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Small, cyclic peptides are reported to have many bioactivities. In bacteria and fungi, they can be made by nonribosomal peptide synthetases, but in plants they are exclusively ribosomal. Cyclic peptides from the Annona genus possess cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory activities, but their biosynthesis is unknown. The medicinal soursop plant, Annona muricata , contains annomuricatins A (cyclo-PGFVSA) and B (cyclo-PNAWLGT). Here, using de novo transcriptomics and tandem mass spectrometry, we identify a suite of short transcripts for precursor proteins for 10 validated annomuricatins, 9 of which are novel. In their precursors, annomuricatins are preceded by an absolutely conserved Glu and each peptide sequence has a conserved proto-C-terminal Pro, revealing parallels with the segetalin orbitides from the seed of Vaccaria hispanica , which are processed through ligation by a prolyl oligopeptidase in a transpeptidation reaction.

The identity of the natural product samoquasine A has remained obscure since its isolation from custard apple seeds in 2000. One of the proposed structures, benzo[ f]phthalazin-4(3 H)-one, was prepared in two steps by regioselective ortho-lithiation/formylation of N, N-diisopropyl-2-naphthylamide, followed by cyclization with hydrazine, but was shown to be different from the natural product. Perlolidine, another candidate structure, was synthesized by a novel route involving a β-selective Heck reaction of butyl vinyl ether. Both perlolidine and samoquasine A are converted by trimethylsilyldiazomethane into the same N-methyl derivative. In addition, the 13 C NMR spectra of perlolidine and another structurally mis-assigned natural product, cherimoline, are almost identical. Thus, both samoquasine A and cherimoline are actually perlolidine.

Cherimolacyclopeptide E (1) is a cyclic hexapeptide obtained from Annona cherimola, reported to be cytotoxic against the KB (human nasopharyngeal carcinoma) cell line. The solid-phase total syntheses of this cyclic peptide and its analogues were accomplished by employing FMOC/tert-butyl-protected amino acids and the Kenner sulfonamide safety-catch linker. The synthetic peptide 1 was found to be weakly cytotoxic against four cell lines (MOLT-4, Jurkat T lymphoma, MDA-MB-231, and KB). Analogues 3 and 7, where glycine at positions 2 and 6 of the parent compound was replaced by Ala, exhibited enhanced cytotoxicity against KB (3, IC50 6.3 μM; 7, IC50 7.8 μM) and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells (3, IC50 10.2 μM; 7, IC50 7.7 μM), thereby suggesting possible selective targeting of these cancer cells by these peptides. The spectral data of synthetic peptide 1 was found to be similar to that reported for the natural product. However, a striking difference in biological activity was noted, which warrants the re-evaluation of the original natural product for purity and the existence of conformational differences.

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is an inducible isoform of the enzyme responsible for the synthesis of several inflammatory mediators. In a search for phytochemicals with anti-inflammatory activity, the COX-2 inhibitory activity of 15 typical Annonaceous acetogenins was examined. Isodesacetyluvaricin (1), from the Formosan tropical fruit tree Annona glabra, exhibited the most potent activity. Reverse transcription PCR was used to test the effect of 1 on epidermal growth factor-stimulated expression of COX-2 in cultures of A431 human epidermoid carcinoma cells. Three hours after exposure to 1 (5 μM), A431 cells had barely detectable levels of COX-2 mRNA. A corresponding but smaller decline in the COX-2 protein appeared on using Western blots. Lipopolysaccharide-stimulated expression of COX-2 in Raw 264.7 mouse leukemic monocyte-macrophages showed a similar decrease. Luciferase assays revealed that cells exposed to 1 had reduced activities of two COX-2 promoter-transcription factors: cAMP response element-binding factor and nuclear factor of activated T-cells. Compound 1 did not affect cell proliferation, as measured by a colorimetric assay, or intracellular store-operated calcium influx, as determined by fluorescence imaging. Thus, 1 may serve as a lead compound for targeting inflammatory diseases as well as angiogenesis and cancer metastasis., (© 2012 American Chemical Society and American Society of Pharmacognosy)

Three new bistetrahydrofuran annonaceous acetogenins (1-3) were isolated from a 95% EtOH extract of Annona squamosa seeds. Four known annonaceous acetogenins, uvarigrandin A (4), bullatacin (5), squamostatin-A (6), and squamostatin-D (7), were also isolated. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses, and the absolute configurations of the carbinol centers of 1-3 were defined by application of the Mosher method. These compounds all exhibited significant cytotoxic activity in vitro against five human tumor cell lines.

Eight new mono-tetrahydrofuran (THF)-type annonaceous acetogenins, squafosacins B, C, F, and G (1-4), squadiolins A-C (5-7), and cis-annotemoyin-1 (8), as well as eight known annonaceous acetogenins, glabranin, annotemoyins-1 and -2, bullatencin, cis-bullatencin, and uvariamicins-I, -II, and -III, were isolated from the seeds of Annona squamosa by HPLC. The structures of all new isolates were elucidated by using spectroscopic and chemical methods. Squadiolins A (5) and B (6) showed ng/mL potency against human Hep G2 hepatoma cells and significant cytotoxic activity against human MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Squafosacin B (1) also exhibited significant cytotoxic activity against human Hep G2 and 3B hepatoma and MCF-7 breast cancer cells. In addition, the chelation of mono-THF acetogenins with calcium ions was investigated using isothermal titration calorimetry.

