Didemnosides A and B: Antiproliferative Nucleosides from the Red Sea Marine Tunicate <i>Didemnum</i> Species

Marine tunicates are a very attractive and abundant source of secondary metabolites with chemical diversity and biological activity. Fractionation and purification of the organic extract of the Red Sea tunicate <i>Didemnum</i> species resulted in the isolation and identification of three...

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Main Authors: Lamiaa A. Shaala, Diaa T. A. Youssef, Hadeel Almagthali, Ameen M. Almohammadi, Wafaa T. Arab, Torki Alzughaibi, Noor M. Bataweel, Reham S. Ibrahim
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Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Marine Drugs
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/23/7/262
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author Lamiaa A. Shaala
Diaa T. A. Youssef
Hadeel Almagthali
Ameen M. Almohammadi
Wafaa T. Arab
Torki Alzughaibi
Noor M. Bataweel
Reham S. Ibrahim
author_facet Lamiaa A. Shaala
Diaa T. A. Youssef
Hadeel Almagthali
Ameen M. Almohammadi
Wafaa T. Arab
Torki Alzughaibi
Noor M. Bataweel
Reham S. Ibrahim
author_sort Lamiaa A. Shaala
collection DOAJ
description Marine tunicates are a very attractive and abundant source of secondary metabolites with chemical diversity and biological activity. Fractionation and purification of the organic extract of the Red Sea tunicate <i>Didemnum</i> species resulted in the isolation and identification of three new compounds, didemnosides A and B (<b>1</b> and <b>2</b>) and 1,1′,3,3′-bisuracil (<b>3</b>), together with thymidine (<b>4</b>), 2′-deoxyuridine (<b>5</b>), homarine (<b>6</b>), and acetamide (<b>7</b>). Planar structures of the compounds were explained through analyses of their 1D (<sup>1</sup>H and <sup>13</sup>C) and 2D (<sup>1</sup>H–<sup>1</sup>H COSY, HSQC, and HMBC) NMR spectra and high-resolution mass spectral determinations. Compound <b>1</b> exhibited the highest growth inhibition toward the MCF-7 cancer cell line with IC<sub>50</sub> values of 0.597 μM, while other compounds were inactive (≥50 μM) against this cell line. On the other hand, compounds <b>1</b>, <b>2</b>, and <b>4</b>–<b>7</b> moderately inhibited SW-1222 and PC-3 cells with IC<sub>50</sub> values ranging between 5.25 and 9.36 μM. Molecular docking analyses of the top three active compounds on each tested cell line exposed stable interactions into the active pockets of estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1), human topoisomerase II alpha (TOP2A), and cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) which are contemplated as essential targets in cancer treatments. Thus, compound <b>1</b> represents a scaffold for the development of more effective anticancer drugs.
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spelling doaj-art-37ea304b88b544f0ba27268362be2df22025-08-20T02:47:19ZengMDPI AGMarine Drugs1660-33972025-06-0123726210.3390/md23070262Didemnosides A and B: Antiproliferative Nucleosides from the Red Sea Marine Tunicate <i>Didemnum</i> SpeciesLamiaa A. Shaala0Diaa T. A. Youssef1Hadeel Almagthali2Ameen M. Almohammadi3Wafaa T. Arab4Torki Alzughaibi5Noor M. Bataweel6Reham S. Ibrahim7Suez Canal University Hospitals, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, EgyptDepartment of Natural Products, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Taif University, Al-Haweiah 21974, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi ArabiaVaccines and Immunotherapy Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi ArabiaKing Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21521, EgyptMarine tunicates are a very attractive and abundant source of secondary metabolites with chemical diversity and biological activity. Fractionation and purification of the organic extract of the Red Sea tunicate <i>Didemnum</i> species resulted in the isolation and identification of three new compounds, didemnosides A and B (<b>1</b> and <b>2</b>) and 1,1′,3,3′-bisuracil (<b>3</b>), together with thymidine (<b>4</b>), 2′-deoxyuridine (<b>5</b>), homarine (<b>6</b>), and acetamide (<b>7</b>). Planar structures of the compounds were explained through analyses of their 1D (<sup>1</sup>H and <sup>13</sup>C) and 2D (<sup>1</sup>H–<sup>1</sup>H COSY, HSQC, and HMBC) NMR spectra and high-resolution mass spectral determinations. Compound <b>1</b> exhibited the highest growth inhibition toward the MCF-7 cancer cell line with IC<sub>50</sub> values of 0.597 μM, while other compounds were inactive (≥50 μM) against this cell line. On the other hand, compounds <b>1</b>, <b>2</b>, and <b>4</b>–<b>7</b> moderately inhibited SW-1222 and PC-3 cells with IC<sub>50</sub> values ranging between 5.25 and 9.36 μM. Molecular docking analyses of the top three active compounds on each tested cell line exposed stable interactions into the active pockets of estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1), human topoisomerase II alpha (TOP2A), and cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) which are contemplated as essential targets in cancer treatments. Thus, compound <b>1</b> represents a scaffold for the development of more effective anticancer drugs.https://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/23/7/262Red Sea tunicate<i>Didemnum</i> speciesbioactive compoundsdidemnosides A and Bhuman cancer cell linesantiproliferative activity
spellingShingle Lamiaa A. Shaala
Diaa T. A. Youssef
Hadeel Almagthali
Ameen M. Almohammadi
Wafaa T. Arab
Torki Alzughaibi
Noor M. Bataweel
Reham S. Ibrahim
Didemnosides A and B: Antiproliferative Nucleosides from the Red Sea Marine Tunicate <i>Didemnum</i> Species
Marine Drugs
Red Sea tunicate
<i>Didemnum</i> species
bioactive compounds
didemnosides A and B
human cancer cell lines
antiproliferative activity
title Didemnosides A and B: Antiproliferative Nucleosides from the Red Sea Marine Tunicate <i>Didemnum</i> Species
title_full Didemnosides A and B: Antiproliferative Nucleosides from the Red Sea Marine Tunicate <i>Didemnum</i> Species
title_fullStr Didemnosides A and B: Antiproliferative Nucleosides from the Red Sea Marine Tunicate <i>Didemnum</i> Species
title_full_unstemmed Didemnosides A and B: Antiproliferative Nucleosides from the Red Sea Marine Tunicate <i>Didemnum</i> Species
title_short Didemnosides A and B: Antiproliferative Nucleosides from the Red Sea Marine Tunicate <i>Didemnum</i> Species
title_sort didemnosides a and b antiproliferative nucleosides from the red sea marine tunicate i didemnum i species
topic Red Sea tunicate
<i>Didemnum</i> species
bioactive compounds
didemnosides A and B
human cancer cell lines
antiproliferative activity
url https://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/23/7/262
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