Generality of marine prostanoid biosynthesis by the 2-oxidopentadienylcation pathway

Prostaglandins in Marine Organisms: A Review

Prostaglandins (PGs) are lipid mediators belonging to the eicosanoid family. PGs were first discovered in mammals where they are key players in a great variety of physiological and pathological processes, for instance muscle and blood vessel tone regulation, inflammation, signaling, hemostasis, reproduction, and sleep-wake regulation. These molecules have successively been discovered in lower organisms, including marine invertebrates in which they play similar roles to those in mammals, being involved in the control of oogenesis and spermatogenesis, ion transport, and defense. Prostaglandins have also been found in some marine macroalgae of the genera Gracilaria and Laminaria and very recently the PGs pathway has been identified for the first time in some species of marine microalgae. In this review we report on the occurrence of prostaglandins in the marine environment and discuss the anti-inflammatory role of these molecules.

Isolation of three marine prostanoids, possible biosynthetic intermediates for clavulones, from the Okinawan soft coral Clavularia viridis

Three marine prostanoids, 1, 2, and 3, were isolated from the extract of the Okinawan soft coral Clavularia viridis. The structures of these compounds were assigned based on the results of spectroscopic analysis. Compound 1 was shown to be preclavulone-A methyl ester, and this is the first isolation of the ester of preclavulone-A as a natural product. Preclavulone-A is proposed to be the key intermediate in the biosynthesis of marine prostanoids exemplified by clavulones in C. viridis. The new prostanoid 3 was suggested to be a biosynthetic intermediate from preclavulone-A to clavulones, and a possible biogenetic pathway via 3 is proposed.

Isolation of peridinin-related norcarotenoids with cell growth-inhibitory activity from the cultured dinoflagellate of Symbiodinium sp., a symbiont of the Okinawan soft coral Clavularia viridis, and analysis of fatty acids of the dinoflagellate

Two norcarotenoids, 1 and 2, related to peridinin (3) were isolated from the cultured dinoflagellate of the genus Symbiodinium, a symbiont of the Okinawan soft coral Clavularia viridis, which contains in abundance antitumor marine prostanoids such as clavulones. The structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. These compounds showed significant growth-inhibitory activity in vitro toward cancer cells. Analysis of fatty acids of the dinoflagellate was also carried out, suggesting that the marine prostanoids are produced by the host soft coral itself.

Tricycloclavulone and clavubicyclone, novel prostanoid-related marine oxylipins, isolated from the Okinawan soft coral Clavularia viridis

Two novel prostanoid-related marine oxylipins, tricycloclavulone (1) and clavubicyclone (2), were isolated from the Okinawan soft coral Clavularia viridis. The structures of 1, having a tricyclo[5.3.0.0(1,4)]decane ring system, and 2, having a bicyclo[3.2.1]octane ring system, were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. Clavubicyclone showed a moderate growth inhibition activity against tumor cells in vitro.

Evidence of a cyclooxygenase-related prostaglandin synthesis in coral. The allene oxide pathway is not involved in prostaglandin biosynthesis

Certain corals are rich natural sources of prostaglandins, the metabolic origin of which has remained undefined. By analogy with the lipoxygenase/allene oxide synthase pathway to jasmonic acid in plants, the presence of (8R)-lipoxygenase and allene oxide synthase in the coral Plexaura homomalla suggested a potential metabolic route to prostaglandins (Brash, A. R., Baertshi, S. W., Ingram, C.D., and Harris, T. M. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 15829-15839). Other evidence, from the Arctic coral Gersemia fruticosa, has indicated a cyclooxygenase intermediate in the biosynthesis (Varvas, K., Koljak, R., Järving, I., Pehk, T., and Samel, N. (1994) Tetrahedron Lett. 35, 8267-8270). In the present study, active preparations of G. fruticosa have been used to identify both types of arachidonic acid metabolism and specific inhibitors were used to establish the enzyme type involved in the prostaglandin biosynthesis. The synthesis of prostaglandins and (11R)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid was inhibited by mammalian cyclooxygenase inhibitors (indomethacin, aspirin, and tolfenamic acid), while the formation of the products of the 8-lipoxygenase/allene oxide pathway was not affected or was increased. The specific cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, nimesulide, did not inhibit the synthesis of prostaglandins in coral. We conclude that coral uses two parallel routes for the initial oxidation of polyenoic acids: the cyclooxygenase route, which leads to optically active prostaglandins, and the lipoxygenase/allene oxide synthase metabolism, the role of which remains to be established. An enzyme related to mammalian cyclooxygenases is the key to prostaglandin synthesis in coral. Based on our inhibitor data, the catalytic site of this evolutionary early cyclooxygenase appears to differ significantly from both known mammalian cyclooxygenases.

