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Falconensones A and B are new type of yellow pigment isolated from the mycelial extract of ascomycetous fungi, Emericella falconensis. To date, these falconensones and their derivatives, falconensone A p-bromophenylhydrazone and falconensone A dioxime are known to exhibit biological activities, which include growth inhibition and both induction of differentiation and apoptosis of HL60 human leukemia cells. The synthetic derivatives have been shown to be more potent than natural falconensone A and B in eliciting these activities. Herein, we investigate whether falconensones inhibit growth of other cancer cell lines in vitro, and we evaluate their ability to modify survival in C57 BL/6J mice using M5076 murine reticulosarcoma in vivo, which is established as the metastasis model. Falconensone A, falconensone A p-bromophenylhydrazone, and falconensone A dioxime inhibit growth of human myeloid leukemia cell lines, HL60 and HL60R, human hepatoma cell line HepG2, human prostate cancer cell line DU-145, and human breast cancer cell line MCF-7/Adr(R), whereas falconensone B, the 4'-nor-methyl derivative of falconensone A, shows extremely low or no activity. In contrast, all of the falconensones are active in growth inhibition of human breast cancer cell line MCF-7. Survival time of M5076-implanted mice was prolonged by treatment with falconensones, particularly falconensone A dioxime. These results indicate that falconensone A and its derivatives exhibit anticancer efficacy in a broad spectrum of cancer cell lines. These agents may have great potential for clinical use in the treatment of various cancers.

Total esophageal reconstruction using a gastric tube is complicated because it sometimes causes postoperative complications such as anastomotic leakage, stenosis, or fistula formation resulting from insufficient blood flow at the distal end. To overcome this problem, during the past 5 years the authors performed seven additional microvascular anastomoses using the short gastric vessels of the gastric tube. No postoperative complications occurred except partial tracheal necrosis in 1 patient. Postoperative radiographic examination showed no reflux or stasis in all patients, and no evidence of necrosis at the anastomotic site of the pulled-up gastric tube was observed by postoperative endoscopy. This technique reduces risk and may contribute to the successful reconstruction of the digestive tract after total esophagectomy.

The dichloromethane extract of Talaromyces convolutus cultivated on barley exhibited antifungal activity against Candida albicans. In the course of a search for the active compounds, four new tetramic acid derivatives, talaroconvolutins A (1), B (2), C (3), and D (4), were isolated along with ZG-1494alpha (5), and mitorubrin derivatives. The structures of talaroconvolutins A-D (1-4) were established on the basis of spectroscopic and chemical investigations and chemical correlations. The antifungal activity of the talaroconvolutins against the pathogenic fungi Aspergillus fumigates, Aspergillus niger, C. albicans, and Cryptococcus neoformans was determined.

Falconensones A and B are a new type of yellow pigment with structural similarity to retinoic acid isolated from the mycelial extract of ascomycetous fungi, Emericella falconensis or Emericella fruticulosa. In the present study we show that falconensone A alone induced apoptosis of HL60 human leukemia cells, while falconensone B, the 4'-nor-methyl derivative of falconensone A, had much lower activity. The synthetic derivatives of falconensone A, falconensone A p-bromophenylhydrazone and falconensone A dioxime, were more potent than natural falconensone A and B as far as the induction of apoptosis was concerned. The induction of apoptosis by the falconensones correlated with their inhibition of cell growth. In addition, falconensones A and B, and falconensone A dioxime, increased the generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species, while falconensone A p-bromophenylhydrazone was inactive. These results suggest that falconensone A, falconensone A p-bromophenylhydrazone and falconensone A dioxime are potential new apoptosis-inducing agents. The enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species in cells may be involved in apoptosis induced by falconensone A and falconensone A dioxime, but not by falconensone A p-bromophenylhydrazone. It is also suggested that the methyl residue at the 4' position of the falconensone A cyclopentenone ring may be essential for the induction of apoptosis. Based on these results, falconensone A and its derivatives may be clinically useful in the treatment of some leukemias.