TY - JOUR AU - He, Li-Ming AU - Deng, Xuan AU - Ni, Li-Hua AU - Cai, Shi-Qi AU - Chen, Jinhu AU - Liao, Zejin AU - Zhang, Mengke AU - Shui, Hua AU - Zhu, Kong-Kai AU - Wu, Song AU - Gao, Ping AU - Sarotti, Ariel M. AU - Hong, Kui AU - Wu, Xiao-Yan AU - Cai, You-Sheng PY - 2025 TI - Penicipyrrolidines A−N, pyrrolidine derivatives with inhibitory effects on EMT and fibroblast activation from the mangrove-derived fungus Penicillium sp. DM27 JO - Marine Life Science & Technology SN - 2096-6490 SP - 313 EP - 327 VL - 7 IS - 2 AB - An investigation of the mangrove-derived fungus Penicillium sp. DM27 led to the isolation of 19 new compounds, including three pairs of piperidinone enantiomers (±)-1, (±)-2, and (±)-3, two pairs of pyrrolidinone enantiomers (±)-4 and (±)-5, and nine pyrrolidine derivatives 6−14. The structures of 1−14 were elucidated through NMR and HRESIMS analysis, coupled with experimental and calculated ECD spectroscopy and the modified Mosher method. Quantitative real time PCR and Western bolt analyses revealed that 11 blocked EMT in TGF-β1-treated HK-2 cells and suppressed fibroblast activation in TGF-β1-stimulated NIH-3T3 cells. Molecular simulations demonstrated that compound 11 could dock ADAM17, showing a high negative binding affinity. Additionally, the overexpression of ADAM17 by lentiviral infection triggered renal tubular EMT, while compound 11 suppressed this process. Overall, our research suggests that pyrrolidine derivatives may be potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of fibrotic kidney disease. UR - https://doi.org/10.1007/s42995-025-00282-0 DO - 10.1007/s42995-025-00282-0