# Novel Marine Fungus-Derived Mycophenolic Acids That Inhibit Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cell Proliferation

## TL;DR

Scientists discovered new mycophenolic acid compounds from a marine fungus that strongly inhibit the growth of acute myeloid leukemia cells.

## Contribution

Nine new mycophenolic acid derivatives and two new natural products were isolated from a marine fungus with potent anti-leukemia activity.

## Key findings

- Eight compounds showed anti-proliferative effects against nine human cancer cell lines with IC50 values in the nM to μM range.
- Compounds 5, 7–9 exhibited strong inhibition of MOLM-13 acute myeloid leukemia cells with IC50 values between 0.13 and 1.13 μM.

## Abstract

Nine new mycophenolic acid derivatives, penicacids O–W (1–9), two first-time reported natural products (10, 11), and five known compounds (12–16), were isolated from a marine-derived fungus Penicillium senticosum RCDB005 found in a South China Sea sediment sample. Their structures were determined using NMR, HRESIMS, and optical rotatory dispersion (ORD) spectra, electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations, X-ray crystallography, and modified Mosher’s methods. Eight of these compounds were evaluated for anti-proliferative effects against nine human cancer cell lines and the IC50 values ranged from nM to μM levels. Compounds 5, 7–9 showed potent inhibition activity against MOLM-13 acute myeloid leukemia cells with IC50 values between 0.13 and 1.13 μM.