Search

Five new non-holostane di- and trisulfated triterpene pentaosides, conicospermiumosides A 3 -1 ( 1 ), A 3 -2 ( 2 ), A 3 -3 ( 3 ), A 7 -1 ( 4 ), and A 7 -2 ( 5 ) were isolated from the Far Eastern sea cucumber Cucumaria conicospermium Levin et Stepanov (Cucumariidae, Dendrochirotida). Twelve known glycosides found earlier in other Cucumaria species were also obtained and identified. The structures of new compounds were established on the basis of extensive analysis of the 1D and 2D NMR spectra, as well as by the HR-ESI-MS data. The aglycones of 1 - 5 differed by side chains structures. Additionally, conicospermiumoside A 7 -1 ( 4 ) had a 9(11)-double bond in the aglycone, while the remaining glycosides contained a 7(8)-intranuclear double bond. Eight types of carbohydrate chains known earlier from the glycosides of the sea cucumbers of the Cucumaria genus were found as part of the glycosides of C. conicospermium . The set of sugar chains of the glycosides from C. conicospermium was similar to that from C. okhotensis . The raw biogenetic series of aglycones, leading to the formation of hexa-nor-lanostane derivatives in the process of biosynthesis and a sort of functionally-structural division that was realized due to separation of biosynthetic pathways of holostane and lanostane derivatives, can be traced when the structures of the glycosides isolated from C. conicospermium are compared. The cytotoxic action against three human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, T-47D, MDA-MB-231), and non-tumor MCF-10A and hemolytic activity of compounds 1 - 5 , as well as seven known glycosides were tested. Conicospermiumosides A 3 -3 ( 3 ) and A 7 -1 ( 4 ), having a 22-oxo-23(24)-en fragment, were strongly hemolytic despite lacking a lactone in their aglycones. Moreover, both compounds demonstrated a promising suppressing action against triple negative breast cancer cells. The cells of the MDA-MB-231 line were most sensitive to the cytotoxic action of the glycosides, while the MCF-7 cell line was most sustainable. Six glycosides were selected for further study of some aspects of anticancer action against MDA-MB-231. The selective action of the compounds 4 and 8 on the MDA-MB-231 cells without significant toxicity against the MCF-10A cells was noticeable. More importantly, the selectivity of the compounds was changed over time and maximal selectivity to cancer cells was demonstrated by glycoside 1 at 48 h of exposition. The glycosides 1 , 3 and the desulfated derivative 7a strongly inhibited colony formation and growth of the TNBC cells until the process stops completely. Okhotoside B 1 ( 8 ), DS-okhotoside A 1 -1 ( 7a ), and conicospermiumoside A 3 -3 ( 3 ) showed a potent cell migration-inhibiting capacity. Quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) calculated on the basis of a correlational analysis of the physicochemical properties and structural features of the glycosides and their cytotoxic activity against different cell lines showed some structural features influenced differently, sometimes even in opposite ways, on the activity of glycosides toward diverse cells (erythrocytes, MCF-10A, and TNBC MDA-MB-231 cells). This observation indicated that glycosides obviously target different membrane components, such as lipids of erythrocytes and some receptors on the surface of mammary normal or tumor cells.

Four new glycosides of polyhydroxysteroids, ceramasterosides A, B, D, and E ( 1 - 4 ), and two previously known compounds, ceramasteroside C 1 ( 5 ) and attenuatoside B-I ( 6 ), were isolated from an extract of a deep-sea sea star species, the orange cookie star Ceramaster patagonicus . The structures of 1 - 4 were elucidated by the extensive NMR and ESIMS methods. Steroid monoglycosides 1 and 2 had a common 3β,6α,8,15β,16β-pentahydroxysteroid nucleus and a C-29 oxidized stigmastane side chain and differed from each other only in monosaccharide residues. Ceramasteroside A ( 1 ) contained 3- O -methyl-4- O -sulfated β-D-xylopyranose, while ceramasteroside B ( 2 ) had 3- O -methyl-4- O -sulfated β-D-glucopyranose, recorded from starfish-derived steroid glycosides for the first time. Their biological activity was studied using a model of lipopolysaccharide-induced (LPS) inflammation in a SIM-A9 murine microglial cell line. During the LPS-induced activation of microglial cells, 1 , 3 , and 5 , at a non-toxic concentration of 1 µM, showed the highest efficiency in reducing the production of intracellular NO, while 4 proved to be most efficient in reducing the extracellular nitrite production. All the test compounds reduced the LPS-induced malondialdehyde (MDA) production. The in vitro experiments have demonstrated, for the first time, the antioxidant activity of the compounds under study.

Three new monosulfated polyhydroxysteroid glycosides, spiculiferosides A ( 1 ), B ( 2 ), and C ( 3 ), along with new related unsulfated monoglycoside, spiculiferoside D ( 4 ), were isolated from an ethanolic extract of the starfish Henricia leviuscula spiculifera collected in the Sea of Okhotsk. Compounds 1 - 3 contain two carbohydrate moieties, one of which is attached to C-3 of the steroid tetracyclic core, whereas another is located at C-24 of the side chain of aglycon. Two glycosides ( 2 , 3 ) are biosides, and one glycoside ( 1 ), unlike them, includes three monosaccharide residues. Such type triosides are a rare group of polar steroids of sea stars. In addition, the 5-substituted 3-OSO 3 -α-L-Araf unit was found in steroid glycosides from starfish for the first time. Cell viability analysis showed that 1 - 3 (at concentrations up to 100 μM) had negligible cytotoxicity against human embryonic kidney HEK293, melanoma SK-MEL-28, breast cancer MDA-MB-231, and colorectal carcinoma HCT 116 cells. These compounds significantly inhibited proliferation and colony formation in HCT 116 cells at non-toxic concentrations, with compound 3 having the greatest effect. Compound 3 exerted anti-proliferative effects on HCT 116 cells through the induction of dose-dependent cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase, regulation of expression of cell cycle proteins CDK2, CDK4, cyclin D1, p21, and inhibition of phosphorylation of protein kinases c-Raf, MEK1/2, ERK1/2 of the MAPK/ERK1/2 pathway.

Six previously unknown triterpene glycosides, pacificusosides L-Q ( 1 - 6 ), and two previously known triterpene glycosides, cucumariosides B 1 ( 7 ) and A 5 ( 8 ), were isolated from an alcoholic extract of Pacific sun star, Solaster pacificus . The structures of 1 - 6 were determined using 1D and 2D NMR, ESIMS, and chemical modifications. Compound 1 is a rare type of triterpene glycoside with non-holostane aglycon, having a linear trisaccharide carbohydrate chain. Pacificusosides M-P ( 2 - 5 ) have new structures containing a Δ 8(9) -3,16,18-trihydroxy tetracyclic triterpene moiety. This tetracyclic fragment in sea star or sea cucumber triterpene glycosides was described for the first time. All the compounds under study exhibit low or moderate cytotoxic activity against colorectal carcinoma HCT 116 cells, and breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells were assessed by MTS assay. Compound 2 effectively suppresses the colony formation of cancer cells at a non-toxic concentration, using the soft-agar assay. A scratch assay has shown a significant anti-invasive potential of compound 2 against HCT 116 cells, but not against MDA-MB-231 cells.

