Phallusiasterols A and B: Two New Sulfated Sterols from the Mediterranean Tunicate Phallusia fumigata and Their Effects as Modulators of the PXR Receptor

Marine Drugs

Concetta Imperatore²  Filomena D𠆚niello²  Anna Aiello²  Stefano Fiorucci¹  Claudio D𠆚more¹  Valentina Sepe³ 

[1] Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Perugia, Via Gerardo Dottori 1, S. Andrea delle Fratte, Perugia 06132, Italy; E-Mails:;The NeaNat Group, Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via D. Montesano 49, Napoli 80131, Italy; E-Mails:;Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via D. Montesano 49, Napoli 80131, Italy; E-Mail:

关键词: sterols;    ascidians;    tunicates;    Phallusia fumigata;    NMR;    PXR receptor;   

DOI  :  10.3390/md12042066

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Purification of the apolar extracts of the marine ascidian Phallusia fumigata, afforded two new sulfated sterols, phallusiasterols A (1) and B (2). The structures of the new compounds have been elucidated using mass spectrometry and NMR experiments. The effects of phallusiasterols A and B as modulators of pregnane-X-receptor (PXR) have been investigated. These studies revealed that phallusiasterol A induces PXR transactivation in HepG2 cells and stimulates the expression of the PXR target genes CYP3A4 and MDR1 in the same cell line. Molecular docking calculations suggested the theoretical binding mode of phallusiasterol A with hPXR and revealed that phallusiasterol A fitted well in the LBD of PXR.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.