Phycocyanin (PC) is a pigment-protein complex. It has been reported that PC exerts anti-colorectal cancer activities, although the underlying mechanism has not been fully elucidated. In the present study, azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced mice were orally administrated with PC, followed by microbiota and transcriptomic analyses to investigate the effects of PC on colitis-associated cancer (CAC). Our results indicated that PC ameliorated AOM/DSS induced inflammation. PC treatment significantly reduced the number of colorectal tumors and inhibited proliferation of epithelial cell in CAC mice. Moreover, PC reduced the relative abundance of Firmicutes, Deferribacteres, Proteobacteria and Epsilonbacteraeota at phylum level. Transcriptomic analysis showed that the expression of genes involved in the intestinal barrier were altered upon PC administration, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis revealed the IL-17 signaling pathway was affected by PC treatment. The study demonstrated the protective therapeutic action of PC on CAC.

Glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), a molecular chaperone, is overexpressed in patients suffering from obesity, fatty liver, hyperlipidemia and diabetes. GRP78, therefore, can be not only a biomarker to predict the progression and prognosis of obesity and metabolic diseases but also a potential therapeutic target for anti-obesity treatment. In this paper, GRP78 inhibitors targeting its ATPase domain have been reviewed. Small molecules and proteins that directly bind GRP78 have been described. Putative mechanisms of GRP78 in regulating lipid metabolism were also summarized so as to investigate the role of GRP78 in obesity and other related diseases and provide a theoretical basis for the development and design of anti-obesity drugs targeting GRP78.

Seven rare C3-C6 reduced 3-acyl tetramic acid derivatives, lecanicilliumins A–G (1–7), along with the known analogue cladosporiumin D (8), were obtained from the extract of the deep-sea-derived fungus Lecanicillium fusisporum GXIMD00542 within the family Clavipitacae. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic data analysis, quantum chemistry calculations and chemical reaction. Compounds 1, 2, 5–7 exhibited moderate anti-inflammatory activity against NF-κB production using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced RAW264.7 cells with EC₅₀ values range of 18.49–30.19 μM.

Five previously undescribed peptaibiotics, including one 7-mer lipopeptaibol named lipotrichaibol A (1), and four 11-mer peptaibiotics named trichoderpeptides A-D (2–5) were isolated from the rice culture medium of the sponge-derived fungus Trichoderma sp. GXIMD 01001. Their structures and absolute configurations were unambiguously established by extensive spectroscopic data analysis and advanced Marfey’s method. All isolated compounds were evaluated via CCK8 bioassays to investigate their antiproliferative activity. Only compound 1 exerted potent cytotoxicity against HT-29 and DLD-1 cells with IC₅₀ values at 10.3 ± 1.9 and 12.31 ± 1.5 μM, respectively. In further in vitro bioassay, compound 1 exhibited significant inhibition in colony formation assay, induced apoptosis and blocked the cell cycle in the G0/G1 phase. The mechanism may be related to the regulation of the Erk1/2 signaling pathway.

Two new compounds, carneusins A-B (1-2), as well as fifteen known compounds (3-17), were isolated from the marine-derived fungus Aspergillus carneus GXIMD00519. Their structures were elucidated by the analysis of detailed spectroscopic data and quantum chemistry calculations. All the compounds were evaluated for their antibacterial, antibiofilm and cytotoxic effects. Compound 1 showed a moderate inhibitory effect against MRSA with the MIC value of 32 µg/mL. Compound 2 exhibited an anti-microfouling effect against biofouling bacterial Vibrio rotiferianus and Alteromonas macleodii with MIC value of 64 µg/mL. Compound 5 displayed antibiofilm activity against A. macleodii with the EC50 value of 10.42 ± 0.58 µg/mL. Compounds 1, 3, 4, 8 and 15 showed cytotoxicity against human pancreatic cancer cell lines SW1990, colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line DLD1, human pancreatic cancer cell line PANC1, and human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line Bel7402 with IC50 values ranging of 2.75-17.77 µM.