Marine Drug Research in Korea

A special issue of Marine Drugs (ISSN 1660-3397).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 24153

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

South Korea is one of the emerging countries in marine drug research. The country has a great marine biodiversity, which is one of the most important sources of chemical diversity and bioactive compounds, even though it has been largely underexplored. Geographically, South Korea is mostly surrounded by sea and has 2413 km of coastline along three seas, which represents a great potential for finding new bioactive marine metabolites. This Special Issue presents studies on marine natural products in Korea, including results obtained by different research groups, with an emphasis on the discovery and development of new metabolites and the evaluation of the biological activities of natural products isolated from Korean marine resources.

As a Guest Editor for this Special Issue, I invite you to submit your research results on marine drug development research for new marine natural products, and the in vitro and in vivo activities of marine secondary metabolites. This Special Issue will also include challenges in drug development from marine sources, especially supply problems, mechanisms of action, and the biosynthesis and total synthesis of marine natural products.

Prof. Hee Jae Shin
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Marine Drugs is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Marine natural products
  • Secondary metabolites
  • Bioactive compounds
  • Drug development

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 2070 KiB  
Article
Anti-Allergic Effect of 3,4-Dihydroxybenzaldehyde Isolated from Polysiphonia morrowii in IgE/BSA-Stimulated Mast Cells and a Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis Mouse Model
by Eun-A Kim, Eui-Jeong Han, Junseong Kim, Ilekuttige Priyan Shanura Fernando, Jae-Young Oh, Kil-Nam Kim, Ginnae Ahn and Soo-Jin Heo
Mar. Drugs 2022, 20(2), 133; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/md20020133 - 10 Feb 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2565
Abstract
In this study, we investigated the anti-allergic effects of 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (DHB) isolated from the marine red alga, Polysiphonia morrowii, in mouse bone-marrow-derived cultured mast cells (BMCMCs) and passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) in anti-dinitrophenyl (DNP) immunoglobulin E (IgE)-sensitized mice. DHB inhibited IgE/bovine serum [...] Read more.
In this study, we investigated the anti-allergic effects of 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (DHB) isolated from the marine red alga, Polysiphonia morrowii, in mouse bone-marrow-derived cultured mast cells (BMCMCs) and passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) in anti-dinitrophenyl (DNP) immunoglobulin E (IgE)-sensitized mice. DHB inhibited IgE/bovine serum albumin (BSA)-induced BMCMCs degranulation by reducing the release of β-hexosaminidase without inducing cytotoxicity. Further, DHB dose-dependently decreased the IgE binding and high-affinity IgE receptor (FcεRI) expression and FcεRI-IgE binding on the surface of BMCMCs. Moreover, DHB suppressed the secretion and/or the expression of the allergic cytokines, interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-13, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and the chemokine, thymus activation-regulated chemokine (TARC), by regulating the phosphorylation of IκBα and the translocation of cytoplasmic NF-κB into the nucleus. Furthermore, DHB attenuated the passive cutaneous anaphylactic (PCA) reaction reducing the exuded Evans blue amount in the mouse ear stimulated by IgE/BSA. These results suggest that DHB is a potential therapeutic candidate for the prevention and treatment of type I allergic disorders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Drug Research in Korea)
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12 pages, 1084 KiB  
Article
Ligiamycins A and B, Decalin-Amino-Maleimides from the Co-Culture of Streptomyces sp. and Achromobacter sp. Isolated from the Marine Wharf Roach, Ligia exotica
by Hyung-Ju Lim, Joon Soo An, Eun Seo Bae, Eunji Cho, Sunghoon Hwang, Sang-Jip Nam, Ki-Bong Oh, Sang Kook Lee and Dong-Chan Oh
Mar. Drugs 2022, 20(2), 83; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/md20020083 - 18 Jan 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2864
Abstract
Streptomyces sp. GET02.ST and Achromobacter sp. GET02.AC were isolated together from the gut of the wharf roach, Ligia exotica, inhabiting the intertidal zone of the west coast of Korea. The co-cultivation of these two strains significantly induced the production of two [...] Read more.