Sea stars or starfish (class Asteroidea) and holothurians or sea cucumbers (class Holothuroidea), belonging to the phylum Echinodermata (echinoderms), are characterized by different sets of glycosidic metabolites: the steroid type in starfish and the triterpene type in holothurians. However, herein we report the isolation of eight new triterpene glycosides, pacificusosides D−K (1−3, 5−9) along with the known cucumarioside D (4), from the alcoholic extract of the Far Eastern starfish Solaster pacificus. The isolated new compounds are closely related to the metabolites of sea cucumbers, and their structures of 1−3 and 5−9 were determined by extensive NMR and ESIMS techniques. Compounds 2, 5, and 8 have a new type of tetrasaccharide chain with a terminal non-methylated monosaccharide unit. Compounds 3, 6, and 9 contain another new type of tetrasaccharide chain, having 6-O-SO3-Glc as one of the sugar units. The cytotoxic activity of 1−9 against non-cancerous mouse epidermal cells JB6 Cl41 and human melanoma cell lines SK-MEL-2, SK-MEL-28, and RPMI-7951 was determined by MTS assay. Compounds 1, 3, 4, 6, and 9 showed potent cytotoxicity against these cell lines, but the cancer selectivity (SI > 9) was observed only against the SK-MEL-2 cell line. Compounds 1, 3, 4, 6, and 9 at the non-toxic concentration of 0.1 μM significantly inhibited neoplastic cell transformation of JB6 Cl41 cells induced by chemical carcinogens (EGF, TPA) or ionizing radiation (X-rays and UVB). Moreover, compounds 1 and 4 at the non-toxic concentration of 0.1 µM possessed the highest inhibiting activity on colony formation among the investigated compounds and decreased the colonies number of SK-MEL-2 cells by 64% and 70%, respectively. Thus, triterpene glycosides 1 and 4 can be considered as prospective cancer-preventive and anticancer-compound leaders.

Four new triterpene disulfated glycosides, chitonoidosides E 1 ( 1 ), F ( 2 ), G ( 3 ), and H ( 4 ), were isolated from the Far-Eastern sea cucumber Psolus chitonoides and collected near Bering Island (Commander Islands) at depths of 100-150 m. Among them there are two hexaosides ( 1 and 3 ), differing from each other by the terminal (sixth) sugar residue, one pentaoside ( 4 ) and one tetraoside ( 2 ), characterized by a glycoside architecture of oligosaccharide chains with shortened bottom semi-chains, which is uncommon for sea cucumbers. Some additional distinctive structural features inherent in 1 - 4 were also found: the aglycone of a recently discovered new type, with 18(20)-ether bond and lacking a lactone in chitonoidoside G ( 3 ), glycoside 3- O -methylxylose residue in chitonoidoside E 1 ( 1 ), which is rarely detected in sea cucumbers, and sulfated by uncommon position 4 terminal 3- O -methylglucose in chitonoidosides F ( 2 ) and H ( 4 ). The hemolytic activities of compounds 1 - 4 and chitonoidoside E against human erythrocytes and their cytotoxic action against the human cancer cell lines, adenocarcinoma HeLa, colorectal adenocarcinoma DLD-1, and monocytes THP-1, were studied. The glycoside with hexasaccharide chains ( 1 , 3 and chitonoidoside E) were the most active against erythrocytes. A similar tendency was observed for the cytotoxicity against adenocarcinoma HeLa cells, but the demonstrated effects were moderate. The monocyte THP-1 cell line and erythrocytes were comparably sensitive to the action of the glycosides, but the activity of chitonoidosides E and E 1 ( 1 ) significantly differed from that of 3 in relation to THP-1 cells. A tetraoside with a shortened bottom semi-chain, chitonoidoside F ( 2 ), displayed the weakest membranolytic effect in the series.

Oceanalin B ( 1 ), an α,ω-bipolar natural product belonging to a rare family of sphingoid tetrahydoisoquinoline β-glycosides, was isolated from the EtOH extract of the lyophilized marine sponge Oceanapia sp. as the second member of the series after oceanalin A ( 2 ) from the same animal. The compounds are of particular interest due to their biogenetically unexpected structures as well as their biological activities. The structure and absolute stereochemistry of 1 as a α,ω-bifunctionalized sphingoid tetrahydroisoquinoline β-glycoside was elucidated using NMR, CD and MS spectral analysis and chemical degradation. Oceanalin B exhibited in vitro antifungal activity against Candida glabrata with a MIC of 25 μg/mL.

Six new triterpene tetra-, penta- and hexaosides, chitonoidosides A ( 1 ), A 1 ( 2 ), B ( 3 ), C ( 4 ), D ( 5 ), and E ( 6 ), containing one or two sulfate groups, have been isolated from the Far-Eastern sea cucumber Psolus chitonoides , collected near Bering Island (Commander Islands) from the depth of 100-150 m. Three of the isolated compounds ( 1 , 3 and 6 ) are characterized by the unusual aglycone of new type having 18(20)-ether bond and lacking a lactone in contrast with wide spread holostane derivatives. Another unexpected finding is 3- O -methylxylose residue as a terminal unit in the carbohydrate chains of chitonoidosides B ( 3 ), C ( 4 ), and E ( 6 ), which has never been found before in the glycosides from holothurians belonging to the Psolidae family. Moreover, this monosaccharide is sulfated in the compound 4 into unprecedented 3- O -methylxylose 4- O -sulfate residue. Chitonoidoside C ( 4 ) is characterized by tetrasaccharide moiety lacking a part of the bottom semi-chain, but having disaccharide fragment attached to C-4 of Xyl1. Such architecture is not common in sea cucumber glycosides. Cytotoxic activities of the compounds 1 - 5 against mouse and human erythrocytes and human cancer cell lines: adenocarcinoma HeLa, colorectal adenocarcinoma DLD-1, and leukemia promyeloblast HL-60 cells were studied. The cytotoxic effect of chitonoidoside d ( 5 ) was the most significant in this series due to the presence of pentasaccharide disulfated sugar chain in combination with holostane aglycone. Surprisingly, the glycosides 1 and 3 , comprising the new aglycone without γ-lactone, demonstrated similar activity to the known compounds with holostane aglycones. Chitonoidoside C ( 4 ) was less cytotoxic due to the different architecture of the carbohydrate chain compared to the other glycosides and probably due to the presence of a sulfate group at C-4 in 3- O -MeXyl4.

Nine new mono-, di-, and trisulfated triterpene penta- and hexaosides, kurilosides A 3 ( 1 ), D 1 ( 2 ), G ( 3 ), H ( 4 ), I ( 5 ), I 1 ( 6 ), J ( 7 ), K ( 8 ), and K 1 ( 9 ) and two desulfated derivatives, DS-kuriloside L ( 10 ), having a trisaccharide branched chain, and DS-kuriloside M ( 11 ), having hexa- nor -lanostane aglycone with a 7(8)-double bond, have been isolated from the Far-Eastern deep-water sea cucumber Thyonidium (=Duasmodactyla) kurilensis (Levin) and their structures were elucidated based on 2D NMR spectroscopy and HR-ESI mass-spectrometry. Five earlier unknown carbohydrate chains and two aglycones (having a 16 β ,(20S)-dihydroxy-fragment and a 16 β -acetoxy,(20S)-hydroxy fragment) were found in these glycosides. All the glycosides 1 - 9 have a sulfate group at C-6 Glc, attached to C-4 Xyl1, while the positions of the other sulfate groups vary in different groups of kurilosides. The analysis of the structural features of the aglycones and the carbohydrate chains of all the glycosides of T. kurilensis showed their biogenetic relationships. Cytotoxic activities of the compounds 1 - 9 against mouse neuroblastoma Neuro 2a, normal epithelial JB-6 cells, and erythrocytes were studied. The highest cytotoxicity in the series was demonstrated by trisulfated hexaoside kuriloside H ( 4 ), having acetoxy-groups at C(16) and C(20), the latter one obviously compensated the absence of a side chain, essential for the membranolytic action of the glycosides. Kuriloside I 1 ( 6 ), differing from 4 in the lacking of a terminal glucose residue in the bottom semi-chain, was slightly less active. The compounds 1 - 3 , 5 , and 8 did not demonstrate cytotoxic activity due to the presence of hydroxyl groups in their aglycones.

