phenolic substances, we observed that the two species have similar profiles, with some flavonoids in common. C. echinocarpus presents the flavone C-glycosylated vitexin as its main flavonoid constituent, while C. vulnerarius has the acylated derivative of kaempferol, tiliroside. Regarding the biological activities, both species showed antioxidant potential; antimicrobial effects against Gram-negative bacteria, especially the extracts richer in vitexin; and anti-HIV activity, where the fraction containing the alkaloid coridine showed great potential, reaching values above 90% of the anti-HIV activity, even when the lowest concentration was tested (100 mg.mL-1)

A investigação de produtos naturais tem sido cada vez mais direcionada para o estudo de microrganismos, com destaque para aqueles do ambiente marinho. Neste trabalho foram estudadas linhagens bacterianas isoladas de tecidos da esponja Arenosclera brasiliensis, como parte de um estudo que tinha o objetivo de encontrar novas moléculas bioativas. O cultivo da linhagem bacteriana Pseudovibrio denitrificans Ab134 permitiu o isolamento e identificação de três compostos derivados de dibromotirosina, a fistularina-3 (26), o ácido verongidoico (27) e a 11-hidroxiaerotionina (28). Outros cinco compostos derivados de dibromotirosina foram detectados, em frações ainda impuras, através de análises por CLUE-qTOF e tiveram suas estruturas propostas de acordo com os íons de fragmentação observados no espectro de EMAR: aerotionina (29), um éster do ácido purpurocerático B (30), purealidina L (31) e aplisinamisina II (32). Este é o primeiro relato da produção dos derivados de dibromotirosina a partir de uma linhagem bacteriana e representa um forte indício de que tais compostos, comumente isolados de esponjas, são na verdade produzidos pela microbiota associada destes animais. O cultivo da linhagem fúngica Biatriospora sp. permitiu o isolamento e identificação de nove compostos diterpênicos da classe das fomactinas, sendo seis deles inéditos. As fomactinas são conhecidas por apresentarem potente atividade como inibidoras de receptores do PAF. As fomactinas S, P, U e I apresentaram bons resultados na inibição da ligação do PAF aos seus receptores. As fomactinas S e P foram também avaliadas em ensaio de re-população tumoral pós irradiação e foram capazes de inibir o fenômeno de re-população em concentração molar equivalente a antagonistas comerciais. Tal resultado sugere que a associação da radioterapia com antagonistas do PAF-R pode ser uma nova e eficiente alternativa terapêutica para inibição do crescimento de tumores. / Research on natural products is increasingly focusing on the study of microorganisms, especially those from the marine environment. In the present investigation, bacterial strains isolated from tissues of the sponge Arenosclera brasiliensis were studied in order to find new bioactive molecules. Cultivation of the bacterial strain P. denitrificans allowed the isolation and identification of three dibromotyrosine-derived compounds: fistularin-3 (26), verongidoic acid (27) and 11-hydroxyaerothionin (28). Another five dibromotyrosine-derived compounds were detected in still impure fractions by UPLC-qTOF analysis and had their structures proposed according to the fragmentation ions observed in the HRMS spectrum: aerothionin (29), the methyl ester of purpuroceric acid B (30), purealidin L (31) and aplisinamysin II (32). This is the first report of the production of dibromotyrosine derivatives by a bacterial strain and represents a strong indication that such compounds, commonly isolated from sponges, are actually produced by the associated microbiota of these animals. Cultivation of the fungal strain Biatriospora sp. allowed the isolation and identification of nine fomactin diterpenes, six of wich are new. Fomactins are known as inhibitors of PAF receptors. Fomactins S, P, U and I have shown good results in inhibiting the binding of PAF to their receptors. The fomatins S and P were also evaluated in the post-irradiation tumor re-population assay and were able to inhibit the re-population phenomenon at micromolar concentration equivalent to commercial antagonists. Such a result suggests that the association of radiotherapy with PAF-R antagonists may be a new and efficient therapeutic alternative in tumors.