Streptomyces sp. GET02.ST and Achromobacter sp. GET02.AC were isolated together from the gut of the wharf roach, Ligia exotica, inhabiting the intertidal zone of the west coast of Korea. The co-cultivation of these two strains significantly induced the production of two new metabolites, ligiamycins A (1) and B (2), which were barely detected in the single culture of Streptomyces sp. GET02.ST. The planar structures of ligiamycins A (1) and B (2) were elucidated as new decalins coupled with amino-maleimides by the analysis of various spectroscopic data, including nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), ultraviolet (UV), and mass (MS) data. The assignment of two nitrogen atoms in amino-maleimide in 1 was accomplished based on 1H-15N heteroatom single quantum coherence spectroscopy (HSQC) NMR experiments. The relative configurations of the ligiamycins were determined using rotating frame Overhauser effect spectroscopy (ROESY) NMR data, and their absolute configurations were deduced by comparing their experimental and calculated optical rotations. Ligiamycin A (1) displayed antibacterial effects against Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella enterica, while ligiamycin B (2) exhibited mild cell cytotoxicity against human colorectal cancer cells. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Drug Research in Korea)
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12 pages, 1370 KiB  
Article
Saccharobisindole, Neoasterric Methyl Ester, and 7-Chloro-4(1H)-quinolone: Three New Compounds Isolated from the Marine Bacterium Saccharomonospora sp.
by Sohee Kim, Tu Cam Le, Sang-Ah Han, Prima F. Hillman, Ahreum Hong, Sunghoon Hwang, Young Eun Du, Hiyoung Kim, Dong-Chan Oh, Sun-Shin Cha, Jihye Lee, Sang-Jip Nam and William Fenical
Mar. Drugs 2022, 20(1), 35; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/md20010035 - 29 Dec 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2195
Abstract
Analysis of the chemical components from the culture broth of the marine bacterium Saccharomonospora sp. CNQ-490 has yielded three novel compounds: saccharobisindole (1), neoasterric methyl ester (2), and 7-chloro-4(1H)-quinolone (3), in addition to acremonidine E [...] Read more.
Analysis of the chemical components from the culture broth of the marine bacterium Saccharomonospora sp. CNQ-490 has yielded three novel compounds: saccharobisindole (1), neoasterric methyl ester (2), and 7-chloro-4(1H)-quinolone (3), in addition to acremonidine E (4), pinselin (5), penicitrinon A (6), and penicitrinon E (7). The chemical structures of the three novel compounds were elucidated by the interpretation of 1D, 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) data. Compound 2 generated weak inhibition activity against Bacillus subtilis KCTC2441 and Staphylococcus aureus KCTC1927 at concentrations of 32 μg/mL and 64 μg/mL, respectively, whereas compounds 1 and 3 did not have any observable effects. In addition, compound 2 displayed weak anti-quorum sensing (QS) effects against S. aureus KCTC1927 and Micrococcus luteus SCO560. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Drug Research in Korea)
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18 pages, 3883 KiB  
Article
Eisenia bicyclis Extract Repairs UVB-Induced Skin Photoaging In Vitro and In Vivo: Photoprotective Effects
by Se-In Choi, Hee-Soo Han, Jae-Min Kim, Geonha Park, Young-Pyo Jang, Yu-Kyong Shin, Hye-Shin Ahn, Sun-Hee Lee and Kyung-Tae Lee
Mar. Drugs 2021, 19(12), 693; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/md19120693 - 03 Dec 2021
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 5562
Abstract
Chronic exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) is a major cause of skin aging. The aim of the present study was to determine the photoprotective effect of a 30% ethanol extract of Eisenia bicyclis (Kjellman) Setchell (EEB) against UVB-induced skin aging. By treating human [...] Read more.
