Isolation and characterization of anti-inflammatory compounds from marine organisms : Eucratea loricata and Echinus esculentus

Abstract

In the last decade, the investigation of marine natural products has resulted in a remarkable number of compounds with promising biological activities. Marine natural products have been shown to display antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer, antiviral, antiparasitic, anti-inflammatory activity and several other pharmacological activities of benefit to humankind. In this project, an investigation of the anti-inflammatory and immunostimulatory activities of extracts from two Arctic marine invertebrate species; a bryozoan, Eucratea loricata, and a sea urchin, Echinus esculentus, is presented. Anti-inflammatory activity was analyzed by using the monocyte/macrophage cell lines: THP-1 (accurate monocytic leukemia) and U937 (leukemic monocyte lymphoma). Immunostimulatory activity was analyzed by using THP-1 cell line. Effects on cell culture were monitored as reduced NFκB reporter activity in transfected cell line, and as reduced or increased production of the cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the extracts revealed the presence of anti-inflammatory activity in the Echinus esculentus extracts. The structure of the target compound was partly elucidated using high resolution mass spectrometry, mass spectrometric fragmentation, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. In addition, this present project provides background information about natural product research and current anti-inflammatory investigations of marine invertebrate species.