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.

Six benzophenone derivatives, carneusones A-F (1–6), along with seven known compounds (7–13) were isolated from a strain of sponge-derived marine fungus Aspergillus carneus GXIMD00543. Their chemical structures were elucidated by detailed spectroscopic data and quantum chemical calculations. Compounds 5, 6, and 8 exhibited moderate anti-inflammatory activity on NO secretion using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells with EC₅₀ values of 34.6 ± 0.9, 20.2 ± 1.8, and 26.8 ± 1.7 μM, while 11 showed potent effect with an EC₅₀ value of 2.9 ± 0.1 μM.

The discovery of novel marine natural products and their sustainable application continue to be vital focuses in marine biological research. The aim of this study is to investigate the inhibitory effect of the compound 5Z-7-Oxozeaenol isolated from the fungus Curvularia sp. MDCW-1060 on the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells and its molecular mechanism. A series of functional assays, including 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), flow cytometry, Transwell migration, and colony formation, were employed to evaluate the effects of 5Z-7-Oxozeaenol on cellular viability, apoptosis, migration, and clonogenicity. The RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) coupled with bioinformatic analysis was conducted to identify affected differentiated gene expression and signaling pathways. The molecular docking was performed to predict potential protein targets, and Western blot was used to validate expression and phosphorylation levels of key signaling molecules. The results demonstrated that 5Z-7-Oxozeaenol significantly suppressed proliferation and migration while promoting apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells. The transcriptomic analysis indicated enrichment in pathways related to cancer, cytokine–cytokine receptor interaction, MAPK and PI3K-Akt signaling, and cell adhesion molecules. The molecular docking suggested a high binding affinity between 5Z-7-Oxozeaenol and PTPRN. While Western blot analysis confirmed the downregulation of phosphorylated FAK, PI3K, Akt, and MAPK, along with reduced cyclin D1 expression. Additionally, 5Z-7-Oxozeaenol upregulated the pro-apoptotic proteins p53 and cleaved caspase-3. In conclusion, 5Z-7-Oxozeaenol exerts potent antitumor effects on MDA-MB-231 cells through multi-pathway inhibition and induction of apoptosis, highlighting its potential as a marine-derived therapeutic candidate for breast cancer treatment.