Three new triterpene glycosides, pacificusosides A-C ( 1 - 3 ), and three previously known triterpene glycosides, cucumariosides C 1 ( 4 ), C 2 ( 5 ), and A 10 ( 6 ), were isolated from the alcoholic extract of the Far Eastern starfish Solaster pacificus . The structures of 1 - 3 were elucidated by extensive NMR and ESIMS techniques and chemical transformations. Compound 1 has a novel, unique structure, containing an aldehyde group of side chains in its triterpene aglycon. This structural fragment has not previously been found in the sea cucumber triterpene glycosides or starfish steroidal glycosides. Probably, pacificusoside A ( 1 ) is a product of the metabolism of the glycoside obtained through dietary means from a sea cucumber in the starfish. Another two new triterpene glycosides ( 2 , 3 ) have closely related characteristics to sea cucumber glycosides. The cytotoxicity of compounds 1 - 6 was tested against human embryonic kidney HEK 293 cells, colorectal carcinoma HT-29 cells, melanoma RPMI-7951 cells, and breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells using MTS assay. Compounds 4 - 6 revealed the highest cytotoxic activity against the tested cell lines, while the other investigated compounds had moderate or slight cytotoxicity. The cytotoxic effects of 2 - 6 were reduced by cholesterol like the similar effects of the previously investigated individual triterpene glycosides. Compounds 3 , 4 , and 5 almost completely suppressed the colony formation of the HT-29, RPMI-7951, and MDA-MB-231 cells at a nontoxic concentration of 0.5 µM.

Thirteen new mono-, di-, and trisulfated triterpene glycosides, quadrangularisosides A-D 4 ( 1-13 ) have been isolated from the sea cucumber Colochirus quadrangularis, which was collected in Vietnamese waters. The structures of these glycosides were established by 2D NMR spectroscopy and HR-ESI (High Resolution Electrospray Ionization) mass spectrometry. The novel carbohydrate moieties of quadrangularisosides D-D 4 ( 8 - 12 ), belonging to the group D, and quadrangularisoside E ( 13 ) contain three sulfate groups, with one of them occupying an unusual position-at C(4) of terminal 3- O -methylglucose residue. Quadrangularisosides A ( 1 ) and D 3 ( 11 ) as well as quadrangularisosides A 1 ( 2 ) and D 4 ( 12 ) are characterized by the new aglycones having 25-hydroperoxyl or 24-hydroperoxyl groups in their side chains, respectively. The cytotoxic activities of compounds 1 - 13 against mouse neuroblastoma Neuro 2a, normal epithelial JB-6 cells, erythrocytes, and human colorectal adenocarcinoma HT-29 cells were studied. All the compounds were rather strong hemolytics. The structural features that most affect the bioactivity of the glycosides are the presence of hydroperoxy groups in the side chains and the quantity of sulfate groups. The membranolytic activity of monosulfated quadrangularisosides of group A ( 1 , 2 ) against Neuro 2a, JB-6 cells, and erythrocytes was relatively weak due to the availability of the hydroperoxyl group, whereas trisulfated quadrangularisosides D 3 ( 11 ) and D 4 ( 12 ) with the same aglycones as 1 , 2 were the least active compounds in the series due to the combination of these two structural peculiarities. The erythrocytes were more sensitive to the action of the glycosides than Neuro 2a or JB-6 cells, but the structure-activity relationships observed for glycosides 1 - 13 were similar in the three cell lines investigated. The compounds 3 - 5 , 8 , and 9 effectively suppressed the cell viability of HT-29 cells. Quadrangularisosides A 1 ( 2 ), C ( 6 ), C 1 ( 7 ), and E ( 13 ) possessed strong inhibitory activity on colony formation in HT-29 cells. Due to the synergic effects of these glycosides (0.02 μM) and radioactive irradiation (1 Gy), a decreasing of number of colonies was detected. Glycosides 1 , 3, and 9 enhanced the effect of radiation by about 30%.

From the MeOH extract of the Vietnamese sea cucumber Holothuria edulis , eight triterpene glycosides ( 1 - 8 ), including one new compound namely holothurin A 5 ( 1 ), were isolated by using various chromatographic separations. Their structures were established by spectroscopic experiments including 1D, 2D NMR and HR-ESI-MS. Holothurin A 5 ( 1 ) has a hydroperoxy group at C-25. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of this group in triterpene saponins obtained from sea cucumbers to date. In addition, the in vitro cytotoxicity against five human cancer cell lines (HepG2, KB, LNCaP, MCF7 and SK-Mel2) of all isolated compounds was also evaluated using SRB assays.

Ten new di-, tri- and tetrasulfated triterpene glycosides, psolusosides B 1 ( 1 ), B 2 ( 2 ), J ( 3 ), K ( 4 ), L ( 5 ), M ( 6 ), N ( 7 ), O ( 8 ), P ( 9 ), and Q ( 10 ), were isolated from the sea cucumber Psolus fabricii collected in the Sea of Okhotsk near the Kurile Islands. Structures of these glycosides were established by two-dimensional (2D) NMR spectroscopy and HR-ESI mass-spectrometry. It is particularly interesting that highly polar compounds 9 and 10 contain four sulfate groups in their carbohydrate moieties, including two sulfates in the same terminal glucose residue. Glycoside 2 has an unusual non-holostane aglycone with 18(16)-lactone and a unique 7,8-epoxy fragment. Cytotoxic activities of compounds 1 - 10 against several mouse cell lines such as Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells, neuroblastoma Neuro 2A, normal epithelial JB-6 cells, and erythrocytes were quite different depending both on structural peculiarities of these glycosides and the type of cells subjected to their actions. Psolusoside L ( 5 ), pentaoside, with three sulfate groups at C-6 of two glucose and one 3- O -methylglucose residue and holostane aglycone, is the most active compound in the series. The presence of a sulfate group at C-2 of the terminal glucose residue attached to C-4 of the first (xylose) residue significantly decreases activities of the corresponding glycosides. Psolusosides of group B ( 1 , 2 , and known psolusoside B) are inactive in all tests due to the presence of non-holostane aglycones and tetrasaccharide-branched sugar chains sulfated by C-2 of Glc4., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Glycoconjugated and other polar steroids of starfish have unique chemical structures and show a broad spectrum of biological activities. However, their biological functions remain not well established. Possible biological roles of these metabolites might be indicated by the studies on their distribution in the organism-producer. In order to investigate the localization of polar steroids in body components of the Far Eastern starfish Lethasterias fusca , chemical constituents of body walls, gonads, stomach, pyloric caeca, and coelomic fluid were studied by nanoflow liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry with captive spray ionization (nLC/CSI-QTOF-MS). It has been shown that the levels of polar steroids in the studied body components are qualitatively and quantitatively different. Generally, the obtained data confirmed earlier made assumptions about the digestive function of polyhydroxysteroids and protective role of asterosaponins. The highest level of polar steroids was found in the stomach. Asterosaponins were found in all body components, the main portion of free polyhydroxysteroids and related glycosides were located in the pyloric caeca. In addition, a great inter-individual variability was found in the content of most polar steroids, which may be associated with the peculiarities in their individual physiologic status.

