Discovery of dicephalosterol, a new testosterone 5α-reductase inhibitor, and some new mycological aspects of its producer, Dicephalospora rufocornea (Sclerotiniaceae, Discomycetes)

Abstract

Dicephalosterol, a new testosterone 5a-reductase inhibitor, was found from isolates of Dicephalospora rufocornea, a sclerotiniaceous discomycete widely distributed, but not previously cultured. Under SEM observation, the polar appendage of the ascospores in D. rufocornea was found to be more solid than was hitherto reported. Dicephalosterol was produced by submerged fermentation for 7 d. This new analogue of testosterone showed an ICs0 of 5.7 pg/ml for rat prostatic 5a-reductase, but no antimicrobial activity against bacteria or fungi.

Systematics, ecology, and application of <i>Helotiales</i>: Recent progress and future perspectives for research with special emphasis on activities within Japan

“… Otani (1989) enumerated the Japanese mycobiota of Discomycetes , a taxon no longer used but still practical in the modern taxonomy, and enumerated 77 genera with 214 species in the order. Through our exploration and enumeration, we added 57 newly documented taxa in Japan, and 30 new taxa, including 2 genera ( Otani, Hosoya, & Furuya, 1991 ; Hosoya et al, 1993 ; Kubono & Hosoya, 1994 ; Hosoya & Otani 1995 , 1997a , 1997b , 1997c ; Hosoya & Harada 1999 ; Hosoya, 2000 , 2002 , 2004 , 2005 , 2009 ; Ono & Hosoya, 2001 ; Tanaka & Hosoya, 2001 ; Hosoya & Huhtinen 2002 ; Narumi-Saito, Hosoya, Sano, & Harada, 2006 ; Hosoya et al, 2010a , 2010c , 2011 ; Hosoya, Sung, Han, & Shin, 2010d ; Han, Hosoya, & Shin, 2011 ; Hosoya et al, 2012 ; Hosoya, Hosaka, Saito, Degawa, & Suzuki, 2013a ; Hosoya et al, 2013b ; Hosoya, Saito, & Sasagawa, 2013c ; Zhao, Hosoya, Shirouzu, Kakishima, & Yamaoka, 2013 ; Han et al, 2014a ; Hosoya, Zhao, & Degawa, 2014 ; Zhao & Hosoya, 2014 , 2015 ; Degawa et al, 2015 ; Gross, Hosoya, Zhao, & Baral, 2015 ; Hosoya & Zhao, 2016 ; Itagaki, Nakamura, & Hosoya, 2019 ; Tochihara & Hosoya, 2019 ). These included new species, new genera of both sexual and asexual states, now being merged under single names (some examples are presented in Fig.…”

Three new species of Dicephalospora from China as revealed by morphological and molecular evidences

“…Approximately, 10 species are currently accepted in the genus and nine of them have been found in China (Zhuang 1995a, 1995b, 1999; Verkley 2004; Zhuang et al 2016). Dicephalosterol was discovered from the culture of D.rufocornea (Hosoya et al 1999). This compound is a new testosterone 5α-reductase inhibitor and has a potential to be developed as a drug to prevent and cure prostatic hypertrophy (Hosoya et al 1999).…”

“…Dicephalosterol was discovered from the culture of D.rufocornea (Hosoya et al 1999). This compound is a new testosterone 5α-reductase inhibitor and has a potential to be developed as a drug to prevent and cure prostatic hypertrophy (Hosoya et al 1999). Additional information about utilization of the Dicephalospora spp.…”