Fungus-Derived Compounds Show Promise Against Mesothelioma
Research & Clinical Trials
Written by Sean Marchese | Edited by Amy Edel
Researchers in Japan have identified new chemical compounds derived from a fungus that showed the ability to kill mesothelioma cells in laboratory testing. The findings, published this month in the Journal of Antibiotics, are early-stage but add to a growing body of research exploring natural sources for new mesothelioma treatments.
The compounds, named paramyfurans A and B and paramylactone, were extracted from a fungal strain called Paramyrothecium sp. BF-1049. None have been tested in animals or humans. They’re not treatments. But the laboratory results were notable enough to warrant attention from the mesothelioma research community.
Key Facts
- The 3 novel compounds were isolated from a fungal strain and tested against 3 mesothelioma cell lines in a laboratory setting.
- All 3 compounds showed cytotoxic activity, meaning they killed or inhibited mesothelioma cells, at very low concentrations (ranging from 0.68 to 19.86 micromolar), indicating they’re potent even in tiny amounts. Micromolar amounts are about one part in a million, like a single red M&M mixed into a million blue ones.
- The compounds were tested against different lab-grown mesothelioma cells (NCI-H2452, NCI-H2052 and Y-MESO-27 cell lines) to see if the compounds work broadly or only on a specific cell type.
- The research hasn’t advanced to animal or human trials yet.
- This research doesn’t change current mesothelioma treatment options, but it represents a meaningful early step in identifying new drug candidates.
We asked Dr. Jeffrey Velotta, thoracic surgeon at Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center and mesothelioma expert, about his take on the study. He told us, “I think it’s great to harbor biological organic compounds from fungus to treat mesothelioma cell lines. This looks promising. However, before we get too excited, we’ll have to see how this compound does in animal models to see if it works in vivo, and not just in vitro.”
For patients, the most important context is this: Laboratory cell line results are the first step in a long process. Most compounds that show activity in a lab dish never become treatments. But researchers need that first step, and this study clears it.
Why Mesothelioma Researchers Are Interested in Fungi
Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that’s resistant to many standard treatments, so experts are actively seeking effective options. Researchers continue to screen fungal strains and other natural organisms because their chemistry can be complex and novel in ways that synthetic approaches don’t always replicate.
Natural products, compounds derived from plants, fungi and marine organisms have a long history in cancer drug development. Several chemotherapy drugs currently in use, including some used to treat mesothelioma, trace their origins to natural sources.
Paramyrothecium sp. BF-1049 hadn’t previously been identified as a source of anti-mesothelioma compounds. The study expands the known range of fungal metabolites with potential anticancer activity.
What the Researchers Found
The researchers isolated each of the 3 compounds from the broth of the fungi using standard techniques. The structures of each of the compounds were confirmed using NMR spectroscopy.
Each of the compounds was tested against 3 different lines of mesothelioma cells grown in the laboratory. The potency of each compound was determined through the concentration of the compound that killed half of the cancer cells grown in a dish, known as its IC50 value.
Lower IC50 values indicate a compound was more potent than compounds with higher IC50 values. The potency of each of the 3 compounds was found to be between 0.68 and 19.86 micromolar. This result is comparable to or better than the bioactive compound abscisic acid (a naturally occurring plant hormone), which was tested as a control or benchmark for these experiments.
What These Compounds Are
Paramyfurans A and B are compounds with a specific chemical structure that belong to a family of compounds (2-benzylfuran derivatives) of particular interest to scientists because they’ve previously been observed to have biological activity in other research. This means they can interact with living systems, for example, affecting cells or biochemical processes in a way that could be useful for medical applications or understanding how nature works.
Paramylactone is another type of compound found naturally in certain plants and fungi. It’s part of a group (dihydrocoumarins) that’s often explored for its potential health benefits. Additionally, paramylactone consists of 2 slightly different versions. While they have the same chemical makeup and are shaped almost identically, they’re mirror images of each other, just like your left hand is a mirror image of your right hand, but you can’t perfectly stack one on top of the other.
These unique mirror-image forms are called enantiomers. Even though they seem so similar, living systems (like our bodies) can often tell the difference between these mirror images. One form might be active and helpful, while the other could be inactive or even have different or harmful effects. Because of this, researchers carefully separated these 2 enantiomers and tested each one individually to understand their specific actions.
What Patients Should Know
The study’s findings don’t affect treatment decisions today. No clinical trials are underway for these compounds. They’re not available outside a research laboratory.
What the study does do is expand the list of potential drug candidates that researchers can study further. Dr. Velotta noted,“The more biological organic compounds that we can find that have “anti-cancer” activity, that is a great thing!”
The next steps would typically include testing in animal models and then include early-phase human trials if results remain promising. That process takes years.
Patients interested in emerging treatment research can ask their mesothelioma specialist about clinical trials that may be enrolling. A mesothelioma specialist or Patient Advocate can help identify options that are currently available and may be a fit.
