Current Perspectives on Pyrroloiminoquinones: Distribution, Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery Potential

• Published in: Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 27; no. 24; p. 8724
• Main Authors: Kalinski, Jarmo-Charles J, Polyzois, Alexandros, Waterworth, Samantha C, Siwe Noundou, Xavier, Dorrington, Rosemary A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 01.12.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Alkaloids; Alkaloids - chemistry; Animals; Antifungal agents; Antiinfectives and antibacterials; Antineoplastic Agents - chemistry; Antiprotozoal agents; Antiviral agents; batzelline; Biological Products; Biosynthesis; Cancer; Cytotoxicity; damirone; discorhabdin; Drug development; Drug Discovery; Drug wholesalers; Enzymes; epinardin; Fungicides; Hydrocarbons; makaluvamine; Natural products; Physiological aspects; Porifera - chemistry; Pyrroloiminoquinones - chemistry; Pyrroloiminoquinones - pharmacology; Quinoline; Review; Sulfur; tsitsikammamine; Australia; South Africa; Antarctica; New Zealand; prianosin; Acarnidae; damirone; sponges; discorhabdin; Latrunculiidae; makaluvamine; batzelline; epinardin; tsitsikammamine
• ISSN: 1420-3049; 1420-3049
• DOI: 10.3390/molecules27248724

Pyrroloiminoquinones are a group of cytotoxic alkaloids most commonly isolated from marine sponges. Structurally, they are based on a tricyclic pyrrolo[4,3,2-de]quinoline core and encompass marine natural products such as makaluvamines, tsitsikammamines and discorhabdins. These diverse compounds are known to exhibit a broad spectrum of biological activities including anticancer, antiplasmodial, antimicrobial, antifungal and antiviral activities as well as the inhibition of several key cellular enzymes. The resurgence of interest in pyrroloiminoquinones and the convoluted understanding regarding their biological activities have prompted this review. Herein, we provided a concise summary of key findings and recent developments pertaining to their structural diversity, distribution, biogenesis, and their potential as chemical probes for drug development, including a discussion of promising synthetic analogs.