Two new steroid glycosides, granulatosides D ( 1 ) and E ( 2 ), belonging to the group of bi- and monoglycosides of polyhydroxysteroids, respectively, were isolated from the ethanolic extract of the starfish Choriaster granulatus along with thirteen previously known glycosides of polyhydroxysteroids ( 3 - 15 ) and one steroid heptaol ( 16 ). The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by extensive NMR and ESIMS techniques. Cytotoxic and immunomodulatory activities of compounds 1 , 3 - 8 , and 10 - 16 using murine splenocytes and peritoneal macrophages were studied. At a dose of 0.1 μM new glycoside 1 showed immunomodulatory properties, increasing the intracellular ROS (reactive oxygen species) level in peritoneal murine macrophages by 20% and decreasing intracellular ROS level by 21% in pre-treated with endotoxic lipopolysaccharide from E. coli (LPS) peritoneal macrophages.

Seven sulfated triterpene glycosides, psolusosides B ( 1 ), E ( 2 ), F ( 3 ), G ( 4 ), H ( 5 ), H 1 ( 6 ), and I ( 7 ), along with earlier known psolusoside A and colochiroside D have been isolated from the sea cucumber Psolus fabricii collected in the Sea of Okhotsk. Herein, the structure of psolusoside B ( 1 ), elucidated by us in 1989 as a monosulfated tetraoside, has been revised with application of modern NMR and particularly MS data and proved to be a disulfated tetraoside. The structures of other glycosides were elucidated by 2D NMR spectroscopy and HR-ESI mass-spectrometry. Psolusosides E ( 2 ), F ( 3 ), and G ( 4 ) contain holostane aglycones identical to each other and differ in their sugar compositions and the quantity and position of sulfate groups in linear tetrasaccharide carbohydrate moieties. Psolusosides H ( 5 ) and H 1 ( 6 ) are characterized by an unusual sulfated trisaccharide carbohydrate moiety with the glucose as the second sugar unit. Psolusoside I ( 7 ) has an unprecedented branched tetrasaccharide disulfated carbohydrate moiety with the xylose unit in the second position of the chain. The cytotoxic activities of the compounds 2 - 7 against several mouse cell lines-ascite form of Ehrlich carcinoma, neuroblastoma Neuro 2A, normal epithelial JB-6 cells, and erythrocytes-were quite different, at that hemolytic effects of the tested compounds were higher than their cytotoxicity against other cells, especially against the ascites of Ehrlich carcinoma. Interestingly, psolusoside G ( 4 ) was not cytotoxic against normal JB-6 cells but demonstrated high activity against Neuro 2A cells. The cytotoxic activity against human colorectal adenocarcinoma HT-29 cells and the influence on the colony formation and growth of HT-29 cells of compounds 1 - 3 , 5 - 7 and psolusoside A was checked. The highest inhibitory activities were demonstrated by psolusosides E ( 2 ) and F ( 3 ).

New marine glycoconjugates-the steroidal glycosides designated as anthenosides V⁻X ( 1 ⁻ 3 )-and the seven previously known anthenosides E ( 4 ), G ( 5 ), J ( 6 ), K ( 7 ), S1 ( 8 ), S4 ( 9 ), and S6 ( 10 ) were isolated from the extract of the tropical starfish Anthenea aspera . The structures of 1 ⁻ 3 were elucidated by extensive NMR and ESIMS techniques. Glycoside 1 contains a rare 5α-cholest-8(14)-ene-3α,7β,16α-hydroxysteroidal nucleus. Compounds 2 and 3 were isolated as inseparable mixtures of epimers. All investigated compounds ( 1 ⁻ 10 ) at nontoxic concentrations inhibited colony formation of human melanoma RPMI-7951, breast cancer T-47D, and colorectal carcinoma HT-29 cells to a variable degree. The mixture of 6 and 7 possessed significant anticancer activity and induced apoptosis of HT-29 cells. The molecular mechanism of the proapoptotic action of this mixture was shown to be associated with the regulation of anti- and proapoptotic protein expression followed by the activation of initiator and effector caspases.

The sea cucumber Cladolabes schmeltzii (Sclerodactylidae, Dendrochirotida) contains diverse glycosides, including several dozen individual compounds. Six new triterpene oligoglycosides, cladolosides O (1), P (2), P 1 (3), P 2 (4), P 3 (5) and R (6), were isolated from this sea cucumber. Their structures were elucidated by 2D NMR spectroscopy and HR ESI mass spectrometry. Cladoloside O (1) has a pentasaccharide carbohydrate chain. Cladolosides of the group P and cladoloside R (6) include novel hexasaccharide carbohydrate chains with different positions of non-methylated terminal sugar units. All the isolated compounds demonstrate strong cytotoxic activities against cells of mouse Ehrlich carcinoma cells (ascite form) and mouse erythrocytes. The cytotoxicity of these compounds against human colorectal adenocarcinoma HT-29 cells was somewhat lower. The compounds 1-6 also inhibit the colony formation and growth of HT-29 cells at non-cytotoxic concentrations. The highest inhibition effect was demonstrated by cladoloside P 1 (3). Moreover, synergism of effects of radioactive irradiation and non-toxic dose of compounds 1-6 on colony formation of HT-29 cells was observed. Cladolosides P 2 (4) and P 3 (5) were the most active and increased the inhibitory effect of radiation by more than 70%. The metabolic network demonstrating the biosynthetic pathways to carbohydrate chains of the glycosides of C. schmeltzii, based on a comparison of their structures, was constructed., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Eight new triterpene olygoglycosides, cladolosides C 4 (1), D 1 (2), D 2 (3), M (4), M 1 (5), M 2 (6), N (7) and Q (8), were isolated from the tropical Indo-West Pacific sea cucumber Cladolabes schmeltzii (Sclerodactylidae, Dendrochirotida). Structures of these glycosides were elucidated by 2D NMR spectroscopy and HR ESI mass spectrometry. A novel hexasaccharide carbohydrate chain having xylose residues as the first, second and third sugars was found in the glycoside 7. Cladoloside C 4 (1) contains an uncommon 20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27-octa-norlanostane aglycone. Cladolosides D 1 (2), D 2 (3) and Q (8) were new representatives of the hexaosides with a non-methylated terminal sugar unit in the "upper" half-chain. Cytotoxic activities of the isolated compounds against ascite form of mouse Ehrlich carcinoma cells, mouse erythrocytes and human colorectal adenocarcinoma HT-29 cells were examined and their structure-activity relationships were analyzed. In addition, the majority of tested compounds, except for cladoloside D 2 (3), inhibited the colony formation and growth of HT-29 cells at non-cytotoxic concentrations. The highest inhibitory activity was demonstrated by cladoloside M 1 (5). Moreover, synergism of effects of radioactive irradiation and non-toxic dose of compounds 1-8 decreasing the number of colonies of HT-29 cells was observed. Cladoloside N (7) was the most active and increased the inhibitory effect from radiation by 75%. The biosynthetic transformations of the aglycones are discussed., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Two new polyhydroxysteroidal glycosides, anthenosides A₁ ( 1 ) and A₂ ( 2 ), and one previously known steroidal glycoside anthenoside A ( 3 ) were isolated from extract of the tropical starfish Anthenea aspera . Structures of 1 ⁻ 3 were determined by analysis of the spectroscopic data as well as chemical transformations. As a result, the structure of anthenoside A has been revised and the structures of 1 and 2 were established. Glycosides 1 ⁻ 3 contain a 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4- O -methyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl residue, found in the starfish steroidal glycosides for the first time. All the isolated compounds slightly inhibited cell viability of human cancer T-47D cells and did not show cytotoxic effects against RPMI-7951 cells. Glycoside 1 slightly inhibited colony formation of human cancer RPMI-7951 cells by 16% while compound 2 decreased the number of colonies of T-47D cells by 40%.

