Isolation of acetylated bile acids from the sponge Siphonochalina fortis and DNA damage evaluation by the comet assay

PATIÑO CANO, L.; BARTOLOTTA, S.; CASANOVA, N.; SILESS, G.; PORTMANN, E.; SCHEJTER, L; PALERMO, J.; CARBALLO, M.

STEROIDS

ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2013 vol. 78 p. 982 - 986

0039-128X

From the organic extracts of the sponge Siphonochalina fortis, collected at Bahía Bustamante, Chubut, 32 Argentina, three major compounds were isolated and identified as deoxycholic acid 3, 12-diacetate (1), 33 cholic acid 3, 7, 12-triacetate (2) and cholic acid, 3, 7, 12-triacetate. (3). This is the first report of acety- 34 lated bile acids in sponges and the first isolation of compound 3 as a natural product. The potential induc- 35 tion of DNA lesions by the isolated compounds was investigated using the comet assay in lymphocytes of 36 human peripheral blood as in vitro model. The results showed that the administration of the bile acid 37 derivatives would not induce DNA damages, indicating that acetylated bile acids are nontoxic metabo- 38 lites at the tested concentrations. Since the free bile acids were not detected, it is unlikely that the acet- 39 ylated compounds may be part of the sponge cells detoxification mechanisms. These results may suggest 40 a possible role of acetylated bile acids as a chemical defense mechanism, product of a symbiotic relation- 41 ship with microorganisms, which would explain their seasonal and geographical variation, and their 42 influence on the previously observed genotoxicity of the organic extract of S. fortis.