Mikania é o maior gênero da tribo Eupatorieae, com cerca de 430 espécies, sendo amplamente distribuído no Brasil, com aproximadamente 200 espécies descritas. Dentro deste gênero, Mikania cordifolia, M. micrantha e M. glomerata são comumente chamadas de guaco e estão entre as espécies mais usadas popularmente, principalmente para o tratamento de febre, reumatismo, doenças do trato respiratório e contra picadas de cobra. No presente trabalho, foram realizados estudos fitoquímicos destas três espécies e foram analisados os efeitos dos tipos de adubação, da radiação solar e do estresse hídrico sobre a produção de metabólitos secundários. Primeiramente, através de estudos fitoquímicos, foram identificados 62 compostos. As frações polares das espécies apresentaram como compostos majoritários derivados fenilpropanóicos, destacando-se o Ácido 3,5-dicafeoilquínico em M. glomerata e M. micrantha e o Ácido Fertárico em M. cordifolia. Na espécie M. glomerata também foram identificados derivados do Ácido glucárico di e tri esterificados por ácidos caféicos, até o momento não descritos na literatura, além de flavonóides sulfatados, os quais também estão presentes em M. micrantha. Nas frações apolares foi verificada a presença de triterpenos, principalmente em M. cordifolia e derivados do Ácido Caurenóico em M. glomerata e M. micrantha. As lactonas sesquiterpênicas foram encontradas em M. cordifolia (esqueleto melampolido) e em M. micrantha (esqueleto micranolido). A análise dos cultivares de M. glomerata e M. cordifolia, revelou uma grande influência das condições de cultivo na composição dos metabólitos secundários. Os experimentos mostraram uma grande variação entre a concentração dos compostos presentes nas duas espécies de Mikania, sendo verificado que as condições de cultivo e principalmente as taxas de luminosidade são de extrema importância na acumulação desses metabólitos. O estresse hídrico não apontou efeitos significativos no acúmulo de substâncias em M. glomerata. As análises histoquímicas se mostraram eficazes na obtenção de informações a respeito da localização de compostos fenólicos nas folhas de M. glomerata. / Mikania is the largest gender of the tribe Eupatorieae, with about 430 species, being distributed thoroughly in Brazil, with approximately 200 described species. In this gender, Mikania cordifolia, M. micrantha and M. glomerata are commonly called \"guaco\" and are among the more popularly used species, mainly for the treatment of fever, rheumatism, diseases of the breathing tract and against snake bites. In the present work, phytochemical studies of these three species were carried out and the effects of the fertilization types, the solar radiation and the hydric stress upon the production of secondary metabolites were analyzed. Firstly, through phytochemical studies, 62 compounds were identified. The polar fractions of the species presented as majority compounds phenylpropanoic derivatives: 3,5-Dicaffeoylquinic acid in M. glomerata and M. micrantha and Fertaric acid in M. cordifolia. In M. glomerata were also identified glucaric acid derivatives di- and tri-esterified with cafeic acids, which are no described in the literature until the moment, besides sulfated flavonoids, which are also present in M. micrantha. In the apolar fractions the triterpenes presence were verified mainly in M. cordifolia and kaurenoic acid derivatives in M. glomerata and M. micrantha. The sesquiterpene lactones were found in M. cordifolia (melampolide skeleton) and in M. micrantha (micranolide skeleton). The analysis of M. glomerata and M. cordifolia cultivars revealed a great influence of the cultivation conditions in the secondary metabolites composition. The experiments showed a great variation among the concentration of the compounds in the two species of Mikania, being verified that the cultivation conditions and mainly the taxes of solar radiation are of extreme importance in the accumulation of these metabolites. The hydric stress didnt have significant effects in the accumulation of substances in M. glomerata. The histochemical analyses were effective in supply information regarding location of phenolic compounds in the leaves of M. glomerata.