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the bark extract of Annona foetida afforded a new antileishmanial pyrimidine-beta-carboline alkaloid, N-hydroxyannomontine (1), together with the previously reported annomontine (2), O-methylmoschatoline (3), and liriodenine (4). The structure of compound 1 was established on the basis of extensive 1D and 2D NMR and MS analyses. This is the third reported pyrimidine-beta-carboline-type alkaloid and is particularly important for Annona genus chemotaxonomy. In addition, all compounds exhibit in vitro antileishmanial activity against promastigote forms of Leishmania braziliensis. Compounds 2 and 4 showed better activity than compounds 1 and 3 against L. braziliensis. Compound 2 was not active against L. guyanensis.

A series of N-fatty acyl tryptamines, including a mixture of N-nonadecanoyltryptamine (1), N-behenoyltryptamine (2), N-lignoceroyltryptamine (3), N-cerotoyltryptamine (4), and N-octacosanoyl tryptamine (5), and a mixture of N-tricosanoyl-4,5-dihydroxytryptamine (6), N-lignoceroyl-4,5-dihydroxytryptamine (7), N-pentacosanoyl-4,5-dihydroxytryptamine (8), and N-heptacosanoyl-4,5-dihydroxytryptamine (9), along with two alkaloids, atemoine (10) and cleistopholine, were isolated from the EtOAc extract of seeds of Annona atemoya. The structures of the new compounds, 1 and 5-10, were determined on the basis of spectral evidence.

Two new monotetrahydrofuran Annonaceous acetogenins, montacin (1), and cis-montacin (2), along with four known acetogenins, annonacin, cis-annonacin, annomontacin, and cis-annomontacin, were isolated from the seeds of Annona montana. The structures of the new isolates were elucidated by spectral and chemical methods. The new acetogenins exhibited moderate in vitro cytotoxic activity against the 1A9 human ovarian cancer cell line. Interestingly, when Ca(2+) was present, compounds 1 and 2 became 3- to 10-fold more active against 1A9 cells and the PTX10 subline.

Annoglabayin (1), a novel Annona dimeric kaurane diterpenoid, has been isolated from Annona glabra, and its structure was determined on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. Annoglabayin (1) contains a unique carbon bridge between two nor-ent-kaurane monomeric units. The dose-response of 2 in Hep G2 cells indicated that 2 increased DNA damage. In addition, our results showed that 2 induced a noticeable decrease in mitochondrial transmembrane potential during treatment. These results indicate that 2 produces apoptotic events in Hep G2 cells, through inducing changes in mitochondria.

From a methanol extract of the seeds of Annona cherimola, a new cyclic heptapeptide, cherimolacyclopeptide C, has been isolated. The structure was elucidated on the basis of the MS/MS fragmentation using a Q-TOF mass spectrometer equipped with an ESI source, extensive 2D NMR experiments, and chemical degradation. Cherimolacyclopeptide C exhibited significant in vitro cytotoxic activity against KB cells, with an IC(50) value of 0.072 microM.

Two new acetogenins, parisin (1) and salzmanolin (2), were isolated from a MeOH extract of the roots of Annona salzmanii. The structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated by spectroscopic methods including LSI-MS/MS, on both the natural compounds and their acetonide derivatives (1a and 2a). Compounds 1 and 2 showed significant activity against the KB and Vero cell lines.

A phytochemical investigation on the stems of Annona squamosa led to the isolation of six new ent-kaurane diterpenoids, annomosin A (16beta-hydroxy-19-al-ent-kauran-17-yl 16beta-hydro-19-al-ent-kauran-17-oate) (1), annosquamosin C (16alpha-hydro-17-hydroxy-19-nor-ent-kauran-4alpha-ol) (2), annosquamosin D (16beta-acetoxy-17-hydroxy-19-nor-ent-kauran-4alpha-ol) (3), annosquamosin E (16beta-hydroxy-17-acetoxy-19-nor-ent-kauran-4alpha-formate) (4), annosquamosin F (16beta-hydroxy-17-acetoxy-18-nor-ent-kauran-4beta-hydroperoxide) (5), and annosquamosin G (16beta,17-dihydroxy-18-nor-ent-kauran-4beta-hydroperoxide) (6), along with 14 known ent-kaurane diterpenoids. The structures of 1-6 were elucidated by spectroscopic data interpretation. Compound 1 is the first dimeric ent-kaurane derivative to have been reported from a plant in the family Annonaceae. Certain useful NMR data were generalized to determine the stereochemistry of C-16 among the ent-kaurane diterpenoids investigated. ent-Kaur-16-en-19-oic acid (9) and 16alpha-hydro-19-al-ent-kauran-17-oic acid (17) showed complete inhibitory effects on rabbit platelet aggregation at 200 microM.