Six new polyhydroxysteroidal glycosides, anthenosides S1  - S6 (1 - 6), along with a mixture of two previously known related glycosides, 7 and 8, were isolated from the methanolic extract of the starfish Anthenea sibogae. The structures of 1 - 6 were established by NMR and HR-ESI-MS techniques as well as by chemical transformations. All new compounds have a 5α-cholest-8(14)-ene-3α,6β,7β,16α-tetrahydroxysteroidal nucleus and differ from majority of starfish glycosides in positions of carbohydrate moieties at C(7) and C(16) (1 - 4, 6) or only at C(16) (5). The 4-O-methyl-β-d-glucopyranose residue (2) and Δ 24 -cholestane side chain (3) have not been found earlier in the starfish steroidal glycosides. The mixture of 7 and 8 slightly inhibited the proliferation of human breast cancer T-47D cells and decreased the colony size in the colony formation assay., (© 2018 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

The Far Eastern sea cucumber Eupentacta fraudatrix is an inhabitant of shallow waters of the south part of the Sea of Japan. This animal is an interesting and rich source of triterpene glycosides with unique chemical structures and various biological activities. The objective of this study was to investigate composition and distribution in various body components of triterpene glycosides of the sea cucumber E. fraudatrix . We applied LC-ESI MS (liquid chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry) of whole body extract and extracts of various body components for metabolic profiling and structure elucidation of triterpene glycosides from the E. fraudatrix . Totally, 54 compounds, including 26 sulfated, 18 non-sulfated and 10 disulfated glycosides were detected and described. Triterpene glycosides from the body walls, gonads, aquapharyngeal bulbs, guts and respiratory trees were extracted separately and the distributions of the detected compounds in various body components were analyzed. Series of new glycosides with unusual structural features were described in E. fraudatrix , which allow clarifying the biosynthesis of these compounds. Comparison of the triterpene glycosides contents from the five different body components revealed that the profiles of triterpene glycosides were qualitatively similar, and only some quantitative variabilities for minor compounds were observed.

Seven new triterpene glycosides, erylosides F 8 (1), V 1 (2), V 2 (3), V 3 (4), W (5), W 1 (6) and W 2 (7), were isolated from a Carribean sponge Erylus goffrilleri collected from the Carribean Sea near the Arrecife-Seco reef (Cuba). Structures of the glycosides were determined using 1 H and 13 C NMR spectroscopy, including 2D NMR procedures ( 1 H- 1 H COSY, 1 H- 13 С HMBC, 1 H- 13 С HSQC and NOESY) and HR ESI mass spectrometry. Erylosides 1 and 4 have 14-carboxy-24,25-dimethyllanost-8(9)-en-3β,25-diol as aglycone whereas glycosides 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 are 14-carboxy-24-acetoxy-24-methyllanost-8(9)-en-3β-ol glycoconjugates. Cytotoxic activities of the isolated compounds against Ehrlich carcinoma cells and hemolysis were examined and their dependence on eryloside structure was evaluated., (Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Nine new sulfated triterpene glycosides, magnumosides A₁ ( 1 ), A₂ ( 2 ), A₃ ( 3 ), A₄ ( 4 ), B₁ ( 5 ), B₂ ( 6 ), C₁ ( 7 ), C₂ ( 8 ) and C₄ ( 9 ) as well as a known colochiroside B₂ ( 10 ) have been isolated from the tropical Indo-West Pacific sea cucumber Neothynidium (= Massinium ) magnum (Phyllophoridae, Dendrochirotida) collected in the Vietnamese shallow waters. The structures of new glycosides were elucidated by 2D NMR spectroscopy and mass-spectrometry. All the isolated new glycosides were characterized by the non-holostane type lanostane aglycones having 18(16)-lactone and 7(8)-double bond and differed from each other by the side chains and carbohydrate moieties structures. Magnumoside A₁ ( 1 ) has unprecedented 20(24)-epoxy-group in the aglycone side chain. Magnumosides of the group A ( 1 - 4 ) contained disaccharide monosulfated carbohydrate moieties, of the group B ( 5 , 6 )-tetrasaccharide monosulfated carbohydrate moieties and, finally, of the group C ( 7 - 9 )-tetrasaccharide disulfated carbohydrate moieties. The cytotoxic activities of the compounds 1 - 9 against mouse spleen lymphocytes, the ascites form of mouse Ehrlich carcinoma cells, human colorectal carcinoma DLD-1 cells as well as their hemolytic effects have been studied. Interestingly, the erythrocytes were more sensitive to the glycosides action than spleenocytes and cancer cells tested. The compounds 3 and 7 significantly inhibited the colony formation and decreased the size of colonies of DLD-1 cancer cells at non-cytotoxic concentrations. Moreover, the synergism of effects of radioactive irradiation and compounds 3 and 7 - 9 at subtoxic doses on proliferation of DLD-1 cells was demonstrated., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Six new monosulfated triterpene glycosides, cladolosides I 1 (1), I 2 (2), J 1 (3), K 1 (4), K 2 (5) and L 1 (6) were isolated from the tropical Indo-West Pacific sea cucumber Cladolabes schmeltzii (Cladolabinae, Sclerodactylidae, Dendrochirotida). Structures of these glycosides were elucidated by 2D NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Four new types of carbohydrate chains have been found in 1-6. Cladolosides of the groups I and J are characterized by pentasaccharide carbohydrate chains sulfated at a terminal 3-O-methylglucose residue and branched by the position 4 of the first xylose residue, but differing from each other in the lengths of the main and side carbohydrate chains. Cladolosides of the groups K and L contain hexasaccharide chains with different positions of a sulfated terminal 3-O-methylglucose residue (as the fourth or the sixth monosaccharide residue). Sulfated hexasaccharide carbohydrate chains were found in the sea cucumbers glycosides for the first time. A pentasaccharide carbohydrate chain of cladoloside J 1 (3) having a disaccharide moiety of glucose and a sulfated 3-O-methylglucose linked to the first xylose residue in a linear trisaccharide fragment is also unusual. All substances studied demonstrated strong or moderate hemolytic and cytotoxic effects., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Ten new polyhydroxysteroidal glycosides, anthenosides L-U (1-10), with rare positions of carbohydrate fragment attachments, were isolated from the starfish Anthenea aspera. The structures of 1-10 were established by NMR and ESIMS techniques as well as by chemical transformations. The unoxidized Δ 22 -24-nor-cholestane (1), (24S)-Δ 22 -24-methylcholestane (2-5), and Δ 22 -cholestane (7) side chains of the steroidal aglycons, 3-O-methyl-β-d-galactofuranosyl residue (2, 8), and 5α-cholest-8(14)-ene-3α,7β,16α-trihydroxysteroidal nucleus (9, 10) have not been found previously in starfish polar steroidal compounds. The mixture of glycosides 9 and 10 showed hemolytic activity with an EC 50 = 8 μM. Compound 4 at a dose of 10 μM exhibited a potential immunomodulatory action, decreasing by 24% the intracellular ROS content in RAW 264.7 murine macrophages, induced by pro-inflammatory endotoxic lipopolysaccharide from E. coli.

