Leporizines A–C: Epithiodiketopiperazines Isolated from an Aspergillus Species

Three new compounds named leporizines A-C have been isolated from an Aspergillus sp. strain. Their structures were elucidated by analysis of 1D and 2D NMR spectra. Leporizines A and B were isolated during dereplication of hits from a high-throughput screening campaign for correctors of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), and leporizine C was isolated while preparing additional material for characterization of leporizines A and B. CFTR activity observed for leporizines A and B was highly correlated with cell toxicity and was determined to be a nonspecific effect. Leporizine C was not cytotoxic to cells and did not elicit a response in the CFTR assays. To the best of our knowledge, leporizines A-C represent the first examples of this unusual epithiodiketopiperazine skeleton.