Chemical constituents from the soil fungus Penicillium sp. DWS853 and their cytotoxic activity

Abstract

A total of fourteen compounds, including two previously undescribed depside derivatives penicidepsides A (1) and B (2), three phenyl ether derivatives (3–5), three benzophenone derivatives (6–8), four anthraquinone derivatives (9–12), one flavonoid derivative (13), and one bisnaphthalene derivative (14), were isolated from the solid-state fermentation medium of fungus Penicillium sp. DWS853. The structures of these compounds were determined through comprehensive analysis of UV, HRESIMS, and 1D/2D NMR spectroscopic data, along with quantum-chemical calculations. In vitro bioactivity assays showed that questin (9) exhibits cytotoxicity against human colorectal cancer HCT116 cell line, and can induce apoptosis and inhibit its migration/invasion in a dose-depended manner. The potential target of the active compound was implied to be DNA topoisomerase II, using similarity ensemble search, molecular docking, and quantum chemical calculations.