Two polar steroid compounds, taurochenodeoxycholic acid sodium salt (1) and a rare cyclic steroid glycoside luzonicoside A (2), were isolated from the tropical starfish Leiaster sp. and identified by extensive NMR and ESIMS techniques. The isolation of primary bile acid 1 is the first report from a representative of the class Asteroidea and on the whole in invertebrates. Its presence confirms the hypothesis about the digestive role of some polar steroids in starfish and possibly demonstrates the parallel evolution of fat emulsifying agents in vertebrates and some starfish. Compound 2 was also obtained from starfish belonging to this genus for the first time. This finding indicates that cyclic steroid glycosides are more widely distributed in starfish than the two species of the genus Echinaster from which they were isolated earlier.

Three new polyhydroxysteroid glycosides, regulusosides A-C (1-3) along with the previously known five steroid compounds (4-8) were isolated from the tropical starfish Pentaceraster regulus. The structures of compounds 1-3 were established by extensive NMR and ESI-MS techniques. New glycosides have the same aglycon, (24S)-5α-cholestane-3β,5,6β,8,15α,24-hexol, and various disaccharide moieties: β-D-xylopyranosyl-(l->2)-3-0-methyl-α-L- arabinofuranosyl (1), β-D-xylopyranosyl-(l->2)-c-L-arabinofuranosy (2), and 2-0-methyl-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(->2)-3-0-methyl-α-L-arabinofuranosy (3), attached at C-24 of the side chain. Compounds 1, 2 and 6 exhibit potential immunomodulatory properties, inducing intracellular ROS (reactive oxygen species) formation in the RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells.

Four new trisulfated triterpene glycosides, fallaxosides D₄ (1), D₅ (2), D₆ (3) and D₇ (4) have been isolated from the sea cucumber Cucumaria fallax (Cucumariidae, Dendrochirotida). The structures of the glycosides have been elucidated by 2D NMR spectroscopy and HRESIMS. All the glycosides have the lanostane aglycones of a rare non-holostane type with 7(8)-, 8(9)- or 9(11)-double bonds, one or two hydroxyl groups occupying unusual positions in the polycyclic nucleus and shortened or normal side chains. The pentasaccharide carbohydrate moieties of 1-4 have three sulfate groups. The cytotoxic activity of glycosides 1-4 against the ascite form of mouse Ehrlich carcinoma cells and mouse spleen lymphocytes and hemolytic activity against mouse erythrocytes have been studied.

Four hew triterpene glycosides, fallaxosides C, (1), C2 (2), D, (3) and D2 (4) along with the known cucumarioside A3-2 (5) and koreoside A (6) have-been isolated from the sea cucumber Cucumaria fallax (Cucumariidae, Dendrochirotida). Structures of the glycosides have been elucidated by 2D NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. All of the glycosides are rare non-holostane derivatives having shortened side chains and contain pentasaccharide carbohydrate moieties with two or three sulfate groups. Structures of these triterpene glycosides and their comparison with those earlier isolated from Cucuniaria spp. and Pseudocnus dubiosus leoninus allow us to suggest that the present assignment of C. fallax to the genus Pseudocnus is not correct, and this species.should be assigned to the genus Cucumaria. Cytotoxic activity of glycosides 1-5 against the ascite form of mouse Ehrlich carcinoma cells and mouse spleen lymphocytes and hemolytic activity against mouse erythrocytes have been studied. The glycosides were expectedly not active in all the tests due to the absence of an 18(20)-lactone in their aglycones and the presence of several sulfate groups. There was one exception, cucumarioside A₃-2 (5), which. demonstrated a weak cytotoxicity against lymphocytes and moderate hemolytic activity.

The unusual non-holostane triterpene glycoside, colochiroside E (1) was isolated from the sea cucumber Colochirus robustus (Cucumariidae, Dendrochirotida). The structure of 1 was established by analysis of 1D, 2D NMR and HRESI MS data. Colochiroside E (1) belongs to a rare group of glycosylated 9β-H-lanosta-18(16)-lactones and has an unprecedented sulfated trisaccharide carbohydrate chain consisting of two glucose and one xylose units. In contrast with (9β-H)-7(8)-unsaturated holostane glycosides, the 7(8)-double bond in the having (9β-H)-configuration aglycone of colochiroside E is not capable of migration into the 8(9)- and then into the 9(11)-position on treatment with HCl. The formation of a chlorine derivative of 1 was observed under these conditions.

Four new triterpene glycosides, colochirosides A₁ (1), A₂ (2), A₃ (3) and D (4), have been isolated from the sea cucumber Colochirus robustus (Cucumariidae, Dendrochirotida). Structures of the glycosides have been elucidated by 2D NMR spectroscopy and mass-spectrometry. Colochiroside D (4) has a new type of carbohydrate chain having the only sulfate group attached to C-6 of the third (glucose) monosaccharide residue. Cytotoxic activities of glycosides 1-4 against the ascite form of mouse Ehrlich carcinoma cells and hemolytic activity against mouse erythrocytes have been studied. Hemolytic activity of the glycosides was higher than cytotoxic. Glycosides 1, 3 and 4 demonstrated strong effects, whereas compound 2 showed only moderate activity.

A new steroid glycoside, capelloside A (1), was isolated from the ethanolic extract of the startish Ugmaster capella along with the previously known coscinasteroside B (2). The structures of 1 was elucidated by extensive NMR and ESI-MS techniques as (24S)-24-O-(3-O-methyl-β-D-xylopyranosyl)-5a- cholestane-3β,6β,8,15α,24-pentoI 15-O-sulfate (1). Compounds 1 and 2 decreased intracellular ROS (reactive oxygen species) levels in murine macrophages of the RAW 264.7 cell line at induction by endotoxic lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from E. coli by 60% and 41%, correspondingly.

Four new triterpene glycosides, colochirosides B1 (1), B2 (2), B3 (3) and C (4) have been isolated from the sea cucumber Colochirus robustus (Cucumariidae, Dendrochirotida). Six known earlier glycosides from representatives of two families of the order Dendrochirotida have also been found in C. robustus. Structures of the glycosides have been elucidated by 2D NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. All the glycosides belong to the holostane series and contain tetrasaccharide linear carbohydrate chains with one or two sulfate groups. Cytotoxic activities of glycosides 1-4 against the ascite form of mouse Ehrlich carcinoma cells and hemolytic activities against mouse erythrocytes have been studied. Hemolytic activity of the glycosides was higher than cytotoxic. Glycosides 3 and 4 demonstrated strong effects, whereas compounds 1 and 2 containing the hydroxy-group in the side chains showed moderate hemolytic activity and were not cytotoxic.

