Bioprospecting for antagonistic Penicillium strains as a resource of new antitumor compounds

Abstract

Microorganisms are increasingly exploited as a source of new pharmaceuticals. Soil fungi are particularly promising to this regard since their biocenotic competitiveness is often based on the production of antibiotics and other inhibitory substances. About 15 Penicillium strains possessing some extent of antifungal ability were evaluated as a possible source of antitumor products based on the antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of their culture extracts on human tumor cell lines. About 12 strains showed some extent of antitumor properties that in several cases corresponded to the effect of the extrolites purified from the culture extracts themselves. The study showed that a quick screening of fungal isolates can be operated by assaying their fungal extracts on tumor cells directly, with the ensuing advantage of restricting the work required for the characterization of the bioactive compounds to a reduced number of promising strains.

Identification, Antagonistic Potentials and Plasmid Profiling of Micro-Organisms Associated with Termitarium and Macerated Dead Termites from Cashew Trees in Ibule-Soro, Akure Nigeria

“…These isolates were analyzed via plasmid profiling to determine if they possess resistant gene encoding plasmids in their cell structures and if their genetic basis of antimicrobial resistance was extra-chromosomal or not. They were discovered to possess heavy chained resistant factor chromosomes that encode for antibiotic resistance, after which they were cured of their plasmids and then subsequent exposure to broad spectrum antibiotic treatments again showed they were susceptible to antibiotic treatments, this also agrees with the findings described in Nicoletti et al [9].…”

“…The microbial load obtained in this study shows the importance of termitarium sampled from cashew trees as suitable habitats for microorganisms. Relevant studies have opined the rich mineral and nutrient contents of cashew tree gum which is composed of polysaccharides such as glucose, mannose, galactose and cellulose; this affords termite nests, bark sheaths and termites inhabiting the tree environments enough growth factors for wide arrays of microorganisms [9,10]. However, some fungi isolates obtained especially Fusarium sp have also been implicated in causing damping off disease in cashew plant hence, this justifies the presence of this fungi in the samples analyzed; this also bears similarities to the findings of Adeigbe et al [10].…”

“…The antagonistic test carried out on the fungi isolates against selected pathogen showed mild antagonism in the fungus Penicillum notatum especially against Salmonella sp. Since species of Penicillium are ubiquitous as soil and air fungi, their presence in the termitarium indicates a positive mutualism of these fungi isolates with the termite guts or the termitarium microenvironment themselves considering the known potentials of Penicillum notatum in production of antimicrobials against pathogenic bacteria [9].…”

Antimicrobial and antitumor activities of crude secondary metabolites from a marine fungus Penicillium Oxalicum 0312F1

“…The culture extracts of Penicillium strains possessing some extent of antifungal ability were evaluated as a possible source of anti-tumor products on human tumor cell lines (Nicoletti et al, 2008). Our MTT assay indicated the inhibitory activity of fractions D, E and F against SGC-7901 cells, which were afforded after water soluble extract was subjected to Sephadex LH-20, and was higher than 70% (with inhibition 70.04, 71.35, and 79.30%, respectively) under the concentration of 1 mg/mL.…”

Occurence and Bioactivities of Funicone-Related Compounds

“…Results of biological assays were quite similar on HeLa cells (cervix-uteri carcinoma), which are arrested at the G1 phase of the cell cycle and undergo apoptosis following a p53 independent pathway in consequence of the activation of pro-apoptotic genes (p21) whose expression reflects the inhibition of the Cdk4-cyclin D1 complex [ 36 ]. Antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic properties have been also evidenced on other tumor cell types derived from lung carcinoma (A549) [ 37 ], and melanoma (A375P and A375M), where the inhibitory effect on cell cycle progression occurs at the G2 boundary, with a reduction in the expression of cyclin B1 and cyclin-dependent kinase p34 [ 38 ]. Moreover, the compound has been found to inhibit the gene expression of typical markers of tumor progression, such as survivin and human telomerase reverse transcriptase (h-TERT), and to strongly affect cell proliferation and motility of breast cancer MCF-7 cells by down-regulating αvβ5 integrin and inhibiting matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-9) secretion.…”