Plantas parasitas são aquelas que retiram os recursos necessários para a sua sobrevivência de outras plantas (hospedeiras) por meio de uma estrutura denominada haustório, que permite que a parasita se conecte ao sistema vascular da hospedeira. As plantas podem responder ao ataque parasita ativando alguns mecanismos de defesa, dentre eles, a produção de substâncias fenólicas. Os viscos constituem um grupo de plantas parasitas aéreas pertencentes a Santalales que podem ser divididos em viscos holoparasitas ou hemiparasitas. Alguns gêneros de viscos são de importância econômica, dentre eles, Phoradendron, um gênero de visco hemiparasita. Esse trabalho teve como objetivos determinar os conteúdos de taninos, flavonoides, fenilpropanoides, carboidratos solúveis, amido, lipídeos, a razão carbono/nitrogênio e avaliar como a relação parasítica afeta o metabolismo das espécies envolvidas. Para tanto, coletou−se no município de Campanha (MG) folhas e ramos de seis indivíduos não parasitados de Tapirira guianensis (FT e RT) e, a partir de nove indivíduos parasitados de T. guianensis, foram coletados ramos e folhas de Phoradendron crassifolium (FP e RP), ramos não infestados da hospedeira e suas folhas (RNI e FRNI) e ramos infestados de T. guianensis e suas folhas (RI e FRI), sendo que ramos infestados foram divididos em região proximal, galha e distal (RPRI, RGRI e RDRI). Como principais resultados estão o aumento no teor de proantocianidinas e de carboidratos solúveis em FRNI e FRI em relação a FT. Ramos infestados sofreram redução nos conteúdos de carboidratos solúveis, amido, lipídeos, nitrogênio e substâncias fenólicas, exceto na região da galha (RGRI) em que aumentos de amido e flavonoides foram verificados. Observou-se ainda que RNI parece ter sofrido um acúmulo de substâncias fenólicas. O conjunto dos resultados obtidos mostra que P. crassifolium afeta o metabolismo primário e o secundário de T. guianensis, com influência mais pronunciada nos ramos do que nas folhas da hospedeira. Pode−se sugerir que a parasita obtêm nitrogênio e carboidratos solúveis de sua hospedeira e que pode ocorrer uma possível realocação de carbono para crescimento, desenvolvimento, manutenção e, ainda, defesa de ramos ainda não infestados. Além disso, sugere−se que o acúmulo de fenólicos em ramos não infestados (RNI) possa ser um mecanismo de defesa usado pela hospedeira com o objetivo de evitar, ou mesmo diminuir, novas infestações em ramos ainda não parasitados. / Parasitic plants are those that withdraw necessary resources for its survival from other plants (hosts) through a structure so-called haustorium which enables the parasite to connect to the host\'s vascular system. Plants can respond to the parasite attack activating some defense mechanisms, including the production of phenolic compounds. Mistletoes are a group of stem parasitic plants belonging to Santalales that can be grouped into holoparasite or hemiparasite mistletoes. Some mistletoes genera are of economic importance among them Phoradendron, a hemiparasite mistletoe. This study aimed to determine the contents of tannins, flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, soluble carbohydrates, starch, lipids, the carbon⁄nitrogen ratio and evaluate how the parasitic relationship affects the metabolism of the involved species. Were collected in Camapanha (MG) leaves and branches from six non−parasitized individuals of Tapirira guianensis, host plant (LT and BT). From nine parasitized individuals of T. guianensis were collected branches and leaves of Phoradendon crassifolium, the parasitic plant (LP and BP), non-infested host branches and their leaves (NIHB and NIHB-L) and infested branches and their leaves (IHB and IHB-L). Infested branches of T. guianensis were divided into proximal, gall, and distal regions (IHB-P, IHB-G and IHB-D). Main results were an increase in the proanthocyanidin and soluble carbohydrates content in NIHB−L and IHB−L in relation to LT. There was a reduction of soluble carbohydrate, starch, lipids, nitrogen, and phenolic compounds in infested branches, except in the gall region (IHB-G), which showed an increase of flavonoids and starch contents. It was also observed that NIHB appears to accumulate phenolic compounds. Results showed that P. crassifolium affects the primary and secondary metabolism of T. guianensis, and branches were affected more intense than the leaves. It can be suggested that the parasite withdraws nitrogen and soluble carbohydrates from its host and this could result in possible carbon relocation for growth, development, maintenance, and also defense of branches not yet infested. In addition, it could be suggested the accumulation of phenolic compounds in non−infested branches (NIHB) as a defense mechanism used by the host in order to prevent or even reduce new infestations of an individual already parasitized.