Eight new nonsulfated triterpene glycosides, cladolosides C3(1), E1(2), E2(3), F1(4), F2(5), G(6), H1(7) and H2(8) have been isolated from the tropical Indo-West Pacific sea cucumber Cladolabes schmeltzii (Cladolabinae, Sclerodactylidae, Dendrochirotida) collected in the Vietnamese shallow waters. The structures of the glycosides were elucidated by 2D NMR spectroscopy and mass-spectrometry. Glycosides 2, 3, 4, and 5 have pentasaccharide branched carbohydrate moieties and differ from each other by monosaccharide compositions and aglycone structures. At that, glycosides 2 and 3 contain three xylose, one 3-O-methyl-glucose and one quinovose residues, while glycosides 4 and 5 have two quinovose, two xylose and one 3-O-methyl-glucose residues. Compounds 1 and 6-8 are hexaosides differing from each other by aglycone structures and by the fifth monosaccharide residue, which proved to be glucose in cladoloside C3(1), xylose in cladoloside G(6) and quinovose in cladolosides H1(7) and H2(8). The presence of quinovose residue in the fifth position, as in 4, 5, 7 and 8 has never been earlier found in carbohydrate chains of triterpene glycosides from sea cucumbers. The carbohydrate chains with xylose in the fifth position of pentaosides and hexaosides are also very unusual for holothurious glycosides. All the substances demonstrate strong or moderate cytotoxic and hemolytic effects with hexaosides being more active than the corresponding pentaosides. Peculiarities of the biosynthesis and biochemical evolution of glycosides of this type are discussed., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Five new steroid glycosides, luzonicosides B-E (2-5), belonging to a rare structure group of marine glycosides, containing carbohydrate moieties incorporated into a macrocycle, and a related open carbohydrate chain steroid glycoside, luzonicoside F (6), were isolated from the starfish Echinaster luzonicus along with the previously known cyclic steroid glycoside luzonicoside A (1). The structures of compounds 2-6 were established by extensive NMR and ESIMS techniques as well as chemical transformations. Luzonicoside A (1) at concentrations of 0.01-0.1 μM was shown to be potent in lysosomal activity stimulation, intracellular ROS level elevation, and NO synthesis up-regulation in RAW 264.7 murine macrophages. Luzonicoside D (4) was less active in these biotests.

New minor triterpene glycoside, cucumarioside E (1) has been isolated from the Far Eastern sea cucumber Cucumaria japonica. The structure of the glycoside was elucidated by 2D-NMR specroscopy and mass-spectrometry. The glycoside has glucose instead of quinovose as the second monosaccharide residue and xylose as third monosaccharide residue that is unique structural feature for triterpene glycosides carbohydrate chains from sea cucumbers belonging to the genus Cucumaria.

Six new triterpene glycosides, cladolosides Al-A6 (1-6), have been isolated from the Vietnamese sea cucumber Cladolabes schmeltzii (Cladolabinae, Sclerodactylidae, Dendrochirotida). Structures of the glycosides were elucidated by 2D NMR spectroscopy and MS. All the glycosides have nonsulfated tetrasaccharide linear carbohydrate moieties. Glycoside 6 has a glucose residue as the third monosaccharide unit, while the rest of the compounds comprise a xylose in this postion of the carbohydrate chain. Glycosides 1-6 differ from each other in the structures of their holostane aglycones. Cytotoxic activities of glycosides 1-6 were studied against mouse spleenocytes, along with hemolytic activities against mouse erythrocytes. All the compounds, except cladoloside A5 (5) posessing a hydroxy-group in the aglycone side chain, demonstrated rather strong cytotoxic and hemolytic effects. The most active glycosides were cladolosides A1 (1) and A2 (2) having two O-acetic groups and the xylose residue in the third position of the sugar chain.

Two novel triterpene holostane nonsulfated pentaosides, kolgaosides A (1) and B (2), and one known, holothurinoside B (3), were isolated from the Arctic sea cucumber Kolga hyalina, the second representative of the family Elpidiidae, order Elasipodida, from which triterpene glycosides have been obtained. The structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated using 1H and 13C NMR and 2D NMR procedures (HSQC, HMBC, COSY, ROESY, TOCSY) and HRESI mass-spectrometry. Kolgaosides A (1) and B (2) demonstrate low cytotoxic activity against the cells of the ascite form of mouse Ehrlich carcinoma and moderate hemolytic activity against mouse erythrocytes, despite the presence of hydroxy groups in the side chains of the aglycones. The glycosides of K. hyalina are similar to those of the Antarctic sea cucumber Rhipidothuria racowitzai Hèrouard, 1901 (=Achlionice violaescupidata) (Elasipodida: Elpidiidae); this may have chemotaxonomic significance.

Six new nonsulfated triterpene glycosides, cladolosides B1 (1), B2 (2), C (3), C1 (4), C2 (5) and D (6) and known holotoxin A1 (7) have been isolated from the tropical Indo-West Pacific sea cucumber Cladolabes schmeltzii (Cladolabinae, Sclerodactylidae, Dendrochirotida). Structures of the glycosides were elucidated by 2D NMR spectroscopy and mass-spectrometry. Glycosides 1 and 2 have pentasaccharide branched carbohydrate moieties and differ from each other by the aglycone structures. Compounds 3-6 are hexaosides; 3-5 contain identical carbohydrate moieties with two terminal 3-O-methylglucose residues and glucose as the fifth sugar unit and differ from each other in the structures of their aglycones. Cladoloside D (6) has a new variant of carbohydrate chain with xylose and glucose residues as fifth and sixth monosaccharides, correspondingly. All of the substances demonstrated rather strong cytotoxic and hemolytic effects.

Three new minor triterpene glycosides, cucumariosides I1 (1), I3 (2) and I4 (3) have been isolated from the Far Eastern sea cucumber Eupentacta fraudatrix. Structures of the glycosides were elucidated by 2D NMR spectroscopy and MS. Glycosides 1-3 belong to the group of cucumariosides I, havingbranched pentasaccharide carbohydrate moieties with two sulfate groups and possessing 3-O-methyl-D-xylose as a terminal monosaccharide unit that is a characteristic feature of all the glycosides isolated from E. fraudatrix. Glycosides 1 and 2 differ from each other by the side chain structures in the holostane aglycone moieties, while cucumarioside I4 (3) has a 23, 24, 25, 26, 27-pentanorlanostane aglycone with an 18 (16)-lactone. Cytotoxic activities of glycosides 1-3 against mouse spleen lymphocytes and ascite form of mouse Ehrlich carcinoma cells, along with hemolytic activity against mouse erythrocytes and antifungal activity were studied. Glycoside 1, having an aglycone side chain with a 24 (25)-double bond, possesses moderate activity in all the tests, while glycoside 2, having 23 (24)-double bond and 25-hydroxy group in the side chain, and glycoside 3 with an aglycone with an 18 (16)-lactone and shortened side chain have either low activity or are non-active.

