Anti-inflammatory effects of peptides from a marine algicolous fungus Acremonium sp. NTU492 in BV-2 microglial cells

George Hsiao ^a,b,1, Shih-Wei Wang ^c,d, Yin-Ru Chiang ^e, Wei-Chiung Chi ^f,1, Yueh-Hsiung Kuo ^g,h,i,

Do Anh Phong ^j, Chia-Yu Chen ^k, Tzong-Huei Lee ^k,*

a Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan

b Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan

c Department of Medicine, Mackay Medical College, New Taipei City 25245, Taiwan

d Graduate Institute of Natural Products, College of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan

e Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan

f Institute of Food Science, National Quemoy University, Kinmen 89250, Taiwan

g Department of Chinese Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chinese Medicine Resources, China Medical University, Taichung 40447, Taiwan

h Department of Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung 41354, Taiwan

i Chinese Medical Research Center, China Medical University, Taichung 40447, Taiwan

j International Ph.D. Program in Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan

k Institute of Fisheries Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan

Located in tropical and subtropical region, Taiwan is an island with high algal species diversity. In this study, a number of fungal strains were isolated from marine macroalgae collected from northeastern intertidal zone of Taiwan. Preliminary anti-inflammatory screening has shown that the methanolic extracts of solid fermented products of the red alga Mastophora rosea-derived fungal strain Acremonium sp. NTU492 exhibited significant bioactivity. In an attempt to disclose the active principles from this fungal strain, a series of separation and purification was thus undertaken, which has led to the isolation and characterization of seven compounds including four new peptides, namely acrepeptins A‒D (1-4), along with previously reported destruxin B (5), guangomide A (6), and guangomide B (7). Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis and compared with literatures. Of these, acrepeptins A (1) and C (3) showed markedly inhibitory activities on nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-activated microglial BV-2 cells with IC50 values of 12.0 ± 2.3 and 10.6 ± 4.0 mM, respectively. Furthermore, acrepeptins A (1) and C (3) significantly attenuated the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase in a concentration-dependent manner (5-40 mM).

Keywords: Acremonium, Acrepeptin, Nitricoxide, iNOS, Anti-inflammation

https://doi.org/10.38212/2224-6614.1062

(https://www.jfda-online.com/journal/vol28/iss2/9/)