Chronic exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) is a major cause of skin aging. The aim of the present study was to determine the photoprotective effect of a 30% ethanol extract of Eisenia bicyclis (Kjellman) Setchell (EEB) against UVB-induced skin aging. By treating human dermal fibroblasts (Hs68) with EEB after UVB irradiation, we found that EEB had a cytoprotective effect. EEB treatment significantly decreased UVB-induced matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) production by suppressing the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/activator protein 1 (AP-1) signaling and enhancing the protein expression of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). EEB was also found to recover the UVB-induced degradation of pro-collagen by upregulating Smad signaling. Moreover, EEB increased the mRNA expression of filaggrin, involucrin, and loricrin in UVB-irradiated human epidermal keratinocytes (HaCaT). EEB decreased UVB-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation by upregulating glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPx1) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression via nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) activation in Hs68 cells. In a UVB-induced HR-1 hairless mouse model, the oral administration of EEB mitigated photoaging lesions including wrinkle formation, skin thickness, and skin dryness by downregulating MMP-1 production and upregulating the expression of pro-collagen type I alpha 1 chain (pro-COL1A1). Collectively, our findings revealed that EEB prevents UVB-induced skin damage by regulating MMP-1 and pro-collagen type I production through MAPK/AP-1 and Smad pathways. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Drug Research in Korea)
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12 pages, 2100 KiB  
Article
Isolation of Sesquiterpenoids and Steroids from the Soft Coral Sinularia brassica and Determination of Their Absolute Configuration
by Giang Nam Pham, Da Yeun Kang, Min Ju Kim, Se Jong Han, Jun Hyuck Lee and MinKyun Na
Mar. Drugs 2021, 19(9), 523; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/md19090523 - 17 Sep 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2742
Abstract
Two undescribed rearranged cadinane-type sesquiterpenoids (12), named sinulaketol A-B, together with one new chlorinated steroid (3), one new gorgosterol (4), one known sesquiterpene (5), one known dibromoditerpene (6) and two known [...] Read more.
Two undescribed rearranged cadinane-type sesquiterpenoids (12), named sinulaketol A-B, together with one new chlorinated steroid (3), one new gorgosterol (4), one known sesquiterpene (5), one known dibromoditerpene (6) and two known polyhydroxylated steroids (78) were isolated from the soft coral Sinularia brassica. The structures of these compounds were established by extensive spectroscopic analysis, including HRESIMS, 1D, and 2D NMR spectroscopy. Their absolute configurations were also determined by the ECD calculations and DP4+ probability analysis. Antileishmanial activity of compounds 18 was evaluated in vitro against the amastigote forms of Leishmania donovani, in which compounds 3, 6, and 7 inhibited the growth of L. donovani by 58.7, 74.3, 54.7%, respectively, at a concentration of 50 μM. Antimicrobial effect of the isolated compounds were also evaluated against Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli. Compound 6, a brominated diterpene, exhibited antimicrobial effect against S. aureus. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Drug Research in Korea)
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13 pages, 2760 KiB  
Article
Inhibition of A549 Lung Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion by Ent-Caprolactin C via the Suppression of Transforming Growth Factor-β-Induced Epithelial—Mesenchymal Transition
by So Young Kim, Myoung-Sook Shin, Geum Jin Kim, Hyukbean Kwon, Myong Jin Lee, Ah-Reum Han, Joo-Won Nam, Chan-Hun Jung, Ki Sung Kang and Hyukjae Choi
Mar. Drugs 2021, 19(8), 465; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/md19080465 - 19 Aug 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2902
Abstract
The epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) of cancer cells is a crucial process in cancer cell metastasis. An Aquimarina sp. MC085 extract was found to inhibit A549 human lung cancer cell invasion, and caprolactin C (1), a new natural product, α-amino-ε-caprolactam linked to [...] Read more.
The epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) of cancer cells is a crucial process in cancer cell metastasis. An Aquimarina sp. MC085 extract was found to inhibit A549 human lung cancer cell invasion, and caprolactin C (1), a new natural product, α-amino-ε-caprolactam linked to 3-methyl butanoic acid, was purified through bioactivity-guided isolation of the extract. Furthermore, its enantiomeric compound, ent-caprolactin C (2), was synthesized. Both 1 and 2 inhibited the invasion and γ-irradiation-induced migration of A549 cells. In transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-treated A549 cells, 2 inhibited the phosphorylation of Smad2/3 and suppressed the EMT cell marker proteins (N-cadherin, β-catenin, and vimentin), as well as the related messenger ribonucleic acid expression (N-cadherin, matrix metalloproteinase-9, Snail, and vimentin), while compound 1 did not suppress Smad2/3 phosphorylation and the expression of EMT cell markers. Therefore, compound 2 could be a potential candidate for antimetastatic agent development, because it suppresses TGF-β-induced EMT. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Drug Research in Korea)
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7 pages, 538 KiB  
Article
Polyketides and Meroterpenes from the Marine-Derived Fungi Aspergillus unguis 158SC-067 and A. flocculosus 01NT-1.1.5 and Their Cytotoxic and Antioxidant Activities
by Cao Van Anh, Jong Soon Kang, Byeoung-Kyu Choi, Hwa-Sun Lee, Chang-Su Heo and Hee Jae Shin
Mar. Drugs 2021, 19(8), 415; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/md19080415 - 26 Jul 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2160
Abstract
Ten secondary metabolites, including a new grifolin analog, grifolin B (1); a new homovalencic acid derivative, 12-hydroxyhomovalencic acid (7); and a compound isolated from a natural source for the first time (9), along with seven known compounds, [...] Read more.
Ten secondary metabolites, including a new grifolin analog, grifolin B (1); a new homovalencic acid derivative, 12-hydroxyhomovalencic acid (7); and a compound isolated from a natural source for the first time (9), along with seven known compounds, grifolin (2), averantin (3), 7-chloroaverantin (4), 1′-O-methylaverantin (5), 7-hydroxy-2-(2-hydroxypropyl)-5-pentylchromone (6), homovalencic acid (8), and bekeleylactone E (10), were isolated from two fungal strains. The structures of 110 were identified by detailed analysis and comparison of their spectroscopic data with literature values. Compounds 9 and 10 showed moderate cytotoxic activity against a panel of cancer cell lines (PC-3, HCT-15, MDA-MB-231, ACHN, NCI-H23, NUGC-3), with the GI50 values ranging from 1.1 µM to 3.6 µM, whereas 1 displayed a weak 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity without cytotoxicity against all tested cell lines. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Drug Research in Korea)
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11 pages, 1273 KiB  
Article
Ochraceopetalin, a Mixed-Biogenetic Salt of Polyketide and Amino Acid Origins from a Marine-Derived Aspergillus ochraceopetaliformis Fungus
by Sung Chul Park, Jung-Ho Lee, Ji-Yeon Hwang, Oh-Seok Kwon, Lijuan Liao, Dong-Chan Oh, Ki-Bong Oh and Jongheon Shin
Mar. Drugs 2021, 19(8), 413; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/md19080413 - 26 Jul 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1945
Abstract
Ochraceopetalin (1), a mixed-biogenetic salt compound and its component 2 were isolated from the culture broths of a marine-derived fungus, Aspergillus ochraceopetaliformis. Based on combined spectroscopic and chemical analyses, the structure of 1 was determined to be a sulfonated diphenylether-aminol-amino [...] Read more.
Ochraceopetalin (1), a mixed-biogenetic salt compound and its component 2 were isolated from the culture broths of a marine-derived fungus, Aspergillus ochraceopetaliformis. Based on combined spectroscopic and chemical analyses, the structure of 1 was determined to be a sulfonated diphenylether-aminol-amino acid ester guanidinium salt of an unprecedented structural class, while 2 was determined to be the corresponding sulfonated diphenylether. Ochraceopetaguanidine (3), the other guanidine-bearing aminol amino acid ester component, was also prepared and structurally elucidated. Compound 1 exhibited significant cytotoxicity against K562 and A549 cells. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Drug Research in Korea)
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