Five new minor triterpene glycosides, typicosides A1 (1), A2 (2), B1 (3), C1 (4) and C2 (5), along with two known glycosides, intercedenside A and holothurin B3, have been isolated from the sea cucumber Actinocucumis typica. Structures of the glycosides were elucidated by 2D NMR spectroscopy andMS. Glycosides 1-5 are linear mono- and disulfated tetraosides differing from each other in both aglycone structures and monosaccharide composition of the carbohydrate chains. Typicosides A1 (1) and A2 (2) have identical monosulfated carbohydrate moieties with a xylose residue as the third monosaccharide unit and differ from each other in aglycon structures. Typicoside B1 (3) has glucose as the third monosaccharide residue. Typicosides C1 (4) and C2 (5) contain the same disulfated carbohydrate chains and differ from each other in structures of aglycone side chains. Antifungal activity of glycosides 1-5 against three species of fungi along with cytotoxic activity against mouse spleen lymphocytes and mouse Ehrlich carcinoma cells (ascite form), as well as hemolytic activities against mouse erythrocytes have been studied. All new glycosides, except for typicoside C1 (4), containing a hydroxy-group in the aglycone side chain, demonstrate rather strong hemolytic and cytotoxic activities.

A new triterpene glycoside cucumarioside I2 (1) has been isolated from holothurian Eupentacta fraudatrix. The structure of 1 was elucidated using extensive NMR spectroscopy ((1)H and (13)C NMR, (1)H-(1)H COSY, 1D TOCSY, HSQC, H2BC, HMBC and NOESY) and MALDI-TOF-MS. Glycoside 1 is a disulfated branched pentaoside having rare 3-O-methyl-D-xylose. Cytotoxic activity of the glycoside 1 and known cucumariosides H (2), A5 (3), A6 (4), B2 (5) and B1 (6) against mouse Ehrlich carcinoma cells and their influence on lysosomal activity of mouse peritoneal macrophages have been studied. Glycosides 1 and 5 possessed low cytotoxicities, glycoside 6 was not cytotoxic while compounds 2, 3 and 4 possessed moderate cytotoxicities. Glycosides 1, 3 and 5 increased the lysosomal activity of macrophages on 15-17% at doses of 1-5 μg/mL. Hence lysosomal activity depends on structures of both aglycone and carbohydrate chain and does not have a direct correlation with cytotoxicities of the glycosides.

Two new minor triterpene glycosides, cucumariosides B1 (1) and B2 (2) have been isolated from the Far Eastern sea cucumber Eupentacta fraudatrix. Structures of the glycosides were elucidated by 2D NMR spectroscopy and MS. Glycosides 1 and 2 belong to the cucumariosides B group and have unprecedented trisaccharide carbohydrate moieties without sulfate groups. Glycosides 1 and 2 differ from each other in side chain structures in the aglycone moieties. These minor substances are probably intermediate metabolites in the biosynthesis of triterpene pentaosides. Cytotoxic activities of glycosides 1 and 2 against mouse spleen lymphocytes and the cells of the ascite form of mouse Ehrlich carcinoma were studied, along with hemolytic activity against mouse erythrocytes and antifungal activity. Cucumarioside B1 (1) was not active in any of the tests, while cucumarioside B2 (2) demonstrated moderate hemolytic activity and low cytotoxic action against Ehrlich carcinoma cells.

Two new asterosaponins, lethasteriosides A (1) and B (2), were isolated along with previously known thornasteroside A (3), anasteroside A (4), and luidiaquinoside (5) from the ethanolic extract of the Far Eastern starfish Lethasterias fusca. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by extensive NMR and ESIMS techniques, and chemical transformations. Compounds 1 and 3-5 did not show any apparent cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines T-47D, RPMI-7951, and HCT-116, but glycoside 1, at concentration of 20 microM, demonstrated considerable inhibition of the T-47D (97%), RPMI-795I (90%) and HCT-116 (90%) cell colony formations in a soft agar clonogenic assay.

New triterpene glycosides, cucumariosides H₂ (1), H₃ (2) and H₄ (3), have been isolated from the Far Eastern sea cucumber Eupentacta fraudatrix. The structures of 1-3 were elucidated using extensive NMR spectroscopy (¹H- and ¹³C-NMR, DEPT, ¹H-¹H COSY, 1D TOCSY, H2BC, HMBC, heteronuclear single-quantum coherence, and NOESY) and ESI-MS. Glycosides 1-3 are monosulphated branched pentaosides having rare 3-O-methyl-D-xylose as a terminal monosaccharide. Glycosides 1 and 3 contain holostane aglycones, whereas 2 has a 23,24,25,26,27-pentanorlanostane aglycone with an 18(16)-lactone, which is also uncommon for the sea cucumbers. Glycoside 3 contains a very rare ethoxyl radical at C-25 of the aglycone side chain, and it is most probably an artefact that was formed during long storage of the ethanolic extract. Cytotoxic activities of 1-3 against mouse spleen lymphocytes, haemolytic activity against mouse erythrocytes and Ehrlich carcinoma cells have been studied. The presence of 25-hydroxy group in aglycone moiety significantly decreased the activities.

Six new steroidal biglycosides, cariniferosides A-F (1-6), were isolated along with six previously known glycosides, 7-12, from the alcoholic extract of the starfish Asteropsis carinifera. The structures of 1-6 were determined by extensive NMR and ESIMS techniques. The isolated compounds did not show any apparent cytotoxicity in cancer cell lines HCT-116, RPMI-7951, and T-47D, but sulfated compounds 6, 11, and 12 demonstrated a significant inhibition of RPMI-7951 and T-47D cell colony formation in a soft agar clonogenic assay., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Seven new triterpene glycosides, erylosides R(1) (1), T(1) (3), T(2) (4), T(3) (5), T(4) (6), T(5) (7), and T(6) (8) along with the known formoside (2) were isolated from the sponge Erylus formosus collected along the Caribbean coast of Mexico. Glycoside 1 was determined as a trisaccharide, glycoside 2 as a tetrasaccharide while glycosides 3-8 were hexasaccharide. Their carbohydrate chains were unprecedented and have never been found in oligosaccharides from other biological sources, except Erylus spp. Three carbohydrate chains in the glycosides 3 and 6, 4 and 7, 5 and 8 correspondingly are new. The glycosides 1-5 have penasterol as aglycone while glycosides 6-8 proved to be glycoconjugates of 24-methylene-14-carboxy-lanost-8(9)-en-3β-ol., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Four new triterpene glycosides cucumariosides H5 (1), H6 (2), H7 (3) and H8 (4) along with the known cucumarioside H (5) have been isolated from the Far Eastern sea cucumber Eupentacta fraudatrix. The structures of glycosides 1-4 were elucidated on the basis of spectral data (2D NMR and MS). Glycosides 1-4 belong to the group o f cucumariosides H having branched rare pentasaccharidecarbohydrate moieties with one sulfate group and 3-O-methyl-D-xylose as a terminal monosaccharide unit. Glycosides 1-3 and 5 differ from each other in structures of side chains of the aglycones, while cucumarioside H8 (4) has a novel aglycone with unprecedented 16(22)-epoxy-group, never found in the sea cucumbers glycosides. Glycosides 1-3, and 5 were cytotoxic against mouse lymphocytes and hemolytic against mouse erythrocytes. Glycoside 2 was less active in comparison with others.

Two new minor triterpene glycosides, liouvillosides A(4) (1) and A(5) (2) have been isolated from the sea cucumber Staurocucumis liouvillei living in Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic waters. The structures of the new glycosides were elucidated using extensive nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy ((1)H- and (13)C-NMR spectroscopy, (1)H-(1)H COSY, 1D-TOCSY, HMBC, HSQC and NOESY), ESI-MS and MALDI TOF MS. The glycosides 1 and 2 are disulphated tetraosides having very rare 3-O-methylquinovose as terminal monosaccharide.