Clavulones and related tert-hydroxycyclopentenone fatty acids: occurrence, physiological activity and problem of biogenetic origin

The present review is concerned with a group of prostanoids from soft corals, namely, clavulones and their congeners, as well as with related octadecanoids found in plants of the genus Chromolaena (Compositae). Known physiological properties of these prostaglandin-like fatty acids are discussed. Special attention is paid to published hypotheses on the biogenetic origin of clavulones and related fatty acids. According to a newly proposed biosynthetic route, acyclic alpha-ketols are metabolic precursors of cyclopentenolones.

The Discovery of Marine Natural Products with Therapeutic Potential

This chapter highlights the discovery of marine natural products with therapeutic potential. Deep water collections have been made by dredging and trawling. These are both cost-effective collection methods if the substratum does not cause damage to or snag the gear. There are several disadvantages to these approaches. It is difficult to photograph the organisms in their habitat, and encrusting organisms or organisms that grow in crevices, under ledges, or on steep rock faces cannot be easily collected unless the hard substrate that supports the organism is collected as well; dredging and trawling put all collected samples in close contact with each other and therefore, some organisms may chemically contaminate others because of exudations or secretions of various compounds and the environmental impact of dredging or trawling can be detrimental because the sampling is nonselective and habitats can be damaged or destroyed. A controversial facet of marine-derived microorganisms is their putative role with respect to the origin of bioactive natural products from marine macroorganism–microorganisms associations. Symbiotic microorganisms have been repeatedly suggested as being the direct or indirect sources of bioactive metabolites in marine sponges and other invertebrates, tunicates, and bryozoans.

Investigation of the allene oxide pathway in the coral Plexaura homomalla: formation of novel ketols and isomers of prostaglandin A2 from 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid

Prostaglandin A2 is a major constituent of the gorgonian Plexaura homomalla, and there is evidence that its biosynthesis involves a noncyclooxygenase pathway. The coral contains an 8(R)-lipoxygenase and an allene oxide synthase; from arachidonic acid, the sequential action of these enzymes gives an allene epoxide, the cyclization of which forms an analogue of prostaglandin A2 (PGA2) with no 15-hydroxyl group. In this study we examined the metabolic fate of 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15-HETE), which via analogous reactions could lead to PGA2. The 8(R)-lipoxygenase metabolized preferentially the 15(R) enantiomer of 15-HETE, and this reaction was stimulated fivefold by including 1 M NaCl in the incubation. Further enzymic steps were detected by comparing the metabolic profiles of the 8(R)-hydroperoxy-15(R)-hydroxy intermediate with that of its 8(S),15(S) enantiomer. Two main products were formed exclusively from the 8(R),15(R) enantiomer: an allene epoxide and the comparatively stable epoxide, 8,9-epoxy-10,15-dihydroxyeicosa-5,11,14-trienoic acid. Formation of the allene oxide was inferred from detection of its hydrolysis and cyclization products. It cyclized to give two isomers of PGA2 which have a "cis" arrangement of the side chains. The main hydrolysis product (8,15-dihydroxy-9-ketoeicosa-5,11,13-trienoic acid) was unstable and prone to oxygenation, giving 8,14,15-trihydroxy-9-ketoeicosa-5,10,12-trienoic acids after reduction of the 14-hydroperoxide. We conclude that metabolism of a 15-hydroxy eicosanoid is a potential route to the A series prostaglandins, although the low yield and lack of stereochemical control suggest that this is not the natural pathway of biosynthesis in P. homomalla. Unexpectedly, the major end products of the pathway are trihydroxy ketols and the single diastereomer of a stable epoxyalcohol.